Chapter Two

The Mountains of Mirkwood

I decided that I hated mountains very shortly after stepping foot in Mirkwood's peaks. I felt that I was is a great sea of stone, with mist hanging all around you, making it difficult to see your own feet at times, and putting Barahir on edge. He had already warned me not to trust any beast or bird and had told what Orcs were and that I must always be wary of them while in Mirkwood.

We travelled for four days, only encountering beasts and birds, many of whom Barahir killed with his sword. On the fifth day we heard footsteps approaching and Barahir drew his sword and shouted "State your name stranger!"

The footsteps stopped, and the stranger said "I am Gandalf the Grey, Man of Gondor, although some know me as Mithrandir."

Barahir was still wary of Gandalf, "Show your face, you may be some fell trick of the Necromancer."

The footsteps continued until I could see his face. He had a great grey beard and a pointy grey cap; he was clad in a grey cloak. "I must ask what a Man of Gondor and a Man of Esgaroth are doing in the Mountains of Mirkwood," his voice seemed very wise to me.

"I am Barahir, son of Earnil. I am but a blacksmith travelling from the halls of King Thranduil to Minas Tirith with my apprentice, Thorgil, a Man of Esgaroth."

Gandalf's face was patient, "Barahir is a name of the West. I am surprised that 'but a blacksmith' would have such a name. Barahir, son of Earnil, I do not think you are who you say you are."

I was shocked by this revelation, if he's not a blacksmith, what does Barahir want with me, was the question going around my head.

"Back off wizard," growled Barahir, "This is none of your business. Gondor has no need for fools like you."

Gandalf suddenly grew very tall and roared "What are you going to do with the boy then?"

Barahir slashed at Gandalf with his sword, but the Wizard slammed his staff into the blade, which then shattered. Barahir squealed and tried to run, but Gandalf pinned him to the floor with his staff. Quieter, but no less dangerous, he said "What were you going to do with the boy?"

Barahir whimpered and said "The steward...We...We were going to help him, take back the North. But you stopped our only chance of victory for his people, Gandalf the Fool."

This obviously confused me, I had no idea what he was talking about, who were my people going to have victory against? I had thought of Barahir as a great, strong man but he seemed pathetic compared to Gandalf.

"GOOOO!" bellowed Gandalf and Barahir ran off. Then Gandalf turned to me, and I started to back away from the dangerous wizard. He looked at me kindly and said, "Do not be afraid Thorgil, I will not hurt you."

"What did Barahir want?"

"Personally, he wanted nothing. He was not a blacksmith, but an important lord in Gondor and was acting on the order of Steward Turgon, the ruler of Gondor. I am not entirely sure what Turgon wants, but I have my suspicions."

I was distraught at first, because I believed that my chance to see Gondor had passed and I must return to dreary lake-town, but Gandalf had other ideas.

"Come, Thorgil. I will take you to Minas Tirith and find out why Turgon desires you."

Gandalf and I travelled across the mountains into the safer area of the Anduin River. All the time I was with Gandalf, no beasts and birds approached us, it was like he was driving them away. Of course, I had no idea exactly what the Istari were back then, but the more I think about it now it is clear that the Necromancer's servants were scared of him.