Hello everyone~~once again, I didn't get much time to write, and don't anticipate being able to write much until Thanksgiving week :( Thankfully, I'm sufficiently ahead, so wanted to post the next chapter for everyone! The finish of our party's forage into the forest and a tender moment between Tauriel & Kili included. My readers are the best! Don't forget to sign this story up as one of your favorites, that way you get an automatic alert when the next chapter is posted...if you haven't already :) Until next time {{Hugs}}
Chp 51
Kili, with wet pants and no shirt, took a diving leap and knocked Coron to the ground, near where another arrow had just whizzed over their heads. Tauriel meanwhile adeptly snatched her weapons while doing a head over heels roll and came to rest behind a few thick trees and was scanning the forest in the distance to see where the arrows had come from. A little ways off, concealed behind some trees she thought she could make out the entrance to an underground cave. With her piercing eyes, she could make out two orcs there in the entrance, who knows how many more down below. She searched and noticed Kili had gotten Coron behind some trees too, she mouthed to him, "We need help!" Kili made a couple of unusual whistles and a few moments later Tauriel saw a small, pretty raven land on a branch close to Kili, he whispered to the bird and she took off immediately.
Kili watched Tauriel position herself for the shot, and from behind the tree, she let two arrows loose in rapid succession, and from the distance there was a "Whap-thud" and another "Whap-thud" noise; then grunts and a sound like something collapsing on the ground. She whispered, "Stay there." She waited for a few minutes and there were no other movements so she felt safe enough to go and investigate. Kili and Coron emerged from behind the tree and Coron looked a little shaken still by that surprise attack. Kili grabbed his sword and came over, Tauriel tried not staring at his naked, very muscular upper body, "What was that all about?" he said hastily. She motioned in the distance and he could see the fallen bodies of orcs just outside of the dark entrance to some cave. He told Coron to stay there, and he and Tauriel cautiously crept over to investigate.
As they neared, they could see the bodies, one had fallen on top of the other, both with arrows sticking through their chests. Kili kicked them with his boots and they made no movements. He kicked them over and they had the usual blunt features and grey skin of most of their filthy kin, he noted. Just then, Bilbo, Twain and Till had come running, panting and brandishing their swords and axe. "A raven came to us and started squawking at me, and I felt she was almost trying to convey something," Twain said, "So I told the others we better come to investigate and we followed her through the forest. What happened?" Kili started, "We were just helping Coron who had fallen in that muddy spot over there when a few arrows came whizzing at us. We all ducked and Tauriel was able to take these two out from our position over there, at least thirty feet away!" he exclaimed in a proud tone. Twain bent down to investigate the bodies, he turned each over, they were definitely dead. After his examination, he said, "Most likely these were just solitary outcasts...see how scrawny they are, even for orcs. Still...we should take the bodies back to our fire and burn them."
The rest agreed, but Till looked a little anxious, he wanted to speak up and finally did, "Umm...if that's a cave...would it be okay if I explored in there for a few minutes?" The three fighters looked at him with a "that's not such a good idea" look, so he persisted, "It's just that...some of the most amazing curative medicinals can be found from the phosphorus in guano." Then Bilbo even added, "And surely if there is guano, there is bound to be bounty of mushrooms." Twain and Tauriel sighed and looked to Kili, he thought for a moment and said, "Alright, but I don't want to delve too deep in there. We don't know where it leads and who or what, might be down there. Twain can you and Coron make some stretchers to carry the bodies back to our camp. They set about their task and Kili asked Tauriel, can you lead the way? Your eyes are better than even ours, in the dark," he smiled at her. "Of course," she said as she pulled her arrows out of the bodies and wiped them on the nearby grass. "Bilbo and Till, have your weapons at the ready, just in case," Tauriel said, and Bilbo looked down at Sting, it was not shining blue anymore so he felt a little bit more emboldened.
Stepping past the bodies, the four entered the entrance to the cave and not too far in they found the small campsite of the two orcs. There were a few rudimentary tools, small bones and items of detritus and filthy rags for outer garments. Kili wearing his still damp shirt, kicked through the pile with his boot and didn't see any other items of interest. He directed Bilbo to go after Tauriel, then Till and Kili brought up the rear as they went further into the cave. A very pungent odor was coming from ahead and they all found it increasingly hard to breathe, Till however, took it as good sign. The murky cave walls narrowed and started sloping slightly downward. Tauriel could not sense any other foe so far; and up ahead it looked like the tunnel veered down and to the left. As they got further from the opening, the darker it got and though two of the party were dwarves, even they were having trouble with their footing. Poor Bilbo was walking along and could barely see anything even if it were in front of his face, then he remembered he had something in his pack and he asked the others to stop. He got it out, struck a few flint sparks in it and a small blaze of came forth from this small lantern he carried. It wasn't much, but enough to give him, Kili and Coron light to see where they were going. They too saw the little bit of light ahead and inched their way closer.
