Extra Company

Chapter 17

We all gathered around the table, most of the company was sitting in the chairs, all except for Thorin and I. Thorin leaned up against one of the beam posts that wasn't too far from the table, watching as Beorn filled Fili's mug with milk. "So you are the one they call Oakensheild." Beorn spoke, glancing over at Thorin for a moment before walking over to my side, placing the pitcher down on a small side table.

"Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" Beorn questioned, turning to face Thorin.

Thorin looked up at the large man in shock, "You know of Azog? How?"

"My people were the first to live in the mountains." Beorn started, handing me a mug filled with tea he made this morning. I nodded to him in thanks as I took the mug from his hands, taking a small sip as he continued his story, "Before orcs came down from the North. The Defiler killed most of my family. But some ... he enslaved." I couldn't help but glance down at the cuff that was still on his wrist. "Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin changers and torturing them seemed to amuse them." I look away in guilt, I know I should've gotten there sooner, maybe then he wouldn't be alone in this world. Now the only one of his kind.

"There are others like you?" Bilbo questioned, looking up at the large man with slight interest. 

 "Once there were many." Beorn spoke sadly, looking at the halfling.

"And now?" Bilbo asked.

"Now, there is only one." Beorn responded, looking over at me for a moment before looking back at the company.

"How did you ... escape?" Bofur questioned, looking over at the tall man.

Beorn glanced over at me as I sip my tea, before licking my lips. "I had some help thanks to a brave warrior and a band of elves. She killed hundreds, no thousands, of orcs like it was nothing, freed the slaves and myself, giving us enough time to flee, before the orcs could realise we were gone." He looked at me as he spoke, a small smile forming along his lips.

I smiled softly, "You may be exaggerating a bit there my friend, I don't believe I killed thousands. The elves were doing most of the work as I simply freed the slaves, killing a few orcs along the way." I took another sip of my tea, before looking up into his brown eyes, watching as admiration sparkled in them.

"You are giving yourself less credit, I was there, I've seen what you did. And to this day I thank you, for giving me the hope that I have lost." He spoke, giving me a curt nod out of respect.

I smiled, "And to this day I told you that you don't have to thank me. Any reasonable person would have done the same."

Beorn smiled softly before looking at Gandalf seeming to get back to the point, "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn. Before Durin's Day."

Gandalf nodded, "Yes."

"You are running out of time." Beorn spoke, looking down at Gandalf with a knowing look.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Gandalf spoke, glancing over towards me, giving me a small nod before looking up at Beorn.

He shook his head as he spoke, "A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees." My smile fell into a serious frown, looking up at Beorn as he glanced over towards me for a moment as he spoke. "There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur." He then turned back to face Gandalf, leaving me to stare into my tea in thought. "I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the elven road. That path is still safe." Gandalf spoke with a small, nervous, smile. Thorin rolled his eyes, as he looked away towards the ground, seeming to grumble something under his breath.