The Elf, the Hobbit and the Dwarf - Book 1 NEW VERSION

The Orc Pack

Míriel sat impatiently on the ground and waited for Bilbo. Where had he gone off to now? He had been gone for ages it seemed like, while Míriel sat and waited in a glade with the Dwarves. She was growing a bit worried about the Hobbit for he said he was only going to be away for a short time. Maybe someone should have gone with him to scout - but no one was as quiet or easy to hide as him, not even Míriel.

Míriel started combing through her hair with her fingers, to distract herself from thinking more about Bilbo, and then suddenly feeling desperate for a brush and a hot bath but knowing that she wouldn't have that in a while.

"Oh, stop it you," Kíli suddenly said to Míriel who turned to him with raised eyebrows. Kíli looked into her eyes and noticed that he was smiling. "You look just as beautiful as when we set out, you don't have to fuss about it."

"Thank you Kíli," Míriel said and smiled, feeling truly happy about the compliment. He was always so kind to her, and she felt very young when she was with Kíli and Fíli since they brought out the inner child in her. Kíli winked and turned to his brother who was standing right next to him, nodding in agreement with his brother. Those two were the sweetest Dwarves of them all.

Míriel sighed as her thoughts drifted back to Bilbo, but she quickly tried to think of something else. For the last couple of nights, when all of the Dwarves had been sleeping, she had mumbled on this one song that she could not for the love of Middle-Earth recall where she had heard it before. It was not an Elvish song for it was sung in Westron, but the Dwarves hadn't taught it to her either.

"Oh, misty eye of the mountain below..." Míriel sang softly. "Keep careful watch of my brother's souls... And should the sky be filled with, fire and smoke... Keep watching over Durin's sons..."

"What is that song?" Thorin asked and Míriel noticed that all of the Dwarves had gathered around her. Not far away stood Gandalf, obviously eavesdropping on Míriel's song. "It's terrible, Míriel, why would you sing about our destruction?"

"It's not-" Míriel began but stopped herself. The lyrics of the song did indeed remind much of what the Dwarves could be facing if things did not go according to plan. If Bilbo did not succeed in his mission to break in and steal the Arkenstone, the heart of the mountain, they may all as well end up in fire and smoke.

"The song must have come to me in a dream," Míriel mumbled and looked Thorin in the eye.

"I thought it was beautiful," Fíli spoke and Míriel smiled at him. "Continue Míriel, we have nothing better to do anyway."

Míriel nodded and started singing again,

If this is to end in fire

Then we should all burn together

Watch the flames climb high into the night

Calling out father oh

Stand by and we will

Watch the flames burn auburn on

The mountainside

And if we should die tonight

Then we should all die together

Raise a glass of wine for the last time

Calling out father oh

Prepare as we will

Watch the flames burn auburn on

The mountainside

Desolation comes upon the sky

Now I see fire

Inside the mountain