Three - Hunted

“What’s that stench?” Nori said as he held his nose. “A troll hoard. Be careful what you touch," Gandalf warned. As soon as I walked in, I began to cough because of the smell. “Goodness,” I coughed and made a face of disgust.

The trolls had a stash of gold, weapons, jewels, and other things. I stopped in front of Gandalf and Thorin, who was holding two heavily webbed swords, “These swords were not made by any troll," Thorin handed one of the swords to Gandalf. 

“Nor any smith among Men," he stated, examining it closely. “They were forged by my mother’s kin, High Elves of the West," I recognised the swords and Thorin rolled his eyes, “You could not wish for a finer blade," Gandalf scolded. 

I furrowed my brows and turned towards a chest that had ‘Tempest’ engraved in it and I knelt in front of it, “Gandalf,” I said and he and Bilbo walked over. “How could they have had this? It was lost in the Gundabad lands,” I said. “I’m not sure,” Gandalf said in confusion. I pulled it out a bit more and hesitantly opened it. 

“This was father’s sword,” I pulled it out. “I remember the day he crafted it. I was supposed to be in a lesson but I watched him make this instead. When he noticed me, he let me watch in front of him as he explained different parts of a sword,” I smiled at the memory.

“Nik will go mad when he sees it," I laughed as I sat the sword down beside me and looked back in the chest. I pulled out my mother’s bow to see it still in perfect condition and her quiver as well. 

The rest were clothes, and an empty leather bag. I pulled it out and whispered an incantation to make the inside bigger than it appears to be on the outside and put everything in it.

~~~

“Thieves! Fire! Murder!” Radagast yelled as he burst through the bushes on his sled. “Radagast,” I sighed in relief. “Radagast the Brown!” Gandalf continued and we sheathed our weapons. 

“What on earth are you doing here?” Gandalf asked. “I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something’s wrong. Something’s terribly wrong," He quivered. Radagast goes to explain but he stops. 

“Just give me a minute. Oh! I had a thought and now I’ve lost it. It-it was right there, on the tip of my tongue! It’s not a thought at all! It’s a silly old… stick insect," The bug crawls out of his mouth and Gandalf removes it and hands it back to him.

~~~

“The Greenwood is sick. A darkness has fallen over it, nothing grows anymore. At least nothing good. The air is foul decay, but worse are the webs," Gandalf, Radagast and I now standing a bit away from the group.

“Webs? What do you mean?” Gandalf asked, confused. “Giant spiders that have taken over Greenwood,” I finished for him. “How do you know this?” Radagast asked me. “I was in Greenwood some time ago. They attacked Legolas Greenleaf and I,” I told him. 

“What are they?” Gandalf asked. “Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur,” He said in a low tone “Dol Guldur?” Gandalf asked and Radagast nodded. 

“I thought the old fortress was abandoned,” I furrowed my brows. “No, Verena, it is not. A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead,” He whispered and I shutter at the thought. “I saw him. From out of the darkness, the Necromancer has come,” he whispered, lost in his thoughts. 

He had the look of terror and Gandalf shook him from his thoughts “Sorry,” he muttered. “Try a little old Toby. It’ll help setting your nerves,” He said, cleaning the end of his pipe and putting it in Radagast’s mouth. He inhaled deeply and let out the smoke through his nose and ears and relaxed. 

“Now, the Necromancer. Are you sure?” Gandalf asked. Radagast didn’t say anything and took out a sword and gave it to Gandalf. “That sword was buried, never meant to see the light of day again. How is it here?” I whispered.

A growl roared in the distance. “Warg scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind!” Thorin shouts. “Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?” Gandalf asked “Verena,” They both turned to me. 

“Who did you tell?” Gandalf demanded. “Cleos, but he would never put us in danger,” Gandalf knew I spoke the truth. “What in Durin’s name is going on?” Thorin asked. “You’re being hunted,” Gandalf said anxiously. “We have to get out of here,” Dwalin stated and Ori and Bifur came running from over a hill. 

“We have no ponies. They bolted!” Ori panicked. “I’ll draw them off,” Radagast said. “These are Gundabad wargs. They will outrun you,” Gandalf said. “These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I’d like to see them try,” 

~~~

“Come and get me!” Radagast laughed as we made our way to the edge of the clearing, “Quickly!” I whisper-shouted as we made our way in a different direction from the Orcs. “Stay together,” I commanded.

We ran along hiding by rocks when they came back out and Ori continued to run “Ori, no! Come back,” Thorin just barely caught him. “All of you, come on! Quick!” Gandalf guided us. “Where are you leading us?” Thorin demanded and I realised where we’re going. Thorin will not be happy.

One of the Orcs slowed and climbed onto the rock we were hiding behind. As he gets closer, Thorin nodded to Kili to kill them. Kili nocked an arrow and stepped out and hit the warg. It rolled over the side in front of us, screeching in pain as the Orc stood to fight and Dwalin killed him and the others killed the warg. 

More wargs howled, racing towards us. “Move!” I yelled. “This way! Quickly!” Gandalf shouted “There’s more coming!” Kili shouted. “Shoot them!” Thorin commanded. I take my bow from my back and shoot at them. “We’re surrounded!” Fili yelled as Kili and I shot at them.

“Where’s Gandalf?” “He’s abandoned us!” The Orcs closed in “Hold your ground!” Thorin commanded. I scream in frustration and hit the ground, making the ground shake and scaring the wargs, making the Orcs fall from them. 

“You couldn’t have done that sooner?!” Kili yelled at me but I didn’t respond. “This way, you fools!” Gandalf yelled from a rock as I continued to fire arrows at the Orcs and Wargs who continued chasing us.

“Come on, move! Quickly! All of you!” I stood on a rock and continued to shoot at Orcs with Thorin standing on the other side, waiting for everyone to slide in the opening and Gandalf stood counting them. 

“Kili! Run!” Thorin yelled and he did just that as I continued to fire arrows at wargs until they were all in and I slid in myself. 

Just as I found my footing, A horn was blown. Elves. An Orc topples down into the tunnel and Thorin removes an arrow from it “Elves,” he muttered. 

“I can’t see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?” Dwalin asked, standing just in my line of vision. “Follow it, of course!” Bofur yelled at him. 

“I think that would be wise,” Gandalf said with a slight smile in his voice. “He isn’t going to like this” I whispered to Gandalf, who shushed me

We followed the path to Rivendell. “The Valley of Imladris. In the common tongue, it’s known by another name,” Gandalf told them “Rivendell,” Bilbo said. “Here lies the last homely house, east of the sea,” Thorin turns and stands next to Gandalf. 

“This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy-” “You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself," Gandalf cut him off. 

“You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us,” Thorin fumed. 

“We have questions that need answering. If we are to be successful this will need to be handled with tact, and respect, and no small degree of charm, which is why you will leave the talking to Verena and I,” Gandald explained. 

This will be quite the visit