Hey guys! A bit late with this chapter I know, it wasn't intentional, but I'm here now. Thank you for your patience xx
Review Respsonses;
BubblyYork – Yeah, I love that idea too, seeing Thorin taking an interest in her language, just like she is with his. It also is nice to see them taking a break here and there.
As for the collabs, I have taken to just ignoring them now, although it's hard. With every new chapter, I seem to get two more reviews from them and about ten new Pms. It';s getting ridiculous at this point.
Chapter 17
We spend the next few days riding, only stopping to rest at the night, Thorin having two of us on watch at a time just in case. During these rests, once we know we're safe, we watch some movies. The first night we watch Sleeping Beauty and the Greatest Showman. There are a couple of things I have to explain to everyone, the auto-mobiles being one of them, but other than that they enjoy that too.
Also, Balin has began my tutoring on Khuzdul, the dwarven language. It's quite a harsh language to speak, and I try my best. With Balin's kindness and patience, I manage to learn a few simple words, phrases and greetings.
Soon enough, we arrive at the borders of what I assume is Mirkwood Forest, but as I look at it, I suddenly have a bad feeling about it. . .something is wrong. It's then I feel that prickling in my head again, which is starting to get slightly annoying now. My mind is trying to tell me something about this. . .but what.
"Sophia, are you okay?" Bilbo asks me from behind.
Realising I had put a hand to my head, I give him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Bilbo. Don't worry."
He just nods as Gandalf dismounts his horse and walks over to the entrance.
"The Elven Gate. Here lies our path through Mirkwood."
"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin calls out as he also dismounts.
Looking behind us, I see Beorn in his bear form, standing on an outcropping, watching over us.
"I don't think it's just luck, Dwalin." I say to him, as I help Bilbo dismount.
Thorin walks over and lifts his arms, helping me down from the pony. I smile at him once I am on my feet.
"Thank you."
He smiles back and kisses my head before helping with my packs.
"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." Gandalf reminds us.
Bilbo approaches the forest.
"This forest feels. . .sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"
"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south."
"I wouldn't mind taking those options." I mutter as I help Ori.
After a few moments, we manage to get everything off the ponies and begin distributing the packs around, Aiden even having a few of his own supplies in his backpack. Nori is just about to unsaddle Gandalf's horse when the wizard emerges from the forest.
"Not my horse! I need it."
As he strides forward, we look up at him in shock and surprise.
"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asks in confusion.
"I would not do this unless I had to."
After Gandalf glances at Thorin, I look to the dwarf and see he is not happy at all by this news. I reach out and place a hand on his arm, causing him to look to me.
"We'll be alright in there. . .won't we?"
He gives me a reassuring smile, or as reassuring as he can given the current situation. He wraps his arm around me to give me a comforting embrace.
"Yes. We will. You have nothing to worry about."
He places a gentle kiss on my forehead as he pulls away before I smile as Aiden takes our hands.
As Gandalf begins to talk, I'm suddenly hit with a vision of sorts. I see Gandalf walking through a fortress of some sort, calling out in a different language and then being attacked by a creature so thin, I am surprised it's still alive. After a struggle, Gandalf is able to control the creature, which turns out to be a dwarf. I can see Gandalf's face become pained and grieved as he looks over the dwarf he manages to heal and return to normal.
"Thrain? Son of Thror? My old friend."
Just hearing the sadness is enough to break my heart. The vision then speeds on, as if it has been fast forwarded to the both of them trying to get out, being attacked by Azog and then Thrain being dragged by a large shadow.
I let out a gasp as I am pulled from the vision violently, stumbling back slightly. I feel Thorin's hands on my arms to steady me.
"Sophia? What is it?" he asks.
I look up in time to see Gandalf going to his horse and I rush over, grabbing his arm to stop him.
"Gandalf, I need to talk to you, now."
He goes to argue, but he sees the desperation in my face before nodding. I pull him to one side, holding an arm out to Thorin to stop him from following, not wanting him to hear this and give him false hope. We soon stand enough away to be out of earshot and I turn my back to the company so they wouldn't be able to read my lips.
