little gentleman

"I've already left Changhu Town. I didn't expect you to chase me here, Your Majesty." Bard emphasized the word "Your Majesty" deliberately and sarcastically, "After so many years, you finally decided to arrest me?"

"I never wanted to hunt you down," Thorin said dismounting from his horse and walking in front of Bard, "I just came to ask a question: Where is Legolas?"

Bud sneered: "Your fiancé ran away again? If you can't even look at him, how can other men know where he is?"

"Don't go around in circles with me, Legolas has no news so far, it can only mean that someone helped him. Except you, there will be no one in Middle-earth to help him escape! Last time it was you, this time it is obviously you-look at him Then we will know the route." Thorin pointed out bluntly.

"So what are you going to do? Take me back for interrogation?" Bud asked contemptuously.

"I didn't catch you last time, and I won't this time," Thorin could hardly hide his anger, "but last time you were a child, I can't blame you, now you are an adult, but you still act like a child Just as capricious!"

"You've always been the one to act recklessly, Thorin," Bud said tit for tat, "Legolas is very lonely in the Lonely Mountain, and his movements are restricted. I'm not surprised he wants to leave you, so don't count on me I'll help you find him."

Bilbo couldn't help shouting, "Mister Bard, notwithstanding the rudeness you've been humiliating Thorin, you're putting an innocent boy in danger by refusing to tell where Prince Legolas is!"

"He's right," Aragorn also stepped forward, "Legolas abducted a young boy while he was escaping, and now the little boy may be in danger, we must find him."

Bard looked at Aragorn without saying a word, and turned to Bilbo: "Are you?"

"This is Bilbo Baggins," said Bilbo himself, "uncle and only kin to the missing boy."

Bud said casually: "Nice to meet you, Mr. Baggins. Although I don't know why this boy would work two kings to find it, it is impossible for Legolas to go back with you. If he wants to go back with him If the person he likes is with him, no one has the right to stop him. As for your boy, I think he also has the right to stay and fly with the person he loves."

Bilbo blushed when he realized that Bard had misunderstood something, and said aloud, "You must be mistaken, Frodo and Legolas were not in love! Frodo was tricked away." !"

Bud obviously didn't believe Bilbo's words, but Bilbo's anxious attitude made Bud think that he was a parent who wanted to destroy the love of young people.Bud sneered: "Mr. Baggins, with all due respect: you have no right to decide for your nephew who he likes."

"Stop talking so fast!" Thorin's patience was almost exhausted, "You know what Legolas did, when he ran away last time he brought a girl he didn't love at all, it's just In order to cause more damage!"

Thorin's words made Bud think, but he still insisted on defending Legolas: "I admit that what he did last time was inappropriate, and I feel sorry for that girl. But this time is different, I can see it, Legolas Russ cared about the boy."

"So you do know where they are?" Thorin pressed closer.

"I might know, but I won't let you chase them." Bud just refused to tell the whereabouts of the two.

Aragorn suddenly said: "Mr. Bard, there is no elopement for love as you think. The person Legolas loves is not Frodo who is walking with him, but he loves me."

Now everyone looked at Aragorn in surprise, who still looked at Bard calmly.

After a while, Sorin asked aloud, "You know?"

"I have always known," said Aragorn, "but in no case should an Elf be harmed."

Thorin shook his head helplessly: "Indeed, humans don't want to hurt elves." He turned to Bard and said solemnly: "Bad, I don't want to force Legolas to fulfill my marriage contract. I shall declare the engagement broken. And Frodo we must take home, the boy is not of any business, and we must keep him safe."

Bard looked down into Thorin's eyes, it looked like the dwarf king wasn't lying, but he was still hesitating.

Suddenly, Boromir shouted: "Come and see! This worg is extraordinary!"

When everyone heard this, they immediately gathered around the dead wolf.Aragorn checked the wolf's hair, and his face became serious: "It has been saddled, this is a mount."

Everyone tensed up except Bilbo. Bard took the bow off his back and held it in his hand, and the others drew their swords and looked around.

"What's going on here?" Bilbo asked anxiously, not understanding everyone's worries.

