Hey guys! I am so sorry for this being late! Been suffering with bad depression over the weekend and I just didn't have the motivation to get writing. But, it's finally done! Yay!
Also, just a little note, I've decided to scrap the schedule. Schedule's are more for those that have the chapters set out already and can update on a certain date, I can't as I have no others after this done yet lol. I'll be putting them up once they're done like I have done from the beginning, so please continue to be patient!
Review responses;
Dinosaur Imperial Soldier - I don't know if I'm going to have Thranduil say anything about this. Probably not.
Outofthisworldgal - He did, didn't he? :D Kili's so sweet!
sugarbee25 - Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I will do, don't worry!
Leaving Home
The next day, we all wake up just before dawn and have a quick breakfast before getting ready to leave. As I am helping Papa getting the packs ready, I glance over at Kili every now and then I notice that like me, he has a permanent smile on his face. Whether that is from his normal happy nature or from our admissions last night, I do not know, although I would prefer the latter being the reason.
I smile and look away as he catches me looking to him, seeing a bigger grin appear.
"You love him, don't you?" Papa's voice brings me out of my daze.
I look to him and look away at seeing the smug grin on his face, clearing my throat as I do. "Love who?"
"That young prince, Kili. I've seen the way you both look at each other. I know that look, I've had that look with your mother."
I didn't say anything at first, making it a point not to look at him.
"You don't hate me, do you?"
"Hate you? Whatever for?"
"For loving a dwarf."
I hear him sigh before he uses a finger to gently lift my face to look at him.
"Listen to me, Violet, I could never hate you for anything, especially for something like this. Finding the one you love is supposed to be a special occasion, and I could never ever berate you for that."
I smile at him. "Even if he's a dwarf?"
He chuckles at this. "Even if he's a dwarf. I will admit, I still have a dislike for dwarves, but after meeting your dwarves, I am beginning to think that maybe not all of them are so bad."
"I'm kinda relieved. Gilraen was a little worried."
"Oh?"
"Mhm. I believe her words were, I don't want to be there when he finds out, and I wish you luck at that homecoming."
He laughed. "I suppose I have been a little difficult to deal with around strangers."
I just smile as I finish packing the essentials.
"But, as to you and the young prince, you have my blessing."
I smile as I hug him, he wraps his arms around me and holds me close.
"Thank you, Papa. I love you."
"And I you, little flower." he bends down and kisses my head before pulling away. "Come, let's get you and your friends ready to go."
We walk outside and out into the field to see the others saddling ponies. They thank Papa and I as we hand out the packs to everyone. I walk over and help Bilbo with his pack and pony; who I named Patch, when I hear Papa calling for Kili. Looking up, I see him leading Kili away to talk to him.
"Wonder what that is about." Bilbo says from next to me.
I just shrug, but I wear a secret smile on my face, not knowing Fili noticing my expressions and Papa talking with his brother.
Kili's heart is pounding inside his chest as Beorn asks to speak to him privately. He already knows what it is about and has been dreading this moment ever since he met the Skin-Changer who could rip him to shreds.
Once they were at a suitable distance to not be overheard, Beorn turned to the anxious dwarf and fixed him with a stern look as he crossed his massive arms across his chest.
"Now. I know about your infatuation with my daughter and as her father, I want to know what your intentions are with her."
"My intentions?"
"Yes. If you think she is to be some bed warmer until you find someone of noble birth then-"
Kili feels his face grow as red as Gloin's hair at the implication. "No! Mahal, no! I would never think of Violet in that way! I love your daughter, I always have. Even when I first met her in her wolf form, there was something there that intrigued me. And then when I first saw her in human form. . .I knew then that she was the one for me, the other half of my soul."
Beorn looks to the young prince for a moment in silence. "And you would still take her as she is? Knowing she isn't of royal or noble blood?"
"Yes. As I said, Violet is the one I was meant to be with. She is my one, I love her and her alone. No other woman, whether she be dwarf, man or elf, could ever replace her in my life. I would rather die than so much as look at any other the way I do Violet."
