Chapter 6

Young Love

Fili walked with me through the woods. I had developed feelings for the handsome dwarf. I did not know if my mother would approve though, this caused me to keep my feelings to myself. But now that no one was there beside Fili and I….I decided to take a chance. I slipped my hand into his, prepared for the hurt or the acceptance. We stopped and I could not meet his gaze. He held onto my hand and that was when I looked at him. His blue eyes were sparkling and he was smiling. I smiled back and we continued to walk together. We came to a small stream and sat down.

"Fili what is the date today?" I asked.

"Well by now it is….the 23rd of October."

I smiled.

"I am sixteen now!" I said.

He smiled and hugged me.

"Happy birthday Lin!"

I smiled, loving the feeling of his arms around me. I closed my eyes and buried my face into the fur of his coat. When we separated I looked into his eyes.

"I have never seen anyone with blue eyes, apart from my brother. Most people have dark eyes where I come from."

"Hm, I doubt any of their eyes are as lovely as yours."

I smiled shyly and I knew I was blushing. He kissed my cheek and I looked up surprised. He had a faint blush on his cheeks.

"You missed." I said.

"What?"

"You missed."

I kissed his lips quickly. He smiled at me and kissed me again. It was simple kiss, but I loved the feeling of it all the same.

Caladhiel's POV

I smiled when I saw Lin and Fili kissing. Thorin seemed to approve.

"~A fine choice my boy. A fine choice.~"

I smirked.

"~You do realize I speak and understand your language.~"

He looked surprised and then a little embarrassed. I smiled and shook my head.

"Your nephew is a fine young dwarf. Maybe a little old for her, but I could not think of a better person for her." I said.

He put his hand on my back and smiled. I smiled back at him and we turned our eyes back to Fili and Lin.

The next morning we were off again. Gandalf was taking us to the home of a skin changer.

"What is a skin changer mother?" Lin asked me.

"A rare person who can change into certain sort of animal."

"Quite right. Beorn can turn into a great black bear." Gandalf said.

Suddenly there was a loud roar from behind us.

"What was that?" Thorin asked.

"Run!" was all Gandalf said.

We had no choice but to listen to him. I looked over my shoulder and saw a very, very large black bear coming for us. My eyes went wide and I urged Lin to go faster. We were all running as fast as we could. When Beorn's house came in view, Bombur sped past all of us.

HOW!?

As we got to the house, Bombur slammed into the door and fell back. They were pounding against the door and Thorin lifted the latch. We all rushed inside and closed the door. The bear stuck it's snout through and we all pushed as hard as we could. We managed to get the door closed and locked, Kili almost losing his head in the process.

"What is that?" Ori asked.

"That is our host." Gandalf said.

My jaw dropped and I kept my arms around my daughter.

"Sometimes he is a huge black bear, sometimes he is a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over-fond of dwarves."

"He is leaving." Ori said.

I looked at Ori. Dori rushed over to him.

"Come away from there! Tis not natural, none of it. It is obvious. He is under some dark spell."

Gandalf looked at him a bit frustrated.

"Do not be a fool. He is under no enchantment but his own."

I smirked and Lin giggled.

"Now get some sleep. You shall be safe here tonight…..I hope." Gandalf said.

I looked at him but he would not meet my gaze. Fili and Lin slept close together and I was glad he was there to protect her. Fili was a strong warrior and she would be safe. I could find no sleep so I stayed up to keep watch. Someone opened the door and a very large man came inside. I stood up and he looked at me.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Caladhiel Greenleaf."

"Greenleaf? Wife of the prince of Mirkwood?"

I was confused as to how he knew me.

"Yes. How did you…."

"He came this way looking for you a few times."

I looked down with a guilty conscience.

"When was the last time he came this way?" I asked quietly.

There was a few seconds of silence before he said,

"Perhaps a year, maybe less. Every time he comes this way he asks, and every time he is disappointed."

I sat down and put my face in my hands.

"I never should have left." I whispered.

Beorn left and I was left with my thoughts.

"Goheno nin Legolas. Goheno nin." (Forgive me Legolas. Forgive me.)

Thorin's POV

I woke up to the sound of wood being chopped. I saw Lin lying across Fili and Kili's foot in Fili's face with Lin's legs across Kili's legs. The three of them looked like siblings and it made me smile a bit. I shook my head and then Gandalf came to us.

"Up! All of you wake up."

We gathered near the dining table and there was a good argument.

"I say we leg it. Slip out the back." Nori said.

Dwalin grabbed him and said,

"I am not running form anyone, beast or no."

"There is no point in arguing. We cannot pass through the wilderland without Beorn's help. We would be hunted down before we ever get to the forest." Bilbo came up beside me. "Ah Bilbo, there you are. Now this will require some delicate handling. We must be cautious. The last person to startle him was ripped to pieces. Now I shall go first and Bilbo, you come with me."

