Into the Fire: Book 2

3

"Thorin!" I found myself shouting.

The world around me was black. I was burning and I couldn't see anything expect the eyes of the dwarf King. They flashed in front of me, then disappeared. I called for him once more but he did not come save me. I let out a scream as I fell through an opening in the floor. I landed with a thud on the floor and adjusted my eyes to the new brightness. I was surrounded by gold. Mountains and mountains of bright shiny gold. I stood atop one of the mountains and looked below me. Thorin's eyes flashed in front of me again and but this time I could hear his voice. I couldn't understand what he was saying, it was coming out all muffled, as if he was under water.

"Thorin!" I screamed, sitting straight up.

It was just a dream. It wasn't real. I was covered in sweat and the dwarf beside me was looking at me with concern.

"Are you ok?" I asked, his hand rubbing circles on my back.

I nodded, brushing the damn hair away from my forehead. My breathing was fast and I was trying desperately not to vomit. I couldn't look him in the eye when he asked again if I was ok. His eyes were haunting me.

"I'm fine. I just had a bad dream that's all," I told him, pushing myself into a standing position.

I tested out my ankle, putting just small amounts of weight on it at a time. It still hurt but I could walk with a limp now, instead of not at all. I ignored Thorin's look of concern and hobbled over to the kitchen where Gandalf sat with Balin, Dwalin, the princelings, Bofur, and Beorn.

"Ah, y/n Baggins! How is your ankle?" Gandalf asked me, holding my hand to help me onto the bench.

"Much better thank you! I think elevation and another mug of that tea should do the trick!" I smiled.

"Good! I am glad to hear it. You got up a little late, so you missed the eventful introductions we gave to our host. I would like to introduce you to him now," he gestured to the large man, "Y/n Baggins, this is Beorn. He is generously offering us food and hydration for our short time here."

I nodded respectfully towards the man, "Pleasure to meet you sir."

"You are very kind Ms. Baggins," Beorn told me, walking behind me with a mug of Turmeric tea, "What is your species if you don't mind me asking? You look nothing like any of your companions."

"I am half and half. My father was a Hobbit and my mother was a Dwarf."

He nodded and continued to hand out glasses of milk. I assumed it was goat milk since he had no cows. I took a sip of my tea and shuddered in disgust. Hopefully this would be it for me. Thorin had walked over and took a seat beside me. I moved away from him the smallest bit, towards Bilbo who had appeared on my right side.

"So you are the one they call Oakenshield," Beorn said to Thorin, "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asked, sitting up straighter and looking towards the skin changer with surprise.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler 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." He said, shuddering at the memory.

I noticed the locks around his wrist and tried to avoid staring.

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asked, his eyes going wide with excitement.

"Once there were many," Beorn told us.

"And now?" Bilbo pushed.

"Now there's only one. You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn."

"Before Burin's Day falls, yes," Gandalf said, nodding his head.

"You are running out of time."

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."

"A darkness lies upon that forest, foul things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and The Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need."

I looked towards Gandalf. Maybe we should find a different road? One that wasn't filled with these "foul things".

"We will take the Elven Road, their path is still safe," Gandalf told him, looking at us with a smile.

I wasn't convinced he believed what he said and that made me all the more worried.

"Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked him.

"These lands are crawling with Orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive," He paused and looked at the company with a sneer, "I don't like dwarves, they're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."

Beorn picked up a mouse and held it tightly in his grasp. The group went silent, fearful of what he would do with it. He held it close to his face and I looked towards my half-empty mug, afraid he would eat the small animal. Instead he used his thumb to softly pet the top of its head. He looked towards Thorin with a smile, "But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

The tension faded away and I let out a sigh of relief. Thorin relaxed his grasp on my left leg and I was shocked, I didn't even realize he had put his hand there.

"We will need ponies, a horse for me, and some fresh food and water," Gandalf said, speaking for Thorin who was at a lost for words.

"Very well," Beorn nodded, "You may borrow the ponies. Send them off when you have reached the forest, they will know how to get home."

The company nodded, still the smallest bit fearful of the man and slowly got up to start packing. I went to get up as well but Gandalf stopped me.

"Finish that tea missy," He told me with a smile.

I groaned but chugged the last bit of it. I reached for some water and tried to wash the taste from my mouth and Gandalf looked at me with admiration.

"There I'm all done can I go now?" I asked.

He nodded and helped me off the bench. I walked carefully over towards Thorin who had my stuff packed in my bag. I smiled in thanks and took it without saying anything. I left the cabin and followed the group to the outdoor barn where 20 ponies and 5 horses roamed, munching on hay. I smiled and picked out a white pony with black speckles on its rump. I gave it a carrot and it nudged my pack, looking for more. I laughed and got Bofur's help mounting it. This would help give my ankle some more rest that's for sure.

Gandalf and Beorn walked out of the cabin last and Gandalf put his hand on the mans shoulder as he said his thanks and goodbyes. The dwarves called their thanks and we all waved goodbye at Beorn who gave us a short polite wave.

"Go now, while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind," He told us, sprinting towards the forest we had come from yesterday.

Gandalf nodded and turned his horse around.

"He is right, we must leave now if we want to make it to the hidden door on time."