AN~ Hey guys, as you know NaNoWriMo is starting today, and so I'm letting you guys know that he chapters will be more consistent and hopefully longer, though I have been told that these are really long anyway...
No matter, I hope you guys like this, and I hope you enjoyed the extra hour of sleep~
~Read, review, comment your thoughts, I would love to hear them!~
Ann hurt. She woke up to her left arm pulsating painfully, and her head was throbbing even worse.
"We'll have to stay camped here for one more night." Someone shouted.
"If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow we leave her." Another deeper voice said.
"No, you're being ridiculous." Someone said. Ann slowly was regaining her bearings, and was now uncomfortably aware that she was laying on the ground.
Then babbling broke out, "We can't leave her-" "She helped us!"
"She did disobey an order." There were chuckles. "But they were broken with good will, and even better intentions, so we will stay another night. But no more, we leave at dawn. If we must we will lash her to her horse.
"They can't have moved in daylight, can they? The trolls, that is." Bilbo (Ann was sure he was the only one that would ask such a question) spoke out. "I mean before Gandalf killed them."
"There is a cave near by. Split up and find it."
"I'll stay here with Ann." Jane said, and Ann heard a thump next to her.
"As will I."
"Then be sure to watch the ponies." Thorin paused. "Let's go." Then there was a thunder of footsteps leaving camp.
"D'you think she's awake?" Someone prodded her in the side. It must be Fili, Ann thought, because Jane was on her other side.
"Oh, definitely." Jane said casually. "What I'm curious about is why she didn't make her presence known the moment she woke up."
Ann opened her eyes, and it a second for the world to come into focus. Fili was on her left and Jane was to her right, they were both crouching, and looking at her suspiciously.
She looked down at her leg, and cringed. "Oh, it's blood."
"Yeah I cleaned most of it off, but your pants refused to come clean." Jane sighed.
"Yup." Ann looked straight up in the air, and set her jaw. "How long was I out?"
"Oh about half a day," Fili shrugged, "give or take."
Ann looked straight at Fili and held a hand to the side of her eyes. "How's everyone? Did anyone get roasted or whatever before I came?"
"No." Fili gave hr an odd look.
Ann covered her eyes and laid back down. "That's good."
"Does our head hurt?" Fili laid a hand on her head. "Are you sick? Why are you not looking straight?"
"I'm fine." Ann sat up and shoved his hand off her forehead and looked down in embarrassment. "I just can't stand the sight of my own blood."
"Why?" Fili looked astounded. "Everyone bleeds."
"Because it's proof that she's fallible." Jane explained.
"Thanks Jane. That may or may not have been a bus that just ran me over."
Jane ignored her and continued on. "That she's imperfect and can make mistakes." Ann thumped back down onto her blue sleeping bag. "When she gets back to full strength she'll no doubt run twice as fast and push herself beyond the breaking point to make sure she doesn't make the same mistake again."
"Thanks for pouring my soul out." Ann was officially irked now.
"Ann, calm yourself."
"Why didn't you reveal yourself to the company?" Fili asked.
"Well the reason for that is I'm hungry, and the second is, I have the key for their hideout." Ann sat up, and the world spun.
"What?" Fili stood up.
"How?" Jane asked.
"Why do you think I got hit so many times? I also got a nifty knife." Ann grinned. "Fili you're going to have to carry me."
Fili sighed, and crouched down enough so Ann could grab his shoulders and cling on.
"Onward, my steed." Ann pointed to their left. "Let's go to their campsite first of all."
Fili chuckled and turned so he was facing Jane. "Well, if we are to go to their camp, we must head this way."
"Pshaw that's what I meant." Ann rolled her eyes. "And please do make sure to stay out of sight, Fili"
There they were at the campfire, there were still thirteen sacks lying on the ground, the pen that Bilbo had broken the ponies out of, and the rock trolls. One was shielding itself from the light, one was curled up on the ground, and the other, well it looked like it was in the process of killing someone who had insulted his mother.
Ann nudged Fili toward the split-in-half-rock, and then just past it, was a cave.
The cave smelled, you could tell without opening the door, ten feet away.
"That's disgusting." Jane shivered. "I'm not going in there."
"Awesome, Fili is." Ann gave Fili a key, it was the size of his head.
"Well, this is huge." Fili grumbled, trying to hold Ann up with one hand, and fit the key in with the other.
"No doubt that troll thought it was small and inconspicuous." Jane shrugged.
"Ha, that's funny." Ann laid her head in the nook on Fili's shoulder.
"GUYS WE FOUND IT!" Jane shouted. There was a couple of other shouts, and then the company was there with them.
"Thanks Jane, so much for first dibs." Ann sighed.
"What does that mean?" Fili was still struggling with the lock and key.
"That you get first pick." Ann sighed again.
"I thought you three were at the camp. Watching the ponies." Thorin was straight faced.
Ann burst out laughing. "That's funny, putting Fili in charge of the ponies."
"How did you get the key?" Thorin stared confusedly at Ann. "And why are you clinging to my nephew?"
"Okay, first of all, he's carrying me, because he's a nice guy, and second of all, I picked the key up while distracting the trolls."
"Well open it up!" Bofur shouted. "What's inside?"
"A horrible smell." Dori cried out.
"Treasure." Ann said grimly. "The trolls plundered a whole village, they ought to have some sort of treasure with them."
With a ear splitting squeal of metal on metal, the key turned, and the door swung open.
They walked inside, there was plenty of gold alright, but there were also swords, and gems, and all the like, a real treasure hord. The first of which Ann had ever seen.
Fili walked around, and stopped when he reached a pile of gold. He nudged it with his foot, and the gold fell down off, revealing an object underneath.
It was a sword, and a fairly long one too.
"Oh, it's just a toothpick." Fili bent down and picked it up. "It'll be perfect for you."
"What d'you mean by that?" Ann said indignantly. Fili shook his head nostalgically and walked towards the entrance.
"You're small." Ann felt Fili shrug. "You need something not to big, but big enough to be lethal."
"What about you? Don't you want anything?" Ann eyed a particularly large ornate broadsword that was sitting on a pile of wood.
"No, I already have almost too much to carry." Ann heard the pride in his voice.
"Those daggers and knives at the smith's, were those all yours?"
"Yes, and more besides."
They entered the fresh air. Both exhaled loudly.