"What's wrong, Sophia? Has something happened?"
"Do you remember at Beorn's when I told you I've been getting these. . .feelings since Aiden and I came here?" he nods. "Well, I think they're now turning into visions of some sort. I don't know when, or if you do, but I saw you in a stone fortress and you get attacked by someone, after a while, you manage to subdue, and return him to his original self. I saw Thrain."
This shocks him and I see the shock and heartbreak on his face.
"My old friend. . .he's alive?"
I nod. "He is. I don't know where the place is. But, as you're trying to escape, Azog attacks you and then Thrain is literally dragged to his death. I. . .I don't know if there's anything you can do. . ."
Gandalf places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I will do all I can to save him. I swear."
I nod. "That's all I can ask. I don't even know if it's real. These feelings, being able to understand languages I've never learnt and now visions. . ."
Feeling his hand squeeze my shoulder, I look to him as he kneels in front of me. "I know these can be confusing, Sophia. But, embrace them. There's a reason the Valar brought you here, a reason why you're getting these feelings and visions. Don't fight them. You never know when you'll need them."
I smile and nod. He pats my shoulder before he stands and walks around me to get to his horse. It now begins to rain lightly.
"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Gandalf wheels his horse and rides away. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"
I continue watching Gandalf as he rides away, hoping my vision is true and if it is, he can save Thrain. Feeling a hand take mine, I look back to see Thorin standing behind me.
"Are you alright?"
I nod with a small smile. "I'm fine. I just needed to tell Gandalf something important."
He frowns. "What was it?"
I look to him for a moment before I shake my head. "I can't say. I promise it has nothing to do with the quest, whatever I told Gandalf won't jeopardise anything, I promise."
He looks me over for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I trust you."
He raises my hand to kiss it before we walk hand in hand towards the Elven Gate, Aiden running over to take my hand. The company are right behind us.
"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin calls out as he leads the way in.
"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin exclaims, excitement clear in his voice.
"This is our one chance to find the hidden door."
I know the next however many days it's going to take to get through is going to be hard. I do not realise just how hard it will be.
We walk through the forest, following the paved path that started at the Elven Gate. As we walk, the path twisting and turning, we walk along all sorts of terrains, terrains I would not have expected to find in a forest such as high ledges for example, looking almost like cliff edges. They're also fallen tree trunks which are used as bridges across chasms. Dwalin uses the handle of his war hammer on the ground to help him find the path.
"This way." he says to Thorin, who is in front of him.
Thorin turns to see him walking in another direction. The dwarf king follows, the rest of us right behind.
I don't know how long it's been, it felt like days but it could have only been a few hours, but we continue walking for some time, and some of the dwarves start complaining.
"Air. I need air."
"My head, it's spinning."
I shake my head as I also feel dizzy, having felt it some time ago but not having said anything. I look down as I feel Aiden pulling on my hand.
"Mummy, I don't feel well." he says in a quiet voice.
Bending over, I pick him up and hold him in my arms. "I know, love. We'll be out of this soon."
Up ahead, Thorin stops and looks back to Aiden and I, waiting for us to reach him. When we do, he holds his arms out.
"Here, let me take him."
I nod as Aiden happily goes to the dwarf, laying his head on his shoulder. Placing a hand on my back, he presses me on ahead of him.
This continues on for the next couple of days, we walk and then stop to sleep for the night. We don't bother with a fire as it attracts giant moths, so from then on, we sit in complete darkness. Aiden huddles close up to me after we notice the eyes watching us in the dark. Again, Thorin has two of us on watch every night, just in case. He doesn't allow me to go on watch though this time, as he has noticed, even though I haven't said anything, that the forests enchantment affects me more than the others because of my human blood. I don't argue with this, however, I do make sure not to be too far from Thorin when I do manage to sleep.
