The Company enters Mirkwood. They are following the paved path that started at the Elven Gate. Thorin leads. At one point, the path turns a corner.
"The path goes this way." Thorin spoke and turned to follow the path, as the dwarves and Bilbo keep following the path through the forest, it twists and turns over all sorts of terrain such as bare ground, high ledges, fallen tree trunks, and more.
The company make their way through the forest until Dori calls out,
"We found a bridge." He yelled back as the front of the group stopped. Bilbo walked to the edge of the bridge and looked down into the mist covered river. I could sense the magic radiating from that place. "Well... Most of it." Dori added,
"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said? A dark magic lies upon this forest. The waters of this stream are enchanted." Thorin explained as I followed behind him.
"Doesn't look very enchanting to me." Bofur peered over the edge of the bridge.
"We must find another way to cross." Thorin spoke and walked along the edge of the river as I followed behind.
Though Kili climbed on top of a trunk and pulled on some vines,
"These vines are strong enough." Kili spoke,
"Kili, lets send the lightest first." Thorin spoke, the dwarves turned towards Bilbo as I stepped back, Thorin wasn't going to let me go first. I looked at Bilbo sympathetically as he made his way over. I followed behind Thorin as he was straight after Bilbo.
I moved past Thorin and jumped onto a vine as Bilbo made it over the other side. I climbed along the vines quicker then Bilbo did and managed to slink across them with ease. Landing on the other side Bilbo had called out saying nobody should cross but the others had already followed behind.
Thorin landed next to me and smiled at myself as I helped Bilbo to stand. I heard hooves in the distance and the three of us looked to see a white stag. My jaw dropped as it stood there looking at us, I smiled seeing the magnificent beast. Though my smile faded hearing a bow string creak, my head turned to Thorin, and I placed my hand on top of his, he looked at me and I shook my head. One of the dwarves slipped on a vine and called out in shock which frightened the stag and made it run off. I sighed in disappointment and looked at the dwarves.
Bombur fell into the water asleep seconds later and with the efforts of everyone else we managed to pull him out.
Nobody knew how much time had passed... How many days, we carried Bombur through the forest. Dwalin thumps the handle of his hammer on the ground to find the paving stones of the trail.
"This way." Dwalin called, we continue walking.
"Air. I need air." Bofur moaned,
"My head, it's spinning." Oin complained, the dwarves suddenly run into each other as Nori, in front, stops abruptly. "What's happening?" Oin called
"Keep moving. Nori, why have we stopped?" Thorin asked,
"The path...it's disappeared!" Nori explained, I frowned in confusion, when did we lose it? Time has been going to slow but yet so fast... What time is it?
"What's going on?" Dwalin asked,
"We've lost the path!" Oin replied, I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the tree, I felt suffocated... Worn out, something was gripping my neck, I reached up and placed my hands at my neck and felt nothing.
"Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!" Thorin yelled.
The Company wanders through the forest. The forest is beginning to affect them mentally, and they stagger about.
"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar." Balin spoke,
"It's got to be here." Dori explained,
"What hour is it?" Thorin asked,
"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin answered,
"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin yelled at the top of his voice. The dwarves are all muttering and rambling as they wander about. Bilbo absentmindedly plucks a spiderweb; it vibrates, and the vibrations continue through the various linked spiderwebs and far off into the forest. Bilbo plucks the web again.
They continue walking; I keep my head down, it felt like I was spinning Ori leans down and picks up a tobacco pouch. Dori then takes it from him.
"Look." Ori spoke, as Dori held the pouch,
"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods." Dori examined it as Bofur rook the pouch from Dori,
"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine." Bofur spoke, as I leaned against a tree, Bilbo walked over to them as I closed my eyes, my head spun as the others talked.
I looked forward and saw Thorin approach the group as I looked up and saw Bilbo climbing a tree, what was he doing? What were we all doing? Why were we here?
My back slid down against the tree and I landed on the floor, sitting with my legs spread forward I looked to the floor, a voice sounded in my head.
"Bí láidir, úsáid na cosa agus a fháil ar bun..."
It was a man's voice, and it was the last thing I heard as I blacked out.
Thorin looked to Raine and saw her head fall forward,
"Raine..." Thorin knelt and placed his hand on her shoulder, with no reply Thorin lifted her head gently with his hand to see her eyes closed, "Raine, wake up" Thorin spoke, though he stopped as he heard a noise in the distance. "What? What's that?" Thorin spoke and moved his arms around Raine trying to lift her up. Thorin looked to the other dwarves as they were yelling amongst themselves. "Enough! Quiet! All of you! We're being watched." Thorin yelled as he lifted Raine in his arms, Ori and Dori looked at her with worry.
My eyes opened to see a white webbing around me, I tried to scream but all that came out was a muffled voice,
"Thorin, over here!" I heard a voice, then hands pulled at the webbing and the light filled my vision blinding me or a few seconds,
"Raine, get her out of this." Thorin spoke as I felt my hands freed as I sat up, I saw a spider crawl over,
"Thorin!" I yelled, he ran forward with Dwalin as Balin helped me out of the bindings, Balin handed me my bow and sword as I stood.
