Insanity | A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 19

"Well? What did she say?"

Thorin jumped, but it was only Zephira, leaning up against the wooden frame of the house, arms crossed.

"Nothing of much importance."

"To you, maybe." She stepped away and uncrossed her arms. "What did she talk about?"

Thorin thought hard. It all seemed blurred now. "She... She..." He frowned.

Zephira made a sound in the back of her throat and closed her eyes. "Please tell me you actually remember."

"Uh..." He coughed.

Zephira made an exasperated sound and opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry! I don't... I can't... I-"

"It's not your fault."

"It-it's not?"

"No," She sighed again. "It's Lucretia."

"What do you mean?" The others had crowded around her as well.

"It's just her. Men go into a trance when they're around her. I didn't think it would affect you, but..." She let her voice trail off.

"Wait just a moment, lass!" Gloin said. "I remember. She didn't enchant /me/."

"She didn't?!"

"Us neither." Fili said, gesturing to him and his brother.

"Really?!" Zephira's eyes were wide with surprise and excitement. "I wonder why..."

"Well, it's rather obvious, isn't it?" Kili asked.

Zephira just looked at him, trying to understand. "....RIGHT, of course, that makes sense." She turned to Gloin. "But why /you/?"

"I'm married." He said, head held high. "I have a son. No other woman will enchant me."

Zephira looked at him with... Admiration? "That is... Peculiar. I have never heard of such strong..."

"Love?" Gloin suggested.

"Devotion?" Kili offered.

"Weakness," Zephira said.

Gloin started to protest, but Thorin cut him off. "So what did she say to us?"

The three thought for a while, until finally Fili said, "She asked us about our destination."

"Did you tell her?" Zephira asked quickly.

"No,"

"Thank goodness."

"Thorin was about to."

"I was?" He exclaimed.

"Mmm," Kili said. "But we stopped you before you could, and-"

"What did you tell her?" Zephira interrupted.

"I'm /getting/ to that! Be quiet for a minute, will you? Thank you. We told her we were going to Lake Town, to meet a friend."

"And she believed that?"

"Well, yes."

"All of us? Going to see a 'friend?'"

"We didn't exactly have time to think of anything better! And as far as she knew, we were under her spell." Fili said crossly.

Zephira sighed again. "Right. Sorry, continue."

"Well, she kept asking questions about where we were going and how long we were staying here, and-"