A/N: Much longer chapter here for your reading enjoyment. I just felt these two big sequences needed to be kept together. Some fun, some trolls, some action. We will finally see some elves in the next chapter. :)
Just4Me: He can be quite hypocritical can't he...or maybe its just dwarven stubbornness? ;)
Thank you again for all the new followers and the reviews. They are really appreciated! I hope I am doing the original story justice and not mucking it up with my OC. :)
As always, everything you recognize belongs to Tolkien and Peter Jackson. Anything you don't recognize is my creation.
They traveled far that day and did not stop until right at sundown. Rhaella discovered a new meaning to the word stiff as she cautiously slid from her horse. At least the road had been fairly smooth and so she hadn't been jolted around too much. Everything ached but nothing seemed any worse than it had that morning and the constant dull pain had kept her reaction to Thorin off her mind for most of the day. After finishing her portion of rabbit stew she accepted Dori's tea containing Gandalf's healing herbs without question, gulping it down and then curling up in her bedroll. She was exhausted and she hurt and was not in the right frame of mind to sit up by the fire. Without the Ranger to join in their conversation and song the company ended up turning in early, some beginning to realize just what the lone female actually brought to the group. Thorin, remembering her words of caution about once they crossed the river, assigned Fíli and Dori first watch. Before he fell asleep he couldn't help but lift his head to check on their Ranger, spotting her by Kíli and Bofur. Her quietness worried him but he knew she was still in pain and exhausted and he tried to calm his nerves with that bit of common sense.
Rhae woke with the rising of the sun the next morning. Expecting the now familiar ache in her side and shoulders she was pleasantly surprised at how much less the pain seemed. It certainly wasn't gone but it was better and that small fact put a smile on her face. Perhaps those herbs of Gandalf's were actually working. Seeing as she was the only one awake she decided it was the perfect time to try to clean herself off and she headed down to the stream below their campsite, nodding at Nori and Dwalin as she passed where they were still on watch. Her plunge into the river had removed most of the dirt and blood from her hill tumbling adventure but the river itself had been rather muddy and she had crawled through the rocks and mud on its banks after being pulled from the water. Pleased to see that several trees and bushes provided her concealment from the dwarves, she removed her filthy clothes and waded into the waist deep stream.
The water was cool but not frigid, thankfully, and she quickly set to work, first cleaning her dirty clothes and then removing the dried mud from her body and hair. Rhae knew it was only a matter of time before her companions would begin awakening and come looking for her and she wasn't keen on being seen by one of the dwarves. Her shoulders still ached but the dull pain was much more manageable than it had been. The bruising on her ribs hurt the most and it was still painful to bend over, which meant in order to rinse out her hair she had to submerge herself in the cold stream. Still, it was better than being coated in mud and blood. Hearing a faint movement from the bushes she froze for a second before an annoyed smirk crossed her face.
"No sense in hiding, I know you're there. I told you you'd never be able to sneak up on anything stomping around like that."
Thorin slowly stepped from where he'd thought he'd been concealed, his face red behind his beard. He hadn't intended on seeing her - like that - as he'd only come down to make sure she was alright. Noticing her absence from the group when he opened his eyes that morning had sent him into a momentary panic but Dwalin mentioned that she'd gone down to the stream thus calming his fears. Coming around the trees and spotting her in the water, he'd quickly ducked into the bushes so as not to embarrass her. And then - he couldn't help himself. He'd peeked through the leaves. Her back was to him, her brown hair loose for once and falling about half way to her waist; with it always in a braid or tail he hadn't realized just how many shades of brown and copper it contained. The purple bruises on her side were clearly visible as were a couple deep scratches but the rest of her skin was almost flawless. She was so different from the dwarrowdams he'd encountered, trim but not skin and bones and curved in all the right places. She turned slightly, her profile now towards him and his blood suddenly felt like it was burning through his veins, heat coiling in his center. Thorin knew he should look away or make his presence known to her but his mouth was clamped shut and his body wouldn't budge. Her hair couldn't completely conceal the swell of her breasts or the enticing dip down to her waist. It was amazing what clothes could conceal, he thought to himself. Her face seemed so much younger with her hair down and that relaxed smiled on her lips. He had a sudden vision of joining her in the water and shook his head in disgust at those inappropriate thoughts. Things in his lower regions were beginning to get a bit uncomfortable, causing him to shift a bit where he was standing, and that was when she heard him.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to catch you in such a situation. I was merely checking on you as Dwalin said you'd been down here a while." Thorin cursed the stammering sound of his voice and the heat that rushed again to his face. He had expected her to be angry and yell at him for coming upon her in such a state of undress but she simply stood there in the water, arms crossed on her chest and a shrewd smirk on her slightly red face.
