A/n: I own only Ireth the rest is Tolkiens and Peter Jacksons. The lines signify either time skip or change of view. Countinue with the story.
() - thoughts
IV.
Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.
Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.
Humming that song Bilbo and Ireth found strength to continue travelling with the dwarves and Gandalf. For the next couple of days there was no problem. They camped for a night and continued the next morning. With every day Thorin became more and more kind toward Bilbo but he was still wary of Ireth for what person can be any good if she or he knows elven language. What he didn't know was that she knew Kuzdhul the dwarven language. They were a day away from Rivendell when they stopped somewhere near East Road.
Even if Gandalf was against stopping there Thorin brought different decision and they ended camping there. Fili and Kili were chosen to guard ponies and one horse. It was one horse not two because when Thorin didn't listen to Gandalf, Gandalf decided to act like a kid and went away Valar knows where. Bilbo was sent with the food toward the boys.
- Fili, Kili here's your soup, Bombur sent it. – Said Bilbo.
-Yeeah, it is nice of Bombur to send them but we have a problem…- Started Kili and stopped.
-And that would be what? – Asked Bilbo already scowling because he knows what young ones can do.
- We are supposed to guard ponies but there is only twelve. - Said Fili.
-WHAT? - Hissed Bilbo to not be heard by any other beings around.
Looking around Bilbo realized just what took the ponies from Ireths stories and knew that they were screwed and man was he not quiet about it.
- How in Valars name could you miss trolls taking ponies. If it were orcs maybe, but trolls, the giant big, very big trolls. – Raged Bilbo and he even cursed them in Hobbit language. Then Fili and Kili suggested that Bilbo since he was their burglar that he should go since he was their burglar. Bilbo looked around again and honestly he would admit that he was afraid. There was no Ireth to help him because she was back at camp (hopefully not in in the woods to look around).
-Fine! – He bit out – But you will Fili call rest of the Company and you Kili will be on the watch out for me! –
He hoped against all hope that it will go smoothly so he sneaked to the trolls and from them toward the ponies but it went downhill. He managed to get to the ponies when trolls noticed him. One took him by his coat and yanked him in the air.
- This thing tries to take our food I say we cook it. –
- But what is it? – Asked second.
- Is it a rabbit? – Asked third.
-Is it a dwarf? Maybe there are more of them. – Suggested second again.
- Oi, what are you? – Asked first one which grabbed him.
Bilbo deciding to play for time not knowing that dwarves were looking made a decision to use method which Ireth used in one of her stories.
- The proper question would be:" Who are you?" but I look over it for a second and make it easy for you. I am not a rabbit and definitely not a dwarf. I am neither a human nor an elf. I am certainly a living being. I live in hills and enjoy cooking… -
By the time the trolls realized that he was not telling them anything that they wanted Ireth arrived and killed two while the third turned to stone because of sun. There was only one tiny little problem Gandalf has still not arrived and Ireth became worried. When it was all done dwarves came out and Thorin asked with a bow of respect:
- Where's Gandalf Lady Ireth?-
-I don't know and it worries me.- She replied and looked toward sun for a moment then turned and said to all f them:
- I unfortunately do not know where Gandalf is but I want you to gather all of our belongings and ponies at this spot where we are now. In an hour we will all meet here and go search for troll cave. After that we will wait for Gandalf there. –
She didn't wait for a response but turned around and walked away. She sat on a big branch and searched with her mind for Gandalf. She found him but he said to go toward Rivendell and that they will meet there.
When time that was set passed she arrived where she said they would meet. She looked at each one of them and said with the voice not of an lady but of an warrior and her eyes that were before bottle green were now golden and they held the power she wielded in them:
- My father said that he needed to leave for Rivendell and that we WILL meet there. I will guide you there and I know that you will make fuss but I ask of you to be polite toward our host. –
When she finished talking she mounted onto her horse with dwarves following her lead not one of them questioned her about it. While they were riding Thorin thought :( What kind of power does she possess to have almost two personalities that are different only in her eyes and her voice? What could she do with all that power? She must have been blessed by Valars themselves.)
Without knowing Ireth was thinking about her power just in a different way. (This is the first time it was a partial influence rather than full. What if next time I do not manage to keep it inside and transform fully. Last time it happened I lost a person dear to me. I lost Him the person I told everything just because Valars decided that I should have two forms.) On her neck without anyone noticing a tear made of emerald shone in the sun drinking it in and consuming. The gem that stood around her neck was for its power called Lain in Sindarin meaning free. When they were about half an hour from Rivendell Ireth saw a familiar figure.
There in front of a tree stood Radagast. Ireth directed her horse toward him and the moment he saw her he greeted her with not so pleasant expression:
-Ireth I am so glad to see you there is a major problem and it needs yours or your fathers supervision. – He babbled quickly.
- What is it? – She asked worriedly.
-Mirkwood. It got even darker. There is so much spawns of Ungoliath. The forest is becoming ill to quick. – He said darkly.
-What do you mean too quickly? – She asked confused now.
- It seems like after you left King stopped caring and elves do not have any hope left. The prince even got a nickname. –
-What nickname. –
- Aradhelion. The elves used it for an insult. –
- How do they dare use it in such a way? –
- You left in a hurry. Not one person knew why. –
Just as Ireth was beginning to say something a loud growl was heard and a warg attacked. It jumped on Bilbo and when it tried to bite him Thorin stabbed it and said:
-Warg pack that means that orc scout is not far away. –
- Take this and go. I will stall them. – Radagast said trusting a sword like package into her hands. She didn't manage to say anything as he took off.
-Leave the ponies they will make it to Rivendell. It will be easier to go by foot – she said to the rest of the Company that was with her – And follow me. – She added.
No one questioned her order and they followed her. They ran and ran across the field. They hid behind stones. They were near the entrance when the orcs saw them and hurried. Most of the dwarves thought they wouldn't make it when Ireth shouted:
- Run into that gap over there I will cover for you. –
And they did run. They entered the gap and saw how Ireth was shooting arrows laced with flames. They also saw an arrow hit her.
A/N: The words and names in Sindarin I get on
The Elf Name Generator: Your Sindarin Elf Name you can find link on my profile.
And the song in beginning is:
The original version of the song that was sang by Bilbo in chapter 19 of The Hobbit, at the end of his journey back to the Shire
Aradhelion
Meaning: Royal Terror (ara+del) Son of (iôn) (aradhel+iôn)