p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" Chapter 40 /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Cornflower, wake up." Said Lain./p
p class="MsoNormal""Lain? What's wrong?" Cornflower asked with her eyes barely open./p
p class="MsoNormal""We must away!" Lain replied getting up and going through the bags./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ere break of day?" Cornflower rubbed her eyes as she looked out the window./p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw in a dream that the mountain was being attacked! We must get there soon." Lain tied the bags up./p
p class="MsoNormal"Cornflower sat up, a little more awake, "What em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"exactly/em did you see?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw the days roll by-three to be exact-and then the mountain and the city of Dale had very few guard and orcs attacked from the north. Then I was at the gates of Erebor, the dead were beyond count!" there was fear in Lain's eyes, "I must awaken Tauriel."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Lain, she is still weak, perhaps we could go on our own." Cornflower suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal""Tauriel will fear the worse if we do so and go after us." Lain pointed out./p
p class="MsoNormal""If we leave a note then maybe not. Think of your sister, she is still ill and used what extra strength she had to protect me and Rosie." Cornflower pushed away the blankets and walked over to him./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain had told her what happened when she awoke to him holding Rosie and Elves dragging away dead orcs./p
p class="MsoNormal""Alright, I shall write the note. Make sure we have everything." Lain went over to a small desk and wrote out the letter;/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emDearest Tauriel,/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI am sorry to leave so quickly and not alerting you first, but I had a dream. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI must hurry to Erebor to be there and to prepare them for what I saw. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emThree days hence, an attack from the North will happen. No survivors in Erebor or Dale is what I saw, I must stop it if I can./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emTry to regain your strength./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emYour brother,/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emLain son of Thorin./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once he finished, Cornflower had a sling made to carry Rosie; who was fast asleep./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain grabbed the bags and then they left the room./p
p class="MsoNormal""What of the guards?" asked Cornflower./p
p class="MsoNormal""We find another way." Lain replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"It took a few hours, but they soon found another way out. They walked through the woods as the morning chill nipped at them. Cornflower held Rosie close to keep her warm./p
p class="MsoNormal"They followed the river down in hopes of coming to the lake./p
p class="MsoNormal""One question, how will we get across the lake? I cannot swim with Rosie." Cornflower pointed./p
p class="MsoNormal""Who said anything about swimming?" asked a voice from the tree tops./p
p class="MsoNormal"The person jumped down and revealed himself./p
p class="MsoNormal""Legolas, what are you doing here?" Lain asked, trying not to sound shocked./p
p class="MsoNormal""One of the soldiers found your note and word spread to Tauriel. King Thranduil asked that I go with you so not to panic Tauriel." Legolas replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""It will not ease her much-"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Indeed." Said Legolas, he knew Tauriel all too well./p
p class="MsoNormal""-but the help is much appreciated." Lain finished, "You know how to get across the lake?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes. There is an old boat moored not too far from where this river lets out." Legolas replied, "Follow me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Together they walked down the riverside. Lain had to make sure Cornflower did not fall behind Legolas was going so fast./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hurry!" Cornflower shouted as they ran through the forest in the Shire./p
p class="MsoNormal"Angry dogs barked behind them. Cornflower was sixteen in the years of Men and Lain was the same age./p
p class="MsoNormal""Mushrooms! I will never understand a hobbits love of mushrooms!" Lain exclaimed as they ran from Farmer Maggot's dogs./p
p class="MsoNormal""We never got caught before, and we're not starting now!" Cornflower grabbed his hand and dragged him alone./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain felt a little weird when she grabbed his hand. He shocked those feelings away though and focused on running for his life./p
p class="MsoNormal""How is it your father is okay with us being so far from your home?!" Lain shouted./p
p class="MsoNormal""I tell him I went to buy some things we needed." Her basket of carrots and mushrooms and corn swinging on her arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"They kept running until they ran off and steep hill and tumbled down. Lain found himself on top of an uncomfortable rock-as if there is any other kind of rock-and Cornflower was unconscious./p
p class="MsoNormal"He sat up, moaning in pain and then shook Cornflower's shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal""Cornflower, wake up!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Her eyes were barely open, "The dogs?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Outran them…I think." He replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well aren't you a real comfort." She said sarcastically, never doubt-dear reader-that a hobbit can be sarcastic!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"He helped her up. The basket was on the side of a road, spilled…but in one piece. She took one step and stumbled, Lain caught her and helped her over to the basket./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'll pick them up." He said bending over to pick up the spilled vegetables and put them back in the basket./p
