Hospitality

Misty Mountains

Before the Journey

Darius POV

Everyone is doing their thing while I'm here doing nothing in the camp, I might be a cavalry officer but most of the time I don't do anything. Since my bastard of a father became a senator he made the cavalry important in the legions and expanded their size and made them a vital role in the battlefield, that's why he trained me ruthlessly since I was young so that I can become a good cavalry officer. But it's good to be the head officer of the cavalry, my centurions do all the work for me, they train the men and take care of the horses while I'm only called during battles where I'm very good at. I roamed outside near the camp trying to look for any goblins and orcs to fight with when a messenger from Garen told me there was an emergency meeting in Tiberius tent.

When I arrived there everyone was talking with each other trying to find about the reason for the meeting when Tiberius arrived from the inner tent, he discussed something that I really didn't understand because I was not really listening.

I continue to doze off until I heard everyone gasping as they realized something, I scratched my head trying to find out what they were talking about when I realized everyone just learned that they weren't speaking in Latin anymore, wasn't it obvious from the beginning? My eyes opened wide and my jaws drop as I realized they didn't knew. I never mentioned it because I thought everyone knew already.

Everyone looked at me in silence and I speak: "It's not Latin right?"

Everyone in the room clapped and I smiled thinking that I'm the smartest person in the room. They continued their meeting when Gandalf arrived while I try not to fall asleep. After the meeting, I went to the stables where I arrived in front of a cage where a big white pup is growling at me.

"Let me ride you" I opened the cage without thinking other than to feel the wind in my skin while riding it when suddenly it pounced on me. I round kicked it before it can bite and the pup falls down with a yelp

Looking at it I smiled and said: "Round two eh?"

The pup stands up in all four and glares at me before we both charged at the same time, As the pup get closer I side step to the left and held both my hands into a knuckle and swing it up as the pup's head passed by me hitting the pup's chin. The pup yelped and was thrown up before falling on the ground with a thud.

The wolf tries to stand and looks at me, I glared at it and let out my bloodlust and it finally bowed it's head while bending its front two legs into a bow. I smiled and ride my new mount around the camp while everyone looked at me with a surprised expression, for the next three days I only rode my mount outside the camp while I punched it's head when it misbehaves.

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Outside Mirkwood

Tiberius POV Present

I watched Gandalf along with the strange old man and a tall hairy man walking in front of the formation, I ordered the men to let them through. The soldiers stepped to the side and allowed Gandalf along with the two other men to pass as they walked in front of me.

"Young prince this here Radagast the brown my old friend and as you have seen he is also a wizard, while this man here is Beorn the skin-changer and chieftain of his tribe.

"Nice to meet you Gandalf friends, I am Prince Tiberius Claudius of the Roman Empire commander of this legions, chieftain Beorn why did you attempt to attack us?"

Beorn glared at me and say: "This place here is my territory where I live along with my tribesman, you trespassed in my domain leading your army without permission just like all man always does."

Looking at him I finally understand his aggression and apologize: "I apologize for trespassing chieftain of the?"

"Beornings" Beorn replies

"Chieftain of the beornings, but we are on a journey towards Esgaroth with these dwarves here and Gandalf"

His eyes looked at the dwarves coldly but softened when he learned that Gandalf was with us: "I do not like dwarves and men from outside but I will allow you to pass my domain because I'm indebted to Gandalf but do NOT harm my people and any animals within my territory they are my friends."

I wonder what he meant by animals being friends but I do not question him and agree: "I promise Beorn chieftain of the Beornings that I and my legions will do no harm to your people and animals within your domain."

"I and my companions also promise" said by Thorin

I see Beorn smiling when he heard that but still glares at the dwarves and welcomed us to toward his small village, there I see his people who are also as tall and hairy as him, I let my legion set up camp outside the village while me, dwarves, Gandalf, Radagast, Garen and Darius was led by Beorn towards his house where I finally learned why animals are his friends.

His animals were all extremely intelligent; his dogs, for instance, could walk on their hind legs while carrying things with their forelegs, set the table, and able to speak. Beorn's horses could also understand what their master said. Beorn was also capable of speaking in the tongue of beasts, as he could communicate with bears outside his house. When he spoke to his dogs, his words sounded like "barks twisted into some form of speech".

"Nice house you have and your animal friends are truly amazing"

Beorn smiles at the compliment and served us dinner. I ate his bread and honey which were really delicious. Beorn's people appear to be an animal-loving vegetarians. They live on bread and honey, which they collects from their hives of giant bees. We continued to discuss our plans as Beorn question us about our journey while Gandalf and Radagast went outside to talk something serious as I see it in their expressions.

"You want to reclaim lonely mountain? good luck not dying from the flames of Smaug haha." Beorn laughed at our mission. "And you, men from the Roman Empire, It's hard it to believe your stories but who am I to question Eru if it's true."

I look to him and ask: "You seem to hate the dwarves?"

He glared at them as he has been ignoring them since they came inside: "Their king din't help my people when I asked for help, me and my people were attacked by orcs and enslaved where they chained us and hunt us for sport, few of us survived and only Gandalf and the elves helped us, we decimated the orcs and made our home here near mirkwood."

"Im sorry that must have been tragic, but Thorin and his companions are different they are brave and loyal to their friends and won't make the same mistake."

"I'm sorry what my grandfather did, he was was senile as he grew older and forgot the code of dwarves, we won't ever again make the same mistake and if you need our aid next time we will be there."

Beorn looked at Thorin and finally acknowledged his presence: "I will remember your words Thorin Oakenshield."

We continued our dinner and I noticed Darius and Beorn getting along saying that only Darius has ever tamed a warg being a man and he was impressed. They armed wrestled while the dwarves cheered and Garen laughed as Beorn overpowered Darius, as they were about to have another round a messenger came and told that the hobbit named Bilbo is awake after being comatose for a long time.