Gandalf said slowly: "This warg is the mount of the orcs. Its appearance here means that the orcs have also arrived in this area."

At last Bilbo understood the seriousness of the situation, and he cast a begging look to Thorin, who did not look at him, but drew back to him, looking around vigilantly.

Bud put a feathered arrow on the string, and said in a small voice that everyone could hear, "You all come with me."

The party followed Bard through the woods. Bard had no horse, so Thorin gave him his pony and rode with Bilbo on the same horse.

"I don't like ponies." Bud felt a bit shorter than others.

Bilbo said gruffly, "Don't you complain, we'll have to ride each other!" He sat behind Thorin, his face pressed against the dwarf's thick hair, and his nose itched.

From the border of Rohan to the west, there are mainly mountains. The mountains are steep, and the narrow mountain roads can only accommodate one horse. Everyone let the horses line up to prevent them from rolling off the cliff.

Gimli complained: "Orcs are more cunning than foxes, maybe they are watching us on the opposite mountain. If only Mr. Baggins' nose was as good as his eyes, he could help us sniff out Orc stink!"

Bilbo was dumbfounded: "Of course I have a good nose. I can smell the spices from the Shire in which season they were harvested, but I've never smelled a goblin."

Jinli picked up the ax and put it on his shoulder: "But at least we have an extra archer. Who knows where those half-orcs will come from? It's a good thing to have a good fighter."

Bilbo fell silent unhappily, for he was the only member of the party who was not strong enough to fight, and what could have been worse, the others had to divide their strength to protect him.He secretly made up his mind: no matter what, he must not be a burden to everyone, or his companions would underestimate him. He must prove that he is a powerful hobbit.

"Hey, Bud!" Gimli shouted to Bud who was walking in the front, "Why did you come here? We all thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Gimli," Bud turned around and smiled cynically, "I'm afraid I won't die so easily."

"You live here? In this orc-infested forest?" Thorin asked.

"Yes, I have lived here for many years," Bud replied nonchalantly, "Since I left Long Lake Town, I have traveled to many places, but this is the only place that suits me best—all those who are exiled like me would think so."

"Exile?" Bilbo poked his head out from the side of Thorin's body, but he still couldn't see Thorin's expression.

Thorin didn't answer.

"What? Master Hobbit doesn't know I'm an outlaw?" Bard smiled narrowly at Bilbo. "Your Majesty didn't tell you anything? About how he drove me out of Laketown."

"It was my father who exiled you," Thorin corrected.

"But you also hoped so, Your Majesty." Bud insisted, "But now you regret not sentence me to death?"

"You were 15 years old." Thorin avoided Bard's question.

"You exiled a 15-year-old child?" Bilbo was shocked. He couldn't imagine such a cruel thing. He hoped Thorin could prove that he had to.

But Thorin said nothing, and seemed to acquiesce.

But Bard answered him: "You needn't be surprised, Lord Hobbit. When I helped Legolas escape with the gem of Arkon, His Majesty the King thought it was merciful not to sentence me to death." He glanced back She glanced at Thorin. "And I think the real reason for being lenient is that the Arkenstone is safe."

Bilbo felt as if he had been drenched in a basin of ice water. He didn't feel angry, but extremely sad. He wanted to trust Thorin, but Thorin didn't have any meaning to explain, maybe he didn't bother to explain, maybe he It cannot be explained at all, because it is already the case.

After a long period of time, no one spoke again, but the atmosphere was not too awkward, because no one had the energy to care about the atmosphere.The mountain road became very dangerous, and everyone had to leave their horses and walk forward.

"Are you sure you're going the right way, Bud?" Jinli squinted at the abyss at his feet.

"It's my first time walking too, but I'm sure it's right." Bud answered him with the back of his head.

Boromir asked suspiciously: "Archer, is this the way out that you showed Legolas?"

"It's not my intention, but Legolas insists on going east." Bud said reluctantly.

"Did they go this way too?" Aragorn walked behind Bard, he was worried about the strange combination of the Fugitives, if there was anything wrong here, they would fall to pieces, Legolas would be fine, How could Frodo pass safely?

