Part 1: Chapter 26: And Stars Were Fanned to Leaping Light
Tharkûn was back!
No matter. He'd never been much help.
"Well met, my Friend," the Wizard said, smiling his usually assessing greeting at Thorin. That smile wilted into a frown at what he saw returned.
"There you are," Thorin's step gained; he was not about to stop.
It was past time to move, and downhill seemed a good choice…
So the Wizard joined his side and kept pace.
"This is not the way, Thorin."
"It is the way I am going." Downhill––as good a way as any.
"Have you gotten lost?" That roll in his tone, as if he condescended.
"No." Thorin was amazed he managed not to shout.
"Well you're in a needless hurry going the wrong way, and there's not plenty of time to get where you're going, Master Dwarf, not to mention Goblins––"
"We've lost a Member of the Company. I do not stop the search."
It was then Tharkûn turned and counted. And once he reached the end of their numbers, his eyes got very big, and Thorin thought he saw fear in them. "Where's Lady Sona?"
––Lady Sona?
Thorin did not answer, even as his heart tightened over the same agonizing question––
Ē'ze, where are you?
And since when had Gandalf addressed her so?
"She's of the Company, now?"
Tharkûn had listened. Thorin was mildly surprised. He motioned to the others. "Fan out, start looking!"
"Thorin, stop. All of you, Be STILL." The Wizard seemed to grow in stature at the pitch of his words.
The Dwarves stopped, though they would not cower.
Thorin felt a fire burning deep within, so angry. "You care for the personal lives of your pawns?"
Tharkûn's expression diminished; was that grief? He aimed the bottom of his staff at a log as his eyes pointed at Thorin. "Sit down. Now."
"I wo––"
"Yes you will." Tharkûn rose his voice above him. "It's time you all ate a bite from your rations, for your strength to hold, so I suggest you do it while I … measure some things, and perhaps I find some bearings on your…" His heavily browed eyes worked over Thorin's face. "… missing Company Member." And without waiting the Wizard turned to do his work.
Thorin sat.
The others followed suit, all watching the outskirts for more Goblins, though it appeared dawn had arrived complete and the woods felt clear.
Thorin glanced at his boots, quite surprised he'd complied. But perhaps Tharkûn had a sense of Juzrazur. Could he sense the bond? Thorin stared at him, frowning.
All the while the Company waited on Thorin, unsure of this course, for direction. 'Do as he says, eat. Who knows how long his work will take.'
But Thorin could not eat.
'You're a fine example,' Dwalin signed, pointing out the absence of food in Thorin's vicinity.
Thorin ignored him in favor of watching the Wizard.
Could he actually help?
Tharkûn turned about, his gray robes billowing as he moved. He looked up the mountain, swaying the staff high, slowly. Then he faced the opposite way from them, parallel to the slope of the mountain, swaying his staff once more, and here he stood for many minutes, while the others finished their meals. Then Tharkûn faced downward, repeating the motion. Then quick as blinking he stood before Thorin, all the taller now, as Thorin saw him from the log he sat upon.
Blast the Wizard.
But then the he knelt–– Tharkûn was kneeling before him, head bowed slightly, and Thorin was utterly confused. What was this kneeling? He needed to find his One, they wasted time. And Thorin glared up at Tharkûn, his heart still burning coals.
"I'm sorry I am late… I was delayed." Then he looked in Thorin's eyes, and Thorin saw his yearning, and it felt healing. How can this be, she is not here? There in Tharkûn's eyes a vast desire shined, exceeding the number of stars, revealing an overflowing will to make it well.
The Wizard's arms were outstretched, the staff almost level to Thorin's shoulders, and then the Wizard shut his eyes, and the woods went still, and they listened. In silence. For many long minutes.
Thorin felt his anger draining, and a weakness settling on. It was out of his control. The realization stabbed a deep root of welling sadness that he knew could hold no bounds.
Then the Wizard stood.
"She's… not far. And she's…" He turned toward the downhill side of the mountain, pointing the tip of his staff. "She's that way."
Downhill––
"We can fan out in a thinner band and we will find her," Tharkûn added, pointing.
––the way Thorin had been headed––
Happenstance. Merely the ground's pull if someone were to roll. Had she––? and then what?
Thorin moved to rise.
"Come, no." Tharkûn gestured he remain seated. "Eat a bite of rations, Thorin. You need your strength, just like the others."
Happenstance and one observant Wizard: how he had noticed Thorin hadn't eaten with his eyes were shut and his back turned, Thorin had no idea.
But he did as he was told, wondering why he suddenly felt such calm.
He still felt her… he'd been feeling her all along… this could be a good sign…
So he tried not to think any second could be the last.
She was alone, in need of being found.
The search commenced and they made their way further down the mountain with no trackable clue to her path beyond Tharkûn waving them on––
––Downhill, the way he had gone, without thinking… Could he find her if he were able to keep his spirit quiet? Feel the way to her? And he tried, but there was nothing beyond the Pull, no directional sense to Juzrazur, none that he could trace. If only.
