MWAH MY DARLINGS GUESS WHO IS BACK :P I hope you enjoy this :D

Sighing I watch as all dwarves rush around collecting their provisions and placing them on the ponies, shaking my head I attach the last parcel on to my pony who I have named Petal seeing as she is the only female pony coming with us, and guess who got her. Me! Feeling a presence behind me I quickly turn and see the huge shape-shifters face in front of me with his golden eyes focused on my blue ones. Smiling friendly I bow slightly at the great man in front of me who I had heard so much about but couldn't ever imagine meeting.

"My Queen, you know you are welcome to stay here and be safe." Smiling more genuinely I reach forward and gently squeeze his gigantic hand.

"I thank you for your offer, but these are my kin, I cannot abandon them in the middle of the quest!"

"You are heading towards incredible danger, surely staying behind would be safer." Frowning slightly I look back into his golden eyes.

"I signed up for this, the dwarves need a leader once more and Smaug needs to be destroyed." Kneeling down so he is more at my height instead of leaning down.

"You are worried?" Chuckling I nod while stroking Petal's neck.

"I'd be crazy if I wasn't worried about facing Mirkwood and a fire-breathing dragon, but I promised and I don't break my promises, no matter what." I smile at the shape-shifter seeing the slight smile he was returning to me.

"If you die?"

"Then I die with honour." He raised his eyebrows and clasps my hand in one of his gigantic ones.

"You are a rare breed my Queen." Laughing I can't help but shake my head.

"Just loyal my friend I hope I get to live on and return here to speak to you under less dangerous times, if that would be okay?" His responding smile made me grin.

"You are always welcome! Now let me help you onto this pony before the light leaves us completely." Nodding I turn as he lifts me by my waist onto the saddle, letting my feet get used to the stirrups I turn round to look once more at the shape-shifter.

"I wish you well friend, thank you for the resources, I don't know what we would have done without your help." Smiling once more he pats me carefully on the shoulder and stands up and focuses his attention on Thorin as I trot over to Bofur's pony.

"What was he speaking to you about?"

"That I should stay here and be safe than following you all." Seeing his worried face I roll my eyes and blow him a kiss. "Do you really think I would abandon you half way through this quest when we have already come up against wargs, mountain giants and goblins? I'm sorry love but you are stuck with me." His worried grin makes me frown; clicking Petal on till my leg rubs against his I gently take his hand in my own. "Taerin do you really think I can be parted from you now?" releasing his hand I gently stroke his braid in my hair "we formed a bond love; it's going to take more than a dragon to make me turn back." My words must have stopped his worrying for the time being but I can't say I was not feeling worried myself; I do not know what I would do without him. Seeing Thorin ride up to the front I guess we are ready, both me and Bofur separate slightly but not too far, weirdly it feels wrong for us to even have space between us but I know that is the Dwarfish bond this quest may have gotten a teensy bit harder.

"Go now, while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind." Gulping slightly I glance once more at the gigantic shape-shifter I can't help but give him a friendly smile, yes one day I will definitely return. Turning back around I make ready for a long and tiresome ride, gripping Petal's reins I click her on to a fast gallop as well as the other Dwarves letting the wind clear my head, where we are going we are all going to need our wits and common sense, not that dwarves has much of either but hopefully with a little luck we'll make it out of Mirkwood and onto the other side alive.

After one of the most rapid horse rides of my life, and that is saying something, we come across the deadened forest. Cold and life-less limbs of trees stood in front of us like a funeral march, there was only one way through it and it was through those ominous tree's, holding in the cold shiver that scattered around my body I slip off Petal's back giving her a good pat while I look around for Bofur or Dwalin.

"The Eleven Gate." Hearing Gandalf's murmur I turn towards him, that gate didn't exactly look the most welcoming. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Oh goodie, and here was me thinking we couldn't just skip merrily through the tree's and find a prettier and nicer looking gate. Holding my tongue I see Dwalin stalk up beside me.

"No sign of the orcs. We have luck on our side." Shaking my head, trust him to jinx us all or something, hearing a slightly growl in the wind I turn to look at the way we come and see a figure pacing back and forth watching the ponies, Beorn.

"Set the ponies loose: let them return to their master." With that statement everyone dismounts and starts taking the supplies off the ponies, drawn to something in the woods I walk forwards carefully until I am beside Gandalf.

"This place is cursed Gandalf." I whisper, feeling dark magic tendrils wrapping around the very tree's themselves.

"This forest feels … sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?" If only my friend Bilbo, if only.

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south." Sighing I walk further into the gate with Gandalf besides me, shadows seem to enclose around us straight away, shaking slightly I spy a statue covered in leaves, an evil aura seems to circle the statue in a strange way.

