I know! Chapter 10 is way overdue! Sorry guys, but it's here now so read, review, favorite, and enjoy!
Chapter 10
"Trolls Hoards and Rivendell"
"Tom, get me filletin' knife!" Bert ordered as the dwarves continued to cry out in protest for their freedom.
"What a load of whubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on! Scoff 'em I say, boots and all!" William stated, not buying the Hobbit's suggestion one bit.
Tom stepped up with an evil smirk, "He's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" he grabbed Torshar by the feet and dangled her upside down above his head, "Nice and crunchy!"
Bilbo quickly screamed, "Not that one, she's infected!" this statement made all three trolls stop in their tracks, "She's got worms! In her… Tubes! Tom tossed the versifier so fast that you would have thought a warg had bitten him, "In fact, they all have them! They're infested with parasites! It's a nasty business! I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't!" the dwarves in sacks began to yell that they did not have anything like what the Hobbit had said until it registered in Thorin's mind and he kicked them to silence their squabbling, earning a confused look from his brunette nephew.
Oin seemed to understand, "I've got parasites as big as my arm!"
Kili then joined in, "I've got one of the biggest parasites! I've got huge parasites!" soon, all fourteen dwarves were claiming parasite infestations.
"What would you have us do then? Let 'em all go?!" William asked as he stepped away from the spit and towards Bilbo.
"Well…" he started but was cut by being shoved.
"You think I don't know what you're up?! This little ferret is taking us for fools!"
" 'Ferret' ?!" the adventurer gasped in insult.
"Fools?" Bert wondered confused.
Just then a power voice laced with authority spoke out, "The dawn will take you all!" and on top of a boulder above the trolls heads, appeared the wizard in grey.
"Who's that?"
"No idea."
"Can we eat him to?" the trolls asked simultaneously as the wizard stabbed the top of the rock with the end of his staff, splitting it in half, and allowing sunlight to spill over the trolls; turning them to stone.
Gandalf quickly got off the rock and began to untie the sacked dwarves who then moved fast to free the spit. The wizard took notice that Thorin stayed by a fallen Torshar who had lost consciousness a few moments earlier.
"Thorin, what happened?!" Gandalf asked worried as he slowly came close while picking up their clothes as he walked.
"I do not know. One of the trolls destroyed the tree she was hiding in and she landed on the ground, hard. And a second time when she was picked up then dropped. Can you help her, Gandalf?" the king asked as he looked up at the wizard with a twinge of something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
The old man nodded and placed the dwarf's clothes in his hands, "I may only be able to treat the superficial wounds and relieve her of some of the pain.
"Anything to help would be greatly appreciated…" a moment of silence passed between them as Thorin dressed, "Where did you go to, if I may ask?"
"To look ahead."
"What brought you back?"
"Looking behind…" the wizard answered as he bandaged a few wounds on the versifier's arms and entire back then dressed her, "Still you're all in one piece."
"No thanks to your burglar." The prince pointed out with a disappointed look as Gandalf stood.
"He had the nous to play for time… None of the rest of you had thought of that." The old man moved closer to the trolls of stone, "They must have come down from the Ettenmoors…"
A weak voice spoke up, making both men turn, "Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin quickly knelt beside Torshar and helped her sit up with a wince on her face the entire time.
"Not for an age, dear Torshar! Not since a darker power ruled these lands…" the darker power being the ancient evil, Sauron, which made the two dwarves exchange weary glances for everyone knew the tale. Ever so carefully, Thorin assisted the versifier in getting in to her feet as Gandalf turned back to the statues, "They could not have moved in daylight…"
"There must be a cave nearby…" the two dwarves voiced as one, making them lock gazes for a few moments. Just then, Dwalin called out that he had found said cave.
The stench that festered at the entrance of the rock was nearly unbearable for the versifier as the group approached. But, being the stubborn she was, she gingerly followed Gandalf, Thorin, Dwalin, Nori, Gloin, and Bofur into the bowels of the putrid smelling troll cave. Sounds of coughing and gagging echoed off the stone walls as the small entourage ventured inside.
"What's that stench?!" Nori groaned as he covered his mouth and nose.
"It's a troll hoard, master Nori. Be careful what you touch!" Gandalf warned as he stepped over a few medium sized piles of coins. The group dispersed among the relatively large space, finding things of interest, gold, jewels, weapons, etc. Dwalin stood over a narrow hole that Nori, Gloin, and Bofur had dug and watched them fill a modest sized chest to the brim with treasure then place it in said hole.
Thorin was inspecting a set of weapons when his eye caught on to a couple of dusty swords that were covered in cobwebs. He delicately picked them up in both hands and stated, "These swords were not made by any troll…"
The wizard stepped over to the dwarf king who handed him the long sword, allowing for a closer inspection, " Nor were they made by any smith among Men…" he slavery pulled the blade out and blew some dust away, "These were forged in Gondolin! By the High Elves of the First Age!"
A scowl appeared on the shorter man's face who then proceeded to put the weapon back until the versifier spoke up, holding a sword of her own, "You could not wish for a finer blade, Thorin!" This made the dwarf stop then unsheathe the broad sword in inspect it. At the same time, Torshar came up to him with her own weapon of choice, a long sword with a small blue gem in the hilt and a bigger one on the blade itself above the hilt. It was light in the versifier's hand but she knew with enough force and speed, it would be extremely lethal.
