Writer's Block sucks! But, I have overcome! Here is 14!
Chapter 14
"The Misty Mountains"
By nightfall the company had already made it halfway into the Misty Mountains but a massive thunderstorm had blown in and threatened to send them all tumbling off the thin path and plummeting into the darkness that lay below. Torshar was traveling between Fili and Kili as the rain soaked them all to the bones and she quickly grabbed Kili's arm when her foot slipped on the wet stone edge. Thorin yelled behind, "We must find shelter!"
Just then, Dwalin's voice rang out, "Look out!" and everyone looked up to see a giant boulder come flying out of the mist and collided with the face of the mountain above the company. Kili was quick to shield the versifier as debris off the broken rock and showered around them. Torshar thought to herself, 'This cannot be a simple thunderstorm…'
Apparently Balin thought the same, "This is no thunderstorm! It's a thunder battle!" then out of the mist appeared a giant made of rock!
"Well bless me! The legends are true! Giants! Stone Giants!" Bofur shouted as said giant hurled another boulder and knocked a second giant off his feet. The vibrations rattled the entire mountain as the second combatant fell to a knee. The company grabbed onto each other as the very path began to crack beneath their feet; making them discover that they stood on the knees of a third stone giant! As the giant began to stand, the path split dividing Kili, Torshar, Bombur, Oin, Bifur, Gloin, and Nori from the other half of the company; Torshar screaming for Thorin and the others in terror.
The giants continued to throw punches until one slammed a boulder against another's head, so hard that it knocked the head clean off; sending it hurdling down into the dark depths of the mountains. As the headless giant's body began its descent, Thorin realized, in horror, that it was the one that the other half of his company were trapped upon. The stone's upper body fell backwards while its lower fell forward, carrying the dwarves with it towards the rock face of the mountain.
Horror registered on Thorin's face as he screamed, "NOOOOO!" and the group of dwarves disappeared into the rack face with a boom. The company followed the prince as he bolted to see for himself the damage the stone giant had caused, "Kili! Torshar!"
He was greeted with a joyous sight, the dwarves all groaning in pain and irritation; but alive! He dashed to examine for any injuries that his nephew, lover, or other party members might have sustained. The prince took the versifier into his arms and held her tightly to reassure himself that she was indeed in his embrace, "You're alright…"
"Where's Bilbo?! Where's the hobbit?!" Bofur's worried voice called out, dragging the couple from their sweet embrace and back into the danger of their situation. The goofy hat wearing dwarf searched his line of sight for the burglar dangling on the edge of the narrow path. Quickly diving into action, a few of the dwarves lay on their stomachs and reached their arms out but were just out of reach. Torshar followed the quickness of her love as he bolted across the path and jumped down to grapple onto the lower wall beneath the path. He quickly hoisted the hobbit up into the hands of his company. Sadly, as he made his attempt to climb back up, the bulky dwarf lord lost his footing and seemed to fall in slow motion. Luckily, Dwalin had been beside him and was able to grab his hand as the prince slipped.
"Thorin!" Torshar cried as she quickly raced to grab his other hand in order to help Dwalin hoist him up. Once his feet were firmly planted on the path, the versifier wrapped her arms around his neck, "I was afraid I was going to lose you…" she whispered.
"I am not going anywhere, my love…" he answered as he held her close.
His attitude quickly changed when Dwalin said, "I'd thought we'd lost our burglar!"
"He's been lost, ever since he left home! He should never have come! He has no place amongst us!" the prince stated as he began to walk again to try and find a cave for shelter.
When he found one, Dwalin had been quick to follow, "Looks safe enough…"
"Search to the back, caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied." Thorin ordered and his friend obeyed by taking a torch, lighting it, then went about checking the cave as Torshar walked in; soaking wet.
Immediately upon her arrival she confronted company leader, "What was that, Thorin?! Telling Bilbo that he doesn't belong amongst us?! That hobbit has just as much right to be on this quest as you or I do!" she whispered angrily.
"He nearly got us both killed, Torshar! He has no comprehension of surviving in the Wild!" Thorin retorted quietly. The versifier sighed in defeat and nodded, earning an embrace from him as well as a kiss to the top of her head.
"There's nothing here, Thorin." Dwalin reported as he returned the poked his head out to beacon the rest of the company in. As the dwarves piled in, shivering, Torshar began to gather up dry wood that was scattered around the cave.
