Chapter 29

But what came for us was not the worst, it was just a dirty little man on a sleigh pulled by rabbits, screaming "Thieves! Fire! Murder" Who or what is this?

"Radagast. It's Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf explained. Oh wow, somehow I had expected the other wizard to be a little more like Gandalf and not the complete opposite of him. This one seemed stressed, scared the reason for his state seemed to be the green woods and something they called a necromancer. I know I shouldn't have been listening to them after they walked away to talk in privacy, but I couldn't help it. The nervous aura of the other wizard concerned me, I feared his bad news would have an effect on us. But I heard nothing of a mountain or a dragon so I assumed we were save for now. Only seconds later, when a loud howl echoed through the wood, I was proven wrong, danger was on our heels again. Great!

I felt Kili, Fili and my father getting closer to me, the fear of losing me still overly present in their minds, I have to admit, that I felt instantly calmer having them around me. Kili interlaced his fingers with mine and I had to squeeze them, I tried not to let fear creep into my mind, but I couldn't help it.

"Was that a wolf? Are there...are there wolves out there?" Bilbo's voice was far from calm and his face showed the same fear I tried to hide. No one dared to answer him, no one except Bofur "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." I was fighting my urge to go and calm Bilbo down, my mother instincts kicked in, when I saw his so terrified and I found my bravery again, just in the right moment. Two massive wargs jumped down from behind us, in an instant Kili had his bow ready and killed one of them, before Fili and I could take down the second one, my father had already done so.

"Warg scouts! Which means an orc pack is not far behind!" Thorin voiced my thoughts, an orc pack was on its way which gave us two options running or fighting. "Who did you tell about this quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf questioned my father, I really didn't want to listen to that, so I walked over to Bilbo, Kili and Fili following me suit. I squeezed the hobbit's shoulder, hoping to give him some strength, he smiled up at me but it was a weak and fake smile, he still was scared to the bones.

"You are being hunted." "We have to get out of here." "We can't! We have no ponies. They bolted." I ignored their voices behind my back as good as I could, for the hobbit's sake, someone had to look after him (Ohhh gods, I sound like Dis when she I being overprotected over the boys). But Ori's last comment made my spin around, just in time to hear Radagasts next suggestion "I'll draw them off." "These are wargs. They will outrun you!" I screamed at him, he was going to get killed! "These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try." He answered and he seemed s sincere that even I believed him a bit. So we let him draw them off and then we ran, out of the woods and into the open land, where our only cover would be some huge rocks every once in a while.

I grabbed Kili's hand and together we ran, someone always pulling the other one with them, this way we were kind of fast. But when I threw a glance behind, to check if everyone was alright that I realised that Bilbo was falling behind. His small legs were not able to run as fast as we were. "Kí, I gotta get Bilbo." "Fine, let's get him together." So we stopped, ran back and each grabbed one of his elbows, then we started to run again, pulling him with us. Besides the dangerous situation, I had a grin on my face, we probably looked like a couple pulling their kid along with them and I couldn't help a laugh. Bilbo threw me a freaked-out look, like how could I laugh in this situation. Gandalf made us stop behind a rock, I leaned back against it trying to catch my breath. Then I sensed something, a warg was standing on the boulder we were hiding behind, I looked to my father, who looked at my fiancé, indicating him to shoot that damn thing. And so he did, one shoot, but it refused to die, and so did its rider, we killed it with our swords, but we were too loud. The others must have heard us.

"Move! Run!" Gandalf screamed and so we did, we ran for our lives, literally. Kili was amazing, checking that everyone was right on track and save, I was so proud of him. "There's more coming!" oh damn, looking behind I saw that he was right, be were good fighters and we could take down a few wargs and orcs, but that were many and on the open land, we won't stand a chance for very long. "We're surrounded." Fili screamed, he was right and even though Kili was shooting as many as he could, they were closing in on us. And Gandalf was gone. Where the hell did this wizard go?

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin said, but I didn't want to believe him, it just couldn't be.

"This way, you fools." Gandalf motioned us over to a rock, as I came closer I saw a tunnel or a cave underneath it. I stayed outside, looking over Kili, I only wanted to go down there if I knew he'd follow right after me. But my father wouldn't let me, without even a word, he kind of pushed me down there, I fell onto a bunch of dwarves.

"Kili, get down here now." I knew he probably wouldn't hear me, but I felt better. Screaming always made me calmer.

Finally he fell down the hole and right into Oin's arms, on his heels followed my father whom I helped up. Now everyone was save in the cave, I felt relieve wash through me.

Suddenly an orc fell down and I screamed, less of fear more out of surprise, for the creature already was dead, shoot by an arrow. My father pulled it out, it was an elven arrow.

Oh Gandalf you smart wizard, he had lead us to the valley of Imladris, but why were we down here?

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or not?" I turned around to Bofur, there was indeed a path, I looked over to Gandalf who tried to hide the pleased look on face, so I guessed this was the way to Rivendell. I smirked to myself as Dwalin enthusiastically stated, that we would follow the path.

"You know where we are going don't you?" Kili whispered into my ear as he took my hand in his, I didn't answer, just smirked along, all I did was place a short kiss on his cheek. His genuine smile made my heart melt, how I loved that man. "I was thinking, " he whispered "I almost lost you today. There's a high chance that one of us won't even make it to the mountain and if I have to leave this world too soon, I want to die as your husband. So please let Balin wed us tonight." His voice was so thick with emotion and his grip tightened on my hand, his words and tone brought tears to my eyes and a lump into my throat. I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded and looked into his, to let him see my emotions. He closed his eyes, sighed and then whispered a quiet thank you into my ear, which he then kissed and I giggled. He was right, we should be married, I wouldn't want to die without being completely his either. We should be united in the eyes of the gods, so we will sit next to each other for eternity in Mahal's hall.

"I'll go and talk to Balin and uncle Thorin." Kili whispered and kissed my cheek, I couldn't help the smile spreading on my face as he made his way to the top of the group where my dad and Balin walked.

"What brings this smile to your face miss Tui?" the hobbit looked up to me with curiosity in his eyes. "Ohh you'll see soon enough" I didn't want to be the one to tell everybody about our plans, I knew Kili would love to do that so I'd let him have this pleasure. Bilbo chuckled and lightly shook his head, but let down the topic.

I looked ahead seeing my father pat Kilis back and Balin whispering to him, then Thorin's head turned around and he winked at me, he obviously was happy with our decision. And so would be Fili who walked up to the three dwarfs and demanded to know what they were plotting, but before he could find out anything we reached the end of the tunnel. What lay ahead of us was among the most beautiful things I've ever seen, the valley of Imladris.