I don't own Merlin or the Hobbit, only my OC Maddie. This is my first fanfic. Reviews are welcome.
Based on the story: ''Merlin's Unexpected Journey'' by ''Brightfire15''.Special thanks to my sister who helped me correcting grammar mistakes and gave me useful tips.

It began long ago... in a land far away to the east. The like of which you will not find in the world today...

There was the city of Dale. Its markets known far and wide. Full of the bounties of vine and vale. Peaceful and prosperous.

For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth: Erebor.

Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Mightiest of the Dwarf Lords. Thror ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son, Thrain, and grandson, Thorin.

Ah, Erebor. Built deep within the mountain itself the beauty of this fortress city was legend. Its wealth lay in the earth in precious gems hewn from rock and and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone. The skill of the Dwarves was unequaled, fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire.

Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark. And that is where they found it... the Heart of the Mountain. The Arkenstone.

Thror named it ''The King's Jewel''. He took it as a sign. A sign that his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him, even the great Elven King, Thranduil.

But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly the days turned sour and the watchful nights closed in.

Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him. It was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives... bad things will follow.

The first thing they heard was a noise like a hurricane, coming down from the north. The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind.

It was a firedrake from the north. Smaug had come.

Such wanton death was dealt that day in Dale. For this city of Men was nothing to Smaug. His eyes were set on another prize, for dragons covet gold with a dark and fierce desire.

Erebor was lost, for a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives.

Thranduil would not risk the lives of his kin against the wraith of the dragon. No help came from the elves that day... nor any day since.

Robbed of their homeland, the Dwarves of Erebor wandered the wilderness. A once mighty people brought low. The young Dwarf prince took work where he could find, laboring in the villages of Men.

But always he remembered the mountain smoke beneath the moon, the trees like torches blazing bright. For he had seen dragon fire in the sky and a city turned to ash.

And he never forgave... and he never forgot.

60 YEARS LATER

BREE - ON THE BORDER OF THE SHIRE

Thorin walked through the many streets of Bree trying to find a tavern to shelter from the rain.

Bree was a city of Men and Hobbits. Hobbits, also known as Halflings, looked like ordinary men, but were half the size of a fullgrown man and had huge heary feet. The reason why there were both humans and Hobbits in Bree was because it lay on the border of the Shire (where the Hobbits lived) and the kingdoms of Men. But Thorin was no human, nor a Hobbit. He was a Dwarf.

After a few minutes of searching (after all, the town wasn't very big), he saw a building with ''The Prancing Pony'' on it. By the looks of it, it was definitely a tavern. Quickly he stepped inside and his soaked body welcomed the warmth.

He sat down at a table and stopped a serving girl to order a simple meal. Apparently the cheapest thing was meat with cheese and a beer, so that's what he ordered. After she had left, he took his pipe out to be occupied until his food came. While smoking, he looked at the bar. The barkeeper was a friendly chap, with brown hear and a brown moustache. He was laughing about a joke one of his guests had made and tended to a hobbit whose feet were dangling under his barstool. There was also a black cat sitting on the bar, hoping the barkeeper would spill some crums. Two other Hobbits were sitting at the other end of the bar. Apparently they had drunk quite a lot, because they were loudly singing ''The Green Dragon''. The serving girl returned with a plate filled with food and a pint.

Suddenly Thorin got a feeling. A feeling like someone was watching him. He looked around. At the right of him sat a fat man in a corner watching him. His head was shaved but he had an enormous moustache and piercing eyes. He didn't look all too friendly.

Slowly Thorin turned his head around to see the rest of the room. Left of him, at the window, sat another man watching him. This one had black hear and a black beard and a face also not too friendly. And as Thorin was watching him, he and the fat man stood up and began walking towards him. Thorin looked from one to the other and moved his hand towards his sword. This was going to be trouble.

Suddenly the two men stopped moving as a person took place in the seat across the table of Thorin. Surprised Thorin looked at the man. He was all dressed in grey: A grey gown, a grey coat and a grey pointy hat. Even his beard was grey. But whatever his age was, his bright blue eyes pierced right into Thorin's soul. 'Mind if I join you?' the grey man asked Thorin and he stopped the serving girl and told her: 'I'll have the same.' The man turned his attention back to Thorin.

