Lilja
It is night, Bilbo and I peek over some rocks on a high ledge and watch Azog and his Warg Scouts run along a ridgeline not far away, occasionally stopping to smell the air in their pursuit of the Company. Not finding anything, they continue on their way. Suddenly, Bilbo and I hear a snarl from the side, and duck behind the rocks. We peek out and see a large bear watching Azog from another pile of rocks, snarling softly. Bilbo and I sneak away.
Bilbo and I make our way down the rocks to where the dwarves and Gandalf are waiting to hear our spy report.
"How close is the pack?" Dwalin asks us
"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Bilbo says
"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"
"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."
"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf asks
"No, that's not it." Bilbo says
Gandalf smiles and turns to the dwarves. I roll my eyes
"What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."
The dwarves chuckle loudly in appreciation of Bilbo. Bilbo looks exasperated that no one is hearing him out.
"Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."
They don't shut up, so I decided to step in, I growl at them and they look shocked, well all except Thorin who smirks.
"That's not our only problem, there's something else out there" I say.
The dwarves look worried, including Thorin, our eyes meet, I try to smile and hide how scared I really am.
"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asks
"Ye..." Bilbo starts
Bilbo pauses and looks curiously at Gandalf.
"Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger." Bilbo says
"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asks Gandalf
Gandalf turns and walks a few steps away.
"I say we double back." Bofur says
"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." Thorin says, I shudder
"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge." Gandalf says
"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asks
"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." Gandalf tells us
The dwarves looks at each other in dismay. Well shit Gandalf, you might get us killed
"What choice do we have?" Thorin asks
A roar splits the night behind them; it is the bear.
"None." Gandalf says
Thorin grabs my hand, The company is run through plains and across streams.
"Come on!" Gandalf yells
As the Company runs through a forest, Azog and his Orcs are racing through the forest too. Azog urges his party on. Both groups stop suddenly when an ear-splitting roar sounds nearby.
"This way, quickly!" Gandalf yells
As the dwarves panic and run, Bombur looks on in shock until he is pulled along.
"Bombur, come on!" Bofur says
As we exit the forest, we spy a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain.
"To the house! Run!" Gandalf yells
The Company runs across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outruns all the rest of us in his fear. We run through a gate in the hedge.
"Come on, get inside!"
We run to the front door of the house; it is closed. Bombur, who reaches the door first, throws himself against it but falls flat on his back when the door doesn't budge. The rest of the dwarves catch up and begin throwing themselves against the door, trying to open it. Gandalf looks back as a massive bear breaks out from the edge of the forest and runs toward them.
"Open the door!" Gandalf yells
"Quickly!" Thorin shouts
Thorin, pushing through the dwarves pressed against the door, manages to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The entire company bolts inside the house and we try to slam the door shut, but the bear has already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roars and tries to push the door open, the dwarves yell and strain to close it. Bilbo pulls out his sword and points it unsteadily at the bear.
Gandalf looks on in apparent amusement. The dwarves yell as they press against the door. I growl at him.
"Come on, lads!" Dwalin says
With a final heave, the dwarves manage to close the door and drop the bolt across it. They sigh in shock, fear, and tiredness.
"What is that?" Ori asks
"That...is our host." Gandalf says
The dwarves and Bilbo and I turn to Gandalf in bewilderment.
"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Gandalf tells us
Oin checks his hearing trumpet to make sure he has heard Gandalf correctly.
"Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves."
"Wait did you say skin-changer?" I ask unsure if I heard him right
"Yes, my dear. It seems both of you thought you were the last but aren't" Gandalf says
The dwarves look at each other in dismay when Gandalf says skin-changer. Ori peaks out a crack in the door.
"He's leaving!" Ori says
Dori pulls him away from the door.
"Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell." Dori says
I snarl "So you think I am under a dark spell too?" I ask growling, Thorin places a hand on my shoulder
"It's ok Lilja, he meant no offence" Thorin says to me.
"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own. Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." Gandalf says
The dwarves start spreading out through the house.
"I hope." I hear Gandalf whisper to himself.
YOU ARE READING
For the Love of a King
FanfictionLilja Storm, a skin-changer who was tortured by Azog, is found by Gandalf and joins Thorin, Bilbo, and company on the quest to reclaim Erebor. On the way she discovers stuff about herself and feelings she hasn't had in ages, will she be happy again...
