Chapter 15
Beon's House and a Fight.
Its been a few days since we faced Azog. Nori has been hovering but it seemed lately he's been holding something back. We were waiting for Bilbo to get back after we heard warg howls. I was sitting on a rock. I had pain still in my chest from the wound that my brother gave me. Nori was again hovering.
"Will you stop hovering? I'm fine." I growl. Nori shot me a glance, but still stayed by me. I groaned. Dwarves. Bilbo comes running down the hill. I stood up and felt Nori grab my arm, but I pull my arm free from him. I was use to taking care of myself for centuries. I didn't notice the hurt look on his face.
"How close is the pack?" I ask.
"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Bilbo said.
"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked.
"Not yet, but they will, we have another problem." Bilbo said. I raised an eyebrow.
"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf said.
"No, that's not it." Bilbo said. Gandalf smiles.
"What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material." Gandalf said. I heard chuckles from dwarves.
"Listen. I think Bilbo has something else to tell us." I said. The dwarves go silent and Bilbo shoots me a smile.
"I"m trying to tell you there is something else out there." Bilbo said. The dwarves looked worried.
"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked. I shot Gandalf a glance at the mention of a bear. I think I knew he was talking about. Bilbo looks at Gandalf.
"Yes, but bigger, much bigger. Gandalf and I shared a look and I knew he thought the same thing I was thinking.
"We're gonna need you to convince Beorn. You know he hates dwarves, but trusts you." Gandalf said in my head. I nodded.
"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked as Gandalf turns and walks away.
"I say we double back." Bilbo said.
"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." I said.
"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge." Gandalf said.
"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin said.
"Neither. He will help us or he will kill us. Except Ella, who he knows. So we'll have one advantage." Gandalf said. I saw all the dwarves look at me and I just shrug.
"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked. A roar splits the air and I knew it was Beorn.
"None." I said.
We were running through plains and across streams. I stayed in between Fili and Kili towards the front. Nori was with his brothers.
"Come on!" Gandalf yelled from the front. We run through a forest. My ears picked up Azog and his orcs racing through the forest behind us. We came to a stop as a roar splits the air nearby.
"He's close." Fili said.
"Yes." I said.
"This way, quickly." Gandalf said. I clutched my chest as I felt blood coming from the stitches.
"Ella?" Kili asked.
"I'm fine." I said and we were running again. We come out of the forest and see a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of the plain.
"To the house! Run!" Gandalf said.
We run across the plain. Bombur out runs us as we head towards the house. We run through the gate.
"Come on, get inside!" Gandalf said. Bombur collides with the door and bounces off. Fili, Kili, and I slam into the door and start pushing at it trying to open. I turn around as I heard the bear burst out of the trees and runs towards us. "Open the door!"
"Quickly." Thorin said, pushing through us and opening the door. The dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf run in. I stand by the door.
"Ella!" Nori called. I ignored him as Beorn stops in front of me snarling.
"Beorn. Its me. Please. We are on the run from Azog. We need a place to stay. Let the dwarves stay. They are like friends and family to me." I said in Beorn's head. He sniffed me and he left. I felt my eyes roll in the back of my head and I collapsed to the ground to Nori yelling my name.
I woke up in the loft of Beorn's house. I had my head in Nori's lap and Oin hovering over me.
"Easy lass. You had blood loss. You should have told us." Oin said.
"Kind of hard to when we were running from Orcs and my friend." I said as Oin and Nori helped me sit up.
"Another lover you haven't told me about?" Nori asked.
"I'll leave you alone." Oin said, leaving.
"What's your issue?" I ask.
"Who's Byron?" Nori asked.
"What?" I asked.
"After we face Azog, you said Byron when your unconscious. Is he a lover or someone else?" Nori asked.
"Nori. I'm not ready to tell you." I said.
"When are we going to be honest with each other. I have been honest with you, but you won't tell me who Byron is." Nori said.
"Its complicated." I whisper.
"When your ready to tell me, come and find me, but for now I need to be alone and need to think." Nori said, standing and leaving.
"Nori. Please don't..." He was gone before I could finish. I felt tears in my eyes. I stood up and came down the stairs. The dwarves were sleeping. I saw Nori join his brothers. I head into the kitchen. A figure comes out of the shadows that was quite small. I pulled out my sword to find a beautiful white wolf pup with mismatched eyes.
"Well aren't you a pretty thing." I whisper, knealing down and petting it. It licked my hand and followed me to a stack of hay. I laid down as it laid next to me and rested her head on my chest. I silently cried still hurt at Nori's words. I knew I had to tell him but couldn't. I fell asleep with tears still coming down my checks.
I woke up to someone nudging me awake. I looked up to see Beorn over me.
"I see Winter has taken a liking to you." Beorn said. I stood up and hugged my friend.
"It's good to see you, friend." I said.
"Same with you, Ella. Come help me make breakfast." Beorn said. I followed him into the kitchen with Winter close to my heals.
AN: Yes. Nori is jealous and I got a good reason why there is tension between them for a while. Heh heh. Don't worry. They will kiss and make up eventually. I'll update soon.