Sorry this took so long! hope you still enjoy!
I don't know where to look first! So many things happening at once! The ponies have fled. Those who are poisoned suddenly changed forms violently. Dwalin turned into this Huge Kodiak grizzly bear. Gloin changed into a red furred Ibex. Dori too, who was at first lying on the ground, suddenly slowly picks himself up, eyes blazing angrily at the sound of Nori's cry of pain when a hunter smacked him. The eldest Ri starts growing in size, his whole form being covered in silver fur, horns sprouting from his head. His whole form changes to a bi-peddler silver buffalo. Balin tries to stay him, but he is almost completely ignored
Once again my mouth hangs agape, staring at everyone like they're aliens as one by one, they all start changing form when the hunters holler out their own orders and battle cries. Gandalf wields his staff blocking the volley of arrows, but he could not stop the company. Bofur curls up involuntarily, and as he changes from, A large spotted hyena is standing now where he is. Oin Spins around as suddenly teeth begin to protrude from the sides of his mouth into full on tusks during his change. Bifur changes into the craziest, wildest honey badger I have ever seen, and that's saying something when talking about honey badgers.
"There they go lads! Get them while they're animals!" I hear some man yell out.
A speculation forms in my head at that. The poison they had, was it designed to encourage them to transform, so that when they tried to kill them, they could take their hides? SSSSSSIIIIIIICK! Strategically sick! Yet I am not so surprised as the also look to be humans and humans can think like that. A struggling Ori catches my attention. He is a sitting duck right now if any of them manage to worm their way around the mass of Oin the mammoth. Still, I don't like to see him that way. Rushing to his side, I struggle with the ropes to untie him. When it finally gets lose, the young Ri flails them off and he too turns into an eagle. My hands are thrown over my face in defense from his flapping. That is not the end of the danger for me. Dwalin has found me again. Gasping as his shadow looms over me, rumbling in a gravely roar as he leers at me, teeth revealing in a smile, or snarl, I can't tell the difference right now. I do know I need to move out of the way. Up I go, but he doesn't take his eyes off me! Panic starts to bubble up when he comes at me again. He quickly manages to pin me down by one of my ankles, sending me tumbling back to the ground. Easily he clambers over me, hot breath on my face and then a wet tongue dragged across it. Perhaps his 'bear hug' would be more enjoyable if it didn't seem as if he was trying to kill me by crushing me. My heart is beating into my ears as I try to escape. His teeth teasingly scraping along my shoulder blades and back. A hard grunt is stressed from my mouth as his great head rubs hard against me like a cat would bunt against their owner, only less enjoyable because this is a six hundred pound grizzly pressing down on me slowly.
If it wasn't for some hunters to show up, launching arrows, I don't know if I would have ever gotten free by myself! Dwalin roared out in anger, now turning his attention to them. He charges for a hunter, releasing me to run. I crest a hill to get a better vantage point, but a screeching Honey badger has me yelping and backpedaling. Misplacing my feet, I end up tumbling backwards down the hill. At the foot of the hill, I barely pick myself up in time to see Dori barreling past me. He rams into a hunter who would have grabbed me.
Nothing else is in my mind now except run. GTFO ASAP. So I once again run to get away, though it is much harder now since I am dodging Men, arrows, and animal, weaving around to get out of the way.
I am out of breath quickly though thanks to the uneven terrain. I can't run anymore and am winded. I'm leaning up against a tree just to stay upright. "Oh man…what do I do? Come on, think! How do I help this situation?" I huff to myself as I mentally berate myself. Because of this distraction, I did not hear the approach of a big polar bear until the grunts happened. There he is, fur spattered in blood as he ambles near me, slowing to a stop about ten feet from me. I'm too tired to run. There is no escape anymore. I shouldn't have strayed far from Gandalf. We watch each other for long seconds as he lumbers ever closer. Until a horn suddenly blows, both of our attention is turned to it's source and around a bend I see riders, armored riders coming in with bows drawn or halberds at the ready. Their shining armor gives me the distinct notion of elves. As they approach, one of them fires a warning shot.
The polar bear roars angrily and before I have much chance to run, his great paw swipes my way, easily pulling me under as his great weight stands above me. He has me pinned under him, grunting and roaring at the approaching elves. Though unlike Dwalin, he doesn't press his weight on me. Rather, he is just keeping me under his body…protectively...
They notch arrows or spears ready to take him on.
"We are coming my lady!"
"Wait WAITWAITWAIT!" I yell out. "Help my friends! They're being attacked by hunters! Gandalf is there!" My thin arm sticks out from under the polar bear, pointing back the way I came.
