Chapter 30
By midday Thorin pushed his horse into a trot, so I followed him. We were making good time, when something caught my attention and Thorin's horse was pulled to a quick stop, and mine was as well. I jumped as we were suddenly surrounded by elves, and I sighed in relief. The bows were quickly put away and a familiar blond elf walked forward.
"Legolas," I greeted, as he nodded to Thorin.
"Arina," he greeted back, and he bowed slightly to the both of us. "We knew that you'd be traveling through here. My father is also on his way to Rivendell. Lord Elrond summoned him as well."
"Really?" I asked in surprise. "Do you have any idea what this is about?"
"No, I do not," Legolas sighed. "You should be able to catch up to my father if you need to."
"Great," Thorin muttered.
I smiled a little and then looked at the elf. "Is the forest safe?"
"For the most part. We've pushed the spiders back as far as we can," Legolas replied. "They haven't attacked for a few moons."
"Well good. Thank you, for the nice welcome," I laughed. "We need to move quickly. I want to get there as soon as possible."
He nodded and moved back and cleared the way for us. We pushed the horses forward again, and picked up a fast trot. Thorin's face was set in an annoyed expression and I smiled at him.
"Stupid elf does it just to show off," he muttered and I laughed.
"Probably," I said in amusement as we picked up the pace a bit more.
The trip through the Elven road was easy, and it was sunset the next day we were out and onto the grass that was still fresh in my mind from our first journey together.
"Let's keep moving a little more," Thorin sighed. "Then we can rest somewhere."
"Well, if we keep riding for another hour, we can reach Beorn's house," I offered, as we walked the horses. "I'm sure he'd let us stay. Maybe he has some information we could find useful, and we can also let him know that your people might be coming this way."
"It would be protected," he agreed, as he slowed to walk next to me. "I'd rather not travel with Thranduil."
"You and I both," I pointed out.
He gave a slight smirk, so I pushed my horse forward into a canter and we rode the rest of the way to Beorn's house. When we got there, I tested the air and looked to the right. My body tensed slightly when the scent came to my nose and I arched one of my brows.
"Hmm," I said slowly. "I don't pay attention for two minutes, and we get stalked."
"What do you mean?" Thorin asked, swinging his horse to face mine.
"Beorn has been following us," I replied. "He's been with us since the start of his territory. Sorry, I should have sensed that. But I wasn't paying attention."
"Should we make a run for it?" he asked quietly.
"No, he would have attacked us by now," I said shaking my head. "Hold my horse."
Getting out of the saddle, I gave him the reins, and moved a good twenty feet from Thorin and the horses. He watched me closely, obviously ready for danger so I smiled at him.
"Relax," I chuckled, as the large black bear that was Beorn appeared from the tree line in front of me.
He charged me, so I planted my feet in the ground just in case. It didn't help much, and he still managed to push me several feet back. I wrapped my arms around his thick neck and hugged him tightly making the large beast rumble. He seemed more human than usual, which explained why this encounter was better than the last.
"Yes, I'm out of practice," I laughed. "I didn't sense you till we got right here. Can we take refuge in your home?"
He rumbled again when he took a step back from me and his head dipped in a nod. I smiled at him, and then turned to face Thorin who had tensed on the back of his horse. I rolled my eyes at him as I walked back over to him and swung into the saddle after I took my reins from his hand.
"He will join us shortly, I'm sure," I yawned. "I am tired, we just rode two whole days without really stopping, almost three..."
"I'd like to journey through the Misty Mountains by day, so we can rest here till then," Thorin replied quietly.
"Good idea," I nodded as we rode to the house. "I don't feel like being attacked at night."
He nodded his head as we approached the house, and swung out of his saddle to begin taking the things off his horse. The gelding snorted happily, and took a long drink from the water trough he had stopped in front of. Mine did the same as I unpacked things and set them down quietly. We turned them out in one of the pastures Beorn had and then headed inside the house. It was just as I remembered it, and I smiled at the bumblebees that flew through the house.
"This was a fun part of the journey," I smiled, as I picked up an apple and threw it to Thorin.
"I'm glad you found it amusing," he replied, as I sat at the big table and grabbed some bread and honey that was there.
I laughed after I swallowed a bite. "I mean had we not been in such a hurry, I'm sure you would have thought so."
Thorin snorted slightly at that, and finished the apple I had thrown him before joining me at the table to also have some bread and honey. I cut off a piece for him, and grabbed the honey comb and handed it behind me. He took it, our fingers brushing slightly and I leaned back against his chest as he stood. Thorin planted his feet firmly on the ground so I could stay where I was.
"We can get some sleep and then leave once we wake up and get ready," he rumbled. "We can make this journey in seven days I am confident of it. So that leaves us with four more. We need to try and get over the Misty Mountains in the day...I don't feel like dealing with Goblins again."
I nodded my head quietly. "I honestly say we leave the horses here and fly out tomorrow. We won't be able to make through the High Pass with them anyway. You told me you took it by foot. If I can fly over it, wouldn't that make much more sense?"
"I wanted you not have you use your powers if we could help it," Thorin murmured, running his free hand through my hair.
"It'd be the smart thing to do," I countered. "Either way, if we go by foot we risk getting attacked. I don't exactly want to fight."
"What choice do I have?" he asked with a smile.
I glanced up at him after I finished what I had eaten. "You don't," I smiled. "I'll get there in a days time if we leave tomorrow morning, or even in the afternoon."
I stretched quietly when Thorin walked off to go find somewhere to lay down for the night. I could hear Beorn outside patrolling the woods, so I followed Thorin to bed down for the night.
We woke early the next morning to the smell of food being cooked. My eyes fluttered open when Thorin's fingers ran down my cheek and I sat up.
