How I Leave You

Of Maggots and Men

Horseback riding has never been my favorite mode of transportation. Not that I am no rider. Arwen herself taught me how to tame a mare in my younger years, and I could outride even a Nazgûl, though I would like to never actually put that to the test.

Not even a few hours into our journey, and my mouth is already dry. I ache for water.

"I guess our burglar really has made up his mind," Thorin's deep voice proclaims.

I roll my eyes, stalling a bit behind his horse in the front of the company. I'd rather not be in the vicinity of the raindrops from the thunder cloud above his head.

"Do not underestimate the hobbit, Thorin," Gandalf says, riding proudly on Shadowfax.

Except for his, mine, and Thorin's, the rest of the horses here are ponies.

"Wait," someone calls out.

It's faint and far away, and for a second, I doubt what my ears tell me they hear.

"Did you...?"

"What, elf?" Thorin sighs.

"Wait for me!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Not only did you bring an elfling into our company, Gandalf, but you gave us one who is hearing voices that are not there."

A low laughter spreads throughout the other dwarves. Perhaps I am going insane after all.

"Wait!"

There it is again.

"Is that...?" the one named Oin asks, turning around in his saddle.

"Bilbo!"

I call out the hobbit's name, unable to help myself. There, on bare feet with a piece of parchment wildly flailing in his hand, comes our burglar.

"Halt," Thorin says.

I cannot wipe the smile off my face, even if he isn't as much as looking in my direction.

"I believe you owe me 10 gold coins, Oakenshield."

"I owe you nothing, elf."

"I'm going on an adventure!" Bilbo exclaims, blind to the rage Thorin seems to be fuming with.

"Indeed you are," Gandalf chuckles. But when he speaks again, he looks at me. "Indeed you are."

The road is beautiful. The trees sing to me, their leaves calling out in the loveliest of colors, and it almost distracts me from the dread of having to travel by horse. So painfully slow. When the first signs of eve begin to show, Thorin, in all his benevolence, decides that we deserve a rest.

With slow movements, I get myself out of my saddle. My thighs, my back. None of their muscles have been trained for this kind of movement for many years now.

"Unused to not having servants?" Thorin remarks.

I take a deep breath, hoping that it hides my annoyance.

"Oh goodness, no. I do not remember the last time I went anywhere without being carried there." I can tell he isn't sure whether I'm serious or not. If I am not used to having no servants, then he is not used to being made fun of. "Excuse me."

The others get a fire going. Someone caught a rabbit. He boastfully holds it up to another dwarf, a blond one, who proudly slaps the first on his back. Brothers?

"Fili, Kili, go watch the horses," Thorin calls out.

His voice is so deep, it reaches all the way into my toes. They curl at the sensation. Peace. I need peace.