The hobbit looked very worried and I nodded towards Gandalf.

"Is this a good idea?"

"Now the rest of you will come in two's and wait for the signal. Do not make any sudden movements or loud noises, and do not crowd him. And remember to only come out in pairs." He made to leave but then stopped. "Actually Bombur, you count as two so you should come out alone."

Bombur hung his head but nodded.

Caladhiel's POV

I sat outside with Beorn as he chopped his wood. The animals were his family, having lost his family to the orcs long ago.

"You have a peaceful life here Beorn. It is always nice to see peace in times of darkness."

"On that I do agree Lady Greenleaf, but these lands are crawling with orcs now. And I must work hard to defend my lands."

"I have no doubt of it. It would seem the Middle-Earth I left behind has changed, and not for the better." I said sadly.

Gandalf and Bilbo came out, but Beorn did not seem to notice them.

"Morning." Gandalf said.

Beorn continued to chop.

"Good morning." Gandalf said again.

Beorn stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Who are you?"

The tone of his voice made even me shiver.

"I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey."

Gandalf bowed and then Beorn turned and looked at him seriously.

"Never heard of him."

He looked to me.

"He is trustworthy, believe me." I said.

He turned back.

"Then speak."

"I am a wizard. Perhaps you have heard of my colleague, Radaghast the Brown. He lives in the southern part of Mirkwood."

"What do you want?" Beorn asked.

"Well um, simply to thank you for your hospitality. You may have noticed that we took refuge in your lodgings last night."

Bilbo was revealed and Beorn brought his hand up his axe.

"And who is this little fellow?"

"Ah well this would be Mister Baggins of the Shire."

Beorn lifted his axe a bit and I stood.

"He is not a dwarf, is he?"

"Why no, he is a hobbit. Good family and an impeachable reputation."

He set his axe back down.

"A Halfling. And a wizard. How come you are here?" He asked.

"Well the truth is we have had a bad time of it. From goblins in the mountains."

"What did you go near goblins for? Stupid thing to do." he asked.

"It was more of an ambush by goblins if anything." I muttered.

"You are absolutely right….."

Dwalin and Balin came out and Beorn lifted his axe. Lin came running out to me.

"Lin."

Beorn looked at me.

"My daughter."

He nodded and then looked back.

"Dwalin….Balin." said Dwalin.

"I must confess, that several of our group are in fact dwarves." said Gandalf.

"And do you call two, several?" he asked.

"Ahm….well now that you put it that way, there is a good more than two."

"Go, go!" I heard.

This time Oin and Gloin came out.

"Oh and here are some more of our happy troop." Gandalf said.

"And do you call six a troop!? What are you? A traveling circus?" Beorn asked.

Gandalf was laughing nervously. Dori and Ori came out next.

"Dori…"

"And Ori. At your service."

They bowed and Beorn growled.

"I do not want your service!" Beorn hissed.

"Ah yes completely understandable."

Fili and Kili came out next.

"Oh! Fili and Kili."

Lin tried to go forward but I held her back.

"Wait." I said.

"Quite forgotten." Gandalf said.

The rest came shuffling out.

"Ah yes, Nori, Bifur, Bofur….and Bombur." Gandalf said.

Beorn was looking over them.

"Is that it? Are there any more?"

Thorin stepped out and I let Lin go to him. Beorn looked at me.

"Is he her father?"

I almost laughed but I shook my head.

"No, no. She is adopted, she never had a father."

He nodded and he looked at Thorin. He had us all come inside for breakfast and we sat down. Lin and I were served first and Lin smiled at him.

"Thank you."

He sort of smiled at her.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

I looked at Thorin.

"You know of Azog? How?"

"My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family. But some he enslaved, not for work you see, but for sport. Caging skin changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him." said Beorn.

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asked.

He poured Fili some more milk as he answered,

"Once there were many."

"And now?" Lin asked gently.

"Now there is only one."

Lin looked down sadly and I put my hands on her shoulders.

"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn." Beorn said.

I nodded.

"Before Durin's day, yes." Gandalf said.

"You are running out of time." he said.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

Thorin turned away and I looked down.

"A darkness lies upon that forest! Fell things creep beneath those trees." he said.

I looked up slowly.

"What?"

"I believe this to be because of the evil in Dul Guldur." Beorn said.

I was worried about my people.

"Which is why we will take the elven road. That path is still safe." said the wizard.

"Safe? The Woodelves of Mirkwood are not like their kin, they are less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked.

"These lands are crawling with orcs, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn said.

He and Thorin stared each other down. Beorn slowly stood.

"I do not like dwarves. They are greedy and blind, blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own." he said.

He picked up a mouse and gently stroked its head.

"But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

I smiled.