After a fortnight since our arrival, Thorin showed some signs of wanting to depart. I thought it wise because we could get more help while the excitement still remained in the town. One day, he went to the Master and asked for help with our journey to the Mountain. I think the Master was grateful we were leaving but also a little bit worried that Thorin was telling the truth.
"Surely, Thorin son of Thror! The hour is at hand and you must go to claim your own. Whatever you need shall be granted to you and we trust your gratitude will be repaid," he said in the end. The next day, we left to the Lonely Mountain in three boats. Our horses and ponies were being taken around the lake and would meet us when we landed. Bilbo was the only one who was completely unhappy and he showed it pretty clearly. I wanted to know what was bothering him.
"Are you alright, Bilbo?" I asked.
"Yes, Fawn... I'm fine," he sighed.
"Are you sure? You can tell me," I offered.
"I miss the Shire and I want this to be over already. But then I don't want to go home. I can't seem to make up my mind. I know it doesn't make any sense," Bilbo said.
"I understand what you mean, Bilbo. I want to go home too but then I don't want to go home. It does make sense, to me at least. Whatever happens, we will still have each other, to help one another in times of need," I comforted him.
"Thank you, Fawnabelle," he smiled. But there was still a sense of sadness in his soul; I could feel it. We arrived in three days time and our steeds were waiting for us on the shore. We packed the ponies with as much as they could hold and the rest was stored in a tent. The boat rowers would not stay the night with us because they were afraid of the Lonely Mountain and the dreaded Smaug. It was easier for them to believe in the dragon than in Thorin during those times. We didn't need to guard the tent because the land surrounding us was completely empty. It was a very cold and lonely night and it went back to what we hoped not to. We became rather lonely and sadness came to us all; it was the total opposite than what they had felt in the town. The next day, we went out and tried to pick out roads to lead the ponies on. Balin and Bilbo were behind the rest of us and led another pony that had things packed onto it. I felt bad for the poor things but it could not be helped. So there we were, fifteen of us, going at a slow pace on our way to the Mountain. Our ride was a very quiet one but it fitted to the feeling around us. It was complete silence and it was starting to feel uncomfortable. We knew that this expedition was coming to an end and we were starting to think what the end would feel like. It was a hard time but I tried to make the most of it by thinking of what we had already accomplished. That "unexpected" party was so long ago but I remember it so vividly. We all had changed so much since then. I wondered how life would have been without these friends. Well of course they were my friends! Friends get on each other's nerves once in a while or all the time. But that doesn't make them any less special; it's the memories that count. The memories...
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
We Arrive in Laketown (or Esgaroth)
We walked along the shore that we landed and across an old, broad bridge. We could see guards in a hut at the front of the town but they did not notice us coming towards them. They were full of astonishment when Thorin walked through the door of their hut.
"What do you want and who are you?" they asked, grabbing a weapon and jumping to their feet.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror King under the Mountain!" he declared in a loud voice. He looked like it except the wet, dirty clothes. But the gold he wore on his neck and waist shined with brilliance.
"I have returned and I wish to see your Master!" The captain of the guard approached Thorin.
"And who are these?" he asked, referring to the rest of us.
"These are the son's of my father's daughter, Fili and Kili of the race of Durin. And this is Mr. Baggins and his niece, Fawnabelle Baggins who have journeyed with us out of the West." Thorin answered.
"If you come in peace, lie down your arms!" the captain commanded. Thorin looked at me out of the corner of his eye.
"We have none," he replied.
"You have none? Then what does the lass have in her quiver, eh?" he laughed.
"It's empty," I said as I took it off and showed him my quiver. He looked at it like he didn't believe what he saw and to be honest, I didn't either! Gandalf said it would refill itself but not empty itself.
"Alright, follow me please," the captain said. The five of us started to walk behind the captain.
"How did you do that? The last time I saw it, it was full!" Bilbo whispered.
"I have no idea!" I whispered excitedly. We made it to the banquet hall rather quickly.
Thorin shoved the door open and introduced himself to everyone who was present.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain! I have returned!" he shouted in a fierce voice. The captain was a little upset but Thorin didn't care. After he introduced himself, everyone that was dining stood up quickly. They were all very surprised; but none were as surprised as the raft-men of the elves. They recognized us and they walked to the Master's table.
"These were the prisoners of our king, who have escaped. These dwarves did not give an answer to our king's questions about their doings in our country. And they disturbed our people's merrymaking while they were feasting in the forest," they complained to the Master.
"Do these elves speak the truth about you?" the Master asked.
"We have been wrongly judged by the elves and their king. But we did escape the prisons yet neither lock or bar can keep legend from becoming true. I want to speak to the Master of the town, not the raft-men of the Elvenking," Thorin explained. The Master of Laketown was starting to get worried, for King Thranduil was their biggest supporter and buyer. Much of the Lakemen's money they earned came from the elves' needs. They had a very good business going and the Master did not want to stop it because of a handful of dwarves. Alas, he had no other choice but to accept Thorin even if he was telling the truth or not; for news had reached the town quicker than lightning. The townspeople began to sing songs of old about the King returning and the prophecy that was made many years before. The Master decided to at least pretend that he believed and gave up his own chair at the table. Thorin sat at the start with Fili and Kili on his right and left; even Bilbo and I were given high seats at the table. The other dwarves soon came and they were taken care of, fed, as well as pampered in the most excessive way. I thought it a little too much but we got everything we needed to depart. The dwarves became fat again and Bilbo was also getting a little plump in the stomach. They gave us a house to stay in and it was rather comfortable. But I had to find someplace to get away from all the dwarves. It had been a long time since Bilbo and I had some alone time. Three days out of the week, I journeyed the town all day either alone or with Bilbo and returned to our quarters to eat meals. But sometimes, they would not let Bilbo leave because he was still getting rid of his cold. His cold was getting better, but it's different than the Shire. The Shire... how I missed it. I used to climb to the roof at night, stare at the sky, and dream of the Shire. Its sunny mornings, fresh scents, and quiet nights kept me anxious to finish the adventure. But lots of questions made me want this adventure to NEVER end.
