I was the first one of us to wake up and at first and, being still dazed, I was not quite sure where we were as I stared the stone walls around us (ancient and worn but still secure). The ceiling was very high and next to me there were the other hobbits sleeping on their bed rolls, covered by blankets and there were also tall people in the same room resting, and that little campfire that kept us warm through the nights. Ost Guruth the Fortress, our mighty shelter in the middle of the wilderness.
Hours later after the sunset as the night fell upon us , we left: everyone was satisfied and high-spirited. We had eaten some omelets and porridge that I had made earlier, and I even managed to get us some honeybrew beer ( Tukko ordered instantly three mugfuls).
We strolled at a leisurely pace along the Great East Road, not wanting to take a shortcut through the swamps after listening to Tuk's description of leeches and how to get rid of them with a bar of soap ... yes, after that I was not afraid of orcs anymore. Amorey, who had examined her maps for hours and hours (or that is how it felt like when sitting next to her and waiting for the decision), showed us the way with her lantern, running at times and slowing down finally when I reminded her that I was the beast of burden who had all the eatables and such goods in me backpack.
However, our amble did bear fruit. We reached the waypoint called "The Last Bridge", most ominous name for a bridge, only tall people could come up with something like that. Why couldn't it be called simply "Trollies' Bridge" as it was leading to the Trollshaws or even something fancier. Who knows if that was their way to allure guests to their lands. I hope that was only some odd Elven humour.
The sun rising in distance drew our attention - the sky was all purple and light pink, stars already disappeared yet still we could not see the Sun itself. "What are we looking at?," asked Tukko. Typical lad, no sense of beauty inside the brainpan. On the other side of the bridge there was standing a fair Elf maiden, looking quite noble to me ... not the first time when I wished to be an Elf too. I understood no word of her language but there was no malevolence in her face so we continued swiftly to south-east. There we found a place good for camping under the escort of an Elf and a Dwarf. I always thought (after listening to masters Barkgrim and Asudrom ) that dwarves do not enjoy the company of elves but I might have been mistaken. "Welcome, mellyn" said the elf with a serene appearance that soon calmed most of us down. I think Amey still looked somewhat troubled but I let it be, she would tell me if she wanted to. We stayed there for the next day and night, resting and eating the leftover porridge of which taste had turned to bland and rather unpleasant. With longing I can only try to remember the wonderful warmth of the freshly made porridge, its recipe travelled faithfully with me all the way from the Shire to these dangerous parts of Eriador.
In the second morning, as already written, Amey then took her part as our leader seriously and told us that we would go to place named Three Trolls' Glade. Maybe she had decided to prove herself that old Bilbo Baggins was not mad at all, there is something similar in them: both are "a little bit outcasts" (and adventurers) if I may use this expression. Fallohides - perhaps they are distant relatives? Are the Bagginses related to Tooks? If only I had some books of the Shire genealogy with me.
After miles of walking (my poor, poor aching little feet) ... I believe I noticed it first, a belly of boulder and upon it a bald grey head with two round ears and a misshapen nose and two stolid, blind eyes... "Oi! Oi!" Or maybe it was Tahitoa whose eyes widened and mouth opened, his cheeks and chin getting a rosy shade when he looked at the three trolls of stone. Tuk lain down next to one of the troll's foot, mumbling sleepily something that I could not hear.
Amorey and I - we were engrossed in her maps of Trollshaws when Tahi suddenly told that he should come with me and Amey stay guarding our encampment. Go where, then? To the southern side of the Trollshaws, to a big camp of trolls where, it is said, giant trolls still nowadays walk and they use not weapons but their large fists and kicking feet, and they eat ponies. I was not happy to leave at once but finding Silas felt more important than little pain in hobbit feet. Hence I gave my backpack to Amey, told her to take whatever she wanted and ate a little bit before the last hugs and the journey of mine and Tahitoa Tuk's.
That was no picnic. There indeed were trolls but not like the rocky ones, these were hunchbacked and their skin was already grey like stone - at first I had to look for long time before I found out they were real and VERY ALIVE. Luckily we are hobbits, tiny and incospicuous (whenever we're not drinking), skilled in sneaking unnoticed and masters of hiding. Step by step, gasp by gasp we ambled until the ruins, a rocky gate and the tall people with grim faces and crimson robes ... I noticed a horse lying behind the gate, it was Silas - with an odd blanket on his back, but it was him! I ran to the small horse lying there and Tahi followed me ... he was dead already, nothing could have been done and it was daunting, my mischievous, immensely self-willed friend lying there deceased and all the men around the ruins noticed us ... we had to flee for our lives and I lost Amorey's map in all that hassle.
The trip back to our encampment was exhausting, it felt very long and full of sorrow, Tahi was almost carrying me. After eluding the men, I put my hand to my pocket and like old Baggins, asked myself: "What do I have in my pocket?"
The crystal phial given by the Elf near the Midgewater Marshes, the gift I had received in the end of that peculiar meeting of the heir of the Firstborn and a halfling of Log-end... I sipped it and no longer was the distress overwhelming. I will conserve it and some day if that Elf again appears from the dusk, smiling favourably, I shall thank him, I owe him a favor.
Amey was still awake in the encampment when we arrived, after hours and hours, I was dreadfully weary - so were Tahi and Amorey - had not slept or eaten for many many long hours and every move hurt like a stab. I wish I had my Silas back. I wish Bovso was here as well.
