Chapter 15

As we continued on through the woods our supplies lessened more and more. Squirrels were no good to eat for something had tainted them as well. Though they were also coming from the south. As the sun began to set we found a place to stop. Thorin had me take first watch. I had not problems with this, for I feared to sleep. These past days I had not slept at all.

"You cannot sleep."

Why is it every time I wish to forget him he speaks to me?

"I said not so."

"I can see it. You have not slept in days."

There was still a little light left so I was able to see him sit down beside me. He looked at me with the blue eyes I had come to love.

No! Do not think such things!

"It is hard for me to find rest here anymore. This is not the forest I once knew." I whispered.

"Is this the reason? Or is this another lie?" He said.

I froze. So he had waited until now.

"Thorin I lied to you to protect you…."

"Protect me? What could I possibly need to be protected from?" he asked bewildered.

I took a deep breath and looked at him. I knew not if he could see me, but I hope he could not. For he would see the tears that had welled up in my eyes.

"From yourself."

"I do not understand."

I shook my head.

"It is better that you do not." I whispered.

"Tawariell…..this quest is far more dangerous to me then I am to myself. However if you do not care for me as I do for you…I shall not force you to feel anything. Though you should know that I will always care for you." he whispered.

I heard him leave and I kept my mouth shut. I wanted more then anything to tell him the truth! To tell him I shared his feelings and that he was right. Yet I could still see him lying there bleeding, dying. I wiped away my tears and finished my watch and then woke Oin.

Yet another horror plagued my dreams. I could not tell where we were, but I knew it was in a cave or a mountain. I found Thorin in a cell it was cold and dark and very remote. There was a torch and I found it just above the cell that held Thorin.

"Thorin!"

I rushed forward and reached through the cell bars.

"Tawariell how did you fine me here?" He asked me.

"Your hands are cold! Why have they done this?"

"Do not worry about me, you must leave this place!"

"Not without you! You are already falling ill, I cannot leave you here. Thorin I…"

"I know. Trust me I know your feelings, but I will not have you fall ill on my account. Go now."

"I have told you no! I stay here with you! If they lock me in a cell as well so be it!"

He began to say something else but I found myself being shaken awake. This time as I opened my eyes, they grew wide in horror. Thorin stood there. It was very early in the morning and I could barely see him.

"Thorin I…"

"Do not speak!"

I shut my mouth with a snap and waited for him to continue.

"I know that if I ask you shall not tell me all I wish to know. From what I heard I was a prisoner, and I heard what you said. Tell me who it was that held me prisoner…..please."

I looked up into his eyes.

"I know not. I never saw any but you. I cannot say where we were for it was too dark and only the cell door was illuminated by a single torch. Even then it was hard to see." I answered.

He looked away.

"Why is it when I told you to leave you would not?"

"You are my friend Thorin. You know this." I said softly.

He did not answer and I knew it hurt him to hear my answer.

"I know my answer is not what you hoped….please try to understand."

He walked off before I could say anymore. I sighed and stretched before waking the others. I was hurting him and it was killing me to do so, but was this not for the best?

We came to the enchanted river. Beorn had warned them to never drink from it, and I knew well enough not to. If my memory served then we were not far from the halls of King Thranduil.

"There is a boat here somewhere. Ah! There!"

Bilbo, Fili, Kili and Thorin could see it, for their eyes were sharper then that of the others. We tied a hook to a length of rope and then Fili aimed and threw it across but he missed.

"Carefully! You almost had it!" said the hobbit.

When Fili did this a second time the hook caught on. Yet when he tried to pull the boat would not come to the other shore. We all took hold of the rope and pulled with all our strength.

"Come now lads! And lass! Pull!" Nori said.

As we pulled hard the boat came loose and we all fell backwards.

"Quickly! The boat is floating downstream!" Bilbo said.

I lunged forward and Bofur and I only just grabbed the rope. We sighed in relief and then pulled it to us.

"Right no more then three at a time. That is how many the boat will carry and I would not risk anymore. I shall go first with Mr. Baggins and Fili. Then I want Kili, Tawariell and Balin to come and so on. Bombur shall come last….."

"I am always last and I do not like it!"

"You should not be so fat as you are! Therefore you must come last and with the lightest boat load. Now let us go." Thorin said.

Bilbo had tossed another rope and hook back so as to pull the boat back and forth. Kili, Balin and I made it across and so did the others. As we were pulling Bombur across we saw a hart across the river. We had not had much to eat in days! I immediately took an arrow and shot at it, but as quickly as it had appeared it had gone. Yet the dwarves continued to fire.

"Stop! Stop!" Thorin shouted.

It was too late. The hart was gone and the quiver empty and now the bows that Beorn had given them were useless. To make matters worse Bombur had fallen into the river.

"No! Bombur!"

His hand was still above the water. We tossed him a hook and it caught his hand. What was worse was he was fast asleep when we pulled him ashore. Thorin was beside himself.

"Curse this forest!" He ranted.

"I may be able to wake him, but I can make no promises." I said.

"Give it your best lassie." Balin said.

I nodded and turned to Bombur.

"Bombur Lasto beth nin! Lanner lasto beth nin!" I said in frustration.

It was no use. The enchantment was too strong.

"What did you say?" Bofur asked.

"I said Bombur hear my voice. Wide one hear my voice!"

They chuckled at the 'wide one' part. I felt a little bad about it. We took carrying Bombur in turns. As night fell once more, I was so tired I fell asleep quickly, only to wake up later scared.

"Tawariell?"

I launched myself in the direction of the voice. I cared not who it was for I was too frightened. I thought it to be Kili at first.

"Kili it was horrible! I could not save him!" I cried.

"Who called me?"

My eyes grew wide. It was not Kili who had his arms around me. It was Thorin.