Eruanna POV
I kept watch last night, not convinced that we were alone, but there were no more sounds and no causes to be alarmed. Gandalf took over me for a few hours allowing me to rest some before breakfast and quickly we were back on the road.
We must have been riding for around three hours before it began raining, I have my hood up over my head as the others were doing the same, although I can hear mutterings and murmurs about it, I didn't blame them although on the best of days I didn't mind the rain, it's the bringer of life after all to the plants and to that animals and to us, but when riding it is bothersome, Naraleen I know isn't appreciating it, but I'll help her dry off later.
"Here, Mr. Gandalf? Can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori asks, I look to Gandalf to that, I doubt he could, that kind of spell would be exceeding powerful and dangerous,
"It is raining, master dwarf. And it will continue to rain until the rain is done! If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard" he says, I smirk at that,
"Are there any?" Bilbo asks, I smile at him for that his innocent curiosity,
"What?" he asks,
"Other wizards?" Bilbo responds,
"There are five us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, The White. Then there are the two blue wizards. Do you know, I've quite forgotten their names" he says,
"Alatar and Pallando" I call out, seeing him look behind him at me surprised,
"Well done my dear, yes those are their names" he says, I smirk at him triumphantly.
"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo asks, I shuffle up beside Bilbo at this, considering myself and Gandalf are the best to answer these questions,
"Well, that would be Radagast, The Brown" he says, I smile at the name, he is one of my favourites,
"Is he a great wizard or is he…more like you?" Bilbo asks, my eyes widen at this, looking at Bilbo in shock for his words,
"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forestlands to the East, and a good thing too, for always evil will look to find a foothold in this world" he says, I nod in agreement,
"After this quest we must visit him again Gandalf" I say, he looks to me and nods, it has been a while since we visited him after all.
"Why wasn't Eruanna mentioned within the five?" asks Balin, I look behind me at this,
"I'm not a wizard dear Balin" I say, with a wicked grin,
"You can do magic?" Bilbo asks, I smile over at him and nod in answer,
"So what are you?" he asks, I smirk at him for his words,
"I'm a sorceress master Baggins" I say, lifting my chin a little in pride of myself,
"And a damned good one at that" Dwalin says behind us, I smile at him in thanks for the compliment,
"Are you an elf sorceress? Are there many of them?" Bilbo asks, I smile at him for his questions, at least this will keep us talking until we get to next camp site. Of course, I can't tell him everything about me, he'd be running for the hills from some of the things that have happened in my past. But he can know some of the more well-known things about me.
A while later – and a lot of questions later…
We finally came across an area, but it looks to me like an old farm. Ruins of a house stand a little way ahead, I watch as Gandalf goes towards the ruins, I follow after him once Naraleen is tied with the other horses.
"Gandalf?" I ask, though my eyes are on the old walls, a chill running up my spine.
"A farmer and his family used to live here" he says, I look around the area trying to spot any signs of what could have befallen the family here, but all I see is the fallen walls, signs of destruction, but it must have been a few moons since,
"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the hidden valley" Gandalf says leaving the ruins, I come out after him, not liking the cold feeling this place brings, I light up however when he mentions the hidden valley, I haven't seen uncle in a while now.
"I've told you already. I will not go near that place" Thorin says, I roll my eyes at this,
"Why not? The Elves could help us, we could get food, rest, advice" Gandalf suggests,
"I do not need their advice" Thorin says stubbornly, I sit on a boulder beside me watching them, knowing the others are doing the same,
"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us" Gandalf says,
"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor. What help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing! You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather, who betrayed my father" Thorin says, looking at Gandalf in anger, I narrow my eyes at him, he better watch his words,
"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past" he says,
"I did not know they were yours to keep" Thorin remarks, I stand up at this seeing the rigid form of my friend,
"Gandalf, I think we should have a breather for a bit, don't you?" I ask, taking hold of his hand and leading him away, he nods at this in agreement,
"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilbo asks as we walk past him,
"To seek the company of the only ones around here who's got any sense" Gandalf says,
"And who's that?" he asks, and I nearly smile at him for that,
"Myself and Eruanna, mister Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day" he says as we continue on,
"Eruanna! Why do you leave also? You know what the elves did!" Thorin calls, I pause at this, seeing Gandalf pause a second after me and looks at me in question, I nod and see him carry on, I turn around and walk back to Thorin,
"Did you ever wonder how I got so many favours, so much gold, so much supplies that helped the dwarves of the lonely mountain after Smaug took it?" I ask, looking at him testily, he frowns at me for this,
"Thranduil would never –" but I interrupt him,
"No he didn't! However he is not the only high elf of middle earth, Thorin Oakenshield! Once I learned the fate of the lonely mountain I told my uncle Lord Elrond and I informed Lord Celeborn and the Lady Giladreal. Do you know what they did?" I ask, but I don't let him speak,
"They sent supplies! They sent emissary's to the villages and towns ahead of me promising them help if they agreed to house your people. They didn't just do it because I asked – they did it because they are good – because they are guardians of middle earth. You spit on the name of elves but you forget! I am part elf! And there are more elves then those DISGRACEGUL BACKSTABERS within the Woodland Realm! You owe a lot of ELVES your thanks Thorin, and they didn't even ask for anything in return, they didn't even request I tell you or any of the dwarves given what had happened. So, I'm telling you now, when I am in your presence…do NOT slander the name of elves" I say, glaring venomously at him, seeing him looking at me in shock and I can see fear there too, I know what he is seeing, what I know happens when I am angry, my eyes…they go from their brilliant green to a fiery hot red, not unlike flames.
