Chapter 12: The Necromancer

It was nearing dusk as they approached the eves of Mirkwood, where Gandalf said the Elven gate and road began.

"Set the ponies loose! Let them return to their master"

"Finally," Ariel sighed with relief as she dismounted from the pony, her backside sore after a near full days solid galloping and cantering along over great hills and plains.

"You look surprisingly well" Fili smirked as he and Kili both dismounted from their pony. "Considering who you were stuck with"

"It could've been worse" Ariel smirked as Thorin made to walk his pony over to Dwalin's to talk quietly. The trip hadn't been too bad. Thorin and her had spoken little but whatever was said was relatively normal and calm.

"No sign of the orcs" Said dwarf king grinned with relief "we have luck on our side"

But even as he spoke Ariel thought she saw some way off into the distance the familiar form of a great black bear prowling a rocky outcrop. She glanced back at the Fili and Kili with a playful wink only to see Kili's face tense as they looked upon his uncle's back.

"Still not talking huh?" she asked Fili who shook his head sadly.

"He knows Thorin's apologised. But he's still angry that he pulled the king card on him"

"Well they're both going to be singing different tunes once they go…in there…" Ariel shivered as she looked over her shoulder at the forest behind them.

Its trees were almost bare, with the smallest of golden and red autumn leaves still clinging onto their branches even though everything about them looked dead. But this was not the frigid cold of winter settling in…for the tree's barks had turned either a sickly grey or a dark black, right down to the roots.

Even Bilbo noticed the difference as he made to step down from his pony with Bofur.

"This forest feels sick…as if a disease lies upon it," he muttered as he strode up toward the beautifully carved wooden gate that led to the small path that winded into the forest. "Is there no way round?"

"Not unless we go 200 miles north and twice that distance… south…Goodness Ariel what are you doing?"

The wizard raised a brow as Ariel jumped away from a nearby tree with a tiny squeak, pulling her hand away as if she'd been burned.

"Nothing" she bleated as a dwarf came up to help her "Just a spider that's all."

But even as she spoke Gandalf saw the pure terror in her eyes as they glanced pointedly towards the tree.

He approached it slowly, reaching out with his staff to push aside the ivy that had just been spawned by his apprentice's accidental release of power.

His breath hitched and his eyes widened as he caught sight of a sharp fiery eye, painted in red upon the pale sick bark of the tree.

No…it could not be…

"But it could" a voice in his head that was not his own whispered.

"Something moves in the shadows, unseen hidden from our sight. Every day it grows in strength. Beware the Necromancer he is not what he seems. If our enemy has returned, we must know. Go to the tombs in the mountains"

"The high fells…so be it…" Gandalf nodded in agreement as he stepped away from the foul image which he quickly covered back over with the vines before turning to the company who had just finished freeing the last of the ponies and were getting ready to unsaddle the large black horse the wizard had rode.

"Not my horse I need it."

Of course, he has to go deal with the necromancer now…but does he know who or what he's getting involved in?

But even though she knew he had to go Ariel still felt her heart sink as Gandalf rushed past them all.

"You not leaving us?" Bilbo gulped as the wizard paused to looked down on him with sympathy.

"I would not do this unless I had to. You've changed Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the shire"

"I…I was going to tell you," Bilbo blurted out almost desperately "I…found something in the goblin tunnels,"

Ariel stiffened in her spot as she saw to her horror and apprehension, Bilbo fiddle with something in his waistcoat pocket.

No-no-no don't reveal it here. Not when we're this close to Sauron.

Gandalf however did not seem to notice as he merely quirked a curious brow down at his appointed burglar.

"Found what? What did you find?"

"M-my…My courage." Bilbo coughed quickly and at once his hand stopped fidgeting.

"Good…you'll need it." Gandalf smirked down at the Hobbit.

Phew, talk about a close shave…

Ariel sighed quietly with relief as she looked about at the others. They didn't seem to have noticed Bilbo's small slip because they were so sombre about seeing their guide leave them as well as the fact that the overcast skies had suddenly begun to burst with a tiny shower of rain.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! I'm sore and wet now.

She barely caught onto what the wizard said as he began to stride through the rest of the group.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe, and do not enter that mountain without me,"

Then Gandalf turned to Thorin and murmured.

"Remember whatever happens in that forest. Don't you ever let any of them out of your sight. This is not the greenwood of old" Gandalf added more loudly so as to include the others "There is a stream in the woods that carries a dark enchantment. Do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo muttered softly but the wizard only continued to give out his advice.

"You must stay on the path. Do not leave it. If you do, then you'll never find it again. Especially you Ariel, I want you to stay close to the company of all times whatever happens. A strange power controls these parts and the company will need you."

"But Gandalf-" Ariel began to say but already Gandalf was on his horse and beginning to ride away.

"No matter what may come stay on the path!" he called out just before he was out of earshot.

The company watched him go, their eyes fixed on the dark tail of his horse as it rode swiftly away into a tiny pinprick in the distance. Then it suddenly vanished.

"Alright…Show's over get a move on" Thorin muttered darkly, turning his back on the fields to face the forest path. "We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's day. It's our one chance to find the hidden door!"

As their leader made his way forwards Ariel felt something tug at her hand. She jumped a little but it was only Fili that smirked softly as he gently tugged her to follow.