"What do you want and who are you?" they asked, grabbing a weapon and jumping to their feet.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror King under the Mountain!" he declared in a loud voice. He looked like it except the wet, dirty clothes. But the gold he wore on his neck and waist shined with brilliance.
"I have returned and I wish to see your Master!" The captain of the guard approached Thorin.
"And who are these?" he asked, referring to the rest of us.
"These are the son's of my father's daughter, Fili and Kili of the race of Durin. And this is Mr. Baggins and his niece, Fawnabelle Baggins who have journeyed with us out of the West." Thorin answered.
"If you come in peace, lie down your arms!" the captain commanded. Thorin looked at me out of the corner of his eye.
"We have none," he replied.
"You have none? Then what does the lass have in her quiver, eh?" he laughed.
"It's empty," I said as I took it off and showed him my quiver. He looked at it like he didn't believe what he saw and to be honest, I didn't either! Gandalf said it would refill itself but not empty itself.
"Alright, follow me please," the captain said. The five of us started to walk behind the captain.
"How did you do that? The last time I saw it, it was full!" Bilbo whispered.
"I have no idea!" I whispered excitedly. We made it to the banquet hall rather quickly.
Thorin shoved the door open and introduced himself to everyone who was present.
"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain! I have returned!" he shouted in a fierce voice. The captain was a little upset but Thorin didn't care. After he introduced himself, everyone that was dining stood up quickly. They were all very surprised; but none were as surprised as the raft-men of the elves. They recognized us and they walked to the Master's table.
"These were the prisoners of our king, who have escaped. These dwarves did not give an answer to our king's questions about their doings in our country. And they disturbed our people's merrymaking while they were feasting in the forest," they complained to the Master.
"Do these elves speak the truth about you?" the Master asked.
"We have been wrongly judged by the elves and their king. But we did escape the prisons yet neither lock or bar can keep legend from becoming true. I want to speak to the Master of the town, not the raft-men of the Elvenking," Thorin explained. The Master of Laketown was starting to get worried, for King Thranduil was their biggest supporter and buyer. Much of the Lakemen's money they earned came from the elves' needs. They had a very good business going and the Master did not want to stop it because of a handful of dwarves. Alas, he had no other choice but to accept Thorin even if he was telling the truth or not; for news had reached the town quicker than lightning. The townspeople began to sing songs of old about the King returning and the prophecy that was made many years before. The Master decided to at least pretend that he believed and gave up his own chair at the table. Thorin sat at the start with Fili and Kili on his right and left; even Bilbo and I were given high seats at the table. The other dwarves soon came and they were taken care of, fed, as well as pampered in the most excessive way. I thought it a little too much but we got everything we needed to depart. The dwarves became fat again and Bilbo was also getting a little plump in the stomach. They gave us a house to stay in and it was rather comfortable. But I had to find someplace to get away from all the dwarves. It had been a long time since Bilbo and I had some alone time. Three days out of the week, I journeyed the town all day either alone or with Bilbo and returned to our quarters to eat meals. But sometimes, they would not let Bilbo leave because he was still getting rid of his cold. His cold was getting better, but it's different than the Shire. The Shire... how I missed it. I used to climb to the roof at night, stare at the sky, and dream of the Shire. Its sunny mornings, fresh scents, and quiet nights kept me anxious to finish the adventure. But lots of questions made me want this adventure to NEVER end.
I Am Set Free and I Am A Barrel Rider
A week or two went by and several messages were passed through Bilbo to the other dwarves. Legolas became my regular meal passer and he came to talk to and see me everyday. We had gotten to know each other pretty well. Sometimes, he would stay a little too long and forget the other things he needed to do that day. He usually asked me questions about the Shire. He had never been out of Mirkwood before. I didn't know that would be the last day I stayed in that cell. It was after lunchtime when I heard the jingling of keys and shuffling feet. I saw them coming this way! I picked up my bag and peered through the bars. Bilbo unlocked my door and we walked to Thorin's cell. Everyone was very happy to see each other.
"I suppose Gandalf was right! You are a fine burglar, Mr. Baggins! Now what is the next step to our escape?" Thorin asked. Bilbo explained his plan and the dwarves complained.
"We thought you had a well-thought out plan, not a float on the river! We will drown in those barrels! Even if we do come out alive in the end, we will be in poor shape to climb the Lonely Mountain," they said. Bilbo was very sad and disappointed as well as annoyed with the dwarves.
"I think it's a marvelous idea! Unless, you dwarves have a better plan... well? Do you?" I asked. They looked to each other and sighed. Bilbo led us all to the lowest cellars and showed us to the barrels. There were only fourteen... I guessed that Bilbo hadn't counted when he first thought out his plan. He put the heaviest dwarves on the bottom first and one by one they were all in barrels. Some elves were coming down the stairs so I hurried into a barrel and he put the lid on tight. He slipped on his ring and they started to roll us out to the river. One by one, we all splashed into the icy cold water. Luckily, Bilbo was very careful with putting my lid on and not a single drop came in. Although we were in the barrels for two days, I was rather comfortable and slept pretty much the whole time although I had a little taste of motion sickness. When I woke up, I was very hungry. I heard a loud knock on my barrel and Bilbo called to see if there was anyone in there.
"Hello? I'm in here!" I answered. Bilbo rolled me to shore and opened my lid. I shivered; the breeze was freezing. Thorin was in the water looking for more dwarves. Bilbo helped me out of the barrel.
"Bilbo! You're all wet! What happened?" I asked.
He answered me with a congested voice,
"There were not enough barrels. So I slipped on my ring and grabbed hold of a barrel when I fell in the river and... ACHOO! Excuse me, please. I seem to be catching a cold."
"I'm sorry, Bilbo," I replied. He motioned to me for us to help Thorin with the barrels. I nodded and we walked over. I stayed on shore opening lids while they talked to the barrels. They managed to find six dwarves when they called to them. Dwalin and Balin were the most unhappy and didn't help us. Bifur and Bofur threw themselves on the shore and didn't help either. Fili and Kili had the least amount of damage and wetness. They came out with more or less a smile and helped us out. With their help, we found the others a lot sooner.
"I suppose Gandalf was right! You are a fine burglar, Mr. Baggins! Now what is the next step to our escape?" Thorin asked. Bilbo explained his plan and the dwarves complained.