"Gloin, Dori, Jane, what are you doing?" Ann asked incredulously. For the three were kneeling and burying something, a body?
"Making a deposit in the bank of mother earth." Jane smiled. Ann immediately felt stupid, who were they going to bury? Ann was still here and Bofur was in the hord.
"Yeah, hurry up and finish that before Thorin comes." Fili grimaced. "He will think it dishonorable."
The other dwarves stood up. And together they went back to camp.
"Here, Bilbo, this is about your size." Ann watched as a surprised Bilbo was given a sword, shorter than hers, but still elegant, by Gandalf.
"I can't take this." Bilbo tried to give Gandalf back the sword, but Gandalf just lit his pipe.
"The blade is of elvish make, which means it will glow when orcs or goblins are nearby." Gandalf blew a smoke ring.
"I've never used a sword or blade ever in my life." Bilbo said softly.
"I hope you never have to." Gandalf said gravely. "But when you do, remember this, courage is about knowing how not to take a life, but when to spare one."
"Something's coming!" Thorin roared. "Arm yourselves!"
Immediately, Fili and Ann found themselves pushed to the middle of the group of dwarves.
"Fili, what's happening?" Ann fell off Fili, who helped her up into a standing position.
"Something wicked this way comes." Jane hissed.
"Are you sure?" Ann gazed at Jane for a moment. "That's great."
"Thieves, fire, murder!" Someone screeched. Ann saw a man riding a sled pulled by rabbits. He hopped off, and immediately began blabbing to Thorin and Gandalf.
"What's he on about?" Fili muttered. "And he looks like a harmless old man, not something wicked.
"I wasn't talking about him." Jane shivered. "Something's going on."
There was a howl, like something had crawled up from hell, and was now shouting it's triumph. Something appeared at the ledge and jumped down into the ranks of the dwarves.
Thorin quickly unsheathed his sword, and killed it. Looking at it's carcass the animal looked like a disproportionate wolf. That was about the size of a horse.
There was another. Kili tried to shoot it down with his bow, but his arrow strayed from the mark, and Dwalin, with a sickening thud, his it's head with the but of his axe.
"What, are there wolves here?" Bilbo looked off into where the wolves had come from.
"Wolves? No, that isn't a wolf." Bofur said. Ann shivered, and almost collapsed, but Jane grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.
"Fili." Jane sighed. "A little help here."
"That was a warg scout." Thorin said grimly. Fili hoisted Ann onto his back, where she buried her head in his shoulder. "The orc pack won't be far behind."
"Orc pack?" Bilbo muttered faintly.
"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf towered over Thorin.
"No one." Thorin stood defiantly.
"Who?"
"No one, I swear it. What in the name of Durin is going on?"
"You are being hunted." Gandalf frowned deeply.
"We have to get out of here." Dwalin stepped forward.
"We can't! We've no ponies, they bolted." Ori huffed, having just checked.
"I'll draw them off!" The man jumped on his rabbit sled.
"These are Gundabad wargs, they will outrun you." Gandalf put a hand on the man's soldier.
"These are Rhosgobel rabbits!" The little man huffed. "I'd like to see them try." With a flick of his wrist, he shot off, and soon there was a shout, "Come get me!"
Gandalf watched as the man drew them off. "Come on."
Ann was bounced around quite a bit as they sprinted from rock to rock.
"Stay together." Gandalf turned and disappeared.
"Thanks for that." Ann muttered, and then they were off.
"Follow me." Thorin took charge. He looked over a rock, and sprinted to the next.
They stopped at the next one, well all except Ori, who was grabbed by Thorin and shoved behind him.
"Stay behind me!" Thorin hissed pressing his back to the rock.
"Come quickly." Gandalf was behind them now. They turned and went to another rock.
"Where are you leading us?" Thorin stepped in front of Gandalf. Ann blinked to make sure that she wasn't actually imagining Thorin challenging Gandalf when they were under attack from a bunch of weird wolf riding freaky things (Jane probably knew what they called.)
"Somewhere where you will be safe from the orcs." Gandalf looked over the rock to see the crazy guy losing ground in his lethal game of tag.
"Tell me or we go no further." Thorin crossed his arms and stared stubbornly at Gandalf.
Gandalf looked genuinely confounded.
"Thorin!" Ann jumped off of Fili's back and advanced on him. "Are you really doing to risk all of our lives just so you can go without injuring your pride?"
"Gandalf-"
"Is trustworthy." Ann totally disregarded the multiple hissed whispers to get her stop talking. "Do you think your pride will be saved if your company is eaten by wargs?" Ann put her hands on her hips. "What if one of your company dies because of your foolery?"
"Run!" Gandalf shouted. There were wargs closing in on all sides now. There were only rocks preventing them from being totally surrounded.
Jane was scared. She knew that made her 'weak' in the company's eyes, but she believed that fear wasn't bad, it was just how you channeled it, and if you let it take over you, that was bad. So she ran.
Her side stung, there was a stitch that was absolutely killing her.
However fast she ran, she felt frozen, and powerless. She wasn't street smart or strong and amazing at sports, that was Ann 's strong suit. She was the person who usually dealt with books and the human nature.
Reading multiple college textbooks on human nature sure hadn't prepared her for this. Jane now wished she had taken one or two of the taekwondo or kung fu classes that Ann had so badly wanted her to.
They were circling up now. The dwarves, Ann, Bilbo, and Jane. They were taking a last stand, if you would even call it that.
"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled hoarsely.
No one spoke as the orcs closed in. Ann was on the outside bow strung and firing at a rapid pace, Kili's too. Their arrows rarely strayed from their marks and many orcs fell before they got a chance to attack.
Jane watched as Ann threw down her bow angrily. Kili too ran out of arrows.
It was like everything that could have possibly gone wrong did. For the second time, Gandalf had gone missing. They were out of options and surrounded. They had no place to go. Jane looked down at her feet. She couldn't even make a last heroic stand, in which she went down fighting, no, that would be Ann.
Then the orcs attacked. They all closed in at once. Giving Jane barely any time to flinch, and draw Ann's knife shakily from her belt.
Ann was in front of her. Lunging, dodging, stabbing, weaving. She was like an elaborate dancer. Who, if anyone deviated in the slightest from the script, would die.
There was a roar, and Jane spun to her left. Everyone was fighting but her, she was just hiding behind Ann.
