Chapter 25
That night, there was much fun and laughter as the Company felt truly whole again. Beorn had slipped out quietly in the early darkness to stand guard, but the rest of the Company laughed together late into the night. The comforting smell of pipe smoke wafted through the home. Ember had her head laid on Kili's legs, while her own rested on Bofur's. Kili was gently stroking her long blond hair. Thorin watched his nephew with pride. He knew that what Kili had done for Ember was nothing short of life altering, and if there had ever been any doubt that they were meant to be together, that doubt was gone. The fire began to dim, and Dwalin rose to get another log, when Ember casually pointed her hand to the coals, a small burst of fire shooting from her fingertips. The fire roared to life. The dwarves gasped in amazement. Smiling, Ember raised her hands, and little sparks began to sail about the room, like fireflies dancing in the dark. The Company watched as the sparks flitted about, a feeling of warmth spreading through them. "No trouble with control any more, lass?" Balin asked. Ember glanced at Kili with a soft smile.
"No, after…being healed, I feel whole. Complete. The power is in me, a part of me," she explained quietly. Dwalin chuckled.
"So was Kili…" he remarked with a leering guffaw. The Company howled with laughter. Kili blushed with a grin, while Ember sent a shower of sparks to settle in Dwalin's beard. He immediately shouted, leaping to his feet and dunking his head in the water bucket. By this time, the Company was in near tears of laughter, rolling on the floor.
"Never tease a lady who has set not only your pants but your beard on fire, Dwalin," Ember said sweetly. "There won't be much of you left!" As the laughter slowly faded, Kili leaned forward, planting a kiss on Ember's forehead.
"We will be leaving at daybreak," Thorin spoke up. "Let's get some rest." The others nodded. Ember circled the room slowly, planting kisses on each cheek or forehead of her dwarves. She then headed down the hall to her room. Kili made to follow her, when Thorin stopped him. "Kili, I just wanted to tell you," he said quietly, pulling him aside, "how proud I am of the sacrifice you made for Ember. She is truly your hrun, and that is undeniable." Kili's face lit up at the rare praise from his uncle. "When we have reclaimed Erebor, I trust that I will be planning a ceremony of some sort?" Kili blushed, it was tradition to be married before being intimate with your mate. However, given the circumstances, Kili knew that his uncle accepted them as being married.
"Nothing would make me happier," Kili smiled, embracing his uncle. He headed towards the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He gazed at Ember, who lay on the bed, his eyes smoldering in the dark. She smiled softly as he removed his boots and tunic, coming to lie beside her in just his trousers. They both knew without speaking that rest was needed. Indeed, they both craved the intimacy of sleeping beside one another, safe and warm, rather than the passion of the previous night. As she snuggled up to him, her soft cheek on his chest, her blond hair covering them like a blanket, he sighed contentedly. "I love you, vol kaon," he whispered. Wrapping an arm around her waist, they drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Beorn stood outside near his garden, the ponies he had prepared for the Company laden down with fresh supplies. Thorin and the rest of the dwarves bowed low to their host. Beorn grabbed Kili into a warm hug, surprising them all. "You have changed my view about dwarves," the large man growled. Kili smiled, his eyes moving to Ember. Beorn embraced her fiercely, lifting her in the air. Her tiny arms wrapped around his neck, and his head was buried in her hair. "Be safe, my little flame," he whispered softly.
"I will return," she promised. She kissed his cheek, and stared intently into his eyes. He felt a warm calm spread through him, and he allowed himself to relax.
"Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." With that, the Company mounted the ponies and rode rapidly to the east. Hours later, they slowed to a stop as they approached a looming, gloomy-looking forest. Gandalf dismounted, walking to the edge of the forest through an ancient archway.
"The Elven Gate," he murmured to himself. Turning, he called to the others. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Dwalin dismounted and approached him.
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Gandalf squinted his eyes towards a ridge in the West. He saw a large bear overlooking them from a distance.
"It helps to have the friendship of a large animal, along with luck," Kili said wryly. Gandalf smiled in agreement.
"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." While the dwarves began to take their supplies from the ponies, Bilbo neared the forest gate.
"This forest feels…sick, as if a disease lies upon it." Bilbo said warily. Ember stepped up beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
"This forest was once rich and beautiful, it was called the Greenwood," she said softly.
"Is there no way around?" Bilbo said, turning to Gandalf.
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south," the Wizard replied. He followed the path a few feet further into the shadows and approached a plant-covered statue. He hesitated, then yanked off the vines, revealing a painted-on Eye of Sauron. He drew back in shock, hearing Galadriel's voice in his mind.
"Something moves in the shadows unseen, hidden from out sight. Every day it grows in strength. Beware the Necromancer. He is not what he seems." Ember watched Gandalf staring off into the distance. She approached him cautiously, when her eyes landed on the statue. The Eye glared at her, and she felt a burst of flame inside her mind. She cried out in surprise.
"Istarnin, what is that?" she gasped. Gandalf placed a hand on her shoulder.
