The company spent the better part of the morning navigating their way down the steep steps of the rock. The sun beamed down on them as they grew tired, helping each other from landing to landing.
Élarinya peered over the final step with uncertainty. The drop was nearly taller than the tip of Gandalf's hat, who was off searching the perimeter several yards ahead with a few others.
"It's alright. I'll catch you." Fili assured. His brother stood next to the female dwarf, ready for her to proceed.
The other dwarves had already made it to the ground. Some wandered around a nearby cave and some, like Bombur, sat under a tree refusing to take another step. All who were left to come down were the brothers and Éla.
"I'm not sure. It's quite a ways from you." She replied, sitting down on the ledge. Kili knelt beside her. He watched the other dwarves further ahead before giving his brother a cheeky smile.
"All you have to do is slide off. The others did it without trouble."
"So did I." Fili added.
Éla sighed. "That's not what worries me. Besides, we're slightly shorter than the rest."
The brothers snickered, purely entertained by her nervousness of heights. The two quickly exchanged grins. Something told her they were up to something.
"That didn't stop Ori or Balin."
"Or Bombur for that matter!" Kili laughed.
Fili extended his arms once more. "I promise we won't drop you."
Éla inspected the drop, calculating the angle and height between herself and Fili. It was unnecessary, had no good use and was a waste of time. It was so simple. All she had to do was slide into his arms while holding onto Kili's hand as she descended. Éla silently cursed to herself for stalling. Flying on the back of an eagle hadn't fazed her at all, but a short drop the height of a wizard? Absolutely.
The dwarf turned to her right, ready to be lowered. She grabbed onto Kili's hand as he began leaning over the edge to support her weight. For a second, he looked over her shoulder, unable to remain composed.
"If you dare drop me, I'll- Ah!" Éla let out a small shriek as Kili had suddenly let go wide-eyed and large hands caught her around the waist, easing her to her feet.
The young dwarf's expression went from surprise to laughter as he jumped off the ledge himself with the help of his brother.
"You should've seen your face!" Kili couldn't control himself. Fili even joined in with a chuckle by the female's dumbfounded look.
If Fili aided Kili, then who had caught her? Éla turned around only to face Thorin still holding onto to her waist another moment before letting go. He glared at his nephews before releasing a sigh.
"Come on. We're taking a short rest by the river."
Éla went off ahead as Thorin waited for his nephews. They were most likely going to get reprimanded for something she had been oblivious to. A few meters in front, she heard a quiet "Ow!" from Kili. She smiled at the thought of turning around to see what Thorin had done, but thought best not to.
Gandalf returned with Gloin, Nori and Bifur after searching the small cave at the base of the stone steps and the green bush beyond. Ori, Dori and Oin were refilling flasks by the small stream. The morning sun was almost at its peak, rays beaming down on them. Éla took shelter under a tree where Bofur, Bilbo and Balin were sitting. Bofur welcomed her with a curt nod.
"I believe this belongs to you." He mentioned, digging out her long-lost dagger from the goblin battle.
Éla's face brightened at the sight. She had completely forgotten about it. He handed it to her and it was sheathed.
"Thank you."
"No need to thank me." He smiled.
Gandalf soon joined them under the shade. Éla closed her eyes only to re-open them. A stench lingered around the dwarves. She took hold of her sleeve and brought the fabric to her nose.
"Something wrong, lass?" Balin asked.
She smelled her clothing then stood up, repulsed.
"I smell like a goblin," She stated. "In fact, I think we all do."
She smelled the air around them, wrinkling her nose as they did the same.
"We could be rolling in worse." Bofur said wittily.
Bilbo overlooked his own wear with a frown. "It'd be nice to have a bath."
Éla scanned the area uninterested until eyes rested on Ori refilling the final flask. Then it dawned on her.
"What about the river?"
The two dwarves were confused. "What about it?" Bofur asked, repositioning his hat.
She rolled her eyes. "To bathe!"
"Who's bathing?"
Fili and Kili joined in on the group discussion with wide grins over the hot topic. The others curiously joined the gathering around the wizard.
"That wouldn't be such a bad idea." Gandalf piped in. "Although, Éla, you would need to be separate."
"She's part of the company. What's the difference if-" Kili never finished his thought as he received a livid glare from Thorin facing opposite of where he stood.
"Gandalf, is there anywhere Élarinya could go?" Thorin asked.
The wizard thought a moment as he searched the area. "There is a relatively secluded area just around the bend ahead."
It was decided. Gandalf started for the next section of the river, which was still close to the rest of the company. "Éla, this way."
She followed the wizard as her male counterparts began undressing themselves. Gandalf lead Éla to a left embankment, surrounded by trees and rich, green grass. The water was very shallow in this section, but it was clear and sparkled through the shadows of the gaps in the leaves.
"I'll be just around this boulder if you need anything. Don't worry about the others sneaking over."
