Elf of Fire and Light (Book 1 Fire) Hobbit/LOTR Fan-Fic

Chapter 43

Third POV

Beorn stood watch that night. He protected the dwarves from the orc pack and shifted back into his large human form in the early hours of the morning.

Bilbo was awake when the door of the wooden house opened. He watched shocked as a huge hairy man walked in and looked around at the dwarves.

Later in the morning, Bilbo awoke again but this time to a huge bee landing on his nose. He got up and as he put on his coat, he walked towards the table where Beorn was pouring Thorin a tankard of milk.

"So, you are the one they call Oakenshield," Beorn said. "Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog?" Thorin asked quietly as his eyes wandered about the room before meeting Beorn's yellow eyes. "How?"

Beorn turned away and said, "My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family. But some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

"Are there others like you?" Bilbo asked.

Beorn got a far-off look in his eye and responded, "Once there were many."

"And now?" Bilbo ventured.

"Now there is only one." Beorn said quietly. "You need to reach the mountain. Before the last days of autumn."

"Before Durin's Day falls," Gandalf agreed. "Yes."

"You are running out of time." Beorn said.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood," Gandalf said.

"A darkness lies upon that forest," Beorn warned. "Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the elven road." Gandalf said, hiding his worry, "That path is still safe."

"Safe?" Beorn asked. "The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked.

"These lands are crawling with orcs. Their numbers are growing. And you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn said. "I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own. But orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

"Thank you for helping us," Bilbo told Beorn who looked at him with a smile.

"It was a request from a certain she-elf I know. She told me that a company of dwarves would come to me seeking my help and they would be being hunted by orcs." Beorn said.

Bilbo stared at Beorn in bewilderment. "What was her name?" He asked.

"Oh, it started with an 'M.' Miranda I think it was. Of course, I know her by her old name," Beorn's voice was deep and sounded scratchy as if filled with emotion.

"She was here?" Thorin asked. "Is she still? How did she know we would be set upon by orcs?"

"Yes," Beorn said, "She was here."

"I'll tell you how she knew!" Dori stated. "She must have let our location known to those beasts!"

"Don't be a fool!" Gandalf said as the dwarves began to talk amongst themselves.

"Then how would she know?" Dori asked.

It became clear that to Gandalf that he would have to say something. "I believe it has something to do with her mother, Galadriel. Galadriel has the ability to see the past, the present, and some futures. I imagine she also has this ability and is trying to prevent something from happening. Though I fear what it might be."

Beorn nodded, "That would make since."

"Why?" Gandalf asked, "Did she say anything strange to you?"

Beorn nodded again, looking at Gandalf, "She said that she 'knew far more than she should.' I did not know what it meant; I imagine you are right."

"Hmm," Gandalf said, then turned to Thorin. "If she says something in the future, I think it would be wise to listen to her."

Thorin nodded to Gandalf then turned back to Beorn. "Is she still here?"

"No." Beorn said, "She waits for you in Mirkwood. Go to her now while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind. Do not look for her, she will find you."