"Andrea, it's good to see you in one peace", Gandalf smiled at her, putting his heavy hand on her shoulder. She just rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the little smile forming on her lips.
"Let's get this bunch of wimps out of their prisons. Even though it's amusing to see them like this, it would be cruel, to leave them over the burning fire. "
Together they freed the dwarves. A very unamused Thorin made his way over to Gandalf. Gandalf was thankful, that Andy left him just a few moment ago, to help the dwarves put the fire out completely. Or this would have ended in another fight of theirs.
"Where did you go, if I may ask?," Thorin demanded to know.
"To look ahead", was the simple answer of Gandalf.
"What brought you back?"
"Looking behind", came the answer of Gandalf, smiling down at Thorin. "Nasty business. Still, there are all in one peace. "
"Not thanks to your burglar", Thorin huffed, his eyes shooting the Hobbit a dark gaze. Andy could feel it in her back and turned around. As she saw him starring at her, she stuck her tongue out, pulling a grimace.
"Andrea hat the nous to play for time", Gandalf defended his old friend, his brows narrowed at Thorin. "None of the rest of you thought of that."
Thorin turned away, for he knew that Gandalf was right. However, he would never admit that. This Hobbit was still a burden to them all, or so he thought. She was a liar, a fraud, a cheater, a wanna-be warrior and a sly, spoilt brat.
"Did you hear that, Princess?" Andy shouted from across the clearing, angering Thorin even further. "If you want to outsmart me, you're going to have to start using that brain of yours. Believe it or not, it's good for more than just ramming through physical and symbolical walls. "
«You almost killed us all! », Thorin roared in anger. "There is nothing smart about that. You were ready to sell all of our lives, just so you could get away. "
Andy rolled her eyes. "Grow up, sparkly crown. You're always focusing on the wrong things. "
"Like what?", he growled.
"Like the fact, that trolls came this far down south. They clearly don't handle sunlight so well, so, there's a cave somewhere, savvy?"
His face was priceless.
And so, not long after, they were looking for the troll cave. All they had to do is follow their nose.
"What's that stench?", Nori grimaced.
"That, dear Nori, is the smell of human leftovers", Andy explained.
"It's a troll hoard. Be careful what you touch", Gandalf warned. Only a few dwarves entered the cave. Andy snuck up behind Bifur.
"Remember the ruin of the house we camped last night? People used to live here", she whispered in a mysterious voice.
"Where have they gone?" Ori asked.
"Oh, they didn't go anywhere", Andy let out a dark chuckle, sending a chill over the two dwarves spines. "But the trolls came. And brought a huge appetite along." She left them standing outside and followed Gandalf inside the stinky opening in the rock. Gloin was digging a whole for the treasure chest they had found.
"If you really want to make sure, that nobody takes it, you should put a sign up. "
The dwarves looked at her as if she is mad. She just lifted a forearm skeleton -the hand was still attached thanks to a few strings of muscles- and veins that were still in place- and a piece of wood. Quickly, she pulled out a little knife and carved into the wood.
"Here" She ram the forearm into the ground, on top of the small mound of dirt. She opened the palm and adjusted the board. "Now, no one will take it."
The dwarves looked at her sign doubtful.
"How it that going to help?," Gloin asked, reading the sign.
Behold, the treasure of the dead lies beneath this sign.
Dig at own risk. Be warned, the dead love fresh meat.
"It's terrifying. And people are superstitious", Andy simply answered.
"Indeed", Bofur said and gave Nori a look. Andy continued looking around. Gandalf and Thorin were standing in front of a weapon hoard.
"These weren't made by trolls", Gandalf analyzed. "Nor were they made by any smith among Men. These were forged in Gondolin, by the High Elves of the First Age. "
Thorin looked as if he had just bitten into a lemon, wanting to put the sword back.
"You could not wish for a finer blade", Gandalf finished, giving Thorin a look. Andy let out an excited squeal, hopping past the confused Thorin and Gandalf.
"Oh holy dragon fire! It's an axe!", she squealed, pulling an old looking axe out of the pile.
"That axe is old and of no use", Dwalin commented, watching the fascinated girl. She didn't hear him.