"We thought you had a well-thought out plan, not a float on the river! We will drown in those barrels! Even if we do come out alive in the end, we will be in poor shape to climb the Lonely Mountain," they said. Bilbo was very sad and disappointed as well as annoyed with the dwarves.
"I think it's a marvelous idea! Unless, you dwarves have a better plan... well? Do you?" I asked. They looked to each other and sighed. Bilbo led us all to the lowest cellars and showed us to the barrels. There were only fourteen... I guessed that Bilbo hadn't counted when he first thought out his plan. He put the heaviest dwarves on the bottom first and one by one they were all in barrels. Some elves were coming down the stairs so I hurried into a barrel and he put the lid on tight. He slipped on his ring and they started to roll us out to the river. One by one, we all splashed into the icy cold water. Luckily, Bilbo was very careful with putting my lid on and not a single drop came in. Although we were in the barrels for two days, I was rather comfortable and slept pretty much the whole time although I had a little taste of motion sickness. When I woke up, I was very hungry. I heard a loud knock on my barrel and Bilbo called to see if there was anyone in there.
"Hello? I'm in here!" I answered. Bilbo rolled me to shore and opened my lid. I shivered; the breeze was freezing. Thorin was in the water looking for more dwarves. Bilbo helped me out of the barrel.
"Bilbo! You're all wet! What happened?" I asked.
He answered me with a congested voice,
"There were not enough barrels. So I slipped on my ring and grabbed hold of a barrel when I fell in the river and... ACHOO! Excuse me, please. I seem to be catching a cold."
"I'm sorry, Bilbo," I replied. He motioned to me for us to help Thorin with the barrels. I nodded and we walked over. I stayed on shore opening lids while they talked to the barrels. They managed to find six dwarves when they called to them. Dwalin and Balin were the most unhappy and didn't help us. Bifur and Bofur threw themselves on the shore and didn't help either. Fili and Kili had the least amount of damage and wetness. They came out with more or less a smile and helped us out. With their help, we found the others a lot sooner.
Bilbo Finds Me and I Meet An Elf
When they had locked me in my cell, I started to whisper for Bilbo.
"Bilbo! Bilbo? Where are you?" I whispered out of the bars. I sat down on the ground when he appeared next to the door.
"Bilbo!" I said quietly.
"Hello, Fawn..." he replied.
"I'm so glad to see you! Did you find any of the dwarves yet?" I asked.
"Only one... but guess who it is?" Bilbo asked. "Okay, I'll tell you... I found Thorin! He's not very far. I will have to leave you soon so I can try to find a way to get out of here. I may come again so don't be alarmed."
"I understand, Bilbo. Goodbye," I answered. He slipped on his ring and walked away. He had left just in time too because an elf was walking this way. He had a plate of food and a cup of water. When he got closer, I noticed his face looked familiar. The elf was Legolas! I was facing towards the wall when he came. He cleared his throat and I turned around. He kindly handed the plate and cup to me.
"Thank you," I said. He gave me a puzzled look.
"You're not a dwarf," he said.
"No, I'm not a dwarf. I'm a hobbit," I answered.
"A hobbit?" he asked.
"Um... a more common term is Halfling," I explained. He looked at me but I didn't look back.
"I know what a hobbit is but I've never seen one. Why were you with the dwarves in the first place?" Legolas asked.
"It's a long story," I replied.
"I have time," he insisted as he sat down outside of the bars.
"I would have to tell you about what we were doing and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't forgive me if I told you..." I sighed.
"What's your name?" he asked curiously.
"Fawnabelle," I answered, looking at the floor.
He smiled, stood up, and said,
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Fawnabelle. I suppose you are more clever than I had first inferred. My father, King Thranduil, told us to question every one of the prisoners. But you aren't going to tell me anything so I guess I'll be leaving now." Then he walked away. I started to eat my meal very slowly and sadly. It wasn't the worst but I still couldn't get over the fact that I was in a prison. I thought about Bilbo's hobbit hole and I wondered what would happen after this adventure.
"Thank you," I said. He gave me a puzzled look.
"You're not a dwarf," he said.
"No, I'm not a dwarf. I'm a hobbit," I answered.
"A hobbit?" he asked.
"Um... a more common term is Halfling," I explained. He looked at me but I didn't look back.
"I know what a hobbit is but I've never seen one. Why were you with the dwarves in the first place?" Legolas asked.
"It's a long story," I replied.
"I have time," he insisted as he sat down outside of the bars.
"I would have to tell you about what we were doing and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't forgive me if I told you..." I sighed.
"What's your name?" he asked curiously.
"Fawnabelle," I answered, looking at the floor.
He smiled, stood up, and said,
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Fawnabelle. I suppose you are more clever than I had first inferred. My father, King Thranduil, told us to question every one of the prisoners. But you aren't going to tell me anything so I guess I'll be leaving now." Then he walked away. I started to eat my meal very slowly and sadly. It wasn't the worst but I still couldn't get over the fact that I was in a prison. I thought about Bilbo's hobbit hole and I wondered what would happen after this adventure.
We Are Put in Prison
The day after the fight against the spiders, we tried to find the road. We took a vote and eight of us agreed on one way. So we walked in that direction and did not find the road.
"This is hopeless!" I muttered. Suddenly, hundreds of red torches lit up all around us like stars and wood-elves leapt out from nowhere and told us to freeze. Bilbo disappeared and the rest of us were bound with ropes in a single file. They put me in the way back of the line. They were a little hesitant with me because they saw my bow. It was of elvish craft and they might have thought I was an elf. Nonetheless, they tied my hands as well as all of the dwarves. The elves blindfolded everyone except me. Bilbo was standing in the back invisibly; but I knew he was there. They made us walk very quickly to the king's palace. Our walk there was very strange; it was pitch-black, but I could see everything.