Most of them pause, unsure of themselves at first. A couple of them dismount, staying here while the others ride off to join the fray. The arctic bear snaps his teeth when the two get too close.
"Are you well my lady? Has he harmed you?" One of them asks.
"Uh…no…No he's not." The realization dawns on me when the question is finally asked. Gingerly I try to right myself. "Please don't hurt him."
The soldiers respectfully keep their distance, which helps the agitated bear above me to relax a little.
Another howl from the dire wolf erupts. The bear above me looks torn between staying here or going back. He lets out one last low growl at the elves, then pounds away back to the others.
The two-remaining come rushing to my side helping me up. "Come. Let us get you to safety."
"My friends. They've been poisoned by the hunters and I don't know what the cure is." I say frantically as one helps me up.
The elves help me to one of their horses. "He shall assist on however way we can." One of them said dutifully. Though I doubt he really means it more than his duty requires of him.
"They could die TODAY." I emphasize. "Those hunters know what the poison is. They may know the cure!"
"Please calm yourself young miss. We shall do everything in-"
"Then can we stop talking here and move?!" I interrupt him impatiently.
The soldier's lips make a tight-lipped grimace as he gets on the horse behind me. The horse is guided in the general direction of the fight. It looks like it's changed now that the elves have shown up. Now it seems there are no more hunters, which makes me worry even more. Not for their lives to be brutally honest, but for some useful information.
There is another elf in maroon colored armor with Gandalf. I immediately recognize him as The Lord himself, Elrond. Thanking my rider, I get down to join them. My eyes are more drawn to the company of animals. They're either trying to protect each other from the elves or on the ground feeling the effects of the poison. Once I get closer, I notice there is a battered-up hunter tied up on the ground before Elrond.
The elf lord turns back to the hunter, glaring a hard stare at him as he gracefully walks back. "For your own sake, you would do well to tell me the cure. Either you shall tell me of your own accord or I shall rip it from your mind."
The hunter, whether he was intimidated or not, is doing a good job of hiding it. "Don't matter which way, you'll kill me or you'll leave me for someone else to do it for ya."
"I am strict on time. You will waste no more of it." Elrond replies as he walks up as another guard holds the hunter still from behind. Lord Elrond slaps his hand on the hunter's forehead. I have no idea what he's doing exactly, but it's making the bounty hunter's eyes roll back and shallow gasps.
I can admit, I didn't know Elrond could mind read, or whatever he's doing….Looks painful or incredibly shocking. When he finally lets go, the hunter gasps as if he was held under water, almost falling completely limp to the ground. He turns to another elf, commanding something in his native tongue. Said elf jumps back on his horse, riding out as fast as they can go. Gandalf catches the questioning look on my face. "He has gone to fetch the herbs they need for the cure."
"What can I do?" I ask Gandalf.
The wizard's eyes are narrowed in some pensive glare at whatever dark thoughts going through his head. "We have little else to do now but wait. Though, I should introduce you to my old friend who has come to aid us so swiftly. Elrond. This is Miss Alicia. Miss Alicia? This is a dear friend of mine and Lord of the last homely house, Elrond."
Elrond's glowering demeanor diminishes when he looks at me, the more venerable air that he normally has in the movies returning. "A pleasure to meet you young miss. I will see to it that you and your companions are healed and rested to the best of my abilities."
"Thank you for your help." I reply cordially. I really don't know what else to say. My face is smoothened to a deceptively calmer look. Inside my head though, I am starting to really question myself. I cannot make myself look at the company for too long and yet I feel bad not looking as if ignoring them. Thorin and Oin coax them all back into their dwarven forms as they rush bout to help their kin. It is not much longer than thirty minutes perhaps, when the soldier returns with a heavy pack. He and Elrond tear into it swiftly, taking out it's contents of all sorts of medicinal supplies. Even Oin jogs over to assess what they had to work with. He does not verbally object, so I take that as a good sign that they have everything they need to help the others. Hating this feeling of standing around and doing nothing, I tentatively rejoin the others on the ground.
Gloin's glower is the first thing that greets me, though I take no offense to it. Beads of sweat drizzle down his forehead as he growls unintelligible words more than talking. "The elves and Oin are working on a cure." I try to re assure him. Gingerly, my hand reaches out to his shoulder as my mind thinks of what to use to clean up the sweat. However, as I got closer, a deep guttural growl emits from his throat. His shoulders tense up as he hunches a little like a growling dog. It is so sudden that it makes me pull away from him almost flinching like. Gloin's eyes flash at me, a wild glint and angry glint in them, his arms around him like he is trying to hold back from transforming again.
