Chapter 17
All rights go to Tolkien and Peter Jackson respectively, I only own my OCs.
Nina hardly spoke to Kili at all the next morning, though in her defense she had no time. The company had woken to the sounds of Wargs howling and crying far too close, and Bilbo had volunteered to scout ahead. Thorin had of course protested at first, but Bilbo insisted that he would not be seen. Nina thought vaguely that there was some kind of significance to Bilbo not being seen in the book, but what it was she couldn't quite recall at that time.
"There is a house not far from here where we might…take refuge." Gandalf was informing them cautiously as Nina stood with Dwalin.
"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin growled impatiently.
"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." Gandalf spoke cryptically. Nina let out a ragged gasp as she contemplated the thought of more desperate running from terrifying things.
"It'll be alright lass," Dwalin squeezed her shoulder briefly before moving to shoulder his axe.
"What choice do we have?" Thorin half-whispered as a deafening roar split the night. Gandalf gave a small huff.
"None."
Before they were able to process what was happening, the company was sprinting across the forests and the plains, Nina listening for the sounds of branches being pushed aside in front of her to help avoid getting smacked in the face. After a few minutes of running in the forest, however, the roots on the ground got to be too much and she was tripping almost every other step. The bear roared and this time was far closer than before and Nina knew she would never outrun it.
"Nina!" It was Kili's voice, screaming with an alarming amount of fear in it. She had fallen flat on her face, and Nina felt hot sticky breath above her. She froze, unable to move as she felt the beast looming over her. "Nina!" Kili shouted again, though this time it sounded like someone was holding him back. This felt like odd behavior coming from him, but Nina reasoned she had far more important things to worry about at the moment—for instance a giant terrifying bear.
"Ok, so I know you probably can't understand me, but we mean you no harm I promise. Please, please don't eat me…" She spoke rapidly as Nina somehow found the strength to stand up. The hot breath blew straight on her face, causing her to resist the urge to vomit at the stench of it. Nina gulped as a voice came into her head that made her nearly fall over again.
Do not be afraid, Iellig, I am with you. It was Galadriel Nina knew, and she gritted her teeth in shaky determination.
"Please don't hurt me." Nina whispered to the beast as she stretched out her hand. The breath could have scorched her skin, and she felt the beast sniff her hand warily. "Apparently I'm the next protector of Middle Earth, so something tells me things wouldn't go well if I died now." She let out a mirthless chuckle when the beast continued to sniff.
"Nina, what are you doing?" Kili growled as he started toward her cautiously. The other dwarves shouted for him to come back, especially Fili who started running for his brother, and all of the commotion caused the beast to stagger back away from Nina and snarl.
"No please, it's ok!" She begged as the fear rose further within her. The beast roared deafeningly and the power of it blew her back a step. Well I do believe now is the time to run, Nina thought to herself as she spun on her heel and ran toward the noise of the dwarves.
After another moment she felt heavy, lumbering stomps behind her and rapidly approaching. A scream tore from her throat as the dwarves struggled to open the doors. Someone grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the now-opened door just in time. The beast shoved its head inside, but the dwarves eventually shut him out and latched the massive wooden door. Nina was heaving exhaustedly as Bilbo helped her to sit on a pile of straw.
"Why didn't you run before?" His soft, polite voice penetrated her thoughts.
"He was listening to me," She breathed. "He was really listening to what I was saying before Kili went and got stupid." Bilbo started at her suddenly angry tone.
"Well he was only worried for you, as were we all." She could hear the kind smile in his voice and she decided to return it.
"Thank you Bilbo." He gave her an awkward chuckle before getting up to most likely talk to Gandalf.
"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Nina listened as Gandalf explained the beast to them. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves." Then it clicked. Of course, Beorn was the man living in the last stop the dwarves made before entering Mirkwood. Nina furrowed her eyebrows. Weren't they supposed to enter his home in pairs or something like that?
