Blue swords|| Legolas

10

Beorn was kind enough to lend the company his ponies as transport to Mirkwood. He only had eight of them so some of them had to double up. Gandalf, being the biggest and tallest, got one to himself. Thorin shared with Bilbo while all the other dwarves paired off together. Kili and Fili argued over who should share with with Luin. It was solved by Luin seating himself in front of Balin. The oldest dwarf waved at the younger ones with a laugh.

"Thank you for sharing with me lad", Balin said as Luin patted the horse's neck. It was a lovely white and brown speckled mare with a smooth temperament. Luin ran a hand along her mane.

They had ended up staying another night at Beorn's cottage. The day before having been spent packing fresh supplies and washing up. Luin had managed to clean his robes and pack the fresh material back into his case. He had filled his water skin and sharpened his swords. Beorn has also produced a long cloak, so dark blue that it was almost black, that Luin had left the last time he had stayed. It had been years ago and he was surprised to find the cloak in such good condition. It now was draped over his shoulders in a comforting weight.

"I doubt I would have gotten any quiet from the brothers", Luin replied. Both he and Balin laughed as Kili shoved Fili off the horse with a hand to the face.

Balin laughed again as Fili tugged his brother after him. "Aye, those young ones are quite enraptured by you. Being so different from everyone they've ever met".

"I am merely a wizard", Luin answered with a shrug. "And they have not met any elves, so of course I am a curiosity". He peered over his shoulder at where the old dwarf was seated behind him. "Also, I am far older than you. Not a lad", he smiled.

"Ah", Balin sighed. "Forgive me. You look so young Luin, it is easy to forget". Luin assured him that he was not offended. He did look young, barely older than a teen although he was actually over a thousand years old. It was a simple mistake to make and Luin was never annoyed by it. It was much like calling him an elf. He was not a child, not inexperienced and not an elf. But that was what he appeared to be and that it what people saw.

A little ways away, Gandalf was talking to Beorn. "You will release my ponies when you reach the woods?" Beorn asked.

"You have my word", Gandalf promised. Beorn turned to face Luin in conformation. Luin placed a fist over his heart to signify his own promise that Beorn's horses will not be kept longer than needed. Beorn nodded in return.

There was a caw from overhead and both Gandalf and Luin looked up. A flock of Rooks flew past. Black shapes against the blue sky. "We're being watched", Luin murmured. Gandalf shared the words, blinking as the rooks disappeared behind a tree.

Brown nodded grimly. "The orcs will not give up", he muttered. "They will hunt you down until they see the dwarves destroyed".

Gandalf leaned down closer to Beorn's ear and whispered something. It was out of earshot for the dwarves but Luin still caught it. He was asking about the darkness of the land. The tension bubbling under the surface. Both Luin and Gandalf were aware of it. Both wizards could feel it in the air. Beorn knew of it too. There was a necromancer dwelling in the ruins of Dol Guldur and his poison was throbbed like a dark beacon over the land. Luin was not as in tune with it as Gandalf was but he could feel the sickness if he concentrated hard enough. It made him shiver with a deep unnatural coldness.

"Why now? What has made the defiler crawl out of his hole", Gandalf asked in a lowered breath. The darkness had intentions from Suron and Luin shuddered to think about what those were. The return of Azog and the start of this quest had been to coincidental.

"The orcs have made a treaty with the sorcerer of Dol Guldur", Beorn replied in a hush voice that verified all Luin's suspicions. Luin's golden core pulsed with a seed of dread at the implications of this treaty.