"I'm sure they wouldn't dare." She laughed.
Once the wizard was out of sight, Éla took off her boots and with great care, her clothes, leaving her in her undergarments. She waded in the cool water up to her knees and carefully cleansed her skin of the awful smell and dirt. Looking at her reflection in the water, she noticed a few bruises here and there. Éla carefully lifted up her black, sleeveless tunic until it exposed her skin just below the chest. Remembering prior events that only took place recently, small aches and pains quickly returned. The adrenaline was finally wearing off, but not for the better.
"Ah..." She gasped as she touched a hand to her left side. There was swelling below the ribs and bruising. The area was tender. She lightly pressed a finger to her lower rib, only for a severe pain to jolt across her mid-section. Her left hand shook as she held back tears prickling her eyes. Not now. She thought.
Éla walked back to her clothes, attempting to shrug off the sharp, stinging sensation that wasn't dying down. She took deep breaths as she began dressing herself. Even the heavier fabric was causing more discomfort as it rubbed against her skin with every movement. It was a painful task, but she bit her tongue before proceeding to join the others.
Gandalf smiled as she rounded the corner.
"Thank you." She said while keeping eye contact minimal. Hopefully no one would assume something was wrong.
The sun was warm as they made their way back under the trees with their friends. Some were resting under the sun's rays as they dried. They were all still sore, but felt cleansed. Éla remained standing under the warmth. Her cloak was held in her arms up against her side with little comfort. She didn't chance sitting down in fear of the pain. Thorin was in a discussion with Dwalin closer to the river, but it hadn't stopped Éla from noticing his subtle glances towards her. He was definitely keeping an eye on her. The maiden moved under the shade after feeling her face becoming flushed. Standing under the sun would have been a good excuse, yet that wasn't the full reasoning.
Nonetheless, Gandalf appeared content with the company's current state. "I always meant to see you all safe, over the mountains."
His words hushed the other conversations, intriguing the dwarves to regroup around him.
"Indeed, we are a good deal further east than I meant to come with you, for this is not my adventure."
Eyes fell miserably in sadness. He continued on a more encouraging note. "I am not going to disappear this very instant. I can give you a day or two more, and probably help you out of your present plight. I need a little help myself. We have no food, baggage, or ponies to ride and none of you know where you are."
The dwarves conversed quietly.
"Where are we, exactly?" Bilbo asked.
"We're still some miles north of the path we should have been following. Very few people live in these parts, but there is somebody that I know of who may help us. Although, it was some years ago since I have come down this way."
Confusion washed over them. Nori cut in. "Who was this somebody?"
"That somebody made the steps on the great rock – the Carrock I believe he calls it. He is tall, yet not a giant. It is no good waiting for him as he does not come here often during the daytime. We must find him; and if all goes well at our meeting, I think I shall be off."
Any remaining protests were silenced. The dwarves picked up their weapons and remains of belongings and followed the wizard down the river, and across the ford. The current was a bit stronger here than at their last position, so they crossed in small groups. Bilbo was lucky enough to be carried over. If not for his light weight, he would've been swept down the river. Éla treaded through the cool water, her thick boots providing some weight to keep her feet grounded. As her group was half way across, a strong gust from the current rushed past them. Éla stumbled as the force hit her left side, almost dropping to her knees if not for Thorin and Dwalin steadying her. She was grateful they hadn't noticed her flinching with every step. It was easier for them to assume she had just solely lost her balance from the sudden change in force.
Now on the other side of the shore, Gandalf led the company through a valley with tall, lush green grass on their right. Oaks and elms streaked the contours to their left and the sun was becoming very hot that afternoon. Éla winced under the bright sunlight. Her body was growing tired from hiding the throbbing pain that so greatly made it difficult to walk without limping. They took a short break by mid-afternoon.
Bilbo sat against a tree, searching around him.
"What are you looking for?" Éla asked. Exhaustion overtook her as she allowed her body to lean against the trunk.
"Apparently nothing. I'm so hungry I could eat an acorn!"
She laughed weakly at his statement. Even the acorns were not yet ready to drop from the trees; they were still buds. There was nothing to eat or drink except from their flasks.
Laughter erupted ahead followed by playful yells. The hobbit and maiden made their way leisurely to where the dwarves had gathered around Gandalf. A few were missing. The younger ones had run off into the tall grass.
"Fili, Kili, Ori!" Thorin hollered.
Éla couldn't see them physically, but she was able to track down their movements from the moving blades as they re-entered the clearing. Thorin shook his head disapprovingly as the elder members chuckled in amusement.
Now that the atmosphere settled, they continued their long march. Each rest remained short in order to cover as much ground as possible.
Bilbo walked up to Gandalf in a curious fashion.
"Who is this somebody?" He asked.
"A very great person. He can be horrid when angry, though kind enough when humoured." Gandalf began, before raising his voice so the others could hear. "You must all be very polite when I introduce you to him in pairs, and be careful not to annoy him."
