Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Soft noses nudged her sides and she moaned. She cracked open one eye and looked at the largish rabbits all around her. She blinked. Rabbits meant...

"Radagast?" she groaned out and the wizard looked at her, bird poop on his face.

"My lady, how do you know of me?" he asked in a squirrely voice. She sat up and flinched. Her blouse was stained with drops of blood from the various scratches and scrape on her person and her ankle hurt something awful.

"I'm a Seer," she said dully and fluttered her wings. The one that was plucked was throbbing with a dull red pain and she rubbed her head where she hit the ground.

"Who are you?" Radagast asked as he helped her up.

"Um, a Fairy?" she said and he blinked.

"I know that. Who are you? Your name, my lady." Why he was talking to her like she was important was beyond Maranda but she was a bit concussed, so.

"Maranda. My friends call me Mara," she shook his hand and he nodded. "Gandalf is that way." She pointed the direction she had been flying about an hour earlier. Radagast suddenly remembered his mission.

"Oh yes! Quickly, I need to tell him-"

"I know, let's just go," she said. They stepped onto the sled and shot off. Maranda squeezed her eyes shut and clung to Radagast, her ankle screaming, her wing moaning and her head thumping. They exploded into the clearing and Gandalf started talking to Radagast. Maranda collected herself and opened her eyes. Fili and Kili were fighting with Dwalin while Thorin listened to a worried Balin. She stepped off the sled and fell to the ground with a shout. Stupid ankle.

"Mara!" Kili cried and ran to her helping her up. Fili was right behind him, hugging her tightly.

"What happened to you? You disappeared!" he said in a panic as Thorin walked over.

"I needed to escape, and then I found Radagast, so I brought him here," she lied smoothly, smiling charmingly. Thorin walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you hurt?" he demanded and she grinned.

"Who me? Not a chance," she laughed and Kili beamed. Thorin glanced at her. The scratches on the backs of her hands, the thin lines of blood on her ripped shirt and the way she wasn't putting pressure on her foot. But he didn't push her.

"I am sorry," he said softly. Too softly for his nephews to hear. Her smile faded and she shook her head.

"It wasn't your fault, I was rushing and didn't have time to explain that there were Trolls." she said. Then she froze and grabbed his arm. "Thorin, we need to go. Now," she said earnestly and he frowned.

"What more Trolls?" he said glancing around.

"Worse," she said with conviction and Thorin frowned. She gritted her teeth. "Orc pack," she said and shook like a leaf. He tightened his hold on her and nodded.

"To the ponies!" he shouted and everyone hurried back to the camp. "I trust you," he said to Maranda and she smiled gratefully.

"Thorin, what are you doing?" Gandalf demanded.

"We are being tracked. We move now before they can catch us," Thorin said strongly and headed towards the camp, tugging Maranda along with him.

"Thorin, I know you don't want to hear this, but we have to go to the Hidden Valley," Maranda said in pain and he rounded on her, eyes flashing.

"I will not accept the company of Elves," he seethed and Maranda sighed.

"I'm not asking you to accept it. I'm asking you to trust me. Elrond is a good man," she said strongly and he looked at her. She stood in front of him, broken, battered, and brave, eyes shining with determination. But he couldn't be convinced so easily.