Chapter Thirteen
How The Trolls Were Stoned?
~~Elaina's POV~~
A feeling had come in waves. At first I thought it was to do with the farmhouse but in time, that passed. This new feeling I had was a warning. Realising that, I got up and watched everything around me. I slowly walked around the camp, hoping this feeling would just fizzle out.
Watching the camp now, I realise Bilbo and Hetti was not here. Just where were they?
"Where are Bilbo and Hetti?" I asked everyone.
"I sent him a task for him to take some food to Fili and Kili. That was a while ago though." replied Bofur.
I frowned.
"What do you mean, you haven't seen him in a while?" I began looking at Bofur "How long does it take for food to be delivered to the two dwarves?"
"Well I-," stammers Bofur.
"Bilbo is a little guy," mused Loki "Perhaps he got stuck in a hedge."
I glared at Loki while some of the others found what Loki said to be funny. I somehow knew this bad feeling had something to do with Bilbo and Hetti now and I did not like it.
o0o
~~Bilbo's POV~~
"Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown, once like a brown? Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked Fili and Kili who were nowhere to be seen.
"Cowards!" snapped Hetti, shaking her head "Looks like its up to us after all."
I swallow hard and nod my head. We both tred very slowly as we ventured towards the fire.
"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow."
Hetti and I hid behind a tree and saw three trolls hoving over a fireplace.
"What on earth is that smell?" asked Hetti covering her nose with her hand.
"I think its them!" I whispered to her, feeling quite queasy myself.
"Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!" We both heard one of the trolls say.
"Oh, I don't like 'orse. I never 'ave. Not enough fat on them."
"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth."
Hetti gasped a little.
"Oh my, those poor farmers." she whispered, going quite pale.
I was about to console her when we both jump, as one of the trolls sneezed really loudly.
"Oh, that's lovely, that is, a floater." said one of the trolls.
"Oh, might improve the flavor!" said another.
"Ah! There's more where that came from."
These trolls are disgusting and I shuddered when one of the trolls tries to sneeze again but the other two manage to stop the inpending sneeze.
"Oh no you don't." said a troll who then throws another troll down on the ground.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Sit down." sneered another troll.
The same troll from before sneezes again, only this time he now has a hankie on him. Why could he not have used his handkerchief before? I pondered as I gently touch Hetti's arm for us to move closer towards the ponies that are being held.
As we slowly reached the pen, I look at the knotted rope that is tied together and try with all my might to untie the ropes. Unfortunately, I was having no luck. I needed something to cut it with but what?
Hetti pulled me down as a troll suddenly turned around looking at the ponies. I gave Hetti a grateful smile, that was a very close call. I turned my attention towards the trolls, noticing one troll in particar had a knife around his belt. Just how was I going to retrieve that? That was the question that was swimming around my mind.
o0o
~~Elaina's POV~~
'No, this feeling is getting stronger.' I thought to myself.
Glancing at the farmhouse, I knew this feeling I was having was connected to the farmhouse.
"What's bothering you?"
Turning around, I saw Loki watching me intently.
"And don't say it's nothing," carried on Loki "I know that would be a lie."
"I can't put my finger on it, but something is wrong." I reply causing Thorin to walk towards me.
"The essence of this house is still fresh." remarked Loki glancing at the farmhouse.
"No the house is not the problem now," I frowned "It's something else."
Loki stepped near me.
"It is strange that that hobbit isn't back."
"It's definitely connected." I realised.
"What is?" asked Thorin, clearly not liking Loki being near me.
I was about to confirm my suspicions to Thorin when I heard rustling behind me. I turned around and saw Kili come running out of the clearing heading straight for us.
"Uncle three trolls have caught Bilbo...Who was trying to get back our ponies the trolls had stolen!"
"I knew it!" I muttered "Where is he?"
Kili refused to answer me which angered me.
"She asked you a question," snapped Loki "Where is the hobbit?"
"And more to the point, where is Hetti?" I asked Kili, who still would not meet my gaze.
"Their both deep in the forest." said Kili.
I growl at him.
"Show us Kili?" demanded Thorin. "If anything happens to that burglar Kili."
I managed to grab Kili,
"And that goes for Hetti as well."
"Hey, her safety is my first priority I really lik-,"
I let go of Kili before running towards the others. I only hoped Bilbo and Hetti were alright.
o0o
~~Hetti's POV~~
I was been held upside down by a troll that stank to high heaven. Bilbo was been held by two trolls. If we ever get out of this mess, I will be having harsh words with Kili and Fili, that's for sure.
