Chapter 17

"Carrock Curses"

Years seemed to pass yet they were mere seconds until the Erebor prince's eyelids fluttered open. The versifier's heart seemed to stop and a smile spread across her face as she helped him sit up; quickly receiving help from Kili and Dwalin to stand him on his feet.

The dwarf lord shrugged them off in anger as his gaze found the halfling's, "You! What were you doing?! You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden?! That you had no place amongst us?!"

"Thorin, he was only trying to protect you!" Torshar voiced as she stood and approached to stand between Thorin and Bilbo, "Without him, and all of the company, you… And I would be dead…"

Madness flashed across the prince's face as he quickly advanced and wrapped both hands around her throat, "You! How could you rush in like that?! I warned you that if you crossed me again, Torshar, that I would show you no mercy!" he shouted as he increased pressure, bringing the versifier to her knees gasping for breath. As if in slow motion, the company was jumping into action and Torshar looked up into the prince's gaze only to discover that his sapphire eyes had turned ruby! There was a dark enchantment over him!

Dwalin and Kili managed to pull the dwarf lord off of the maiden and held him back as he struggled. Bilbo was by her side as she coughed to open her airways once more, "You… Are not… Thorin Oakenshield…"

"What do you mean, Torshar?" Gandalf asked as the prince continued to struggle.

"His eyes… They're ruby red! He's under a dark enchantment!" she cried as she got off her knees and quickly began to search his coat and tunic while he fought against the hold he was trapped in. As her moved to his trousers, she could feel a mysterious energy, one that radiated hate and aggression. She slipped her fingers into his pocket and pulled put a silver pendant with the Khuzdul symbols for death, revenge, and anger written in blood on one side.

Torshar nearly dropped the pendant as she holds it out to the wizard due to her shaking hands, "A blood curse…" she whispered horrified.

"Indeed Torshar, and a very powerful one at that…" the wizard replied gravely as he grasped the cursed object and flipped it over to discover the maiden's name in blood on the opposite side, "Someone wants you dead."

"When Azog spoke… He mentioned my name… What did he say, Gandalf?" the moon child asked, "It may help us understand why Thorin it trying to kill me…"

The wizard sighed," Simply put… He was going to behead you and deliver your head to someone who calls himself 'The Hearty Guardian'. I am unsure about these runes…Does the 'Hearty Guardian' mean anything to you, my dear?"

At hearing the results of the Black Speech, Torshar's breath began to come in spurts as she tried to control her sobs. Bilbo quickly moved to stand beside her and placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady, "What is it, Lady Torshar?!"

Her response was shaky, "In ancient Khuzdul… Hearty Guardian translates into Harar… This is my uncle's doing! Gandalf, you have to break the curse!" she screams in frustration. The gray robed one chanted over the pendant and as a result, Thorin began to groan in pain as his knees buckled and he was forced to kneel.

Torshar went to him, knelt before him, gently took his face in her hands, and gazed deeply into his eyes, watching his inner self and the curse duel for dominance within, "Thorin, my love… You must fight this… I know you are still in there… Please, come back to us…" she whispered then wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head upon his right shoulder; allowing her tears to silently fall.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Gandalf stopped and sighed in defeat, "I am afraid this spell is much more powerful than anything I have ever encountered… The more time that passes the more aggressive he will become and the harder it will be to contain him… How would you like to proceed, Torshar?"

The versifier cringed as she pulled herself away and gazed at the dwarves, "Bind him… There has got to be a way to reverse this! Until we reach the mountain of find someone powerful enough to break this curse… Thorin Oakenshield is a prisoner…"

Balin stepped up, "You can't be serious, Lady Torshar! Thorin is the leader of this company!"

"I know that, Balin! But I refuse to follow a man who I have to watch like a hawk to be sure he doesn't kill me in my sleep! I'm sorry… As soon as we cure him I will return the company to him, I promise… Until then… I am asking you to trust me…" the maiden replied then looked at all of the company, "I ask all of you to follow me until we can sure our king… Please, have faith in me…" she pleaded. The company gazed at each other in silent discussion. The silence was broken when Gloin switched places with Dwalin who produced a rope from his pack and tied his prince's wrists together in front him, leaving enough length as a leash of sorts.

"I trust you, lassie."

She smile sadly, "Thank you, Dwalin…" the versifier said then looked at the others, "What say the rest of you?"

Ori was the first to step forward and stand beside the ax wielder. Slowly but surely, the rest followed and before long they set out once more; climbing down from the top of the Carrock. Bilbo kept pace with the new leader and tried to help take her mind off of Thorin, "Tell me of Whurrak, Lady Torshar. I'm sure it is quite a sight to behold."

This seemed to make her smile, "It is… In the center of the city stands the Great Hall… Nearly as tall a mountain, entirely made of iron. I resided in the Entertainment District, I performed three to four nights a week at a pub called 'The Black Claw', famous for catering to travelers, rangers, warriors, practically anyone who in was treated like family. Every evening, before nightfall, I would climb to the top of the Great Hall and watch the sun set… Imagining my brothers by my side and our parents in Valtek, happy…" the versifier sighed, "It all seems like nothing but a dream… With so much that has happened… I'm not sure if anything will ever be the same, Bilbo."

The burglar smiled, "That's what's so exciting about life! Every day brings its own adventures. And it's funny… It took a wizard, fourteen dwarves, and a quest to reclaim a mountain to teach me that." He chuckles and earns a smile in return.

"You are wise beyond your years, Master Baggins… Thank you." Torshar stated as she leaned over and kissed Bilbo's cheek, making his face light up red.

The next morning after they broke down camp, Torshar picked up the sound of distant howling. Being positioned beneath a ridge of stone, Torshar sent Bilbo to scale up and distinguish if he could find the source of howls. As began he ascent, the dwarves began to arm themselves and Torshar took Thorin's rope from Dwalin as he began to get ready. She stole a gaze at him and could still see that his eyes were red but not as much as they had been the day before. Her heart ached to have him back to his old self but knew she would have to hold out until they could break his curse.

A few moments pass and then Bilbo comes hobbling down the ridge path, "How close is the pack?" she asked.

"Too close a couple of leagues… But that's not the worst of it…" he breathed heavily.

Gandalf jumped, "They saw you!"

"No! There is something else out there!"

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" the wizard asked, already knowing the answer.

"Y-Yes, but bigger, much bigger!"

Bofur turned to face the magic wielder, "You knew about this beast?! I say we double back!"

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs?!" Dwalin stated.

"There is a house… It's not far, where we might take refuge…"

Torshar appeared skeptical, "Whose house, Gandalf? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither… He will help us or… He will kill us." He answered.

"What choice do we have?" Torshar asked rhetorically then a loud roar startled everyone and made them turn.

Gandalf simply stated, "None…"