"I'm sure its nothing you haven't seen before though I would have preferred you not see mine. You needn't have worried. Nori and Dwalin knew where I was and I was about finished anyway."
"I awoke and found you gone. As leader of this company I was -"
"Yes, yes, I know. I've heard it before. No sense in talking about it now. Since you're here and probably mean to escort me back to camp, would you be so kind as to turn around so I can get out of this water before I turn into a shriveled block of ice? I'm afraid this show is over." Breathing a sigh of relief once the dwarf's piercing eyes were off of her, she hurried out of the water and into the clothes she'd laid out to dry. She hadn't known what to do when he of all people had appeared around the corner. Her cheeks had turned pink but she wasn't mortified or even really embarrassed so she wasn't sure why she suddenly felt anxious and hot all over. All she had been able to do was stand there with her arms crossed and wait to see what Thorin would say or do. Realizing he was as unnerved as she was had helped to lessen her anxiety. "You can turn back around now."
"How are you feeling this morning?" He gestured to her and she fell in step beside him. He caught a whiff of lavender again as she walked next to him; it was a comforting smell. Trying not to think about what he'd just seen he attempted to focus on his boots.
"Better. Its all a dull, throbbing pain now. I should be okay in a day or so." He merely nodded at her words, not able to think of anything else to say. Thorin felt like a tongue tied dwarfling who had never spoken to a female before. When he reentered the camp with the Ranger at his side he saw the raised eyebrows on his youngest nephew but shot Kíli a glare that stopped whatever the young dwarf was thinking of saying. With what he had just experienced he desperately needed a few minutes to himself to calm his erratic heartbeat and cool the blood that was still pulsing red hot through his veins. This was not how a king should be acting, he silently berated himself. He could not let anything cloud his resolve.
They came upon an abandoned and destroyed farmhouse right before sundown a couple days later. Thorin called for them to make camp but Gandalf followed him into the ruined building, trying to convince the dwarf to change his mind. Rhaella knew what the wizard was trying to get Thorin to agree to and knew it was foolhardy to try. Nevertheless, she agreed with Gandalf - on going to Imladris and on moving to a different site to camp. She leaned against the smashed doorway listening to their conversation, becoming more irritated at Thorin each moment.
"I have told you already, I will not go near that place."
"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice."
Thorin almost growled at the wizard. "I do not need their advice."
"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us."
"A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."
"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."
"I did not know they were yours to keep."
Gandalf glared down at the dwarf for a moment and then stomped out of the farmhouse, brushing past where Rhae still stood. The wizard marched passed where most of the company was milling about and they looked after him in confusion.
"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" she heard Bilbo call after him.
"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."
"Who's that?"
"Myself, Mister Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day!" Rhae could have laughed at the stricken look on Bilbo's face but she turned back to face the dwarf king who was still fuming.
"The wizard is right."
He sneered at her. "I do not need the supposed help of elves."
"I'm not talking about Imladris, even though he is right about that as well. Gandalf was correct in his wish to move from this place and not camp here. There is something foul in the air, in the ground." She wasn't about to broach the subject of going to see Lord Elrond.
"These ruins are old. Whatever happened here is in the distant past."
"You are wrong, Thorin. I was through here not a year ago and a farmer and his wife were here and very much alive. I know not what caused this destruction but it was not so long ago and it has left something foul in the air."
He eyed the building around him. "These look too old to be so recently occupied. Perhaps you are thinking of another location."
"I'm not that dim. I know where I am and when I was here. Do you so easily dismiss Balin's words if his opinion differs from your own wishes?"
"I am already putting two on watch each night. We are not moving. I don't think there's any danger here and we'll be able to see anything before it gets to us. Besides, it is too late to try and find another location."
