There and Back Again: A Girl's Tale

Chapter 7 Radagast and the Orc Pack

Chapter 7 Radagast and the Orc Pack

The company were all more than a little relieved to have survived the night and clamber back into their armor and gather weapons once more. Everyone was in such high spirits, Thorin could not help but grin. He watched as his eldest nephew helped Elwen strap a sheath near the bracer she wore on her left arm, saying she needed a weapon. He cursed himself for not thinking of it first.

Gandalf circled the now stone trolls, whacking one on its snout with his staff.

"Where did you go, if I may ask?" said Thorin.

"To look ahead," Gandalf replied simply.

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind," Gandalf grinned, gazing out over the company. "Still, they are in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar," Thorin said, annoyed.

"He and Elwen had the nous to play for time." Gandalf gave Thorin an even stare. "None of the rest of you thought of that."

Thorin inclined his head, fighting back the urge to smile. Gandalf had him there. Together they gave the statues another look.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors," Gandalf said sagely.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?"

"Oh, not for an age." Gandalf's voice grew heavy and grave. "Not since a darker power ruled these lands."
Thorin felt a shiver ripple through him, for he knew of what power Gandalf spoke.

"They could not have moved in daylight," Gandalf said, pondering aloud.

"There must be a cave nearby."

Once everyone was ready, the company began to search for the cave, finding it quickly. Thorin, Gandalf, Bilbo, Elwen, Dwalin, Nori, Bofur, and Gloin all entered the cave. The stench hit him so hard he had to bite back the urge to vomit.

"Oh, what's that stench?" cried Nori. Everyone was coughing and retching at the foul odor.

"This...smells..." Elwen gasped, "like...dirty...crotch."

"It is a troll hoard," Gandalf declared, as if that should be obvious. "Be careful what you touch."

It did not take long for Bofur and the rest to hone in on the treasure strewn about the floor of the cave, but Thorin was more interested in the weapons he found covered in cobwebs. He picked up two swords, handing one to Gandalf.

"These swords were not made by any troll," Thorin said, examining the remaining curved, silver blade in his hands.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf drew the sword out of its sheath a few inches. "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age."

Revulsion pulsed its way through Thorin. The last thing he wanted was to wield an elvish blade, but just as he was about to throw it down, Gandalf snapped, "You could not find a finer blade!"

Thorin reluctantly kept hold of the sword and drew it slightly from its sheath. He could tell by a glance that it was sharp despite not having been honed for Mahal knew how long. There was no denying the truth of Gandalf's words.

"Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go!" Thorin barked.

Outside of the cave, Thorin spied Gandalf handing a small elvish dagger to their burglar. To the halfling, it was as large as a sword.