"The wood-elves can see everything too. Well, obviously they can see because they are elves. But I'm not an elf; I'm a hobbit. Maybe I'm just adapting other beings natural powers or something awesome like that," I thought. While I was doing all of this thinking, we halted in front of a bridge that led to two stone doors. The stone doors opened and we proceeded. We walked across the bridge, at a normal pace, and went right through the open doors. It slammed behind us with a bang and we walked through many passages which were glowing red from the torch-light. We came to a great hall where the Elvenking sat on a big wooden throne. He was wearing a crown of berries and red leaves, for the season was autumn. In his right hand, he held a staff carved out of oak. He ordered the guards to unbind our hands.
"There is no need here," he said. "No prisoner has or ever will escape my magic doors without my consent." I tried to stay out of his sight. He questioned the dwarves and asked them about their doings, where they were coming from, and why they were in the forest.
"O King, why do you question us so? What have we done?" said Balin, who was the eldest. "Is it such a crime to be lost in the forest? To be starving and thirsting? And to kill some spiders? Are the spiders your tame beasts or pets? Is that why you are so angry with their deaths?"
This made the king even more angry and he replied,
"It is a crime to wander in my kingdom. Did you forget that you were in my realm, using my people's road that they made with their own hands? Three times you have pursued and troubled my people, not to mention that you roused the spiders. After all the trouble you have caused I believe I have a right to know what your purpose here is. And if you are not going to tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned some manners and gained some sense! Take them away!" He ordered that we would all be in separate cells and that we were not to see or talk to each other until at least one of us would tell him the truth. He did not say anything about Thorin. We were marched to our cells and we all thought to ourselves about what we should do.
This made the king even more angry and he replied,
"It is a crime to wander in my kingdom. Did you forget that you were in my realm, using my people's road that they made with their own hands? Three times you have pursued and troubled my people, not to mention that you roused the spiders. After all the trouble you have caused I believe I have a right to know what your purpose here is. And if you are not going to tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned some manners and gained some sense! Take them away!" He ordered that we would all be in separate cells and that we were not to see or talk to each other until at least one of us would tell him the truth. He did not say anything about Thorin. We were marched to our cells and we all thought to ourselves about what we should do.
Thorin's Fate
It was a great shock to everyone. I, of course, knew this and did not trouble myself with the thought of him never being found again. I went back to sleep and recalled where Thorin was. He was in the dungeon of a fair woodland elf king. After Bilbo had stepped into the light, Bilbo was put under a spell. Thorin stepped out after him and he too fell under a spell. The other dwarves cries led to their capturing by the spiders. The woodland elves had captured Thorin and taken him to their dwelling.
Then they bound him again and put him into his cell where he remained until that hour and many after. He was well-fed and he was beginning to feel grateful. Elves are not like goblins; spiders are the only creatures that they show no mercy. Thorin had already begun to wonder about us and if we would be able to save him.
He was taken to a great cave that was home to a woodland elf king. It was on the eastern edge of Mirkwood. The entrance to his estate was huge stone doors and in front of it ran a river. It flowed on and on into grand marshes that were at the feet of the high wooded lands. Many smaller caves opened out on its perimeter and that great cave was deep underground. It had many passages and broad halls; but they were filled with light and air unlike goblins. It was far more wholesome than any goblin-dwelling and it was neither dangerous or too deep. All subjects of that king lived and hunted in the open wood. They had houses or huts in trees as well as on the ground. They were surrounded by beeches, which were their favorite type of tree. The cave was the king's palace and he dwelt there with his treasure; the cave was also used for a fortress against their enemies.
There he was taken out of the spell and questioned by their king.
' "Why did you and your folk three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?" asked the king.
"We did not attack them," answered Thorin; "we came to beg, because we were starving."
"Where are your friends now, and what are they doing?"
"I don't know, but I expect starving in the forest."
"What were you doing in the forest?"
"Looking for food and drink, because we were starving."
"But what brought you into the forest at all?" asked the king angrily. At that Thorin shut his mouth and would not say another word.
"Very well!" said the king. "Take him away and keep him safe, until he feels inclined to tell the truth, even if he waits a hundred years." '
Then they bound him again and put him into his cell where he remained until that hour and many after. He was well-fed and he was beginning to feel grateful. Elves are not like goblins; spiders are the only creatures that they show no mercy. Thorin had already begun to wonder about us and if we would be able to save him.
The Battle and Conquering of the Spiders
Bilbo and I realized that Bombur was still on the floor and more spiders were gathering around him. They had tied him up again and they were almost ready to take him away. I told Bilbo to go and help Bombur and that I would help the rest of the dwarves. He swung Sting at the spiders that were in front of him and they backed away from him. Then, he scrambled and fell down right in the middle of another group of spiders. Everyone was freed and Bilbo had killed six spiders and the rest ran away.
"Come down!" he shouted. "Hurry! Before you get caught again!"
I looked up and saw lots more spiders above us. I was so scared that I ran down that tree and was on the ground in a jiffy. The dwarves, on the other hand, came three different ways: climbing down as fast as they could, jumping from the branch, or falling down off the branch. In the end, there were eleven dwarves in a pile behind Bilbo and I. They helped each other up and Bombur was standing between Bifur and Bofur. I was constantly sending arrows at spiders and Bilbo was darting here and there with his trusty sword, Sting. Hundreds of spiders were staring at our little party while we were fighting. It seemed that we would most likely lose the fight. But the the dwarves got into the groove and they started to help us defeat the beasts.
Some dwarves had knives, others had sticks, and most just threw rocks. Only about four could stand upright and firmly. We were getting tired. The spiders just kept on coming and it felt like this battle would never end. Bilbo decided to tell the dwarves about the ring so he could distract the spiders and lead them away. He was a little hesitant at first but there seemed to be no other way.
"I am going to leave you so I will be able to disappear. I'm going to draw them away from you; you must stay together and go in the opposite direction. Hopefully, if you bear left, you will reach the place where the last elf-fire was," he explained.
"I'm coming with you," I added.
"I'm sorry, Fawn. But most of these dwarves are still recovering and I need you to guide them for me. Don't you remember what Gandalf said? He put you in charge of these dwarves for a reason and we are all counting on you to lead them to safety," he said.
