A Place to Belong

Chapter 29: The Prophecy

Thorin eyed Braerka warily as she led Kili off ahead of them. While he had accepted her reasoning for withholding information, he couldn't find it in himself to fully trust her. It had been one thing after another with Braerka; ever since she had appeared things had went from bad to worse to the most impossible situations he'd ever found himself in. Trouble seemed to follow her around, or was him it was following?

Even so, after all the recent information coming to light Thorin felt a significant weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he wondered, was he right to continue questioning Braerka's loyalty? As she had said she could have killed him at any point along this perilous journey if she had wanted and to the best of his knowledge she hadn't even tried. He sighed gruffly, she had even rescued him a few times.

Even still he couldn't help but feel there was a massive target on his back. Orcs had been chasing them and the assassins were coming for him, and now the wood-elves wanted their heads. And on top of all that there was the Elven King's plans too. What Bilbo had relayed to him was more concerning still; Braerka was a Guardian, an ancient being common to folklore and myth.

Thorin rubbed his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose, as he thought. He wanted, no, he needed to express these concerns but he figured one hurdle at a time was a better way to approach these issues, especially with Braerka.

He scanned the company, still damp and drained from their escape. They were exhausted, hungry and probably just about ready to turn tail and head home. He somehow knew they wouldn't though, they were loyal and would stay with him to the end. He hoped.

He paused his train of thought, and maybe even Braerka would too.

Thorin's silent brooding was then interrupted. Dwalin shook him roughly stirring him from his daze.

"What is it?" Thorin asked knowing that Dwalin would not come to him for any thoughtless reason.

"I've found something, you might want to take a look." Dwalin answered walking off towards the riverbank. Thorin followed closely.

Thorin crawled up the slight slope after Dwalin stopping at his side when he reached its top. Before them docked and clearly in usable condition was a small rustic looking boat. Its owner was nowhere to be found. It seemed like things were beginning to take a turn for the better for them.

"We could take it and sail to Laketown, those orcs would likely lose our scent that way and it would be much faster than going by foot." Dwalin suggested, as Thorin scanned the boat and perimeter for any chance that it might be a trap.

Thorin nodded and grunted softly, "It'll be safer too. Let's get the others."

Dwalin nodded back. They both slid down the slope and briskly strode to where the others lay resting.

"Come on, get up!" Dwalin beckoned to them. Startled majority of them were slow to move.

"We're leaving now, come on!" Thorin added. His gut told him something bad was coming their way and that their luck would soon turn sour again. To him hurrying felt like a great benefit to them all. "Come on now, Ori, Bilbo! Quickly."

The company literally jumped into action in a matter of seconds after that. Thorin watched admirably as they gathered what few provisions they had and where ready to follow at his command.

Fili approached him with an urgent look on his face, "What about Kili?" he asked, "And Braerka?" he then added swiftly.

Subconsciously Thorin cursed them, how could they still not have caught up to the rest of them?!

"KILI!" he called loudly and suddenly, angered at his young nephew for holding everything up.

Fili gazed out into the woods hoping his little brother would coming bounding towards him. Mere seconds passed and nothing happened. Thorin watched as Fili spun on the spot to face him worry etched into every inch of his being.