Daughter of a King

Chapter 29: Nightmares

Bilbo nodded a thanks to Arulla and she nodded back and laid her head down once again.

"I'm trying to tell you there's something else out there." Bilbo stuttered as he pointed a finger up the slope he had just climbed down. Gabdalf's eyes grew worried now, "What form did it take? Like a bear?"

Out from the corner of my eye I could see Arulla's eyes shoot wide open. Bilbo looked confused and puzzled, but continued on with his report.

"Ye-Yes but bigger. Much bigger."

My eyes flew to Gandalf, 'How did he know that?' But before I could speak, Bofur asked for me.

"You knew about this beast?" But Gandalf turned away, not answering the question spoken. "I saw we double back." Bofur suggests. I shake my head vigorously, "And be run down by a pack of Orcs."

"There is a house." Gandalf speaks again as he turns to face the company, "It's not far from here, where we might take refuge." I see Arulla smirk in happiness as she begins to stand, clasp my furs onto her skinny form, and throw her pack over her shoulders, all the while she's glaring amused daggers at the wizard. Finally I sense something is different about this "creature"

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" I ask with a little distaste in my voice.

"Neither. He will help us or... He will kill us." Gandalf admitted.

"What choice do we have?" I mumble softly, making my way slowly to Arulla's side. Then a roar pierces the silence of the conversation and I grip onto Arulla's waist and look to Gandalf.

"None." The wizard said with a worried and defeated look and he immediately told us to run. Arulla groaned in protest but as we were running I kept telling her about fantasies and sweets that she'll get after all the running is over.

"Once... We get... To the house..." I started breathlessly, trying to concentrate on my surroundings and my company. "... I'll let you ... Have all... Of the sweets you want... When we get back home." She just laughs at me and quickly retorts back,

"Let's just worry about getting to the house first!!" Yep, she's back.

(Arulla's POV)

"Let's just worry about getting to the house first!!" I answered, with a little humor and a little sarcasm. He really did know when to talk. Always when we're running or in danger does he gain the courage to strike up a decent conversation. But when we are out of those circumstances, he can't even find the words to say after "Hello." It strikes me as very odd.

We were running through the forest when we heard the roar again. Bombur froze and turned around with eyes wide with fear. He didn't move from his spot, his feet were planted like roots.

"Bombur come on!" Thorin bellowed as he pulled Bombur's beard. Bombur turned around and began running again, probably the fastest the poor man could run, which was pretty fast for a man of his... 'situation'.

"Come on!" Gandalf yelled.

'We're coming wizard! We're certainly not going to wait and have tea with the beast!!' I thought.

We ran out of the forest finally out of the rough terrain. But there was a field of land still to go, and the bear was hot on our heels.

"To the house. Run!" Gandalf yelled again. "Where else are we going to go?! Mordor!?" I comment quietly.

I grumbled but all of this running was weighing heavily on my wounds. I began to lag, just as the bear burst through the forest line. Everyone looked back and fear was now plainly etched onto their faces.