She pressed her lips together in a tight line. "I think you are making a mistake, Master Oakenshield."
"I don't."
Wish a glare she turned on her heel and stomped away in the same direction as Gandalf. She'd had quite enough of the stubbornness of dwarves as well. It wasn't long before she spotted the wizard ahead of her and called out. He gave her a warm smile as she approached where he was seated on a large rock by the roadside.
"So you were equally as unsuccessful in swaying our royal leader?"
"I don't think a hard hit with a tree limb could sway such a stubborn dwarf." Gandalf laughed out loud at her words. "I didn't even mention Imladris to him. I just feel that particular place to camp isn't safe." He nodded and motioned for her to sit beside him. They sat in a pensive silence for awhile.
"Rhaella, I am going to need your help. I must convince Thorin to go to Imladris. Lord Elrond is the only person who can read that map. Without his help we'll just be staring at a mountain we can't enter."
"I highly doubt I'll be able to make a difference. Thorin is totally incapable of letting go of his hatred of the elves. He brings stubbornness to a new level."
"Perhaps you could lead them there?"
"Leading them straight to it isn't going to work. Thorin would know long before we got to the gates. If you want them in Imladris you're going to have to find another way in." Gandalf was quiet for awhile, deep in thought.
"There is another way but it will require a great deal of thought and cunning. I shall think on it tonight." He paused when he noticed Rhaella wasn't listening, her back straight as she appeared to have sensed or heard something. "What is it my dear?"
"The dwarves. They're in trouble." She squatted down, placing her hands flat on the dirt. After a moment her head snapped up. "Trolls." She took off in the direction they'd come from, Gandalf easily keeping up.
"Trolls? This far south? Are you sure?"
"Yes." Once back at the abandoned camp wizard and Ranger followed tracks into the trees. It wasn't long before they heard voices and spotted light from a fire ahead. They crouched behind a fallen tree and observed the situation. Rhae groaned. Several of the dwarves were tied to a large spit over the fire while the rest were confined to canvas sacks and tossed on top of one another. She hadn't left them for very long and they managed to get into this predicament; no wonder Gandalf wanted her to come along.
"The sun isn't yet up," she mussed softly, glancing to where a faint golden glow appeared on the horizon. "You wouldn't be able to speed that up by chance?"
"No. I am not that kind of a wizard. We'll have to try and play for time. Can you distract them?"
"For a few minutes at the most."
"Keep them occupied as long as you can - and don't get yourself caught." Rhae looked after him with a roll of her eyes. After a quick survey of her surroundings she pulled her scarf and hood over her head, scampered up the nearest tree, and notched an arrow. She figured the ring of trees around the troll camp would provide enough cover as she moved between them. Her arrows weren't strong enough to actually pierce the thick skin on the trolls but they should distract them from the dwarves for a little bit. Raising her bow she prayed her shoulders would hold up long enough.
"Wait! You're making a terrible mistake!" Bilbo's words stopped her before she could release the arrow. She looked down to see the Halfling, still in his canvas sack, standing before the three trolls. She frowned, wondering what in the world the little guy was up to. Some of the dwarves yelled at him, telling him not to try reasoning with their captors but Bilbo ignored them. "Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, the seasoning."
"What about the seasoning?" the one she'd heard called Bert questioned.
"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." While the dwarves began yelling at him again the hidden Ranger had to conceal a laugh. She had already caught on to what the hobbit was trying to do. Perhaps her assistance wouldn't be needed after all. She lowered her bow, keeping the arrow notched and ready, and watched the hobbit trying to stall the trolls.
"What do you know about cooking dwarf?"
"Shut up and let the flurgaburburrahobbit talk."
"Uh, the secret to cooking dwarf is, um -"
"Yes? Come on."
"Its uh -"
"Tell us the secret." Bert was obviously not a very patient troll.
"Ye-yes I'm telling you. The secret is to...skin them first!"
"Tom, get me my filleting knife."
"I won't forget that!" she heard Dwalin yell from his place on the spit. Several of the others were shouting curses as well. Rhae could only shake her head.
"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all," the one called Tom said from his position at the head of the spit where he was turning the dwarves.
