Hey there guys, I am so so sorry that this chapter is a few days late, I've not been well mentally for a week now and couldn't get any motivation to type, let alone update this story. I hope you all forgive me and enjoy this chapter xx
Review responses;
Bill – Thank you! I'm honoured this is the best in your opinion and I hope you continue enjoying this xx
Guest Palacegirl – I'm glad you do enjoy this. And most of these chapters are the same as before, but I've had to make some spellin, grammar and other changes into them, but I hope you continue to enjoy them xx
Chapter 15
I wake up the next morning, feeling more relaxed than I've felt in a long time, that is until I feel next to me and realise Aiden is missing. Sitting bolt upright, I notice the other dwarves are missing also, Bilbo being the only one apart from me still in our sleeping area.
I yawn as I stand, stretching my arms above me before walking over to Bilbo, who is just stirring and suddenly jumps at the huge bee that landed on his nose.
"Bigger than normal bees, aren't they?" I say as I hold my hand out to him.
He takes my hand and I help him up. "Just a little. I would hate to be stung by one of them."
I grin as we make our way to the others who are arguing by the back door about how to get away from here without being seen by Beorn, who is chopping wood outside from what I can hear.
"I say we should leg it and slip out the back way!" Nori suggests.
Dwalin grabs him by the collar of his shirt. "I'm not running from anyone, beast or no."
Gandalf turns to them before they can fight, "There is no point in arguing. We cannot pass through the wilderlands without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we ever get to the forest."
He then spots Bilbo and I, as does Aiden as he runs over. I smile as I pick him up, settling him on my hip as we stand in between Thorin and Kili.
"Ah, Bilbo, Sophia. There you both are. This will require some delicate handling; we must tread very carefully. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds."
We all instantly look to Gandalf in shock. Thorin and Kili glancing at each other as Aiden holds onto me tighter while I rub his back.
"I will go first, ah, Bilbo, you will come with me."
Everyone turns to the Hobbit and we see him hesitate for a few moments, but with a nod of Thorin's head, he walks over to the Wizard.
"I-Is this a good idea?" he asks nervously.
"Yes. Now, the rest of you, you just wait here and don't come out, until I give the signal."
"Right, wait for the signal." Bofur confirms as he's stood by the window.
"And no sudden moves or loud noises and don't over crowd him. Only come out in pairs. Sophia, you and Aiden will come out next. Seeing you both here might keep him calm enough to allow the dwarves to stay. "
I nod as I set Aiden on his feet and we stand by the door.
Gandalf turns to leave but then turns back, "No, actually, Bombur, you count as two so you should come out alone."
Bombur gives a noise of agreement and nods.
"Remember, wait for the signal." he turns and leaves with Bilbo.
"What signal would that be?" Bofur asks, but Gandalf is gone.
I hold Aiden's hand as we stand by the door, waiting for the signal. I will admit, I am a little nervous about meeting Beorn, after meeting his bear form. . .I'm a little afraid of what his human form may do. Gandalf said that he can be reasoned with. . .I just hope he's right.
"Sophia, go!" Bofur hisses, pulling me from my thoughts.
Holding Aiden's hand, we walk out together and looking in the direction of the others, I have to freeze slightly at the size of the man. I was right about my assumption of his height, roughly around seven maybe eight feet long, brown hair, bushy eyebrows and a beard which stops on either side of his chin. His brown eyes looking wild from what I can see. He wears brown cotton pants, shoes and is bare chested. I also notice a manacle and chain attached to his wrist. He stops as he notices us.
"You have a woman and a child with you?" he asks, surprise evident in his voice.
Gandalf turns to us, beckoning us over. "Ah yes. This is Sophia and her son, Aiden."
Just as I'm about to thank him for allowing us to rest in his home, Beorn then notices Bilbo, who has been hiding behind Gandalf, as he now pokes his head around the wizard for a better look.
"Who is this little fellow?"
"Well, this would be Mr. Baggins, of the Shire."
Beorn picks up his axe slightly, causing Aiden to scuttle behind me. "He's not a dwarf, is he?"
