Chapter 7: Not a Wizard's Magic!?

Camp packed up and rode on, just as they had done for many days now, but something was bothering Fili: That experience he had had the other night, seeing images and feeling emotions that were not his own was too much for the young dwarf. He wanted to know the source of this power, so he could better understand it; he knew it must be a wizard's magic, but he didn't know where it was coming from. So, he decided to ask Rose, his closest clue to this mystery: "Rose?"

"Yes, Fili?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes, anything."

"…I had a weird experience last night: I could feel emotions and see events and images that were not of my own mind, and then I saw your hand clenched around mine…I don't know if it was magic or if I'm insane, but would you happen to know what happened?" Rose seemed uncomfortable to answer, and sensing her friend's discomfort, Eri intervened and tried to change the subject: "Hey! How about those trolls we faced a while back? Pretty dim-witted, right?"

"Eri, maybe you know something about this?" Fili pried on before Kili exclaimed, "Eri, if you know something, I suggest you speak now or forever hold your peace" Eri took a breath, collecting her words together before asking Fili, "Fili, did you experience this the moment Rose grabbed your hand?"

"Yes…"

"Oh dear!"

"What is it, my lovely?" Kili inquired, making sure Eri was okay.

"It's not something bad. It's just a secret we tried to keep…Guess that didn't work, huh?"

"What secret? What's going on here?"

"Let me tell them the truth, Eri…Please." Rose replied in a low whisper, reassuring her friend that the secret was okay to be shared with her new, trusted comrades.

"All right, go ahead." Eri remarked with a smile.

"…When I was informed of my father's death in battle, I was so distraught, I couldn't breathe, eat, or sleep from that day on…I ran to my room and collapsed on my bed in a fit of sobs until I collapsed onto a deep sleep. It was in that moment that I had a dream: a dream that allowed me to give my thoughts, emotions, and ideas to another through physical contact, or touch…Then when I woke up the next morning, my dream became a reality. I did research on such an ability but could never find the answer, so I thought that if I followed Thorin, along with Eri and Pandora, I could learn of my power."

"Interesting." Fili answered before Kili beamed, "That's extraordinary! We won't have to shout out battle plans because we'll have Rose to pass along the plan through touch!"

"Another thing…I'm not the only one with an ability…Erigaela has one too, abilities much different from mine."

Kili's expression changed from joy to awe as he stuttered, "Eri, you have- She's telling the truth- You're-"

"Yes, Kili…She speaks true. I too have an ability…After I had laid my adoptive father to rest, I sobbed on my bed, collapsed into a deep sleep, and had a strange dream: a dream that allowed me to see images in my head to anticipate enemy movements. I would fall into a trance and faint when I was sitting or asleep but if I was in battle, the events would be shown to me as I fought. Then my dream also became a reality, and I realized after that that I was a special person, just like the others…However, we know nothing of our abilities."

"That sounds amazing. But you really don't know about your powers?" Kili questioned as Thorin heard the four talking nonsense and decided to ride closer to them from a distance to listen in. He had heard them talk about Rose and Eri's abilities other than their skills with mortal weapons, and he was more than intrigued to hear about each gift that they possessed.

"So, you nothing at all?" Fili asked before Rose replied, "Correct. We know nothing of our powers and we've searched everywhere."

"I know of your abilities and I can tell you more about them…"

"Gandalf!" The four exclaimed as they noticed his presence before he continued, "Those abilities you speak of can only be performed by wizards such as myself, however…there are some people within Middle Earth who can perform such a feat, and you three have suffered traumatic experiences and are pure-hearted…Maybe this is the reason these abilities came to you: Your gentle natures and pure hearts…Erigaela, your ability is very special: an ability that allows you to anticipate things that have not yet come to pass…Your ability is known as 'The Gift of Foresight.'"

"Wait! You're saying she's some sort of future seer or fortune teller?!" Kili asked in shock as his jaw dropped and made an 'O' shape.

"That's precisely what I mean, my dear boy…and finally, Rose, your ability enables you to pass along thoughts, ideas, and emotions to another through physical contact; this ability is known as telepathy, or 'The Gift of the Empath.'…You two have used your powers for no evil and you've protected each other through these abilities. Had you not been given these abilities, you'd still protect one another like a new family would, correct?"

"Yes, sir." The girls replied as they nodded their heads.

"May your gifts help you on this journey, and may you stay safe throughout the journey's course."

"Yes, sir." The group continued riding on horseback for several more hours, throwing food at one another when they got hungry and talking as they rode. Thorin, Kili, and Fili tried to wrap their heads around this new-found information that was a blessing to their group but could eventually become a curse. Kili was excited about having two, beautiful, and supernatural girls in the group. Fili was in shock and awe at their abilities and beauty, and Thorin was confused about this information, still trying to wrap his head around it, but now beginning to warm up to these girls, as well as tolerate them. The group set up camp once again, but on this night, the two girls confessed about their powers. The group was in shock and awe as well excitement when they learned of the girl's magic but were saddened when they learned the cost of the powers: The traumatic yet natural loss of the people they loved the most.

To cheer everyone up, Rose prettily asked Bofur to play a cheerful song on his clarinet/flute. Bofur cooperated and did as he was asked, playing a melody that sounded like the cheerful songs of an Irish pub or the Shire's song come to life. Rose even joined in on a small fiddle she owned, enchanting everyone with her part in the tune, showing them she too had a talent other than archery or horse-back riding. Fili swayed back and forth to the music before he asked Rose to dance with him under the stars and in the fire's glow:

"Rose, would you care to dance with me?"

"I…I'd love to, Fili. Thanks." Rose took Fili's stretched out hand and rested one hand on his shoulder while his wrapped around her waist tightly but comfortably. The two swayed gently to get a feel for the melody before they twirled gracefully around the fire at a quicker pace; their feet slid across the ground, almost as if they were weightless during the song's gentle beat. After a while, Thorin made a bold move towards Erigaela, who was gentle in her answer to his question as she stopped playing her fiddle:

"Erigaela?"

"Yes, Thorin?"

"May I have this dance with you?"

"…Umm…"

"What's wrong?"

"…I cannot dance, Sire. I have two left feet…Sorry."

"No need to apologize…I can teach you…Trust me," Thorin assured her, lending her his hand, which she took gladly as she grinned an innocent smile. Thorin led her a little ways away so they wouldn't bump into his nephews and their dance partners, giving her a better place to learn how to dance, "Okay…You put your left hand on my shoulder like so."

"Like this?"

"There you go…Now, don't be afraid if I put my arm around your waist," Thorin replied as he snaked his hand around her tiny waist, causing her to shiver not in fear and cold, but in embarrassment, causing Thorin to silently chuckle at her in his head, but not daring to smile at her, "Okay…Now just take my hand and sway to the music…There you go. You got it now!" The two swayed back and forth slowly under the moon's stars and fire's light, slowly increasing their pace as Erigaela became more comfortable with the dance until they danced back in the circle with Kili, Fili, and the others that danced with them. Eri smiling up at Thorin every once in a while, heart skipping a beat and smile burning brighter from her joy of being taught how to dance, a simple task that her father should've taught her had he not left her in the Shire. As the song ended, the dancers and their partners slowed down until they stopped completely, taking a bow or a curtsy to signify the song's end…After their dance, everyone resumed camp activities until they all fell asleep until the morning that was approaching fast…