[1] Mesmerized - The Elvish Ranger In The Company (Legolas)

᪥ 𝔹𝕖𝕠𝕣𝕟 ᪥

 The next morning, I find myself enjoying a rather good breakfast, one I did not have since leaving Imaldris. I get up and serve the dwarves some more food.

 "You'll make a fine wife one day, lassie," Dwalin says with a mouthful across the table.

His words make me look up at him, brows quirked, "I am no house elf, master dwarf. I might wear dresses and circlets on some occasions, that is only because of my heritage. One would do well not to forget,"

  "She's right, I almost feel bad for the one that will fall for this spitfire. He won't know what hit him," Fili says, jokingly as I scowl at him.

 "Tell me...why is Azog The Defiler hunting you?" Beorrn asks. 

"You know of Azog? How?" Thorin asks.

"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." I see the remnants of manacles on Beorn's wrist. "Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him." 

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asks.

 "Once, there were many." He looks down.

"And now?"

"Now, there is only one." The dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf, and I look on in silence.

 "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Beorn asks breaking the eerie silence.

 "Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Gandalf says.

"You are running out of time."

 "Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." The wizard replies.

 "A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur," I say in a trance-like state.

"I would not venture there except in great need." Beorn says, aggreeing with me.

"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe." Mithrandir says.

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

"What do you mean?" Thorin asks.

 "These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and we are on foot," I explain, standing up.

 "You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn says. Thorin looks shocked. Beorn stands up from the table and faces Thorin.

"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." Beorn picks up a mouse that had been scampering on the table and holds it, all the while approaching Thorin. who is standing with his arms crossed."But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

I smirk while picking up my weapons.

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 The Company saddles and rides Beorn's ponies. As they ride away, Beorn, who is staying at his house, looks around for danger. I whistle softly and my horse Aredhel comes galloping. The dwarves look in wonder at the beautiful horse. 

 "Go now, while you have the light. The hunters are not far behind." Beorn instructs.

     The company rides rapidly across the land, slowing to a stop as they approach a looming, gloomy-looking forest. Gandalf dismounts and walks into the edge of the forest through an ancient archway.

 "The Elven Gate." Gandalf turns and calls to the others. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin sighs in relief.

    Dwalin dismounts. Gandalf squints as he sees something in the distance; it is Beorn, in his bear-form, watching them from a distant ridge. "Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master." The dwarves and Bilbo dismount and begin taking their supplies off the ponies. 

Bilbo approaches the forest on foot. "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 reply, groaning.

  Gandalf follows a path a few feet further into the shadows and approaches a plant-covered statue. I gasp and put a hand over my mouth as I realize the statue being the Queen Of Greeenwood's. 

At the same time, Bilbo, who is standing by himself, reaches into his pocket and, after some internal conflict, slowly pulls out the Ring and fingers it. Just like when he examined it in Beorn's house, we hear the voice whispering the "One Ring to rule them all" chant.

   As Gandalf approaches the statue, my naneth suddenly appears; she is evidently thought-speaking to Mithrandir and I from Rivendell.

    "Something moves in the shadows unseen, hidden from our sight. Every day it grows in strength. Beware the Necromancer. He is not what he seems."

Gandalf approaches the statue apprehensively, then quickly yanks off the vines, revealing a painted-on Eye of Sauron. We see the Flaming Eye of Sauron burst on the screen for a second, and Bilbo, holding the Ring, gasps slightly.

 "If our enemy has returned, we must know. Go to the tombs in the mountains." I say in their thoughts. Gandalf, hearing my words in his head, nods in agreement.

"The High Fells. So be it."  He whispers.

 The unladen ponies trot away. I stroke Aredhel's mane before she runs off. Nori is just about to finish unsaddling Gandalf's horse when Gandalf emerges from the forest.

 "Not my horse! I need it." As Gandalf strides forward, the Company looks up and murmurs in surprise.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asks.

"I would not do this unless I had to."

Gandalf looks at Thorin, then turns and looks at a dejected Bilbo. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire."

 "I was going to tell you; I...found something in the Goblin tunnels."

 "Found what?"

Gandalf leans forward curiously and suspiciously; Bilbo doesn't answer immediately, but fumbles with the ring in his pocket. I speak into his mind. "Now is not the time, my dear Bilbo,"  He slightly flinches at my voice but shrugs it off.

 "What did you find?" Mithrandir asks.

Bilbo stays silent for several more seconds, then finally responds. "My courage." He removes his hand from his pocket.

 "Good. Well, that's good. You'll need it," Gandalf turns and begins walking toward his horse; he speaks as he passes Thorin.

    "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me."
Gandalf stops and looks hard at Thorin as he says this, then continues toward his horse.

 "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." I say as the wizard nods.

 "Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asks me.

Gandalf gets on his horse. It begins raining lightly, even though the sun is out. "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!"


Thorin and Company turn toward the forest."Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day."

"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin exclaims.

 "This is our one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin says.