'I should introduce myself. My name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey...'. Thorin had already suspected who the man was. The famous wizard Gandalf the Grey was recognizable by his grey clothes. 'I know who you are,' he said.

Gandalf smashed his hands together. 'Well now. This is a fine chance...' Thorin wondered what the wizard meant by that. Gandalf slightly tilted his head. 'What brings Thorin Oakenshield to Bree?'

Thorin looked at his feet. He'd rather not tell about something that lay so close to his heart, but he didn't fancy being turned into a toad. He decided to tell the truth. 'I received word that my father had been seen wandering the Wilds near Dunland. I went looking but I found no sign of him.'

Gandalf sighed. 'Thorin, it's been a long time since anything but rumor was heard of Thrain.' Quickly Thorin looked up to Gandalf. No. He knew that Gandalf was trying to say that his father was probably dead. But he just couldn't accept that. 'He still lives. I'm sure of it,' he replied.

Both of them fell to silence because the serving girl arrived with Gandalf's food. After she had left Thorin asked the question that lay on the tip of his tong. 'My father came to see you before he went missing... What did you say to him?'

'I urged him to march upon Erebor, to rally the seven armies of the Dwarves, to destroy the dragon and take back the Lonely Mountain,' Gandalf replied. He leaned closer to emphasize his next words. 'And I would say the same to you. Take back your homeland.'

Thorin leaned back in his chair and raised his cup to drink. 'This is no chance meeting, is it, Gandalf?' he asked before he took a gulp of his beer.

'No. It is not.' Gandalf retrieved something out of his pocket. Thorin couldn't see what is was because Gandalf was hiding it in his hand.

'That dragon has sat there long enough. Sooner or later, darker minds will turn towards Erebor,' the wizard continued.

Thorin frowned. What did Gandalf mean by that? He didn't get time to dwell on it because Gandalf continued: 'I ran into some unsavory characters whilst travelling on the Greenway. They mistook me for a vagabond.'

Thorin chuckled. 'I imagine they regretted that.'

Gandalf put the secret object he had held in his hand on the table in front of Thorin and said: 'One of them was carrying a message.'

Thorin bent over to have a better look at the object. It was a piece of leather. There was something written on it in a language he didn't know. 'It is Black Speech,' Gandalf said. Thorin looked up to Gandalf. Black Speech? That speech was only used by dark folk, with bad intensions.

Gandalf continued: 'A promise of payment.' A payment? Thorin thought. Why would a group of unsavory characters have a promise of payment? Obviously someone had hired them to do something. But what? So Thorin asked: 'A payment for what?'

Gandalf looked at Thorin without blinking. 'Your head.' Shocked Thorin looked at Gandalf. Who would want him dead?

Gandalf leaned closer to Thorin. 'Thorin, you can wait no longer. You are the heir to the Throne of Durin. Unite the armies of the Dwarves. Together you have the might and power to retake Erebor. Summon a meeting of the seven Dwarf families. Demand they stand by their oath.'

Thorin had already thought about that, but there was no use. There was one important thing that Gandalf forgot.

'The seven armies swore that oath to the one who wields the King's Jewel. It's the only thing that will unite them. And in case you have forgotten: that jewel was stolen by Smaug,' Thorin shot back.

'And what if I were to help you reclaim it?'

Thorin looked at Gandalf trying to see if he meant that. Gandalf looked back with a face that made it clear he wasn't joking.

'How?' Thorin asked. 'The Arkenstone lies half a world away, buried deep beneath the feet of a fire breathing dragon.'

Gandalf nodded. 'Yes it does.' His eyes began to twinkle. 'Which is why we're going to need a burglar.'

THE VALLEY OF THE FALLEN KINGS - CAMELOT

'Did we lose them?'

'I hope so.'

Maddie kept running. She, Merlin, Arthur and a few knights had been on a hunting trip when they had accidentally walked into a trap of Morgana. They managed to escape and were trying to shake her off. Maddie had been the only girl allowed to go on the trip because she was a good tracker. A little bit like a ranger. No animal could pass her unseen.

