The sun was breaking over the horizon as the dwarves broke camp.
Thorin was walking around and helping the dwarves pack their gear and provisions onto the horses from Beorn. Gandalf stood by his own horse, watching the tree line.
While this looked normal, it made Thorin curious. It seemed as if Gandalf was waiting for something. Or someone. Now that Thorin thought about it, Gandalf had been acting strange since their conversation the night before. He would have to confront him about it while they were travelling.
"Thorin," the prince turned his head to see Bofur standing next to him.
"We've finished packing. We're ready to go," Thorin nodded.
"Mount your horses. We are leaving now," Thorin called to the group, as he made his way to his horse.
"Not yet," Gandalf walked to Thorin.
"We should wait until the sun has fully risen."
"We will have more time if we leave now," Thorin attempted to reason with the wizard.
"The entrance to Mirkwood is not that far from here, and I will not enter that forest when shadows still cross the ground," The ferocity with which Gandalf said this startled Thorin. He sounded sincere, and Thorin would rather have had Gandalf in the company than out.
"We will wait until the sun has risen," Thorin said, eyeing Gandalf. The company groaned audibly.
"We should set up a watch until then," Gloin offered. The company agreed.
"Whose first?" Oin asked.
"Us," Fili and Kili said in unison. Thorin nodded at them. They nodded back, and jogged to the tree-line. The rest of the company milled around, disappointed that they weren't leaving immediately.
Back at the tree-line, Fili and Kili were conversing.
"Do you think there's something going on between Gandalf and Thorin?" Kili asked his brother.
"Why do you think that?'
"There was quite a bit of tension between them just now," Kili mused.
"Hmm."
"I was worried that they would start arguing. Uncle does what he wants."
"Hmm. I think Gandalf has realized that by now. Remember that time when…" Fili trailed off when he realized Kili wasn't listening to him. He was moving down a little trail, staring adamantly into the forest.
"Kili?" Fili called to his brother. Kili didn't respond. Fili moved to his brothers side.
"Kili. Kili," he shook his brother's shoulder.
"Shh."
"What's wrong?"
"I just heard a horse."
"In the woods?"
"Yes."
"How could you te-" Fili cut off mid-sentence as a neigh sounded in the woods. It was distant, but echoed incredibly. The brothers looked back to the rest of the company, but it seemed no one else had heard the phantom horse. Looking at each other, they nodded, and started into the forest.
They stalked through the woods, not following any path, eyes scanning the trees for movement and the ground for tracks. They didn't need to look at each other for confirmation. They had worked together long enough to not need assistance.
About five minutes later they stopped at a tree to talk. Confusion was obvious.
"What's going on?" Kili asked his brother.
"Not sure. I don't know if this is wild horse or if it has a rider."
"If it has a rider, who is it?" Kili wondered aloud.
"And will they hurt us?" Fili added.
Another neigh echoed through the forest. Turning to look, they could barely see even the trees through the shadows.
Then they heard hoofbeats.
Fili heard them first. He tapped Kili's shoulder and pointed in their direction. They were faint, and were growing louder.
Moving behind the tree, Kili watched the trees further in the wood. He now noticed a path, one that was partially hidden by the undergrowth. Wind blew through the canopy and caused the branches to sway. Kili growled under his breath. When the wind died, the horse and rider came into view.
The horse trotted to a stop a little farther down the trail from the brothers. The rider was wearing a long cloak with a large hood pulled up, blocking their face. They looked around, stroking the horse's neck.
They looked as if they were going to turn the horse around, when the steed spotted the twins, and snorted.
The rider's head followed the horse's gaze, and found the brothers. They urged the horse into a gallop.
Blinded by fear, the brothers turned and sprinted to the treeline. The rider was still far off. They had a small window of time. They burst through the treeline, yelling a warning.
"Thorin! Gandalf! Dark Rider! Dark Rider!," The company sprang into action, running to their horses and grabbing their weapons. Thorin pulled Orcrist from its sheath. Gandalf only gripped his staff. He knew there was no harm. If this was a Nazgûl, he would have felt it.
It seemed as if a life age passed before the horse and rider came into view. The shadows from the trees gave them a sinister look.
The rider's cloak billowed around them as the horse came to a stop. The steed was pitch black; not a single white hair speckled his coat. It snorted heavily at the company. Thorin tightened his hold on his sword.
"Who are you?" Thorin demanded. The rider shifted in the saddle. Their head tilted up a bit, and the bottom half of their face was illuminated by the rising sun. The rider was looking at Gandalf. They dismounted their horse.
"Who are you?" Thorin asked again, pointing Orcrist at the stranger's throat as they approached. Their hood they were wearing was large enough that it shielded their face from easy view. They glanced at the sword, then using two fingers, gently pushed the blade away from their neck. Then they pulled their hood back .