When we are not sleeping, we continue walking and walking through the forest which doesn't seem to end. The dwarves take turns carrying Aiden through, as with him only being a child, he is affect the most by the forest. As I watch Aiden nap on Dwalin's shoulder, I can't help but feel as though I should have left him in Rivendell after all. He has gone through some things these past few weeks that no child should have to go through. Guilt goes through me at what Aiden must be feeling. He's been so strong since Goblin Town, but I know he's terrified inside just from the nightmares he'll have. I've put him in more danger than his father ever did. . .how can I call myself a mother when I do that?
The next day, while we are walking, Bofur suddenly calls out from ahead that he has found the bridge. We all rush up and see the bridge is broken in the middle, there is no way to cross the stream.
"We could try and swim it." Bofur suggests.
"Didn't you hear what Gandalf said?" Thorin begins. "The dark magic lies upon this forest. Waters of this stream are enchanted."
"Doesn't look very enchanting to me." Bofur mutters.
"We must find another way across."
Putting Aiden on his feet, Thorin and his nephews walk on ahead, trying to find another way.
As we look around, Bilbo suddenly shouts up after a few moments;
"There is a boat against the far bank! Now why couldn't it have been this side!"
"How far away do you think it is?" Thorin asks as he rushes over to him.
"Not at all far. I shouldn't think above twelve yards."
"Twelve yards! I should have thought it was thirty at least, but my eyes don't see as well as they used to a hundred years ago. Still twelve yards is as good as a mile. We can't jump it, and we daren't try to wade or swim."
"Can any of you throw a rope?"
"What's the good of that? The boat is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook it, which I doubt."
"I don't believe it is tied," Bilbo answers, "though of course I can't be sure in this light; but it looks to me as if it was just drawn up on the bank, which is low just there where the path goes down into the water."
Thorin turns to his oldest nephew. "Come here Fili, you have the better eyesight, come and see if you can see the boat Mr. Baggins is talking about."
Fili walks over and looking in the direction of the boat as the others bring him some rope. They attach large iron hooks to the rope before handing it to the blond. Taking it in his hand, he balances it for a moment before flinging it across the stream. It falls into the water with a splash.
"Not far enough!" Bilbo says as he's peering forward. "A couple of feet and you would have dropped it on to the boat. Try again. I don't suppose the magic is strong enough to hurt you if you just touch a bit of wet rope."
This time he throws it with greater strength.
"Steady! You have thrown it right into the wood on the other side now. Draw it back gently."
Fili hauls the rope back slowly, and after a while Bilbo says:
"Carefully! It is lying on the boat; let's hope the hook will catch."
It does. The rope went taut, and Fili pulls in vain. Kili, Oin and Gloin go over to help. Together, they tug and tug before they suddenly fall back as the rope goes slack when the boat is pulled away.
Bilbo catches the rope, and with a piece of stick fends off the little black boat as it comes rushing across the stream. "Help!" he shouts, causing Balin and I jump in together, just in time to stop the boat and pull it more onto shore before it floats off down the current.
"It was tied after all," Balin says while looking at the snapped rope that's still attached to the boat. He looks to the dwarves as thet get on their feet. "That was a good pull, my lads; and a good job that our rope was the stronger."
"Who'll cross first?" Bilbo asks.
"I shall," Thorin replies, "and you will come with me, Fili, Balin and Aiden. That's as many as the boat will hold at a time. After that Kili, Oin, Gloin, and Dori; next Ori, Nori, Bifur and Bofur; and lastly Dwalin, Sophia and Bombur."
"I'm always last and I don't like it," Bombur complains. "It's somebody else's turn today."
Thorin turns to snap at the dwarf. "You should not be so fat. As you are, you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don't start grumbling against orders, or something bad will happen to you."
Bombur luckily says nothing more at the reprimand and looks down.
"There aren't any oars. How are we going to get from one side to the other?" I ask after looking into the boat and noticing this.
"Give me another length of rope and another hook," Fili says while holding his hand out, and when they have it ready, he casts into the darkness ahead and as high as he could throw it. Since it did not fall down again, we see that it must have got stuck in the branches. "Get in now, and one of you haul on the rope that is stuck in a tree on the other side. One of the others must keep hold of the hook we used at first, and when we are safe on the other side he can hook it on, and you can draw the boat back."
