Chapter 3 is here! Thanks for the lovely reviews so far. I hope you enjoy this one and keep them coming.


Thorin called to make camp one of the following evenings by a large clearing in the forest, where the remains of an old, abandoned house stood.

„Fili, Kili! Look after the ponies, make sure you stay with them!" Arinna heard the dwarf-lord call out as she dismounted her steed, her eyes fixed on the remains of the house. She approached it slowly, stepping through the destroyed doorway and looking around. The roof had caved in and the wall had been destroyed on one side, though Arinna couldn't quite help the feeling that it had been smashed in by something. Perhaps a storm had knocked a large tree into it, she thought, though she could see no remains of a tree lying around anywhere.

„A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf spoke from behind her, catching her off guard and making her jump slightly. The wizard stepped inside the ruins with Thorin on his heels, a concerned look on his face. „I think it's unwise to stop here, Thorin. We should move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley -"

It sounded like a valid suggestion to Arinna, though she knew it would take them another few hours to reach Rivendell and the sun was already getting low in the sky. Thorin, however, merely scoffed at Gandalf's words. „I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

„Why not?" Retorted the wizard. „The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice."

„I do not need their advice," the dwarf now growled, causing Gandalf's eyebrows to draw together and Arinna's to rise.

„We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us. If you were to just -"

„Help?" Thorin interrupted harshly, glaring at the grey wizard who just sighed quietly to himself. „A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

Gandalf shook his head, while Arinna listened silently. Neither of them seemed to really notice her now in the heat of their argument. „You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past, Thorin."

„I did not know that they were yours to keep," the dwarf hissed, causing Gandalf to huff. The wizard muttered something under his breath, before he suddenly turned away and marched off, making his way through the camp and heading straight for his horse. Arinna watched him go with raised eyebrows, glancing over to Thorin, who just gave her a stern look.

Bilbo looked up as the wizard passed him. „Gandalf? Everything alright? Where are you going?"

The hobbit could only watch as Gandalf mounted his horse, pulling the reins with a dark expression on his face. „To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense!"

„And who's that?" Bilbo called after him, hearing the wizard's reply carried over to him by the wind as he rode off.

„Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day!"

„Bit rude," Bofur muttered beside him.

Bilbo's face fell as he watched the wizard retreat, before his gaze flicked to the dwarves around him, who looked equally unsure of the situation. Thorin and Arinna had now stepped out of the ruins, as well, joining the others in the camp. „Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked to no one in particular.

While Balin sent him an uncertain look, the druid woman stepped up next to him, patting him on the shoulder lightly. „Don't worry, Bilbo," she said, though her light tone didn't quite conceal the doubt in her emerald eyes. „He'll be back before you know it."

„Bombur, get supper going! We're hungry!" They heard Thorin growl over the camp, and the company, who had until now just been standing around a bit awkwardly after Gandalf's departure, quickly got to work setting up camp. None of them wanted to anger Thorin more than he already was.

About an hour later, the sky had now darkened above them, Bombur and Bofur were serving out supper. While Bilbo took two bowls to take to Fili and Kili, Arinna was sat comfortably eating next to Balin. She liked to sit with the old dwarf, for there was always good conversation with him but he also didn't mind sitting in a comfortable silence every now and again. At the moment, they were talking amicably.

„Are there many druids still residing in the realm of Evendim?" he was asking her as she finished her plate. „I remember a time when there were many colonies of them spread across Middle-Earth."

„Not very many now, I'm afraid," Arinna answered. „Our colonies have been diminished over the years. We don't normally live within safe city walls, and sometimes even city walls are not enough to protect the people within them. A consequence of facing the dangers of the open lands, I suppose."

Balin nodded solemnly. „I understand," he muttered. „It must be difficult. As I understand it, you have had some experience with the evil that roams these lands."

„What do you mean?"

The white-haired dwarf just smiled kindly at her. „Remember that night, when I told you the story of the Battle of Moria? It seemed that, when the two lads were spinning their tales of night-raids, you were somewhat affected. I was meaning to ask you about it, though I would not want to push you for an answer."

A mirthless smile played around the druids lips as she returned the old dwarf's gaze. „You are very observant, Balin."

Balin merely inclined his head and Arinna took a deep breath. She was about to answer him, when a loud noise from the bushes behind the camp caught their attention. The companions whirled around, as Fili and Kili ran through the trees, both of them breathing heavily.

„Trolls!" Cried Kili, waving his hands toward the trees behind him. „Mountain trolls!"

„They've got Bilbo!" Added Fili, causing the companions to stand abruptly, looking to Thorin for an order. The dwarf-king just grumbled to himself, drawing his sword and nodding toward the trees.

„Curse that Halfling," Arinna heard him growl as he stalked past her into the bushes, and she did not hesitate to pick up her own sword and go after him, though she was held back suddenly as someone grabbed her by the upper arm.