Another throaty holler, and Jane pinpointed the sound. It was a warg tearing toward Ann. Ann, however was already engaged, and was struggling with a huge orc. Jane's eyes widened, as the warg jumped towards Ann.
"No!" The scream was tore from her lungs as she stumbled forward and thrust a hand out.
The warg as if shoved, flew into a rock with a sickening thud, and didn't get up again.
Jane looked at her hand over joyed, maybe she wasn't useless.
She tried it again. She imagined the orc fighting Ann flying into the stone. But he merely stumbled backward, which gave Ann the opening to drag her sword across his neck.
"THIS WAY YOU FOOLS." Gandalf stood at a stone a ways away from Jane.
"Run now," Ann jogged up to Jane. "I'll hold them off."
Jane blinked. Ann gave her a nudge and started toward a warg riding orc that was going full tilt toward the retreating dwarves, she slew his mount.
Jane sprinted toward the rock, and looked back at Ann, who was doing horribly against the orc. She was letting her left hand dangle uselessly at her side and-
"Get in." She was shoved roughly, and slid through a cave thing, at the bottom was -thank god- fourteen others and Gandalf.
"Where's Ann?" Fili stepped forward.
"Still out there."
A horn sounded and there was a pounding of hooves. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, tumbled into the hole.
The company had their weapons drawn.
"Dead." Thorin said plucking the arrow from the orcs chest. His face twisted into a grimace. "Elves."
"I cannot see where the pathway leads." Dwalin said to Thorin. "Do we follow it or no?"
"Follow it of course!" Bofur grinned.
"What about Ann?" Jane stepped forward. All eyes turned to her.
"Jane's right, we need to go back for her." Fili pounded his fists together.
"No, if the elves are here then they will have taken her captive already. It is of no use." Thorin shook his head.
"We at least need to try." Kili put in.
"Uncle! Have you forgotten? She's a part of our company!" Fili stared reproachfully at Thorin.
"Yes, and have you forgotten that I am the leader of the company?"
"Then will we follow the tunnel, to see where it leads?" Balin asked.
Thorin nodded.
"Sometimes the only way to go is forward." Jane whispered fearfully. She was one of the last to follow Balin.
Fili lingered a moment longer to glare disgustedly at the hole whence they came. After a few moments of silence, he sighed angrily and followed.
Jane shut everyone out.
There was an ache in the right side of her body. She felt like half of her was missing. Ann was her twin, and sometimes they had a more-than-physical-bond. Like when Ann fell out of a tree and broke her arm. Jane had started sobbing inside of the house, ceasing her coloring to clutch her right arm. Then Ann had walked in. Scraped and with her arm hanging out of place, all she wanted was for Jane to stop crying.
But that was Ann for you. If anyone was in harm's way, she would swan dive in and plant herself in the middle of it. She was so solid and reliable that nothing could knock her down, not even Jane almost laughed a tornado, if she wanted to stay standing.
What could have happened to her? Jane shuddered. Best case scenario was that she was taken captive by the elves. Who by the book's description, and Thorin's Jane gathered they were two faced.
The worst case scenario? She was dead. The orcs had slain her, or the elves did. No telling what they thought of humans. Or of Ann. Jane smiled sadly thinking how badly Ann would take being captured.
She could just imagine Ann swearing the elves out, and lashing out at them, with both her body and tongue.
Jane almost chuckled as she realized just how bull headed and stubborn Ann was. She had known before, but that she thought about it...
She remembered Ann dragging her outside and away from their homework, to play soccer with her so she could make the school team. She remembered Ann let her head bang on the table and groaning as Jane tried to tutor her. Ann making wood swords in the third grade and "dueling" with their father. She thought of when Ann made the varsity basketball team and ran around their room screaming. Jane remembered the mornings after the crazy friday night college parties when Ann would sleep until noon, and Jane would make her soup. Jane sniffled and blinked a couple of times. She remembered the time when she made Fili carry her up to Bilbo's house. She remembered how Ann had laughed and made jokes along with the dwarves, making herself perfectly at home. Jane knew she had taken a bit longer to get comfortable, but such was the way of things.
The thing she most remembered was how angry she had gotten when she had found the camp of trolls and seen the dwarves in sacs.
"Listen up, his is how this's going to go down." Ann had said. "You take my knife, I've my bow, and cut the dwarves free, while I distract the trolls. But do me a favor?" Ann had sighed and looked back at the troll's camp. "Cut Fili free last, alright? I don't want him barging in and getting himself hurt for me."
Jane had nodded and accepted the knife.
That was when Jane realized that Ann had subconsciously taken a liking to one of the company. But did Ann realize it? Probably not. Anne never realized anything unless it was handed to her on a silver platter.
But that sparked another question, did Ann know why they were even in middle earth?
Jane had already figured out why they were here, in middle earth that was (probably because she had so much time to herself in her lonesome corner.) But she hadn't gotten the chance to tell Ann yet. Or ask her what the hell they were going to do about knowing the whole adventures plot… But then again, Ann had only skimmed the book, and then proceeded to, less than an hour later take the book report quiz.
Jane trudged along drearily, feeling as if she was going to cry. They got to an opening. Sunlight shown through. Jane stepped out into the bright evening light.
The first thing she noticed was the air. It was so much fresher here, but Ann would have noticed was the town below them.
But Ann wasn't there.
Jane glared dismally at the would be happy surreal village.
None of the company reciprocated her mood, except for Thorin, who instead of glaring at the village with Jane, glared at Gandalf.
"This is Imraldis. Though in the common tongue it's known by a different name." Gandalf was quite oblivious of Thorin's glare.
"Rivendell." Bilbo breathed.
"Here lies the last homely house, east of the sea." Gandalf finished.
Jane wanted to say something about finding Ann, she opened her mouth but-
"This was your plan all along." Thorin stepped forward. "To seek refuge with our enemy."
Gandalf gave him an odd look. "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will that lies within the valley is that which you bring yourself."
Jane was aghast at the fact that she was being ignored. She tried to step into the conversation and failed.
"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing?" Thorin looked at Gandalf snidely. "They will try to stop us."
"But will you let them?" Jane was angry now. "We have questions that need answering Thorin. One of our company is lost. If you want to be successful, you need to handle this tactfully." Jane tried to mimic Ann's glare that made teachers shudder, and guys back away slowly.
Thorin nodded once.
"This will need no small amount of charm, so you will leave the talking to me."
