Kili
Gandalf got off his horse, looking happy to see the other man. "Radagast! What a pleasant surprise! What is amiss?"
He must be a wizard as well. They seemed familiar with one another, and their magic could be aided by the weird staffs that they were using. This was probably the brown wizard he spoke of from before, the one that lived in the forest with the animals.
Radagast fidgeted around, twitching and stuttering, "S-something is in Dol Guldur. The forest! Greenwood is being poisoned! There is something at work!"
Everyone had already gotten off their ponies, but I was still helping Laurel off of ours. The loud cry of an animal boomed across the woods we occupied. It was hoarse and long, almost as if a bark and growl of a wolf. None the less it rose the hairs on the back of my neck. Soon multiple cries rang out, the horses got spooked and started run in the direction Radagast came.
"Who did you tell of your quest Thorin," Gandalf bellowed.
"No one! I spoke of nothing to a soul except everyone here," he replied angered.
Gandalf scoffed looking around a moment as more cries could be heard. "Orcs, they are on our trail. We must run."
Immediately my mind went to the orc I battled just a half a decade ago. The creature attacked me one night as I was riding home from town. Fili was home with mother and Thorin, I went to town to fetch some wheat. Darkness started to fall as I started to pass a tavern. There were some lovely women inside that looked a little bit lonely. After a few drinks and no luck with any of the them, I left. Just as I was approaching the mountain we lived near, it flew at me and knocked me right off my pony.
I will never forget the impact of its blade that pierced my chest; in that moment I thought I was going to die. Though I was not ready for death, so I fought with vigor and killed the beast. It took about a week or so to heal from the attack.
"Go to the valley," Radagst demanded, "I will lead them away."
"Radagast, they have wargs, they will outrun you," Gandalf exclaimed.
"These are rhosgobel rabbits," the shorter wizard narrowed his eyes in response, "I'd like to see them try."
With a whistle a dozen or so larger rabbits tied together and pulling a sled emerged. Radagast mounted the sled and snapped the reins, disappearing into the distance. At once everyone jumped to action, following Gandalf's lead into a valley. There was not much coverage in the vast area of open planes. All the baggy clothes Laurel was wearing was making it difficult for her to keep up, but I never released her from my hold.
We darted in-between all the boulders in the valley, watching as Radagast flew across the grass chased by the Orcs riding wargs. At one point he lead the line of enemies right before us. Gandalf changed direction, informing us to all stay together.
After more running Gandalf showed us where to go one by one as he and Thorin watched the line to account for all of us. "Where are you leading us," Thorin demanded of the wizard. In turn he did not respond.
One of the orcs fled away from the chase, coming towards where we were hiding right underneath a boulder overlook. The warg sniffed around surely smelling us. Thorin looked to me and nodded his head. Laurel was holding onto my elbow eyes flying everywhere. With as much gentleness I could I detached her hold, pulling out an arrow to notch it. After a deep breath I jumped out from under the boulder, taking quick aim and letting it strike the fierce animal.
It howled loudly crying in pain, forcing me to notch another arrow and shoot it again to try and kill it faster. Both the warg and the orc fell from the boulder, orc jumping to attack with a cry of battle. Dwalin was faster, axe already in it's head before it could even attempt to swing it's own weapon. Dori assisting to stab the creature until it moved no more.
Both the orc and the warg made too much noise.
The valley was filled the war cries of orcs and wargs alike.
"Move," Gandalf bellowed.
When I looked back over to grab Laurel's hand, I was taken back. The pants I gave her to wear for warmth were draped across her shoulders and tied at her chest, while her jacket she wore was tied at her waist. A look of determination laced her features, pine eyes set while a large stone were in each of her hands.
It brought a smile to my face knowing she was not scared and ready to do what she had to.
She ran ahead of me with everyone else, down to the bottom of a hill, almost in a pit of sorts. We were trapped, the enemies coming in on us in a distance from all sides. Some were even within shooting distance.
"Kili," Thorin called, "Kill them!"
One by one I drew arrows and shot at the ones that got to close to us. As I glanced back, Laurel was close to Bilbo, each of them putting their backs to one another and moving in a circle.
"Where did Gandalf go," someone shouted.
Dwalin spat on the ground as each of us closed ranks so we were more tight knit, "He has abandoned us!"
Ori was shooting them with small pebble stones, causing the wargs to become more angered. A feminine grunt came from behind me, and I watched as a larger stone soared over my head and hit an orc straight in the face, flinging it from it's warg. Then another hit the warg in the face shortly after, angering it as well.
"This way you fools," Gandalf called. He disappeared below a boulder. I ran to the boulder to make sure everyone else was able to get through. Thorin followed my lead standing on the other side. Laurel was busy attempting to throw more stones.
