Searching For You

CHAPTER NINE - The Birthday Surprise

"Happy Birthday, Ads. Have fun on your journey." Arcturus waved towards his friends as they began walking along the path that led out of Mirkwood.

He smiled as he watched Aerin, Daena and Aduial walk off on their horses and turned to go back inside the gates. He had much to do to prepare for the party this evening. However, his smile faltered when he heard the horses halt, he turned back around to see that Aduial had stopped and turned her horse around.

"Why don't you come with us?" Aduial asked, she was kind of hoping that she could spend her birthday with her friend. She loved Daena and Aerin but she was closer to Arcturus and wanted to see the towns with him. Daena grinned.

"How about I switch places with you, Arty? I will cover your errands for the day so Aduial can spend her birthday with her best friend and that moron, of course." Daena smiled, leaning over to pat Aerin on the shoulder. She turned Scout around and led him back to the stables.

"How about you two just go? I love you, Ads but I also had promised to train the new guys for the patrol teams and I don't want to cut your visit in half because of that." Aerin said, winking at Arcturus, who playfully glared back at him. Aduial merely waved him off with a smile.

Arcturus looked hesitant- he wasn't so sure he was ready to go back but the look on Aduial's face made Arcturus nod and he walked off after Daena to get Zephyr saddled up. Aduial's smile only grew when she saw her friend on his horse trotting up to her.

"Let's go!" Aduial yelled as she galloped off with Arcturus closely following behind her. He looked back at Daena and Aerin's waving figures, the hesitance still on his mind.

After an hour of continuous riding, they had made it to Laketown, it took longer as they had to go around the lake. Aduial had wanted to go down the path that Arcturus had when he had followed after the dwarves.

The two of them left their horses to graze on the grass on the shoreline while they entered the ruined village on foot.

Aduial ran through the ruins of the old town, it was completely destroyed from Smaug's flame but that didn't stop her curiosity. She had always wanted to come down here, ever since she was younger and heard the stories of the war and the townspeople's involvement.

As she looked around the empty houses and docks, Aduial had seen a half standing wooden pillar next to the tall building. It looked like the other half had fallen off from the middle.

"You know, that pillar had fallen on me after I had gotten Bain and the black arrow up to Bard." Arcturus walked up behind Aduial, looking up at the broken pillar. Aduial's smile grew as she looked at the scar on Arcturus's forehead.

Aduial ran throughout the town once more, taking in the sights of the ruins. She ran inside a house and saw many old and burnt belongings, she even found a Mirkwood crested arrow. She had come to the conclusion that this house had once been Bard's. It no longer had a roof, but the walls showed evidence of a battle, old pans and pots laid on the floor amongst other rubble from the fire.

"This is so cool." Aduial muttered before running off back to Carver. Arcturus laughed at her enthusiasm before mounting Zephyr again and they rode off towards Dale.

Aduial was the first to enter the town now buzzing with men and women. They looked at her with confusion as she dismounted and looked around with awe.

"Aduial, careful. You will trip over people." Arcturus walked up behind Aduial, he had taken Zephyr and Carver to the stables while Aduial was distracted by the beauty of the rebuilt city.

Arcturus now led Aduial throughout the town, walking in and out of streets. Arcturus sighed, looking around the houses and buzzing shops. The city itself looked exaggeratedly different, but there were some buildings that looked the same twelve years ago just rebuilt to be liveable in. Some of the townsfolk even recognised Arcturus from the Battle of the Five Armies and greeted him like an old friend.