"Is there something wrong, my dear?" Gandalf eased himself onto the straw pile next to her. Nina sighed.
"Yeah, I've lost track of how much is wrong." She shook her head with a bitter chuckle. Gandalf sat looking down at her intently, and she interpreted his silence as an invitation to elaborate. "Azog is supposed to be long dead, this isn't how things are supposed to be with Beorn, and I'm not supposed to be here. I'm messing up everything!" She dropped her head into her hands.
"Now, now, Nina, you haven't messed up anything." Gandalf chuckled kindly. "You could not possibly control whether Azog the Defiler lived or died, and you most certainly cannot control Beorn. Though I must admit what you did back there with his bear form was a bit incredible." Nina shook her head.
"I'm changing everything," Nina spoke lowly. It frustrated her how she couldn't tell him about the fictional story. "How can I save Middle Earth if I don't know the ending anymore?"
"You are referring to your relation to Galadriel, then." Gandalf deadpanned. Nina looked up in shock. She had not told him. "Yes, yes, I knew from the moment she saw you that you were her lost daughter. Galadriel told me even after your talk with her."
"So you know what I am supposed to become?"
"Nina my dear girl, you don't need to become anything. It is in your blood to be the protector of Middle Earth; to bring balance to the world and save it from the darkness. I believe with all of my heart that you can do that." Gandalf set a hand to hers'. She sniffed.
"But I don't know how it ends, I don't…."
"You do not need to know how this quest ends, Nina. We just have to create an ending to it ourselves." Gandalf interrupted. She looked up to where she assumed his aged face would be. He smiled down at her.
"I'm not ever going to get home, am I?" She fought back hot tears. Gandalf sighed.
"Nina…" He needed to say no more. She let out a choked sob and Gandalf slowly pulled her in like a father would and let her cry into his robes. All of this time, Nina had that small notion that she would somehow get home. Now, it was gone.
"In a way I guess I always knew that," She voiced her thoughts as she pulled away from Gandalf gently and wiped her eyes. "I just couldn't face it."
"Can you now?" He asked gently. Nina let out a shaky breath.
"They're my family, Gandalf. I'll never be able to feel better about being away from them."
"Ah, Bilbo Baggins. How are you holding up?" Gandalf called merrily over to the hobbit. It was early the next morning, and Bilbo was startled to see that anyone else was up.
"As good as can be expected, I suppose." Bilbo swung his arms by his sides awkwardly. "We've had quite the week."
"Indeed we have," Gandalf chuckled, looking around and examining the place. The two fell into a comfortable silence for a while before Nina cautiously approached them.
"Bilbo, I was wondering if I could talk to you." She asked. Bilbo gave a small smile and helped her to sit beside him.
"Yes, well, I believe I should wake the others." Gandalf chuckled awkwardly before leaving Bilbo to talk with the girl. For a while she didn't say anything, and Bilbo observed that her face was red, her cheeks a little shiny from old tears and her eyes puffy. She was upset.
"Is everything alright?" He finally prodded. She seemed to come back from whatever thoughts she had been lost in and sighed.
"How do you do it?" She asked. Bilbo had no clue how to answer. "How do you carry on everyday knowing that you might never see your home again, but still managing to care about the dwarves getting their mountain?"
"Because I know how important home is. I can remember every detail about Bag End, just like Thorin no doubt remembers everything about Erebor. Some of these dwarves had never set foot in that mountain their whole life, but they love it all the same. Because home is so important, that's how they are able to already love it. I have had the privilege of living in my home my whole life, and I want to help them experience that wonderful gift." He answered, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Nina couldn't help but smile.
"You are an extraordinary hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. You know that?" She nudged him gently.
"I wouldn't say extraordinary, but thank you all the same," Bilbo chuckled, blushing at the compliment. Nina smiled again and sighed. She wanted to feel the way he did.
