The Truth Beneath the Rose

The Storm

The day passed rather slowly. Tension was hanging heavily among the company. Thorin and Nevaeh hadn't spoken to each other all morning. They barely acknowledged each other's existence. They travelled through the sparse woods along the outskirts of the mountains. They'd soon hit the last bit of rocky terrain before finding the flat lands again, bringing them just beyond the borders of Mirkwood. Nevaeh was internally panicking, although her face was as hard as stone. Midday, the Company stopped to rest. The sky was growing dull and grey clouds began to block the sun. Nevaeh appeared to be the only to notice.

"We shouldn't stop now." She advised.

"Why is that?" Thorin asked. He hated being contradicted and Nevaeh was a walking, talking contradiction.

"It's going to storm soon." She pointed to the clouds. "Not viciously, but hard enough to slow us down, possibly enough to stop us completely. If we stop now, we won't cover as much ground." Thorin rolled his eyes and looked to the Wizard, who was analyzing the skies as well. "I know what I'm talking about, Thorin." She grumbled, annoyed that he would seek confirmation instead of just listening to her.

"Gandalf?" Thorin waited, making Nevaeh fume even more.

"She is right." The Wizard confirmed with a sigh.

"Told you." She muttered when she sauntered past him. "We only have an hour before the rain falls. However, I think it best if we make camp before the rain hits us. It won't hit us hard until later but if we wait, the more strain will be put on us." Her logic made sense.

"So be it." Thorin gritted his teeth. He hated agreeing with her. Silence fell on the Company once more and the carried on. Soon enough, they would have to stop again.

"Hopefully, the trees will shield us from most of the downpour. Start a fire... a small fire." Nevaeh instructed. "You will need it for tonight." She was mildly shocked when Thorin did not argue with her orders. Never the less, the Company did as they were told and prepared to wait out the long night, tying the tents to the trees, securing them, finding small branches and twigs to burn. Not two minutes after they had the camp set, the rain began to sprinkle. Low rumbles could be heard in the distance. The storm was just beginning. The Company was quiet, the rain had clearly dampened their spirits. They carried on small conversations with one another, but it was not their usual rambunctious behavior. Thorin and Gandalf puffed silently on their pipes. Nevaeh was growing fond of the smell. She sat with her knees to her chest, looking out of the opening. The rain hadn't began falling hard enough for them to be closed. She breathed in deeply, relaxing. She had to admit, despite how dull it made the day, rain was always a beautiful thing. Especially if one could see it as clearly as she. It made her feel so calm. Suddenly, an alarm in her mind was tripped. Her senses were on high alert. Her eyes turned as cold as ice and her body was still as a statue. They were not alone.

Thorin made his way over to her, sensing the sudden change in her demeanor. He laid his warm hand on her shoulder. "What do you feel?"

"Our acquaintance is near." She said grimly, not turning to look at him. "You called him Alastor."

"Yes. That was the name he gave." Thorin replied. "He seemed particularly interested in you. Can't imagine why..." He teased.

"I happen to be very interesting." She scoffed.

"If you say so." He grinned.

"I do." She didn't have to look at him, he knew she was smirking. "I don't trust him." She was serious again.

"Nor do I."

"Finally, something we can both agree on." She rolled her eyes, smiling up at him. His expression softened and faint smile played on his lips. He loved to see her smile, a genuine smile. Not the usual, sadistic, arrogant smile. She had dimples and perfect teeth. He noticed that when she was laughing or extremely happy or in an awkward situation, she crinkled her nose, just like she did when she was a child.