Middle Earth || OS

28. Thorin | Little Creature I

Tumblr : averil-of-fairlea

Words: 1352 || Characters: Thorin, Gandalf, Ori, Bofur, Elrond, Elfling

Spared

Gandalf followed the whimpering that beckoned him off the road, away from the rest of Thorin Oakenshield's company, and found the baby, no more than six months old.

She was by a cluster of trees, crying softly and looking around.

He knew immediately that she was searching for her mother or father, or both, by the panicked expression in her eyes. Someone who loved her was suddenly gone. And then as the wizard surveyed the area, he saw the gruesome remains of what he deduced were her Elf parents.

He called for the others, and soon they were behind him. By then, the baby with the big black eyes and dark hair and dressed in a purple frock was in Gandalf's arms.

"What a beauty!" Ori said dreamily, clasping his hands together and placing them under his chin. The others sighed and cooed along with him.

Most of the others.

Thorin walked past Gandalf and the girl. He looked her over quickly; he recognized those pointed ears. He assessed the nearby carnage.

"Looks like wargs attacked her parents," Gandalf said, bouncing her as she began to fuss, "but they spared this little Elfling."

"Let's keep moving," Thorin said, heading back toward the road.

"What shall we do with the child?" Gandalf said.

Thorin resisted saying "leave her where you found her." He suggested that they drop her off with someone in the next village.

The little girl began to howl. Her chubby arms stretched out for Thorin.

"Hmm, look at that," Gandalf mumbled to himself. "Let's see what happens."

"What are you doing!"

Thorin couldn't understand why his arms were ready to accept the baby. But they were.

And she quieted.

Then her big brown eyes widened, and she gave him a closed-mouth smile, and she clung to him as they left the wood.

'Doroniel'

"What shall we call our little princess?" Bofur asked excitedly.

"Nothing!" Thorin snapped, holding her away from his chest, as much as her gripping hands on his shoulders would let him.

"I was thinking of 'Doroniel,' " Gandalf said. "In Sindarin, it means 'daughter of oak.' Like Oakenshield."

The group let out a rolling thunder of laughter and Dori and Nori slapped Thorin on the back.

Thorin glowered at Gandalf. "Is that some sort of joke?"

"No, it is not. I found her by some oak trees. Why not?"

The laughter continued. Thorin stomped along, keeping the child at arm's length, thinking what an insipid name Doroniel was.

Crying

The little girl's wailing began about two hours later. Gandalf was holding her again so Thorin could take a leak, and the company leader didn't offer to take her back when he was finished.

"Why is that little creature crying?" Thorin said.

"She needs food, Thorin," Gandalf said. "Preferably from a lactating she-Elf."

Thorin laughed. "I don't know if you've noticed, Gandalf, but no one here fits that description!"

"I'll look ahead," Fili offered. "Maybe there's a cow or a garden or something." He took off.