The Dragon's Curse

Witches

The Company had been travelling for four days, it had been uneventful. Though Artemis knew something had been following them. A scent she couldn't understand. She felt dizzy and kept hearing a strange melody that only her ears could pick up. At night, she would always hand Fili her sword, she'd wrap her cloak around her, before sitting down at letting Thorin and Dwalin chain her to a tree, insight of the camp.

Kili and Fili always stayed beside her, for as long as they could before Thorin would growl at them bringing them away from her. Artemis looked numb, she hadn't smiled after they found out. She soon got used to having to sleep against a tree with chains. Thorin masked his love for Artemis showing pure hate. He convinced everyone else he hated her, beside himself.

One day when they were all walking silently, Artemis ahead with Fili and Kili beside her she paused, blinking trying to see. Her throat was burning as was her nose from fumes. She could smell that scent that was following them as if it had been doubled over and over again. She stumbled back as Fili and Kili frowned.

"I can't see" She panted, her eyes stinging as Thorin walked over curious of what was going on. Her vision returned before she was shoved forward, she kept going her eyes on the ground before her head perked up and she turned round as if she was being circled.

"Artemis?" Bofur asked as she realized she was now in the last of the group. She shook out of it and gave a weak smile before she followed on after the rest of them. Artemis was slightly glad she was still a dwarf height, it made her feel like she could shrink away even better. Shadows danced beside her, as bushes moved. She kept her hand on her sword handle ready to attack. As she walked she was tripped over by something, she landed with a thud, as her ankle was going numb.

Turning round she saw a black smoke like chain grasping her right ankle. She tried to kick the smoke chain with her left food to let go, only to have the other foot gripped into a tight burning hold. She almost felt like she was being drained, before a blade cut through the smoke, as it let her go. She panted as Dwalin helped her on her feet, before pushing her forward. He grunted down at her when he walked around her, as she just held herself.

The company seemed to double in her vision, laughs echoed as she would turn to the direction only to see nothing.

"Hiä ghæï lmœ ЄЂẅè Uráet. Hiä ghæï lmœ ЄЂẅè Uráet." The words sounded wrong to her ears, she didn't understand the confusing sounding words. She felt her body stop on it's own accord like something else was controlling her, before Artemis slammed her hands over her ears crying out. This made the entire company turn round to her in a flash, shock and horrified to see her on the forest floor twitching, face scrunched up in pain.

"MAKE IT STOP!" She screamed in pain, as they all frowned and Gandalf ran to her side. Thorin wanted to run to her side, but forced himself back as he watched Fili and Kili run straight over towards her. This made his heartbreak, especially hearing her blood curdling screams.

"Make it stop!" She kept pleading.

"My dear, there is nothing" Gandalf frowned as Artemis was now on her back, face scrunched in pain, hands over her ears. But suddenly the music that was hurting Artemis, was beginning to come to the other's ears, it was only a soft hum, as they were all confused.