"What's the matter little mermaid? Can't move without your fish fins?"

"Ha-ha very funny."

But even as Ariel looked up into the canopy of the dark trees above, she shuddered.

She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Something or someone was watching them…watching them with evil intent…

But is it Balcheth's eyes…?

She gulped as her left arm burned with pain once more

Or is it his?

Ariel Brooks had, had many sleepless nights whilst on the road of her current quest. But none of them were as tense nor as terrifying as the one she was having now.

It was the company's first night in the Forest of Mirkwood and they were all still rather shocked and confused by Gandalf's sudden departure

They ate little and spoke softly amongst themselves though they were sure they were safe on the path. They also didn't light a fire so most of their whatever they ate was cold.

In short it was a cheerless and dark night when they all went to sleep with Thorin and Ariel keeping first watch.

Thorin would've stayed up on his own only Ariel insisted that she remain awake. Not that she'd have much chance of falling asleep.

The trees around them were packed so close together so that the air about them was unnaturally hot and stuffy. Ariel indeed felt rather as if she'd been pressed into an overcrowded party full of people that she'd rather not mix with, for the plants that surrounded them had an unwholesome sickly feel.

She jumped as a bush to her right rustled slightly, its sound strangely magnified in the stillness of the night.

Come on Ariel just breath it's just the wind …

Close by near Balin's sleeping head, Thorin looked up from where he had been crouching.

His tense grim expression softened slightly as he caught sight of the immense of fear imprinted on the usually determined energetic girl.

"What's wrong" he mumbled softly grimacing as he saw her flinch at the sound of his voice.

She couldn't help it. The silence about them was almost deafening.

"Nothing" but even as she said it, she winced and began to rub at her left forearm.

Thorin sighed heavily as he quietly walked towards her.

"It's been getting worse hasn't it? And don't bother lying and saying that it's not" he added when she opened her mouth to speak "I've seen you holding onto it all day."

"It's not infected" Ariel grumbled as the dwarf came to stand over her. "I've checked it whenever we stop. It just twinges at these really odd moments"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

But even so Thorin's eyes narrowed as he looked over the girl before him. Her face was beginning to look sickly pale and papery and whether she knew it or not she'd developed a small shiver, despite the stuffiness of the air around them.

"Get some sleep. I'll wake up Balin or Dwalin and they'll take your place"

"But-"

"No arguments." Thorin steamrolled over her, fixing her with a stern look. "Get to-"

Suddenly he fell silent.

Ariel blinked in confusion and opened her mouth to speak but Thorin had already swooped down and clapped a large hand over her mouth, his face tense as he pricked his ears.

"Thorin what-" Ariel gave a muffled snap but Thorin just put his finger to his lips in a shushing motion.

There was absolute silence as they both glanced at the shadows about them. Or was it silent?

Somewhere in the faintest distance…something hissed…as it slithered over dead leaves nearby…

It was almost like someone was dragging cloth over the ground, as if they were wearing a thick, heavy cloak.

Then just as suddenly as it had started… it stopped.

Ariel's body was so tense she could've used it to fire an arrow, but that wasn't the worst of her problems.

"Ariel…" Thorin's voice was wary as the girl before him suddenly hunched over with a small whimper, clutching onto her burnt arm.

"It's alright" she wheezed "I can deal with it"

"Obviously you can't," Thorin rolled his eyes as he reached for her arm.

"No-Thorin-don't-"

But he'd already snatched off her bracer, before rolling up her sleeve.

His eyes widened as he looked down upon the flesh there.

The hand mark over her arm looked, if possible, even darker than before. Thorin could barely suppress the growl that escaped him as he saw the size and aggressiveness of the mark that marred the once young blemish free skin.

"You call this nothing to worry about?"

Ariel shut her eyes and turned her face away from him mumbling something so softly under her breath that he barely heard it.

"What was that?" he clipped irritably.

Ariel sighed heavily.

"I said you've already got enough on your plate without worrying about me"

Thorin stilled in his spot.

"You're…you're worried about worrying me?"

Ariel looked up, blinking in confusion. Thorin's voice that had so often been a growl was now a soft mumble of surprise. His face too was now just as befuddled as the time when Bilbo had returned just after they came out of the Misty Mountains.

"Well yeah…" Ariel bit her lip nervously, not knowing what to make of the sudden change in the dwarf "Thorin…you're always so busy worrying your ass off about everyone else and making sure we all make it through and don't kill ourselves or each other along the way…and whilst we may bicker worse than two idiots, when the times have been tough you have pulled through…but still…I just didn't want to add to the stress…and-"

"But why?" Thorin's brow furrowed.

"Because…" Ariel mumbled doing her best to try and meet his eye "because isn't that what friend's do? Worry about each other and try to help one another?"

She gulped as she waited for his reply. However, she was surprised. For the first time since she had met the dwarf prince, he looked remarkably lost…as if he had no clue of what to say…

And that made her wonder. When was the last time someone had spoken to Thorin Oakenshield, not as a leader or an heir of dwarfish royalty…but as an ordinary person…as a friend…?

She did her best to smile comfortingly in understanding as she patted his hand that was still holding onto her arm.

"Thorin, you may be in line to be king, but you don't have to bear everything on your shoulders alone."

