Queen Under The Mountain

The Frying Pan is No Place for a Company.

  The next day of our journey was filled with nothing but rain and mud. Our hoods were pulled up over our head, our poor ponies were soaked- along with Bilbo who had no cloak- and no hope seemed to lie on the path in front of us. 

  "Mr. Gandalf," Dori called from down the line. "Is there something you can do about this weather?" 
"It is raining master Dwarf," replied Gandalf. "And it will continue to rain until the rain is done! If you wish to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another wizard."

  "Are there any?" Bilbo asked.
"What." Said Gandalf.
"Other wizards."
"There are five of us." Gandalf replied. "The greatest of our order is Saruman the White, then there are the two blue wizards, though I have quite forgotten their names."

  "And who is the fifth?" I asked this time.
"That would be Radagast the Brown." Gandalf smiled.

  "And is he a great wizard, or is he.. More like you?" Bilbo then asked.
"I'd think he's a very great wizard, in his own way." Said Gandalf. "He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the east, and a good thing too, for always evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

   I looked behind me to see where Thorin was, only a few ponies back. I pulled to the side waiting for those few to pass before I lined up next to him.

  "How much longer till we rest?" I asked.
"I'm hoping to keep moving for longer, before we rest." Thorin replied.
"Really?"
"I want to get to Erebor as soon as we can, without any setbacks."
"Don't you think we ought to rest each night? We have plenty of time." I said.
"I'd rather not rest while it is raining." Said Thorin.
  Then as if the rain heard him, the drops slowly subsided and the clouds cleared revealing the afternoon sun.

  "Yes, I agree. This rain will never stop." I shrugged my shoulders.
Thorin shook his head and looked at me. "Sometimes I ask myself why I married you."
"Because you love me." I answered.
"We'll stop at dusk." Thorin smiled and looked ahead of him.

  We soon came to a rocky clearing that held an abandoned hut that provided somewhat shelter from its broken roof and collapsed walls. Thorin had taken the lead awhile ago and when he saw the hut he turned around.

  "We camp here for the night." He said. "Fili, Kili. Gather the ponies, make sure you stay with them."
"Yes, uncle." Fili replied.

"Oin, Gloin." Thorin approached the two Dwarves. "Get a fire going."

  "I think it would be wiser to move on." Gandalf had been standing in the hut. "You could make for the hidden valley."
Thorin approached him, I followed, curious for Gandalf's reasoning.
"I have told you already," Said Thorin. "I will not go near that place."
"Why not?" Gandalf asked. "The Elves could help us, we could get food, rest, advice."
"I do not need their advice." Thorin grimaced.
"We have a map that we cannot read, Lord Elrond could help us." Gandalf offered.

  "Gandalf is not wrong," I said. "I've heard good things about Lord Elrond."
"Dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves?" Thorin replied. "Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on it and did nothing. You ask me to seek help from the people who betrayed my grandfather, betrayed my father."

  "You are neither of them." Said Gandalf. "I didn't give you that map and key to you to hold on to the path-"
"I did not know they were yours to keep." Thorin snapped. I cleared my throat and Thorin's tense shoulders dropped. Gandalf sighed and walked away.

  I stepped towards Thorin and set my hand on his back. "I can't help but agree with him, Thorin."
"I wouldn't turn to the Elves if they were our last hope." Thorin turned his head to look at me. His eyes were cold.
  "You know what?" I started. "Set your mind off of the Elves, they always put you in a sour mood, remember, we are on the road to reclaiming our mountain, let's not be holding a grudge the entire way there."