Hi guys. This is my first Hobbit based fic. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Chapter 1

Sara resided in a secluded location beyond Dale. She had lived there with her parents for years before the great battle some 50 years ago and decided to remain there after their death. It was a modest place with three small rooms and a work shed out the back. The house was nestled within the forest foliage and if you did not know its location you would be forgiven for missing it. While it was not customary for a female dwarf to live in such a manner, she had no living family member to object to this lifestyle, and thus she continued to live as she pleased.

To look at Sara, there was nothing extraordinary about her. She had light brown hair that she always wore in a simple braid that reached the length of her back, her eyes were hazel in colour, and her face was considered neither beautiful nor unattractive. She was the epitome of plain. This did not bother her because she preferred being unnoticed, and was satisfied being recognised for her work. By day, Sara was a blacksmith by trade. She was often commissioned to do metal work for the people of Dale, as well as making custom art pieces that were then sold at the market.

However just like many things in middle earth, appearances were indeed deceiving. By night Sara held a secret. It was a secret that was so close to her heart that she guarded it with her entire being. She was a Drakk Kazhunki or Dragon Rider in the common tongue.

It all started after her parents death. She was wondering around aimlessly in the deep forest behind her house when she came across a severely injured dragon called Raegen. Despite everything that Sara had been taught about dragons (that they were highly dangerous, volatile, and blood-thirsty) she took pity upon the injured creature. She approached the dragon with caution, gained its trust and nursed her back to health over a period of months. It was during this extended period of time that Sara discovered her gift.

To be a Drakk Kazhunki, was to have a magical bond with a Dragon. It was a gift spoken about in mythology, legend and folklore. The stories claimed that such an ability was bestowed upon one in a generation. Most people however doubted its existence.

Raegen was a Northern Drake, a wise dragon who had lived to see several centuries. She was comparatively smaller than other types of dragons, standing at 10 feet tall and a wingspan of 30 feet when fully extended. However what she lacked in height she made up for in firepower and agility. Her scales were unique as they held a rainbow shine (similar to that of a pearl) and held a camouflaging property whereby she could deliberately make her scales mirror her surroundings, however her resting colour was light brown.

Raegen would visit Sara most nights and together they would often go for a carefree flight through the night sky together (avoiding populated areas because the sight of a dragon would set off a panic and she would likely be hunted down). Sometimes if they ventured too far, they would camp in the middle of nowhere. Sara would curl up in a ball tucked away under Raegen's protective wings for a few hours before Raegen would fly Sara home before dawn.

On this particular night, Sara and Raegen had only been flying for 10 minutes. It was a clear night sky and the full moon provided more light and visibility than usual. Sara was looking down as they glided effortlessly through the night sky, wind rushing through her hair, she was certain she would never get sick of this feeling.

While looking down upon the Middle Earth landscape, Sara spotted a horse who violently spooked at the sound of Raegen's wings. The horse's rider proceeded to fall heavily to the ground head first.

"Quick Raegen, we must get down to help" Sara spoke urgently.

"If you are sure" Raegen replied, knowing that landing near a stranger was always a risk given the general attitude towards dragons. She proceeded to swoop downwards, almost vertically towards the ground yet landed without a sound. Sara was accustomed to holding on tightly through Raegen's various manoeuvres so a sudden change of direction didn't phase her in the slightest.

Sara nimbly climbed off Raegen's back, and cautiously approached the rider with Raegen following close behind. By this stage the horse was long gone. Sara immediately observed that the rider was in fact a male dwarf. He wore an impressively crafted metallic armour and thick furs. His long dark hair was sprawled across his face, and there was evidently a wound on his forehead which was bleeding.

Leaning over the dwarf, Sara gently swept his long black hair from across his face. She checked that his airways were clear before checking whether he was breathing. A sigh of relief left Sara's mouth when she could feel the shallow rise and fall of his chest. She continued to rip off some material from her dress and used it to clean the blood from his face while simultaneously applying pressure to the wound.

As the bleeding stopped, Sara took in the riders clothing again and ascertained that this was no peasant. Indeed he must at minimum belong to the Kings army at Erebor.

Her attentive gaze at the unconscious stranger was interrupted by Raegen who had taken a few steps closer. Now hovering over both of them.
"You do know who that is don't you?" Raegen said in her ever so wise voice, her yellow eyes looking the unconscious dwarf up and down.

Sara looked up wide eyed and just shook her head.

"That my dear girl is the King. Thorin Oakenshield himself".

Sara's jaw dropped and a greater sense of panic set in like a flash flood. She had caused the King to fall of his horse, he was now cradled in her arms unconscious in the middle of nowhere with a nasty blow to the head. What was she to do?

Without any further hesitation Sara spoke. "We must get him back to Erebor….. It is the least we can do".

Raegen looked down at Sara in a pensive manner. "It is a risk Sara, you know how most people in these parts feel about dragons".

"We must Raegen. We cannot leave him here… like this". Sara was almost pleading.

With a nod Raegen agreed. She lay down on her stomach and lifted Sara and the unconscious king onto her back with her nose. Carefully with a flap of her wings she took off, taking extra care of her second passenger. She ensured that as she approached Erebor, that her scales were the colour of the night sky, however with a full moon, she was not certain that it would be enough to not be spotted.

As they were flying through the night, Sara couldn't help but look down at Thorin who still was unconscious in her arms. In the moonlight he was certainly handsome she thought to herself. She gently brushed his hair back from his face with her fingertips, allowing her hand to linger on his cheekbone.

It didn't take long to reach the outskirts of Erebor. Raegen landed as quietly and as smoothly as possible. Sara slid off Raegen's back and Raegen used her wing to guide the king to the ground. As he rolled onto the ground he let out a groan. Sara knelt next to him with her concerned eyes checking whether the bleeding had stopped. As she focused on his wound and continued to clean it, she completely missed that Thorin's eyes were slowly opening, still in a daze.

Thorin had no idea where he was or what had happened. All he knew was there was a beautiful dwarf hovering over him, face lit up by the moonlight, looking very concerned and gently tending to what he assumed to be a wound on his head.

"What happened" Thorin managed to murmur looking up in a confused state into Sara's hazel eyes. Sara almost jumped back a foot, completely startled that the King was awake and talking to her. She suddenly became very aware of her place and the circumstances she was in.

In a panic Sara replied, knowing she and Raegen had to get out of there. "You fell of your horse my Lord".

Sara proceeded to stand up as she could see that Thorin was regaining his senses and was about to sit upright.

"You are right on the outskirts of Erebor. You are safe now my Lord" Sara called backwards.

She was now running full pelt towards Raegen who had done her best to camouflage herself 100 yards away. As she jumped onto Raegen's back and they took off into the sky she could hear a deep voice behind her call out "What is your name?". Sara couldn't help but smile to herself as she and Raegen flew off into the distance, leaving his question unanswered.

Thorin was left sitting on the dirt utterly bewildered. He still had no idea what had happened, who the girl was, or how she managed to disappear so quickly.