Jane admired the beautifully carved bridge. Jane was almost glad Ann wasn't here. But then she wasn't, because there was a chance that Ann might be dead.
"But still," Jane thought, "Ann would probably die rather than cross this bridge." Jane zoned out and thought about how Ann wasn't really scared of anything except for heights, spiders, and of course her own blood.
They passed two statues of elven guards holding spears, and Jane felt uneasy, there was a staircase that led up to a castle, that at that moment looked really intimidating.
They stood for but a moment until a dark haired elf came to meet them.
"Ah, Mithrandir." The elf was looking at Gandalf.
"Lindir." Gandalf nodded.
Many of the dwarves shuffled from one foot to another, murmuring their distrust of the elf.
Jane watched, horrified as Thorin leaned over and whispered something subtly into Dwalin's ear.
"Oh, my, god." Jane breathed looking at Thorin and Dwalin. "Are they planning to kill that elf?"
"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." The elf said loudly. Eyeing the dwarves, his lip curled.
"I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf told him, bringing his shoulders back, and holding himself importantly.
"My Lord Elrond is not here." The elf shrugged.
"Not here?" Gandalf sputtered. "Then where is he?"
Horns blasted from behind them, Thorin shouted something, and the dwarves spun around, unsheathing their weapons.
There, upon the bridge was a group of riders, and they were riding toward them, at a rapid pace, one would almost think, they meant to run them down.
Jane was on the inside of the circle, as per usual.
The elves on horseback didn't slow until they were riding around the dwarves in circles.
One elf, with black hair, and a braided gold circlet, stepped down off his horse. "Gandalf."
Gandalf bowed gracefully. "Lord Elrond."
Elrond stopped for a moment before striding toward Gandalf, and hugging him.
"My Lord Elrond, where are the rest?" The one man said.
"They should be back in a moment." Elrond nodded at him, "They are dealing with a complication." He started conversing in low tones with Gandalf, in a language that sounded, to Jane, quite like French.
"It is strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders." Elrond was addressing the whole group. "Something, or someone must have drawn them in." He was holding up a bow, that was Ann's, Jane realized with a start, and an orc sword.
"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf said sheepishly.
Thorin stepped forward head held high, he truly in that moment looked the part of a king.
But then a faint clip-clop was heard, and heads turned toward the bridge, where Ann was sitting sideways on the saddle of a horse, trying to cut a rope tied around her legs with a knife. Her hair had fallen out of it's usual tail, and now the reddish brown curls were being tossed about in the wind, she was caked with blood, you could tell that even from a great distance.
Lord Elrond sighed. "Here's the complication that I told you about Lindir." He turned to the company, "Do you know this human?" He held up a hand, and one of the archers pulled back the drawstring of his bow, which just happened to be aimed at Ann. "Or shall I kill her for trespassing onto my lands?"
"Yes." Jane and Fili said at once.
"She's my twin." Jane told him.
"And a part of our company." Kili added.
"Very well." Elrond lowered his hand, and the archer ceased.
Ann had gotten the rope off of her legs, and was getting uncomfortably close, uncomfortably fast. Jane sighed, and readied herself for the actions that were sure to ensue.
Ann tucked the dagger into her sword belt, which Fili had bought for her in one of the earlier towns they had passed through, and pulled hard on the reins, rage flowing through every part of her. The horse hurried to a stop, and Ann leapt off of it.
"Who the hell," Ann spat, advancing on the man who had tried to abduct her, "do you think you are? You can't just take people captive, elf." Ann spat the word like it was an insult, and glared at him.
"You were trespassing." The elf said looking amused.
"I call extenuating circumstances." Ann spat. "And for chrissake give me my sword back!"
The elf actually had the audacity to chuckle at her. "Her blade." He said to one of the elves still on horseback.
"Thank you very much." Ann yanked the sword out of the elves hands.
"What did you do to the elf who was riding that horse?" Elrond said, with a deadly icy quality about his voice.
"He is sitting somewhere without the use of his arms or legs." Ann shrugged.
"Care to elaborate?" Elrond said disbelievingly.
"If you hit someone hard enough, in the right place, it will cause their limbs to freeze up." Ann sassily threw some of her hair over her shoulder. "He pulled me onto the back of his horse, and not only did I disable his arms and legs but I stole his weapons and mount." She mock bowed to Elrond.
"Will that be all Elrond?" Ann, not waiting for a reply, strode to the company and planted herself at their head.
"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." Elrond chuckled, looking directly at Ann.
"Excuse me?" Ann opened her mouth, and probably would have gone striding toward him, had Jane not grabbed her arm.
"Are you offering insult?" Fili asked, appearing at Ann's other side.
"No master dwarf, he is offering you food." Gandalf said exasperatedly.
"Ah, well in that case lead on!" Bombur shouted excitedly.
The elves led them inside, and to their rooms. Or in Ann's case, they tried.
"So what's your name?" Ann didn't like silence, at all.
"Gaerwyn." The elf led her down another hallway.
"Well, my name's Ann. Nice to meet you." Ann was trailing slightly behind the elf.
There was silence.
"So what do you think of the weather? Really nice isn't it?"
"Fair weather is the only weather of the homely house.
"So you've never felt rain?" Ann was surprised.
"Yes."
"So there's bad weather in the Homely house too." Ann grinned.
"Who are you to say rain is bad weather?"
"By comparison, rain is worse weather than sunny days.
"Fine." The elf sounded like she actually hated Ann. That was going to have to change.
Ann grinned. Now seemed like a perfect time for some puns.
"What happened to the frog's cart when it's wheel fell off?"
"Am I supposed to know?"
"It got TOAD away." Ann chuckled and Gaerwyn just shook her head sadly.
"Why was six afraid of seven?"
"I am not liking your words."
"Because seven EIGHT nine."
"Do not say another word." Gaerwyn turned around and stopped.
"How do astronomers organize a party?"
Gaerwyn covered her ears.
"They PLANET." Ann laughed.
Gaerwyn was an elf child, Ann realized.
"What's the tallest building in the world?"
Silence.
"The library."
Gaerwyn took her hands off. "I don't get that one."
"Because it has so many stories."
Gaerwyn shook her head disbelievingly and continued walking.
"Where are we going?"
"I am to take you to your rooms, and make you in particular presentable for dinner."
"Why?" Ann almost groaned.
"Because you are to dine with my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn opened a door, and motioned for Ann to step inside.