Arinna swivelled around in confusion as the others moved swiftly past her, and she finally found herself standing in the camp alone with Fili, who quickly withdrew his hand from her arm.

„Perhaps it's best you stay here," he said, his face stern as he looked from her to the edge of the trees. „There are three of these beasts. Such a fight is no place for a woman."

The druid's mouth dropped open slightly, while her eyes narrowed at the dwarven prince at the same time. „I do hope I've misheard that," she hissed, drawing her sword from its sheath at the same time. Fili just shook his head, though she cut across him before he could say anything else. „I'm an able enough fighter, Fili, and I won't just sit and wait while Bilbo gets devoured by some damned trolls. If you want to stay here and twirl your thumbs, be my guest."

And with that she turned away from him, not even giving him a second glance as she stormed off into the trees, though she could hear his footsteps following closely behind her. It took them only a few moments to catch up with the others, standing hidden in the bushes while Kili had already stepped into the clearing where the three massive trolls had set up their camp. Arinna could see through the trees that the trolls had stolen four of their ponies, though Lithen was not among them, and that one of them was holding Bilbo in the air by his feet.

„I said, drop him!" She heard Kili call out to the troll, who only grunted loudly in return before he tossed Bilbo at the dwarf. Kili barely had time to react as the hobbit came flying toward him, managing to catch him as they both tumbled to the ground. It was at that moment that Thorin charged ahead, leaving his cover to attack the trolls, and the others followed swiftly.

Arinna charged forward with a battle cry of her own, raising her sword to slash and stab at any part of the trolls she could reach, dodging and ducking away from their big, dirty hands as they tried to reach for their attackers. She had never seen dwarves fight before and she was surprised to find how swift and agile they were, using each other as counter-weights and to leap up toward the trolls' chests and faces, slashing swords and axes and hammers at them. Amongst the chaos, none of them noticed Bilbo sneaking toward the ponies and releasing them and it was only when one of the trolls snatched up the hobbit by his arms and another grabbed his feet, that they halted in their tracks.

„Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off!" Growled one of the trolls and the dwarves hesitated, standing around Thorin as the dwarf-king drew a deep breath, his face dark as he observed the scene. He hesitated another moment before he threw his sword to the ground with a deep growl. The others followed his example unwillingly and the trolls grinned at the sound of iron clattering on the ground. „Let's tie them up!"

A little while later, Arinna found herself tied up in a dirty, stinking sack, lying amongst a pile of dwarves at the edge of the trolls' camp, while the other half of their company had been tied to a large spit and was now slowly roasting over the fire. Of all the things she had imagined, she had not foreseen this fight turning out this way.

„Don't bother cooking them," grumbled one of the trolls. They had been arguing amongst themselves for a few minutes now about how best to cook them. „Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

„No," said another of the beasts. „They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage."

„That does sound quite nice, actually."

„Never mind the seasoning," rumbled the third troll. „We ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I'm hungry and I don't fancy being turned to stone."

It was then that the druid suddenly caught Bilbo's eye, who was tied up only a few feet from her, and they both seemed to have the same idea. Arinna looked up at the slowly brightening sky. If they could distract the trolls long enough, the sun would rise over the tree tops and turn the beasts into stone. She nodded hastily at Bilbo, who scrambled to his feet, difficult as that was being wrapped neck to toe in a sack.

„Wait!" He called loudly. „You are making a terrible mistake!"

The trolls halted slightly in their tracks and the spit over the fire stopped turning as they looked at the hobbit. Fili, Dori and Bofur, now at the bottom of the spit, were getting the entire blast of the heat from below, groaning as the flames leapt up at them. As Bilbo continued distracting the trolls, telling them that the dwarves stank so much that they would need something stronger than sage to season them, the druid quickly closed her eyes and began murmuring under her breath in a foreign tongue. Thorin, on whose legs she was lying, noticed her strange behaviour, watching in confusion, before his eyes widened in surprise. He looked up when a strong gust of wind suddenly rushed through the trees, rattling the pile of their weapons that lay on the other side of the camp. Another, even stronger one, followed after it, rushing through the camp and diminishing the flames of the ongoing fire.

„Oi!" Growled one of the trolls as the wind continued howling through the camp. „The fire's going out!"

Meanwhile the other two had had enough of Bilbo's ramblings, one of them calling out angrily. „What a load of rubbish! Sautée, seasoning, skinning them first! I've eaten plenty with their skins on! Scuff them, I say, boots and all. Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf. Nice and crunchy!"

And with that he reached out to the pile of dwarves before him and blindly grabbed one of them. Arinna screamed out as the troll's fist closed around her and he lifted her to his head, the wind around them suddenly dying down completely.

„Not her!" Bilbo cried out, desperately looking for more to say. He already saw the large troll lifting the small woman toward his open mouth. Arinna squealed and wiggled in his grasp, eyes widening at the large teeth that she was faced with. She felt her stomach churn at the foul breath that wafted over her. „She… She's infected! She's got… worms. In her tubes!"