I was beginning to feel lightheadedness, god knows how Bilbo must be feeling.
~~Flashback~~
Bilbo had told me to stay where I was while he slowly walked behind a troll. With complete concentration, Bilbo tries to grab the knife that was hanging down on the trolls belt and was nearly successful.
The troll suddenly moved by scratching his bottom and Bilbo's disgusted look, nearly made me laugh out loud.
Taking no notice of the banter between the three trolls, I watch Bilbo as he tries once again to reach out for the knife. The troll that had the knife, looked like he was about to sneeze again and was searching for his hankie. Instead he managed to grab onto Bilbo.
I watch aghast as the troll sneezed all over Bilbo, which must have been awful for him. The troll looked down at his hand and his eyes went wide.
"Argh! Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything."
I watch on as the other two trolls come forward.
"What is it?" asked one troll, staring at poor Bilbo.
"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!"
'Do you blame him!' I thought to myself.
I really wanted to help but I had no idea what to do. Thankfully, the troll was now placing Bilbo who was covered in snot on the ground.
"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?"
"I'm a burglar- uhh, Hobbit!" replied Bilbo, clearly shaken up a little.
"A Burgla-Hobbit?" asked the troll with an apron around his body.
"Can we cook 'im?" asked another.
'Oh god no!' I thought 'Would this nightmare never end!'
"We can try!" sneered the third troll.
Bilbo thankfully moves out of the way when one of the trolls tries catching him again.
"He wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when he's skinned and boned!"
"Perhaps there's more Burglar-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie." remarked the troll with the apron around him, looking around.
I hid behind a tree but my movement must have caught the attention of the troll that was nearer. He came bounding over and looked around the tree I was trying to shield myself with when I felt an massive hand grab me.
"Wot ave we 'ere," sneered the troll " Look what I've found," he walked back in camp holding me tightly "another Burgla-Hobbit!"
"God you stink," I manage to shout out to it "Don't you believe in soap?"
The look I received, would have been laughable if the situation was different. This stinky troll then turned me upside down and I could see the others had now cornered Bilbo as well.
~~Flashback End~~
This was all Fili and Kili's fault. They should be in this spot not Bilbo and I. I really was beginning to hate those brothers. They both had no respect for others.
"Please have a bath," I shout at this troll "You really smell!"
"Wot!" sneered the troll " Your kidding right? 'Ere that Bert, this thing 'ere wants me to have a bath!"
"Hetti!" cried out Fili.
Oh, now he shows up does he? It's a little late to be the knight in shining armour.
~~Elaina's POV~~
I was watching Fili come out of nowhere and shout out,
"Drop them!"
"Well, at least we now know what that revolting smell is." I whispered dryly.
I feel Thorin's eyes on me but I was watching Hetti being upside down by one of the trolls. Bilbo was held by the other two.
"Please be careful my angel." whispered Thorin.
I glance at Thorin then, before a troll says,
"You what?"
"I said, drop them." repeated Fili.
I glanced around the forest trying to work out what to do. There was no way I would abandom my two close friends. I just needed to think what to do.
'Use your power!' I heard a male voice in my head.
"I need a diversion." I say quitely to Thorin, trying to ignore that voice in my head.
"Very well, but please be careful Elaina." said Thorin.
"You too," I reply to Thorin before I turn to Loki, "I may need your help." I whisper back before silently walking away from the others.
We both discreetly climb up a tree watching these three trolls. I watch a troll throw Hetti on to Fili. Hetti lands on Fili, knocking them both down.
The rest of the Company charge forward out of the bushes and begin fighting the trolls with all their might.
"This is going to end badly!" mused Loki.
I don't say anything, just watch what is going on.
As the dwarves fight, I watch Bilbo grabs a troll's knife and run towards the ponies . With quick incision , Bilbo cuts the ropes, freeing the ponies. The troll nearby, sees Bilbo and picks him up by the arms and legs.
"Shit!" I whisper to myself.
"Told you so!" smirked Loki.
"Must you gloat?" I asked him.
"When I know I'm right, then yes!"
The dwarves stop fighting when they see what the trolls are holding.
"Bilbo!" cried out Kili.
"No!" shouted Thorin.
"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." sneered the troll holding Bilbo.
I watch as Thorin looks at Bilbo in frustration and disgust, then drops his sword on the ground. The others drop their swords and weapons as well.
"And urt this runt here too." sneered another troll holding Hetti.
"The word is hurt, you blithering idiot! Hetti hissed at the troll.