Gloin smiled when she placed the stack at his feet, "Right… Let's get a fire started."
Thorin was quick to disband the idea, "No, no fires! Not in this place… Get some sleep. We start at first light."
"We were supposed to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin mentioned.
"Plans change…" the prince said matter-of-factly, "Bofur, take the first watch." He ordered.
Torshar was befuddled by the orders and gently pulled Thorin aside, "No fires are one thing, my love, but leaving without the wizard is just crazy. The last time I traveled these mountains… Bad things happened…. We cannot stay, I know that much…"
The prince embraced the versifier, who just then realized that she was crying, "We cannot go in this weather, dear heart… But I promise you, the moment it clears that we will leave this wretched place and get somewhere safer. You trust me, don't you?"
"Of course… Always…" she smiled as he wiped away her tears and laid a kiss on her forehead.
"Get some sleep… I will inform the others and join you shortly." Torshar nodded, picked up their bedrolls, and moved to set them up by the back wall, where Thorin could still look over everyone and then walked over and sat beside Bilbo who appeared to be in thought.
"Are you alright, Bilbo?" she asked quietly.
The hobbit turned his head to her and nodded, "Yes, Lady Torshar… Just still a bit shaken from the fall…"
"I understand, my friend. These are the most dangerous paths… But once we pass over them, it will be a much smoother journey to Erebor. Bilbo, I want to apologize for what Thorin said to you before… He would never come to you and say it himself so I thought you should get an apology from someone…" she smiled optimistically. Her hobbit companion did not seem forth coming about his true feelings and the versifier wanted to nudge further but decided that is was Bilbo's personal business and if he did not want to voice it then she would not push. She simply smiled, pat Bilbo on the shoulder, then stood, "Try to get some sleep, Master Baggins… You'll need your strength… For whatever path you choose…"
Bilbo was taken aback at Torshar's words, 'Does she know of my plan?!' he asked himself, worried as the versifier stretched , smiled at him again, then went back over to her bedroll, laid down, and began to hum to herself.
As the company began to wind down and lay themselves on their bedrolls, Torshar began to give her humming lyrics, "Deep in the meadow,
Under the willow,
A bed of grass,
A soft green pillow,
Lay down you head,
And close your eyes,
And when they open the sun will rise,
Here it's safe,
And here it's warm,
And here the daisies guard you from every harm,
Here your dreams are sweet,
And tomorrow brings them true,
Here is the place… Where I love you,
Deep in the meadow hidden far away,
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray,
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay,
For when again it's morning, they'll wash away,
Here it's safe,
And here it's warm,
And here the daisies guard you from every harm,
Here your dreams are sweet,
And tomorrow brings them true,
Here is the place… Where I love you…" by the end of the song, Thorin had laid down on her left, against the wall, and wrapped his arms around her. She then rolled over to bury her face in the prince's chest.
Inhaling his scent of rain, sweat, and pine needles, Torshar's eyes began to close and her grip on his tunic slowly started to relax. Thorin smiled small and kissed her forehead as he allowed himself to relax against her. Although less than half an hour later, the prince was awakened by Bilbo and Bofur speaking.
"Thorin was right; I should have never run out my door."
"You're homesick, I understand-"
"No you don't! You're dwarves! You're used to this life, to being on the road, not settling anyplace, not belonging anywhere!" the hobbit whispered angrily but then immediately regretted his words at the look of sadness upon Bofur's face, "I'm sorry, I didn't-"
" No, you're right…" Bofur stated as he turned to gaze at the sleeping company, "We don't belong anywhere… I wish you all the luck in the world… I really do." The goofy hat wearer smiled as he turned back and placed a friendly hand on the burglar's shoulder.
As Bilbo turned to leave, Bofur stopped him, "What's that?" he asked, indicating to the sword at the hobbit's hip. Bilbo gazed down, slowly pulled the weapon up, and reveled that the blade was glowing blue which could only mean one thing…
Thorin opened his eyes and slowly started to sit up, so not to disturb the woman beside him, and listened to what sounded like cogs and wheels turning. His gaze moved to the cave floor where a line drew itself in the sand but the particles seemed to disappear into a cavern around the company!
It was a trap! The king sat up quickly, jolting Torshar awake, "Wake up! WAKE UP!" he shouted as the trap doors opened and pulled all of the company members into its fire glowing depths with their cries of terror echoing off the slick walls.