"Fine," I sighed. He smiled and he disappeared in front of my eyes. We heard his voice calling out to the spiders from the right: "Attercop!" and "Lazy Lob!" He began his song again and some spiders went towards the voice. Then I led all of the dwarves and we started attacking the spiders that came in our way. We didn't hear Bilbo's voice and we hoped that he hadn't been caught. Our pace slackened and the dwarves became more weary than before. Bilbo appeared from the side and he charged into the spiders that were gaining on us.
"Go on! You can leave the stinging to me!" he cried after us. And that's precisely what he did. We kept on going with no stopping. The spiders gave up following us and went back to their dark homes. Bilbo followed us and we reached the ring where we had been before. I sat down on the ground and yawned.
"That was a lot of excitement for one night," I said sleepily. I laid down and wrapped myself in the blanket that was in my sack. The dwarves asked Bilbo lots of questions about the ring. Balin insisted that Bilbo tell them the story of Gollum with the ring put in where it belonged. I couldn't sleep but I managed to rest my eyes. After they were done asking their questions and Bilbo had finished answering them, they all laid down and rested. Balin muttered in his sleep about the story that Bilbo had told them.
Suddenly, he sat up with a jerk and said,
"Where's Thorin?"
"Come down!" he shouted. "Hurry! Before you get caught again!"
I looked up and saw lots more spiders above us. I was so scared that I ran down that tree and was on the ground in a jiffy. The dwarves, on the other hand, came three different ways: climbing down as fast as they could, jumping from the branch, or falling down off the branch. In the end, there were eleven dwarves in a pile behind Bilbo and I. They helped each other up and Bombur was standing between Bifur and Bofur. I was constantly sending arrows at spiders and Bilbo was darting here and there with his trusty sword, Sting. Hundreds of spiders were staring at our little party while we were fighting. It seemed that we would most likely lose the fight. But the the dwarves got into the groove and they started to help us defeat the beasts.
Some dwarves had knives, others had sticks, and most just threw rocks. Only about four could stand upright and firmly. We were getting tired. The spiders just kept on coming and it felt like this battle would never end. Bilbo decided to tell the dwarves about the ring so he could distract the spiders and lead them away. He was a little hesitant at first but there seemed to be no other way.
"I am going to leave you so I will be able to disappear. I'm going to draw them away from you; you must stay together and go in the opposite direction. Hopefully, if you bear left, you will reach the place where the last elf-fire was," he explained.
"I'm coming with you," I added.
"I'm sorry, Fawn. But most of these dwarves are still recovering and I need you to guide them for me. Don't you remember what Gandalf said? He put you in charge of these dwarves for a reason and we are all counting on you to lead them to safety," he said.
"Fine," I sighed. He smiled and he disappeared in front of my eyes. We heard his voice calling out to the spiders from the right: "Attercop!" and "Lazy Lob!" He began his song again and some spiders went towards the voice. Then I led all of the dwarves and we started attacking the spiders that came in our way. We didn't hear Bilbo's voice and we hoped that he hadn't been caught. Our pace slackened and the dwarves became more weary than before. Bilbo appeared from the side and he charged into the spiders that were gaining on us.
"Go on! You can leave the stinging to me!" he cried after us. And that's precisely what he did. We kept on going with no stopping. The spiders gave up following us and went back to their dark homes. Bilbo followed us and we reached the ring where we had been before. I sat down on the ground and yawned.
"That was a lot of excitement for one night," I said sleepily. I laid down and wrapped myself in the blanket that was in my sack. The dwarves asked Bilbo lots of questions about the ring. Balin insisted that Bilbo tell them the story of Gollum with the ring put in where it belonged. I couldn't sleep but I managed to rest my eyes. After they were done asking their questions and Bilbo had finished answering them, they all laid down and rested. Balin muttered in his sleep about the story that Bilbo had told them.
Suddenly, he sat up with a jerk and said,
"Where's Thorin?"
We Start to Free the Dwarves
And this is what I understood:
Then a fat spider crawled across one of the strings of silk and went to a place where there were twelve bundles of something were hanging from a high branch. I gasped; those bundles were the dwarves! The spider went to the fattest bundle-- "Poor Bombur," I thought-- and he pinched the nose that was sticking out. There was a muffled cry of pain and he kicked the spider which knocked it out of the tree. The spider caught itself with its own string that he was connected to. He crawled back up the tree and went back to his fellow spiders. I was getting so angry at those mean spiders. I reached for an arrow and my bow. I got ready while the spider was going back to Bombur. I saw a stone fly through the air and plop the spider on the head. It dropped to the floor with its legs curled up. I shot the arrow from my branch and it lay there... dead.
Another rock went zooming through a giant web where a spider was sitting. The spider fell and I shot that one too and it lay there... dead. Soon, the colony of spiders were gathered together and tried to figure out where Bilbo was at. It was frightening for me because I was up in the trees where they were and I didn't have a ring of power to make me invisible. I tried my best to stay hidden and I guessed it worked because none of them caught me. They ran towards where Bilbo had been throwing the stones but they didn't find them there. Every time he would knock one down, I shot it to make sure it was dead. He started to make the spiders angry when he sang this song:
" 'It was a sharp struggle, but worth it,' said one. 'What nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I'll wager there is a good juice inside.'
'Aye, they'll make a fine eating, when they've hung a bit,' said another.
'Don't hang 'em too long,' said a third. 'They're not as fat as they might be. Been feeding none too well of late, I should guess.'
'Kill 'em, I say,' hissed a fourth; 'kill 'em now and hang 'em dead for a while.'
'They're dead now, I'll warrant,' said the first.
'That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just coming round again, I should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I'll show you.' "
Then a fat spider crawled across one of the strings of silk and went to a place where there were twelve bundles of something were hanging from a high branch. I gasped; those bundles were the dwarves! The spider went to the fattest bundle-- "Poor Bombur," I thought-- and he pinched the nose that was sticking out. There was a muffled cry of pain and he kicked the spider which knocked it out of the tree. The spider caught itself with its own string that he was connected to. He crawled back up the tree and went back to his fellow spiders. I was getting so angry at those mean spiders. I reached for an arrow and my bow. I got ready while the spider was going back to Bombur. I saw a stone fly through the air and plop the spider on the head. It dropped to the floor with its legs curled up. I shot the arrow from my branch and it lay there... dead.