Could it be, she sought him too? He dared not hope too greatly, but hope–– he needed it.
And no doubt she struggled to find her way back to the Company––
Soon Tharkûn took to walking at Thorin's side.
Thorin had no use for talking, and kept his eyes on the search, until lateness bore the heat through the layers of his kit, clear to his skin beneath, and she was still unfound.
He needed distraction as his eyes kept working the grounds, and so finally he sought one. "Why your delay? We thought you would join us weeks ago."
Tharkûn startled at the sudden question, perking up beneath his long hat. "I was detained, counseling over a matter of grave danger."
Kâmin zashar. Thorin did not say it. "Did you reach any conclusions at the Council? Find a solution?"
"The Council–– A solution?" The Wizard sputtered as his head snapped Thorin's way, his enigmatic face full of surprise and curiosity and perhaps a tad of shock. "Nori told you of it, then? The Council."
Thorin only stared. Confound the Wizard, he knew as well as his own name.
"I thought I saw him spy us out when Saruman took the head of the table––"
"Your better?"
"He's the Head of my Order, if you must know." Tharkûn nodded, looking down their path.
Thorin had seen the White One, the Wizard who carried a void filled with arrogance. "He's missing something," Thorin mused out loud.
"Is he now? What might that be?" The Wizard asked, eyes narrowed.
"Seems you're the one should know what, Tharkûn; he's your kind."
"You've no idea of what you speak," Tharkûn tusked and looked about for something to strike besides Thorin. Finding only bushes and brambles, he turned again upon him, full of a prickly glare. And then he began assessing, as if he could read Thorin's face like some runes off an ancient parchment. "But you know something. You know of things to come."
Stone mask set, Thorin gave him nothing.
"Of course you do, she told you." The Wizard frowned, concentrating in thought.
She told me what she could remember. Thorin kept his jaws clamped shut.
"She wasn't supposed to tell you––"
Thorin's brow cocked––did she permit you to 'allow' her––? And why not tell me? Are you won over by Lord Elrond's words on my Family's behalf––? and again he felt the swelling from Dwalin's blow.
Tharkûn placated with his hand beyond his staff, "or anyone, anything––"
First things first: "Did you tell her that?" Thorin glared at him.
"Of course, for safety's sake."
"And you forbade her?"
"Yes, in so many words."
Fool of a Wizard. "I'll wager you left a few choice ones unsaid, to spare yourself her anger." Where was she?
Tharkûn looked back at him, puzzled.
"Never mind. How did she accept your requirements?"
"Not so well."
"No, I dare say not." The Wizard had never truly listened, by Durin, and Thorin knew it. "She needed your ear and you gave her your shoulder––"
"I should not know––"
"You could help, knowing. You're a Wizard, by Eru who allowed us, you could plan––"
Now a shadow came over the Wizard's face, one of dread beyond measuring, "I could make it far far worse, you should realize, with the ones I care for meeting the brunt of it ALL." Tharkûn's eyes both widened and creased simultaneously with his attitude of knowing everything.
"Aren't we meeting it now? Mithrandir?"
"You're working yourself up again," the Wizard groused.
"You listen only when you choose. You've been known to be wrong––" And then Thorin leaned away, frowning all the more. "You cast some spell on me before."
Now Tharkûn looked truly peeved. "Always suspicious, Master Dwarf! Of course not; it was just a slight calming charm and a look at the grander scheme of things…"
Thorin could only stare, his mouth partly opened, how dare you? Sure as night was coming no one matched the impertinence of a Wizard.
Night was coming.
It was past late afternoon and they still had not found her, nor any trace of her passing. His doubts resurged with a swelling, the ache in his soul resounding: He had not found her.
He did not trust himself to guide them. "Are you sure of the direction, Tharkûn?" A desperate edge caught the air on his question, and it came softer than he'd expected. The Wizard seemed to know–– what if he were wrong––?
He never had time to answer––– a dark horn sounded as the light dimmed, chilling them all. Thorin's chest tightened for fear: It was no pitiful Goblin Horn, but a loud harrowing deep one, like the claw of wind's fiercest charge. Orcs.
Did they have her? Any calm he felt remaining was stolen on that sound.
"Orcs!" Ori yelled from his search point fanned out from Fíli toward the South. "I heard an Orc Horn!"
As had they all–– Could Sona hear it? Or–– he dared not think it–– but he could not stop the thought––Perhaps she was already found–– No. no no no.
"Aye," Fíli hailed low, looking out that way, "Out, away to the South."
Thorin's heart eased ever-so-much. Aye, that way–– not the direction we'd been heading, and yet… He slowed and looked about.
His Company, all within call distance of each other, now gathered in tighter at that sound. All day, none had seen even the smallest trace of Sona, nothing.
And now they heard the Orcs––
"We must do something," Ori huffed as they gathered 'round, all eyes locked on him.
––The Orcs come for him.
This is not what they follow you for, Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór––to fight and die trying to save your head because you will not flee, for Sona's sake. And even if they would, it did not matter; he would never ask. But one thing was certain. "I will not leave this mountain until I find her." This was as it would be.
