After I was able to convince Beorn to help us. He brought all of us toward the kitchen, Gandalf started to tell him of the quest. Everyone sat down and Beorn pulled out a pitcher of milk.
"So you are the one they call Oakensheild. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"
"You know of Azog? How?"
"My people were the first to live on the mountain before the Orcs came down from the north. He killed most of my family, but some he enslaved."
I saw the remnant of shackles 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 asked as he adjusted himself in his seat.
"Once, there were many. Now, there is only one."
Everyone was silent.
"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"
"Before Durin's Day falls, yes."
"You are running out of time."
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood."
"A darkness lies upon that forest. Vile things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer. I would not venture there except in great need."
"We will take the Elven Road. That path is still sake."
"Safe? The Wood-Elves or Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."
"What do you mean," Thorin asked
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. you will never reach the forest alive."
Thorin looked shocked. Beorn faced Thorin.
"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own."
Thorin crossed his arms.
"But Orcs I hate more. What do you
I picked up a mouse that was scampering on the table and handed it to Beorn.
"Beorn, if your willing we will need your ponies."
"That I can do."
We headed outside, the dwarves started to saddle the ponies. Gandalf and I spoke with Beorn
"You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest."
"You have our wood."
A raven suddenly cawed. I looked up and placed my hand on my sword.
"We're being watched."
"Yes, the Orcs will not give up. They will hunt the dwarves until they are destroyed."
"Why now? What has made the Defiler crawl from his cave."
"As Beorn said before Gandalf, they made an alliance with the Necromancer that Radagast spoke of."
"It's true, packs have been seen headed to Dol Guldur."
"Gandalf! Paephan!"
Thorin called out and gestured to the sun.
"Time is wasting."
Gandalf and I started to walk toward the ponies
"There is more, not long past word spread, the dead had been seen walking near the Highfells of Rhudaur."
YOU ARE READING
Erebor's Guardian
FanfictionPaephan was the first of her kin is now the last. They were tasked to keep their oath until their death. Her oath is to keep the line of Durin alive. She joins Thorin and the others in their quest to reclaim Erebor. Little note: so in an interview...