They all had caught up to Tauriel at the bottom of the sloped tunnel and she held them back while she sprung around the corner to see what lay ahead next. She made no sudden movements, as to shoot an arrow or anything, so she indicated the others follow her around the corner. When they came around then they saw a small hot spring bubbling out of the ground and piles of this grey brownish ooze everywhere. Tauriel pointed overhead and they saw in all the nooks and crannies of the cave ceiling thousands of bats that were nestled comfortably and slumbering in their perches. Till and Bilbo set right into their task of gathering the items they sought after and Tauriel went ahead to back of the cavern they were currently in, where it looked like the tunnel went deeper. She stayed there and her far-seeing eyes searched that tunnel to as far as she could see, and nothing, as of yet, seemed to be approaching. Kili guarded the way they had just come.
Till was shoveling a good deal of the ooze into a few big glass jars he had with them; and Bilbo was busy digging up the many and varied spore growths he was finding. Kili and Tauriel were vigilant in their watch, but nothing troubled them while the four were down there. Till said he had collected enough of the guano and Bilbo agreed he had found enough mushrooms to take back. This time, Kili took the lead in going back up out of the tunnel, Bilbo's lantern in his raised hand; and Tauriel guarding their flank as they made their way back up to the surface. The two Orc bodies were gone, so they proceeded to head back to their camp, the smoke wafting high in the sky in the distance.
By the time they returned to camp, the sun was slowly beginning it's descent in the horizon. Twain had a relieved look when he saw the four approach camp. Bilbo ran over to Coron and showed him all the mushrooms he gathered and the pair chatted excitedly. Twain came over to Kili, "Did you spot anything else, or have any other troubles Sire?" Kili replied, "Nay. Everything was quiet. The lads collected their items and we hurried back. There was a hot springs further down the tunnel, and it looked like it delved much further down, but I was not wont to explore it at this time." He leaned over and whispered in Twain's ear for a few moments, Twain listened intently and nodded his head and a faint "Yes Sire," was barely audible from him. Tauriel, who had went to help Till load the jars onto the horse's packs, was unaware of the conversation. Twain looked up at the sky and said to Kili, "I'm afraid that even if we left now, Sire, we would get back before night was upon us. Shall we...should we make camp here, for the night? However, if we didn't return, I fear Dwalin might send a search party for us to make sure the Heir of Durin is safe." Kili chuckled and rubbed his chin, "Aye...that he would." He looked up at the sky and the side of his mouth pinched. Yes, t'will be better just to stay here for the night. And I have a way to get word to the Mountain. Kili walked over the trees and whistled. Liac came fluttering along and perched on a nearby branch. He told her to get word to his mother, whose balcony was only a few from his, and since she alone could understand her, Dis could get word to Dwalin that the party was safe and they would leave at first light in the morning. Kili watched the raven hop off the branch and began its long trek back to the mountain. He went back to Twain and told him the Mountain would be notified of their plans and to start preparing shelter for the night.
Kili gathered everyone and informed them they would be staying there and not returning to the Mountain until morning. Till, Coron and Bilbo looked a little downcast that they weren't going to be able to share their finds this day, but eventually realized it was probably safer there once darkness descended, than being out on the open terrain. Twain started working on a simple lean to shelter which he had located on a raised up area by the riverbank. Kili asked Coron if there was enough of hare left from lunch earlier to make a meal with. He replied, "Yes Sire, there should be enough left, and if Master Bilbo will not mind letting use some of the taters, greens and berries he found, we should have plenty to get us through." Tauriel went over and told the horses they were staying the night and if they wanted to stretch their legs a bit, to do it now before it got dark. She knew they would want to after standing idle most of the day and she watched them saunter off and prance in the open fields by the river. Bilbo helped Coron with the meal and Till helped Twain with the lean to. Kili and Tauriel took everyone's skeins to the freshwater pool to get water.