"You're right though, about the home. I got to experience so many happy moments in my home, and even though I can't go back I can spend my life here helping others to get to their homes." She sounded to Bilbo like she didn't quite love this idea, the sadness of losing her home still fresh in her mind. He felt though, based on the sadness she seemed to hold, there was nothing else he could say that would help. She would just need time to accept it now.
"A noble cause, Miss Nina." Bilbo decided to reply, providing an end to the topic and reassuring her that it was not a bad choice all at once. It was all he felt he could do for the girl. She nodded, and as the tears built up in her eyes he knew there was nothing more to be said. She excused herself quickly and found her way outside.
When she set foot outside Nina let go a choked sob as the warm sunlight bathed her. She stepped cautiously out into the soft grass, keeping her arms out slightly to balance herself. She found herself by a small stream after a minute of wandering, and sat down on a cold stone bench beside it. There, alone and away from others, she planned to cry.
"You are the girl from before." A strong and deep voice cut through the silence. Nina snapped her head up to attention at the voice turning her head this way and that trying to find its source as she wiped the few tears away that had escaped her eyes. "What is the matter with you, can you not see?"
"No I can't." Nina snapped impatiently. "So who are you?"
"I am the man whose house you and your friends seem to have made their own." He growled. Nina gulped nervously, remembering the massive bear from the day before.
"Beorn," She mumbled under her breath.
"How do you know my name?"
"One of my friends knows you already, and trust me we don't mean to intrude or cause you any harm." Nina decided to say politely, not entirely sure how the whole man-bear changing worked. Beorn nodded and began to move past her before stopping.
"When you confronted me yesterday," He paused, allowing them both to recall the event. "You called yourself the next protector of Middle Earth. Is this true?" Nina could feel her eyes starting to water as she thought of what Gandalf said about her never seeing her family because of her fate in Middle Earth. She let go a long sigh before giving a small nod.
"Yes, it's true."
"I see." Beorn began to move again, his massive footsteps shaking the ground even as a man. "Well then you have much ahead of you, for this world needs more saving than it does protecting." With that, Beorn left her to her solitude and Nina bit her lip. He had a point.
Orcs were running freely about Middle Earth, there was an evil dragon ruling a mountain, and she knew there was some evil eye thing that would be coming based on what her dad had mentioned during one of his fangirl moments. Nina huffed in frustration. Beorn was right; this world needed a savior before anything could be protected.
"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" Beorn grunted as he poured milk for the dwarves and wizard sitting uncomfortably at his table. Thorin shot up at the mention of the pale Orc.
"You know of Azog? How?"
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved." Beorn sighed, his tone growing bitter at the memory. Bilbo eyed Beorn's wrist, seeing the remains of what looked like old shackles. "Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."
"There are others like you?" Bilbo peeped, his curiosity overcoming his shyness. Beorn let go a small sad smile.
"Once, there were many. Now, there is only one." The company hung their heads in silence as they thought of how awful Beorn's story was. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Gandalf spoke up before Thorin could say something slightly rude.
"You are running out of time…"
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." The dwarves all shifted awkwardly at the mention of the wood elves. Beorn raised his giant eyebrows. "We will take the Elven Road, that path is still safe."
"Safe?" Beorn scoffed. "The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."
"What do you mean?" Thorin growled.
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn admitted bluntly as Thorin glared expectantly. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."
"Well?" Thorin spat. Beorn let go an imperceptible grin.
"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
"We will need horses, since you have made it clear that we cannot survive on foot. Food and supplies would be much appreciated as well." Thorin explained. As he and Beorn discussed the matter of supplies further, Kili looked around. Where was Nina? He knew he shouldn't worry over her, but he couldn't help but want to talk to her after everything that had happened in the past two days. He waited until the dwarves were all talking amongst themselves contentedly before slipping outside unnoticed.
He looked around for the girl, before he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Nina's legs swinging as she sat on a bench by a running stream, and he couldn't help but a let go a little smile at her childish posture.
"You missed breakfast." He called as he got closer. Kili didn't miss as her body visibly tensed up as he tentatively sat beside her.