"I've always wanted another axe, since I've lost mine hundreds of years ago"
"Hundreds of years ago?" Thorin questioned, his brows narrowing. "You said, you where twenty-five years old. "
Andy froze in place, but only for a short moment. If you weren't watching her closely, you wouldn't even have noticed. Gandalf of course did, he was concerned about her, hoping she was able to wiggle her way out of that one. Thorin also thought, that he saw her freeze. But as she continued as if nothing happened, he was sure, he's mind played a trick on him.
"Of course I mean, it feels like I've lost mine hundreds of years ago", she explained, rolling her eyes to cover up avoiding the truth. Thorin seemed to believe it.
"It's still old and of no use", Dwalin spoke in a gruff. Andy shot him a glare, hugging her axe like a baby.
"It's a beauty. It just needs a little bit of caretaking. "
The dwarves started arguing with her, why she should leave the axe behind. Gandalf shoed them all out again, having everything they need of that nasty place. Just as he was about to leave the cave, his foot hit something. Curious he looked down, finding a small sword. Picking it up, he brushed it down and viewed it from all sides.
"That's a beauty as well", he heard Andy speak and looked up.
"Yes, yes it is."
"Who's it for?"
"I don't know", Gandalf pulled the blade out of the sheath, handing it to Andy as she reached out for it.
"Can I take it?," she asked, her eyes lighting up. Gandalf only looked at her, scolding.
"You already have an axe. "
"It's not for me", Andy said, surprising Gandalf.
"For who is it then?," he asked curious.
"It's a souvenir. For Bilbo." Her voice went quiet and her smile fell for just a moment. However, that moment was enough. The wizard finally saw past the facade of the sarcastic girl, seeing how hurt she actually was. She missed her home. She felt bad, for not saying goodbye. She still didn't really feel part of the company. And she seemed to be grieving.
Of course, she was grieving. Gandalf had thought that she had managed to overcome her grief, but he saw, that he was wrong. And who could blame her for it? All those centuries of pain, loss, and so much more. Guilt and sorrow grew in his chest. How could he have been so foolish, to not see that before? By dragging her away from her 'cousin', she lost someone more. They both knew, she wouldn't be the same anymore after this adventure. She would have changed. And the possibility that she wouldn't fit in back in the Shire was very high.
Before Gandalf could give his thoughts voice, Andy already packed the blade up and walked back out of the cave. She didn't want to be sad. The light blinded her and she had to squeeze her eyes shut. As they adjusted to the light difference, she looked around, blinking.
"Something's coming!", Thorin suddenly shouted, alerting the dwarves and the wizard. They reacted faster than Andy's brain could understand what was going on. Fili grabbed her by her hand, pulled her out of the cave entrance and pushed her into Dwain's arms. He caught the shrieking girl before she could fall over her own feet and shoved her over to Dori. Dori grumbled under his breath, gentile directing her to a spot with his hands on her shoulders.
"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves!", Thorin ordered. Within seconds, they stood close ranks, all with their weapon in their hand. Andy in their middle.
The bushes started shaking and a bunch of rabbits came jumping out!
"Thieves! Fire! Murder!", a voice shouted. Andy let out a heartfelt laugh. The once again confused dwarves let down their weapons as they saw, that the elderly man was slowing down his sledge pulled by big rabbits. Andy could not blame them for being confused of his appearance. Radagast did look like a feral cinnamon roll on drugs.
Gandalf let out a relieved laugh. "Radagast! Radagast the Brown. What on earth are you doing here?"
That was the moment, where the dwarves where sure, that there was no threat. Loosening the ranks, they put the weapons away again. Sitting herself on a rock, Andy thought about what just happened. The dwarves hated her. Yet, as soon as danger came near, they protected her. As if, it was the most natural thing to do. Even before thinking of their own safety. It was the second time they did that. And she still didn't know what to think of it.
"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong!" The voice of the animal wizard pulled Andy out of her thoughts. She lifted her head.
"Hm?"
"Yes?", Gandalf asked, waiting for the reason that somehow didn't want to come. Andy knew that she should not be listening to what the wizards are discussing. But it was just too tempting. So she scooted closer.
Radagast opened his mouth, no tone leaving it. His face fell, as if he just had forgotten, what he wanted to say. Typical Radagast, that was. Andy had to snicker. That caught the attention of the brown wizard.
