The Shire's Deadly Flower

The Road Less Traveled

"The cave can't be far! Trolls are lazy as well as stupid." I turned to Thorin, smiling widely.

"They would have wanted to be as close to their food as possible." he caught a hold of my upper arms in his hands.

"And we know that the farthest out they've been is the old farmhouse..."

"We can have a few dwarves go that distance on both sides of where we are now and search through the forest. You and I can go straight back and meet them in the middle. You're brilliant!"

"Thorin, at least let Bilbo help us. I think I stole his thunder last night when I saved you. And The Company. You and The Company, I mean." Thorin rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Will someone get me my ha- oh. Thank you." I took the hat from Kili's hands and tied it to my head. I smiled at Thorin and we set off into the trees.

I decided to walk a little farther ahead. Fili and Bilbo had caught up with Thorin and Kili and were keeping them company. I could hear the heavy footsteps of the rest of the dwarves on either side of me. As I walked, I didn't watch where my feet were leading me and I fell.

I tumbled a little ways down a dark and smelly tunnel. I found a torch burning on one of the walls behind me. Holding it aloft, I could see chests of gold and weapons laying in heaps upon the ground. I walked back to the edge of the tunnel to hear Thorin shouting my name.

"Bella? Bella? Bella, where are you?" I popped my head out of the tunnel and waved the torch I was holding.

"I'm right here! You all ought to come see this. I believe I have made you gentleman richer." Gandalf swooped to the front of the line. I gave Thorin my torch and led the men down into the tunnel.

"Gah! What's that stench?" Nori clapped a hand over his nose.

"It's a troll hoard, what did you expect? None of you smell exactly wonderful either." we all made our way, coughing and wheezing, down into the depths of the troll hoard. Thorin motioned for me to follow him. Bofur wandered over to a pile of gold and nudged it with his foot.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lying around. Anyone could take it." he opened a chest.

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." while Gloin and the others were busy with treasure, Thorin and I explored the back corners of the cave. The light of our torch passed over a crate of swords festooned with cobwebs. I motioned for Gandalf to join us and passed him a sword. As Thorin admired a sword with a handle made of dragon's tooth, I noticed a sheath in the very back of the crate that glimmered in the torchlight.

The sheath appeared to be wood with fine threads of silver curling over its surface in some places. I ran my fingers over the silver embedded handle. It appeared to be an antler of a deer or elk. The sword that this handle was attached to was gorgeous. The root-like tendrils on the handle were actually part of the curved blade, which had swirling lines engraved on it.

"These were not made by any troll." Thorin mused.

"Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf blew a bit of dust off of his sword.

"These swords were forged in Gondolin. They were forged by the High Elves of the First Age." Thorin looked from Gandalf to his sword and scowled.

"Thorin, you could not wish for a finer blade!" he looked at me and nodded. He slowly unsheathed his sword and began to inspect the blade. Gandalf and I turned to watch Bofur, Gloin, and Nori bury one of the small chests of gold in the ground. I raised an eyebrow at Gloin.

"We're making a long term deposit."

"Let's get out of this foul place. Bofur, Gloin, Nori!" I followed Thorin out of the cave and into the sunlight. The rest of The Company was waiting for us. I said hello to Fili and Kili, showed them my sword, and rested with Thorin against a rock. I had been watching Gandalf giving my brother a sword when Thorin nudged my shoulder with his.