Another rock went zooming through a giant web where a spider was sitting. The spider fell and I shot that one too and it lay there... dead. Soon, the colony of spiders were gathered together and tried to figure out where Bilbo was at. It was frightening for me because I was up in the trees where they were and I didn't have a ring of power to make me invisible. I tried my best to stay hidden and I guessed it worked because none of them caught me. They ran towards where Bilbo had been throwing the stones but they didn't find them there. Every time he would knock one down, I shot it to make sure it was dead. He started to make the spiders angry when he sang this song:
" 'Old fat spider sitting in a tree!Old fat spider can't see me!
Attercop! Attercop!
Won't you stop,
Stop your spinning and look for me?
Old Tomnoddy, all big bodyOld Tomnoddy can't spy me!
Attercop! Attercop!
Down you drop!
You'll never catch me up your tree!' "
Yes, it is pretty ridiculous but it was funny at the time. I laughed silently while the spiders got more angry. Bilbo led them away and I tried to figure out who was in which bundle. Then Bilbo appeared next to me.
"Keep an eye out while I untie this one. I think it's Fili," he explained. He cut the really thick strands and woke Fili up. We tried very hard not to laugh but we couldn't help it. He looked like a puppet trying to untangle his strings. When he was freed, he helped us try to free the rest of them. We untied Bombur first but he fell off the tree and into a pile of leaves on the floor and didn't move. We managed to free Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Nori, and Dori as well. We had five more dwarves to go and the spiders came for Bilbo.
"There you are, you nasty little pest! We see you now and we'll eat you until you are just bones! He has got a sting, has he? Well, we'll eat you just the same and all of your friends too!" they hissed angrily. It seemed that there was going to be a battle and I was so ready for it.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
I Kill A Spider
I sat down and thought about what I should do.
"Where could they have gone? Where are we in the book? I can't think and it's driving me crazy! Oh, what should I do?" I thought to myself. I shivered and stood back up again. Suddenly, I realized that I could see everything in the dark. Trees, smoke from the fires, and even footprints on the ground.
"That's weird... hobbits can't see that well in the dark or I would have been using my bow all this time. Maybe I just adapted to the darkness or something..." I said aloud quietly. I turned around and I saw the most hideous thing I had ever seen and maybe even will see in my entire life! It was a giant, hairy, eight-legged... spider! I almost screamed but I covered my mouth after I saw it.
"Okay, Fawn... there's n-no need to be f-freaked out. You have a b-b-bow and a qu-quiver full of arrows and you are t-totally c-c-capable of f-fighting this thing off, r-right? Ahem. Right. Let's just kill this thing and be done with it all ready," I told myself. I grabbed my bow very slowly and pulled an arrow from my quiver very silently. I fixed the arrow against my bow and aimed it towards the spider's wet glowing eyes. I took a breath and looked at my target. It was just staring at me.
"Hmm, why didn't it attack me earlier? This is getting really creepy now. Stop talking! Just shoot!" I said to myself. I released the arrow and it went straight through, what I guessed was, the brain. Luckily, it didn't make any sounds. It just fell forwards... towards me! I jumped out of the way and it crashed right in front of me. I smiled at my victory but then I heard something. It sounded like someone was struggling. I ran towards where I heard it and jumped up in a tree to get a better view. I peeked through a gap in the leaves and I saw Bilbo down on the grass fighting a spider. Before I could go help him, he killed it himself and I grinned. I knew he had it in him. Of course, I knew he would have done it anyway because it was in the book. But still... to actually see him find strength in himself to do that? The moment was just amazing. I saw him fall down on the floor and I hurried to him. I figured I shouldn't wake him up; he would probably do that on his own too.
I stayed near him for a while to make sure other spiders didn't come bother him in his sleep. I heard him stir so I went behind a tree in front of him. When he woke up, I went to him and he wiped his sword on the grass. It was stained black with the spider's blood. The spider that he killed was near him and he was startled when he saw me.
"Hello, Fawn. I'm surprised to see you here. I thought everyone had gone away and left me," Bilbo said.
"I thought so too. But it looks like our luck has changed. Why don't we go have a look around. Maybe we will find the dwarves somewhere or even the path," I suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea. I would like to find the road as well. Maybe then we would find them there," he agreed.
"Then let us go with great stealth," I replied. We crept quietly along and the forest remained silent. I started to walk ahead of him and he slipped on his ring. We walked and walked for some time and we noticed a dark patch of shadows that was darker than the rest of the forest. There were spiders up in the trees and they were the ones making the shadows. I hid behind a tree to try to escape their sight but they weren't looking down. So I came back out again and called for Bilbo quietly. He slipped his ring off and popped out of nowhere. I jumped up in fright and tried not to make any noise.
"You're a Junior Protector of Nature, Fawn. Can you understand what they're saying?" he asked.
"Not really... wait," I replied. I pointed upward and smiled while he shook his head in disagreement.
"Come on, Bilbo. Let's go check it out," I whispered. He made a sad face and whimpered.
"I know you have the ring, Bilbo. You can use it to climb... be you just have to be quiet," I said. His face changed to shock and then to suspicion.
"How do you know about it?" Bilbo asked.
"There's a lot of things I know about," I replied. "Don't worry... I didn't tell anyone." He sighed with relief and I jumped to the lowest branch. Bilbo convinced me to let him stay on the ground. Then I climbed very silently and kept on going. Every other branch that I climbed, I could hear their voices a little more clearer. I started to move slower so I could try to understand what they were saying.
The Feast
There were many elvish-looking people there and they were all dressed in different greens and browns. They were sitting in a big circle and a fire was in the very middle. They were eating, drinking, and laughing very merrily. The smell of all the food was so tempting but I still stayed where I was. Soon I found myself, by myself, watching the dwarves and Bilbo walk to where the people were.
"Wait!" I whispered to them and the torches and fire pit went out magically. They were lost and walked with their hands in front of them. They crashed into each other and into several trees.
"Good thing I didn't move," I thought to myself while I watched chaos happen before my eyes. I stood up calmly and told them to freeze.
"Just sit down where you are and we'll figure this out later," I shouted. I didn't know how far everyone was from each other. Little did I know that they were all in the circle huddled together... hey, it was pretty dark that night. We had not been lying down for very long and I was barely getting sleepy.
