My goodness y'all are vocal about liking this! I hope it continues! Thank you all!
Heartbreaker 99, iggle731, I love you both. Yes, I'm continuing, though it's slow going... and it should go all the way through the book. I hope y'all stick with it!
After a few more days, the time came for them to leave Beorn's house and continue their quest. Erebor awaited them, and Durin's Day was fast approaching.
Beorn lent them mounts and sent them on their way, with the stern admonition that his ponies not pass into Mirkwood. Also he was quite specific that they were not to touch the water of the river, since it carried a powerful enchantment. Nothing else was said; but it was understood that the skin-changer would be most displeased with them if they ignored his wishes and so it was that at the entrance to the forest, they unburdened the beasts and took all the supplies upon themselves, leaving the animals to make their way home. Thorin looked up at Gandalf, assessing, when the wizard didn't do the same.
"You're not sending your horse away?" he demanded roughly.
"No, I am not," was the terse reply. "I am riding it."
"Wait, you're not going with us?" Bilbo jumped in quickly. Thorin looked like a thundercloud and Bilbo wanted to head off his lover's temper if he could. "Why not?"
"Because I have urgent business in the South, and I've already put it off far too long bothering with you people," Gandalf snarked back. "I will rejoin you when I am able. Remember Beorn's words, and mine, please. DO NOT stray from the path. There are dangers in this wood that you cannot comprehend, and if you leave the path for any reason, you will never find it again." He turned away and rode a short distance before turning back to regard them. "DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!" he called again and was then gone from sight.
Thorin regarded the wizard's direction for a few more moments, his eyes narrowed angrily, before shrugging it off and letting his hand rest on Bilbo's shoulder. "Come on," he growled, and they entered the forest.
It was black and forbidding inside; very little light managed to reach the ground through the trees. Strange creatures hissed at them from the sides of the path but were hidden by the darkness and never ventured close enough to the dim light for identification. They did see, however, black squirrels, black gophers, and other such rodentia. Everything seemed to be black in color, which made it all the more depressing. Even the dirt they trod was the color of midnight, and it was sapping their spirits.
They traveled for many days through the seemingly unending trees. Their supplies began to run low and they were all getting a bit short tempered, even Bilbo. But nothing came of it; a few spats that were quickly made up between lovers and between friends.
Finally they came to a river across the path, and mindful of Beorn's warnings about the forest, stopped well short of it. "I can't even see the other side," Bilbo said softly. "How do we get across if we can't touch the water?"
Fíli was staring hard at something and finally nodded slightly. "There's a boat on the other shore," he said simply. "I think I can get it to this side if I can hook it."
He rummaged through the packs for a moment and came up with a grapple and a long length of rope. It only took a couple of tries for him to land it on the little craft, but when he pulled, there was enough resistance that several of the others pitched in to help pull. Finally there was a loud crack and the boat flew toward them, only stopping once it ran aground. A broken rope was found near the front and it was assumed that had been the noise they heard when it snapped.
A quick examination revealed that it was in fact quite small and would only carry a few of them at a time. The decision was made and the first group went across, then the next – but when the final group started across, Bombur managed somehow to fall out of the boat and into the water. He was retrieved quickly, and without the others sharing his fate. But the water's enchantment had worked well; no matter what they tried, Bombur wouldn't wake.
There was an uproar. Bofur and Bifur refused to leave him, which in truth hadn't been suggested. Everyone was squabbling until Thorin roared to get their attention. "We take him with us. Take turns carrying him. We move on."
That night, Bofur stood guard not only over the camp but over Bombur. His watch spot was near the big Dwarf, and Nori was near to both of them. Bifur remained near as well, sleeping fitfully as though alert to some danger the others didn't perceive.
Dwalin and Ori were together, discussing some point or other of Dwarven law. Dori joined them, wanting to get to know the warrior a bit better, still uncertain of his intentions toward Ori. As the night wore on, though, he was forced to admit at least to himself that Dwalin was very shrewd; he knew points of the law that Dori did not, points that would help him once they had reclaimed their home.
Thorin and Bilbo had withdrawn a cautious distance away, though not so far as to be in danger if something attacked. The others gave them a wide berth; everyone had noticed their behavior while at Beorn's, and they would allow the couple a bit of privacy in respect.
It rankled Thorin a bit; he'd thought they'd been discreet. Apparently not enough, and suddenly he threw off his anger at himself. It didn't matter what the others thought, really. In fact, it might be a good thing that they knew. Bilbo would be as safe as possible on the road, now that he'd staked his claim. The others would protect him out of respect for Thorin if nothing else, though he also acknowledged that the Hobbit was quite well liked for himself alone. Yes, he would be as safe as they could make him.
"Tell me more about this bond we share," he asked suddenly as he drew the startled Halfling closer. "I feel... odd." That wasn't a strong enough word but it would do for now.
"I don't know much more about it than you, honestly," Bilbo replied with a snort. "My mother tried to explain it to me, once. She said it was like finding the other half of your soul." He shrugged eloquently. "But she never explained how it felt, what it meant. She only said that once bonded, it was unbreakable." He turned in Thorin's arms and took the Dwarf's hand, placing it on his own chest. "But I feel you. Here. Like, like part of me I never knew I had, that just woke up."
Thorin, in turn, placed Bilbo's hand on his own heart. "That is what I feel as well. You are here, Bilbo, a part of me now. It's... strange." He sighed. "You should rest. We'll be moving on soon. This wretched forest can't last forever." But he tightened his hold slightly, keeping Bilbo quite close.