By the time the simple lean to of sticks was complete and Kili and Tauriel returned with the water, the meal was just about complete. Twain had a nice fire going by the lean to, away from the smouldering Orc carcasses, which were downwind of the riverbank. So they all sat down around the fire and passed around the small wooden plates Coron had. Coron gave each a bit of the roasted meat and potatoes and some leaf greens and a few berries pinched with some cinnamon he had brought. There wasn't much conversation as they ate and watched the last remnants of daylight fade into nighttime. Everyone was soon finished and Coron again gathered the dishes to rinse them off and Twain started patrolling the perimeter. After Coron returned, Bilbo lamented how he wished he had some old Toby after this fine meal under the stars. They asked him what that was, as they had never heard of it. He explained that it was just finest year of pipeweed the Shire had ever produced, and that was saying a lot, he said. They all inquired more about his home, since none were familiar with this fantastical land of hobbit holes of forever peace and prosperity; save Kili of course, who grew up not far away in the Blue Mountains, and had visited Bag End on one very auspicious occasion. He told them about the Gaffer down the lane who was the best gardener he ever knew and learned everything one needs to know about growing things, from him. He told them of the different hobbit families, the Baggins, Tooks, and Brandybucks and of course regaled everyone with tales about some of his favorite evenings at the Green Dragon. At the end of his tale, he even produced a small flute out of his backpack and tooted out a merry tune that had everyone smiling and clapping.
The moon and stars were all shining bright on this Spring night and Tauriel was looking up and contentedly smiling after the nice meal, brief conversation and Bilbo's tales. She looked over and saw Kili was radiantly admiring her and she blushed slightly, putting her head down but still smiling. How about you my'lady? I would love to hear more about your home and where you grew up at?" She smiled, a little bittersweetly, Kili only realized after the words came out and he reached out and squeezed her and said, "I'm...I'm sorry...I shouldn't have inquired. You don't have to answer, I...I understand." The rest looked a little puzzled but she looked up at him smiled and said, "That's okay Kili. I do not mind thinking about the place that I called my home for over six hundred years." At that, the rest made marveling sounds and settled in to the listen to her fabulous tale.
She stared wistfully up at the stars and smiled and began, "My earliest memories were of going on solitary walks in our forest. Back then, there were no spiders or other foul creatures, and no taint on the woods, like there is now," she frowned slightly. "My father was head of the King's guard, even though he was much younger than Thranduil, by thousands of years, King Thranduil had seen some spark of something in my father and had taken him under his tutelage, schooled him in the art of warfare, for there has been none more mighty a warrior, tis said, then the King. So things went on like that for many years. Then one day, he helped escort a party from Lothlorien that had come to visit and he met a charming, red haired elf. He was very smitten with this elf and began to neglect his duties. After a time, the rest of her party left to return to their home, but he begged this particular elf to stay. She accepted, as she had fallen in love with him too and they were married in secret. However, the King was displeased, as he knew he had lost the services of his best lieutenant. In a jealous rage, he banished the couple from Mirkwood. He didn't hear any news about the couple for a long while and had just started putting them out of his thoughts, when, one day, his guards carried in two badly injured elves from the far Southern border of our forest. They had been attacked by a large group of wandering orcs that had strayed far North of their home in the Emyn Muil. The male had fought very bravely to protect his wife but was barely alive by the time the guards had returned with their bodies. The King, interested to see who they had returned with, gasped in horror as he saw the mangled body of his former King's guard. He had just enough time to say his goodbyes as there was nothing he could to help him and very sorrowfully blessed the body and wept openly over it, twas said. He thought for sure he was too late for the other injured elf as he sickeningly knew it was because of his banishment that this fate had befallen them. He went over to her to grieve on her form and was astonished to see she still showed some signs of life. He gently rolled her over and saw that her belly was huge and obviously very with child. Struck with grief, he ordered her taken to the infirmary immediately. Elves that have lived for many ages have to power to heal the sick and injured tis said, so he followed the stretcher to see what he may be able to do. Our healers did their best, but everyone knew her life was at its' end. Everyone wept openly in the room, but none more than the King as he apologized over and over to her. He was able to coax her barely breathing form to deliver the baby and with her last moment of strength tis said, she held her to her breast and comforted the crying babe and then she passed into the West."
