After Thorin spoke, Tarnes immediately noticed Gandalf's expression turn thunderous, as if the normally composed wizard was about to erupt with volcanic rage at any moment.
Tarnes quickly soothed Gandalf, then blinked frantically, using eye signals to indicate to Balin, the kindly Dwarf who wanted to persuade Thorin but didn't know how to begin, that he should take Thorin away.
Gandalf's expression indeed improved after he could no longer see Thorin, but he was still quite angry, his chest rising and falling continuously.
Tarnes tried to change the subject, asking: "Gandalf, I've actually wanted to ask for a long time. Why do Thorin, Fili, Kili, and these other Dwarves harbor such hostility toward Elves? Thorin has even reached the point of pure hatred. Did the Elves really betray the Dwarves?"
He thought for a moment and added: "But from my experience interacting with Elrond, I don't believe he's the kind of treacherous villain Thorin describes. Moreover, when they encountered Dwarves in my territory, they didn't show any disgust. It's the Dwarves who unilaterally glare coldly at the Elves."
Gandalf patted his chest, caught his breath, then sat down while placing his pipe in his mouth. Only after taking a heavy puff did he answer Tarnes' question, though his tone still carried some emotion from being angered by Thorin: "This matter is both difficult and easy to explain. But to tell the full story of the conflicts between Dwarves and Elves would require far too much time."
Hearing Gandalf launch into his characteristic "wizard circular logic," Tarnes waited until his mood improved somewhat before teasing with a smile: "Then tell me briefly. I'll ask Elrond for details myself."
Gandalf looked at Tarnes with surprise: "You mean you support my taking the Dwarves to Rivendell?"
Tarnes nodded: "I have no reason to refuse, Gandalf. Moreover, Elrond has long wanted to invite me to visit Rivendell, so this would be a perfect opportunity. Of course, more importantly, I have no hatred toward the Elves. Quite the opposite, our relationship is quite good."
Their relationship was indeed quite good, especially as the Erdtree grew ever more robust and transformed toward becoming a great tree. The way those Elves looked at the Erdtree made Tarnes feel they almost had a sense of pilgrimage.
Of course, this was just a feeling. The Elves hadn't made the Erdtree their sacred tree.
Tarnes could sense that their gazes actually contained more of a sense of nostalgia.
Gandalf sighed: "If only Thorin were as reasonable as you."
Tarnes shrugged: "So what exactly happened between the Dwarves and Elves? You still haven't told me about this."
Gandalf glanced toward where Thorin had left, then turned to look at the Dwarves inside the house. He stood up and gestured for Tarnes to follow: "To avoid agitating the Dwarves, let's go outside to talk."
Tarnes followed Gandalf to a relatively secluded spot in the village.
This was a long-abandoned house that seemed forgotten by the villagers. The iron chains on the rotting wooden door were already rusty; wind passed silently through broken windows, stirring up dust, with items scattered randomly inside.
Tarnes and Gandalf naturally didn't enter the abandoned house but stood in the grass behind it.
Gandalf put down his pipe and said: "Thorin's words are full of his personal subjective emotions. The real facts are nothing like what you heard. Moreover, he's gotten one very important thing wrong, and please allow me to clarify. The Elves who became enemies with them are not the same group as those led by Lord Elrond."
Tarnes showed an "as expected" expression and smiled: "I knew Elrond definitely wasn't the type to stand by indifferently while innocents were attacked by dragons."
He then pressed: "So which Elves became enemies with the Dwarves?"
Gandalf replied: "Those were hunters from Mirkwood, led by their Elvenking, Thranduil, son of Oropher, dwelling in the dark forest regions within Mirkwood. Though they're all Elves, culturally speaking, these Mirkwood Elves belong to the Sindarin Elves, while Lord Elrond and his people belong to the Noldorin Elves."
He then sighed: "However, because Elves rarely appear in human or Dwarven sight, they don't realize that Elves also have different cultures among themselves."
Tarnes nodded thoughtfully: "No wonder Thorin ended up hating all Elves. So what exactly did the Elves do?"
Gandalf raised an eyebrow and shook his head vigorously: "What did the Elves do? No, Tarnes, quite the opposite. It was the Dwarves who were at fault first. One could even say that these Sindarin Elves' indifference and inaction when the Lonely Mountain was attacked by Smaug was entirely the Dwarves' own doing. They personally pushed away their allies."