Met with audible gasps, the stranger ran a hand through their hair as Gandalf stepped forward.
"I had a feeling it was you, Elwing," the wizard patted the stranger's shoulder as he went to stand behind her. Thorin spent a minute taking in her features, and who could blame him?
Her hair was shaved on the sides save for the top, bleached from apparent constant time in the sun. Her eyes were two different colors, the left one chocolate brown, and the right one cerulean blue. She had a small bull ring through the septum of her nose. Her skin was an alabaster white, and most of her visible skin, which included her neck, arms, and face, sported scars. One thing that Thorin couldn't help but notice was that this stranger was taller than him, by just a few inches.
There was something else about this stranger. Something that stuck out in Thorin's mind, even though he couldn't place it. The way this stranger held herself. The way her ears pointed just a little, how her skin wasn't tanned and seemed to glow like moonlight, even though it was evident she spent the majority of her time in the sun. Her name too, Elwing.
"You forgot to mention she was part Elf," Thorin mused, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Elwing raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise.
"What is the surprise for?" Thorin asked.
"Normally the first thing people notice is that I am part dwarf," Elwing replied. Thorin could agree that she was part dwarf. Her voice was deep for a woman.
"From what Gandalf has told me, I am to be travelling with you for a time."
"I am afraid that Gandalf was mistaken. You will not be coming with us, no matter how far you have travelled," Thorin voice echoed his displeasure.
"I was just over the hill. It only took me an hour to get here. And I am not leaving either," Elwing crossed her arms over her chest.
"I do not want you travelling with my company."
"I will only take orders from those whom I trust. The only person in this, company that I trust is Gandalf," Sounds of astonishment rose from the crowd. Gandalf put his hand on Elwing's shoulder.
"You don't trust us?" Kili asked.
"I am not trusting of dwarves in general," Elwing asked.
"How could you not trust your own kind?" Fili demanded.
"My reason why is personal. That is all I will say on this matter," Gandalf patted her shoulder.
"Thorin, it would be easier for all of us if Elwing travelled with the company for the time being," Gandalf said. Thorin was watching Elwing with hooded eyes. He seemed to be pondering a decision.
"She will not have to sign a contract. When we reach the mountain, she will part ways with us."
"How do you know she will not betray us?" Thorin spat.
"I have no reason to. The enemies that follow you are my enemies as well," Elwing said calmly.
"Enemies since when?"
"Since my birth," Several ooh's drifted from the crowd.
"What is your age?" Thorin asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"That is private."
"How so?"
"I have already given out enough personal information. It would be preferable to me to not give out any more," Thorin said nothing.
Instead he turned to Balin and gestured for him to follow him a little distance from the group. They conversed quietly, muttering in a language other than common.
The rest of the company didn't watch them go. They kept their eyes on Elwing, whom of which had called her horse to her, and was re-braiding his mane. Kili moved forward and went to extend his hand to the horse to smell.
"I would not do that if I were you," Elwing said. Kili pulled his hand back.
"Why not?"
"Reach your hand to him, and you might be missing it when you pull your arm back," Elwing stilled her hands for a moment to look at Kili. She then patted the horse's neck and continued braiding.
"What's his name?"
"Gelmir."
"Why does he have an Elvish name?" Fili stepped forward.
"He is half Elvish steed, and half Mearas."
"What's Mearas?" Kili asked.
"The Mearas are a breed of horse from Rohan. They are incredibly intelligent and have a lifespan similar to a human's," Elwing responded, tying off Gelmir's mane with a bit of twine.
"What does his name mean?" Fili placed a warning hand on his brother's shoulder as he asked another question. Elwing pondered this for a moment.
"I am going to let you figure that out for yourself," She patted Gelmir's neck, and he lowered his head to graze.
Thorin and Balin rejoined the group. Thorin had an aggravated look on his face, and Balin was keeping his distance. Thorin huffed before speaking.
"I have decided," he paused to look at Gandalf. "to let you travel with us," Gasps rose from the group, and worried glances were exchanged between Thorin and Elwing.
"Under one condition," The glances stopped.
"If I detect even the slightest hint of betrayal, you will leave, even if I have to chase you away. If you bring any harm to any member of this company, including our burglar, I will kill you," Now instead of glances, murmurs began to spread through the company. Elwing's face didn't change expression, save for a smirk.
"I accept," Even more murmurs. Gandalf placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and he gave her a warning glance. She nodded. He pursed his lips and walked to his horse. The rest of the company did the same.
"We leave now," Thorin announced. Elwing mounted Gelmir, checking the length of her stirrups.
"Elwing," Thorin called in her direction. "You will ride with me."
