Daughter of The Darkness

Chapter 29

In Kasper's stall, Elfreda stood brushing her horses fur. Kasper stood there patiently as Elfreda pulled the knots out of his mane and tail. She grumbled and moaned under her breath. Kasper twitched his neck, his hair flicking Elfreda's face, knocking her out of her grumbling senses.
"Oh I'm sorry Kasper, I'm just angry," she said patting his neck.

Elfreda spent most of the day all by herself. Kasper was off in the field prancing around like the happiest thing alive and Beorn disappeared had few moments after the dwarves left.

She had nothing to do. Sat in the huge arm chair by the fire, Elfreda heaved a massive chess board onto her lap. Wooden animals replaced the playing pieces. She picked up the intricate carving of an eagle and traced her soft fingers over the carved lines.

After about two games of chess, Elfreda finally gave up. She had won both games and seen as though there was no one else to play with, her next move was pretty predictable. She set the game board aside, crossed her legs on the chair and huffed.
"Eugh! I'm so bored," Elfreda exclaimed.

By now the Company had traveled many miles on horse back and had got further than they would on foot in three hours than they would in a day. The ponies Beorn had given them, loved to run and were able to go further distances than any other they had ever owned.

They all still get guilty about leaving Elfreda on her own but they knew it was for the best. Over the last few days, Elfreda had sustained enough injuries to put any strong will dwarf in the hospital wing for at least a week. The Company all admired her for her bravery an her courage as well as we stamina and fighting ability.

"She'll be fine, Thorin. Elfreda is stronger than she was all those years ago," said Balin when they all stopped for a short break for lunch.
" I understand but it's where she's staying that bothers me, Beorn is concerns me." huffed Thorin.

Balin chuckled "I don't know about Beorn but if both Gandalf and Elfreda trust him then so do I."

Elfreda had laid out all the chess pieces on the floor and was playing battles. She had lined up all the darker wood hedgehogs. Making a swooshing sound, Elfreda picked up the eagle and knocked over the hedgehogs. The bear then attacked the eagle with Elfreda making gargling and groaning noises.

From behind her, someone coughed. From her place next to the fire, Elfreda turned to look at the huge man in the doorway- Beorn.
"Oh, I'm... errr... well" stuttered Elfreda picking up the chess pieces and putting them back on the chess board.

Beorn huffed and turned away. Elfreda rolled her eyes, was he actually going to try and talk to her? Shaking her head, she stood up from her place near the warm fire and decided to follow Beorn outside. Elfreda wanted to talk, she had been fed up with the deafning scilence all day and now that someone was here, she could stand it no longer.

Heaving open the huge doors, Elfreda saw Beorn chopping wood with a ginormous axe. He swung it above his head and it came crashing down on a circular log. The log splintered in half and flew off the chopping board. The fact that he put little effort into wielding the huge axe scared Elfreda, the blade must of weighed as much as a small sheep.

"Need a hand?" asked Elfreda, walking up to Beorn. He nodded and allowed her to pick up several halves of the cut wood. She took them inside and dumped them in the basket. Outside again, Beorn had stopped chopping wood and lent on his axe in the chopping block.

"Do you feel it?" he questioned. Elfreda looked rather puzzled, and shook her head. Beorn chuckled to himself "Then maybe you have traveled with it for so long, that you do not feel the darkness that one of Oakensheild's company bares."

Approaching Beorn, Elfreda replied rather sternly and rebellious "none of those dwarves are bad of heart. The halfing would not harm a fly and Gandalf maybe a wandering wizard but he is more like the father I never had,"

Beorn stood up off of his axe and turned his back to her "I do not doubt that, but a shadow lingers over them, something I have not felt in many years. A power greater than the smell of unwashed dwarves lingers over that band of merry travellers" Still not quite sure what he was on about Elfreda walked up to his side and gazed up at him. "Explain, Beorn," she said.

The company had arrived at the edge of Mikrwood and were unpacking their ponies. Gandalf searched the entrance to the wood. After a few moments he rejoined the company "Not my horse, I need it" he called. Nori stopped untacking Gandalf's horse and started re-tacking him. But before Gandalf could mount, Bilbo drew him aside. "I found something in the Goblin Tunnels" he stated. Gandalf looked down at his small friend and smiled.

"What did you find?" he replied. Bilbo was hesitant for a while and put his hand down into his pocket and fumbled with something inside. The grey wizard looked at Bilbo's pocket with suspicion. But Bilbo withdrew his hand and said "My courage,"

Before leaving, Gandalf replied "good, well that's good. You'll need it"

Once mounted, Gandalf was soon off and on his way. As he cantered off into the horrizon, he cast a spell into the wind.

The spell was a message to Elfreda. It told her to find the company, find them as soon as possible as there was something in Mirkwood which was not going to let them pass. Protect the company as he would not be there to guide them. The woodland elves are not too keen on the dwarves from Erebor.