Queen Under The Mountain

Mirkwood

 
  We rode over hills and through marshes before coming to an enormous tree line that could only be the forest of Mirkwood.

  Gandalf mounted off his horse and went forward to the forest entrance. He turned back to us and shouted, "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

  "No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side." Dwalin said before dismounting. I caught Gandalf's face drop and I immediately knew something was wrong.
  "Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."
I dismounted and got my stuff from the saddle before hitting it's rump to let it run back to Beorn's.

  "This forest.. Feels... Sick." Bilbo said, walking closer to the tree line. "As if a disease lies upon it."
  "I don't like it either, Bilbo." I looked up at the tall trees and down the dark winding path.
  "Is there no way around?" Bilbo asked.
  "Not unless we go two hundred miles north.." I said,
  "Or twice that distance south." Gandalf said taking a few steps into the forest and looking around for a good few minutes before abruptly walking out.

  "Not my horse! I need it!" He walked towards Nori who was just about to let the horse loose.
  "You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked.
"Again?" I said as he walked past.
  "I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf said.

"He cannot keep doing this." I said to Thorin. It began raining as Gandalf spoke to us while getting on his horse.

  "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe." He turned to me and Thorin. "Do not enter that mountain without me."
  "You have our word, Gandalf." I nodded.
  "This is not the Greenwood of Old. There is a stream in the woods that carries a dark enchantment. Do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge." Gandalf began listing off dangerous things that made me feel much safer. "The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It'll seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

  "Lead us astray?" Bilbo repeated. "What does that mean?"

  "You must stay on the path. Do not leave it." Gandalf continued. "If you do, you'll never find it again." Gandalf mounted his horse and as he rode away he left us with one more thing. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"

  "Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin turned to be the head of the group.

  We lined up and made our way into the forest and began to follow a faded stone path. I walked behind Thorin as he kicked away leaves to find the path, he stopped and kicked away some dirt and turned down a faint path.
  "The path turns this way." He notified the company.

   Soon the path began to turn and twist in all sorts of directions, every few seconds I'd turn and look behind me to make sure the company was actually still there. Tree trunks spiraled around us making it hard to see where we were going, Dwalin hit the ground with the staff of his hammer, and followed the sound of clanking stone.
  "This way." We turned and followed Dwalin down what didn't even seem to look like a path.

  Further into the trek the forest became thick and airtight, making us feel claustrophobic.
  "Air, I need air!" Dwalin cried out. "My head is swimming."

  Soon we came to a break in the trees and a broken stone bridge stretched out across a foggy stream.
  "Oh." Bofur said as he came upon the break in the middle of the bridge. "We could try and swim it."
  "No, remember what Gandalf said?" I asked.
  "A dark magic lies upon this forest." Thorin answered. "The waters of this stream are enchanted."
  "Doesn't look very enchanting to me." Bofur looked down at the water.
  "We must find another way to cross." Thorin said.