Torli woke up in the morning yawning and looked around at the rest of the waking group.

"Good morning" he said to nobody in particular. Next thing he knew was a plate of food being stuck into his lap.

"Eat". It was Glein "we've got an adventure ahead of us. Can't have a young prince fainting on us!"

Torli smiled and took the plate with gratitude and began to eat. Delicious bacon and eggs. Glein handed out other plates to the other members of the group.

"Everybody eat!" He proclaimed "we'll set off once we're all ready no point in doing so before then!"

Freddard kept staring at the young dwarf as he chomped down his food. It was making Torli feel a bit uncomfortable. He kept looking away from him, but he could feel the man's eyes burning onto his back.

Percival sensed the tension and broke it with he cheery words "absolutely lovely food, master Glein, makes me feel right at home". With that, he kept eating "you wouldn't happen to have seconds, would you?"

"You're very welcome, laddy, but no, what I have had to last for however long." Glein replied slightly grimacing. The hungry Percival nodded, but kept eating.

Thundad ate very little, but he ate in silence. He was thinking but tactic in his head. He couldn't see this working at all. Everyone in the group knew it was best to leave him well alone when he was in this zone. Percival ate the elf's left overs with glee.

"No point in waisting it" he happily announced. Then everything fell quiet for a while. Up until Glein gave an alrighty clap. Torli sat up with a jolt.

"Are we all finished yet?" he asked the group, somehow able to have his small and fat Fran tower over them all. Everybody nodded as they stood up and dusted themselves down. They rolled up their blankets and packed up, ready for the long day ahead.

They stepped out of the barn and were greeted by the brightest of suns in the sky. Thundad even put his arm over his head to shade his eyes.

"Luckily" he said through pursed lips "we are going away from the sun for the time being."

He clambered onto his horse as did the others. They attached their luggage to the saddles. Torli climbed clumsily onto the back of Glein's steed amongst the luggage and they set off, slowly but surely.

"Uncle" Torli said quietly some time after.

"Yes, my lad" Glein replied

"Why does Master Freddard keep glaring at me. I've done nothing wrong"

"He's just weary of you, laddy" Glein admitted "he doesn't know who you are, he'll come round eventually"

Torli just nodded and stayed quiet. He'd always been trusted before. Now he was quiet scared of the man.

The group travelled quite some distance without hearing or seeing very many living things at all. The odd rabbit and the odd bee. Torli enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day. He took off his jacket and enjoyed the sunshine on his skin. Then they entered a woods. The shade was just as beautiful.

Percival loved this part of the journey, somehow the woods reminded him of The Shire's surroundings. His favourite thing was being reminded of home. He made quite a few satisfied noises.

Freddard was not a happy man. He never was. So, he didn't find this journey pleasing. He kept rolling his eyes at Percival's noises. Percival knew this, so made his noises louder just to spite him.

Thundad once again went into a thoughtful zone, so he didn't really take in his surroundings very well. He was just worried about this whole ordeal. As far as he was concerned, it wasn't going to work.

Soon after, they heard a rustle in the trees. The horses came together, and then halted themselves.

"This is bad..." Thundad proclaimed quietly "dwarf soldiers". He slowly reached for his bow, just in case they started any trouble.

Torli gulped hard.

"Uncle" he said, urgently "they can't catch me, I'm meant to be under house arrest!"

"As am I" Glein replied

"We're all wanted by them" Percival added with baited breath. "They don't like us meddling in their affairs"

"This is just great" Freddard sighed. He was fed up.

Then, through the trees came around 10 dwarven soldiers, armed to the teeth and led by the one who tried to arrest Torli the night before.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" He yelled moving to the group with the rest of his small army "Well well well, if it isn't the band of minstrels. And who do we have here? Well I never! Master Torli or should I say Miss Tali"

He pulled Torli off the horse and cuffed him on the spot. He signalled other soldiers to do the same to the others, which they did.

The troupe were in big trouble now, and, boy, did they know it.