The Wizard and The Prince

15

It's been a long time since Veryan and Bilbo joined the Dwarf group along side Gandalf. The Heterochromia male couldn't lie and say it was boring. It was a joy to travel with the group. All the way from Bag-end, right up to the point they were hiding behind some rocks as Bilbo wen't out to spy for them.

Veryan could only sit there, fidgeting whit his black dagger as he waited. He soon felt a presences plop themselves beside him.

The Heterochromia male could only smiled as he turned to the figure "Hello Kili"

Kili smiled back and looked down at the dagger in the Human's hands "That's quite a pretty weapon"

Veryan once again looked down and twirled the blade between his hands "It is. Was crafted special for me in Rivendell"

Kili nodded along at his words as he watched the blade being twirled. The two sat there with comfortable silence between them, when finally Bilbo came running back.

Thorin was the first to jump up and go up to Bilbo "How close is the pack?"

The Hobbit panted, trying to catch his breath as he spoke "Too close. A couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it"

Veryan and Kili jumped up from their seat's, joining the Dwarves in the discussion. "Have the Warg's picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked his question next.

"Not yet. But they will. We have another problem" Bilbo answered his question, trying to once again explain what was bothering him.

"Did they see you?" Gandalf was the one to ask this time. When the Hobbit didn't answer, he thought of the worst, but Bilbo shook his head "No, that's not it"

"What did i tell you? Quiet as a mouse" Gandalf mused as he gestured to the Hobbit. Veryan saw how frustrated Bilbo was getting, and sighed "Would the lot of you please let him speak"

Bilbo sighed, and silently thanked Veryan "I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there"

Veryan scrunched his eyebrow's together. He took a step closer to Bilbo "what shape did it take? Something like a bear?"

Bilbo looked at him confused, but mustered out an answer "Yes, but bigger. Much bigger"

The Heterochromia males breath hitched in his throat. Not knowing what to do, he turned to Gandalf, who looked just as lost on what to do as he was. Bofur looked between the two "You knew about this beast?"

Gandalf turned around as the Dwarves started to argue on what to do next, but the voice of the Wizard broke through "There is a house. It's not far from here, where we might take refuge"

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin immediately asked after Gandalf spoke. Veryan sighed and rubbed his temples. He knew exactly what Gandalf was talking about, he himself has been there multiple time's on his journeys through out Middle-earth. 

Before Gandalf could speak Veryan replied "To you, it would be neither"

Gandalf looked at him questioningly, but Veryan did nothing beside's kept up a collected act. He knew just how bad it could get with the beast. He continued "He will either help us, or he will kill us"

Thorin sighed and looked him straight in the eyes "What choice do we have?" just as he said that a roar came from behind the huge boulder's they were hiding behind.

"None" Gandalf answered him matter-of-factly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Day has come for the running group. They haven't stopped to drink or eat since day came, fearing for what happened if they did. They ended up running through a path of woods, the path being visible through the trees, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded. In those tree line's, they were also being chased by Azog and his men, making it even more life threatening.

Veryan thought of maybe firing a shot, just to scare of the Warg, when a mighty roar stopped them in their place. Gandalf quickly ordered them to run, and Veryan didn't waist a minute, pushing every Dwarf to start running again. They finally made it out of the tree line, seeing a house just across a small bit of grass. Gandalf urged them to move as they ran twords the house. Bombur surprisingly out ran everyone, even getting further than Gandalf, his fear powering him through. Veryan couldn't help but throw a glance back, seeing the beast himself appearing from the tree line. He hissed and sped up, making it past the iron gate's where some of the Dwarves were already trying to get the door of the house open. Veryan quickly pushed through the front and lifted the lock's up, quickly pushing the double door's open. All of them piled up inside as quickly as they could, trying to shut the door, but the beast cought up, it's snout visible.

The Dwarves struggled to push the beast outside once again. Veryan grimaced and walked up to them "I'm sorry dear friend" he spoke sincerely, his hand giving of a spark which shocked the beast's snout, making it yelp and turn back. The Dwarves finally managed to close up the door and lock it.

"What is that?" Ori asked Veryan and Gandalf as he took in a breath.

Veryan coughed uncomfortably, and pointed twords the door "That, is our host. His name is Beorn. And he's a skin-changer" Gandalf nodded along at Veryan's word's, as the other's stood there in shock.

Gandalf continued for the young man "Sometime's he's a huge black bear, sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of Dwarves" 

At this everyone stopped speaking, beside's Ori "He's leaving" he announced to the group.

Dori pushed him away from the door "Come away from there. It's not natural. None of it. It's obvious, he's under some dark spell" 

Veryan shook his head as he crossed his arms "The only spell he's under is his own Dori"

Gandalf curtly nodded once again, taking off his hat in the process. "Alright, now get some sleep. All of you. You'll be safe here tonight" 

He didn't listen to what the Dwarves conversed any further as he climbed up a ladder onto the next floor. It was true he wasn't new to this place. Beorn, their host, had even built him his own room right next to his own. In there was a simple bed, desk with a chair, and a night stand, but he never stayed long.

The male opened up the door, and smiled at the clean room. He entered and closed the door, putting down his violin and plopping down on the bed, staring up a the wooden sealing.

He and Beorn weren't stranger's, far from that. He visited every 10 years, he knew this place was where he would find the right company. The first time he met Beorn however, was quite the scary one. He was inexperienced and tripped over a bear trap, getting his foot mangled in it. He was lucky it was at least daylight, as the huge figure of Beorn found him hour's later, passed out, still bleeding. He would of probably died if Beorn hadn't taken care of him. Veryan was ordered to leave the day he arrived, but seeing his condition Beorn let him stay longer. He over stayed his stay for 5 more day's, before he could heal himself to the max. In between those day's Beorn has grown rather fond of him, and lent him a horse called Sunflower, a beautiful white stallion, quite different from what he owned now.

It was the second time they met 10 years later that he got to stay over a week, helping out Beorn and just getting to know the skin-changer. He has become Veryan's closest friend, they even carried each other's tokens, Veryan's being a white oval shaped jewel, whilst Beorn's was a carved bear. Veryan did enchant it, so the two felt the other in danger, and it did come in handy, but it was mostly Beorn calling out to him for help. 

He didn't mind however, he was quite happy to help Beorn when needed, even if it was a simple task. Beorn and the White Elf were the only one's not from Rivendell that he could trust. Trust that they will arrive when needed. When called upon. It was quite sad however, that the only time Veryan could see the White Elf, was when she was tasked of dropping off something in Rivendell, yet that didn't stop them from growing a sister-brother bond. 

These thought's of his friend's lingered in his head as Veryan closed his eye's, letting himself have some sleep after a long while of running and travelling.