"It's time to use your power Elaina. Stop pretending you can't hear me little one!" came a voice in the wind.
That is what I do and I fail to notice Loki's somber face as I watch the trolls tying several dwarves on a spit which is then turned over a fire and the rest, which included Thorin, Hetti, Fili, Kili, Balin, Oin and Bilbo, are all tied up in sacks.
"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." remarked the troll with the apron on.
"I'll squash you with bubble bath, you stinky, revolting rat dropping!" Hetti spat out
"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." replied another troll.
"Is this really necessary?" I heard Dori say.
"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." squealed a troll that was near Bilbo, who looked most uncomfortable in that sack.
"Untie us, you monsters!" cried out Oin.
"Take on someone your own size!" agreed Gloin.
"Never mind the seasoning, we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." confessed the troll turning the spit with my friends on it.
'What's that about the Dawn?' I thought.
They seem to be in a hurry all of a sudden. Suddenely it hit me.
"Their frightened of the Sun!" I muttered under my breath.
"I'm sorry?" asked Loki.
"Didn't you hear?" I glance at Loki "These three trolls hate sunlight, one even mentioned being turned to stone...Its time to show these thick trolls on who they are really dealing with."
"What do you mean?" asked Loki.
"It's time to trick them! but first we need someone elses help." I remark, watching Bilbo intently.
'Come on Bilbo, work out what those trolls said, about Dawn.' I thought to myself.
For a long, long moment, there was complte silence.
"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." I heard Bilbo say and I smile to myself.
"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" cried our Dori.
"Half-wits? What does that make us?" scoffed Bofur.
Bilbo, is trying to stand up with great difficulty but somehow manages to stand up straight.
"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." said Bilbo.
I think Bilbo was forming a plan and my smile broadened.
"What about the seasoning?" asked a troll.
"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." remarked Bilbo.
I saw and hear all the Company call Bilbo a traitor.
"Um, Bilbo, their the ones that reek. They don't know what soap is for Christ's sake!" I heard Hetti say to him.
"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" asked a troll by the fireplace.
"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." cried out a troll, turning the spit.
"They can't even hold a sentence together!" I mutter to Loki who grinned at me.
"Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-," stammered Bilbo.
'Come on Bilbo, you can do it.' I silently willed him on.
"Yes? Come on." replied one of the trolls.
"It's, uh-," stuttered Bilbo.
"Tell us the secret." exclaimed a troll.
I glance at Loki and whispered,
"It's time to trick them!"
Loki's smile broadens.
"Lead the way!"
We slowly climb down the tree and I slowly walk to the pile of swords and grab a few before walking confidently towards the trolls.
"Elaina, go back!" I heard several of my friends say.
"Ohh look, there is another one!" squealed the troll by the spit.
I was not listening, I was just thinking how to rescue everyone to safety.
"Use your power." whispered Loki, causing me to glance at him in surprise.
Before I had a change to say anything, a massive hand had grabbed me but not before I threw a sword at Loki's feet, hoping he would take the hint and free the others.
"Your a woman." said the troll.
"Am I really?" I reply sarcastically "I had no idea. Thank you so much for informing me."
"Elaina!" I heard Thorin cry out but I was busy watching the troll that was holding me to notice.
"You will put me down now!" I demanded.
"N-no-no-yeh ok!" replied the troll and he loosened his hold of me and placed me on the ground.
"What are you doing Bert?" shouted one of the trolls.
The troll that had let me go was watching me with a lovy dovy look on its face.
'What the?' I thought 'That is not normal.'
The troll leaned forward and grabbed me again crushing my ribcage.
"That troll is hurting her!" shouted Thorin "Do something Loki!"
"I said l-let go of me."
I was beginning to find it hard to breath and the troll was crushing my ribs like I was made of paper.
'Stay calm Elaina, just distract them.'
'How?' I thought back.
'You know what to do!' came the male voice once more.
Did I know what to do? My ribs were clouding my judgement.
"I'll think I'll 'ave you as me wife your lovely." I heard the troll say.
I watch him with disgust on my face and started squirming out of his grasp, which made my ribs hurt even more.
"Let me down and I'll- I'll sing for you.
"Do what? Singing?" exclaimed the troll by the spit "We don't sing."
I look in his direction.
"Oh but a song always calms me down when I cook my own meals," I lied "Maybe it will work on you three."
The three trolls looked at one another, then back at me.
"Yeh, that makes sense, you can sing us a song before we marry."
'Not going to happen!' I thought.
"Let's ear ya then."
"I-I-I, I stutter, closing my eyes in disdain and discomfort "Very well, but please put me down this second, I need air in my lungs!"