In this way, it is slow, but all of us soon reach the far bank, safely crossing the enchanted stream. Dwalin scrambles out of the boat with the coiled rope on his arm before turning back and helping me off, to which I thank him. Bombur is getting ready to follow, when things take a turn.
There's a sound of hooves on the path ahead. Out of the gloom suddenly comes the shape of a flying deer. It charges into us and bowls us over, then gathers itself for a leap. High it springs and clears the water with a mighty jump. But it does not reach the other side in safety. Thorin is the only one who keeps his feet and his wits.
As soon as he had left the boat, bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any hidden guardian of the boat appeared. Now he sent a swift and sure shot into the leaping beast. As it reaches the further bank it stumbled. The shadows swallowing it up, but we hear the sound of hooves quickly faltering before going still.
Before the dwarves can shout in praise of the shot, however, a dreadful wail from Bilbo put all thoughts of venison out of their minds.
"Bombur has fallen in! Bombur is drowning!" he cries.
Spinning around, I see that Bombur has indeed fallen into the river. I can still see his hood above the water when we run to the bank. As we stop at the edge, Dwalin tosses the rope he's holding out and after a few moments, he, Dori, Gloin, Bofur and Bifur pull the rope and Bombur out onto land, his hand gripping tightly onto the rope, even when he's fast asleep, thanks to the river's enchantment.
Oin and I quickly check him over, making sure not to get ourselves too wet, so we don't suffer from the enchantment and inform the others that he is well, just sleeping.
"What do we do now? We can't just sit around and wait for him to wake up." Nori points out.
That's when the dwarves use the branches and leaves to make a stretcher, placing him onto it and carry him through, six dwarves having to do it thanks to his large size. It's slow going, the dwarves having to manoeuvrer him up and over stones and boulders and around tight corners.
This goes on for a few days without him waking up. As the time goes by with all of us stuck in this forest, it begins to affect all of us in different ways. Thankfully, Aiden spends most of his time sleeping on top of Bombur on the stretcher, but when he doesn't, it's mostly spent in my arms as I carry him through so he doesn't get hurt. As for me, I have stumbled and almost fallen too many times to count thanks to my head spinning. At some point, we have lost the path and everyone is staggering around trying to find it. I sit on a boulder with Aiden to get some rest as I listen to the others shouting to one another.
"I don't remember this place before. None of it's familiar." Balin says.
"It's got to be here." Dori mutters.
As the dwarves gather around by me, Ori leans down and picks up a tobacco pouch.
"Look."
Dori takes the pouch. "A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods."
Bofur takes the pouch from Dori. "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine."
Bilbo rolls his eyes. "Because it is yours. You understand? We're going round in circles. We are lost."
"We're not lost. We keep heading east." Thorin says.
"But which way is east?" Oin asks. "We've lost the sun."
As the dwarves begin bickering indistinctly, Bilbo looks up and sees a bit of sun through the tree canopy far above him. He speaks quietly, and no one else can hear him over the bickering.
"The sun. We have to find the sun. Up there. We need to-"
He doesn't say anything else but begins to climb one of the trees. I watch him climb up before being pulled from my thoughts as Aiden clings to me fearfully. Looking around as I hold him, the dwarves have started fighting and pushing each other around. Thorin, after noticing Aiden's fear, begins to say something before he stops. Looking to him, I see him looking into the trees in confusion. Looking around, I see nothing but then I hear it. . .whispers.
"What? What's that?"
The whispering continues, making me feel real uneasy as I stand, pulling Aiden close to me as I look around. Thorin turns and yells at the dwarves.
"Enough! Quiet! All of you!" They all stop and turn to him. "We're being watched."
That's when I grunt as I feel something pierce my back. The last thing I hear before passing out is Aiden crying out for me.
Oh no, spiders have got them. I hope you all enjoyed this and it makes up for me being late. Like I said above, I'm not going to make a promise on when the next chapter will be uploaded, but I'll try and not take as long as I have been. Thank you all that have stayed with me, I appreciate all of your support xx