Chapter 10
Trolls
It was raining as we rode our ponies. The hood of my coat was on. The rain ran off me as I use my water powers to keep dry. Dwalin was in front of me with Nori right behind me. I lifted my head to the sky to feel the rain on my face. I loved dancing in the rain when I was young and I loved the rain.
"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori asked. I look towards Gandalf who was leading us.
"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." Gandalf said.
"Are there any?" Bilbo called.
"What?" Gandalf asked.
"Other wizards?" Bilbo asked.
"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards, you know, I've quite forgotten their names." Gandalf said.
"And who is the fifth?" I ask.
"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown." Gandalf said.
"Is he a great Wizard or is he more like you?" Bilbo said, earning some chuckles from the dwarves and a laugh from me. Gandalf looked slightly offended.
"I think he's a 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 forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world." Gandalf said. We rode on. It finally stopped raining and I pulled down the hood of my cloak. I sighed in relief. We arrive at an old, abandoned farmhouse that was in ruins.
"We will camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Thorin said. I got off my pony as Gandalf looked over the house. I fave my pony an apple and hold its head as I pet it.
"Oin. Gloin." Thorin said.
"Aye?" Gloin asked.
"Get a fire going." Thorin said.
"Right you are." Gloin said.
"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make to the Hidden Valley." Gandalf called. Thorin approached him as Dwalin came over.
"The pony seems to like you." Dwalin said.
"I named her Winter." I said. Dwalin smiled as he got my bag off the pony and handed it to me. I smile as I took it. Gandalf storms by and we watch. "What now?" Dwalin shrugged.
"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilbo asked.
"To seek the company of the only one around her who's got any sense." Gandalf said.
"Who's that?" I ask.
"Myself Miss Celeste! I've had enough of dwarves for one day." Gandalf said. We looked at Thorin, who didn't look happy.
"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin said. I looked at Dwalin.
"He's coming back? Is he?" I ask.
"Who knows, lass. Thorin must have struck a nerve. Let's go get settled." Dwalin said. I went to help Bombur get food ready with Bofur.
Night fell. I grab a bowl of food and sat leaning against a rock with a book in my lap as I read as I ate. I notice Bilbo leave to take food to Fili and Kili. Dwalin and Thorin stood talking as the others at their food. I enjoyed my book as I listened to the talk of the dwarves. Fili and Kili came running into camp.
"Uncle! Trolls and they got Bilbo!" Fili yelled. I stood up grabbing my weapons. I went up to them.
"Where's Bilbo?" I ask.
"He went to save the ponies." Kili said.
"And you left him alone. You are stubborn dwarves." I said, storming towards the direction that the brothers came from. Dwalin came up.
"You should stay back at camp." Dwalin growled. I sent him a glare and he backed off.
"I'm not staying back. I'm not a weakling." I said.
"Let her come, Dwalin." Thorin said, knowing there was no arguing. We came behind the bushes as we look at the three trolls holding Bilbo.
"Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal." Troll 1 said. Kili runs out and buts The Troll in the leg, making the Troll scream in pain.
"Drop him!" Kili yelled.
"You what?" Troll 2 said. I climb up into a tree and pulled my bow out. I wished I had my wings for this but the tree would work. Kili swung his sword around and pointed it at the trolls as I got an arrow ready.
"I said, drop him." Kili said. Troll 2 throws Bilbo at Kili, who catches him but knocks them both down. The Company runs out of the bushes yelling as they fought the trolls. I shot an arrow at Troll one's back. It hit him as the dwarves fought. He turned and spotted me. I tried to move, but he grabbed me and held me upside down making me drop my bow.
"Celeste!" Dwalin yelled as all the dwarves stop as I look at them
"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip hers off." Troll 2 said coming over. Thorin plants his sword in the ground in fustration and the others follow. Thorin, Kili, Gloin, Bombur, Balin, Bilbo, Oin, and I were tied up in sacks while Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Ori, and Nori were on stick over the fire. The trolls we found out were named William, Bert, and Tom. I stugggled to get free from the sacks.
"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." William said.
"They should be sauteed adn grilled with a sprinkle of sage." Bert said.
"Is this really nescessary?" Dori asked.
"Ooh that does sound quite nice." William said.
"Untie us, you monsters!" Oin said.
"Take on someone your own size!" Gloin said. The dwarves were talking and trying to get free.
"Never mind the seasoning, we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy turning to stone." Tom said. Bilbo and I looked at each other.
"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." Bilbo shouted.
"You can't reason with them, they're half wits!" Dori said.
"Half wits? What does that make us?" Bofur asked as Bilbo manages to stand up still tied in his sack.
"Uh, I meant with the, uh, whith, uh, with the seasoning." Bilbo said. The dwarves went silent as I sat up.
"What about the seasoning?" Bert asked.
"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." Bilbo said. I held back a laugh as the dwarves shout in protest. I knew he was wasting time, but the dwarves didn't get it.
"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" Tom asked.
"Shut up, and the the uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." Bert said as he turned the stick.
"Uh the secret of cooking dwarf is, um.." Bilbo said.
"Yes? Come on." Bert said.
"It's uh..." Bilbo said.
"Tell us the secret." Bert said. I jump to my feet still tied up and jump over to Bilbo's side.
"Yes, I'm telling you." Bilbo said.
"What he is trying to say is you have to skin them first." I said. Bilbo gave me a smile as the dwarves started protesting.
"Yes. What she said." Bilbo said.
"Tom. Get me the filleting knife." Bert said.
"I won't forget that!" Dwalin yelled. I rolled my eyes.
"Waht a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all." Tom said. I saw movement and saw Gandalf slipping behind some trees nearby.
"He's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" William said, coming over to the sacks and picks Bombur up head first towards his mouth. "Nice and crunchy." Bombur was protesting
"No not that one. He's infected!" I shouted. The trolls look at me.
"You what?" Tom said.
"Yeah, he's got worms in his tubes." Bilbo said. William squeaks and drops Bombur back on the dwarves. They grunt in pain.
"In fact they all have. They're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business. I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." I said.
"Parasites, did she say parasites?" Oin said. I sigh in anger as they weren't getting it. Bilbo looked fustrated. I turned to the dwarves.
"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kili said.
"What are you talking about, lassie." Gloin asked. I stomped the ground and make the earth shake under them. They stopped as I glared. Realization flooded their faces as Bilbo and I glared at them.
"I've got parasites as big as my arm." Oin said.
"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili said.
"We're riddled." Nori said. Bilbo and I turn back to the trolls.
"Yes, I'm riddled." Ori said.
"Yes we are. Badly!" Dori said.
"What would you have us d, then let 'em all go?" Tom said.
"Well..." Bilbo said.
"You think I don't know what you're up to? These little ferrets are taking us for fools!" Tom said.
"Ferret?" I said.
"Fools?" Bert said. Gandalf appeared on top of a large rock.
"The dawn will take you all." Gandalf said.
"Who's that?" Bert asked.
"No idea." Tom said.
"Can we eat 'im too?" William asked. Gandlaf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half. Sunlight poured into the clearing. The trolls screamed in pain as they were turned to stone. I sighed in relief as the dwarves cheered.
"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin yelled.
AN: Here we go with the next chapter now that I'm awake. Hope you enjoyed. Till next time