"Laurel," I bellowed, "come at once!"
Her head jerked up, dropping the rocks and following my command. An orc and warg started to charge right behind her. I quickly pulled an arrow ready to shoot but was unable to get a clear shot without shooting her. Suddenly her eyes widened and kicked her legs out, melting into the ground. I released the arrow and shot another in quick so that I could get both beasts.
Almost as if she never fell, she rose and continued to run. When she reached us, she did the same horizontal slide performed moments ago, sliding down the slope into the secret cave of the boulder. After everyone else had gotten to this safety Thorin and I dropped as well.
A horn sounded across the valley. Hooves of horses galloping and the twang of bows were abundant.
The cave was long and led somewhere, we wasted no time in fleeing down the pathway we found. My hand sought out Laurel, pulling her in front of me and behind Thorin. In a half hours' time we came across a place of peace. Next to a mountainside where structures were lined with green foliage and waterfalls.
"It's beautiful," Laurel murmured as she followed the line of dwarves.
"Rivendell," Bilbo answered softly amazed.
Thorin accused Gandalf of seeking refuge with our enemies, the elves.
"There are no enemies here Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf accused back, "the only ill will to be found here is that of what you create yourself!"
"The elves will not bless this quest, they will deny us," Thorin argued.
"We have questions that mean to be answered," Gandalf simply replied. "Leave the talking to me."
Laurel gasped and awed at everything as we passed on our way to the gates. It was as if she had never seen such sights before. Though I will admit I had not seen anything of the sort before myself.
As we got to the gates of Rivendell another familiar horn rang out, everyone closing ranks around ourselves to keep Bilbo and Laurel safe in the middle as elves ran in on horses and weapons.
The elf who seemed to be in charge said something in elvish that we couldn't understand, Gandalf replying. Conversation flowed between the two as we all started to lower our weapons. Laurel's fingers found my arm, pulling me down a bit as she rose on her tip toes to whisper in my ear. "Think of all the female elves that are roaming," she muttered.
I burrowed my nose in her hair to find her ear as well, "I think I am more fond of halfling hobbits lately."
"Come," Gandalf declared, "they offer us food."
The pine green eyes of Laurel seemed to brighten at the prospect of food. When was the last time she ate? We were led inside, where the delicate carvings of the stone walls were almost glowing. For all the time I chased elvish women around, I've never been into the home of one. It was a sight to see.
At a large round table, we were presented with various vegetables, fruits, and bread. Only Laurel murmured a quiet 'thank you' as she started to fill a plate of food. True to her heritage, I watched as she ate more food than someone as small as she would normally have. "You do eat like a Hobbit," I whispered, licking juices of an orange off my fingers.
"I haven't eaten in a while," she muttered," since before you found me."
"Do eat as much as you'd like," the elf that spoke to Gandalf before stated, "I do not believe we were introduced. Elrond."
"Laurel," she replied just loud enough to be heard, "Thank you again for the food."
"No thanks are needed," he murmured taking more interest, "though I am intrigued. You are not of this world, but of the world of tomorrow."
World of tomorrow? It would make sense, though how did she come to be here was the real question.
"The future," she whispered, "right. Sure."
"You are of man, hobbit," he stated, "and elf. An interesting heritage indeed."
Elf? Nearly everyone in the company starred in shock. No wonder I was attracted to her. The woman herself gulped, shyly looking upon from under her lashes. A glance down the table revealed that Thorin was no pleased with the information at all.
"I can see it in your aura," Elrond stated, "more elvish than man, but equally as hobbit. If what Gandalf mentioned was true, how the young dwarf described your coming here, I believe you to be Calaquendi. Elf of the light. To return you to the world of tomorrow, you will need a heart of a mountain."
"Why," Thorin starred daggers at my woman in question.
"The heart of a mountain is a powerful stone, if she repeats the process of how she got here with the heart of a mountain it will return her to where she belongs."
The rest of the meal was finished in silence. Even Gandalf was stunned by the information that was shared with us. Never had it came across my mind that she would or could return home. I was still trying to process how she was even here. All of the sudden changes seemed to stun her into silence or become uncomfortable.
"The map Gandalf shows me has writing in old dwarvish. I cannot read it unless it is under the same moonlight it was written in. The moon tomorrow will suffice for this need," Elrond announced after everyone finished eating. "You may stay here or outside tonight. Laurel, if you would come with me we can assist you with some of your needs."
After I gave her a small nod she rose, following him and a couple of the servants out of the room and away from my sight.
Things seemed to be becoming more sticky and interesting indeed.