"I guess I wasn't that hungry." She replied with a shrug. Kili sighed. He didn't miss the way her eyes were red and were voice was shaky, she had been crying.
"Why did you stay when Beorn almost killed you yesterday?" He blurted out, causing Nina to look to him mildly surprised.
"He didn't though, did he? I was getting through to him before you showed up trying to do who knows what." Nina mumbled. Kili resisted the urge to glare at her.
"I was trying to save your life!" He replied incredulously. "You were just too stubborn to realize it."
"Well excuse me for trying to take care of myself like all of you keep telling me to!" Nina turned to face him, the anger showing in her blue eyes.
"There is a difference between taking care of yourself and being reckless, Nina." Kili warned sternly. She folded her arms over her chest like a pouting a child and glared at him.
"Why are you suddenly so worried about me anyway? I know you helped me a lot before and I'm very grateful for it, but ever since…"
"Ever since I kissed you?" He finished in a softer tone. Nina nodded. He noticed her blush as soon as he said it. "I'm sorry I didn't give any warning and it was sudden, but I know there had to be a reason for it,"
"Well it can't happen again, Kili. I have a life back home, a family, and apparently I have a bit to do here as well but that's a long story. Either way, this," She gestured wildly at the two of them. "Cannot happen."
"Why not? What do you mean you have a lot to do here?" Kili frowned.
"It's a long story, Kili."
"I want to hear it."
"Why are you so stubborn?"
"Look who's talking."
"Fine." She gritted her teeth. "Remember when the high elf Galadriel spoke to me when we were in Rivendell after I healed you? Well she decided that that was a great time to drop a bomb on me that I am her daughter, and as such, I am supposed to be the next protector of Middle Earth after Galadriel." She waited for what seemed like an eternity before Kili finally spoke.
"Oh."
"Oh? That's some big news and all I get is oh?"
"It's quite a bit to process, Nina." Kili reminded her. "So…whatever it is Galadriel does now will be you in the future?"
"I guess so, she didn't give me very much detail." She huffed. "You cannot tell anyone about this, Kili. It's my business, not the company's. I mean it."
"I will not tell anyone, but Nina, you know that this means you're never going back to your world to your family." Kili told her softly. Nina shook her head firmly.
"I know, but I still have them and love them. Middle Earth cannot take that from me." She fought back the tears that welled up in her eyes.
"But you have a family here, in us." Kili reached a hand up and gently brushed away her golden hair. Nina closed her eyes, the touch reminding her of that night when he had kissed her. For a moment she didn't fight him or stress about her family or future, she just focused on him. But then reality inevitably returned, and she pulled away from him and his face fell.
"No, Kili, I can't…I'm sorry. I don't know why you kissed me, but I wish you hadn't because you can't. That can't happen, this can't happen." She sighed determined, trying to sound forceful enough to convince him she meant it. Kili watched her carefully. There was something she wasn't telling him.
"I don't understand why I did it either, clearly there was no reason." His voice was cold and hurt. "But even so, after everything we've done for you, Nina, you still can't understand that we care for you and that we don't particularly love it when you act recklessly. No matter what has happened between us, can't you see that your reckless and thoughtless actions yesterday worried everyone? We were all shaken, we thought we were going to lose you. And if we had, it would've been our fault. So think of that next time." With that, Kili stood and moved to leave. Nina felt so angry at him, and before she could stop herself she stood up too.
"You know what? Everything is about me being reckless; well what about you being too careful? If you're becoming too attached to me Kili, then leave me alone! If I can't try to reason with Beorn without you rushing in and ruining it trying to protect me, then don't protect me at all!" She screamed. Kili was taken aback, unable to speak. He glared at her darkly, shaking his head.
"You selfish girl!" He spat before storming off. Nina had no further chance to say anything as he left. She groaned and threw her hands in the air, scrubbing away the tears that had managed to fall from her eyes.