"Why, no. No, he's a Hobbit. A good family, an unimpeachable reputation." Gandalf says, with a hint of pride as he places a hand on the hobbits shoulder.
"A halfling, woman, child and a wizard. How come you here?"
"Oh well, the fact is that we've had a bad time of it. From Goblins in the mountains."
"What did you go near Goblins for? Stupid thing to do!"
"You are absolutely rig-"
Hearing footsteps, we turn around to see Balin and Dwalin walking out. Beorn also sees them as raises his axe, growling. Aiden hides behind me again, still keeping hold of my hand. Bilbo and I look between the dwarves and Beorn in worry, especially at seeing the panic in the large man's eyes.
"Dwalin and Balin." Dwalin introduces himself and his older brother, although he probably wouldn't admit it, I can tell he's slightly nervous, which I couldn't blame him for.
"I-I must confess, uh, several of our group, are in fact. . .dwarves." Gandalf replies, feeling more nervous then when he left the house. That's when I realise; he had yet to give the signal, and probably didn't give a signal for Aiden and I either.
"Do you call two, "several"?" Beorn is getting extremely nervous and agitated.
Gandalf pauses. "Well, uh now that you put it that way. . ." he stutters. "Yes, there could be more than two. . ."
After a moment of Gandalf babbling, Oin and Gloin come out.
"Ah, and here are some more of our happy troupe!"
"And do you call six, a troupe? What are you? A travelling circus?"
Dori and Ori come out, causing Beorn to growl again.
"Dori and Ori, at your service." Dori introduces, always the polite one.
"I don't want your service!"
"Absolutely understandable!" Gandalf tries to calm things down.
Fili and Kili walk out.
"Oh! Fili and Kili, I'd quite forgotten."
Then, stupidly, Nori runs out, followed by Bofur, Bifur and Bombur.
"Yes, Nori, Bofur, Bigur. . .and Bombur." Gandalf seems to have just given up at his point.
"Is that it? Are there anymore?" Beorn asks.
Thorin is the last to come out, who Beorn appears to recognise. After a few moments of tenseness, Beorn invites us all back inside the house where he, and surprising to us, his animals set out breakfast for us. Beorn's now wearing a woolen tunic vest as he goes around the table, pouring milk into our large mugs, Aiden struggling with his. We all tell him about our journey through the mountain.
"So you are the one they call Oakenshield." Beorn says once the story is over. "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"
"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asks.
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved."
Bilbo sees the remnants of manacle on Beorn's wrist. I also glance at them again, that explains where that came from.
"Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."
"There are others like you?"
Beorn pauses for a moment. "Once, there were many."
"And now?" I ask gently, having a feeling I know where this is going.
Beorn looks to me, a sad look in his eyes. "Now, there is only one."
The rest of us go silent at this. I wrap an arm around Aiden and pull him closer to me. I would not know what to do if I lost my son, so knowing Beorn lost all of his family. . .I don't know how he's managed to go on for this long.
"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Beorn asks, changing the subject as he sits in his large chair.
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Gandalf answers.
"You are running out of time."
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."
I look up at this. Mirkwood? Why was that name so familiar to me? I know I have never heard of that place before. . .or have I?
"A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."
"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe."
"Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."
Thorin looks to the skin-changer. "What do you mean?"
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive."
Thorin looks shocked. Beorn stands up from the table and faces Thorin.
"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."
Beorn picks up a mouse that had been scampering on the table and holds it, all the while approaching Thorin. who is standing with his arms crossed. I watch, slightly worried about what is to happen next, but it seems I have nothing to worry about.
"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
It is decided that we will rest for a week or two, give everyone time to rest up and for us to collect more supplies, Beorn happily accepting us into his home, to our great relief. It seems Gandalf assuming mine and Aiden's presence here would be a big help is right as he's very attentive to our needs, even offering Aiden and I the spare bedroom he has, to which we are grateful. it's right to say that these next could weeks or so are going to be interesting.
Well, everyone's at Beorn's now, the journey if halfway complete. Hope you enjoyed this and continue to do so. See you again next week, hopefully on time xx