Tauriel paused from her story to collect herself and she breathed deep. Bilbo and Kili had tears streaming down their cheeks, as they knew this was Tauriel's story, the others took longer to understand and when the comprehension struck, they too were very teary eyed. She looked at them and smiled, "Do not grieve, my friends, for I was brought up by the King himself, alongside his own son, who was many hundreds of years older than me. So, I did have a privileged life, more than some...at any rate. And the King wasn't always the tyrant as when you had met him. Yes, he can be cruel and cold, but there is a capacity for great tenderness and love within him as well. For I know his own wife's death took a great toll upon him and since then, he has been less yielding and distant to the plight of others in Middle Earth." Kili and Bilbo stared wistfully in the distant, remembering their time with Thranduil, now feeling a little different towards the King. Tauriel closed her eyes and began to sing a song of lament in her own tongue. The others just sat quietly, lost in their own thoughts as they heard this mysterious, but beautifully sounding tone.
When she finished she got up and said she would check on the horses, as she felt she needed to be alone at the moment. She didn't intend on telling them her history, but she felt such a kinship with these dwarves and of course her Kili was there, that she couldn't help it and it had just come out. She sniffed as she patted the horse's mane and he neighed quietly. He senses picked up on the quiet crunching of stones on the ground and turned to see that Kili was approaching her. "I...I had...no idea, Tauriel," he sniffed and he cautiously came closer. She also had tears and with Kili near, she burst into fresh sobs and he hurried over and scooped her up in his arms. He found a large rock nearby and went and sat on it. Tauriel, her elongated form was a little long for his lap, but currently her knees were pulled up and her head buried in his neck, and she let out the emotions that had been pent up for so long. He made sympathetic shushing sounds to her as he stroked her long hair. After awhile and her sobs slowed, he took a cloth out of his pocket that Bilbo had given him on the way over to talk with Tauriel just now; he dabbed at her eyes and nose until she had quieted. He put her feet on the ground and suggested they sit there with their backs against the rock so she did and he put his arm around her and she cradled her body into his.
They sat quiet for awhile and then Kili eventually said, "I told the lads to go ahead and try to get some sleep and we'd stay on watch, if that's okay." She looked more calm and at peace now and she kissed him on the cheek and agreed. So, they walked around the edges of the camp for a few hours and Tauriel noticed Kili was yawning quite a few times. She went to him and urged him to lay down with the others, he resisted, but she promised she had no need of rest and that she would wake him up at the first sign of a disturbance. She promised she would stay close by as her eyes could see anything approaching even in the darkness, so he eventually lay down next to the others who were all snoring and peacefully slumbering. She scanned the distance and could see nothing large on the move. She could hear the gentle lapping of the water at the rivers edge and felt content and breathed deep, this fresh air, as she knew she would back in the mountain soon. The horses were off a little ways away, tails barely twitching and snuggled together for warmth. As she walked along the only movement she saw was a raven that flew in and settled on a tree that was nearby the camp. Although she could not converse with the bird, she recognized it as the one Kili talked to and she smiled. She saw it fly over to the pool and drink mightily, as it had to undertake the long journey to the Mountain and back twice now. After drinking it flew back over to the tree and settled in to the perch which was in the crook of a large branch near the trunk of the tree, she tucked her head under her wing and went promptly to sleep. Tauriel smiled and continued her patrol, it would be a few hours before dawn, she felt, so it felt good to feel earth, grass and stone under her feet and she enjoyed walking around patrolling while Bilbo and the dwarves slept under the small lean to.
Nothing eventful happened through the rest of the night and as the the first lights of dawn appeared in the sky, one of the dwarves started stirring. Tauriel sat next to the fire, poking at the last burning embers and smiled as Twain sat up and rubbed his eyes. "That was a wonderful rest I had, which is novel for me, being outdoors...usually I'm on watch. Thank you Lady Tauriel," as he said quietly and bowed from his seated position. She smiled back at him and nodded her head. He asked, "Do elves then...not ever, sleep?" She replied, "Well, it is not necessarily sleep, we need, good sir. We do lay down and rest and our body and our mind does go into a different state of consciousness, which I suppose is like sleep. And unless we are injured or aggrieved terribly, we do not need this rest often." He marveled again at one so different from his own kin but looked at her amiably. He got up, "Well, I'll start tending to things, making sure we're packed up and ready to go soon, and give the lads a bit more rest," Twain said and headed over to check that the burning pyre was completely out. Tauriel headed over to the horses who were also stirring and she encouraged them to eat some of field grasses and get enough water for the journey back.