"Thorin," Balin tried to use his calmest voice, his Diplomacy Mask intact. "No one is suggesting we leave. We are merely––"
Thorin heard water, water falling. No wait––was that––!?
"Sasha? Sasha!" Fíli questioned, then hollered with glee just as the Dog bounded past Thorin, barking and yowling her greetings––
The bangles––! He angled forward, passing his ax to Bifur to free his hands, then nearly running––
And there––
"Asti––!" She was there––! Standing! Walking! Alive and whole!
They found each other!
But oh, what had she been through?
Her skin was cut about her face and arms, her tunic torn, flesh likewise scraped beneath, her body caked in dirt, she had bruises; she swelled from far too many blows, not just ones from indifferent rock that met her while she fell; these kind were aimed for maiming, she'd been beaten after the fall. Had she met Goblins as well, and managed to get free? And yet she lived! Fíli had reminded him of this, above on the Mountain side, that if he felt her, then she lived.
Her eyes drank him in–– was he not seeing this?
But no–– it was his craving, his heart's desire only, that pulled so.
"How––" And yet he was not sure he could believe until he felt her, so he took her arms lightly in his hands. And here she was. "You live."
She flinched and he let go in an instant while her face twisted slightly in a grimace at the pain woken by that mere touch; she wanted to smile, yet she ached over the course of her whole body.
"Yes," she said in haste, forcing humor that added more hurt to her worries.
No. Do not be sorry, you have done no wrong…
"It takes more than a fall to kill your Thief––"
"Thief," he repeated. My Thief. I know you mean of the Company, and yet…
He could not help as his hands reached up to gently cup her cheeks, how he wished to ease her pain, to caress away it's memory, and so he removed the dirt there, as lightly as he could as he scanned her for injury, counting every scratch.
Are you well, Asti? Has aught hurt your spirit?
He looked into her eyes as she looked back in his; the moment held them both. I am here, be warm in the comfort of my Company. My company. E'ze Mabajbūna'ê.
He felt her slight lean to the flesh of his palm and let his fingers take her in, massaging gently where he touched her there.
Her eyes closed at this tenderness.
The hand at her right he took down to her shoulder, to steady her and show he was there, for grounding. And then he moved his hand from her left side, down her neck, not touching, as he saw teeth marks buried into her soft golden skin, so cool to his touch, glaring painfully, the brutal attack imprinted over her collarbone–– His stomach recoiled, his ire lit, who––? She'd been bitten. Not by Goblins, no. There would have been numbers of them, and they would have used knives first–– And somehow she got free. She was free. Free, with him. He tried to breathe calmly and not crush her to himself, for comfort's sake––It would pain her, even should she welcome it––Keeping still, he hovered his hand over the wound, feeling heat rising there as her skin recovered from the savaging. Ah Thief, this hurts so. "This did not happen when you fell."
She shook her head to confirm it, waking to him once more.
She could barely stand––
Their eyes meet and his held to hers with a vengeance. How did you come by this?
"Gollum," she replied as if she'd heard his demand.
Gollum. Gollum… bearer of the artifact…
Had she found him instead of the Halfling? And then? "Did you…?
She nodded yes before he could say those words.
And then her Dog whuffed and grew suddenly stiff, facing the woods below them to the South.
Sona muttered of shitting ––shitting––?
Are you shitting me? Thorin would have laughed had he been able.
But then she said louder, "We're out of time." He eyes flashed gold in the setting sun, showing her will sparked to action in spite of how she swayed on her feet, her body beyond weary from her struggle with the foul creature Gollum, after she'd fallen from a cliff and lived––! "A pack of Warg mounted Orcs has found your trail."
Bolg.
The one who hunts me… His pack comes for me, my head, and as for you–– He saw them, their lives, treasures beyond worth: his One, his Kin, his Friends and his Company, in addition the Wizard.
A Warg howled.
Gold Song––what death do I bring?
That was when she took his hand, her callused fingers cool and firm, caressing over his––so welcome, so wonderful, the feel of her hand on his––– waking strength, reaching the vein of hope rewarded––Sona lived! And then she tugged him, calling him to action, "Time to run.
/T\oSo/T\oDo/T\
A/N: Wondering what Sona experienced after she fell? Our dual readers already know, as Sona has told it in the companion story by Jenny-Wren28, "On The Road To Find Out," listed in my favorites.
We're heavy in the angst chapters, but I hope this chapter offered some respite, with Tharkûn's Calming Ways, and Sona has come back. Next chapter, you all know what's next, or rather, who is about to show up, and it's painful, particularly coming from Thorin's PoV. The coming chapter is also graphic in evoking the threat of the Defiler, so be warned, there's horror in the writing, more than what was contained in Bolg's Order. Even so, along with the heads-up, I want to gently remind readers that the story remains T-rated, falling within the PG 13 rating range as we saw in the six LOTR/Hobbit films.
Thank you Jenny-Wren28! Our writings improve from our efforts together, and it's been a pleasure.
E