The room was huge, with a four poster bed, it even had a canopy drape looking thing over it.
Ann noticed a door, and walked over to it, she grabbed the knob and twisted it, and took a peek inside. There was a tub, that you could probably swim in.
"Thanks." Ann watched as Gaerwyn walked to the wardrobe, and threw it open.
"Get into the bath, and clean yourself off, I will prepare your clothes."
Ann sighed, knowing they would clash about what she would wear. "Alright."
She took a step into the bathroom, and shut the door. She let her hand graze the top of the water.
The tub was warm and frankly the perfect temperature.
Ann looked at the wall, hanging on it, was a very ornate mirror. Ann looked at herself. She had changed.
She had lost the little fat she had from being in the off season of sports, and was now tan, she even had a light spattering of freckles to go with her off color red brown hair. Ann thought she was taller too. (Although she probably wasn't.)
She took a last look in the mirror then unstrapped her sword belt, and took her dagger out of her boot, and made sure there was a towel before diving into the tub.
Ann let herself soak in it, for who knows how long, before she decided it was time to start cleaning the dirt of of herself.
She washed herself and combed her hands through her hair. It was caked with dirt, leaves, and a little blood here and there
Ann shivered, and swam away from the spot where the red cloud of blood and grime lay hauntingly.
"Make haste!" Gaerwyn was pounding on the door. "The daylight is dying!"
"I'll be out in a sec." Ann shouted back. She hauled herself out of the tub, and grabbed an incredibly fluffy towel. Wrapping herself securely she stepped back into her room.
"Get dressed." Gaerwyn held out a paste colored dress.
"Ew, no." Ann walked to the wardrobe. "No way am I wearing a dress."
"You are dining in the company of my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn ground out. "You must be dressed appropriately."
"Who are you to define appropriate?" Ann turned around and glared. "Besides dresses are inconvenient."
"How so?" Gaerwyn tossed the dress on the bed and crossed her arms.
"Well, you can't run in them, or fight." Ann rummaged through the wardrobe picking out a couple pair of pants, and a pair of leather boots.
"But you would look presentable." Gaerwyn argued.
"But I would be undefended." Ann turned. "Which is unacceptable." Ann grabbed a plain blue shirt and brown (leather maybe?) jacket, and put them in a pile.
"What are you expecting to happen?" Gaerwyn was tapping her foot impatiently.
"You have to be ready for anything." Ann shrugged. "You never know what might happen." Ann grabbed her pile of clothes and went into the bathroom.
"I'm going to make you wear a dress." Gaerwyn shouted through the door. "Even if I have to force it upon your head!"
"Good luck with that." Ann pulled on her clothes, everything, thank god, fit perfectly. But something didn't feel right. She was missing something. Ann looked down, and chuckled.
She strapped on her sword, and tucked the dagger in her boot. Now she was good.
Ann waltzed back into the room, to discover Gaerwyn standing by the door, key in hand.
"I've locked the door." Gaerwyn said proudly. "I'm not unlocking it until you get the dress on."
Ann sighed, and watched sadly as Gaerwyn walked to the bed and held the stupid dress out.
Ann trudged to the door, and pulled at the handle. It wouldn't budge. Ann was hit with an idea. It was a bit stupid, and Ann would probably end up getting hurt, but… The door was wood...
"Well?" The triumph in Gaerwyn's voice was too much for Ann. Now she had to do it.
She eyed the spot right beside the knob and positioned her feet so she wouldn't totally fail at this.
With a grunt, Ann brought her foot up and kicked the door.
Gaerwyn gave a muffled scream. "What are you doing?"
Ann bent and examined the door, there was a mildly long crack in it.
"Testing the strength of this door." Ann turned and grinned. "But it doesn't appear to be very strong."
Gaerwyn ran over to her. "Don't break it!"
"Are you going to unlock the door?" Ann already knew the answer.
"No, you have to dress-"
Ann kicked the door again. The crack widened.
"What's going on?" A voice sounded outside the door. "What's going on in here?"
"I don't know, who're you? Are you an elf?" Ann cursed her ill luck.
"I'm Fili, here with the company of Thorin." Ann heard the handle jiggle. "Why is this door locked?"
"Oh, it's Ann in here and someone's trying to force me into a dress, would you mind standing back a moment?"
"Ann what the hell have you gotten yourself into?" Fili sighed.
Ann kicked the door, and with an almighty thud, it swung open.
"I haven't got myself into anything. I'm just getting out of things." Ann strode out into the hallway. Fili and Jane were both standing aways from her door.
"Dress?" Jane grinned.
"Never." Ann made a face.
"I should've known something like this would happen with you." Fili smirked.
"Why do I always get the troublesome ones?" Gaerwyn groaned.
"You got a helper?" Jane scoffed. "Unfair."
"I'm telling my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn strode down the hallway.
"Should we follow her?" Ann asked dubiously.
"No, elves are all talk." Fili said dismissively. "Let's go find the rest of the company."
"Okay, and where are they, Fili the knowledgeable?" Ann smirked.
"Well." The smirk slid off of his face.
"I thought so!" Ann grinned.
"Oh really? I guess you know where it is then?" Fili crossed his arms.
Ann paled.
"Come on you two." Jane was halfway down the hall.
They ran after Jane, laughing.
Ann was mildly disappointed. Their food was all leaves.
Now, don't get her wrong, Ann had nothing against salads. They were great. If they had excessive amounts of toppings that is. But this one didn't.
Ann's lip raised in disgust. Jane glanced and her and rolled her eyes.
"Kind of you to invite us for dinner." Jane thanked Elrond.
They were sitting at a table with Bilbo, Gandalf, Balin, and Thorin.
It was boring, and there food was horrible, they didn't even have any meat.
"My pleasure." Elrond was nibbling at his food, quite oblivious to his guests discomfort.
The talk turned to their travels, in describing which Thorin had even Jane thinking for moment before she got which part of the adventure he was talking about.
"You encountered trolls?" Elrond said disdainfully. "On the East Road?"
"Yes, and we discovered some rather unusual swords."
Gandalf motioned to Thorin, who with jaw set, and eyes narrowed, handed his across the table, and Elrond pulled it toward him, caressing the scabbard softly.
"Yes," He said looking up "forged by the high elves of the West. My kin. It's the Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver, may it serve you well." He handed back regretfully back to Thorin.
"And this one." Gandalf handed his to Elrond who's eyes widened slightly.
