Princess Under The Mountain.

Wandering Paths.

I wanted to wish you all a happy new year, but you aren't allowed to say that anymore... I'm doing it in secret then. HAPPY NEW YEAR. MAY ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE. I just wanted to say that this story is on 1,6k reads and HOLY GUACAMOLY THAT'S A LOT. And I love the good feedback on PWT too, I love you all so much. It took a lot longer than I expected to write this chapter because of the holidays and the first week of school, but here I am. Enjoy! :3

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''This is the biggest mug I have seen in my entire life.''

All of the dwarves were having breakfast at Beorn's house. We all slept amazingly well for once, and thanks to Beorn's help my ankle was now professionally taken care of by Oin now he had the right equipment. Within a few days it would be the same again. Beorn filled Fíli's mug with milk, while I held mine with two hands to take a sip. Everything was so huge.

''So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?''

Beorn turned to look at Thorin next to me. I was silently eating my slice of bread, listening to the conversation between the two. 

''You know of Azog? How?'' Thorin asked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

''My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north,'' Beorn told us. ''The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him.''

I frown upon hearing his words and I looked up to see the pain and anger in his eyes. It was like he was reliving the time he had to go through that all over again.

''That is terrible,'' I murmur out. ''There are others like you?''

Beorn sighed out. ''Once there were many. Now there's only one.'' He soon decided to change the subject, something I could understand. You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn.''

''Before Durin's Day falls, yes,'' Gandalf responded. In the meantime, Bilbo had woken up and now joined everyone at the table. 

''You are running out of time,'' Beorn stated. Without even realizing, I blurted out: ''Which is why we must go through Mirkwood.''

Thorin narrowed his eyes at me, my cheeks turning a bright red and Fíli and Kíli couldn't hold back their chuckles. All the other dwarves were confused about the whole situation, but they would find out soon enough. 

''A darkness lies upon that forest, foul things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and The Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need,'' the Shapeshifter continued, ignoring the change between me and my father. ''To get through the forest safely, you need to take the Elven Road. The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not.''

''What do you mean?'' Thorin raised his eyebrows.

''These lands are crawling with Orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive. I don't like dwarves, they're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem less than their own,'' Beorn growled out, creating a tension between all of us as soon he picked up a tiny mouse Dwalin had pushed off his arm just a second ago. For a moment, I really thought that he was going to eat it, but instead he just looked at it. 

''But Orcs I hate more.'' The large man turned to Thorin. ''What do you need?''

~~

It took us two days to travel towards Mirkwood, like Fíli had thought. Beorn lend us his ponies, which we had to return as soon we reached the borders of the forest. It was comfortable while it lasted.