" 'e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy." One of the trolls grabbed poor Bombur and held him dangling over his mouth. Rhae quickly raised her bow, aiming at the disgusting fellow, when Bilbo cried out again.
"Not that one! He's infected!"
"You what?" Tom asked.
"Yeah. He's got worms in his ... tubes." Rhae once again had to stifle a laugh and silently applauded Bilbo. The troll holding Bombur dropped him back on the pile of dwarves.
"In fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. Its a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't"
"Parasites? Did he say parasites?" Oin's indignant voice piped up from the pile.
"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!" Kíli joined in the protests. Rhae wanted to smack them all as they yelled back at Bilbo, saying they weren't infected and he was a fool. Were they so dim they didn't see what he was trying to do? Thorin finally seemed to realize what the Halfling was doing and kicked his nephew, giving him a hard look. That seemed to clue them in and they all began calling out how many parasites they actually had.
"I've got parasites as big as my arm!" the elder healer called out.
"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kíli asserted. She couldn't wait to ask him about that once they got out of this mess.
"What would you have us do, then? Let them all go?" Tom asked, still slowly turning the dwarves on the spit over the fire.
"Well..."
"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools." So not all trolls were completely stupid after all. Rhae realized Bilbo had lost their attention and knew it was her turn; the gold glow was much stronger but she needed to give Gandalf a few more minutes to do whatever he was planning on doing. She raised her bow again and let the arrow go, grimacing at the pain in her right shoulder. As soon as it pricked one of the trolls they immediately swung around, forgetting Bilbo and the dwarves in an effort to see where this new attack had come from. Rhae moved swiftly from tree to tree and let loose arrows as she went, chuckling a bit at the comical reactions from the trolls. The training she had received in Rivendell was asserting itself and she was able to move silently without moving a single leaf in any of the trees. The dwarves weren't sure what was happening, only seeing arrows coming from various trees but unable to see who was shooting them. The trolls certainly weren't finding anyone on any of the limbs they pulled on.
Catching a glimpse of Gandalf climbing atop a boulder at the far side of the camp, Rhae revealed herself on top of another large boulder on the opposite side. Her black hood and scarf in place she presented a slightly sinister figure in the remaining gloom of dawn. Even the dwarves, realizing who it was, thought their Ranger looked rather frightening in the orange glow from the fire.
"Get it!" Tom called and she placed an arrow right on the side of his face.
"Ow! It bit me!"
"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf's voice boomed over them all. Again, the trolls were distracted.
"Who's that?"
"No idea."
"Can we eat 'im, too?"
Those were the last words they uttered. Gandalf slammed his staff down on the stone, splitting it in two and the rays of morning sun streamed through, falling on the confused trolls. They tried to move but were quickly still as the sun's glow did its work, turning them to stone. Behind her scarf Rhae smiled as she saw the looks of relief on the faces of the dwarves and heard their cheers. Hopping down from her spot she quickly freed the Halfling from his sack.
"Very brave and quick thinking, Bilbo. You kept them busy long enough for Gandalf and I to get here." The little fellow blushed at the praise. Patting him on the shoulder she moved to help the wizard free the rest of the company.
"Just how big are those parasites, Kíli?" she teased as she cut open the sack he was in. He turned a bit red but laughed with her.
"The biggest in the group," he replied cheekily. Ruffling his hair she turned to help the last dwarf on the ground, which to her amusement was Thorin. Apparently he'd been the unlucky dwarf on the bottom of the pile.
"A little help here, woman." He didn't snap at her but there was unmistakable urgency in his voice. She stared at him a moment before placing her hands on her hips and giving him a smug, sassy smile.
"What's the magic word?"
Thorin gaped at her. She was teasing him? In such a situation as this? He didn't know whether to be angry or amused. There was no one else nearby to help him and he sighed inwardly. Looking back at where the Ranger stood, hands on hips and that sassy smirk on her face, he thought she looked adorable and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his features.
"If I could trouble you for your assistance please, milady?" Rhae had to laugh at his response and finally freed him from the sack. She reached a hand down to help him to his feet, doing a decent job of ignoring the spark of warmth she felt when he touched her. At that moment Nori, Bofur, and Kíli came over to engulf her in a crushing hug.
"That was some skill, lass!" Nori commented. "We could never tell where you were in the trees. You didn't make a sound!"
