Chapter 58: Title at the end

[General POV]

-With the Dwarves-

Before Aldril woke up, the dwarves had been roused by a startled Bofur, whose shout managed to awaken most of them. Some, like Aldril and Bilbo, remained deeply asleep, oblivious to what was happening.

They quickly followed Bofur, who was anxiously looking outside the cabin. For a moment, they thought it was the bear, but they were surprised to see a giant man wielding an axe, seemingly chopping wood.

"Damn, who is that giant?" asked a concerned Kili. His question caught the attention of his brother Fili, who pushed past him to look outside, just as surprised.

"He must have noticed us already, that's why he's swinging that axe so furiously," he said, giving the others a nervous smile. However, Balin shook his head, refuting the idea.

"I don't think so. The house is enormous; I doubt he's seen us." It was logical, they were too small for anyone to notice in such a large place. But his reasoning was dismissed when Thorin approached them.

"Have you forgotten? It's very likely that this is the person Gandalf told us about. His sense of smell must be quite sharp due to his transformation into a bear, so it's possible he's already sniffed us out and knows we're in his house." His serious expression conveyed the gravity of the situation.

Thinking it over, Thorin was right. There was a possibility that a side effect of his transformation was adopting some bear-like traits, which could be likely given the large amount of hair covering his body. Thorin's reasoning left the dwarves in silence, exchanging nervous glances.

Nori, his voice trembling, approached Thorin. "I think it would be better if we left. We could sneak out through the front door." Many nodded in agreement; they didn't want to alert the giant and risk him turning into a bear in anger over them invading his home.

However, Dwalin, the grumpiest of the dwarves, grabbed him by the collar and said fiercely, spitting as he spoke, "I won't run anymore. I don't care if it's a bear or a group of orcs; I'm tired of running. If necessary, I'll stay as bait, but I won't run again."

His outburst shocked Nori, who frowned in displeasure. He grabbed Dwalin's hands, and just as he was about to shout back, Gandalf's calm voice, almost magical in its effect, soothed them.

"There's no need to argue. If we're still alive, it's because our gamble paid off, and without his help, I doubt we'll get very far," he said, approaching the group calmly. "You all know that the orcs are still hunting us. This open terrain won't offer us cover from the Wargs.

It would be very difficult to escape them without borrowing a few horses from Beorn." Gandalf's words were quite reasonable; everyone understood that escaping without the horses would be nearly impossible, so they nodded in agreement.

But that didn't stop them from feeling fear deep within their hearts. Who wouldn't be terrified of a giant capable of turning into a bear, capable of devouring you in a single bite? Nodding in satisfaction at the dwarves' acceptance, Gandalf looked at them very seriously.

"Listen, we must be very polite. Try to behave as well as you can. Remember…" Gesturing dramatically to the dwarves' displeasure, he raised a finger and spoke in a low voice, "He doesn't like dwarves, so mind your manners."

A gulp was heard from the dwarves. Only Thorin remained resolute, with a serene face and calm demeanour. He had to show his men that, despite the danger, he remained composed. After all, that's what a king should do.

"What if he doesn't like us?" Thorin asked calmly. It was the question everyone was wondering about. They hoped Gandalf would say that he'd simply throw them out and not help them, but their expectations were dashed by Gandalf's next words.

"It's simple. He'd tear us apart. Everyone he didn't like is either buried in the ground or in his stomach." Gandalf's calm words left the dwarves stunned. He then glanced outside. "Oh, it seems Beorn has returned. It's a stroke of luck he didn't come in and kill us." Everyone began cursing Gandalf in their minds. How could he be so relaxed at a time like this?

"What?" Gandalf asked as if what he'd said was nothing, his attitude making them sigh. During the course of their conversation, Aldril had already joined them. Not wanting to prolong the matter, Gandalf spoke to Aldril, asking him to go outside with him to greet Beorn.

Just as Gandalf was about to open the back door that led to Beorn, he paused for a moment and turned to the group. "On second thought, Bilbo, you're coming too."

"What? Me? Why?" Bilbo asked quickly. He didn't want to go out and face that giant. He'd rather stay here and avoid the risk of being torn apart. For the first time, the dwarves agreed with Bilbo. It wasn't that he was a coward, on the contrary, he wasn't foolish enough to take unnecessary risks.