"This is Glamdring." Elrond whispered. "The sword of the king of Gondolin." He looked up at Gandalf, almost aghast. "These were made for the Goblin wars of the first age…"
Ann looked down at her sword. Maybe it wasn't special. Maybe it was. Maybe it was forged for a princess. Maybe it was just a chunk of metal.
Jane followed her gaze, and shook her head.
"Hey, what about this one?" Ann handed her sword to Elrond, ignoring an exasperated Jane.
"This was made for a sorceress, many centuries ago." Elrond held onto the sword. "You came by these in a troll hoard?"
"Yep. Which sorceress is she commonly known?"
"You wouldn't know, she has long passed." Elrond didn't hand the sword back which was rather irksome for Ann, as she was left feeling quite empty without it.
Gandalf looked surprised, while everyone else practically had question marks floating over their heads, except Jane of course.
"One of the blue sorcerers." Gandalf started. "They traveled into the West with Saurman, and never returned."
There was silence for a moment.
"It's called Mattur." Elrond reluctantly handed it to Ann. "May it serve you well."
"Thanks." Ann strapped it into her scabbard, and started picking at her food.
An idea popped into her head. Breaking off a piece of her broccoli looking thing, Ann took careful aim, before looking away and tossing at Fili.
Glancing out of the corner of her eye. Ann saw Fili staring at her with an expression that said exactly. "If-you-weren't-sitting-next-to-my-uncle-I-would-be-throwing-my-entire-plate-at-you."
Ann smirked and motioned her head subtly toward the door to the castle.
Fili sighed loudly and stood up abruptly, his chair squeaking on the flagstones, excused himself and walked inside.
Ann waited but a moment before standing up and asking, "Where's the restroom?"
Elrond pointed to the door. "It is the thirteenth door on your right."
"Thanks." Ann walked up the path and to the door, and paused a moment to look over her shoulder. The only one watching her was Jane, who had her head cocked and was looking with at her. Smirking she opened the door, and stepped inside.
What the hell are you doing now Ann? Ann turned violently around and stared at Jane through the door. Was she mistaken or was that Jane's voice inside of her head? They had been close, Ann knew and had a precognitive ability when it came to each other. They had tried for hours to communicate telepathically when they were little, but they had never even come close.
"Why did you call me here Ann?" Fili was sitting leaning against the wall and carving something in his hands.
"What're ya doing?" Ann plopped down next to him. She leaned to look over his shoulder.
Fili shrugged, stuffing the chunk of wood into his cloak, and put the knife in his boot.
"Don't try and change the question Ann." Fili looked down the hall.
"Alright mr. cranky, I was wondering if you wanted to go and see if would find the kitchen and get some sweets?"
Fili chuckled and shook his head. "You act like a child."
"Is that a bad thing?" Ann sighed. "Fine, I'll go by myself."
Ann started to walk off down the hall, leaving Fili disgruntled.
"Ann wait." Fili stood up. "I'll come with you."
"Oh grand!" Ann turned around grinning, and waited for Fili to catch up.
"Do you even know where the kitchen is?" Fili stopped.
"Nope." Ann stopped and continued grinning at him.
"What if we get lost?"
"What if we find something interesting?" Ann crossed her arms and raised her chin. "You'll never know if you don't try."
"Where are we wandering then?"
"Nowhere, we're wandering. Wandering is not where you're going, and still going." Ann looked back at him. "Don't be a party pooper."
"Why are you using slang in a elvish castle?"
"Because." Ann started walking again, and Fili reluctantly followed.
"What about the company? What will they do when we don't return?"
"Jane will most likely cover for me." Ann looked down a smaller branch off hallway that was deserted.
"Fine." Fili strode into the corridor. "Let's wander then."
Ann grinned and skipped after him.
They had only walked around for a bit, when they came across two guards.
"What are you doing?" The first thing that Ann noticed was their height, compared to Fili and her, they were giants.
"Stuff." Ann looked up innocently at them.
"We are finding a lost companion." Fili sighed at Ann. "She was looking for the bathroom and didn't return so we were sent looking for her." Fili nudged Ann, then started to walk around the guards.
"Will you keep a look out for her?" Ann took a step around them.
"Wait, what is she like?" The elf look bewildered.
"Thanks." Ann waved over her shoulder and jogged off to catch up with Fili.
"That went well." Fili looked over at Ann with a smirk twisting his lips.
"I think so too."
It took a while for them to get to the kitchens, but they did it, and were now currently hiding in the servants trolley chute, which was actually quite spacious. Ann and Fili were both able to fit
"What if it's filled with elves Fili." Ann groaned. "What're we going to do?"
Fili dared not peak through the chute opening. "I've no idea."
"Perfect I know what we can do!" Ann whispered.
"What." Fili rubbed his hands together.
"Well." Ann steepled her hands. "It's just an idea, and I need to figure some things, but I think it'll work."
"Let's hear it." Fili looked a little hesitant, but Ann was grateful that he even participated in this with her.
"So basically. What we have to do is try to set something on fire." Ann grinned.
"How would we do that?" Fili leaned forward and steepled his hands.
"Yeah, er okay so I kinda don't know that part."
Fili laughed right in her face.
"Come on." Ann grimaced. "It's not that bad is it?"
Fili hid his chuckle behind a hand.
"Alright, you have flint and steel right?" Ann held out her hand. "Give it to me."
"It goes against my good judgement to do this." Fili took out a stone and a piece of metal that looked a handle, or a rather square brass knuckle.
"Thanks for that vote of confidence." Ann took the flint and steel and took a bit of cloth from her handy jacket-that-was-really-one-of-Fili's-that-had-gone"missing" Ann tried to tear the cloth, and failed.
Fili sighed and took the cloth from her. He took it between two fingers, and tore it.
"Quit smirking would you?" Ann rolled her eyes and opened the chute and let a piece fall to the floor, where there was a bit of spilled oil. Taking the second piece of cloth, she folded it once, and proceeded to try to light it on fire.
She hit the spark handle against the flint, nothing.
She did it again, this time the flint actually cut into the hand she was holding it with.
"That's great." Ann muttered.
She tried again, this time the flint bounced out of her hand and rolled toward the chute.
Fili lunged and grabbed it.
"Thanks." Ann laughed nervously. "That wouldn't have ended well."
"D'you think it's time for me to do that." Fili held out his hand.
