THE SILENT ROSE

Chapter 4

The company sneaked out of Rivendell while Gandalf had gone with Lord Elrond; he would meet them at the mountain.

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The mountain path was treacherous. A torrential rain whipped your faces and blinded you. Thunder and lightning roared and cracked as the storm intensified. As you tried to move forward, something else rattled you all. You found yourselves amidst a battle - between stone giants.

"This is no thunderstorm! It's a thunder battle!" Balin exclaimed.

"Giants! Stone Giants!"Bofur shouted as boulders were being hurled in the air.

"Take cover you fool!" Thorin yelled at him. Suddenly, the mountain you were standing on began to move and you all ended up in two groups, as the ground cracked into separate limbs. Your group ran to safer ground when this giant was knocked by a boulder thrown from the opposite side. The giant crumbled against the rocks and you all were petrified to see the other group come under it.

"Fili! No!" Thorin went for his nephew with concern and fear. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as no harm had come to them. Bilbo, however, nearly fell off the narrow path but Thorin managed to save him.

"We almost lost our burglar," Dwalin said.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He has no place amongst us. He should never have come," Thorin said out loud.

You felt sorry for Bilbo; he shouldn't have said that.

All of you were more than happy to find a cave. Everyone sat down to rest as Thorin announced that you all would start with the first light.

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Everyone seemed to be sleeping, except for the human he saw from the corner of his eyes. She was trying to squeeze out some water from her soaking cloak. He turned and fixed his gaze on her. Her dripping hair, scattered over her shoulders, was darker than the night itself and her pale face shone like the moon. The rain had failed to extinguish the fading rose on her cheeks. She was beautiful. The Dwarf Lord found that feeling he had for the human return, with great intensity. He abruptly closed his eyes as he saw her turning towards him.
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You ran your eyes around the cave when you caught sight of Thorin. A smile escaped your lips as he was lying in an awkward position. You were distracted when you saw Bilbo suddenly get up. He packed his bundle and began tiptoeing out.

"Where do you think you are going?" Bofur asked him, who was sitting near the entrance and had been asked to take the night watch.

"Yes. Where are you going?" you asked, getting up.

Bilbo was surprised to find you both awake. "Back to Rivendell," he answered, with slight frustration.

"But you can't leave us now. You're a part of our company," Bofur said.

"No I'm not though, am I?" Bilbo asked sadly. "Didn't you hear what he said? Thorin said I should never have come."

"But you have to give him time," you spoke. "You said so yourself."

"This is different Y/n," he cut you short.

"You're home sick I understand," Bofur added.

"No you don't! None of you do! You're Dwarves. You're used to living like this! You don't belong anywhere!" Bilbo immediately regretted his words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean...."

"Yes you're right. We don't belong anywhere," Bofur added, with a touch of sadness in his voice. Then, with a smile, he said, "I wish you all the luck in the future."

Bilbo smiled back and turned to you. "Farewell, Y/n."

Before you could answer, a strange rumbling shook the earth.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked, a look of fear on his face.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Thorin shouted as the rumbling intensified. The floor suddenly collapsed and you found yourselves falling through a tunnel.

You grew numb with fear as you fell but then blacked out as your head hit something hard.

Narrator : Thorin saw Y/n crash into the stone and fall down into the abyss. "Y/n!" he shouted, as he and the others helplessly watched her disappear. The Dwarves had been overpowered by the goblins and were being taken to their king.