The Shadow (A Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Story) DISCONTINUED

Trolls

    "I think so. Mithrandir is getting on my nerves, though," I answered.

    "He's a Wizard. It's their job to annoy people."

    "Maybe. I'm not entirely sure that he will leave me alone on a particular subject."

    "And what subject is that?"

    "My past. Before I came to Erebor, to you."

    "If you ever need to talk to anyone about it, I'm here for you. So are Fili and Kili. We will always be here for you. You are part of our family."

    "Thank you, Father."

    I was smiling again, thanks to him. Thorin managed to make me feel better, at least a bit. I sighed and looked at the open stretch ahead of us. I smirked, looking at Thorin. He knew what I was thinking and shook his head with an amused smile. I turned to see the twins coming up, matching grins on their faces. I suddenly spurred my horse into a gallop. The three of us raced across the ground, quickly joined by Thorin. We were laughing as the wind ripped through our hair and clothes. I pulled the horse around and went back to the group, the others doing the same.

    "Will you stop playing around? You will get us in trouble," Gandalf hissed.

    "Relax. You need to have some fun, Mithrandir," I chided him.

    Later, we reached a worn down house. We started setting up camp, while Gandalf tried to urge Thorin to move on. Gandalf eventually left us, heading off to seek solitude. Fili and Kili were to look over the ponies as I ate my dinner. Setting the bowl to the side, I fell asleep. I woke up thirty minutes later to find the camp deserted. I shot to my feet, weapons out. I wandered into the forest and saw a light. I caught a whiff of some horrible stench and knew it was Trolls. I sighed.

    'They always get themselves into trouble. When will I not have to save them?' I thought.

    I followed the fire and found the clearing where the Trolls were. I cursed in Khudzul when I realized there were three. One I could handle. Two, with luck. Three, not a chance. At least Trolls were stupid. I frowned, seeing some of the Dwarves tied up, and the rest on the spit turning over the fire. I growled lowly. One of the Trolls stopped, looking in my direction. I quickly moved to a different spot, blending into the shadows as I always do with ease.

    "Bert, there's something else out there," one of them said.

    "Don't trick us, Will," the one called Bert snapped.

    "I'm not tryin' to trick ya. There's somethin' out there," Will told him.

    "Tom, go look for this somethin' that Will keeps babbling about," Bert ordered.

    I saw the Dwarves go quiet, exchanging worried looks. I saw that they knew it was me. The Trolls noticed the sudden quiet and turned to the Dwarves.

    "Do you know who this is?" Bert asked.

    No one answered, refusing to give me away. Thorin caught sight of me in the shadows and smiled slightly. I gave him a look that told him to act as though I wasn't there. He gave a very small nod and returned his attention to the Trolls. Only one problem: they had all seen Thorin's reactions. Bert walked over and grabbed him.

    "Talk!" he spat in Thorin's face.

    The Dwarf merely glared at Bert, not saying a word.

    "If he won't talk, hang him over the fire till he does," Will suggested.

    Thorin was slowly lowered to the flames, the others calling out for him. Still, he didn't say anything. I admired his loyalty to me but knew it wouldn't last much longer. Thorin's life, I mean. Not his loyalty. That would live on until he died. I gritted my teeth and shot an arrow at Tom. He howled in pain, and all eyes turned to my direction. Thorin was thrown down and landed hard. He grunted in pain but brushed it off.