"Where did you learn to do that?" Kíli asked. He wanted her to teach him if she could.
"Archery was one of the main skills I learned in my time in Rivendell. Stealth is key to a Ranger's survival." Thorin, who was still standing next to her, scowled at the mention of elves. Opening his mouth to speak he was stopped from whatever he was going to say by Gandalf approaching them and he turned his attention to the wizard.
"Where did you go to, if I may ask?"
"To look ahead."
"What brought you back?"
Gandalf gave Rhaella a warm smile. "Looking behind and our Ranger's keen sense of the environment around her." He turned to study the troll statues. "Nasty business. Still, you are all in one piece."
"No thanks to your burglar." As soon as he uttered the words he knew he had erred if the stormy expression that crossed the Ranger's face meant anything.
"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Thorin knew he had no answer for that and simply looked at his boots.
"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors," Rhaella mussed out loud to no one in particular.
"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked.
"Oh not for an age, not since a darker power ruled this land." As he spoke the wizard caught Rhae's eye and Thorin noticed the look that passed between them and for the first time began to have an inkling of what the two seemed to be talking about.
"Gandalf, you don't think -" the Ranger said almost in a whisper.
"I don't know, my dear. I don't know anything right now. I have only hunches and feelings."
"But if trolls are venturing out from the Ettenmoors?" She simply looked at the wizard, almost reading the man's thoughts.
"They could not have moved in daylight," Gandalf changed the direction of their conversation. Thorin's head snapped around and scanned the treeline.
"There must be a cave nearby."
He called to the company and they all headed into the trees. They found the cave not too far away from the clearing and Rhae gagged as the smell hit her. She pulled her scarf over her face hoping it would keep out the worst of it.
"Oh what's that stench?" Nori asked.
"It's a troll hoard," Gandalf explained. "Be careful what you touch." The company, minus Bilbo and the Ranger, filed inside. The hobbit looked up at the female next to him.
"You're not going to go look around?"
"Not a chance. I've encountered some disgusting and foul things in my life but there is nothing that would make me enter a troll cave."
"I guess someone has to keep watch," Bilbo said with a smile. The two found a tree stump to sit on and made themselves comfortable, swatting at the flies that were enjoying the filth at the cave's opening.
"Did you truly mean what you said? That I was brave?"
"Oh course I did. It took some courage to stand up in front of those creatures like you did. Not to mention the quick thinking to try and stall them."
"I heard one of them mention not wanting to be turned to stone and that gave me the idea. I hoped either you or Gandalf would show up before I lost my nerve."
"You did well, Bilbo, and I know the dwarves are appreciative. You did save their stubborn hides after all." She smiled at the fellow. Rhae liked Bilbo and felt the treatment he continued to receive from some in the company was unwarranted. If their hard headed leader would get over his distrust and dislike of anyone not a dwarf he might find life much more pleasant and more folk willing to help him. They heard voices from the cave and the dwarves began reappearing a moment later. Rhae noticed Thorin carrying what appeared to be a new sword and as Gandalf approached where she and Bilbo were waiting she saw that he had one under his arm as well. The wizard held something out to the Halfling who took it with a perplexed look on his face. Gazing over the hobbit's shoulder Rhae saw a small sword.
"This is about your size."
"I can't take this."
"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."
"I have never used a sword in my life."
Gandalf looked down at him with compassion in his eyes. "And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life but when to spare one." He patted Bilbo on the shoulder and then moved to where Thorin and Balin were waiting. Rhae looked at the Halfling as he eyed the blade in his hands.
"Don't worry, Bilbo. I will help you learn how to use that. Gandalf is right in giving you something to defend yourself with." He simply looked up at her with worry in his eyes.
"Something is coming!" Thorin yelled.
"Stay together!" Gandalf called, pulling his new sword out of its scabbard. "Hurry now. Arm yourselves." Rhae hurried up the hill, pulling her own sword out, and stood near Fíli and Kíli. She glanced over her shoulder and spotted Bilbo standing a few feet behind them, his new sword in hand but visibly shaking.
"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" They all jerked in surprise as a ramshackle sled, pulled by a team of large rabbits, burst through the trees. Rhaella relaxed when she spotted the stooped figure in brown. The dwarves just stared, perplexed by what they were seeing.