Maddie glanced at Merlin. She had known him since she was four years old. He had been eight years old at the time. She still remembered the day she met him. She had been all alone in the forest next to the village Ealdor. Luckily, Merlin had been collecting firewood for his mom. That's how he found her. He had taken her to his home where his mother - after she found out the girl didn't know her parents - had decided to take her in.

That was a thing Maddie was often troubled about. She didn't know her parents. She didn't know anything about who she was and where she had come from. She couldn't remember anything.

Well, she had lived most of her life in Ealdor with Merlin and his mother. But... she didn't feel like she belonged there. Of course she liked Merlin and Hunith and they were the nicest people imaginable. But it didn't feel like a real family. She had spent most of her youth in the forest (that was probably why she was a bit like a ranger), thinking about her past. But all she could remember was a green flash.

Ten years ago Merlin had left Ealdor to go to Camelot and live with his uncle, Gaius, who also was the court physician. By accident Merlin had become the manservant of (at that time still) prince Arthur. It was a bit strange, that Merlin worked for a king in a kingdom where magic was forbidden. But of course, it was Merlin's destiny to protect the Once and Future King, so he stayed, hoping that one day Arthur would know his secret.

Three years ago Maddie had followed Merlin's example and had gone to Camelot to live with Gaius. Gaius taught her the skills of a physician and Merlin helped her with her magic.

Yes, just like Merlin, she had magic. Most of her magic she used by accident or on instinct, but she had read Merlin's book of magic, so she did know some spells. She had had her magic for as long as she could remember, but she didn't know whether she was born with it or not. That answer lay in her unknown past.

'Hurry up!' Arthur's voice brought her back to reality.

After the hunting group had escaped, Arthur had decided to go into the Valley of the Fallen Kings, because he was sure Morgana wouldn't follow them in there. Merlin had been against it, because the Valley of the Fallen Kings was a dangerous place, but Arthur was a stubborn man. So now they were running through the Valley with the last light of day.

'Maddie...' Maddie looked around. Did someone just whisper her name? Or was it just her imagination? 'Maddie...' 'Did you hear that?' she asked Merlin. He looked confused. 'Hear what?' Before she could tell him Arthur shouted: 'Alright, let's rest for a moment to catch our breaths.' Most of the knights sat down on the ground and began complaining about painful feet. Merlin followed their example.

There it was again. That whisper. 'Maddie...' It came left from her. But there was nothing there but a wall of stone. Or was there? When Maddie looked more closely she could see a gap in the wall. From a distance it just looked like a shadow.

Maddie knew she had to stay with the group but she also wanted to know where the whispers came from. 'Maddie...' Her curiosity won the battle. Silently, she backed away from the group and sneaked into the gap.

After her eyes were accustomed to the dark, she could see that she was standing in a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, she could see a blue light. 'Maddie...' She started walking again. When she'd finally reached the end of the tunnel, she was standing in huge cave filled with crystals that shined a blue light. Maddie had never seen anything like it before. But if the things she had read in Gaius' books were true, it had to be the Crystal Cave. According to the myth, it was the birthplace of magic. Powerful sorcerers could see the future in the Crystals. She was most likely not strong enough to see the future. Perhaps Merlin... But not her.

'Maddie...' The crystals were calling her. A thrush flew into the cave with a nut in his beak. He flew to a big, grey rock with a crystal on it in the middle of the cave. There he sat down and knocked the nut on the rock in an attempt to open it. Maddie smiled at the sight and walked towards the thrust. 'Maddie...' Her eyes were drawn to the crystal and she was shocked by the vision she saw.

A battle. A terrible battle. All around her was the stench of blood and death and dead bodies lay scattered around. Here and there a few knights were still fighting. And then there was Arthur. He just looked up from a man he had killed. His eyes filled with surprise as he saw the new enemy that faced him. It was Mordred. His eyes were full of hate and anger. The two men fought and Arthur would have won if he hadn't tripped over a dead body and fallen on his back. Mordred looked at Arthur with a sick smile. He changed his grip on his sword and raised it, ready to stab Arthur's heart.

She heard voices behind her. Merlin and the others were probably looking for her. She turned around to face the entrance of the cave. Merlin and Arthur were just entering the cave.

Then, everything became blurry. Distantly, she heard Arthur calling out her name. A flash of green blinded her eyes. And then... darkness.