Chapter 15: Cave Madness
After returning to their own camp, which has not been touched since the night before, and collecting their belongings, the company begins to search for the cave the Trolls must have been dwelling in through the day. Edyth hooks her thumbs under the straps of her pack, mouth open wide in a yawn.
"I'm so tired," she says through the yawn.
"Hopefully we'll stop early today," Fili responds, surprising Edyth that he even understood her. "But one night without sleep is barely the worst thing."
"Ah, but you forget," Kili grins, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Our dear Hobbit isn't used to life on the road. Edyth will be tripping over her own feet by tonight."
"I won't be," she grumbles, already doubting her own words. "I'll just be complaining for a while though. If we don't stop tonight then I might begin tripping."
The search continues for another half-hour, the company partially fanned out with Thorin and Gandalf in the lead as usual. Edyth mostly just looks around for anything unusual looking since she's never exactly been looking for a cave before. She imagines something under a large rock structure like a hill or mountain but the land is relatively flat, mostly trees and small inclines in the land.
Her lips pinch between her teeth as she peers at the brothers out of the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she eventually spits out. "About the ponies getting taken. I already told Thorin it was my fault."
Fili smiles out of one corner of his mouth. "You didn't have to do that. It was supposed to be our duty." Edyth shrugs; it's already happened, and she's already told Thorin. There isn't much she can do now but own up to her actions.
Kili suddenly cries out, his arms raise in front of him before flopping back down at his sides. Fili and Edyth raise their eyebrows at his pout. "The oranges," he moans. "We left them there." Edyth chuckles, her chest caving in disbelief. Leaving the pair, she jogs up further to Balin's side, not having spoken to him in a few days properly.
"Why are we actually looking for this cave?" Edyth asks him, falling in step behind Dwalin and Thorin. "Wouldn't it just be… I don't know, bones and carcasses or something?" Her nose shrivels even at the idea.
"Trolls are hoarders," Balin explains. "If we find the cave, there could be something useful in there for us." Edyth nods along, keeping her eyes peeled for any entrance.
"But there will be plenty of carcasses for you."
Edyth's eyes narrow slightly at Thorin who speaks, barely turning his head to the side as he marches in front of her. However, his head turns just enough for her to glimpse the taunting smirk. It is barely there, but there, all the same.
Edyth pushes her bottom lip up in contemplation. "I'm not that fancied on them really," she replies. There is a slight rise of Thorin's shoulders – a huff. She cannot tell whether he is amused or annoyed by her jest. Likely the latter, as his kingliness already confirmed his annoyance with her less than an hour ago.
After a little more walking, Dwalin finally calls out. "Here!" The band of Dwarves (and company) scurry over to the small rock formation, Gandalf taking the lead. Edyth stretches her neck to look in as she trails along next to her brother. The path declines down under the earth and already she can see the edges of Troll treasure.
But it isn't the sight of glittering gold that overwhelms her. Her head pulls back, along with Bilbo's as a pungent scent - like rotten flesh mixed with blood and faeces – punches their noses. Her hand immediately rises to her nose and mouth along with a vocal noise of disgust. "Oh my…" she trails off, closing her mouth as the taste of the air latches onto her tastebuds.
"Oh, what's that stench?!" Bofur cries. The company trail down into the cave in a single line. Edyth watches her footing very carefully. The cave itself is dark, the only source of light being the morning sun at the entrance.
"It's a Troll hoard," Gandalf answers. "Be careful what you touch."
Coughs echo off the stone walls, a few Dwarves also covering their noses. As the contents of the cave become more apparent, Edyth pauses near the middle, almost stunned by what she sees. Yes, there are carcasses and other gnarly things, but there is a mass of valuable scattered about. A barrel of swords, gold and gems, armour. This is probably nothing to the Dwarves, but Edyth and Bilbo have never seen such things – at least in this quantity – before.
Moving once more, Edyth's feet slowly guide her through the cave, eyes lingering on every treasure, broken belonging, pot and pan. Most of it is covered in webs and dust but even still, some of the items have kept their quality.
A few Dwarves are digging a small pit, which brings a small and amused smile to her lips as she passes them.
The first thing that takes her keen interest though is a small pile of swords. Well, maybe sword isn't the right answer since she knew they would be small in the eyes of Men, but to her Hobbit size, it certainly is. Falling to her knees, Edyth scans over the small pile, daring to reach out and touch the hilts of the blades. Like everything else, they are covered in a thick web.
"Is the hunting dagger not enough?"
Edyth holds her shriek, hand retreating to her chest as Fili falls to a crouch beside her. Do those brothers enjoy scaring a few years off her? Edyth sighs, feeling guilty because Fili had likely spent his coin on the hunting dagger, yet here she is looking at some that a free for the taking. "No, it's perfect. I just…" She sighs again, reaching done into the pile, pulling out one with a bone carved hilt. "I know I'm not trained, but I couldn't help fight the Trolls. They weren't exactly warriors and I could have done something. And wouldn't it be better to have one, than not at all?"
Fili pinches his brow, nodding as she speaks. "Do you want to learn?"
Edyth raises her brows, looking down at the random blade she's pulled out. "I…well I suppose so. Yeah." She's never had to use one before, but now her life may just depend on it.
Fili gestures to the sword in her hands. "And do you want that one?" Edyth also looks down at it, turning it over in her hands. It feels slightly heavy in the hilt, but the weight is more of a comfort than anything, so she nods. Fili slaps his palms on his knees, smiling. "Then you've got yourself a sword and a teacher."