Éla wondered who he was referring to.
"What is his name?" Dori asked impatiently.
"If you must know, his name is Beorn. He is a skin-changer: sometimes he is a huge black bear, and sometimes he is a black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard."
Gandalf further explained where the skin-changer lived, what he ate and his own speculations about the bear-man's history. It was enough to keep the dwarves thinking as the afternoon came to a close.
Éla fell to the back of the group as her pace slowed from pain and exhaustion. She took a weak mouthful of water from her flask, hoping it would ease the grumbling in her stomach at the very least. Ori's polite voice interrupted the stillness as they walked past patches of flowers and rather large bees that began whizzing past their ears.
"Miss Éla?"
The female dwarf turned around to the youngest. He held out a purple clover in his hand for her to take. It was a nice surprise and the simple act was very kind of him.
"Thank you, Ori." Accepting the flower, she tucked it behind her ear into the silver braid. He quickly bowed before Fili and Kili caught up. One look from Éla warned the boys not to start with their antics.
"We didn't say anything." Fili said innocently. Kili on the other hand, was holding back a stifled laugh.
"But you were thinking it."
Buzzing rapidly filled the air as they drew nearer to taller oaks. Some even appeared ancient.
"We're getting close." Gandalf said. "We just past his bee pastures."
Éla gazed in awe at the heights and overgrown insects. None could see the sky in its entirety from where they stood. As the company came to a stop, Gandalf paced forward a few steps with Bilbo before giving further instruction.
"You had all better wait here," he began, "when I call or whistle, begin to come in pairs and leave five minutes between."
With that, the wizard and hobbit disappeared down the hedged path. Thorin quickly paired everyone up. When he got to Éla and Bombur, his eyes lingered on the flower in her hair before going back to the front. Fili and Kili exchanged secret grins as they watched their uncle before turning to the female behind them.
She stared at them, slightly annoyed and still in grave discomfort. "What?"
"Nothing." They replied together.
"Well it's obviously something." She pestered. "What are you two up to?"
They refused to give in. Éla decided it best not to pursue. One by one, each pair departed around the bend. Éla gently pushed the brothers to go, smiles still printed on their faces.
"I do not agree at being left till last!" Bombur exclaimed. He hung his head low. The female dwarf patted him on the arm.
"Don't worry. It will be our turn shortly." She assured.
The dwarf seemed to have come to life as he sprung up straight, almost going through a revelation of sorts. The sudden action took Éla by surprise. "We should leave now!"
"W-wait! Bombur, Gandalf hasn't called for us yet!"
For a dwarf as massive as Bombur, he could sure run at the thought of food. Not wanting to anger the skin-changer and possibly ruin their chance of amenities, if it hasn't been done so already, Éla ignored the pains and ran after him.
As they passed the wooden gate and courtyard, they came across a large wooden house. She followed Bombur into a rather large hall. Before entering the next room, where they heard Gandalf recounting their tale, she took the short moment to take a deep breath to calm the pain that had now set her body ablaze.
Bombur didn't wait another instant as he stepped into an even larger room without her. She rushed to keep up. It's now or never.
"Oh, and here are our final two members!" Gandalf said.
"Bombur." The round dwarf bowed as low as he could to Beorn, without toppling over.
"Élarinya." Éla gave a short bow. Her body strained from the gesture. The pain intensified, breathing trying to remain steady as she straightened her stature. She took slow, deep breaths through her nose, hoping her body wouldn't give away any hint. The massive bear-man blurred into the other bodies as her vision glazed.
"A very good tale!" Beorn's voice boomed through the halls.
The rumble of his voice was deep, but sounded faint to Éla.
"The best I've heard yet, though it may not be the truth! You still deserve a supper. Let's have something to eat!"
The dwarves thanked him for his generosity. Food was most welcome for all of them at this point in their journey. Éla inched her way to the long table where benches were brought in by Beorn's animals from a clap of his hands. She couldn't tell who she sat next to other than knowing it was a dwarf, and not their wizard or hobbit.
The rumbling laughter and chatter soon vanished as Beorn began to eye them with great suspicion. Gandalf became uneasy, as did the rest.
"I sense a great deal of distress from one of you."
Beorn looked over each and every member extensively before his eyes fell on Élarinya at the end of the table. Her eyesight cleared enough for her to look the bear-man straight in the eye. He held her gaze a few seconds longer before standing. The other dwarves became nervous. Thorin locked eyes with Gandalf in uncertainty, ready to reach for his elven blade, Orcrist, at any moment if necessary.
They didn't know what the skin-changer was about to do...
I honestly wasn't expecting to get 2 chapters out this weekend, but do enjoy! What I have planned for the next one...it's already half done and Thorin is forced to do something he doesn't expect. Let your imaginations run wild on that, but no worrying. ;)