By the time she got back to the camp, Till and Coron were sitting up and rubbing their eyes. Kili and Bilbo still snored peacefully laying on their backs and she thought Kili looked very cute, laying there and would have loved to go over and lay next to him and give a sweet kiss on the cheek to wake him up. Of course she didn't, but instead went over and kneeled next to him and softly said his name. At the sound, he smiled and rolled over on his side making to put his around something and when nothing was there to grab he frowned and grunted awake. She stifled a small giggle, and said 'Good morning," instead. He squinted his eyes open and when he saw kneeling over him, it took him a moment to remember, but then smiled and said, "Ah...'morning," and reached out and caressed her leg. Yawning, he sat up and scanned around. Twain was off in the distance, Till and Coron were nearby gathering up all their items and Bilbo was still snoring next to him. He smiled and stretched, then he reached over and tapped the hobbit on the shoulder and told him it was morning, which resulted in a grunt and him rolling over onto his stomach. Kili looked around and the others were busy in their tasks so he pulled Tauriel by the arm so that he could tilt his head up and give her a kiss on the lips. She smiled as his lips touched hers and replied after, "I know of another way to say good morning, one with less clothes," she whispered in his ear and his pupils dilated at her bold words and she just had this very sly smile on her face. Fully awake now he said, "Umm, excuse me...I have to...uhh..." and she smirked and helped him up and she noted he had to adjust his crotch area as he walked away to the trees to relieve himself.
When he returned he made another attempt at waking up the hobbit. Bilbo finally sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning, "Is it morning...already?" he said groggily. "Past first light, Master Hobbit," Tauriel smiled at him. Bilbo replied, "It was so nice sleeping in, in a comfy bed the other day, I forgot what it was like to be out in the wild and on the move so early," he yawned again. He thought about something and that made him spring up and excitedly run to the horses. Kili and Tauriel just looked at each other in bewilderment. When he ran back, Bilbo had three large sacks in his hand. He begged them to let him go into the forest to collect some of the very fertile soil the plants had been growing in, as he would need as much of that as he could get to grow his plants in at the garden area. Tauriel said she would go with him, and Kili stayed to help everyone else pack up. They went a little ways into the forest and he found some nice, soft very black soil. He took out his spade and Tauriel held the bags open as he shoveled it in. Once they had three bags well loaded, they thought about how the would get them back. Each carrying one bag, they decided to leave one and they would have to come back and get it. When they returned they secured the heavy bags one each, to the horses. This time Kili volunteered to help Bilbo, and Kili lugged the bag of dirt out of the forest and attached it to the saddle of the last horse.
They took one last look around, made sure the fires were out, made sure they had collected all their belongings and got on the same horses as when they had come. The horses were glad to be moving again, but their burdens were much greater this time and it was a great deal slower going, heading back to the Mountain. On the ride, they all enjoyed the scenery and the pace of not having to do the walking themselves. Bilbo sneezed a few times, Kili just shook his head smiling, remembering the horse hair, and tossed the handkerchief Bilbo had let him borrow last night, as his horse passed Tauriel and Bilbo's. After a long ride, they finally crossed over the river on a large stone bridge, they approached the valley in front of the Mountain and the pretty little raven flew ahead of them and then on to the upper reaches of stone and out of their sights. As they neared the repaired stone bridge that entered the mountain, Dwalin was standing there waiting to meet them. Kili jumped down off the horse as Dwalin held it steady and was giving him a very grumpy look. Kili felt a little sheepish as the others were getting off their mounts. Twain bowed to Dwalin and said, "Err...I'll, uh...walk the horses back." Till and Coron and Bilbo were excitedly loading all their finds into a cart Twain was attaching to one of the horses. Dwalin still was giving Kili the silent treatment and Kili gulped and told the others to go get some breakfast, even though it was getting close to noontime, and he would catch up with them later.
The dwarves and Bilbo left, leaving just Dwalin, Kili and Tauriel at the bridge. Kili downcast his head and Tauriel pretended she was looking off in the distance. Kili apologized and Dwalin's look softened, slightly... "Laddie...your the future now, for all these dwarves who have come to see and live here in the Mountain...and for all the dwarves in Middle Earth! What would happen if we lost you...too!" Now Kili really felt bad and hung his head. Dwalin sighed and clapped him on the back, "I'm sorry for being so rough on ya lad, but there's a lot of hope now, in you and in our future...and...we...don't want to lose you now, is all I meant." Kili said, "I know, I know...Dwalin...well I did send word back to the Mountain, and I felt it WOULD be safer to stay there overnight," he insisted. Dwalin just shook his head and started walking back to the gate. Tauriel gave Kili and sympathetic look and reached out to squeeze his hand. He smiled and they headed back to the Mountain to get something to eat.