Not allowing him to respond, I turn and leave.
"Hana! I charge you with care for Naraleen until I get back!" I shout, looking to him, and I see the nod in answer, a shock I see on all the dwarves faces from my revelation. But I look away and follow where Gandalf went.
Eventually I find him sitting on a ledge against a wall, smoking his pipe, I sit on the ground beside him exhaling a breath,
"You finally told them?" he asks not looking at me, I nod in answer, bringing my knees up, resting my staff on the ground beside me as well as my bow so I can sit against the wall behind me more comfortably,
"I let my anger get the better of me though" I say silently, regretting that I let myself get so far.
"As you saw before with myself my dear, it does happen, I remember a time when it didn't take much for you to set something on fire at the hint of annoyance" he says, I cringe at the reminder,
"But that is just part of us, it's part of your past and you have grown from that - exceptionally I might add. From the girl I knew to the woman you are now, the growth you have done is a great joy to witness. And it was high time you put that young dwarf in his place. They need to learn to direct their anger and the right people not the whole race" he says, I nod in agreement, leaning my head back further.
"Thank you Gandalf" I say, looking out in front of me at the sunset before us,
"For what?" he asks, I look up at him finding him trying to look innocent, he knows very well what for.
"Everything. For my life, for teachings, for my family…you're the father I have always needed and I'll never let you go" I say, he smiles at me for this chuckling lightly, patting my head causing me to smirk. I look ahead of me now, watching the sunset a little while, allowing it to stir up fond memories.
Flashback:
"This isn't working!" I shout, throwing my hands down in frustration, looking at the logs of wood that is supposed to be our campfire but there is no fire because I cannot do it!
"Then you're doing it wrong" he says, I look at him with a glare,
"I did everything you said, I did the spell correctly, my posture is perfect and I can feel my power within ready to be used, but it's not working!" I say hotly, turning around to not look at him, seeing in front of me the sun isn't far from setting.
"Well then, it's like I said; you're doing it wrong" he says, I look back over to him and see him stand from the sitting position he was in, coming over to stand beside me,
"You know there is more to magic then power, stance and words. It's the person too, their emotions, their reason to use the magic. Your being at this very moment is what is stopping you from performing this task" he says, I close my eyes, still reared in annoyance, I've been able to make fire countless times, and has never been a problem before. But now…now that I'm out of his control, I feel like I have nothing within me, that I cannot do anything, like I were a puppet on a string before and now I'm just floating, waiting for directions.
"Look at the sunset, allow yourself just this moment to just watch it set, knowing that it will leave us this day as it does every day, but will come back, and with it, life. But in its absence the moon makes its appearance, allowing us to see the stars and very moon itself, the purity of its light showering us with it" he says, his words are like velvet, I do watch the sun, but I've never watched it like this before, like I have all the time in the world. Watching it set to then look forward to seeing the moon and the stars, that's what elves love to gaze at right? The stars.
"Now how do you feel?" he asks, I open my eyes at this, not realising I had closed them, finding that the sun had already left but above us is a full moon, I feel like a wolf wanting to howl at its beauty.
"Calm, complete…" I say, looking to him, he humms at this with a nod,
"You need to be at peace with your emotions, with yourself" he says, I look down from that,
"How can I ever be at peace with what I have done?" I ask, feeling dread begin to creep over me,
"Like the sun, those days have set and will never come again. Tonight, like the moon, you will blind us with your new light, and then you will blind us with your light the next day as a new day dawns" he says, I look to him at this, not realising that tears had been running down my cheeks at his words.
"Now, try again" he says, I nod at this, wiping my tears away with my sleeve. I turn around and look back at the wood, I take a deep breath, closing my eyes, yesterday I couldn't do it, like all those old days they are gone, and now I can try again and succeed.
"Naur an edraith ammen!" I say holding my hand out and palm out at the logs and I feel it! The spark of warmth shooting through my arm and out where I directed it, I open my eyes and see the campfire lit.
"I…I did it" I say, staring at it in shock,
"I knew you could, you just needed to think less of what you couldn't do yesterday and focus on what you can do now" he says, without thinking I lunge at him and wrap my arms around his waist surprising him but he only lets out a chuckle and hugs me back, I can't contain my tears or the smile at the feeling. He doesn't know it, but this is the first hug I have had in decades.
"You have much to learn my new pupil, but I have every faith in you" he says, I smile more at his words, his confidence in me, that he wants to teach me and knows that I can do it.
I wonder if that is what a real father does for their child.