Where She Went

Outcomes of Love and Hate

The young woman was woken early in the morning from her sleep. They were leaving Rivendell today. Talia silently packed her things and followed at the back of the line. Balin told her that they'd be on foot from here on out, and that they'd begin the next leg of the journey without Gandalf. They needed someone to distract the Elves so no one could stop them from continuing the quest. As they got further away from Rivendell, Talia couldn't help but look back a few times. It was the most beautiful and peaceful place she'd ever been to. She would miss it.

They'd been traveling for three days. Although she would happily respond when someone talked to her, Talia remained silent most of the time, keeping to herself and taking out her books whenever they rested.

She couldn't forget what Thorin had said. He had no right to go that far. Yet, what could she have said to him? That she did know of loss? If she had, that would involve even more explaining, and she would not allow anyone to see the deepest part of her, especially not Thorin. Nope, she was much happier when she didn't think about what she lost in her life.

...

Fili and Kili seemed to be the most concerned for the young woman. She'd barely spoken since they left. She wasn't her usual cheery self, and she seemed to prefer the company of books and music over anything else. Something had to have happened.

There was no other explanation. But what? The only thing they knew that could get under her skin was Thorin, but not even he was one to go so far as to crush someone's spirit. At least, they hoped he wouldn't. One way or another, they had to find some way to get their friend back.

"Talia?" The young woman looked up to find Fili and Kili coming towards her carefully. She gave them a small smile.

"What's up?"

They knew what she was doing. She was faking it. Don't worry about me, worry about yourself. she would always say. No! She was their friend, and they couldn't let her be alone when she clearly needed someone. But she wouldn't budge. Talia Russo was just about as stubborn as their uncle, they could tie her to a tree and she still wouldn't say anything. So, they tried to take a different approach.

"What are you reading?" Fili asked.

"A book." she giggled.

She giggled. That had to be a good sign. Maybe she just wanted time to be alone for awhile. "What kind of book?" Kili pressed on.

"It's more or less a kid's book to be honest. This was one of my favorite books to read when I was about ten or eleven, but I never get tired of it." she told them.

"What's it called?" Kili asked.

"'The BFG' by Roald Dahl. It stands for "Big Friendly Giant"" she told them. That caught the boys' interest.

"Would you read some of it to us?" Fili asked. Talia laughed before asking if they were serious. After confirming that they were, the young woman flipped the pages back to the beginning and started to read. The boys were fascinated by the story, and every once in a while, Talia explained certain Terran gadgets and their purposes.

Soon after starting, Talia had begun to gain an audience. Ori and Bofur joined them quickly, followed by Balin, Oin, and Bombur. They all listened to Talia's tale, and the young woman became more lighthearted as her tone matched the feelings of the book. They laughed at the fun-loving behavior of the giant and became sad for the children who were victims of the man-eating giants. Fili and Kili smiled as she finished for the night. Perhaps she was fine after all.

...

It became a bit of a routine for them now. Every night after dinner, Talia would open the book and read aloud to the Dwarves. Nearly all of them had joined the group, save for Dwalin and Thorin. It was a really good way to pass time, and relax after a long day of walking. Talia had become an anchor for them in a way. When they were down at night, she would read to excite them, or she would play whatever song she thought would cheer them up.