Smartly, I leave him be. I see Bofur who looks as if too tired to even sit up as he rocks a little. "Bofur?" I call out as I kneel by him. He looks up at me with a look I never thought his face capable of making. Reddened, glassy eyes like sobbing; even a couple rivulets on his face.
"…and it was all me fault." He says to me in a thick voice. "I shouldn't 'ave said yes. I shouldn'ave let Bifur go and let me brother over eat.." He rambles in despair. " I've gone an' failed me da, ma worked too hard and for naught.."
"Bofur, now hang on. Just stop and take a deep breath." I crouch down next to him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. His head crashes into my shoulder, his arms flying around me in a hug as if I am some lifeline to pull him out of the water. Even as a dwarf, his is very strong and nearly tackles me to the ground. A big reminder of how, insignificant I am. His sobbing turns unintelligible as he rambles about past failures he has had. I continue to try to soothe him as he slowly calms down. "Come on now, you're alright. Everything's alright-"
"-It's not alright because I could've done something else, could have been something else!" He sobs. His grip on me tightens to a painful pressure.
"Yes it will. Stop talking and just breathe. Come on." I say a little more firmly, gently trying to ease him up again. One of my thumbs wipe away the loosened tears on his cheek. I feel a hard stare on me, and twist around to see Dwalin still watching me with animalistic, hungry eyes. He is right on us when I notice him.
Dwalin's smirk is a smug smear on his face that does not look good on him. At least not in my opinion. His meaty hand grips my upper arm easily as he rumbles in khuzdul. He suddenly nuzzles my bony shoulder, finding his way in the crook of my neck in a way that has me shrugging him off violently. "Stop it." I snap at him. Bofur on my other side groans and starts looking sick as if he can't keep down his breakfast. I am suddenly squirming to get away from lover-dwarf and emo-dwarf. Their grips are tight though.
Suddenly Thorin is marching up, glaring blue laser beams at me. A wolfish snarl on his face as he growls and snaps harshly. Bofur and Dwalin freeze up enough for Thorin to roughly grab me by my shoulders and yank me away from them.
"You have caused enough problems amongst my men. Away and burden us no more woman! You're naught but trouble!" Thorin snarls at me, releasing me with a rough push that I don't catch before tumbling back to the ground.
The physical recover is quick and effortless, since it is a simple push to the soft earth with my hands to help recover, the emotional recover though is not. I can only gape in shock as 'the truth comes out'. Thorin turns on his heel, commanding something to Dwalin in khuzdul as he helps his friend hobble away. I could grab a rock and throw it at Thorin's head. I could take him on in a fight and lose miserably but gain some semblance of respect. I don't do any of that though. I stand and stare like some cheesy romance film. All that's left is the rain. Thanks to my skill, I know how to hide my real emotions fairly well. Wow what a sucker punch…
Though, I really shouldn't be too surprised, Thorin's always snapping at someone when he's frustrated. This time it's just me. Still, I'm not here to be anyone's doormat. I return to the previous spot I was standing with Gandalf earlier, though the wizard is in deep conversation with Elrond right now as they return to the healer working with Oin.
I do notice that we haven't really tried to move in the past thirty minutes. I personally am eager for all of us to get to the safety of Rivendell, even if it was an elvish city that the others would not like very much. "Are we going to stay here for the rest of the day?" I ask Gandalf.
The wizard quirks his brows at me. "However long it shall take for them to recover enough strength to make it to Rivendell I'd wager. What is it?" The wizard raises a brow in question.
I let my concern show on my face while I choose my words wisely. "I think we ought to be moving now. If we hang around here too long, the danger I was agitated about earlier can easily catch up to us. Rather we be tired by the time we get to Rivendell, able to rest fully in the city security, than out here betting against time before another attack."
Gandalf's weathered face is sometimes hard for me to tell what he might be thinking or feeling. Can't just do a zoom-in on his face to see that subtle smile like in the movies. His head bob I take as an agreement though. "I think that would be wise." The wizard turns to Thorin who is regarding us with his own inquisitive stare. "Once the others have recovered enough, we must make the last home stretch to Rivendell. It will be much safer for all of us."
Thorin scowls, he even turns his scowl towards me. "You suggest we stay with our enemy? Is that from a vision or another wild hunch?"
"You have no enemies here Thorin except that which you make yourself. We need aid whether you admit it or not." The wizard retorted back.