"This is the only way." Bud replied, he walked at the front of the team, carefully testing the rocks under his feet.

The road ahead narrowed and was blocked by a heap of stones, and it was evident that there had been a landslide not long ago, and Bilbo could only hope that Frodo would not be in such a catastrophe.There is only a very narrow road left, which is no longer available for people to pass.

"Someone has to go ahead and scout the way," Bud said. "You wait here."

"Wait!" Sorin stopped Bud, "How do we know if you will slip away?"

"Sure enough, you still don't believe me, but this is also expected." Bud sneered.

Thorin got off his horse and said, "I'll go."

Bilbo jumped off his horse in a hurry: "No, let me go!"

"You?" Everyone looked at Bilbo together, as if they had heard some funny joke.

Bilbo felt a little ashamed to be stared at by so many eyes, but he stammered and held his ground: "As Gandalf said, hobbits are good snitches, because we are small and light-footed. .I pass this way more easily than you."

Bud looked at the little dwarf with interest: "Are you a snitch?"

"I'm not--I wasn't, but I might try being a Snitch now--who knows? Maybe I'm a Snitch," argued Bilbo incoherently.

"Bilbo! Don't talk nonsense!" Thorin tried to pull Bilbo behind him in surprise, but Bilbo dodged away.

Aragorn shook his head: "Mr. Baggins, I'm afraid you haven't even climbed a mountain before."

"No! I climbed the hills of the Shire..." Bilbo said in a low voice, and he saw the smile in Aragorn's eyes.

Gandalf intervened in the conversation of several people: "Why don't you believe this Snitch? He has proved to you that he has extraordinary insight, and you have no reason to despise him."

Bud laughed teasingly: "Since that's the case, I'm sorry, Master Snitch!"

"No!" Thorin angrily vetoed, "No one will let this hobbit take risks!"

"Thorin, I must go. It is my nephew who may be in danger." Bilbo's voice was not loud, but there was no doubt. Steadily walk towards the path blocked by rocks.

The moment they passed by, Thorin wanted to grab Bilbo, but he didn't do it after all.

Bilbo climbed deftly up the pile of stones, testing the solidity of the rocks with every movement, and the little figure skimmed the dangerous edge of the cliff and disappeared on the other side of the barricade.

After a while, the people here saw no movement, and couldn't help becoming anxious.

"Bilbo! Are you over there?" cried Thorin anxiously.

"I'm here, I'm coming!" said Bilbo's voice from behind the pile of stones. "I see a road on the other side of the hill, which should lead to the road we came from—there may be a hidden fork in the road."

"It seems that we must take a long detour," said Aragorn. "Come back, Mr. Baggins."

"Okay, just a minute." Bilbo began to climb back, and he was to face the terrible precipice again.

Thorin waited beside the barrier, watching Bilbo slowly move towards him.

Just when Bilbo was about to return to a safe place, the seemingly solid obstacle slid again, and Bilbo was pushed out of the cliff before he could escape in time.Thorin stretched out his hand to catch him, but just barely touched Bilbo's fingertips, they missed, and the huge stone rolled down the cliff together with the hobbit's small body.

"Bilbo!!" Thorin yelled desperately from the edge of the cliff.

"Sorin! Be careful!" Aragorn held Thorin.

Thorin turned and said to Boromir hastily, "Give me your rope, Boromir!"

Boromir brought a roll of rope before he left, and he didn't throw it away when he dismounted just now. He subconsciously looked at the rope tied around his waist: "You want to go down to find him?"

"Give it to me!" Thorin demanded again.

"If you fall from a place like this, you won't find him at all!" Boromir disagreed.

"Give it to him, Boromir," Aragorn ordered suddenly.

Boromir had to untie the rope and hand it to Thorin.

"Good luck, friend," said Aragorn to Thorin, "if we go round that way, and if we cannot find him, come after us if we can."

"I will find him." Thorin wrapped the rope around himself.

Without wasting any more time, the others walked back along the same path.

Thorin climbed down the cliff with his bare hands. Fortunately, after climbing a short distance to the top, the cliff was no longer steep and the slope tended to be gentle, which gave Bilbo a possibility of survival.