That seemed to pull him out of whatever stupor he'd been stuck in and he coughed

"That may be the case…but still…I am the leader of this company and it is my duty to make sure that I look after those I am charged with especially the youngest," he added fixing her with a slightly stern look "and being the youngest at only seventeen you should-"

"Eighteen" Ariel smirked smugly. "Just four days ago I turned eighteen. Not so much of a child now huh?"

"By human standards you aren't" Thorin agreed a smirk of his own gracing his features "but by dwarf standards you are barely into childhood"

"And by human standards you are a very old man" Ariel countered with a small grin, that turned into quiet chuckles as Thorin glowered at her. However, his eyes were not scornful nor angry. In fact, they were rather amused even as he huffed.

"Hmph! Very funny. But that still doesn't change the fact that you're injured."

"I've had worse." she tried to counter with a smirk though her face fell slightly "Besides…It's not so easy getting to sleep nowadays."

"Your nightmares" Thorin nodded and when Ariel looked surprised, he sighed "Yes we've all noticed Ariel. Ever since the shadow in Rivendell you've been tossing and turning in your sleep and mumbling non-stop."

"It's nothing…besides it happened a long time ago," Ariel mumbled best to avoid his eyes as she yanked her arm away from the dwarf prince and curled her knees close to her.

"I don't think it's nothing." Thorin frowned grimly "Whatever it was it was enough to trigger your panic attack at the cliff when Azog cornered us...when the fire started."

He didn't need to see the way she tensed up to know he'd struck gold. But then he also wasn't surprised. He'd seen over the weeks how uncomfortable she was with the company's campfires, always skulking around the edge torn between fear and the need for warmth. He also noticed just how on edge she was close to even the smallest of candles though he had to admit he was impressed by how calm she managed to keep herself despite her fear.

Ariel meanwhile was opening and closing her mouth like a stunned goldfish before spluttering.

"It's...so what about the fire? We were all worried about burning to a crisp."

But she saw Thorin quirk a disbelieving brow and sighed heavily.

"Alright you really wanna know? Fine then," she huffed "My granny, well she's not really my granny, she's really the mid-wife that helped my mother deliver me and my brother. We just called her granny because she was so old, and she was like family. But anyway, moving on…Granny's house caught fire when I was seven. I don't know how or why. My parents kept trying to tell me it was an accident with the stove,"

"But it wasn't?" Thorin's eyes narrowed.

"No" Ariel muttered darkly her eyes hardening "No…It wasn't"

"How do you know?"

"Because I remember," Ariel snapped up at him "It was midnight. Granny, Mum and Dad were asleep and had put me and my brother to bed. But after a while I got thirsty. I didn't want to wake anyone up, so I went downstairs on my own. I was in the kitchen drinking my cup when I saw…when I saw it."

"It?"

"The shadow. It was big, bigger than my dad and he's already taller than six feet mind you. And it had these eyes… these horrible burning eyes" and at this Ariel shivered as the very same eyes burned into her mind.

"So, this shadow…it started the blaze?" Thorin murmured a finger to his bearded chin in thought.

"It must have…" Ariel bit her lip as it began to tremble a little "I mean it was dark and it was hard to see…but one moment it was pitch black the next there are these flames everywhere and...I couldn't breathe…my skin was scorching…I was alone and the building was burning and collapsing about me…I couldn't see any of my family…and…and then the shadow was walking towards me through the fire and…no I will not cry…I will not cry!"

Ariel scrubbed furiously at her eyes which had begun to sting as tears pricked the corners.

Thorin did not say a word as he watched her struggle with herself for a moment before taking a deep shuddering breath and pull herself together.

"I don't remember much after that," She gulped down the lump in her throat. "I blacked out before the shadow could reach me. When I woke up, I was being tended to by…doc-healers-" she corrected herself quickly, "-outside the house with my brother and parents standing over me. But granny didn't make it. She was old…and her room was far away from all the others…there was no way she could've gotten help."

"I'm sorry" Thorin murmured softly but Ariel waved him off, grunting as if she had a head cold.

"Don't be…besides it was almost eleven years ago anyway. What is done, is done and I may not be able to change my past…but I'll be damned if I let myself be ruled by my fear again."

Thorin's eyes softened as she ran a hand through her mane of red-brown hair her face as bitter as her voice.

"When Smaug took Erebor" he said quietly "he set fire to all that he could find save the treasure. It was so scorching hot that many dwarves perished from the temperature alone, not to mention those that suffocated from inhaling all the foul smoke that rose up from it. Many of those that survived and managed to get out of the mountain were burned…not just in body but in mind too…there were even a few dwarves that couldn't bear to work in forges ever again in spite of being trained to do so for all their lives"

He reached out to Ariel's chin and tilted it upwards to meet his own determined gaze.

"Ariel there is no shame in feeling fear. What you went through was something no child should ever experience. Saying that did you ever find out how you got out?"

Ariel nodded.

"My father was the one who rescued me. He, Mum and Ian had made it outside and realised I wasn't there. So, he dove back in to get me. He got out alright even though his leg was burned badly. He can still walk, but he's still got a bit of a limp, though he tries his best to smile it off and continue working like before"

"He sounds like a brave man" Thorin murmured, a slight hint of admiration lacing his voice. "Brave and good of heart…like his daughter."

