Insanity | A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 4

It was raining. Pouring, actually. The company was soaked, and freezing cold.

"Mr. Gandalf," Dori called. "Can't you do something about this deluge?"

"It is raining, Master Dori, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done."

Zephira grinned. Gandalf never gave straight answers

"If you wish to change the weather, I suggest you find yourself another wizard."

"Are there others?" Bilbo asked.

"There are five of us." Gandalf answered. "There are the two Blueses, whose names I have quite forgotten."

"That's reassuring," Zephira muttered to herself.

"The head of our order is Sauramon the White. He is a close friend of mine."

"And the fifth?"

"That would be Radagast the Brown."

"Is he a great wizard? Or is he... More like you?" Bilbo asked innocently.

Zephira snorted, and Gandalf looked a bit offended. "I think that he is a very great wizard. He is a kind soul, who prefers the company of animals to people. He guards over the Mirkwood."

"I've met him." Zephira said. "My whole clan did. He was passing through-" she stopped herself. "Passing /by/, and had dinner with Mother Mäläi."

"Who /is/ mother Mäläi?" Kili asked.

"The title is given to the Mother of the clan. Mäläi is the name of our clan, so that is the last part of her name. She is elected by the council, who is made up of the eldest witches. Our Mother is Lucretia."

"Wait. What?"

Zephira sighed. "Every clan has a different Mother. Ours is called Mother Mäläi because our clan is Mäläi. The other clans have other names for their Mothers. There's Mother Belnurnia, Mother Ingria, lots others. Our Mothers /real/ name is Lucretia."

"Ahh." Said Kili. "That makes more sense."

"What powers does she have?" Thorin inquired.

"She is a Prophetess, like most of us, she is a Flyer, and a Reader."

"Um, what exactly do those mean?"

Zephira rolled her eyes. "She sees the future. Gets, y'know, premonitions. She can fly, cause she's got wings, and-"

"She's got /wings/?!" Fili exclaimed.

Her lips twisted up into a smile. "Yes. Is that so hard to believe? And she can read people. I don't know how else to describe it."

"What d'you mean 'read' people?"

She gave an exasperated sigh. "I told you, I don't know how to describe it! She..." She searched for the right words. "Ahh... She reads you emotions? And sort of your thoughts, not them exactly, just sort of if your thoughts suddenly go dark or light, that sort of thing."

"She is powerful?"

"Very,"

"Dangerous?"

"Obviously,"

"But you trust her?"

"Yes," She said slowly.

"How much?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I am simply curious."

Zephira said nothing.