A blonde Elf, Legolas, runs through the treetops, then swings down a spider's silk to land on it and kill it. He slides on the forest floor under the spider facing Thorin, slicing it in half, and comes up kneeling with an arrow nocked in his bow and pointed at Thorin. Several other Mirkwood elves appear, drawing arrows and pointing them at the dwarves.
"Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf. It would be my pleasure." Legolas spoke, I knew him from his visits to Rivendell, though he was not keen on dwarves at all. The dwarves look around and see that they are surrounded and outnumbered by Mirkwood Elves, all with drawn bows aimed at the dwarves.
"Help!" Kili was heard in the distance,
"Kili!" Fili yelled as I looked at Thorin and Legolas saw me, and his expression changed to that off confusion. We whirl around and see a spider pulling Kili away by the foot. A female Elf, Tauriel, runs through the forest. She kills three spiders with her bow and knife, then kills the spider pulling Kili with an arrow. She turns to attack another spider behind her, and yet another spider rushes toward Kili.
"Search them." Legolas spoke, the elves approach the dwarves and started searching them. Another elf came to me and took my bow and sword from me. An elf confiscates two of Fili's knives. Legolas pulls a picture frame with two pictures out of Gloin's pocket.
"Hey! Give it back! That's private!" Gloin protested,
"Who is this? Your brother?" Legolas looked at the photo,
"That is my wife!" Gloin glared, Legolas looks at the other picture, which is of a dwarf child.
"And what is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant?" Legolas grimaced,
"That's my wee lad, Gimli." Gloin answered, Legolas raises his eyebrow at Gloin in contempt. Meanwhile, the elf searching Fili finds even more knives all around his person. Fili sighs when the elf finds even some in a secret hidden pocket.
"Gyrth in yngyl bain?" Legolas spoke to Tauriel,
"Ennorner gwanod in yngyl na nyryn. Engain nar." Tauriel replies as Legolas is handed my bow and blade, he looks over them as another elf hands Legolas Thorin's sword, Orcrist, and he inspects it.
"Echannen i vegil hen vin Gondolin. Magannen nan Gelydh." Legolas looked at Thorin, "Where did you get this?" Legolas asked Thorin,
"It was given to me." Thorin replied honestly, Legolas points the sword at Thorin.
"Not just a thief, but a liar as well." Legolas spoke, I frowned at Legolas as he turned away, "Enwenno hain!" Legolas called; the elves begin to lead the us all away. As they begin to walk, Bofur turns and whispers to Thorin
"Thorin, where's Bilbo?" Bofur whispered as I looked around the group, Thorin looks around, but sees no sign of Bilbo.
We are led over a bridge and into the Woodland Realm. After they pass through, Legolas addresses the guards of the gate.
"Holo in ennyn." Legolas yelled, I looked back as the doors closed, I looked forward again and my brow furrowed, this couldn't happen to us now... We needed to be out there travelling, we were running out of time.
We were being led through the raised wooden walkways of the Woodland Realm. The entire place is built out of tree roots in a subterranean cavern. I felt a hand grab my own and I smiled slightly looking down at Thorin as he kept looking ahead. Legolas shown me and Thorin to a cell together and closed the cell door behind us. I moved to the floor and sat down as Thorin stayed standing and waited for the elves to leave.
"This is not the end of it! You hear me?" Dwalin yelled,
"Let us out of here!" Gloin called,
"Get off me!" Dori moaned, the elves soon leave as I pull my legs to my chest and sigh, I had never been here before... Elrond would never let me visit here and I've never been anywhere near Mirkwood.
I feel Thorin move next to me as he knelt and placed a hand on my shoulder,
"Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet." Thorin spoke,
"I've never been here before... And I'm worried we will not get to Erebor in time." I looked up at Thorin, his expression softened as he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I blinked in surprise and looked up at Thorin as he lifted my chin with his hand,
"They didn't catch Bilbo. He's still out there." Thorin spoke quietly, I nodded as Thorin moved next to me to sit on the floor. Thorin lifted his arm up and I took it as an invitation to rest my head on Thorin's chest as I moved closer to him, "Take this as an opportunity to rest." Thorin whispered in my ear as I nodded.
"I heard a voice before passing out..." I spoke, I felt Thorin shift uncomfortably,
"A voice?" He asked,
"Yes... It was a language I've not heard in a very, very long time but I knew what it said... And it sounded familiar." I answered,
"What did they say?" Thorin asked,
"Be strong, use those legs and get up... Something like that. I swear I've heard someone say that to me before..." I frowned in thought. Thorin did not reply, maybe in thought too? Maybe worried about me leaving after we reclaim Erebor.
I heard footsteps walking down and two elves appear at the cell door,
"You have been ordered to see Lord Thranduil." The elves looked at Thorin, I noticed their glares towards Thorin as they saw us close together, I moved away as Thorin stood up and moved to the cell door. The door opened and he glanced back at me for a moment before leaving with the elves. The door closed loudly as I looked away to the ground.