p class="MsoNormal""Papa will not be happy." She stated as she tried to keep her balance./p
p class="MsoNormal""He'll surely kill me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Kill you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""He told me if anything happened to you I'd pay with my life." Lain replied standing up./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, he wasn't lying, but I think he meant if em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you /emhurt me." she said as she took his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh, well Lobiela Sackville-Baggins will still kill me for being gone so long." Lain went slow for her sake./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think it's petty for Lobiela to mistreat you just because Mr. Bilbo adopted Frodo as his heir." Cornflower spat in disgust./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lobiela was already greatly disliked-even though once she was loved by many, but after what happened to Lain she was disliked even more./p
p class="MsoNormal""You know about that?" Lain asked embarrassed./p
p class="MsoNormal""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Everyone/em knows about it! Also, everyone knew that raft she made you go on to get some "berries" (The berries were an excuse) was leaky and would surely sink!" Cornflower replied, "When one tries to be clever they end up be caught."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not always true, you are em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"always /emclever and you have never gotten caught!" Lain smiled./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ha! Very true my friend. I am the cleverest of hobbits!" Cornflower laughed, "Anyone who tries to outwit me will fall!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good thing I have never tried." Lain joked./p
p class="MsoNormal"Cornflower laughed whole heartedly. Lain had heard her laugh before, but this laugh was different-in a good way of course./p
p class="MsoNormal""Perhaps you should take half of these mushrooms to Mr. Bilbo." Suggested Cornflower./p
p class="MsoNormal""You were the one who gathered them, I just stood watch shivering like a jack-rabbit!" Lain refused./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think a jack-rabbit is a little braver, more like a cotton-tail." Cornflower teased./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm sure that's what every dwarf wants to hear!" Lain exclaimed as they walked down the road a little further./p
p class="MsoNormal""Just take them, if you weren't there shivering like a cotton-tail than em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I/em would be limping home right now and not make it back for a month!" Cornflower stated./p
p class="MsoNormal""Alright I'll take them." He replied, "And your ankle doesn't look that bad."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You can't always see what others feel."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Cornflower, wake up." Said Lain./p
p class="MsoNormal""Lain? What's wrong?" Cornflower asked with her eyes barely open./p
p class="MsoNormal""We must away!" Lain replied getting up and going through the bags./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ere break of day?" Cornflower rubbed her eyes as she looked out the window./p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw in a dream that the mountain was being attacked! We must get there soon." Lain tied the bags up./p
p class="MsoNormal"Cornflower sat up, a little more awake, "What em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"exactly/em did you see?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I saw the days roll by-three to be exact-and then the mountain and the city of Dale had very few guard and orcs attacked from the north. Then I was at the gates of Erebor, the dead were beyond count!" there was fear in Lain's eyes, "I must awaken Tauriel."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Lain, she is still weak, perhaps we could go on our own." Cornflower suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal""Tauriel will fear the worse if we do so and go after us." Lain pointed out./p
p class="MsoNormal""If we leave a note then maybe not. Think of your sister, she is still ill and used what extra strength she had to protect me and Rosie." Cornflower pushed away the blankets and walked over to him./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain had told her what happened when she awoke to him holding Rosie and Elves dragging away dead orcs./p
p class="MsoNormal""Alright, I shall write the note. Make sure we have everything." Lain went over to a small desk and wrote out the letter;/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emDearest Tauriel,/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI am sorry to leave so quickly and not alerting you first, but I had a dream. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI must hurry to Erebor to be there and to prepare them for what I saw. /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emThree days hence, an attack from the North will happen. No survivors in Erebor or Dale is what I saw, I must stop it if I can./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emTry to regain your strength./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emYour brother,/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emLain son of Thorin./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once he finished, Cornflower had a sling made to carry Rosie; who was fast asleep./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain grabbed the bags and then they left the room./p
p class="MsoNormal""What of the guards?" asked Cornflower./p
p class="MsoNormal""We find another way." Lain replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"It took a few hours, but they soon found another way out. They walked through the woods as the morning chill nipped at them. Cornflower held Rosie close to keep her warm./p
