The dwarves
were sleeping soundly, and somehow managed to make the most of their poor
sleeping quarters as it were, but now strange things were happening. When the
four dwarves woke up, they were expecting to wake up on cold stone slabs, not
lush and soft grass. Thorin was the first to wake up. Looking around, it didn’t
even take a moment before he noticed that something was terribly off about this
entire thing. Rushing over to the others, he shook them awake. “What in the
world is going on here?” Bifur stated, and Bombur and Bofur tried to come alive
with bleary eyes. Once they yawned themselves to life and rubbed whatever sleep
they’d had out of their eyes, they looked around. And saw it. The green expanse
of the grasslands in front of them. No Great Hall nor a foggy Citadel. Then
they realized something else. “Where is Gandalf?” Bofur asked the others. “He
should be here by now! Unless he has gone and gotten himself lost in whatever
it is that has happened!” the dwarf frantically looked around. Off to the side,
they could see the trail they’d been following the previous day, and not long
after this, they heard the soft thuds of footsteps, and spun about. “Gandalf!
We were so worried that we had lost you to whatever sorcery was that castle!”
Thorin said. The wizard chuckled. “Ah, worry you not, Thorin, I am quite fine.
As I did tell you, this phenomenon only happens in very select times, and we
may never see it again.” Gandalf continued, before moving to follow the trail.
Bofur stopped him. “Where did that trunk go? And the bag? Do you have the
scripture that you found?” He’d imagined that it was of great importance to the
wizard, and was worried that that too, had disappeared. “Ah, that. What I found is in safe storage now,
Bofur, and I’ve made the arrangements to see them relocated.” Bofur continued
to look at the wizard, with a look that nearly turned into a glare. “No, I have
not yet found anything of value about this castle, but I assure you. If I do,
you’ll be the first to know.” He patted the dwarf on his shoulder before leaving
for the trail. “Well, I do believe it is time we be off now!” he nodded back to
the dwarves, that started scurrying to the trail. Gandalf took the rear, and
looked at the area one last time. “Such a shame, the tragedy that occurred
here..” the wizard grumbled, shook his head, before turning his gaze onward,
towards The Shire.