Later that afternoon, the company saddled up the ponies that Beorn had supplied them and mounted. There were only so many ponies that Beorn could spare them, so Nina let Bilbo take one to himself and she rode with Dwalin. As Gandalf spoke secretively with Beorn, Dwalin turned to her suspiciously where she sat on the pony behind him.
"You seem on edge." He grunted as he adjusted the reins in his hands.
"It's fine, really." Nina huffed. Dwalin raised his bushy eyebrows.
"I'm not daft, lass. You and Kili both seem to be furious, what happened?"
"Nothing happened. He just thought he had something, and I assured him that he didn't." She replied vaguely. Nina hoped that Dwalin wouldn't figure out that she meant that Kili thought he had her heart and her affections, but he didn't. She knew he couldn't, and she only wished she could tell him it was because he wouldn't live past this quest.
"Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." Beorn urged them as Gandalf mounted his horse. They sped off, Nina reaching down to feel the comforting presence of Macilril at her side.
It seemed like an eternity before the ponies finally slowed to a halt and Dwalin helped Nina down from their pony. She gave it a small pet before hoisting her pack onto her shoulder and letting Dwalin set it free like Gandalf had directed.
"No sign of the Orcs; we have luck on our side." Dwalin sighed in relief from beside her as Gandalf brought them to the Elven Gate.
"This forest feels…sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" Bilbo called to Gandalf. Gandalf sighed tiredly.
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." He reminded Bilbo. A faint air of disappointment went over the company.
Gandalf ventured a little further into the wood, noticing the many overgrown vines covering the elven statues. He felt an odd sensation, and suddenly Gandalf frowned. Something was just wrong. He grasped a chunk of vines from a statue and ripped them off, revealing a painted on eye of Sauron. Gandalf jumped back in panic. Nina gripped the scar on her side as it burned.
One Ring to rule them all!
"Nina, you alright lass?" Dwalin helped her stand straight as the burning subsided. Nina nodded.
One Ring….she mentally kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. Riddles in the Dark…that was a chapter title. Nina remembered when she had wrote a short paper in school on when Bilbo had been in the goblin tunnels with Gollum having a battle of riddles and then he found something precious. What was so precious? The Ring! Nina gasped as it started coming back to her. Bilbo had the one Ring, and this ring had something to do with something evil, but that was in the other books and she had never read them.
"Something moves in the shadows unseen, hidden from our sight. Every day it grows in strength. Beware the Necromancer, he is not what he seems." Galadriel spoke telepathically to Gandalf. He nodded. "If our enemy has returned, we must know. Go to the tombs in the mountains."
"The High Fells…so be it." Gandalf sighed. He hurried back to the company and demanded his horse.
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo gasped as Gandalf mounted his horse.
"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf replied sympathetically. As they talked a moment longer, Thorin ordered the others to start moving into the forest. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!" Gandalf ordered Thorin, who nodded in return as the last of the dwarves entered the forest and waited for their leader.
After hours of walking and turning on the path, Nina finally started to feel the effects of the forest. The others had felt it earlier of course, considering they didn't have the half-elven advantage. She stayed behind Dwalin at all times, putting a hand on his shoulder every once in a while to make sure she was still with him. She had no idea who was behind her, since all the forest air would allow her to focus on was the dwarf in front of her.
"Air, I need air!" Bofur cried from ahead, but his voice felt so foggy.
"My head it's spinning…"
"What's happening?" Nina groaned as she slammed into Dwalin's back when they all stopped.
"Keep moving, Nori. Why have we stopped?" Thorin made his way to the front. Nori shook his head vaguely.
"The path…it's disappeared!" He exclaimed. Nina's blood ran cold as she processed the words.
"No…"
"We need to stop…" She heard Kili saying vaguely from behind her.
"We need to find the path." She answered him. Kili huffed.
"Mahal, we can't agree on anything can we?" He growled. She shook her head weakly.
"Let's not do this right now, okay?"
"What hour is it?" Bilbo groaned from ahead.
"I do not know. I don't even know what day it is." Dwalin moaned.