"By all the heavens above has the moon turned green or is that a compliment I hear from you Thorin Oakenshield?" Ariel's mouth opened into a wide astonished grin.

"Perhaps…but if it is then don't get used to it" Thorin growled gruffly though his eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked down upon the girl before him.

However, he truly meant what he said.

When he had first seen her back at Bag End, he'd only thought her a small timid child only trying to put on airs to make herself seem more mature than she seemed. Had anyone told him that she was so internally strong he would have scoffed and laughed, but he no longer did so now. Indeed, she was stronger than most women both young and old he'd ever met. The only one that came close was his own younger sister Dis and that was saying something as she was one of the strongest women Thorin had ever known.

He opened his mouth to speak but was stopped when he caught sight of Ariel's face as she caught a glance over his shoulder. Her face paled.

"Thorin…is it just me or is everything grey?"

Thorin turned around as well and he felt his heart sink.

Everywhere about the two of them was a sea of greyish dark fog, so dense and thick that they couldn't see anything beyond a meter around the two of them.

Ariel felt every single hair rise on the back of her neck as she heard something whispering softly in the distance. It sounded eerily like a snake's hiss turned into words.

"[shroud them in shadow, bring me my master's prize]"

"What new devilry is this?" Thorin growled as he stood up to his feet and drew Orcrist from its sheath. He felt his foot hit something and hissed as he heard a small grunt and groan of pain.

"Balin wake up! Wake up all of you now!"

"Thorin…what's going on?" The old dwarf grunted as he raised his head along with Dwalin and Bifur who were sleeping beside him.

From someway off Thorin could hear the grunts and groans of the others as they stirred.

"Fog at this time of night?" Bilbo muttered as he scrambled to his feet.

"Quick grab onto one another" Bofur shouted and there were many murmurs of agreement as multiple hands made to grasp at one another in the fog.

Thorin wheeled around, reaching out towards Ariel who stood behind him. Yet just as her fingers grazed his, a shadowy hand grasped at her shoulder.

There was a split second in which both Ariel and Thorin stared at one another in horror…then…

"AHH!"

"Ariel!" Thorin cried out but too late, her body had been dragged backwards into the wall of fog, her scream of terror suddenly going silent, though the echoes of it still rang horribly in the dwarf's ears.

"Uncle?" Kili's voice called from somewhere further away "What's going on?"

But Thorin did not answer, his eyes only widening in shock as he made to swat at the fog to find a scrawny limb, or even a red-brown lock of hair.

"Ariel!" Thorin boomed loudly but the only thing that greeted him was silence and empty space.

"Lass?" Balin called out as he stood to his feet alongside his leader, looking around.

At those words he faintly heard the others behind him begin to yell out loudly.

"Ariel!"

"Miss Ariel!"

"Lass! Where are ye?"

"Damn the girl! Now she's lost!" Dwalin growled.

"She wouldn't have left us on purpose!" Bilbo snapped angrily though terror was lacing his voice like ice.

"And she didn't" Thorin barked, though panic was beginning to settle on his mind "Something took her"

"It must be this fog" Ori's voice was trembling as he looked about in fear along with Oin who nodded vigorously.

"Yes, remember what Gandalf said…this forest is cursed"

"Cursed or not we have to find her" Kili stood up to his feet only for Gloin to grab his arm.

"If we do that lad then we'll leave the path and we'll also get lost"

"So, what we're just going to leave her to die again like we did in the mountains?!" Kili snarled as Dori tried to come between him and Gloin.

"No that's not it lad-"

"Then what?! we just abandon-"

"Kili enough! We'll think of something" Fili tried to calm him down but his brother was having none of it.

"Think of something? The more time we spend thinking the more chance that our friend is dead!"

"Calm down everyone and use your heads-"

But even as the voices grew louder and angrier all around him Thorin turned his head down in shame.

Barely one night in this accursed forest already one of his company was gone missing.

But where could she have gone?

Her head was throbbing, badly. It was like someone had taken her head to an anvil and cracked it open with a stone hammer.

Where…where am I?

Ariel Brooks opened her eyes. Everything around her was cold…cold and dark.

She remembered vaguely being carried by grasping hands through a grey fog but after that there was nothing but black and before that…

Hang on where is everyone?

"Guys? Guys where are we?" She murmured trying to prick her ears for any familiar sound

As she moved her head to try and see more of her surroundings, she felt stone slabs graze her nose.

Stone…but I was in the forest…

But even as she made to lift her head up a couple of inches, she heard a couple of horrible voices speak in a harsh evil tongue.

"[The she awakens oh great Defiler.]"

"[Stand back! I will deal with her.]"

Ariel gasped as she felt a pair of large strong hands grab at her and force her up onto her knees.

Her head spun horribly as whatever blood that had been in her head quickly drained from her, however it wasn't quite enough to impede on her vision which had just revealed to her a truly horrifying sight indeed.

She was nowhere near a forest at all. Instead she was surrounded by ruinous walls of stone that towered high above into the dark sky and sank low into a large pit of darkness. In the centre of the towers and attached to the main structure by a narrow bridge was a crumbling platform, on which she was now kneeling, her body held up and restrained by chains held up by a-

She screamed as she caught sight of a great pale orc who chuckled darkly as he looked down on her with pitiless yellow eyes.