Seeing Tarnes' surprised and fascinated expression, he continued: "The Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain were once on good terms with the Sindarin Elves of the dark forest. I think you should know how prosperous the Lonely Mountain once was. Gold flowed from mountain peak to foot as if it cost nothing. But as the Dwarves' wealth grew, the goodness in their hearts disappeared."
"According to what I know, Thranduil once entrusted Thrór, the King under the Mountain at that time, Thorin's grandfather, to repair his deceased wife's necklace. Thrór readily agreed and used precious diamonds to repair the necklace. But when Thranduil wanted to reclaim his deceased wife's necklace, he was refused by the Dwarves."
Tarnes' mouth dropped open slightly, dumbfounded by what Gandalf had said.
He said incredulously: "Why? Why would the Dwarves refuse to return the necklace to the Elvenking?"
Gandalf let out a long sigh and answered: "Elves and Dwarves, both sides have their own versions. The Elves say the Dwarves stole their treasure. The Dwarves say the Elven-king refused to pay proper compensation. Unfortunately, because of this matter, Thranduil and the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain broke relations forever."
After hearing Gandalf's account, Tarnes' features twisted into a knot.
Not knowing what tone to use, he could only ask weakly: "So whose version do you believe more, Gandalf? The Elves' or the Dwarves'?"
Gandalf's mouth twitched several times as he glanced toward farmer Davy's house and said quietly: "I believe the Elves' account more, Tarnes. Of course, please don't misunderstand. This doesn't mean I don't trust Thorin; otherwise, I wouldn't have entrusted him with both the key and map to the Lonely Mountain's hidden door. It's just..."
"Just?" Tarnes waited for Gandalf's next words.
Gandalf said meaningfully: "It's just that the gold of the Lonely Mountain carries a certain 'sickness,' cursing Thorin and the direct bloodline of Durin's royal house. Tarnes, I must remind you. I know your relationship with Thorin is very good, but precisely because he's your good friend, you must put away those magical and expensive things of yours. Don't display them before Thorin. I'm afraid it might stimulate him."
Now Tarnes frowned deeply. When he heard that Thorin and his bloodline carried some sort of sickness, his expression became serious.
He asked: "Since you know it's a sickness, why not treat it?"
Gandalf sighed: "If it were a 'sickness' that could be cured so simply, Thrór wouldn't have met such a miserable end. This isn't a physical ailment but more like a heart disease, and neither you nor I can judge when this heart disease might manifest in Thorin."
Tarnes said: "I'll pay attention to Thorin's condition at all times. He's my friend and someone who was willing to extend a helping hand in my most difficult times. I will never stand by and do nothing."
Gandalf looked at Tarnes with gratified eyes: "For Thorin to have a friend like you is truly the greatest fortune of his life."
"What fortune? Is something wrong with Thorin?" Bilbo's voice suddenly rang out behind the two.
Tarnes spun around in surprise to look at Bilbo, making the Hobbit think he'd done something wrong as he stood awkwardly in place, trying to explain that he hadn't meant to eavesdrop.
Though Bilbo hadn't approached with hostile intent, Tarnes hadn't relaxed his vigilance either, yet he still didn't know when Bilbo had managed to get behind him.
Bilbo forced a smile and said with slight stuttering: "I, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. I just saw that Thorin seemed unhappy after talking with you two, and I was worried about you. And, and Bofur sent me to call you both back to prepare for dinner. Davy has already bought wine back from the market."
Tarnes nodded and gave Bilbo a reassuring look, making the latter breathe a sigh of relief.
He then looked at Gandalf and asked with surprise: "Is this why you chose a Hobbit?"
Gandalf smiled faintly, walked to Bilbo's side, and gently patted his back, leaving Bilbo somewhat at a loss.
Gandalf said: "Trust a wizard's judgment. Our Bilbo will definitely bring us quite a few surprises."
Bilbo shifted his shoulders somewhat uncomfortably: "Though I don't understand what you're saying about me, I think we should hurry back for dinner, or the Dwarves might eat everything up."
Tarnes nodded and walked back with Gandalf, while also discussing what method to use to persuade Thorin to go to Rivendell.
Bilbo fell back a step and didn't immediately follow, because he was thinking about what Gandalf had just said.