After a moment, Beorn smiles proudly. "I could not for a better admission of your love for my daughter." he places his huge hand on Kili's shoulder, making his knees buckle slightly. "You have my full blessing for a courtship with her. But I must warn you, if you hurt my daughter in anyway, Thorin will be one heir short. Do you understand?"
Kili gulps slightly, knowing exactly what this man is capable of and nods. "Of course. I would never hurt her."
"Good. Look after her on this quest of yours. She has already been hurt more than enough times in her life. I don't want to see her hurt anymore."
Kili gives a firm nod. "I'll protect her with my dying breath if I have to."
Beorn nods before they return to the others.
Looking up from my conversation with Bilbo, I see papa and Kili walking back over. Papa walks into the nearby wood with Gandalf and Kili to his brother. Kili glances at me and gives me a smile and a small wink as he passes, from this I smile, knowing that things must have gone well with his talk with Papa.
"Everything alright, Violet?" Bilbo asks me.
I just smile at him. "Everything is fine, Bilbo. Just fine."
He just nods as he climbs onto Patch, with me helping him.
"Gandalf, time's wasting." Thorin calls out to the wizard.
I look up to see Gandalf walking over before he is stopped by Papa talking to him. After a few moments Gandalf joins us.
""Go now, while you have the light." Papa says as he watches us off.
Turning into my wolf form, I growl as I hear a sudden howl of the Wargs.
"Your hunters are not far behind."
I look to Papa as the others begin to ride off and see him also looking to me.
'I love you, Papa.' I growl out to him, knowing he will understand me.
'And I you, little flower. Be careful.' he growls back.
I smile and nod before I run next to Kili and his horse, Peaches.
We spend the next few days ridding, or running in my case, only stopping during the night to rest, until we finally reach the gloomy woods of Mirkwood. In my wolf form, I can easily smell the disease and darkness running through the trees and it makes me shiver.
Gandalf dismounts and walks into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway.
"The Elven Gate."
Gandalf turns and calls to us.
"Here lies our path through Mirkwood."
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin calls out as he dismounts.
Gandalf squints as he sees something in the distance; looking around, I smile as I see Papa in his bear form watching us from a distant ridge.
"Not as much luck as you'd think, Dwalin." I say as I turn back to my human form.
He just grunts as he sees Papa.
I turn to the dwarves. "Set the ponies loose. Let them return home."
The dwarves and Bilbo dismount and begin taking their supplies off the ponies. Bilbo approaches the forest on foot.
"This forest feels. . .sick, as if a disease lies upon it."
I walk over to him. "It does. The disease started to infect the trees around Radagast's home before I found you. I have no idea what it is like now."
Bilbo looks to me for a moment. I can sense the sadness coming from him, knowing his love of nature, it must be hard for him to see something like this.
"Is there no way around?" the hobbit asks.
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Gandalf answers.
I watch him walking into the forest a little before I walk over to Kili who is standing with the others. He smiles as he sees me approaching.
"You alright?"
I smile and nod. "I'm fine."
I help him and the other distribute the packs while Nori begins unsaddling Gandalf's horse, Storm.
"Not my horse! I need it."
As Gandalf strides forward, we look up and murmur in surprise.
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asks in confusion.
"I would not do this unless I had to."
Gandalf talks to Bilbo for a moment before walking over and mounts Storm.
Gandalf turns and begins walking toward his horse; he speaks as he passes Thorin.
"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me."
Gandalf stops and looks hard at Thorin as he says this, then continues toward his horse. "This is not the Greenwood of old. 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."
Bilbo looks to me."Lead us astray? What does that mean?"
I don't say anything, but know what Gandalf means as he gets on his horse. It begins raining lightly, even though the sun is out.
"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf wheels his horse and rides away. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"
The rest of us turn towards the forest.
"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin calls out as he leads the way in.
"Durin's Day. Let's go!"
"This is our one chance to find the hidden door."
I take a deep breath before following the others as we walk into Mirkwood.
Okay, now we're entering Mirkwood. Again, sorry for the late update and the new chapter will be up when it's ready. Please leave your lovely reviews and see you soon!