"[hmmm…so you are the witch who struck me down]" Azog the Defiler snarled as he leant his face down to peer menacingly down at the frightened young girl who struggled and shrieked in his hold.

"[My orcs said you were a formidable sorceress. HA! The fools, you are but a child…a child who reeks of fear…so pathetic]" he brought his claw like prosthetic limb up to her neck and scraped it feather light over her skin.

At once Ariel stilled, her body trembling in absolute terror as she felt a small sting on her neck as the metal lightly scratched her, a single drop of ruby red blood dribbled down her front from where it had been marred.

She did her best to look around trying desperately to search for a glimmer of green amongst the grey slabs about her. But no matter how hard she looked; her staff was nowhere in sight.

No-no-no-no-no! NO! This cannot be true! This just cannot be happening!

Of all the terrors she'd experienced on her travels, this by far was proving to be the worst of them all.

She shut her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks as she heard Azog chuckle again with malicious derisive amusement before turning to face two more orcs, smaller in stature but just as wicked in their dispositions and appearances.

"[Send her to the dungeons! The master will call for her when he is ready]" he barked at them and they obediently scuttled forwards to snatch at Ariel who began to scream and screech once more.

"NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! PLEASE! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU! HELP! HEEEEEELP!"

Bilbo hung his head as he slumped against the trunk of a tree.

It had ben three days since Ariel's disappearance. Three days since they'd wandered into this forsaken forest.

"Air" Bofur puffed beside them as the entire company came under the cover of a particularly dense patch of trees "Air…I need air…"

"My head…" Oin blinked as he was disorientated "it's swimming"

Bilbo couldn't blame the old dwarf for sounding so sick. He himself was torn between throwing up as he walked or fainting on the ground. But he kept going.

They had seen signs on the path before them that there had been orcs close by to where they had camped along the path and that they had been dragging someone with them.

From what Dwalin and Balin could tell from the marks on the ground the prisoner had been small and slender but apart from that there was no way of telling much else.

They could only hope that they were made by Ariel.

Ariel…

Bilbo's heart sank at the thought of the young girl all alone, surrounded by orcs who would no doubt kill her or use her for malicious sport…just as they had done to Beorn and to so many other people and creatures they could get their hands on.

Better her than you though

A small nasty voice echoed in the depths of the Hobbit's head.

Bilbo paused mid step and clapped a hand over his mouth in horror.

Goodness! Was that him?! How could he have thought something so horrible? Especially when it was about a dear friend?

He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice his fingers of his free hand were ghosting over a pocket in his waist coat in which something small and metallic lingered.

He was only jolted out of his stupor by Kili's voice as he scouted on ahead, though it did little to help his mood. The young dwarf sounded very sarcastic and scathing.

"We found the bridge"

But even as they came up level with their now youngest member their hearts sank.

There before them was a stone bridge, broken in two with the middle of the arch fallen away. Beneath them a stream, black as the trees about them and smelling foul was flowing…or at least it was moving, for the water looked more like jet black tar sludge that was gurgling unpleasantly along.

"Well we could try and swim it?" Bofur suggested half-heartedly at an attempt at humour though no one laughed. Thorin looked especially grim.

"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said? A dark magic lies upon this forest and the waters of this stream are enchanted."

"Doesn't look very enchanting to me" Dori snorted to Bilbo and Ori who stood beside him.

Meanwhile Fili and Kili were rushing to the side of the bridge where several large black vines were hanging low enough for them to climb.

"Here these look strong enough!" Kili grunted as he began to hoist himself up only for his brother to grab him roughly.

"Kili are you mad! Get back here"

"What? They held up my weight just, fine didn't they?" Kili pouted "Besides If we had Ariel here, she would've gone across on her own as well before any of us could stop her"

"If Ariel were here Kili she would've used her powers to make it safe for us to cross too. But she isn't here so step back" Fili snapped over him sparing a small glower at Thorin who had just stepped forwards to reprimand them both.

However, upon hearing Ariel's name his face fell, as did the faces of the rest of the company.

"I understand this is hard for all of you at the moment" Thorin muttered softly, trying his best not to show the guilt that plagued him "It's hard for me too. But if we are to find our friend, we can't just go taking risks like this so rashly. Which is why we will send the lightest across first. Bilbo!"

"hmm yes?" Bilbo turned at once and saw all the thirteen dwarves looking at him expectantly.

He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.

Great…just what I always wanted! To drown in a toxic cursed river!

Ariel…

A voice called to her softly in her ear.

In her mind's eye Ariel could see herself laying down with her head in a familiar warm denim covered lap as slender fingers began to trail through her hair softly…comfortingly…

"Mum…"

It's alright darling

A woman's voice cooed as she leaned down to kiss her daughter over her brow.

Ariel smiled softly to herself as she smelt the familiar scent of her mother waft up into her nose as she buried her face deeper into her lap.

Honeysuckle…lavender with a hint of washing detergent and spice…

The corners of Ariel's eyes stung as she felt her heart almost burst in her chest.

"I miss you so much"

I'm right here my little mermaid…

Her mother stroked her hair away from her face.