"One more time, then you can have a go at it." Ann grinned and high-fived his outstretched palm.
"You are going to get us found out." Fili said simply, handing her the stone.
"Nope." Ann brought the flint and steel together over the cloth, and closed her eyes, willing the cloth to catch fire.
It did. Ann, silently cheering, watched as Fili picked it up, and throw it out of the shoot, it landed in the oily cloth and the floor around the chute caught fire.
"This is all your fault." Ann shook her head, retreating to sit and lean against the back wall.
"How is this my fault, you were the one who suggested the whole light a fire to cause a distraction." Fili opened the chute all the way.
"It worked though." Ann shrugged and crawled forward, crouching on the edge. She prepared to jump.
"Stop, you are going to land in the fire." Fili read Ann's mind and grabbed her shoulder.
"The more time we waste, the more time until the elves come back." Ann looked over her shoulder at Fili, who let go. "I'll toss 'em to you, alright?"
"Fine." Fili sat back.
Ann leapt across the floor, and tucked into a roll. She sprang up, getting a pitcher of water from one one of the basins, and throwing onto the fire.
"Hah! Ann saves Fili, again!" Ann grinned with her hands on her hips.
"I could have gotten out of it by myself." Fili climbed gracefully out of the chute.
"Well, you didn't, so be grateful. did you even see that amazing roll thing I just did?" Ann frowned at Fili.
Fili chuckled, and ruffled her hair. "Yes, good job."
"You're not allowed to touch my hair." Ann brushed his hand off and started trying to fix it. She sighed and gave up, her hair was untamable.
Fili smiled and strode to the pantry, and threw it open.
Ann went to the ovens, and opened it. The aroma was heavenly. She set her gaze to the mini buns, that were oozing jam or something of the sort, and squealed. "Ooh, Fili, look at these things! they look delicious!"
Fili didn't even look at her. "Then grab them, as you said, we don't have much time."
Ann grinned and reached into the oven. Her hand stopped, and curled into a fist. "Yeah where's a glove I can take this out with?"
"A glove?" Fili gave her an odd look. "The cradle's right here." He motioned to besides the oven.
"Oh, yeah, hah, sorry." Ann scratched the back of her head.
She grabbed the stick thing with a square on the end and took the pan out and dumped the things into a pile on the counter.
Fili brought over some circle shaped things the size of your two thumbs pressed together.
A tapping was heard outside of the door. It sounded like someone was unlocking the door. Fili grabbed most of the pile, and dove into the chute, Ann however had spotted a apple pie.
She met Fili's eyes. He shook his head. Ann grinned and grabbed the pie, and sprinted to the chute. Fili slammed it shut and the door opened.
"Hello?" A musically lilting voice sounded throughout the room. "Is anyone here?"
Fili and Ann began pulling the rope in the side of the shoot, and they heard the elf shuffling around the kitchen.
"Where did everything go?" The voice was slightly suspicious now.
Fili started pulling the rope a little faster, and you could clearly hear the faint rustling in the chute, and Ann was terrified it would give them away.
They heard a sigh, and it was a couple minutes of awkward silence before they got to the next floor.
"That pie had better taste delicious." Fili was smirking at Ann, who was grinning like a madman."
"Pshaw, the only thing the elves can cook are deserts." Ann waved him off. "Besides the thing that we have to worry about now is figuring out where the others are now."
Fili didn't look one bit guilty.
They laughed and talked all the wandering while, and of course ate sweets.
"Well we have a problem." Ann was sitting and leaning against Fili.
"What is it?" Fili looked as if there was nothing in the world that could faze him.
"We might have to ask an elf where the company is."
"Nope." Fili stood up resolutely, letting Ann fall back against the floor.
He held a hand to her, and she accepted, letting him pull her to her feet. There was an awkward moment when they were holding hands, before they both pulled away.
"Last one to Thorin has to give the other the soonest dessert that they receive, deal?" Ann grinned holding out her hand.
"Prepare to not have any dessert tomorrow." Fili shrugged and shook her hand.
"ONE TWO THREE GO!" Ann turned around and sprinted off, leaving Fili a little bewildered, but it was only a moment before he turned and sprinted off too.
"Hey!" Ann shouted at a pair of elves. One was a black haired girl, the other was a slightly shorter blond guy.
"Why are you here?" The shorter one with blond hair sneered.
"Doesn't matter, I need to get to Thorin right now." Ann stopped, panting, in front of them.
"I'll bring you to him!" The red haired girl glared at the blond man. "He's in the planetarium."
"Thanks, but hurry, it's of the utmost importance!" Ann grinned. Fili wasn't going to get there nearly as fast as she was going to, ha! "Desserts here I come." Ann thought.
They both sprinted off, Ann slightly behind the elf.
They were actually quite close to the planetarium, but they were going the way Fili had gone, which scared Ann just a bit, what if he got there first? What would happen to the poor desserts?
The doors were huge, and had engravings of stars, moons, and strange symbols that looked like cuneiform.
"They are in here." The red haired elf smiled at her. "My friends call me Adilyn."
"Thanks." Ann grinned. "I need you to find my one friend, he's blond about my height, and he's lost. I'm afraid he's a little directionally challenged."
Adilyn looked confused. "Is he wandering the halls?"
"Looking for Thorin, yes." Ann nodded.
"You want me to bring him here?" Adilyn looked annoyed.
"Oh no." Ann looked "He's a confounded nuisance. I need you to delay him in any way possible."
Adilyn laughed, it was a clear crystal sound, like wind chimes.
"What?" Ann placed her hand on the door.
"You are racing him, are you not?" Adilyn smiled.
"That's one way of putting it." Ann looked at the door, with a ghost of a smile on her face. "One that makes it sound childish."
"Cherish your innocence." Adilyn put a hand on her shoulder. "T'will not last much longer."
"Thank you." Ann pushed the door open.
"Twas my pleasure." Adilyn watched her walk inside for but a moment, then went in search of her friend, fully intending to lead him to his room.
Ann walked into the planetarium, it was beautiful, now that it was dark, the stars were way brighter than any she had seen, probably because she had lived in a city all her life.
Ann stood gazing at the stars, then realized no one had noticed her presence. There were few people in the room. Just Thorin, Jane, Bilbo, Balin, Gandalf, and Elrond.
Ann grinned and crept behind a statue.
"Our business is no concern of the elves." Thorin was saying gruffly.