"Radagast! Radagast the Brown. Ah, what on earth are you doing here?" Gandalf approached the other wizard with a puzzled smile.
"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."
"Yes?" They all watched as the brown wizard opened and closed his mouth, obviously struggling to remember what he had come to say.
"Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there on the tip of my tongue." The strange fellow moved his mouth around and then exclaimed in surprise. "Oh! Its not a thought at all. Its a silly old stick insect!" Rhae snickered at the shocked and slightly disgusted faces on some of the dwarves. Apparently even with their own scanty ideas of cleanliness bugs in the mouth were where they drew the line. She wasn't surprised though; it was so typical of Radagast. The two wizards walked several paces away from the group in order to speak privately. Rhaella was tempted to follow but decided they would call her if they desired her counsel.
"That is a wizard?" Fíli wondered in surprise.
"It is. As Gandalf said before, he lives alone in the forest with only his animals for company. I have not spent much time with him but he is a powerful wizard despite his rather eccentric appearance. I've never known him to come this far west..." Her words trailed off as she contemplated the two Istari. What would bring Radagast out in search of Gandalf? Rhaella could think of only one thing and it sent ice down her spine. Before she could take a step toward them a howl made them freeze.
"Was that a wolf? Are there - are there wolves out there?" Bilbo came to stand beside the Ranger, feeling much safer by her side.
Bofur shook his head, a look of fear in his eyes. "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf." A low growl caused them all to turn and as soon as they had spotted it the warg jumped from the ledge it was on, landing in the middle of the company. Thorin was the quickest to react and brought his new sword down on the beast's neck. Before he could pull the blade from the body another warg appeared and leapt towards him. Kíli and Rhae acted instantaneously and their arrows flew together, hitting the beast in the chest and slowing it down long enough for Dwalin to kill it.
Thorin looked at the bodies disgusted. "Warg scouts! Which means an orc pack is not far behind."
"Orc pack?" Bilbo squeaked.
"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?"
"No one."
"Who did you tell?" Gandalf was furious.
"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"
"You are being hunted." Everyone froze at the wizard's words.
"We have to get out of here." Dwalin was the first to break the silence.
"We can't! We have no ponies! They bolted!" Poor Ori looked like he was about to cry.
"I'll draw them off."
Gandalf turned to Radagast with a huff. "These are Gundabad wargs; they will outrun you."
There was a crazy sparkle in the brown wizard's eyes. "These are Rhosgobel Rabbits. I'd like to see them try." Gandalf gave it a moment's thought and then nodded.
"Everyone follow me and stay close." Rhaella let everyone go in front of her deciding it would be best to stay in the back and make sure nothing came up on them from behind. Gandalf waited until Radagast burst through the trees on his sled and he heard the howls of the wargs head after him.
"Come on!"
The company ran across a rocky plain dotted with huge boulders. Every so often they would catch a glimpse of Radagast as he lead the orcs in a chase and had to duck behind the rocks in order to stay undetected. The wizard seemed to have no set pattern in where he was leading the pack and Rhae began to worry that he would accidentally lead them straight into their path. Thorin had to grab Ori once as he wasn't paying attention and kept running when they had stopped to avoid the orcs. As they worked their way across the landscape Rhae began to understand where Gandalf was trying to lead them. She had to admit it was sneaky and only hoped they'd make it to the entrance before being spotted.
"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked as they left the shelter of one of the boulders. Gandalf didn't answer and the dwarf king followed him with a frown on his face. He wasn't stupid; he knew there was something the wizard wasn't telling him but he would worry about that once they were safe. At their next hiding place their luck ran out. They heard claws on the rock above them. Thorin nodded at Kíli who took a steadying breath as he notched an arrow and then popped out from under the outcropping and shot the warg, bringing it and its rider crashing down in front of them. Rhae saw the orc bringing a horn to its lips and lunged at it, sinking her sword deep into the creature's back. Foul black blood splattered all over her face and hair. A couple of the other dwarves followed her lead and took out some pent up anger on the body.
"I suppose Radagast's game is up now," she said with a sigh.