They rode over rolling glens of green, their horses keeping stride. The sun, now risen, was partly obscured by clouds, shielding the riders from the mid-morning heat.
Patting Gelmir's neck, Elwing turned her head to look at Thorin. His body was tensed, the vein in his temple visibly pulsing.
Still aggravated, she thought. She turned her attention back to the nearing treeline.
The edge of Mirkwood loomed in front of them, the gnarled branches snaking into a mass of netted wood. Through the small opening that served as an entrance, Elwing could see one weak shaft of light. The rest was engulfed in shadow.
Upon dismounting their horses, Bilbo spoke.
"This forest feels sick. As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"
"Not unless we travel two-hundred miles North, or twice that distance South," Gandalf replied, observing the entrance.
"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."
Elwing sighed as she stroked Gelmir's neck. She knew it would be too dangerous to bring him with the company through Mirkwood. She led him a ways away from the group.
"Friend, you cannot come with us through the Wood. Take the road that runs to the North. Meet us on the other side.
Elwing removed his bridle, and stored it in one of the saddlebags. She checked the girth to make sure it was snug. Satisfied, she turned him loose.
"May your obstacles be none and road swift beneath your feet!" She called to him as he started North, the opposite direction of the ponies. He whinnied a response.
"Where is he going?" Thorin asked.
"He will meet us on the other side," Elwing stated.
"He will not get lost?"
"He knows the way."
"Not my horse, I need it!" Gandalf's voice called from the forest entrance as he hurried out. Bofur and Gloin paused, as they were about to untie the girth.
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked, a frightened air in his voice.
"I would not do this if I did not have to," Gandalf assured the hobbit.
Everyone fidgeted around as Gandalf mounted his horse.
"Whatever may come, stay on the path!" he called to the company as he rode away.
"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day," With that the company started into the wood.
Before she entered, Elwing gave the edge of the forest a stern look, before sighing and hurrying in after the others. She would have preferred they not go through Mirkwood. She really did not want to meet The Elvenking again.
Moving through the humid air laced with hallucinations was starting to drive Elwing mad. Traveling with dwarves who didn't know Mirkwood only made things worse. Several times Elwing almost asked...Dwalin, that was his name, if she could lead, but she had decided against it. She knew they didn't trust her enough to let her lead them.
As they climbed over a large root that was blocking the path, Elwing felt a presence to her side. She looked over to see Bilbo climbing beside her.
"You've been here before, haven't you?" Looking at him, Elwing saw the hobbit's nose scrunching up. After taking a breath, she knew why. The forest had a rank smell to it. Having been there before, she barely noticed it.
"The smell bothering you?" She asked, curious to the hobbit's answer.
"Hmm. It has a very, pungent aroma, to say in the least." His nose wiggled a bit after he said this.
"What makes you think I have been here before?"
"'He knows the way'," Bilbo looked at Elwing and raised his eyebrows. Elwing chuckled.
"Not much gets past you, hmm?" Another root blocked the path. After climbing it, Elwing reached her hand to Bilbo so he could grab it and climb over.
"Yes, I have been here before," At the mention of this, Fili, who was walking just ahead of them, turned his head.
"You have?" He questioned. Elwing nodded.
"And, I will be honest, I would rather not be traveling through this place," Elwing muttered, stealing a glance of the dense canopy above.
"Why, too scary for you?" Fili taunted.
"No, not that at all."
"Then why?" By now, Kili had taken notice to their conversation and had turned his head to listen in.
"The ruler of this forest and I, are not exactly on good terms with each other. And something tells me we will be meeting again."
"You mean, we will be captured?" Kili butted in.
"It is near impossible to pass through Mirkwood and not be captured. The few who manage to slip by are blessed."
"And if we are captured, it would be preferable that I do the talking," Elwing stated.
"Why?" Fili asked.
"The son of the ruler likes to travel with the guard when they go on their little, excursions through the wood. I am on better terms with him than his father."
"How so?" Bilbo asked.
"He and I can at least speak to one another without us both reaching for our swords," Elwing said with a smirk.
"However, the ones that stray from the path are the ones they capture. So as long as we stay on the path, we will not have to worry."
Suddenly, shouts came from ahead. Elwing perked up.
"What's happened?" Fili called to the front of the group.
"We're in trouble!" Someone, Oin maybe, called back.
"How so?" Elwing asked.
"We've lost the path!" was the response. Elwing sighed and shook her head.
"It appears, that I have spoken too soon," From the distance, a murder of Mirkwood crows began cawing, the sound now a jest at the company's misfortune.
Since I don't have an accurate Elvish translator, I'm going to write any Elvish speech like so and any Dwarfish speech like so. Apologies for not clearing this up earlier.