I'm mixing film with book and making some up to suit my story, which is especially true for chapter 6 onwards, so expect to be a little confused, but take events I don't write to generally be as what happens in the film. This could get quite violent and possibly lots of traumatic stuff at the end, I've yet to decide who lives, be warned. Hope you enjoy the story…

Chapter 1 -

'As she ran out of the main gate and started on the road to the east she felt free, she was following her feet to an unknown destiny, an adventure.'

Rose, yes Rose was her name, a most unconventional one for a dwarf I'll agree but we'll come to that later, had been born in the Blue Mountains to loving parents. As she aged it became obvious she had a deformity, for she grew no beard. Unnatural as it was, her parents still loved her deeply. Fearing she would be looked down on or an outcast from their society they kept her safe and hidden. Perhaps in hindsight it was wrong of them to keep her locked away from the world, wrapped in cotton wool as one might say. Whilst it was extremely rare for women to be without beards and having a shaven face was often a sign of shame, it gave her the illusion of eternal youth, and a youthful beauty that should have been cherished. However her parents' fear was drilled into her and whilst she was allowed out occasionally, to go to market and other such necessities, always she walked with her head bent low, a hood and scarf covering her face, fearing the reaction from others that her parents had warned her of. And it was on one of those occasions, by happy accident, she made friends with an old Dwarf, a blacksmith by the name of Frar. Rose had been shopping for food, and was carrying a laden basket, when she tripped over an errant log, that had fallen from a wood pile, in the street. Her groceries had dispersed themselves far across the road, and as she was about to bolt in fear of the attention she had drawn to herself, the old Blacksmith helped her up and gave her a kindly smile. How her life changed from that moment, her parents allowed her to visit with Frar often, happy that he and his wife were accepting and caring of their daughter, they had no children of their own.

From that first moment Frar had taken pity on Rose, he felt a fatherly concern for her, it was no life kept hidden away and the girl had such an adventurous spirit. Frar and Rose talked often about the wonders of the outside world, for she had never seen it, never seen the sun rise, nor the loveliness of a simple flower. How she dreamt of seeing them for herself, and so it came after careful preparation that Frar took Rose outside for the first time in her life. Dwarf women very rarely travel, only when absolutely necessary, so as not to arouse suspicion Frar crafted a wearable beard for her, from wire and cuttings of her own hair; it was braided and beaded until it looked as real as the beard on Frar's own face. He bought her men's clothes and a magnificent woollen green cloak, and in them she looked quite the young Dwarf gentleman. Under the guise of taking her to work and showing Rose his craft, they went out of the main gate and down into the forest. Rose had never seen the sun and its beauty astounded her, the light was almost blinding. She flitted about from tree to tree, taking in the sounds and smells and sights around her, but the highlight of their outing was when she came across her first flower. It was a Rose, a pure, sweet smelling Rose and the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Since her parents had never intended for her to leave the mountain, they had never given her a name to use in the common tongue, Dwarves' true names are never revealed to any not of their race, they do not even use their true names on their graves. As such Frar decided that she should be called Rose, with her long, red hair and bright, green eyes she was the figure of the flower she so loved.

The long years passed and Rose became as a daughter to Frar, the daughter he could never have for his wife could not bear children. They spent an increasing amount of time together, her parents so glad to see her so full of life and joy never interfered or even suspected that they were not passing their time as they said. Frar taught her swordsmanship and how to protect herself as she began to explore outside on her own, though never beyond the borders of the Blue Mountains, never far enough to be a real adventure.