Surprisingly the troll did as I asked and placed me next to Bilbo. I just thought of the tune that has always been in my head for a long time. I have a quick look round and notice Thorin, Fili and Balin out of their sacks and were all watching me .
Taking a deep breath, which was hard I began.
"Alone for a while I've been searching through the dark
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain
Melodies of life, love's lost refrain"
I felt every eye on me and I blush scarlett.
"Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud till they unfold
In my dearest memories, I see you reaching out to me
Though you're gone, I still believe that you can call out my name
#
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds, forever and beyond
#
So far and away, see the bird as it flies by
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky
I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings
#
In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me?
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind?
#
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds, forever and beyond
#
If I should leave this lonely world behind
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we'll carry on
Melodies of life
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts
As long as we remember."
As I finish the song, I realise the trolls were trying to move their legs but could not. Holding my ribs, I walked where the spit was and grabbed my sword and cut it. Taking no notice of every dwarf staring at me. Dwalin, Bofur and Co, all fell safely on the ground.
"I can't move!" exclaimed the troll near the fireplace.
"You's done something." replied the troll that wanted to marry me a minutes ago.
"All I did was sing."
Which was the truth.
"Your a wit-,"
"The dawn will take you all!" I heard a very familiar voice say.
"Who's that?"
"I don't know."
"Can we eat him?"
I turned around and saw Gandalf, standing on top of a boulder, before raising his staff and shattering the boulder in half and bringing in the light.
Suddenly, the troll make an awful noise and I watch them slowly turn to stone. While everyone was cutting themselves free, I sat on a log feeling a little off. I heard footsteps and glance up and saw Hetti walking up to me.
"You were fantastic Elaina," smiled Hetti. "This would never have happened if Fili and Kili didn't egg Bilbo on!"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"It's true!" said Hetti, shaking her head in disgust.
The sun was now shining and I watch as everyone was happy to see Gandalf. Dwalin Ori and Gloin walk over to me.
"You alright lass?" asked Dwalin.
"I will be, just trying to regain my bearings." I admitted to him.
Truth of the matter was, my ribs were killing me now but I didn't want to appear weak in front of Dwalin.
Fili and Kili came bounding over and embraced me causing me to wince in pain.
"You stopped them moving." grinned Kili.
"I have no idea what you are talking about!" I admitted to him.
"They could not move after that song you sung," said Fili. "Thank you."
I merely nodded, not understanding what had happened. It was just a song after all. Gandalf must have been nearby and did his magic on those three trolls himself.
I watch Thorin walk towards Gandalf and I could hear what they were saying.
"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" asked Thorin, catching my gaze with a smile on his face.
"To look ahead." admitted Gandalf.
"What brought you back?" asked Thorin.
"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece." remarked Gandalf walking towards the stone trolls.
"No thanks to your burglar." spat Thorin.
I was seething and walked up to him saying,
"That is not the tale I was told," Thorin looked at me with wide eyes "Your dear nephews decided to use Bilbo for their own means. You see, Fili an Kili could not be bothered to reclaim the stolen ponies themselves, so they got both Bilbo and Hetti to do all the dirty work. You can see what happened next!...I am sick and tired of you picking on Bilbo all the time."
"Elaina!" began Gandalf but I wasn't having any of it
"No! Don't you dare stop me Gandalf, he has to be told."
I look at Gandalf then return my attention back on Thorin, glaring at him.
"It's about time that chip on your shoulder was knocked of. Every time there is a problem, you always look at Bilbo, like it is his fault. You mak me sick!You insufferable moron!"
I walked of completely angry, well try to as I collapse into unconsciousness.
~~Hetti's POV~~
"Elaina!" I scream as I rush towards her only to be held back by Fili.
"Get of me!" I hiss at him.
"What's happened to her?" asked Thorin looking very worried.
Gandalf bent down as did Loki and Bilbo and looked at Elaina's small waist.
"She has broken her ribs, one of the ribs has punctured her lung!"
"Elaina!" I tried pushing Fili of but he held me tighter.
"Can you help her?" asked Thorin.
"Oh yes, though she will be a little sore afterwards but, she'll be fine."
Gandalf gently touched Elaina's forehead and saw her breathing return to normal.
"We shall stay here, until Elaina is completely ready to continue our journey!" said Thorin.
I saw everyone nod their heads. I hoped Elaina was alright, as Bilbo and Elaina were all I had.
A/N The song is called Melodies Of Life and is from Final Fantasy 9