Then Dori whispered loudly,
"The lights are back and there are more than the last time." The dwarves jumped up from their spots and looked around. Bilbo stood up but I felt like giving up the search of this banquet. I wanted to go find the road instead and go to sleep. They convinced me to go with them and we crept towards the twinkling lights. We went in a single file line and I was leading. Bilbo went behind me and all the others mushed in behind him. Bilbo and I went as quietly as we possibly could with the others stomping behind us.
When we got closer Thorin explained,
"This time, do not rush forward! No one move from hiding until I say so! I'm going to send Mr. Baggins first so he can talk to them. They wouldn't be scared of him if he appeared in front of them."
"What if I'm scared of them?" he whispered as he leaned up to me. I looked back at him and smiled.
"I hope they won't do anything horrible to him in the end," Thorin continued. When we came to the edge of the circle of lights, the dwarves pushed Bilbo out into the open. I hit my hand against my head in shame of the dwarves. They pushed him before he had time to slip on the ring or it would have worked. As soon as he stumbled into the circle, the lights went out again. It was probably difficult the last time but it was far more this time. Everytime we would count each other, it would only come out to fourteen. We couldn't find Bilbo anywhere. They kept on calling for him and there was no answer; it was very frustrating. Finally, when we were just about to give up, Dori fell over him thinking that Bilbo was a log. Bilbo was fast asleep and they shook him for a few minutes to wake him up.
"I was having the best dream... I was eating the most delicious dinner that I could ever imagine," he sighed.
"Ugh! Great, he's gone having dream-dinners like Bombur," some said.
"Don't tell us about them if they are dreams. Imaginary dinners aren't any good to the rest of us because you can't share them," the rest added.
"Well in these circumstances, it's the best and closest thing to dinner I can get at this point," he mumbled to himself. He laid down next to the dwarves trying to dream about his dinner again. But that was not the last time we saw those lights. We all laid down to try to go to sleep but I couldn't even close my eyes. I wasn't tired; I was thinking about what would be happening soon. I kept on getting shivers down my spine. I was getting colder by the minute. I was completely shivering all the time, from head to toes. Kili, who was the watchman, came and woke everyone up.
"The lights came back on and they are not very far away. There are hundreds of torches and fires. And listen to that wonderful singing and harp playing!" he said. I sat up and looked around. Everyone was lying down and listening to the music and songs. I was hoping they would settle for listening to them, but my hopes were crushed. They couldn't resist the temptation; they said they had to go try again. I was at the back of the line, trudging behind everyone. My hunger had gone away and I felt like I was being drained of what energy I had left.
The feast was bigger and better than the last time we had seen it. A king sat at the end of the feasting table and he wore the same crown Bombur had described. There were more elves than the last times. Their hair gleamed in the fire's light and was decorated with flowers. Green and white gems sparkled on their collars and belts. They were passing bowls of food to each other. Many were singing and some were playing harps. Their voices were loud and clear and full of joy. They were laughing and talking very merrily. Thorin was in front of the line and walked to the middle of the circle. There was silence and the torches went out again for the third time that night. The fires were put out and they turned into black smoke. We were left in the dark again. I looked around and everyone was gone. I was calling their names over and over again but no one answered me.
"Wait!" I whispered to them and the torches and fire pit went out magically. They were lost and walked with their hands in front of them. They crashed into each other and into several trees.
"Good thing I didn't move," I thought to myself while I watched chaos happen before my eyes. I stood up calmly and told them to freeze.
"Just sit down where you are and we'll figure this out later," I shouted. I didn't know how far everyone was from each other. Little did I know that they were all in the circle huddled together... hey, it was pretty dark that night. We had not been lying down for very long and I was barely getting sleepy.
Then Dori whispered loudly,
"The lights are back and there are more than the last time." The dwarves jumped up from their spots and looked around. Bilbo stood up but I felt like giving up the search of this banquet. I wanted to go find the road instead and go to sleep. They convinced me to go with them and we crept towards the twinkling lights. We went in a single file line and I was leading. Bilbo went behind me and all the others mushed in behind him. Bilbo and I went as quietly as we possibly could with the others stomping behind us.
When we got closer Thorin explained,
"This time, do not rush forward! No one move from hiding until I say so! I'm going to send Mr. Baggins first so he can talk to them. They wouldn't be scared of him if he appeared in front of them."
"What if I'm scared of them?" he whispered as he leaned up to me. I looked back at him and smiled.
"I hope they won't do anything horrible to him in the end," Thorin continued. When we came to the edge of the circle of lights, the dwarves pushed Bilbo out into the open. I hit my hand against my head in shame of the dwarves. They pushed him before he had time to slip on the ring or it would have worked. As soon as he stumbled into the circle, the lights went out again. It was probably difficult the last time but it was far more this time. Everytime we would count each other, it would only come out to fourteen. We couldn't find Bilbo anywhere. They kept on calling for him and there was no answer; it was very frustrating. Finally, when we were just about to give up, Dori fell over him thinking that Bilbo was a log. Bilbo was fast asleep and they shook him for a few minutes to wake him up.
"I was having the best dream... I was eating the most delicious dinner that I could ever imagine," he sighed.
"Ugh! Great, he's gone having dream-dinners like Bombur," some said.
"Don't tell us about them if they are dreams. Imaginary dinners aren't any good to the rest of us because you can't share them," the rest added.
"Well in these circumstances, it's the best and closest thing to dinner I can get at this point," he mumbled to himself. He laid down next to the dwarves trying to dream about his dinner again. But that was not the last time we saw those lights. We all laid down to try to go to sleep but I couldn't even close my eyes. I wasn't tired; I was thinking about what would be happening soon. I kept on getting shivers down my spine. I was getting colder by the minute. I was completely shivering all the time, from head to toes. Kili, who was the watchman, came and woke everyone up.
"The lights came back on and they are not very far away. There are hundreds of torches and fires. And listen to that wonderful singing and harp playing!" he said. I sat up and looked around. Everyone was lying down and listening to the music and songs. I was hoping they would settle for listening to them, but my hopes were crushed. They couldn't resist the temptation; they said they had to go try again. I was at the back of the line, trudging behind everyone. My hunger had gone away and I felt like I was being drained of what energy I had left.