"He's making breakfast," he rumbled. "Join us when you are awake."
Nodding my head, I yawned and stretched, cracking my neck in the process. A bumblebee buzzed past my head, and I blinked a bit and then got up. Grabbing my long sweater from where it hung, I shook it out and pulled it on after running my fingers through my hair. Beorn was setting fresh cooked meat on to the table and he nodded at me.
"I was just telling Thorin that it would be a wise idea to fly over the Misty Mountains," he said slowly, pouring us both some milk.
"Really?" I asked sitting down.
"The goblins have been moving through the mountains at night. I can hear their howls and shrieks on the wind sometimes," Beorn rumbled quietly.
"Well then," I sighed and picked up a piece of sausage he had cooked. "I guess that makes it clear that we have to fly. Can the horses stay here?"
"They will be safe here," Beorn nodded.
"Thank you," I responded gratefully.
"The elf king passed through here several days ago. Tell me what do you know?" Beorn asked as he sat at the other end of the table.
"We know nothing yet," Thorin said first. "We are simply called there. I am sure once we know what is going on, you will."
Beorn nodded his head, glad that we wouldn't keep him out of it. I finished my eggs he had put on my plate and sighed quietly.
"Has there been any Orc activity?" I asked.
"There have been a few raids here and there," Beorn looked over at me. "But not on my territory. I can only smell them on the wind, and then the blood. They are still out there, but they are not in the numbers they used to be."
"That's good," I looked at Thorin who crossed his arms and nodded in agreement.
"We should keep moving. We have the light," Thorin sighed as he walked off.
I watched him move outside, and Beorn looked over at me for a moment. I got to my feet and grabbed a piece of bread with honey and sighed.
"So I was told you saved him and his kin?" Beorn asked.
"I did," I nodded. "I was shown that they were supposed to die. The line of Durin was supposed to be killed off. It's why I traveled with them, to change it. I hope we don't have a battle like that for some time."
"With The Defiler gone, as well as his spawn, the Orcs must be in a frenzy. They are leaderless right now," he nodded getting to his feet.
"I'm sure that the small raids will increase for some time," I sighed. "It's really all we can do is continue fighting back. And I am sure they are not totally leaderless."
He nodded, and followed me outside to where Thorin was waiting. I sighed watching him look off in the direction of the Misty Mountains, something on his mind. When we approached, he turned his head to look at us both, so I walked away from them as I took the form of a great eagle. Spreading my wings, I fluffed my feathers out and then turned to look at them both. Thorin grabbed our packs from where they were sitting and set them up for me. He then moved forward and I crouched down so that he could get on my back from the rock beside me.
"The horses will be here when you return," Beorn said approaching us. "And hopefully you will return with news."
"I'm sure we will," Thorin confirmed. "Thank you, again for your hospitality."
Spreading my wings again, I took to the sky after grabbing our things and headed for the path over the Mountains. I knew how to get there, so I made sure Thorin was settled before I picked up a steady pace, floating on the air currents when I caught them.
He leaned slightly to look over the land a while later, and we flew past the Carrock where we had started this journey, or at least I had. Theirs had started months before I had seen them at that time. Catching an air current, I picked up a little speed and by late afternoon we had begun to pass the mountains and the goblin tunnels that were deep inside. I didn't feel like lingering, so I kept going. It was a nice easy flight, since I had the currents to help my wings rest when I needed them.
"Almost there," I said to him as the sun reached late afternoon.
A few hours later I was diving down to the ground just inside Rivendell. Landing, I lowered myself so that Thorin could get down and then turned human. He had taken my weapons for me, so when I was human he handed them to me, and I slipped them back where they needed to be.
"King Thorin and Lady Arina."
Turning my head, I smiled when I saw Lord Elrond walking down the steps and into the courtyard that I had landed in. Walking forward, I hugged him tightly before stepping back. Thorin gave the elf a nod, and Elrond returned it.
"I am glad to see you arrive safely," Elrond smiled and looked at Thorin. "And it is good to see you alive and well."
"Thank you," Thorin nodded.
"So, why are you summoning Thranduil as well?" I questioned, cutting the greetings short.
"There is a matter to discuss. He will arrive shortly I imagine. For now, let me show you where you will be staying," Lord Elrond replied, giving me a look for interrupting him.
I smiled and glanced at Thorin for a moment and he sighed and followed the elf as he led us through the halls and to a beautiful guest room. I set my bag down, and looked over the room that was complete with a bathroom.
"Dinner will be ready shortly, I will send someone up for you," Elrond nodded as he left us. "Best clean up a little before you come down."
Thorin grumbled a little, and I looked at him once we were alone. I chuckled softly and grabbed my brush out of my pack and patted the bench at the foot of the bed. He looked at me crossly, only to slowly walk over and sit down. I set to work on brushing his hair out; gently combing out the tangles from the flight. When I finished, I put my hands on his shoulders and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.
"I'm sure I'd get myself banished from here if you were not with me," he admitted.
"I know," I grinned, getting to my feet.
I fixed my hair, and began to braid it off to the side so that I wouldn't worry about it being in my face. Thorin watched me quietly, his expression unreadable.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"Yes," he rumbled with a sigh, running a hand through his freshly brushed hair.
"Oh, I see," I smiled with a tease. "You hate being on your best behavior. This is going to be so much fun."
"Arina," he grumbled.
Throwing my head back I laughed as he stood and I went up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck so I could reach up to kiss him on the lips. Thorin wrapped his around my waist, pulling me close.
"You are King, get used to things like this," I offered in a soft tone. "And anyway, Lord Elrond doesn't summon meetings like this unless he has to. So something must be up."
"If you say so," Thorin muttered and pulled back from me.
It's going to get better.
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