Chapter Two
Neniel could hear the voices rising and falling from the dwarves from inside Bilbo's home. She wished someone would fill in on her more of their quest, but it seemed that no one in the group liked her, and which caused her to feel even more aggravated. Their meeting drew to a close with Bilbo looking over the contract, and Bofur, not helping matters any of speaking about dragons, wings and furnaces, trying to scare the hobbit, and apparently it worked.
The hobbit fainted, after Bofur's final words. Gandalf picked up the hobbit, and carried him to his study. Balin turned to Thorin. "What of the lass? Should I make a contract for her?" asked the dwarf. "Yes." sighed Thorin, as he thought over the words from Gandalf, and the information the wizard had given him about Neniel's life. When Balin finished the contract, he handed the parchment over to Thorin, because Thorin wanted to take the contract to her.
The dwarf wanted to talk to her himself, hoping their conversation would turn out better than their first meeting. Thorin shortly found her sitting outside on Bilbo's front porch, looking up at the stars.
"Miss Neniel?" Thorin spoke up. Neniel looked up. "Oh-its you. You sure have the balls to come out here right now. Go back inside, before I kill you myself!" hissed Neniel. Thorin raised his hand. "Neniel, there is no need to get hostile! I come in peace, and to apologize for my actions towards you earlier this evening." said Thorin, sitting beside her on the bench. "Well? If you want to talk, talk!" demanded Neniel.
"Balin had made out a contract for you. Gandalf has convinced me to allow you to join us." said Thorin. "What has he told you about me?" asked Neniel. "He told me you lived underground and that you're a dark elf, and your kingdom had been destroyed by orcs." said Thorin. "Yes, that's true, Thorin. And I wish we wouldn't talk about it." grumbled Neniel. "Neniel, your words you told me earlier about not understanding what you went through-you are wrong-you weren't the only one who's lost family members because of Orcs." said Thorin.
Thorin told her of the Battle of Azanulbizar. And witnessing the deaths of his Grandfather and brother, and Azog beheading his grandfather. When Thorin mentioned the name of Azog, her eyes widened in horror. "Don't say that horrible creature's name…I know that orc-he has tortured my dreams since my childhood.." said Neniel, and she turned away. "Neniel, I'm sorry-I didn't know." said Thorin.
And the two of them sat in silence. Thorin stood up, and it was him that broken the silence. "Come on in, its getting late. We're getting ready to play some music." said Thorin. Neniel smiled, and stood up. "Thorin, wait!" said Neniel, as she took out a quill from her pocket and signed the contract. "Here." said Neniel, handing over the parchment to the dwarf leader. "Thank you. I see that Balin gets it." said Thorin, and they entered Bilbo's home, making their way into the living room.
Neniel took her seat next to Balin, while Thorin handed over the contract to his friend. "Ah, you are going! Good!" grinned the old dwarf as he tuned his viol. "The viol! My father played the viol sometimes." said Neniel. Balin smiled. "I play very rarely. It all depends on how my fingers are feeling, if they are able to play at all!" said Balin, returning a smile to the elf. Neniel scanned around the room, and she could see the other dwarves taking out their instruments as well. Suddenly, she saw Dwalin entering the living room carrying an item wrapped in green silver cloth, handing it over to Thorin.
To her surprise, when Thorin removed the cloth, a golden harp appeared. She looked at the instrument and then at Thorin in amazement. And wondered how a fierce warrior such as Thorin, could play such a delicate and beautiful instrument.
Thorin took the harp, placing it on his lap, and placing his large fingers on the silver strings, and he struck it, and pretty soon the dwarves joined in with Thorin on the music. Neniel could feel her heart thumping as she listened, but she kept her eyes fixed on the dwarf leader, and his handsome features drawn her to him. Suddenly, Thorin started to sing, as he and the dwarves played, and the dwarf's leader's voice stunned her. She hadn't heard such beautiful singing in her life, and the words of the song moved her..
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day
To find our long forgotten gold.
The pines were roaring on the height
The winds were moaning in the night
The fire is red, it flaming spread
The trees like torches, blazed with light.
Neniel felt so involved in the music and singing, she didn't realize the song had ended, and most of the company already went to bed.
Neniel remained awake, looking out Bilbo's round window, into the night, tears streaming down her face, as she thought of her family and her people. Suddenly a voice spoke up, breaking her thoughts. "Cannot sleep, Neniel?" said the voice. Neniel turned, and she could see Thorin sitting by the fireplace, smoking his pipe, and his harp sitting by his side.
"No, I cannot sleep. I normally don't sleep, unless I really need to." said Neniel, standing up. "Come and sit with me! Well? I don't bite you know." said Thorin. Neniel slowly approached the dwarf, and she sat across from him. "I never met a dark elf before. Can you tell me more about yourself? What weapons are you skilled with?" Thorin asked her. Neniel smiled. "There really isn't much to tell about me, Thorin, however I am skilled with sword and bow. I also use daggers as well. And I have some magic as well. In fact, I'm under Gandalf's apprenticeship." said Neniel.
