Chapter Seventeen: Guests of Beorn

Notes: Aww, I love them so much! Wish I could write another fluff chapter, but the journey must continue.

My nose woke up before I did, smelling spices that reminded me of Bree. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. My eyes opened and the home was lit up and full of life. Chickens were running around the house and bothering the oxen. I took another deep smell of the air and my stomach growled. I stretched and the deep blue coat fell off of me, and it reminded me of last night.

Excitement bubbled inside me and I rolled onto my back on the window seat, crossing my arms over my face. "That all really happened," I whispered.

"Lydia, aren't you awake yet?" Bofur called from the kitchen.

"I'm up! Be right over!" I called back. I uncovered my head and sat up. My hair fell around me in hunks of untamed curls and my clothes were twisted around me. I yawned and adjusted everything, still in a daze as I recalled the events of the night before. My heart rate increased by the moment, thinking of how incredible those kisses were.

I hope beyond hope I'll be able to do all that again…

I picked up Thorin's coat and shuffled my way off to the kitchen, dodging animals and stacks of hay. When I came into eyeshot it was easy to identify our host. Beorn was one of the tallest people I had ever seen, though he was most certainly not a mortal man. Tanned skin, and long, light brown hair. Even his jowls had long hair. When he looked up at me I could see his eyes were an striking amber, gold color. He was a tree of a man.

Beorn poured out milk into a couple cups and Thorin was at the head of the table next to him. I moved around the chairs where everyone was eating like ravenous wolves. "Morning everyone, see everyone slept well." I picked some stray hay out of Gloin's hair as I passed behind him. I handed the coat back to Thorin and tried to have some semblance of a poker face. "Thanks for letting me borrow this, Thorin."

He nodded to me. "Of course, Lydia."

Beorn said, "So you are the one they call Oakenshield. I don't suppose you'd be able to explain why Azog the Defiler is on your tail?"

"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asked back.

I sat down at an open chair between Bifur and Dori and grabbed a bowl of oatmeal that was making the whole house smell so delicious.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains, long before the orcs came down from the north. Bolg and his father Azog killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him greatly back in those days."

I asked, "There are others like you, Beorn?"

"Once there were many of us, in these lands and others."

"And now?"

"Just one." He set down the milk and leaned on the table. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"

Gandalf jumped in and said, "Before Durin's Day falls, yes."

"You are running out of time then."

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood you say. A darkness lies upon that forest. Fowl things creep beneath those trees. There is also an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We are in great need. We will take the Elven Road through the wood. That path is still safe, I am sure."

"Safe?" he scoffed without humor. "The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their gentle and hospitable kin in Rivendell. They're less wise and certainly more dangerous. But it matters little to this lot, I suppose."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked.

"These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." He stood up from the table and narrowed his eyes at him. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own." Thorin looked like he was about to jump out of his chair and fight Beorn, but he added, "But orcs I hate with all my mind, body, and soul. What can I provide to help?"

The company looked among each other and whispered. Then Thorin turned back to him and said decisively, "Ponies. Or Horses. Something that will help us get to the forest as fast as possible. Would you be able to assist with that?"

"Of course."

Thorin stood up from the table. "Everyone, get everything packed up and we will be heading out as soon as possible."

The rest of the company jumped to action and I was the only one left at the table eating. I shrugged my shoulders, I needed the food before we left anyway.

"A hobbit among dwarves, how interesting." Beorn sat down next to me. "I never would have ever guessed I'd see such a sight, especially so far east."

I wiped my mouth and nodded my head to him. "Can't say I'd ever guess it either. My name is Lydia, I come from Bree."

"Beorn, from everywhere and nowhere I suppose. Why are you traveling with such a company? What does a hobbit have to benefit from gaining dwarvish gold?"

"Nothing really. I'm along because I want to help them take their home back. And there was nothing left for me in Bree," I explained. "How is it that you know of hobbits?"

"My people and I have also been far from home before. Can't say we've come across hobbits but we've certainly heard of them and you fit the description. Of course no one would mistake you for a dwarf."

