An Unexpected Romance

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

As we rode towards the mangled trees of Mirkwood, I felt the pit in my stomach grow bigger and bigger with every league we traveled. Once the forest had come into our sights, we rode just a bit slower, as if the horses could feel the darkness radiating from this place. We dismounted near the tree line, a strange chill settling over me.

Gandalf ventured into the forest just the slightest as the rest of us gathered our gear.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." He called.

"No sign of the Orcs." Dwalin said. "We have luck on our side."

"For now." I whispered.

As I looked out, I spotted a creature on the crest of a hill, looking down on us.

A bear.

Smiling to myself, I shouldered my pack.

"Set the ponies loose." Said Gandalf. "Let them return to their Master."

The Hobbit had walked towards the trees and was looking at them with great distaste. "This forest feels.. sick. As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"

Gandalf sighed and turned to him. "Not unless we go 200 miles north, or twice that distance south."

I worked to help unload the ponies as Gandalf led himself deeper into Mirkwood.

"I don't like this." I said to Fili, untying his pack. "I don't like this place."

"Nor do I." He whispered, his hand brushing mine. "But this is the way to Erebor."

"Bilbo is right. The forest is sick." I shook my head.

"It'll be fine," Fili assured me, taking my hand and squeezing it. "You'll be fine."

We had just set the ponies loose and were working on Gandalf's horse when he came barreling out of the forest.

"Not my horse!" He cried. "I need it!"

"What?" I whispered, my heart seizing in my chest. "Are you leaving us?"

"I would not do this unless I had to." He told me, a hand on my shoulder.

Gandalf turned to Bilbo, looking down upon the Hobbit. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire."

"I was going to tell you." Bilbo said after a moment. His voice seemed to stick in his throat. "I.. found something. In the goblin tunnels."

My mind snapped back to those moment down in the dark caverns, that creature and the game he made Bilbo play.

"He stole it!" The thing had cried.

Stole what?

"Found what?" asked the Grey Wizard, leaning down. "What did you find?"

After a slight pause, Bilbo spoke.

"My courage."

Gandalf straightened up, staring with a look like he didn't believe our Hobbit. "Good," was all he said. "You'll need it."

It has begun to rain, drops falling from the sky and hitting my cheeks. I flicked up my purple hood and watched Gandalf mount his horse.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor." He said. "Keep the map and key safe."

The Wizard spoke to Thorin now. "Do not enter that mountain without me."

"This is not the Greenwood of Old," Gandalf warned, looking out amongst our faces. "The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray. You must stay on the path. Do not leave it. If you do, you'll never find it again."