I'm right here

"Why did I have to go?" Ariel blubbered opening her eyes to see the blurred outline of red hair around a pale face. "I want to be here with you"

Everything must come and go Ariel…that is how nature works…at some point we are all meant to fly the nest and find our own path…

"but my path is so dark" Ariel sniffled "and I'm scared…Mum I'm so scared…"

I know…

Now even her mother's voice was sounding tearful as she leant down to kiss her daughter's brow.

But no matter what happens Ariel…I am always here. And so is your father and your brother…we're all in here…and we'll always be there…Always…

"Mum!" Ariel whimpered as she felt a cold stone hard floor replace her mother's warmth.

"Mum! No! Mum! MUM! DON'T GO MUM!"

But even as the last words passed her mother's lips she began to fade away.

…Always…

"MUMMY!"

Bilbo watched with mounting irritation and dread as the rest of the company struggled on the black vines over the equally dark vile sludge of a river.

He'd just told them not to follow him. Told them it wasn't dangerous. But did anyone listen to a hobbit?

NO!

Well don't blame me if one of you idiots falls in.

He rolled his eyes just as someone landed with a heavy thud on their feet beside where he sat puffing for breath.

It was Thorin and he was looking alertly at a spot some way away along the bank of the enchanted stream.

Bilbo stood up to look as well.

There standing one the edge of the waters staring down at them was a tall, great stag. Its fur was of the purest white and its antlers silvery as the clouds before a moon.

Despite the gloomy forest about them all it seemed to shine brightly, as if it had a pure light glowing from within.

The sight almost made the hobbit swell with awe and wonder.

He'd heard of legends regarding such creatures, though he never once thought that he'd ever see one himself. For the white hart was a guardian of the forests it dwelled.

It was said in many a tale that if you caught one you would be granted three wishes as well as be blessed with good fortune forever more.

It was revered throughout all the races of Elves, men, hobbits and even dwarves…though Thorin seemed to think otherwise as he raised a bow and fitted an arrow to its string.

"What are you doing?" Bilbo asked, his voice somehow slower and more lethargic than usual. That was another thing about being in this forest, he somehow always felt drowsy and disoriented at the oddest of times.

Thorin however paid no heed to the small burglar and instead fired the shot at the beautiful creature across from them who quickly darted away as the dark arrowhead zoomed past its side. It had passed so close to the beast that it had grazed its fur. But that was of no importance to the hobbit who stared aghast as the creature bounded back into the forest.

"you shouldn't have done that" he breathed his heart sinking as the snowy pelt disappeared into the darkness of the trees "It's bad luck"

"I don't believe in luck" Thorin snapped his eyes glaring at where the animal had been "We make our own luck."

But before the hobbit could berate him something splashed.

Both Bilbo and Thorin wheeled about just in time to see Bombur's fat form floating in the dark waters of the stream, his eyes shut with sleep and his mouth open in a snore.

Thorin quickly rushed forwards to aid the others in lifting him up but Bilbo hung back, his eyes still straying back to where the white stag had once stood.

For one moment…one shining moment, he had felt hope stir in his heart. Hope for the quest…hope for finding their lost friend…hope for returning home alive…

But now all that was left was darkness.

There was a loud clang of metal and Ariel jumped in her spot on the cold dark floor.

She was in a dungeon made entirely of dark stone, with only one window set high above her in the roof, far away from her reach from which one beam of moonlight was illuminating the space.

Her hands were bound in strong iron shackles and chains as were her ankles so that even as she struggled away from the door to her cell through which Azog's gigantic hulking form had strode through.

His face was split in a malicious manic smirk as he regarded her trembling form.

"[Wake up witch!]"

"huh?" Ariel bleated. She didn't understand a word of the black speech but then again, she reasoned, whatever was said in that language could never mean anything good for anyone, especially when only terrible things happened after the words were uttered.

Indeed, her fears had been realised as Azog strode calmly towards her and grabbed her chains in his prosthetic claw and tugged her up onto her feet. He was callously indifferent to her struggles, the chains preventing her from spreading her weight out sufficiently.

When she did manage to get to her feet, he used his whole undamaged hand to grip hard at her neck and force her to walk forwards.

"[move]"

"W-Where are you t-taking me?" she shivered uncontrollably, her voice very hoarse and scratchy as it left her mouth. She'd been screaming for hours as she was dragged to sit alone in that cell. Then when that hadn't worked, she had bawled her eyes out and struggled to slam herself against the doors. But the orcs guarding her on the other side of the wall merely laughed and chortled at her expense as she slowly but surely grew tired of her struggles.

Eventually she became so tired that she fell asleep on the cold filthy floor of her prison only to wake up just now to be held captive once more by the Defiler as he forced her down the dark hallways of Dol Guldur.

Ariel couldn't help but shudder as all the orcs they passed jeered and hissed at her with malevolent glee. One of them even snapped his pointed fang like teeth at her like a dog threatening to bite.

She jumped back from that one as fast as she could only to collide painfully with Azog who growled and shoved her back into the middle of the narrow corridor, but not before barking down at his legions in the filthy black speech of his people.

Whatever he said had obviously made some impact upon the orcs because even though they still jeered, none of them after that made to approach either of them. Wherever she was being taken to, she was obviously supposed to arrive in one piece.

Though that thought only made Ariel more frightened than ever as she was finally shoved out of an archway and out into the cold open air.

There more orcs were assembled watching her and Azog with great interest along with several wargs who snapped hungrily at the sight of the scrawny pound of meat that was being wafted before them.