"Come on, Bilbo. You'll be with me and Gandalf. There's nothing to fear," Aldril said calmly. He wasn't afraid of Beorn; he knew from the story that Beorn would help them. But if at any moment things went awry and Beorn attacked, he would stop him. If necessary, he would kill him, he was capable of it. After all, his abilities had been enhanced.

Aldril's words seemed to reassure him, as he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Alright, I'll feel safe with you," Bilbo said, giving a smile and relaxing his body.

"Hey, don't you feel safe with us?" Dwalin grumbled, though he understood what Bilbo meant. Aldril and Gandalf were the strongest in the group, but he still felt offended.

"Ahh," Gandalf sighed, turning to the others. "Remember to be polite. When I give the signal, come out two by two. We don't want to overwhelm him," he said before opening the door and stepping out, followed by Aldril and Bilbo.

"Make sure to remember that well," Aldril reminded them. He wasn't sure if the story would change, so he urged them to be polite, though his comment was mainly directed at Dwalin, who grumbled in annoyance, catching Aldril's hint.

-In the Courtyard-

Beorn was chopping wood, needing to vent his anger on something. First, some orcs had trespassed on his territory, which had greatly irritated him. Then, some foolish dwarves had taken refuge in his house.

It was only natural that he felt angry. He hadn't killed them because his instincts told him it would be a bad idea. There were very dangerous people among them, probably people who didn't want to kill him and had only fled from him to avoid a confrontation. That earned them a point in his favour, allowing them to sleep in his house.

His instincts began to scream at him to be cautious. He quickly turned his gaze in the direction where he sensed danger. Three figures emerged from his house, a wizard, a human? It was strange; he also had the scent of an elf. Behind them, a small dwarf followed. 'So these are the dangerous ones,' he thought, giving Gandalf and Aldril a quick glance.

"Good morning," said the wizard. His kind demeanour showed that they had come to speak with him, so there would be no fight, and for that, he was grateful—he didn't want to risk dying.

—Half an hour later—

Around the enormous dining table sat the entire expedition group. The conversation with Beor had been pleasant, and he cordially accepted the dwarves once he learned they had killed the goblin king. This king had sent raiding parties to steal his livestock, something that annoyed him greatly. Now, with the goblin king's death, those cowardly goblins wouldn't be foolish enough to continue their raids.

In the centre of the table, there was a great feast—milk, bread, cheese, fruits, meat—a wide variety of foods laid out for their enjoyment, showcasing Beor's ample food resources.

The dwarves, initially nervous, were now jubilant. Rarely did they have access to such a variety of foods, so without hesitation, they began devouring the meal like beasts. Gandalf and Bilbo shot them annoyed glances. Although Beor had accepted them, they should have been polite out of courtesy, but despite their displeasure, they knew that dwarves didn't show courtesy when it came to eating, so they could only express their irritation through looks.

Aldril, on the other hand, was eating with elegance. He wasn't sure if it was due to his elvish blood, but ever since discovering his heritage, a deep-seated need to always demonstrate elegance had taken root within him. It likely awakened the elvish part of him. He could feel Gandalf and Bilbo's disapproving gazes directed at the dwarves, but he paid them no mind, knowing that this was simply the nature of dwarves.

Beor wasn't bothered by the dwarves' lack of decorum. He understood that they were hungry, after all, they had been pursued by an orc scouting party. At first, he didn't understand why they hadn't confronted them, until he was told that the scouting party consisted of dozens of orcs mounted on wargs. While the wizard and the human might have been able to handle them all, the dwarves wouldn't have been so fortunate and would most likely have perished after some time.

He noticed that the leader dwarf's mug was empty, so as a courteous gesture, he approached and struck up a small conversation while pouring more milk.

"So, you're the famous Thorin Oakenshield. Now I understand why you're being pursued by the orc group; your head is highly valued by Azog," he said bluntly.

Thorin, slightly surprised, looked at him and serenely took the mug, nodding his thanks before taking a sip, allowing the milk to cool his throat. "How do you know Azog?" he asked.