"Move. Run!" was all Gandalf responded with. With no point in trying to hide the company took off across the grass, following the wizard and fervently hoping he had some magic up his sleeve to get them out of this mess alive. Rhaella could sense the pack closing in on them from all directions.
"There they are!" Glóin cried, spotting some coming over a hill on one side.
"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf urged them to keep running. Coming to a small clearing they had to halt as the orcs and wargs began to surround them.
"Kíli! Ranger! Shoot them!" Thorin yelled and they began emptying their quivers. More orcs kept appearing and Rhaella began to think that they weren't going to make it.
"Where's Gandalf?" Kíli asked as he shot and killed another orc.
"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin growled. Rhae looked around frantically for the wizard and felt a jolt of panic when she didn't see him. She knew he wouldn't leave them but had no idea where in the world he had disappeared to and why he would choose right now to go there. The group began to close ranks, forming a circle with only Kíli and Rhaella on the outside.
"Hold your ground!" Thorin ordered, in battle stance with his axe and new sword clutched tightly in each hand.
"This way you fools!" Gandalf suddenly appeared from behind one of the larger rocks and gestured to them.
Thorin whirled around. "Come on move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!" One by one the dwarves and Bilbo quickly slid down into the crack in the rock ending up in a pile in a cave at the bottom. Thorin slashed at a warg that got too close as Fíli dove into the cave.
"Kíli! Run!" Rhae urged the young dwarf. He didn't need to be told twice and took off towards the rock. After a moment she followed behind him, continuing to shoot at the orcs to make sure he made it to safety. Thorin breathed a sigh of relief as his youngest nephew vaulted into the hidden crack and turned to find the Ranger. She was almost to him when a warg charged in from her left.
"Rhaella!" Thorin couldn't keep the panic out of his voice. Without breaking her stride she pulled a dagger from behind her back and hurled it at the approaching warg, the blade burying itself in the creature's head. Feeling another warg and rider quickly closing in she jumped on the rock right into Thorin, wrapped her arms around his body, and threw her weight to one side, using her momentum to pull them both down through the opening in the stone and out of danger. They slid for a few feet before crashing into a heap at the feet of the rest of the company.
She lay there, out of breath, not even bothering trying to untangle herself from the dwarf king. That had been a bit too close for her tastes. Thorin tried not to think about the fact that she was once again underneath him. Above them they could hear horns and the sound of horses. He stood up and yanked her to her feet as the body of an orc fell into the cave.
"Elves," he sneered in disgust when he pulled an arrow from the corpse. Before he could say anything to Gandalf Dwalin called to them from the other side of the cave.
"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?"
"Follow it of course!" Bofur urged, heading in the burly dwarf's direction.
"I think that would be wise," Gandalf said quietly. Thorin shot him a glare before moving in the direction Dwalin had gone. Rhaella, knowing exactly where they were, breathed a sigh of relief. She had never used the Hidden Passage but was immensely grateful for its existence. The dwarves moved along fairly quietly- for them - only complaining a bit when the passageway narrowed slightly in a few spots. She hoped Bombur wouldn't get stuck.
"Gandalf, where are we?" Bilbo asked from his spot between Ranger and wizard.
"You can feel it?"
"Yes. It feels like...well, like magic."
Gandalf nodded. "That's exactly what it is. A very powerful magic." A soft light began to appear ahead of them and Rhae could hear the faint sounds of water. There were a few grunts of surprise as the passageway suddenly opened up onto a ledge, a valley spread out below it.
"The Valley of Imladris. In the common tongue it is known by another name." Gandalf said reverently from behind the group.
"Rivendell," Bilbo breathed in awe. He had read about the elves, always dreamed of seeing one, but had never thought he would have the chance. It was as wonderful looking as he'd imagined.
"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."
"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin turned on the wizard furious. Rhaella rolled her eyes in frustration. She had never met anyone so pig-headed.
"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself." Gandalf sounded just as annoyed as she felt.
"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."
"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Thorin sighed. As much as it galled him he knew Gandalf was right about this. He couldn't read the map and they needed to know what it said. It didn't make him any less angry at the trickery of the wizard. "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me or the Ranger." Rhae smirked at his words and the frown that crossed the dwarf king's face. She was going to enjoy every minute of this.
Revised/updated January 2016