Bilbo snuggled in, saying nothing. He could feel Thorin's presence through their bond, and it amazed him. The Dwarf was a steady presence, almost a second heartbeat, but not exactly. He felt the uncertainty that Thorin would never admit, even to himself, and unthinking he looked up and touched Thorin's jaw. "This isn't a mistake," he said softly. "Don't ever think that."
"I would never think our bond was a mistake," Thorin replied steadily. "But this quest..." He shook his head. "It will end in fire," he said softly. "I can feel it, as clearly as I feel you now with me. And yet I CANNOT turn aside. I cannot forgo vengeance on the dragon, I cannot allow him to claim the mountain. I MUST reclaim our home."
Bilbo simply nodded with a sigh, obviously considering his words carefully. "No one will ask you to give up your quest," he said slowly. "Those who have, don't understand. But we follow you, Thorin, we'll follow you to the end, even should it end badly. We follow you because we believe in you, because we love you."
"And I am leading you to your deaths." The words were simple, but the emotion behind them was anything but. Uncertainty had faded into dread, and Bilbo had a moment's pause. He really WAS feeling the Dwarf's emotions and the thought threw him for a moment. Was it part of the bond? It had to be. "What hope have we, fourteen against a dragon? He shrugged aside the finest warriors Erebor had to offer as though they were mere insects. We pose no threat to him."
"You underestimate us." Bilbo's voice was firm, now. He knew what Thorin was feeling and his own sense of determination slid to the fore. "You forget you have a burglar with you. And that your own people are just as determined as you are to force him out of YOUR home. We will not be denied, Thorin. And you are the key to this endeavor. We didn't come on this quest for a lark. We came for you."
"I feel – what you say, you feel. It's – incredible." Thorin was in awe of both the bond and the Halfling's courage. He didn't know what Bilbo was thinking, but he could feel the honesty of his words. The determination he held to support Thorin's quest to the bitter end, if it came to that. "Very well. We'll continue, then. We should rest, though."
But sleep was elusive. Each of them was starting to feel the effects of the forest. Unease, uncertainty, and a sense of dread grew in each heart over the next few days. Finally the hallucinations started.
Bilbo kept his head longer than the others. Bombur had wakened, and they were ALL beginning to stumble along with little thought to where they were putting their feet. Finally, after listening to his companions complain about the "never ending cursed place" for so long he decided to climb a tree to see the lay of the land.
At first, he was more than a little elated. The air was clear, and there were butterflies. They entranced him for several moments, bringing a huge smile to his face and a laugh to his lips. Then he sobered and slid back down the tree.
Right into a HUGE spiderweb.
After a moment's shock at the sheer size of the inhabitant, Bilbo killed it. Then he slipped on his ring that he had found in the goblin tunnels and disappeared from sight.
Sounds reached him, voices, strange and fearsome, and he listened closer. The spiders were speaking, debating what to do with whatever it was they'd captured and he searched around, suddenly convinced it was his companions they were talking about.
Was it his ring allowing him to hear them? He didn't know, and suddenly he shook himself. It didn't really matter. He had to help them. A stone came to hand and he lobbed it at the nearest one, heard it connect with a satisfying crunch.
After a brief melee Bilbo was able to free the Dwarves and they began to run, fighting their way away from the spiders but gaining no ground. It seemed hopeless, and Kíli fell behind.
Suddenly there were Elves everywhere, the spiders were dead or fled, and a tall, blond Elf with a regal bearing was pointing his bow at Thorin. "Do not think I won't kill you, Dwarf," he spat angrily. "It would be my pleasure."
Bilbo's ring was on his finger before he was even aware he was going to use it, but it seemed for the best. These Elves weren't friendly, not at all like those in Rivendell. These were deadly serious. He would stay hidden until he knew their intent.
Quickly the Company was disarmed and they were taken into the halls of the Woodland Realm, Eryn Lasgalen, the Elven fortress of Thranduil deep in the heart of the forest. There, they were separated, each placed into different cells, though most within shouting distance of the others. Thorin, however, was taken before Thranduil himself to answer for their presence in Mirkwood.
There was a tense, angry exchange in which Thranduil accused Thorin of everything nasty he could. Burglary, seeking power, and even more. Bilbo tensed when he felt Thorin's rage mounting through their bond and concentrated on remaining calm. One of them had to. Then Thorin said something in Khuzdul and Bilbo groaned when he saw the expression on the Elvenking's face; it was pure fury. "Do not talk to me of dragon fire!" Thranduil spat as he leaned imposingly over the Dwarf and Bilbo watched as the Elf's face melted, showing vicious scars and damaged bone before once more becoming flawless. "I know its wrath and ruin!"
Bilbo felt Thorin's revulsion at the sight and then his anger was again at the forefront while Thranduil continued to berate and torment him. Then Thorin was dragged away, sent to the cells with his kin, and Bilbo followed to hear him explain to Balin that there was no deal to be had. That he had insulted the Elvenking so gravely they'd never get out.
"Well, that's that then," Balin grated out. "A deal was our only hope."
Thorin's eyes raised, as though seeking something, but there was nothing to be seen. Nonetheless, Bilbo felt the surge of hope in the Dwarf's heart. "Not our only hope."
Bilbo felt himself puff up a bit. He was the one Thorin spoke of, and he could feel Thorin's emotions so clearly now. Thorin knew he was nearby. He could feel the faith his lover had that he would rescue them, and it shook him. However was he to do such a thing? Then he stiffened his spine. If there was a way, he'd find it.