With a huff, Beor set the jug aside and sat in the highest seat at the table—after all, this was his home. "He once tried to enslave me, but he was foolish, and most of his men died. The coward fled as soon as I injured his eye," he said mockingly, his tone tinged with annoyance. The memory alone irritated him. That cursed orc had come shouting that he would enslave him, only to flee like a coward.

"So he fled from you as well, eh?" Thorin murmured with a smile. He was angry, but also somewhat pleased. It seemed Azog wasn't as strong as he appeared to be—after all, he had already fled from him once, then from Aldril, and now, it seemed, from the bear as well.

"Are there more like you?" Kili asked. Balin, feeling it was rude to ask such a question out of the blue, nudged him, causing him to hiss slightly in pain. But Beor didn't mind the direct question—he appreciated it and didn't like people beating around the bush.

"I don't know. I've never left here, so I'm not sure if there are others like me," he replied indifferently, taking a large gulp from his mug of milk. There was no alcoholic drink in his pantry—after all, he didn't like it; he preferred the fresh milk his cows produced.

'Another difference from the film,' thought Aldril. It no longer surprised him; it was likely that these plots were a mix of both the book and the films. However, it was a shame he'd never read the books.

"I imagine you want to return to Erebor," Beor said, directing a look at Thorin, who nodded in affirmation. "That's right," Thorin confirmed.

"Precisely why we must reach it before Durin's Day," added Gandalf, puffing on his pipe.

"You still have time," Beor continued. "I suggest you rest in my home. Take your time to recover your strength." His proposal was met with a silent look from the dwarves; they didn't understand how this man, who had previously wanted to devour them while in bear form, was now offering them rest in his home.

"We'll accept your offer," Gandalf said with a bright smile. "After all, we have to pass through Mirkwood and need to be in top condition."

His words were met with unanimous agreement from the group—they concurred with Gandalf. They needed to replenish their energy; one night's sleep wouldn't have them fully recovered.

"Mirkwood?" Beor murmured before shaking his head. "If you're going to that place, I recommend you be extremely cautious. A dark force is terrorising that forest; dark creatures roam within it."

"I've heard the same. We plan to take the elf path; with luck, it will be safer," Gandalf said, sharing his plan. There was nothing wrong with telling him.

"Safer?" With a derisive huff, Beor gave him a mocking look. "Those elves have withdrawn to the deepest parts of the forest. I doubt you'll find a safe path halfway through." He then rose slowly from his chair. "When you've regained your strength, I'll assist you. The orcs will continue to pursue you, so to hasten your journey, I'll lend you my horses." This was met with a unanimous nod from everyone, grateful for his help.

—Unknown Location, Field of Flowers—

Legolas had decided to follow his heart; there would be no problem being alone by her side, a reasonable thought, in his view. A single meeting had been enough for them to establish a close relationship, and happiness radiated from them with every encounter.

Their closeness had reached such a point that it led her to that cherished corner of his father's kingdom, a vast meadow that stretched as far as the eye could see. Flowers adorned the place, a symphony of colours swaying in the gentle breeze, spreading a sweet and intoxicating aroma. He wanted to share a special moment with her, to adorn that beautiful face with a smile.

"This is a wonderful place, Legolas," she said, smiling as she ran across the vast meadow, spreading her arms and closing her eyes as she spun in circles. He watched her with palpable love, her gentle smile illuminating every corner of his being. To him, she was more than just a companion; she was his light of Eärendil, the star that shone with a unique radiance in the vastness of his existence.

'That woman, as small as a flower,' he thought as he watched her run, enjoying the beautiful place. 'Like a petal adrift in the wind,' Sigrid smiled radiantly. 'She draws me to her like the force of the earth,' he continued to gaze at her with love, feeling his heart race with happiness. 'With a heartbeat, with a strong heartbeat.' She ran towards him. "Come, Legolas," she said, taking his hands.

Felt her soft touch. 'My heart fell from the sky to the earth in a dizzying movement,' he observed her face, radiant with joy.

'My first love.'

***

I wrote this chapter with much affection for our dear Legolas, he may not be able to have a child with Bard's daughter, but Eru will not prevent them to be together, all thanks to our dear Aldril haha.

Fuck those who don't like sentimentality in a relationship.

Support me on patreon where there are 15 advanced chapters "p@treon.com/Mrnevercry"