The lead dwarf's shoulders rise and fall with a slow exasperated sigh before turning away to give the orders to his men. Mixed emotions are seen on everyone's face about it, to the point that it makes me want to take back my suggestion. I can't start contradicting myself now though, not on this. Oin continuously makes as much of the cure as he can, along with the help of another elf. I am happy to see that he does not share the same resentment towards them as Thorin does. He has a good enough sized batch made to give to everyone again.
I have no remorse not putting in any effort to help. Let them struggle for all I care now. Although I do know that last thought is childish, I still get some entertainment from my inner angry monologues. In my blackening mood, the elf that helped me earlier comes up, offering to escort me to the city. I don't hesitate at all to accept that offer. I truly don't want to be around them right now about as much as they don't want me around. Though I couldn't help glancing over my shoulder one last time, I am happy to get outta there and into the city. Needless to say we do not go down the narrow path shown in the movie, but more of this hidden one that I would not have noticed too easily till we turn a corner into the Hidden Valley. The beauty still just as serene as it was always portrayed in the books and movies, sadly not enough to make me feel completely better. We ride across this bridge over the river and are greeted by another elf, one looking every bit the studious individual known as Lindir.
He looks up from some paper, greeting us with raised brows. The guard explains the situation to him, to which he nods and politely bows to me to introduce himself. "I am Lindir. How shall I call you?"
"Alicia. Nice to meet you." I have a small smile on my face.
"Come this way Lady Alicia. I shall show you to a room you may use. I trust you are not in need of medical attention?"
"No thank you." I double check myself. I really didn't get anything more than small cuts or bruises.
The elf instructs as he glides down the hallway leading to my room. "Straight down this hall leads to the kitchens whenever you hunger. I shall send someone to tend to you shortly."
The room he takes me to a tranquil room with three open archways that lead to a balcony. Some women carved into the support pillars with vines snaking around them, completely oblivious to the leaves that litter the floor of the openings. Far on the other side is the 'bathroom' where the tub is. Never had a tub looked so much like a God-send. I waste no time starting it up and easing myself in the tub. Wash, lather, rinse, repeat! I go through this process until my fingers get pruny.
The door opens, and a melodious female voice announces herself. She gets my dirty clothes and even lays out some for me to wear in the meantime. It is one of their popular flowing dress attires. Not really my style but beggars can't be chooser after all. So I change into it, already thinking about paying a visit to the tailors to talk about something more my style. My hand hesitates over the door knob of my room for a second after I am finished. Do I want to go back out there? Has the company arrived yet? My stomach growls, helping me make up my mind to leave.
From the kitchens, I see another elf rushing by with some medical supplies. Had I not been looking up, I might have missed her entirely. Peaking my head out after making a sandwich, I nosily follow suit with my sandwich of course.
From a no-glass window that gave a good view of the healing wards, I see all the dwarves in clear view. Having been directed to beds to rest on, the healers bustle about making the herbal remedy or boiling water. Those that were not poisoned also barked out requests to be met, hardly giving a 'thank you' or even a nod in gratitude for the elves' help. My first thought is to jump in and join the elves, but I hesitate on even doing that. I don't think any of them really want me around right now. Not that the majority are even happy at all to have to be in elvish healing wards no doubt. No, I think I might just get in the way like the first time. Sighing inwardly, I walk away to leave them at their duties. It feels a little wrong, walking away from a scenario where I could be of some help, but what Thorin said encourages me to stay away. I know, I shouldn't take what he says personally, in nearly every story, he gives the OC an earful about something. Strange, 'OC' never bothered me until now.. 'Other Character'….my mind begins to associate that phrase now with 'The Expendables'. Though I wish I could say it is because I do cool actions stunts, but in this sense it is more like just an expendable space filler. On my way back to my room with some tea I start really contemplating my place here. If things like these keep happening, how much of the future can I 'predict'? How long can I keep up the act of being a Seer? Also since I am here in Rivendell, do I have a real reason to carry on with the company anymore? Even if I did march ahead, hypothetically speaking, make it all the way to Erebor even in one piece, what am I going to do? Tell Thorin he is going to fall for gold sickness if he stays in that mountain after they open it? Sooo, after Smaug is dead just go ahead and lock it back till Gandalf gets back.
As if.
I need a hug. That means it's bed time. Certainly my internal clock has been changed. I used to go to bed around eleven or twelve, now I go to bed around eight or nine. This was due to our schedule of camping before the sun sets, falling asleep within the hour or two, then waking up around sunrise to start the day again. Though, tired as my body is, my mind doesn't let me fall asleep peacefully.