Ariel shut her eyes and took a deep shuddering breath as she and the defiler made their way up a set of steep stone steps past a tall stone statue of a hooded figure bearing a sharp blade.

She shuddered. Though she could not pinpoint why, the figure made her feel sick just looking at it.

Azog barely noticed this as he tugged incessantly hard on her chains, forcing her to ascend with him towards the doorway to the tallest of towers of the ruined fortress.

A maiden trapped in the tallest tower. How original.

Despite herself Ariel couldn't help the small roll of her eyes as she reached the door and looked up to the sky where the tip of the turrets roof towered higher than any skyscraper above her head.

Azog then opened the door with a large shove, the aged wood creaking ominously.

Ariel gulped; all sarcasm forgotten as she looked on. Beyond the door, instead of seeing a shadowy room it was completely pitch black.

"[I have brought her master]" Azog rumbled to the darkness though even he looked uncomfortable about stepping forwards.

Ariel soon discovered why for in that moment an icy chill swept over her, that had nothing to do with the cold breeze of the wind. It froze her blood in her veins and made her shut her eyes as a voice cruel and harsh hissed from within with words her ears could finally understand.

"Come in child."

Ariel was now trembling so badly that her chains on her were shaking and jingling as well.

"I said" the bodiless voice snarled venomously "come in!"

Ariel barely had time to shriek before Azog's hand grabbed her by the scruff of her neck before flinging her inside with a mighty shove and shutting the great door behind her with a snap.

She landed hard on something stony beneath her yet still she could not see a thing. It was like she had stepped into a void of nothingness.

"There…" the voice from before whispered to her softly from the darkness "That wasn't too hard was it, Ariel Brooks? "

"W-who are you?" Ariel blubbered as she felt around to get up to her hands and knees.

It was a painful slog as her head still throbbed from before and her body also now was aching from her skirmishes.

Whoever it was in the shadows laughed the sound hollow and cruel, as they watched her struggle helplessly on the ground like a newborn babe.

"So pathetic…but then again…being born of your bloodline I should've expected as such"

"My bloodline?" Ariel spluttered looking around wildly in panic "What are you talking about?! Who are you? and why do you know who I am?!"

"Oh, I've known who you are for quite some time child. In fact, ever since you were born, for you see, I knew your parents."

"No, you don't!" Ariel bleated "How could you?! There must be some mistake!

"I assure you there is no mistake girl" it sneered derisively "you bear the marks of their pedigree as plain as daylight. Those brown eyes of your father…that red hair…"

Ariel flinched as the voice came up suddenly close to the hair over her ear, inhaling roughly as what must have been a face caressed the side of her head.

"Just like your mothers…"

"No…stop" Ariel whimpered tears streaming down her face as she felt a hot searing breath ghost over the shell of her ear "Please…"

"hmm…you even smell the same as her…most curious…seeing as you were raised in an entirely different world"

"Other world?" Ariel squeaked as she felt something like a large claw like hand slip out to collar her neck from behind. She stayed stock still in terror as her head was tilted so that it hung to the side as what felt like a nose, with charred rough skin, passed over the skin of her throat.

"Oh yes I know where you come from" the voice hissed, heady and intoxicated, over her flesh as it inhaled her scent. "And I must say…it was a pathetic move on your parents part. They thought they could hide both you and your brother from me in that dismal world of Earth. But I still managed to find you…Ariel Brooks, daughter of Calvin and Nora…or should I call them Celegon and… Nuldien?"

"…What?" Ariel breathed her heart stilling in her chest as someone chuckled, the sound bouncing eerily around the darkness about her.

"Oh…you poor thing" the voice cooed mockingly the same claw like hands gently stroking her face in the horrible travesty of a caress. "You did not know? Your mother was one of the greatest of the Istari…Nuldien the Red…"

"You're wrong!" Ariel cried out horror flooding her system. "you're wrong! my mother is not Nuldien! It's not true! She would never lie-"

"Oh, but she did lie" The voice around her leered "For Nuldien was the great keeper of secrets. Lies and secrets were all she could give. And how she kept them... Not only did she keep secrets from her order, but she kept secrets from you too…her own daughter…her own flesh and blood"

"NO!" Ariel shrieked clutching her head as it began to throb again. "No! You're lying! You're lying!"

"Oh no I'm not" the voice hissed once more. "and to prove it to you I will show you just what I am girl"

Ariel felt the hands on her person fly away and she scrambled backwards at once just in time to see a light flicker before her.

However, it wasn't the light she was hoping for…it was fire…lots of fire…and it was all around her.

She shrieked and yelled in terror as the flames licked about her body, scraping at her clothes so that they were singed and burned away to filthy rags, much to the amusement of the voice.

"You have not changed at all since that day"

Ariel looked up and her shriek was lost in her throat as she beheld someone standing amongst the flames.

It was a shadow…greater than any being she had ever yet faced. Shaped like a man and yet as fluid as the darkest of smoke…

"Y-you are-y-you are" she sobbed and cringed as a pair of eyes looked down on her…a pair of flaming orange gold eyes…blazing like flames.

"S-Sauron"

"Ariel the Green" Sauron spoke and this time his voice echoed heavily throughout the flaming tower like the reverberations of shaking mountains. "you have interfered with my plans for far too long…now you must pay the price. And so I take from you the gift you treasure most of all."