"That is…what I intend to discover." She looked at him in confusion, before heading back towards Kili. She suddenly felt that she needed him at her side, her mind still burning. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned to her, a little surprised to find her trembling, and held her close. He looked at her questioningly, but she shook her head with a soft smile, and he decided to keep his questions for now. Gandalf watched the exchange intently. He was hesitant to make a decision, seeing how the Eye had affected Ember. But Galadriel's voice spoke up once again.
"If our enemy has returned, we must know. Go to the tombs in the mountains." Nodding his agreement, Gandalf stared back at the Eye.
"The High Fells. So be it." He quickly emerged from the forest, as the last of the ponies was being unsaddled. "Not my horse! I need it!" There was silence as he strode to his mount. Ember stood silently as Bilbo turned to him with a shocked expression.
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked incredulously. Gandalf leapt onto his horse.
"I would not do this unless I had to," he said to the hobbit. Ember moved towards him, a look of fear in her eyes. Gandalf smiled gently down at her. "Yuula, Goheno nin…"
"Istarnin, I ven hen delu," she said worriedly, glancing at the Mirkwood. "Mankoi ier lle gwathad lye?" A tear slipped from her eyes.
"Henig..." He trailed off. She sighed, knowing he wouldn't tell her, knowing he had to go.
"Na man thelig gwad?" She asked, wiping her cheeks.
"The High Fells," he replied quietly. She looked at him silently, his words ominous. Her eyes swept over him, and he felt her power surround him, wrapping him in a cocoon of calm and safety.
"No dirweg," she whispered, bringing his hand to her cheek.
"Gweston i de cherithon,"he smiled. She nodded, then turned to back to Kili, who held her close. Bilbo looked at the Wizard dejectedly. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire." Bilbo looked pleased.
"I was going to tell you; I…found something in the Goblin tunnels," he stammered, and began to finger something in his pocket. Gandalf leaned forward in the saddle, curious.
"What did you find?"
"My courage," Bilbo finally replied. He slowly removed his hand from his pocket. Ember noticed this odd exchange, but said nothing.
"Good. Well, that's good. You'll need it." Gandalf turned away, leading his horse past Thorin. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do NOT enter that mountain without me." Thorin growled low, but stilled as Gandalf looked hard at him. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Bilbo looked confused, turning to Ember.
"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" he asked.
"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf wheeled his horse away, before stopping and looking at Ember.
"Ember, no matter what may come, stay on the path! Keep them on the path! Heniog?"
"Henion, Istarnin. Gweston." Ember spoke softly, her eyes troubled. Gandalf nodded, satisfied. The sound of his horse faded as Ember watched him disappear over the horizon. Kili stood behind her, his arms about her waist. The Company faced the woods, a sense of foreboding in the air. Finally, Thorin spoke.
"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin said. "It is our one chance to find the hidden door."
"Durin's day…right. LET'S GO!" Dwalin rumbled. As one, the Company entered Mirkwood, following the paved path that began at the Elven Gate. The path was old, with paving stones that were gray and moss covered. The gloomy trees rose high into the sky, twisting and gnarling together until all light from above was extinguished. The overall effect was…murky. Ember felt as if a dirty blanket had covered the lightness in her soul, and she clung to Kili's hand tightly. The path twisted and turned over the terrain, leading them over fallen tree trunks, high ledges and even bare ground. They decided to make camp for the night. Ember refused to let them move off into a clearing so they sat in a line along the path. They found some stray branches and attempted to light them, but the wood was musty and rotten. Ember forced her power forward, feeling like she was pushing against a brick wall, but managed to place a small ball of fire in front of each dwarf. They ate in silence, keeping a watchful eye out for predators, and though they spotted eyes in the darkness, none came close enough to the Company that night. Finally, Ember extinguished the flames, exhausted from the strain. The air began to chill and the dwarves shivered in the darkness, attempting to find some semblance of sleep. Ember sighed as she heard teeth chattering.
"Kili," she murmured, as he pulled her towards his body. She grasped his hand, and as he felt the warmth flow, he reached for Fili beside him. The dwarves muttered their soft thanks as the heat traveled down the line. Soon, all Ember heard was soft snoring. Her other hand held Bilbo's tightly, but he was still awake, she knew. "Bilbo…what do you have in your pocket?" she finally whispered. There was silence, and she thought that he hadn't heard her, when he finally chuckled.
"I should have known I couldn't hide it from you forever," he murmured quietly. "You saw me talking to Gandalf, didn't you?" She squeezed his hand gently in reply. "Well, it's kind of a long story," he hesitated.
"Bilbo, I am currently keeping a troupe of dwarves warm for the night. I have oodles of time," she said dryly. He laughed.
"Well, it started when we fell through the crack into Goblintown," he began.
Yuula, Goheno nin - Ember, forgive me
Istarnin, I ven hen delu - My Wizard, this road is dangerous
Mankoi ier lle gwathad lye - Why are you leaving us?
Henig - my child
Na man thelig gwad? -Where do you intend to go?
No dirweg - be careful
Gweston i de cherithon -I swear I will do it
Heniog - Understand
Henion, Istarnin. Gweston -I understand My Wizard, I promise
So not much happened in this chapter and it took me forever to write because I had to work and prepare my parents 40 anniversary party, so i am hoping to get another one out before next week! Please let me know your thoughts! Reviews!