The Elf, the Hobbit and the Dwarf - Book 1 NEW VERSION

The City of Dale

"Not one of those people are out to take your mountain," Míriel exclaimed and tried to look for support by the other Dwarves. "They want food, warmth and something to get them started in their new life. The people of Lake-town have nothing! They've lost everything."

"Do not tell me what they have lost," Thorin said and glared at Míriel. "I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon-fire should rejoice! They have much to be grateful for."

Míriel could not look at Thorin anymore, so she turned to her friends. None of them spoke but she could clearly see their struggle as they did not agree with their King. What could they do, though? Go against their leader? No, they would stay quiet and hope that Thorin would change his mind soon enough for this was not like him at all.

"I will tell you this," Míriel said and met Thorin's eyes again. "When I was holding a little girl in my arms this night, I thought about this quest and the misery it had brought her. She lost both her parents and her brother. The Thorin Oakenshield I know would have cared about her, and her people. But you are not the same anymore, you have let the power rise to your head and now you would go against your word! I am sorry that I won't stick around to watch this any longer."

Míriel turned her back to him and looked at her friends. None of them took her side which was so very disappointing. There was nothing else that she could do but to climb back down and sneak back into Dale before anyone had noticed her leaving.

*

In the morning, Míriel followed Bard to check on Alfrid. The events of the night had bothered Míriel greatly, but she tried to keep her hopes up, and perhaps the other Dwarves would convince Thorin to change his mind once the new day greeted them.

"Anything to report from the night?" Bard asked a sleepy Alfrid when they passed him. Alfrid had very obviously been sleeping and not taken his job seriously.

"Nothing at all," Alfrid said and yawned. "It was a quiet night, nothing got passed me, Sir."

Bard and Míriel walked outside the ruin of a building they had been staying in for the night and widened their eyes as they saw a whole army in front of their doorstep - an army of Elves. The Woodland Elves were dressed in golden armours with red mantles as they stood in a neat line. Míriel would have thought that she'd heard them come during the night, but perhaps her mind had been too far away for her to take notice of anything. Besides, Elves did walk very quietly.

"Only an army of Elves..." Bard muttered to Alfrid.

Bard started walking through the crowd of the Elves with Míriel following him. The Elves moved away gladly as the man and Elf-maiden passed through the crowd to get to the back. Míriel wasn't surprised to see Elves there since Beridan had said that they would come, but why so many and why were they armed for war? The Dwarves would not respond well to see an army of Elves at their front step.

King Thranduíl of Mirkwood suddenly came riding on a large moose when Míriel and Bard finally broke out of the rows of Elves. Míriel looked at him, could see neither Gandalf nor Elrond close to him. She wanted to ask him where they were and when she would be travelling, but Bard got to him first.

"My lord Thranduíl, we did not look to see you here," he said.

"I heard you needed aid," Thranduíl said to Bard.

Right as those words had been uttered, a carriage filled with food, vegetables and even some meat rode into the courtyard, surrounded by some Wood-Elves who had brought it there. The people rushed toward the carriages with happy smiles on their faces for they had been saved from starvation. Thranduíl of all people had come to their aid, which once again confused Míriel as to the personality of this Elven king.