"Is there no end to this accursed place?" Thorin roared, his voice echoing through the forest.
"I thought you made it clear we needed to get Nina before they went into Mirkwood." Madison frowned as she and Erich made their way through the forest. He sighed.
"We did, but that beast was watching them constantly. We would have all been ripped to shreds." Erich reasoned.
"You know, in the book in my world Beorn is a good guy."
"That's all a matter of perspective." He grunted as he pushed another Mirkwood vine out of their way.
"So why aren't we going crazy from the forest like everyone else?"
"You have a lot of questions, don't you?" He replied sarcastically. Madison laughed a little. "We aren't affected because my master is protecting our minds from it."
"He seems like a nice guy."
"He is powerful and good, yes."
"So—"
"Silence!" Erich lunged at Madison and covered her mouth with his hand as she looked at him with wide eyes. "There they are…" He whispered. Madison looked over to see a bunch of wobbly dwarves and her sister lined up in a row arguing. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Nina.
"How are we going to do this?"
"With tact, so let me start the talking." Erich gave her a pointed look. They both slowly emerged from the path and stepped into the view of the company, who froze when they saw them.
"Who are you?" Dwalin growled, brandishing his axe. Erich held his hands up.
"We are simply here to speak with one of your companions, Miss Bailyn." He answered gently. "We mean no harm to any of you."
"What do you want with me?" Nina asked skeptically, staying where she was next to Dwalin. Erich nodded to Madison.
"Nina, it's me, I'm here to take you home." Madison spoke shakily. Nina froze, shaking her head.
"No….this is some twisted illusion you can't be here!"
"I'm real, I promise, see?" Madison stepped forward and grasped Nina's hands, setting them on her face. "It's me, your big sister." She started to choke up. Nina let out a choked sob as she ran her hands over every part of her sister's face.
"I thought I'd never see you again!" She cried as Madison hugged her tightly. "How are you here?"
"That would be my doing," Erich said, stepping forward. "We want to take you home, Nina."
"Who are you?" She croaked as Madison released her.
"I'm Erich Arvandor. You don't know me yet, but we will become good friends." He smiled warmly.
"And you think we are just going to let you take her without even giving us a say?" Dwalin growled, stepping forward.
"It is Nina's choice, is it not?" Erich replied sternly. "Your family loves you, Nina, and they want you to come home."
"They might not be real, Nina, don't go." Kili rushed over to her, whispering in her ear. Nina turned to him.
"I thought we agreed you'd stop protecting me? This is my sister Kili, she will never hurt me." She responded. Kili shook his head in disbelief.
"Madison I think I need to stay here, only a little longer." Nina turned to her sister. Madison's eyes went wide. "They took me in, I have to help them I promised."
"Nina, we miss you and this is dangerous, you could die!"
"But I promised, Madison. And you can stay too and then we can go home together to dad!"
"I'm afraid that can't happen." Erich butted in. "Nina you are coming with us, and this company I fear cannot make it past this forest."
"What?" Madison turned to Erich. "But you said—"
"Master's orders." He grinned. Suddenly there were massive spiders upon them, and the dwarves all drew their weapons.
"Spiders and flies…" Nina gasped as she remembered the chapter title.
"Let's go!" Erich yelled over the commotion.
"They'll die!" Nina argued, attempting to draw her sword.
"As they are meant to, I assure you!" He replied before grabbing both girls. Nina panicked as wind picked up around her and she could tell that somehow she was about to leave the dwarves. Despite herself she screamed for Kili, and the last thing she heard was him desperately screaming out her name in reply.
SO that got intense. Sorry for the late update, life got in the way but I'm back and with a kind of long chapter so there ya go. Anyway, dont forget to review and let me know what you all think will happen next for everyone...
IMPORTANT: from here on out lots of plot stuff will be changed, so if that bothers any of you sorry but its a fanfiction... so yeah just thought I'd warn you I think the changes will be good tho :P