Hey, y'all!
How is everyone on this most wonderful day?
I hope everyone is having a great week!
So, this chapter is finishing up our short visit at Beorn's and we make our way into Mirkwood.
I'm super excited about that!
Also, the actual journey through Mirkwood will not be really long.
But I hope to make up for that with the elves!
As always, please review!
It really does make my day.

~ Rachel

Eraveth did not feel like eating with the dwarves and decided to go to Beorn's garden. She went to the part as far away from the house as possible and sank down among the flowers. Her attention was drawn to a blue lily that was completely surrounded by white daisies. It was the most beautiful lily that she had ever seen. At its center, the lily was a dark purple-blue that lightened the farther down the petals until it was a beautiful royal blue at the tips.

She smiled as she looked at its innocent beauty, but her smile faltered when she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to find Balin approaching her. He sank to the ground next to her and looked at the lily. They sat in silence for a time until Balin leaned over and said, "I know ya did not tell the full story, lass, and I know all of those bruises did not come from a single hit to the side of the face."

Eraveth's hand instantly went to her bruised mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes and she turned to Balin. She tried to bite back the sob that escaped from her throat but couldn't. The memory was still fresh in her mind and the pain was just as real.

"Please don't tell the others," she pleaded as a tear escaped down her cheek, "especially Tosur. I don't want him to worry and I don't think I can bear the shame. I wish I could forget it all but I know that it's not going to happen."

"Lass, I realize that ya don't want to talk about this, but I need to ask. Did he force himself on you?"

Eraveth's cheeks instantly flamed as she shook her head and said, "No, not like that, but I'm sure he would have had I not screamed." She took a deep breath and confessed her doubts to Balin, "I don't think I escaped."

"What do you mean?" he asked as he leaned slightly closer and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I think he let me go," she said as a tremor once again shook her body. "When I woke up in the woods, I could barely stand. I was too weak to hardly move. I think someone placed me there for Beorn to find. I know it sounds crazy but I think it is part of Azog's plan. What if he wanted the company to find me just for me to slow them down so he could get closer to kill everyone?"

Balin considered this but did not say a word. If it were true, then that meant the orcs were getting closer every day that they waited. They would have to leave soon. Balin left her to tell Thorin what Eraveth had said about her doubts, but he kept the rest to himself. Beorn met with them also and told them of how he had found the girl and of the elf that had been searching for the other female member of the company.

Eraveth went back into the house some time later and found Beorn waiting for her. He motioned for her to follow him and he led her to the spare bedroom. Once inside he turned and looked at her. From what she saw in his eyes, she knew that he had heard the conversation in the garden.

He spoke softly as he said, "You are always welcome here, Little Fawn. If you should choose to, you may stay here instead of continuing on this quest and for your own safety I wish you would stay."

"Thank you, Beorn," Eraveth said with a watery smile, "but I think that I will continue on this quest. I made a promise and I intend to keep it. We will see each other again; I can feel it. All will be well."

Eraveth added that last part almost as if the convince herself. Beorn knelt down just then and pulled her into a strong hug. After overcoming the surprise of the action, Eraveth wrapped her arms around Beorn's neck and hugged him back. Beorn pulled away and looked into Eraveth's shining emerald eyes. This young half-dwarf was very special to him and he knew from the very first time he saw her in the woods near his house that she would achieve great things in her life.

A knock sounded at the door and they turned to find a red-faced Ori standing there. He shifted from one foot to the other and said, "Um, the others are getting ready to go. Thorin wants to head out before it gets too late."

He left and Beorn and Eraveth exchanged a look. They went into the room where the others had gathered. Tosur came up with a bundle and handed it to Eraveth.

"I thought you might like these," he said with a sheepish smile. "I couldn't leave them behind. It felt like I was giving up on you if I did."

Eraveth unrolled the bundle and looked at her weapons. Her swords were still in their sheaths and her knives looked newly sharpened. She smiled and hugged her brother before strapping on her weapons. The last thing she put in place was the knife she carried in her boot. She had been distraught when the goblins had found it. She glanced at its polished hilt that held the resemblance of ivy vines twisting around each other. The love that had gone into carving that handle could still be felt when she tenderly slid it into her boot.

Their sudden departure could only have been due to the conversation that she had had with Balin. Eraveth knew Balin would tell Thorin and she wasn't mad at all. She looked at the others and then turned toward the door. Beorn had left the house and stood out front with ponies for the company to ride. He helped Eraveth onto a sable-colored pony and said a soft goodbye. The others mounted and wish Beorn goodbye. As they rode away, Eraveth looked back to see Beorn wave to her.

"Be careful, Little Fawn!" he called and she returned the wave with a sad smile.

Fili, who rode beside her, turned and asked curiously, "Why does he call you Little Fawn?"

Before Eraveth could answer, however, Tosur cut in and explained, "We first met Beorn many years ago. We had been gone from Rohan for about fifteen years. We were making our way from the Iron Hills to the Blue Mountains when we stumbled upon a pasture with giant bees in it. We stopped to look at the creatures when we heard a great roar come from behind us. We turned and saw this giant bear come charging at us. I climbed up a tree, but Eraveth started running the other way. When the bear began to chase her, she ran faster than anyone I had ever seen. As the bear got closer, Eraveth started up that giant boulder over there. She flew up that rock like she had wings and never once lost her balance. It wasn't long before Beorn changed back into his normal self. He called to her and told her that she ran like a young deer, sure-footed and swift. Ever since then, he has called her Little Fawn."

Tosur finished his story just as they came to the border of Mirkwood. The forest seemed to loom ahead of them. Eraveth became distracted as her eyes searched the gloom. She was brought back suddenly when Gandalf announced that they would go on without him. Uneasiness settled itself inside her as she watched him ride away and the company move into the forest.

Eraveth stayed close to Tosur as they began their journey into the forest. Kili and Fili were directly in front of the siblings and turned their heads back to talk to them. The farther into the forest they walked, the heavier the air felt. By nightfall, the group stopped to make camp. Tosur and Eraveth laid out their bedrolls side by side and lay down to sleep.