"I do?" Edyth looks between the sword and Fili for a solid moment before her jaw drops slightly. "You're going to teach me?"
"If you want me to."
Edyth drops the sword, letting it tumble to the ground and wraps her arms around Fili's neck. Fili laughs, tipping back slightly on his heels at the force of her weight. "I can't promise I won't be terrible, but I'll try my best."
"That's all a teacher can ask."
Edyth smirks to herself over his shoulder. "You're just doing this so you can call yourself a teacher, aren't you?"
Fili chuckles out of the corner of his mouth. "Caught me." Edyth chuckles, falling back down and picks up her new weapon. "You find anything?" The question is aimed over her shoulder which her head turns over, finding Kili sauntering up to them.
"Nothing worth the possible stain of the stench in this place." He looks over his shoulder as Thorin calls out for them to leave. Their leader also has a new blade in his hands, a little longer than her own and of much different make. "Come on."
Edyth takes a moment to register that Kili's hands are open down to her, her mind still distracted that Fili has offered to teach her the art of a sword. Sliding her hands into his, Edyth is heaved to her feet. "Thank you," she swallows, bending down to pick up her new weapon. Fili grunts as he pushes himself up, loud enough to be mirthful and teasing.
The company trail out of the cave hastily enough but stay near the entrance until everybody has gathered themselves. Thorin calls out about travelling north and Edyth tries to picture a map in her head of where they might be heading but nothing special comes to mind. Not seeing Bilbo around, she stays by Kili's side, following him as he wanders towards the outer edge of the group.
"So my brother is going to teach you?"
Edyth tilts her head up to him, surprised, as he didn't think he overheard that conversation. Smiling softly she nods, fiddling around with the blade's sheathe. "I already warned him that I'll be terrible, but…" She shrugs, still smiling.
"Can I see it?"
Edyth places the blade into his open palm. The brunette prince pulls the blade out of the sheathe partially, turning it over and inspects the hilt and metal. Edyth herself has no idea what he can tell but he seems satisfied enough.
"It's good," he declares. "Made by Men from what I can tell. Hunters, likely. The blade is steel, not iron."
"Is that good or bad?"
Kili smiles down at her. "Good," he affirms. "Steel's stronger." Edyth stares up at him for a few seconds. Something about him confuses her, but she's not sure what it is yet. Perhaps it's his lack of a beard, she thinks humorously. He's a handsome man, she can't deny that, but it plays between youth and maturity.
He breathes heavily through his nose before shifting to face her completely. He grabs her forearm, bringing it up higher then places the sword back into her palm. Edyth's eyes drop to it, before slowly tracing back up his arm then meets his eyes once more.
"Don't you get hot?"
Kili tilts his head, brows furrowing. "What?"
"Hot," she chuckles. "Under all those layers." The days are warm and even in her vest, shirt and pants she feels the heat of the sun. All the Dwarves, however, seem perfectly fine in their layers of armour and material.
Kili shrugs, smiling slightly. "I'd rather have them than not."
Edyth opens her mouth to say that doesn't answer her question, but Thorin's voice cuts her off. "Something's coming!"
Kili and Edyth's head snap to Thorin's direction, shoulders pulling down as their attention is drawn to their surroundings.
"Stay together!" Gandalf orders. "Hurry, now! Arm yourselves!"
Edyth doesn't go for her new sword just yet, barely having the faintest idea what she would do with it but she does grab her hunting knife. The company make their way a little further away from the cave entrance, alert and waiting for danger to show.
She can hear whatever it is as well – the sound of something moving fast through the foliage, tree branches snapping and the sound of something heavy thudding against the ground. As they move, Edyth looks around for Bilbo, fortunately finding him just behind her. What surprises her is that he has his own blade between his clasped hands.
The company come to a stop as the sound of whatever is approaching comes closer. Energy pumps through her veins as she switches her dagger out for her sword. She could just swing it around, right?
Her feet don't stop, slowly moving her around the company, not sure where she wants to stand as the inevitable comes closer. Her movements are stopped by a harsh push to the side. Edyth stumbles slightly but receives the message and stays put behind the Dwarf. Oddly enough, it is Thorin who is in front of her.
"Thieves! Fire! Murder!"
A sleigh pulled by a group of rabbits burst through the bushes into the small opening. Most jolt, bracing their weapons. The sleigh stops, allowing them to see the man driving it clearly. He's an aged man with a long scraggly beard and hair to match. On top of his head is a hat similar to Bofur's only with an extra flap at the front and back. His brown clothes are well-worn; tattered and ragged. And there is something in his hair.
Nobody is quite sure what to make of this man but there is no weapon in his hand, nor does he make move towards any of them. Gandalf is the only one to approach.
"Radagast. Radagast the Brown!"
"The wizard?" Edyth mumbles, dropping her sword down. Thorin does the same in front of her, not sheathing but no longer en guard.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you, Gandalf," Radagast answers. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." Edyth squints slightly, shifting her weight on her feet.
"Yes?"
Radagast opens his mouth as though to answer but pauses. "Just give me a minute." He fumbles, visibly lost in thought. "Um…oh! I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was…it was right there, on the top of my tongue!" Radagast twists his tongue around, holding it out as he speaks. "Oh, it's not a thought at all. It's a silly old-" Gandalf reaches up to his tongue, pulling out a stick insect which makes Edyth's eyes bulge –"stick insect."
Gandalf plops it into Radagast's hand as Edyth and Bilbo trade an expression of both concern and confusion.