"Gandalf, that statue…"

"Is not right, do you feel the energy too?" I nod and worry my bottom lip in between my teeth. Both of us approach the plant-covered statue, seeing Gandalf's face grow confused as if he was having a mental conflict I step forwards and hold out my hand to tear off the vines, Gandalf quickly grips my arm and puts it down by my side.

"My friend, careful!" He whispers and then proceeds to tear the vines off the statue himself, gasping I take a few steps back and nearly trip at what has been exposed: the Eye of Sauron.

"The enemy … it's returned?" I gasp as I turn to Gandalf for answers and see his worry and apprehension while nodding which usually means he's going to go do something dramatic, brave and stupid. Save us from the dramatics of wizards!

"The High Fells, so be it!" His whisper makes me worry.

"Gandalf you cannot be serious about going to those tombs, they are desolate and dangerous what need do you possibly have to go see them? We need you here friend!" His blue eyes gaze into my own before returning to the painted eye.

"If our enemy has return, we need to know Laecla and for that I need to check before I can carry on this adventure with you." Bowing my head in slight shame from his gentle scolding I nod and cross my arms around my stomach. "Come Laecla, I need to leave before the light leaves the sky. Please do not look so sad, I shall return my Queen with hopefully good news!" I try to smile at him but I think it came off as more of a grimace but he took it as a smile thankfully as we strode back out to meet the others. "Do not tell the others, let's not worry them and push them into doing something stupid, yes?" His whisper makes a nervous chuckle escape my throat as I imagine Thorin panicking and running full tilt into the forest like a headless chicken, quite an amusing image I shall need to keep hold of it.

"Not my horse, I need it!" His shout nearly made me jump two foot in the air, bloody wizard! He strides forward as I stand beside Bofur slipping my hand into his and letting our fingers entwine.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo's voice is picked out from all of the others, seeing Thorin and Dwalin's frowns I press my face into Bofur's shoulder and breathe slowly trying to calm the worry that seemed to be pressing its way out of my throat.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Feeling his gaze on me I glance up and see him give me a discrete nod before turning back to discussing something with Bilbo.

"What if I told you Lass that I am starting to worry again." Hearing Bofur's whisper in my ear I look up and press myself against his side so we could have a slightly more private conversation.

"I'd tell you don't worry, I'll protect you." I joke and nuzzle into his neck, hearing his nervous chuckle I slip my arms around his waist and place my chin on his shoulder. "I'd also tell you I am just as nervous love but it's the only way through."

"I wish I knew we were going to get through this." Smiling gently at the soft dwarf in front of me I let my lips brush against his own totally forgetting about anything else but him.

"Then you would be psychic and I'd get you to tell me all the juicy gossip from the future so I could freak other dwarves out with it." His responding snigger made a grin appear on my lips; at least I could make him smile in a situation like this. "We'll be fine love, just you watch." Gently kissing his soft lips I pull myself away from him before I do anything rash while we are in public, seeing his naughty grin he knew exactly why I moved away. Sticking my tongue out at him childishly I turn to watch Gandalf leave as he trotted past Thorin on his horse.

"I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me!" He then stops and looks hard at Thorin, almost glaring, why do I feel even more worried? "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Looking at Bofur his arm resting on my waist pulls me closer to him as if to protect me, oh Bofur my brave Dwarf!

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Glancing at the nervous Hobbit I see him asking Dwalin who looks worried, thank you Gandalf it's not like we are all worried anyway?

"You must stay on the path; do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again." Oh turns out he can worry us more. Huffing I glare a little at the wizard, he is not helping anyone! "No matter what may come, stay on the path." He wheels his horse around and gallops off with all the other horses following him, sighing I look at all the Dwarves and the Hobbit we were truly by ourselves now let's hope we live through this so I can kill Gandalf myself!

"Come on. We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day." Thorin and the rest walked towards the forest, I sigh as I watched Gandalf's figure turn smaller and smaller before I turned and followed the others into the black abyss. "This is our one chance to find the hidden door." Well done Thorin, it's not like I thought this was a common occurrence, huffing I follow behind Bofur with Balin behind me as we enter Mirkwood.

We follow the paved path for a while which goes straight, looking around I can't help but flinch at the darkness that crept around us, this was really an unpleasant place and it was only going to continue until we got out of here, which I hope will be soon! We go to turn a corner but have to stop as our fearless leader has managed to lose the path … oh dear.

"The path goes this way." Looking behind me I give Balin an unsure smile, he gives my arm a gentle reassuring squeeze, turning back round we keep following the path.

MWAH So did you like it? I'm really really sorry it's short but I needed to get this chapter out before my brain exploded so please don't tell me off :( MWAHMWAH New chapter out soon I hope :D Love you all lots!