Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart

Chapter 18 - Jealousy

The Company had a lazy day, eating and resting at will; the river had good patches to swim and take a good bath, and other good patches to fish, and to fish some of them did, granting the meat the dwarves adored so much for their dinner. Gandalf came back just before sunset, as to keep himself out of the trouble of disobeying Beorn’s orders. Although grateful for the day’s rest, they were worried about their real condition at that house, and Thorin questioned Gandalf both about their host and about where he himself had gone all day long.

“One question at a time, good friend! And I will answer the second one first.”

The he explained that he had fallowed bear tracks back to the Carrock and that there were more than just one set of paws, meanings there were several bears gathered; beyond that, the tracks lead back to the burned pine trees where they had been hanging some days before, and then he could not go ahead without missing his time to reach back Beorn’s house before dusk.

“And I think this answers the first question, too.”

***

Next day they were woken up by Beorn himself, friendly and good humored.

“So, you are all still here, huh? Not eaten by wargs, killed by goblins nor smashed up by big bad bears, huh?” Bilbo looked up at him as if fearing the man could read his troubled thoughts. The huge man turned to Iris, who was somewhat hidden behind Bilbo. “And this little one here is no puppy at all, huh?” He laughed out loud. “Cutting open the Great Goblin’s throat is big people’s task, don’t you think so?”

Iris went red as her hair to the praise, and they all fallowed their host to the table to have breakfast with him. Beorn was in an extremely good mood, and before they could ask why he was so friendly at them he told them himself.

“When I saw the burned glade in the pine grove I knew that at least something of what you told me was true. But then I had the luck of finding a wandering orc and what was left of his warg, and I made them sing whatever there was to be sung, if you take my meaning.”

Beorn filled up his mouth with honey bread and told he found out the goblins and orcs were together in search for the dwarves’ Company and planned to raid everything around in search of them, as soon as they gathered themselves up.

“Now I know for sure what you told is true, I’m ready to offer you any help that I can. You can take ponies for the small ones and horses for the big ones to reach Mirkwood’s borders, and supplies to feed you for weeks, if you are careful. Large water skins will help you, too.”

He made clear inside the forest they would have little or no chance of getting water of food, and warned them against a dark watered river almost at the end of their track.

“Do not drink or bathe in this river, its waters are enchanted and can make you sleep heavily or get into forgetfulness. And never, mind you, never, go out of the path.”

They started at once to prepare things for them to depart as soon as possible, even if it would take some hours for baking some needed supplies. The women asked him permission to use his kitchen to make a traveling loaf recipe they learned back at Imladris, and he allowed them into his pantry to get whatever they needed.

“I hope we remember everything Lady Galadriel explained about making that lembas bread she told us about.”

“It should not be too difficult, once you got half a dozen dwarves to crack the nuts. I liked the ones Beorn has here, they remind me of Brazilian nuts.”

“Hmm, roasted Brazilian nuts would be perfect!”

“Then the other stuff is not so hard to get, the oat, honey, flour, butter, things you can find in any kitchen in Middle-Earth.”