"I think that's a compliment," I laughed. "Well, just in case Thorin forgets to say so later, thank you so much for helping us. You didn't need to since we just invaded your home and made a ruckus, but we appreciate it more than we can say. Being able to sleep somewhere safe for a night…yeah, just thank you so much."

"I can't say I was expecting to come home to a bunch of snoring dwarves taking up space among my animals. Luckily they smelled too bad to eat for breakfast." I could tell by the look on his face that he was joking, most likely.

"Oh you think they're bad today, you should have seen them after we arrived in Rivendell. We had just gotten done running for our lives from orcs again so I'm sure they needed to completely change the water out of the hot spring we used. I'm certain I reeked as well, but I feel like dwarf stink is something else."

"We heard that!" Fili shouted as everyone prepared for the road.

"Good! Jump in a river every once and a while!"

"You have a way with them," Beorn chuckled. "I couldn't imagine traveling with dwarves from Bree to here. They're quite obnoxious creatures."

"They can be, but they have good hearts and are undyingly loyal. I certainly am glad I'm on their side." My gaze traveled over Thorin and I quickly went back to eating before my face started changing colors. "They've become the closest companions I've ever had."

"Hmm, I think I've seen a lot more of the bad in people over my life than the good. So I think you'll understand my skepticism."

"Of course, I certainly can't blame you for seeing the world that way. A friend of mine once said though, 'There's so many things to experience and wonders to see and people to meet that would change your life'. I'm glad my impression of the world didn't keep me from going on this journey because he was right." I took another big bite. "As I said though, I can totally understand why you see the world the way it is, it is a cruel mess most of the time isn't it?"

"Indeed it is. Though I guess I can forget how entertaining it can be to actually interact with people." He stood up from the table. "Would you like some apples for your journey? They just came off the tree this morning."

"I would love some! Thank you Beorn!"

I scarfed down the rest of the oatmeal and followed him around the cottage as he blessed me with food, provisions, and even the best smelling soap I had ever had before. He told me I was not allowed to share the soap with the dwarves because it would be ruined.

A lot of the homemade products reminded me of what we had to make ourselves while growing up so I traded secrets of how I used to make soap, weave baskets, carve weapons, and so on. Beorn also shared his processes as well and I learned a lot from him in the little time we had before it was time for us to leave. Since all I needed to pack was my sword and my bow and arrow I tried to spend as much time with Beorn as possible, he was an incredibly intelligent and a gentle person despite his size and appearance.

Before getting onto my pony he had one more thing to give to me.

"I believe this belongs to you as well," he added, handing me my cloak that I had lost yesterday. "I attempted to mend it but I'm afraid that it is still quite damaged. I apologize."

I unfurled it and saw what he meant. The rips were sewn together but there was only so much that could be done to something that had been essentially destroyed. I couldn't help but snicker at it. "My, my Beorn. I'm certainly glad you just got my cloak and not the rest of me. It's a miracle you somehow managed to even get it in one piece again."

"Again I apologize-"

"Oh think nothing of it, Love. We were breaking into your house, remember?" I swung it around and tied it around my shoulders again. "I like it better this way anyway. It's got character and one hell of a story now."

"Let's head out!" Thorin ordered, nudging his pony so it began trotting along the trail to the flowery hills.

Beorn turned to Gandalf and said, "You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest. I expect them to return to me."

"You have my word, my friend. They will be returned." They both nodded to each other as I mounted the pony. "You go on ahead without me, Miss Lydia. I'd like to have some final words with our host before I leave."

"Of course. Thank you again Beorn for the hospitality!"

"Come back anytime you'd like, Miss Lydia. I hope to see you on my doorstep again one day. It would be a pleasure."

"I hope I can as well." I gave him a grin then had to hurry to catch up with everyone else. Gandalf did stay behind to speak with him further.

I joined Fili and Kili at the back of the group, stretching out my arms and content with having a full stomach for once.

"My, my Lydia," Fili said, "Beorn seemed quite taken with you didn't he?"

