In a Father's Embrace

Chapter 6

Thraya burst back into the campsite, attracting most of the company's attention.

"Trolls," she panted. "They took the ponies. Bilbo went to free them. Fili and Kili...have probably done something stupid by now."

"Let's go!" Thorin shouted. "Thraya, stay back. Trolls are no joke."

"But, Adad..."

"Please! Stay back for now. You have yet to see a real battle, and trolls...well, they're slow and stupid, but they're also vicious and strong. Please. Stay back. I don't want you to get hurt."

Thraya sighed and looked down. "Fine."

The rest of the dwarves armed themselves and took off into the forest.

Thraya followed close behind.

He said to stay back. He didn't say how far back.

As they neared the trolls' clearing, Thraya climbed up a tree with decent leaf cover. With her deep green cloak, she'd be hard to see. But she could see and shoot just fine.

It was a messy brawl. She didn't have a single good shot, given how the dwarves were all around and the trolls kept moving. It was too chaotic. The company seemed to be handling it quite well, so she kept back, ready in case of an emergency.

All was well until the trolls caught ahold of Bilbo.

"Lay down your arms," one grunted. "Or we'll rip his off."

Kili let out a frustrated cry as Thorin angrily stabbed his sword into the dirt. The other dwarves followed suit. Thraya considered shooting one of the beasts holding Bilbo, but it was too risky. If she were to hit one, the other would have killed Bilbo before she had the chance to nock another arrow. Also, she wasn't too confident with her skills yet. She might be able to make a direct hit on an eye if they were to stand still, but she severely doubted it.

Damn the halfling! He's nothing but a nuisance. Where is that blasted wizard?

Her bow still drawn, she began to leap her way lightly back down to the ground. What was a troll's weakness? She had studied this kind of thing. Thorin had taught her this...the answer was somewhere in her memory.

She wracked her brains as the trolls bundled up the company and prepared to cook them.

It was infuriating. You know that feeling when you know you remember something, but it's just beyond the borders of your memory? You know it's right there and yet it alludes you? That was Thraya's circumstance. And just when she was about to give up, the answer was handed to her on a silver platter by one of the creatures.

"Never mind the seasoning!" he growled. "We ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, let's get a move on! I don't fancy being turned to stone."

The dawn...

When the sun came up, the trolls would be turned to stone.

So she just had to keep them distracted for the remainder of the night. The beginnings of a plan formed in her mind, but before she could act, the hobbit stood up.

"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake!" Bilbo shouted, wriggling to his feet.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Dori called.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?"

Thraya chuckled slightly. Good point, Bofur.

"I meant with the...uh..." Bilbo continued slowly. "With the...with the seasoning!"