This chapter deals with the consequences of some... questionable activity. I don't go into the details, but I just wanted to forewarn people that I do not always (often don't) share the opinions of my characters. That's why they are characters and not just fictional versions of me.
Enjoy :)
It was going to take awhile to get used to wearing Beorn's old clothes. They were on the itchy side, and much to large. But at least it allowed me to return Fili's coat. She had seemed wary of me recently, and Bofur had explained to me what had happened with the head injury and such. It would seem that somehow, the wound had knocked Fili back to her… his memories according to the book. Though these extra characters she had mentioned had me worried. I had no memory of them at all.
This meant that not all was lost. Everything could be fixed theoretically. If only we could figure out how it was messed up in the first place. There was obviously something more at work than just M and my arrival.
M… I looked around mildly, immediately noticing Sute who was bouncing happily on Bofur's lap. She was looking much healthier after getting some proper nourishment in her. She was able to eat solid foods now if it was mushed enough. And she had started chewing on everything she could find, so I guessed her teeth would be coming in somewhat soon.
But I could not find M anywhere. When I thought about it, I had seen her very little since we reunited outside the goblin tunnels. I would see her standing around every now and then, but she said little. And sometimes, like now, she would be just nowhere at all. Like she were simply invisible.
Invisible.
That had been in the book! I know it had! I couldn't remember where exactly, but it had been. I teased my brain for anything I could remember, and then it came to me. Gollum. And the One Ring.
How could I have forgotten that? The ring was found in this book, wasn't it? If M had found it then… I needed to find M, and fast.
"Nimm and Kili have been out for awhile." I jumped in alarm and turned to see M siting right next to me, an innocent expression on her face.
"They have." Fili frowned from where she was reclining a few feet away. M was now shooting me a questioning glance about why I had jumped so much. Fili had stood and headed out, probably to go check on the other two. It was getting dark anyway.
This was the perfect chance. "M, you've found it, haven't you?" I whispered to her calmly.
"Found what?" she frowned in response.
"…A ring. A small curious gold ring." M tensed immediately at my words. Her hand reflexively went to her pocket. It was already starting to take hold of her mind.
"How long have you known?" She asked immediately, an edge to her voice.
"I just figured it out a moment ago, but M, you need to be careful. That ring is dangerous. It'll poison your mind and corrupt you. The longer you stay with it… and use it, the more you'll loose yourself."
"How do you know?" M snapped back.
"Because I read the book." I replied carefully. I didn't want her turning all Gollum on me like Bilbo had in the Lord of the Rings movie. Bilbo… who?
"So what? You probably just want it for yourself, don't you?" M hissed dangerously. Not a bad idea. It would be very useful. And safe. I could hide until it was all over. Or fight without worry…
"No…" I shook my head quickly. "I don't want it. None of us here should have it. That thing is useful but dangerous. It should not be used lightly." M seemed suspicious for a moment before her face came to rest more peacefully.
"…Yes. You're probably right. It is a lot of fun turning invisible though." She shrugged, looking apologetic and cocky at the same time.
"Well, in this story," I paused trying again to remember the details. "It's not much of a problem. I don't think. Still sleeping for the most part. You're not a hobbit, but it should be fine as long as you don't use it lightly. And try to keep yourself very down to earth and practical. That's what makes hobbits so resilient to it. There's very little in their hearts to corrupt. Just keep-"
"THORIN!"
Everyone in the room fell silent as the door banged open. I blinked in confusion as Fili stormed in, dragging two people in rather roughly. Kili, wearing hastily put on pants, had one ear firmly in Fili's hand. Nimm, wearing only a shirt, and Kili's at that, was being dragged along by her elbow. Both were flushing like crazy.
It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on.
"What is the meaning of this!?" If I ever thought Gandalf was scary when he got angry, it was nothing in comparison to how Thorin looked now. "Explain yourselves! Now!" He glared first at Kili, who could only look away in shame. Then after glaring daggers a his nephew for a good long moment, his fury turned to Nimm.
"You! You wench! Succubus! You would seduce my nephew for power?" He looked ready to strangle her, but Balin and Dwalin were already at his side, wary should he try to make any hasty moves. Though both looked nearly as furious as he did. "Shall no words come out of your twisted mouth! Begone witch!" No one moved. "I said BEGONE!"
Nimm barely flinched. Silently, she gritted her teeth and held her head up proudly, glaring defiantly at Thorin. Her eyes, challenging him to do something. And he did. When he started towards her, I was almost certain he was going to kill her. Enough so that I sprang up from my seat, though I was too far to have any hope of getting there in time.
But he didn't kill her. Instead, He grabbed her roughly and dragged her back to the front door before yanking it open and shoving her out of Beorn's home. She fell to the ground outside.
"Leave! If I ever see you again, I'll kill you myself!"
"Thorin-" Kili was cut off by his sisters deadly glare.
Nimm slowly picked herself off the ground, her outline blending into the fast approaching night that she had been abandoned to. She looked Thorin straight in the eye and spoke evenly. "Looking forward to it then." Then she gave him the finger and stumbled off before Thorin slammed the door closed and she was out of sight.
"…What just happened?" I whispered quietly.
"I… I'm not exactly sure." M replied from my side. We both watched as Thorin grabbed a fist full of Kili's hair as he passed and used it to pull the younger dwarf away from the others, probably to give him a 'proper' scolding. Fili and Balin followed wordlessly.
Everyone's eyes lingered on where they had disappeared for a moment before one by one returning to what they had been doing before. I looked around in bewilderment. How could they be so calm? Nimm had just been banished!
…Nimm had just been banished. What was I supposed to do? Should I go with her? Convince Thorin to forgive her? That wasn't going to happen.
"We need to stay with the company." M said to me, as if she knew my question before I even asked it. "We need to get to the end of the story no matter what. Nimm's tough. She can take care of herself." I nodded numbly, before walking over and siting beside Bofur, who still had Sute in his lap.
Could she take care of herself? Because after Beorn's house, is one of the worst events in the book… Mirkwood forest.
hm... hmmmmmmmm...