Actually, Bilbo had heard almost everything Gandalf said. At first, he had simply wanted to wait for them to finish talking before appearing, so as not to disturb Tarnes and Gandalf.
Bilbo himself hadn't intended to eavesdrop. He had stood quite far away.
But who knew Gandalf's voice would grow louder as he spoke, allowing Bilbo to hear everything.
This made him feel awkward, not knowing whether to appear immediately or wait for them to finish. By the time Bilbo decided to call out to them, Gandalf had finished talking about the Dwarves' situation.
The Dwarves' bloodline carries a curse-like sickness? Could this put them in danger?
Bilbo thought with some unease.
This kind Hobbit was actually concerned about others rather than whether he might be implicated if the Dwarves fell ill.
"What's wrong, Bilbo? Hurry and catch up." Tarnes' concerned voice came from ahead, snapping Bilbo back to reality as he immediately caught up with Tarnes and Gandalf.
Davy's dinner was not stingy. He had not only bought ale from the market but even gotten a barrel of wine. His wife had also slaughtered a lamb and several chickens. These livestock had luckily escaped the Trolls' jaws, only to unexpectedly become the Dwarves' food.
Thorin also did as Davy had said. He didn't eat and drink for free but paid Davy's family the appropriate fees for the food and drink the Dwarves consumed, according to local market prices.
Seeing this, Tarnes muttered to himself that as long as Thorin wasn't dealing with Elf-related issues, he remained that upright and kind Dwarf leader.
At dinner, perhaps because of the afternoon argument between Thorin and Gandalf, he rarely chose to drink.
The Dwarves, who had originally been somewhat restrained and unsure whether they should drink, saw Thorin begin drinking first and couldn't hold back. One by one they began drinking heartily from the barrels.
Even the kindliest-looking Balin and the most scholarly Ori cast aside their reserve and drank deeply.
It was clear that the Dwarves really loved their alcohol.
However, as dinner neared its end, Thorin quietly left Davy's house alone.
Thorin's cheeks were flushed with the red of mild intoxication, yet his eyes still showed clarity.
The laughter and chatter of dinner gradually faded as he gently pushed open Davy's door and stepped alone into the night.
Soon, Thorin skillfully climbed onto Davy's roof, sitting by the ridge, maintaining some distance from the noise inside.
The bright moon hung in the quiet night sky, its silver radiance falling on Thorin and clothing him in a faint silver veil.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the moon. The roof tiles appeared particularly warm under the moonlight, with a leaf or two rolling gently in the night breeze.
Thorin just sat there, motionless.
"What are you thinking about?" Tarnes' voice broke the silence, surprising Thorin as he turned around.
At this moment, Tarnes wasn't wearing his White Wolf set armor but ordinary clothing, rarely showing his handsome face.
Thorin asked: "Why aren't you continuing to eat with them?"
Tarnes flipped over and landed beside Thorin, then patted his clothes and sat down directly: "Because I saw a certain Dwarf leave the table quietly with a gloomy expression."
Thorin's mouth twitched several times before he finally said helplessly: "Was my expression really that obvious?"
Tarnes shrugged: "Probably everyone could sense your bad mood, but they fear your usual authority and don't dare say anything. Are you still angry about Gandalf's matter this afternoon?"
Thorin turned back to gaze at the moon in the night sky, his voice low: "No, I actually stopped being angry long ago. In fact, I understand that what Gandalf said is right. Going to Rivendell to seek help from Lord Elrond would allow me to learn about the Lonely Mountain's secret door more quickly and effectively."
He then let out a long sigh: "But when I hear the word 'Elves,' even now, uncontrollable fury rises from the depths of my soul. I cannot forgive them. Cannot forgive the Elves who never extended a helping hand when my people were in distress. Even though I truly know that consulting with Elves about this matter would be helpful to me."
Tarnes nodded. He was about to say something when he saw Thorin's eyes looking ahead suddenly become confused, then quickly turn sharp.
Before Tarnes could speak, Thorin immediately stood up and said urgently: "There are dozens of dark shadows in the distance from this village racing toward us. Those are warg scouts. Damn it, a pack of Orcs is approaching here. Why would they target this village?"
Tarnes also instantly stood up, looking in the direction Thorin had just been watching.
Under the moonlight, those dark shadows gleamed with pairs of ghostly green eyes, running swiftly toward them.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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