Once they were satisfied, Thorin led the group out and into the fresh air and sunshine. Torshar climbed atop a shoulder-leveled boulder, crouched as she notched her bow, then gazed around in silence; observing every little sound and movement. Gandalf was speaking to Bilbo and gifting him a blade of his own, Thorin stood watch on the opposite of the cave entrance with his new sword completely unsheathed and ready for an attack, and the others were around making sure their packs were secure for their next stretch across Middle-Earth.
The sound of rapidly approaching feet reached the dwarf prince before the minstrel because he spoke first, "Something's coming!"
"Arm yourselves, quickly!" Gandalf ordered as the dwarves began to scramble. Just then the figures burst through the bushes screaming about fire, thieves, and murder. Torshar already had her bow and arrow aimed for the intruder's head. Only Gandalf's recognition of this person, who was dressed in brown raggedy robes and had moss growing in his hair, prevented her from releasing the string, "Rhadagast! Rhadagast the Brown! What are you doing here…?"
"I was looking for you, Gandalf! Something's wrong! Something's terribly wrong!" the brown wizard stated terrified.
"Yes…?" the grey one urged softly.
A few attempts at speaking were unsuccessful, seemingly upsetting the poor brown wizard, "I had a thought and now I've lost it! It was right there on the tip of my tongue!" he paused for a moment, "Oh! It's not a thought at all! It's a silly old…" he opened his mouth and Gandalf pulled out a walking stick, "Stick insect."
As the two wizards walked off to talk privately, Torshar finally lowered her bow slowly and winced in pain. Fili was closest to her and took notice of the distress on her face, "What is it, Torshar?"
"Nothing to worry about, Fili… Just a bit sore from that beating with the trolls." She smiled weakly, "I'll be fine…" the blond headed nephew seemed to want to push the subject but decided against it because he believed that the versifier wouldn't lie to him. Truth be told, Torshar's back wasn't the only thing in excruciating pain, her right shoulder had been dislocated on her return fall to the ground by the troll.
She stole a quick glance at Thorin, who stood conversing with Dwalin, as she strapped her new sword to her waist. The prince turned his gaze over and locked eyes with her before there was a loud howl, like that of a wolf who hadn't eaten in a week and just found lunch.
"Was that a wolf?! Are there wolves out there?!" Bilbo asked terrified.
Bofur carefully stepped in front of him, "Wolves? No that is not a wolf…" he said worried. Suddenly, a branch snapped causing them to spin and barely dodge an attacking warg! Thorin was quick to dispatch it with his elvish blade but took no notice of a second warg until it was lying dead beside him with three arrows in its skull. He looked from the dead animal to Kili who was just notching his first arrow then to Torshar who had another three ready; just in case.
"Warg scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind!" the prince stated as he yanked his sword from the first warg's brain.
"Who did you tell of your quest, beyond your kin?!" Gandalf demanded as he approached the scene with Rhadagast close on his heels.
"No one."
"Who did you tell?!"
"No one, I swear! What in Durin's name is going on?!" Thorin asked.
"You are being hunted…" the grey wizard replied.
Torshar lowered her bow and placed two of her arrows back in her quiver as everyone tried to figure out what to do next until Rhadagast took off on his sled pulled by rabbits, "Come on!"
Out running the Orcs was a lot easier said than done because the Orcs were on wargback while the company was on foot, Needless to say, no matter how much they tried to hide, the vile creatures still pinpointed them. Thorin was no longer going to run so he ordered the company to hold their ground against the pack. Torshar stood back-to-back with him and had her new blade firmly grasped in her hand.
"Where is Gandalf?!" Dori screamed, taking notice of the missing sorcerer.
"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin answered angrily.
"Hold your ground!" the king-to-be shouted and drew his sword; awaiting an attack.
Just then, Gandalf poked up from a hidden entrance, "This way, you fools!" Upon Thorin's command, the company ran for the entrance and, one-by-one, jumped down into the cave. The last ones left up top were Thorin, Torshar, and Kili and after the younger prince slid down, Torshar turned to see what their enemies' next move would be only to see an Orc archer aim a shot at Thorin!
"Thorin, move!" without thinking clearly, the warrior pushed the dwarf man down the hole. Not even a second later, an arrow pierced her right, dislocated, shoulder. She howled in pain and tumbled down the rocky slope, breaking the shaft of the arrow, and embedding it further into her flesh.
A loud horn blast echoed through the air as well as the thundering of hooves. Orcs screamed in agony and retreated in terror.
"Ah, the Elves have arrived…" Gandalf whispered as an Orc tumbled down into their hiding place with and arrow's shaft sticking out of its chest.
Thorin pulled out said arrow with a scowl, "Elves…"
"I cannot see where the pathway leads! Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin asked from the back of the cave.
"Follow it, of course!" Bofur stated hurriedly and, with the company, in tow, Followed Dwalin.
"I think that would be wise…" Gandalf mumbled as Torshar tried to stand but the pain in her shoulder was so excruciating that it sent her falling to her knees gripping her right upper arm and trying to suppress a scream of agony.
The dwarf prince was quickly by her side, lifting her left arm over his shoulders and wrapping his right arm around her waist, "Come on, Torshar… We must catch up with the others."
"Leave me, Thorin… I will only be a burden to you…" she said weakly and cringed as her friend hoisted her to her feet.
"You are my dearest friend… I will not leave you behind. Now, move your feet!" he ordered and began to walk, making her do it as well.
After navigating through the tight passage with turns and contortions, the dwarven company emerged on a hillside above a city of gleaming white marble.
"The Valley of Imladris… To the common tongue it is known by another name…" Gandalf stated.
"Rivendell…" Bilbo whispered in awe.