"For God's sake Thorin, show him the map." Gandalf was seriously annoyed.
"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets."
"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves." Gandalf crossed his arms. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in middle earth that can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."
Elrond actually looked unperturbed.
Thorin stood there for a few seconds, looking at Elrond, as if he could make him swear to secrecy.
"Thorin what if I told you that you can only see something tonight, and that something will change the course of this journey, that no matter how far you travel, you will only be able to find the answers tonight." Jane said slowly.
Ann remembered three things from the Hobbit summary she read online at 3 a.m. the day before the test. One was that the line of Durin was discontinued. The second was that Bilbo finds a magical ring. But the thing that really stood out to her was that there only one night when you could read the ruin-things. Ann thought that was the only flawed part of the book.
Thorin stared at her surprised. "What are you implying."
"Magical runes." Jane explained. Ann frowned at him. He was as stubborn as an ox, not that she had any room to talk.
Thorin reluctantly took a step forward, and held the map out to Elrond.
"Thorin no!" Balin grabbed his shoulder.
Thorin brushed Balin off and gave Jane a look that said quite plainly if-this-doesn't-work-you're-going-to-be-blamed.
Elrond took the map and slowly unfolded it.
"Erebor, what interest do have there?" Elrond didn't look at Thorin, but instead at Ann.
"It's mainly academic." Ann said bluntly, stepping out of the shadows.
The company turned to her, and Elrond nodded.
"Yes, as you know some of these maps contain hidden texts. You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?" Gandalf recovered and stepped in.
"Cirth Ithil." Elrond said surprised, and looked closer at the map.
"Moon runes." Gandalf nodded. "Of course, an easy thing to miss."
"In this case especially so." Elrond looked up and passed his gaze from Ann to Jane, and back again. "Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon the same shape and season of the day they were written."
"Can you read them?" Thorin stepped closer to Elrond, presumably trying to get a glimpse of the map.
"Yes. These runes were written on a Midsummer's eve by the light of a crescent moon, nearly 200 years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell, fate is with you Thorin Oakenshield. It is the same moon that shines upon us tonight."
They walked outside to a piece of crystal that was fashioned into a low podium like table.
Elond laid the map on the crystal and looked up at the sky.
The moon shone down onto the group.
Ann watched the map, nothing happened.
"Nothing's happening." Ann was stunned.
"What do you mean?" Elrond looked at her strangely. "These runes have appeared."
"No, those were already there." Ann shook her head.
"What do you mean by this?" Gandalf narrowed his eyes.
"After you went off to discover the road ahead, before we encountered the trolls, I wrote these in the dirt for Thorin." Ann turned to Thorin and Balin.
"The lass is right." Balin nodded wisely. "She wrote this in the dirt on the side of the path."
"How could you see them?" Elrond asked.
"I dunno." Ann shrugged. "Maybe it's because I'm so magical."
"Humans do not possess any magical power." Elrond cocked his head. "So how can you see?"
"It doesn't matter, does it?" Balin stepped between Ann and Elrond.
"Quite the contrary, you two are twins," he addressed Ann and Jane, "are you not?"
"Yeah, born on the same day and everything" Ann crossed her arms.
"Stop beating around the bush, what are you saying?" Thorin looked suspiciously at Elrond.
"Nothing." Gandalf stepped in. "He means nothing, you two will not be told what may not be true."
"The map." Ann pointed. "What does it say?"
"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting suns with the last light Durin's day will shine upon the keyhole." Elrond translated.
"Durin's day." Bilbo questioned. Ann turned, she had forgotten he was there, and judging by the looks on Balin's and Thorin's faces, they had too.
"It is the start of the dwarves new year, when the last moon of autumn and first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf explained.
"This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's day will soon be upon us." Thorin said morbidly.
"We still have time." Balin said decisively.
"Time for what?" Bilbo said, ever the clueless one.
"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened." Balin looked suspiciously at Elrond.
Bilbo hooked his hands in his belt loops.
"So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain." Elrond said slowly.
"What of it." Thorin looked dangerous, dressed in black, with a hand around his sword.
"There are some that would not deem it wise." Elrond put in.
"Who do you mean?" Thorin smirked.
Elrond walked back inside. "You are not the only one to stand guard over Middle-Earth." He turned over his shoulder and looked back at them one time, then walked off without another word.
"That was rude." Ann coughed.
"To say the least." Bilbo looked ruffled.
"Well, he, or someone he is associated with is going to try and stop us." Ann snorted.
"What are you saying?"
"Same reason I could read the writing." Ann looked straight at them.
"You can wield magic." Thorin looked at her in a new light.
"No, it's because I'm always right." Ann made a face.
The company sighed.
"So what are we going to do?" Balin looked at Gandalf.
Fili burst through the door.
"No, wait, you must not-" Adalyn came into view grinning.
"Did you do this?" Fili stormed into the room.
"Sorry, I tried to lock him in his room." Adalyn grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah," Ann scratched the back of her head "my friend Adalyn here helped me out."
"She told me I was going to be executed for going into the kitchens." Fili crossed his arms angrily.
Ann laughed and turned to the group, "What will we do?"
"About what?" Balin asked.
"The White council will meet tonight." Jane nodded. "They will try to stop us."
The group looked uneasy, and Adalyn stood awkwardly in the door.
"What's going on?" Adalyn took a half step forward.
"Your Lord Elrond plans to hold us prisoner, and postpone our quest." Thorin looked darkly at Adalyn.
"To the point where we would be unable to complete it." Jane added.
"What? Why would he do such a thing?" Adalyn looked horrified.
"He thinks the quest will upset the balance of middle earth." Jane frowned.
"If we leave now we could go before they get a chance to stop us." Ann suggested.
"We need supplies." Thorin turned to her.
Ann and Fili met each other's eyes and grinned. "We know where the kitchens are." They chorused.
"I can help." Adalyn stepped forward determinedly.
Thorin looked at all of them in turn. "Fili, Ann, you get as much food as will fit in as many pack's as you can get. Elf-"
"It's Adalyn." Adalyn narrowed her eyes.
"Help them, make sure they get what they need, we are going to take the mountain pass. We will need hiking supplies."
Adalyn nodded.
"I will go alert the company, we leave in an hour." Balin volunteered.
"Make sure that they have what they need." Thorin nodded.
"Alright you two." Adilyn turned towards them for a moment, then walked to the door, "Let's get a move on."