I stayed on the ground as Thorin left the cell with the elves,
"Raine, are you okay?" Balin asked as I shifted more towards the cell door,
"I'm okay... Feeling a bit disheartened but I'll be okay." I replied,
"Try not to feel like that lass, we will be okay." Balin spoke,
"Thanks." I replied and leaned my head back against the wall.
"Could you sing a song, Raine?" Ori called,
"I guess... But it won't be a happy one." I replied and thought of a song.
"When the light begins to fade,
And shadows fall across the sea,
One bright star in the evening sky,
Your love's light leads me on my way." I sang, I was quite loud so the other dwarves could hear me no matter how far away they were, I was hoping Thranduil would hear me also and recognise my voice, I wanted to talk to him to see if he could let us out.
"There's a dream that will not sleep,
A burning hope that will not die.
So I must go now with the wind,
And leave you waiting on the tide." I could hear some footsteps moving not far from my cell, they stopped not far away.
"Time to fly, time to touch the sky.
One voice alone - a haunting cry.
One song, one star burning bright,
Let it carry me through darkest night." I closed my eyes and looked away from the door.
"Rain comes over the grey hills," another voice sang, and I looked up,
"And on the air, a soft goodbye." I sang and stood up as a man moved in front of my cell, his hair was platinum and his eyes bright blue,
"Hear the song that I sing to you,
When the time has come to fly." We sang together, this man in front of me looked very similar to myself, his voice was soft, but it was deep. Where I had a slim feminine figure, his was bulkier and taller. The muscles I could see were defined.
"When I leave and take the wing,
And find the land that fate will bring,
The brightest star in the evening sky," We stayed in harmony,
"Is your love far from me." The man sang quietly,
"Is your love waiting far for me." I sang, a smile crept on both of our faces.
"Oh, is your love waiting far from me." We finished together, I looked over the man's face and he examined mine.
"My name is Reck," Reck spoke,
"Raine." I replied, he looked so much like myself,
"Reck, mankoi naa lle sinome?" Legolas stood close by,
"I... Amin nae seeien ya nae singein." Reck replied,
"Come away." Legolas spoke, Reck looked at me and mouthed goodbye. I nodded as he left with Legolas.
"Who was that?" Balin asked,
"I don't know..." I replied as I moved my hands up to hold the cell doors,
"He looked very similar to you." Balin spoke,
"I know... He also knows a song from my land." I looked to the ground,
"Do you think he came from the same place as you?" Balin asked,
"I don't just think that... I think he is my family." I replied and moved back to sit down on the ground.
Dwalin and several other dwarves throw themselves against their cell doors, grunting in their effort. Balin finally yells at them.
"Leave it! There's no way out. This is no Orc dungeon; these are the halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent." Balin yelled,
Thorin is thrown into a cell beside the other dwarves, and his jailer walks away with a ring of jangling keys. Thorin walked over to me as I stood up, he placed his hands on my waist and looked over my face, though he walked back to talk to Balin,
"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asked,
"He did. I told him he could go 'Ish kakhfê ai'd dur rugnu!' - him and all his kin!" Thorin looked out of the cell, I sighed and rolled my eyes,
"Well...that's it, then. A deal was our only hope." Balin spoke with a sigh,
"Not our only hope." Thorin spoke, he then looked back at me and walked over. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down to kiss him, I blinked in surprise as Thorin's lips moulded against my own. Thorin pushed me back against the wall and as my body collided with the stone our lips parted for a second which gave Thorin the opportunity to move his lips from my own to my neck.
"I heard you singing from Thranduil's throne." Thorin whispered, "You sounded sad so I thought I would cheer you up." He added, I whimpered slightly feeling lips against my collarbone. Thorin's hands moved over my waist and hips, one of them moved up my shirt as I wanted to jump in surprise as I was ticklish. His fingers gently caressed my stomach making me shiver as I felt his fingers move just under my breast. He stroked the underside with one finger, and I leaned my head back in pleasure relaxing at his touch.
I heard footsteps coming down the stairs and so did Thorin as he stopped and removed his hand. I saw him pull his coat in front of him, I assumed Thorin was incredibly aroused by me at this point. I straightened my shirt out as one elven guard appeared at the gate,
"I told Thranduil what I thought about his deal. Why are you back?" Thorin demanded, he was being incredibly dominating now.
"The Lord doesn't wish to speak to you, he wishes to speak to the human." The elf spoke, I looked straight at the guard with a questioning look, Thorin turned back at me and stood between me and the cell door.
"She's not going anywhere." Thorin stood protectively in front of me.
"It's okay, Thorin. I'll be alright." I placed my hand on his shoulder, Thorin looked into my eyes as I smiled at him, "I need to speak to Thranduil about something I recently found anyway. I deserve some answers." I looked at the guard, "I won't be gone long." I smiled and leaned forward to kiss his forehead, I felt Thorin relax as I rested my lips on his forehead and I moved towards the cell door.
I looked back at Thorin as the cell door was opened, stepping out I watched it close and looked at Balin in the next cell,
"I'll explain everything when I am back." I looked at Thorin and nodded towards Balin.
Time to find out who Reck is...