Arinna screamed again as the troll suddenly hurled her away with disgust, and she fell through the air for a moment before her back hit a tree with blunt force, knocking all her breath out of her as she fell to the ground.

„In fact they all have," Bilbo continued quickly as the trolls looked at their intended food with disgust. „They're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

As the dwarves slowly caught on to Bilbo's plan, they quickly began calling out how big their parasites actually were, Oin claiming that his were as big as his arm. The trolls growled angrily at the small hobbit.

„You think I don't know what you're up to?" One of them cried. „This little ferret is taking us for fools! Get him!"

Bilbo ducked as a large troll hand came at him, when another voice suddenly boomed over the clearing. Bilbo's heart leapt as he recognised it as Gandalf's.

„The dawn will take you all!" The wizard roared and they all looked up to see him standing on a large boulder by the edge of the clearing, raising his staff and bringing it down on the stone hard, knocking it clean in half. The sunlight then streamed into the clearing, catching the trolls by surprise as they tried to turn away and shield themselves at the last second. But it was no use, their bodies swiftly stilled and they turned to stone where they stood.

„About time you came back," one of the dwarves muttered as Gandalf joined them, quickly releasing them from their sacks so that they could in turn release their friends from the spit over the fire, which they put out completely now. Meanwhile Gandalf swiftly walked over to the small woman lying at the edge of the camp, unconscious. The wizard bent down over her and put his right hand on her forehead, muttering something beneath his breath.

„Will she be alright, Gandalf?" He heard Bilbo ask worriedly behind him. The hobbit had followed on his heels, deeply concerned for his druid friend. He hadn't expected the troll to just hurl her around like a puppet when he had come up with the rubbish about the parasites.

The wizard nodded as he sat back on his heels, retrieving his hand from Arinna's face. A few seconds passed until the woman's eyes fluttered open and her hazy eyes found the grey wizard. She groaned quietly as he helped her out of the sack she was trapped in and to sit up.

„You took quite the tumble, my dear," he told her. „Sit quietly for another few moments to regain your strength. You did well, Arinna."

The druid just nodded, feeling her head spin slightly, and Gandalf stood to join Thorin. Bilbo stayed by her side, patting her shoulder as her breath slowly returned to her. „Well, that was something," he muttered and Arinna couldn't help a small chuckle.

„Indeed," she muttered. „Quick thinking about the parasites. Another second and I'd have been troll food."

The hobbit just smiled, obviously proud that she acknowledged his work in saving her, though he still felt guilty that she had been knocked out because of it.

„Would you be so kind and bring me my things, Bilbo?" Arinna asked quietly. „I'll need a few more moments but I wouldn't want to delay us departing this foul camp."

Bilbo nodded and stood quickly, leaving her to make his way over to the pile of the company's possessions. Arinna watched him for a moment, as he first retrieved his own things, which he had been stripped off, as well, before her gaze drifted over her companions. They were currently all strapping on their belts again and fastening their weapons to their person. Her eyes stopped wandering, when a pair of legs appeared in front of her and she looked up to see Fili staring down at her with a small frown creasing his forehead.

„I did tell you to stay behind," he uttered, feeling slightly frustrated with her when she just huffed in reply. He looked her over for a moment, glad to find that she did not seem to be injured badly. He noticed a long silver chain around her neck then, a charm dangling at its end. It was a single strand of silver, knotted in and around itself to form a small leaf.

Fili was snatched out of his thoughts when she reached out her hand toward him and he took it swiftly, pulling her to her feet. He watched as she swayed for a moment before she gathered herself. Then he changed the subject. „The wind. That was you, wasn't it?"

Arinna just returned his gaze evenly, giving him a short nod. „I tried to put out the fire, when I saw you were getting… well," she reached out to his hair, grabbing the slightly singed end of one of Fili's braids gently between her fingers. „Sautéed."

Fili's eyebrows had risen at her unexpected touch, though he doubted that she knew how meaningful the touch of someone's hair could be for dwarves. He decided not to think anymore of it and just smiled at her as she dropped her hand. „Aye, not a good way to go."

„Indeed," she chuckled and they exchanged another look before Bilbo showed up beside them, a pile of Arinna's things in his arms. The druid thanked the hobbit and proceeded to put her things back on, sheathing her sword and fastening her quiver around her chest. Thorin then called out for them to follow him and Gandalf, claiming that there was a troll cave nearby, which they wanted to inspect. The company followed them through the forest, further north toward the Ettenmoors.

It did not take too long for them to come upon the cave and indeed it was hard to miss for the awful stench that came from it. While many of the dwarves filed into the cave, looking for any hidden treasures, Arinna stayed outside, wafting air towards her face.

„You're not coming?" Kili asked as he walked past her and the druid just shook her head.

„I've smelled quite enough troll for one day, thank you, Kili."