Kili added, "I think if you asked, he would have given you the entire house."

"Oh nonsense. We were just speaking from one forager to another."

Kili teased, "I don't know, I saw him checking out those hairy feet of yours. I think he was impressed."

"Shove off you two, I'm not going to be sharing my gifts from him with either of you," I said, reaching into my bag and pulling out an apple. I took a large bite and gave them an arrogant grin. "Mm, can you imagine the last time you had an apple?"

Fili said, "Oh come on, you can give up one can't you?"

"We were just messing around!"

They began going back and forth blaming each other for giving me a hard time, and I let it go on for a bit but eventually I broke it up and gave both of them apples. I had no intention of keeping them all for myself after all. I did go around the group, giving everyone an apple. I did want to unload as much of it as possible before having to carry it through Mirkwood. I had a passing glance with Thorin when I handed apples off to him and Dwalin at the front of the pack. He gave me an appreciative nod and it was all I needed.

Gandalf eventually caught up to us when we were on the edge of the forest. We dismounted our horses and approached a desolate looking arch. As we walked up I stared around at the incredibly tall and curved trees. They looked like ivy, twisted all over around each other. If I wasn't getting a horrible feeling from the woods, I would have found it oddly beautiful.

"The Elven Gates, here lies our path through Mirkwood," Gandalf introduced.

"And no orcs, that has to be a good sign," Dwalin said.

The ponies were set loose to return to Beorn and I carried my goodies in my bag on my back. I situated my weapons on me and I eyed the path through the trees. It seemed to breathe as the wind blew through it and a shiver ran down my spine. Then came the cold rain that started to sprinkle down on us. Even with the change of the weather, I was not in a rush to start upon that path.

"Gandalf, this forest feels sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" I asked, gripping my sword at my side.

"Not if we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south. Unfortunately this is the only option for us…" He turned and saw Nori about to turn his horse loose. "Wait! Wait, I will still be needing that."

"You're leaving us again?" I asked, my stomach dropping to my toes.

"I would not unless I had to." He touched my shoulder as he came past me, he stopped by my side and leaned down to me. "You've changed so much since we came across you in Bree, Lydia Barlcay, you're not the same hobbit who was afraid to exist in the world outside of the Shire. I've seen a kind of courage grow in you that even I didn't expect from you on this journey. You will need all that courage in Mirkwood, it is an unnatural place that takes advantage of weaknesses in the mind. I need you to keep an eye out for everyone in the company, especially Thorin, and try to keep them safe. Can I trust you to do that while I'm away?"

I was touched by his words about seeing me grow and change, but it didn't change my feeling that I had about that place.

"I'll try my best," I responded uncertainly.

He gave my shoulder a solid pat and turned to everyone else. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me. Also, remember this is not the Greenwood of old that we all heard about. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray so everyone must stay sharp and on their guard."

Lead us astray? What kind of forest is this?

Gandalf mounted his horse. "You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what may come, you must stay on the path!" He then rode off, leaving the company behind.

Thorin stood at the front of us, not looking to waste any time. "Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day. This is our one chance to find the hidden door, it cannot be wasted."

My hand stayed on the hilt of my sword as I got onto the trail behind Thorin. Moving into the tree cover I felt the temperature drop and the air felt heavier. All my limbs tensed up. I hated being in that place and I had only just walked in. The rain seemed to only come down harder and harder on us, as if pushing us further inside.

A sharp snap from behind me made me jump sky high. I squealed, flipping around and fumbling with my sword. I fell backward right into Thorin while shouting, "What was that?! S-Something is in the brush!"

A rabbit ran across the trail and the dwarves burst out laughing at me. All the blood rushed to my face as Thorin helped me back onto my feet.

"Jumpy aren't we?" Thorin asked, attempting to not laugh as well.

"This place gives me the creeps, I'm so sorry." I put my sword away and sighed, waiting for everyone to stop snickering at me. "Please keep going. We just…need to stay on the path as Gandalf said."

Thorin gave my arm a reassuring squeeze and then he continued on, leading us deeper and deeper into the trees.