At first, he just stared at her. The dwarves were already exchanging looks, because that was a very impolite thing to do. However, it did not faze Andy. She stood still and waited patiently, for the wizard to get his head right. Dwalin was about to point out Radagast's rude behaviour, as the wizard's face lit up like the face of a Hobbit kid on Christmas Eve.
"My, oh my. Is it really you, Andy?", he asked excited, spreading his arms to give her a hug.
Frowning Kili leans over to Fili. "Why is he allowed to call her Andy?", he whispered. Fili shrugged, keeping a close eye on Radagast.
Andy didn't notice any of that and gave Radagast a hug.
"Who else would it be, feather brain?", she joked. Both of them started laughing.
"He's got a nickname", Fili whispered over to his brother. "Why don't we get nicknames?"
"It's really nice to see you, feathers-"
"His nickname has a nickname, too", Kili whispered back.
"- but I've got the feeling, that you were just about to say something important. So please, spill the tea. "
"Oh, yes. Right? It's.... oh, just give me a minute. Uh, oh, I had a thought. But know I've lost it!", the brown wizard whined. "It was, it was right there! On the tip of my tongue. "
Andy looked at him worried. She hated seeing people in distress, when she was not the cause of it. At least then, she knew, what was up.
Radagast eyes lit up.
"Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..."
Gandalf pulled something out of Radagast's mouth. The dwarves crunched their noses in disgust.
"...Stick insect."
"Let's go somewhere more private. You had something to tell me?", Gandalf tried to help Radagast focus again. The brown wizard nodded.
"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf, a darkness has fallen over it", Radagast whispered in a concerned voice. "Nothing grows anymore. At least nothing good. "
Andy patted his shoulder. "I see, this is wizard-talk-time. I'ma go back to the dwarves", Andy spoke and walked away. Maybe she wanted to know what they were talking about before, but not anymore.
Old memories started to stir up. Memories, she tried to burry for almost two millenniums now. She tried to think of something else, but her mind kept wandering back to greenwood. The place she left... him.
Still deep in thoughts she walked past the dwarves and sat down on a rock. Fili and Kili exchanged a worried look. It was not like her, walking past them without saying at least one sarcastic sentence.
Out of nowhere, they all heard a howl. Quickly they jumped to their feet. Fili already wanted to reach for Andy, as he caught her warning look. So, he surpressed his urge to protect her, as he was raised and was content with standing close to her and making sure no harm came to her. At least he would fight beside her. As a warrior.
Suddenly a warg came charging at the company. Out of reflex Andy spun around and threw one of her daggers at the same time Dwalin dug his axe into it's throat. Dead it fell to the ground in front of Dori.
"Warg scouts", Thorin said.
"Which means, an orc pack isn't far behind", Andy finished his sentence. The same stern expression on her face as on his. Gandalf came rushing towards them.
"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?", he asked Thorin, anger in his voice. Thorin looked a little taken back, not knowing what to think of this behaviour. Andy's brows knotted together, a frown appearing on her face. What was Gandald onto?
"No one", Thorin answered after a moment. Gandalf flared up even more.
"Who did you tell!?"
«No one, I swear! », Thorin defended himself. "What in Durins Name is going on?"
Gandalf straightened up again, a deeply concerned look in his eyes. "You are being hunted."
More howls were to be heard in the distance. Dwalin jumped in action.
"We've got to get out of here!"
"We can't", Ori called out. "We have no ponies. They've bolted!"
Swearing under her breath Andy spun around on her heel, searching for a solution. She didn't notice the wide eyed looks Fili and Kili gave her, hearing her speack like that. Thorin would never alowed them to use such language.
Her eyes fell onto Radagast's sledge, a smile forming on her lips.
"Oi, Feathers!", she called the wizard, pointing at his sledge. He immediately knew what she meant.
"I'll draw them off", he offered, already getting ready. Gandalf tried to stop him.
"These are Gundabad Wargs, they will outrun you. "
Andy scoffed. Radagast looked terribly offended by this statement.
"These are Rosgobel Rabbits", he spoke, ready to accept the chalange Gandalf unintentionally just set him.
'I'd like to see them try", Andy smirked, crossing her arm. Waving her goodbye, Radagast set off, crashing through the bushed. As soon as he was out of sight, Gandalf sworled around to Andy.
"Don't encourage him to do reckless thing like this!"