The feast was bigger and better than the last time we had seen it. A king sat at the end of the feasting table and he wore the same crown Bombur had described. There were more elves than the last times. Their hair gleamed in the fire's light and was decorated with flowers. Green and white gems sparkled on their collars and belts. They were passing bowls of food to each other. Many were singing and some were playing harps. Their voices were loud and clear and full of joy. They were laughing and talking very merrily. Thorin was in front of the line and walked to the middle of the circle. There was silence and the torches went out again for the third time that night. The fires were put out and they turned into black smoke. We were left in the dark again. I looked around and everyone was gone. I was calling their names over and over again but no one answered me.
We Leave the Path
"So... did you see anything?" they asked excitedly. We shook our heads gloomily and the dwarves groaned. They didn't care a single bit about the butterflies and the view when we described them. They grumbled and were more angry when Bilbo told them about the peaceful breeze since they were too heavy to climb and feel it for themselves. That night, we ate our last scraps of food. And in the morning, we woke up very hungry and very thirsty. That day it was raining and all throughout the day we were even more thirsty than before. The only comfort we got came from Bombur and it came quite suddenly. He woke up, scratched his head, and asked where we were and why we were here. It took a lot of convincing to make him believe all the adventures we had had. He was also very very hungry. When we told him there was no food, he sat down and wept.
"Why did I ever wake up? My dream was so beautiful! I dreamt I was walking through a forest like this one, only it was full of light and there was a great feast. There was a woodland king and he wore a crown of leaves and ivy. And I can't count or describe all the delicious things I was eating," he sighed with great sadness.
"You don't have to, Bombur. Actually, if you can't find anything else to talk about it would be best to not talk at all. You have bothered us for long enough as it is. Maybe we should have left you to your filthy dreams; it was not a joke when we had to carry you all this way." said Thorin angrily. We could do nothing with our circumstances except moving forward and that is precisely what we did. Bombur complained most of the time saying that his legs were wobbly and that he couldn't walk another step until he had eaten something. Of course, there was nothing to eat so the dwarves told him that they would not carry him one single step. In the middle of a march, he dropped to the floor and sat up against a tree.
"Continue if you must. But I will stay here and try to find my dream again. And I wish that I will never wake up again," Bombur complained. The other dwarves started to argue with him while Balin was a little way ahead of us.
Suddenly he called out,
"Did you see that? I thought I saw a twinkle of light over there!" We all stared into the forest. In the distance, I thought I saw a little red light in the darkness.
"Hey, I think I see it too!" I added. Soon, the dwarves followed it, not caring who was there. It was to the left of the path and we discovered that it was off the path.
Bombur gasped,
"Maybe it wasn't a dream!" He wanted to run and get to the light immediately, but Thorin stopped him. We all (except Bombur) remembered the warnings Beorn and Gandalf had given us.
"A feast would not be good at all if we never got back from it," Thorin said seriously.
"Yes, but without a feast we will most likely die anyway... but of hunger," Bombur added and Bilbo agreed with him. They argued back and forth for a while but eventually Thorin gave in.
"Maybe a couple of us could spy on them then come back. It would be better than all of us going if something did happen," I suggested. They liked the idea but didn't agree on who to send.
"Why don't you go, Fawn?" Fili teased.
"Hey, that's right! It was your idea," Kili added.
"Oh, stop it," I replied, "I know I'm good at sneaking up on things but I have a better idea. Maybe the three of us could go. Then I'll follow you two to watch you get kidnapped. Then I'll run back, tell them what happened, and we'll just abandon the idea." They frowned and walked away... that should teach them. In the end, they decided for all of us to go. We all crawled on our knees and peered around tree trunks to see what was going on.
"Why did I ever wake up? My dream was so beautiful! I dreamt I was walking through a forest like this one, only it was full of light and there was a great feast. There was a woodland king and he wore a crown of leaves and ivy. And I can't count or describe all the delicious things I was eating," he sighed with great sadness.
"You don't have to, Bombur. Actually, if you can't find anything else to talk about it would be best to not talk at all. You have bothered us for long enough as it is. Maybe we should have left you to your filthy dreams; it was not a joke when we had to carry you all this way." said Thorin angrily. We could do nothing with our circumstances except moving forward and that is precisely what we did. Bombur complained most of the time saying that his legs were wobbly and that he couldn't walk another step until he had eaten something. Of course, there was nothing to eat so the dwarves told him that they would not carry him one single step. In the middle of a march, he dropped to the floor and sat up against a tree.
"Continue if you must. But I will stay here and try to find my dream again. And I wish that I will never wake up again," Bombur complained. The other dwarves started to argue with him while Balin was a little way ahead of us.
Suddenly he called out,
"Did you see that? I thought I saw a twinkle of light over there!" We all stared into the forest. In the distance, I thought I saw a little red light in the darkness.
"Hey, I think I see it too!" I added. Soon, the dwarves followed it, not caring who was there. It was to the left of the path and we discovered that it was off the path.
Bombur gasped,
"Maybe it wasn't a dream!" He wanted to run and get to the light immediately, but Thorin stopped him. We all (except Bombur) remembered the warnings Beorn and Gandalf had given us.
"A feast would not be good at all if we never got back from it," Thorin said seriously.
"Yes, but without a feast we will most likely die anyway... but of hunger," Bombur added and Bilbo agreed with him. They argued back and forth for a while but eventually Thorin gave in.
"Maybe a couple of us could spy on them then come back. It would be better than all of us going if something did happen," I suggested. They liked the idea but didn't agree on who to send.
"Why don't you go, Fawn?" Fili teased.
"Hey, that's right! It was your idea," Kili added.
"Oh, stop it," I replied, "I know I'm good at sneaking up on things but I have a better idea. Maybe the three of us could go. Then I'll follow you two to watch you get kidnapped. Then I'll run back, tell them what happened, and we'll just abandon the idea." They frowned and walked away... that should teach them. In the end, they decided for all of us to go. We all crawled on our knees and peered around tree trunks to see what was going on.
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