p class="MsoNormal"They followed the river down in hopes of coming to the lake./p
p class="MsoNormal""One question, how will we get across the lake? I cannot swim with Rosie." Cornflower pointed./p
p class="MsoNormal""Who said anything about swimming?" asked a voice from the tree tops./p
p class="MsoNormal"The person jumped down and revealed himself./p
p class="MsoNormal""Legolas, what are you doing here?" Lain asked, trying not to sound shocked./p
p class="MsoNormal""One of the soldiers found your note and word spread to Tauriel. King Thranduil asked that I go with you so not to panic Tauriel." Legolas replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""It will not ease her much-"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Indeed." Said Legolas, he knew Tauriel all too well./p
p class="MsoNormal""-but the help is much appreciated." Lain finished, "You know how to get across the lake?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes. There is an old boat moored not too far from where this river lets out." Legolas replied, "Follow me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Together they walked down the riverside. Lain had to make sure Cornflower did not fall behind Legolas was going so fast./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hurry!" Cornflower shouted as they ran through the forest in the Shire./p
p class="MsoNormal"Angry dogs barked behind them. Cornflower was sixteen in the years of Men and Lain was the same age./p
p class="MsoNormal""Mushrooms! I will never understand a hobbits love of mushrooms!" Lain exclaimed as they ran from Farmer Maggot's dogs./p
p class="MsoNormal""We never got caught before, and we're not starting now!" Cornflower grabbed his hand and dragged him alone./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lain felt a little weird when she grabbed his hand. He shocked those feelings away though and focused on running for his life./p
p class="MsoNormal""How is it your father is okay with us being so far from your home?!" Lain shouted./p
p class="MsoNormal""I tell him I went to buy some things we needed." Her basket of carrots and mushrooms and corn swinging on her arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"They kept running until they ran off and steep hill and tumbled down. Lain found himself on top of an uncomfortable rock-as if there is any other kind of rock-and Cornflower was unconscious./p
p class="MsoNormal"He sat up, moaning in pain and then shook Cornflower's shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal""Cornflower, wake up!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Her eyes were barely open, "The dogs?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Outran them…I think." He replied./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well aren't you a real comfort." She said sarcastically, never doubt-dear reader-that a hobbit can be sarcastic!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"He helped her up. The basket was on the side of a road, spilled…but in one piece. She took one step and stumbled, Lain caught her and helped her over to the basket./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'll pick them up." He said bending over to pick up the spilled vegetables and put them back in the basket./p
p class="MsoNormal""Papa will not be happy." She stated as she tried to keep her balance./p
p class="MsoNormal""He'll surely kill me."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Kill you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""He told me if anything happened to you I'd pay with my life." Lain replied standing up./p
p class="MsoNormal""Well, he wasn't lying, but I think he meant if em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"you /emhurt me." she said as she took his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh, well Lobiela Sackville-Baggins will still kill me for being gone so long." Lain went slow for her sake./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think it's petty for Lobiela to mistreat you just because Mr. Bilbo adopted Frodo as his heir." Cornflower spat in disgust./p
p class="MsoNormal"Lobiela was already greatly disliked-even though once she was loved by many, but after what happened to Lain she was disliked even more./p
p class="MsoNormal""You know about that?" Lain asked embarrassed./p
p class="MsoNormal""em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Everyone/em knows about it! Also, everyone knew that raft she made you go on to get some "berries" (The berries were an excuse) was leaky and would surely sink!" Cornflower replied, "When one tries to be clever they end up be caught."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Not always true, you are em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"always /emclever and you have never gotten caught!" Lain smiled./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ha! Very true my friend. I am the cleverest of hobbits!" Cornflower laughed, "Anyone who tries to outwit me will fall!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good thing I have never tried." Lain joked./p
p class="MsoNormal"Cornflower laughed whole heartedly. Lain had heard her laugh before, but this laugh was different-in a good way of course./p
p class="MsoNormal""Perhaps you should take half of these mushrooms to Mr. Bilbo." Suggested Cornflower./p
p class="MsoNormal""You were the one who gathered them, I just stood watch shivering like a jack-rabbit!" Lain refused./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think a jack-rabbit is a little braver, more like a cotton-tail." Cornflower teased./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm sure that's what every dwarf wants to hear!" Lain exclaimed as they walked down the road a little further./p
p class="MsoNormal""Just take them, if you weren't there shivering like a cotton-tail than em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"I/em would be limping home right now and not make it back for a month!" Cornflower stated./p
p class="MsoNormal""Alright I'll take them." He replied, "And your ankle doesn't look that bad."/p
p class="MsoNormal""You can't always see what others feel."/p