"You're the apprentice?! Gandalf has mentioned to me about an apprentice, but he never told me who! So you're the one, he had spoken of!" said Thorin, grinning. "Yes. And by the way, your song-its beautiful-I understand it all now-!" said Neniel softly. Thorin nodded.
"When you mentioned that Azog had haunted your nightmares, what do you mean by that? I don't to mean to bring it up, you don't have to answer me if you don't want to." said Thorin. "Oh, its okay, Thorin. I can tell you!" said Neniel, and she began telling her tale, from the beginning when she let her father know that she is going out to hunt, and to the time she was captured by Azog and his orcs, and they tortured her.
While they held me captive, they tied me to slab, and began beating on me with whips and other torture devices. I screamed in pain, as they continued. Suddenly Azog stepped forward, as he pinned me to the slab, forcing himself on me. I screamed louder and louder, and finally with all my strength, I took my free and good leg, kicked Azog in the groin, as I summoned my undead to attack the orcs. Once they done that, one of my skeletons freed me, as I escaped the caves, running back to my home. By the time I arrived home, I collapsed, as my father and mother ran towards me, as father carried me to healing chambers.
Every night, as I grown older, the nightmares came, and they wouldn't stop. One of our medicine men, even tried using potions to calm the nightmares, the still wouldn't stop.
Neniel shortly ended her tale, and Thorin looked at her in shock and horror as he heard this tale. "No person should have to go through that horrible terror. Not even elves." said Thorin softly, and he took Neniel's hand. "Listen to me, Neniel. No one is going to harm you! I won't allow it. As long as I'm around." said Thorin. "Thorin, I can defend myself, you know. You can help me, yes, but I fought myself out of the mess, I can do it again too." said Neniel. Yet also a very stubborn one at that, Thorin thought.
Neniel stood up. "Maybe I better try and get some sleep. It's nice talking to you, Thorin! Good night!" said Neniel. "Good night!" said Thorin, as he watched the dark elf leave the living room. There is something about her that intrigues me. Gandalf is right, she will make a good asset to our Company, thought Thorin. The next morning, Neniel woke early as she packed her belongings preparing for journey with the dwarves. After she packed, she began sharpening her weapons in the dining room, while Bombur also had woken and began working on breakfast.
"Making arrows aren't you?" asked Kili, sitting beside Neniel. Neniel smiled. "Yes, I am." said Neniel. "Do you need help? I can help if you want to speed things up!" Kili offered. "Of course!" said Neniel, as she allowed the dwarf prince to help her.
"Where do Dark Elves dwell? Do they live in forests like regular elves?" asked Kili. "No, we live underground, like hobbits and dwarves. My people live in mountains and caves." said Neniel. "WOW! That means you love the mountains! That's great! Because where we're going is to a Mountain-the Lonely Mountain!" said Kili. Neniel laughed. "You'll definitely like it there, Neniel!" piped in Fili. "I'm sure I'll be right at home there-but really its not my place to say though." said Neniel.
"Well you don't have a home, you can stay with us." said Kili. "Well, that all depends on your Uncle." said Neniel, as she continued with her arrows. Shortly, the rest of the dwarves and Thorin entered the dining room, and breakfast is served. Not long after breakfast, the Company met outside the Green Dragon Inn. Neniel had brought along her horse that Gandalf had purchased her. She named her Myra. "Isn't Bilbo coming along?" Neniel asked. "We overheard him telling Gandalf last night that he wasn't coming." said Dwalin.
"Oh, that's too bad. I suppose its for the best." said Neniel, her voice in a disappointing tone. "But we're already placing bets if he's coming or not, since Gandalf told us that he knows that he can change his mind any time." piped in Bofur.
"Aren't you going to join us on the betting, Miss Neniel?" asked Kili. "I'm sorry, but I don't gamble. But I agree with Gandalf, the little hobbit can change his mind! Who knows? He may show up!" said Neniel. "What makes you say that?" asked Thorin. "I can see a lot of potential in him, Thorin! He may not show it yet, but give him time, he'll proven worth." said Neniel. Thorin scowled. "What? You don't like the hobbit do you?" asked Neniel. "Its not like I don't like him, Neniel. He has no skill in using weapons or fighting. He will be naught by a burden." said Thorin.
"Well I can train him." said Neniel. And the two of them said no more after that. Suddenly, they could a loud voice call out from behind them. "Wait! Wait! Don't leave! I signed it!" the voice called out. Everyone looked behind them, and they could see Bilbo running towards them, waving contract in hand. "I told you so!" whispered Neniel, with a grin. Bilbo hands over the contract to Balin, as the older dwarf looked it over. "Well, it appears that everything is place! Welcome to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield!" said Balin.
"Give him a pony!" said Thorin, flatly. "Wait, wait! That won't be necessary! I can walk! As far as Frog Mort.." began the hobbit, when Fili and Kili picked up the hobbit, and placing him on a pony, as they begin to set out. No soon as they started moving, Bilbo sneezed loudly and called out for everyone to stop. "What now?" grumbled Thorin. "I forgot my pocket handkerchief!" Bilbo replied. "Here!" called out Bofur, as he tore fabric from his coat and tossed it to the hobbit.
"Moving on!" Thorin called out, as they began to move out.