"No please no!" Ariel shrieked as the fiery eyes flashed and the dark lord snarled.

"I take your voice"

Dol Guldur was silent as all orcs turned to look at the dark tower. It wasn't unusual to hear the screams of absolute agony as their master tortured his latest prisoner. Yet the screams of their newest victim were enough to chill even their blackened hearts.

Such a piercing sound of pure fear

Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm grimaced with disgust as he looked down the muddy footprints he was tracking.

They were big booted tracks, greater than his own though less human in shape. Made by something metallic if the pressure of the print was anything to go by.

Orcs…

His bright blue eyes narrowed as he surveyed the rest of the ground. It was littered with markings of a similar kind to the one he had just found.

So there was a host was there…but wait what is that?

Legolas quickly darted forwards to examine a branch where a string slender and red was shining faintly in the dim light of the forest.

He reached out carefully to handle it, examining it closely.

It wasn't a string at all. It was a hair and it was somewhere between a rich brown and red.

Orc? But no, those vile creatures could never grow hair so fine.

The elven prince reasoned as he caught sight of a couple more strands on a few branches just ahead.

He snatched them up quickly before they wafted away on the breeze and held them up to his nose.

The subtle sweet smell of rose hit his nose laced with slightly earthy tone.

No. No orc could've shed this…

He looked about and tilted his head as he crouched low to the ground once more.

There were strange markings behind some of the Orc's footprints, almost as if something had been dragged.

Or someone…

But then Legolas stiffened.

Was it just him or had he heard the faintest of screams?

He pricked his fine-tuned elven ears as he stood up, his body stiff as he focused all his energy on his hearing.

It took him a couple of seconds of sifting the sounds of wind and rustling leaves through his mind before he heard it again.

Screams…far off in the south of the forest, though not too far from where he had led his patrol for the day.

The south…

He took a step forward and felt his foot hit something. He looked down to see what it was and was surprised to see a glimmer of gold in the dirt by his feet.

He swiftly swooped down and picked it up in his hands.

It was a small golden watch on a chain, with easy to read black numbers and slender silver hands rotating round and round as they counted the hours, minutes and seconds. He turned the timepiece around to show the blooming rose etched in gold on the back.

It was a well-made piece though he noticed the design was certainly more suited for a woman's smaller hands than his own stronger digits.

He turned his head his brow furrowing as he focused once more on the screams which had begun again. This time he was focused enough to hear that it was the sound of a young woman's voice…scared…frightened…

He looked down at the strands of hair in his hands and the watch.

Whoever she was, could these have been from her?

The poor maiden…

The thought made his insides squirm uncomfortably as he looked up to the southern skies which were swarming with swirling dark clouds over a single high pinnacle in the distance that only his elf eyes could see.

Dol Guldur…

He turned around silently only to see another tall elf man walk towards him, with golden hair and dark stern eyes.

"[Thondir what news?]" Legolas clipped in elvish.

"[My lord, we have reason to believe that the spiders have been sighted towards the north near the black stream. It appears they have grown in strength]"

Legolas sighed heavily. As much as he was truly keen on discovering the mystery of this missing girl and her connection with the Orcs of Dol Guldur, he still had his duties towards his king and his kingdom.

"[Then we shall dispose of them as we did before]" but even as he spoke his eyes darted back in the direction of where he knew the accursed fortress to be.

"[I'm sorry]" he murmured so softly so that only the passing breeze seemed to hear him as he followed his guard back into the forest.

Radagast the Brown looked up from where he had paused his rabbit sled, and up into the dark forest canopy above his head.

Something was wrong, he could feel it in his gizzard. Something horrible had just happened yet he couldn't tell what.

He looked over his shoulder into what he knew to be the south of Mirkwood, where terrible dark storm clouds had been gathering in a vortex of darkness for days.

A few hours ago, however, it had been especially terrible, as an unusual fog settled about him, shrouding his surroundings in a blanket of dull ominous grey. It was so dark above the canopy that it was difficult for him to tell if it was day or night from the forest floor. Worst of all were the trees.

They were looking, if possible, even sicker than before. Their bark was darkening almost burnt black and what had once been rich tree sap was now a tar like gelatinous substance that oozed nastily down to the ground. Any animal that tried to drink or even touch it felt immediately ill. Then there were the vines.

Strong, thick, dark, covered in sharp thorns as sharp as needles as the Brown Wizard discovered as he pulled his hand away from the nearest one.

Yet his small cut did not concern him as much as the strange pulse of green energy that flashed before his eyes for the briefest of seconds.

That power…he had seen it before…but where?

He reached out to a small bare patch of vine only to jerk back as with another pulse of green magic, another thorn shot out to defend its host.

"Oh dear. Oh no-no-no-no-no" Radagast murmured frantically, his brown eyes wide and bewildered. If his hunch was correct, and he dearly hoped it wasn't, then they were in so much trouble.

But what should he do? Should he go back to the source and check to be sure? But no, he also had to go to meet Gandalf at the High Fells…unless…but no that would be too risky. And yet…

It was no use, what other choice did he have?

He sucked in a deep breath and blew out a long shrill whistle, shutting his eyes as he thought:

By Eru I do hope I am wrong.