When you wish upon a star.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hobbit or anything associated with the world of Middle Earth. The only thing that is my creation is my character, and the effects that I believe would result from throwing a young fan into the company of Thorin Oakenshield.
Chapter 1: The amazing journey
"That...was...AMAZING!" Marie cried as she exited the movie theatre. She turned to her younger sister, Beth, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Wasn't it?! Did you see how adorable Kili was?"
"Yes, yes. I saw the movie too you know. It wasn't like this was the first time we've seen it either..." Beth muttered, rolling her eyes at her sister's enthusiasm.
"I know, but's it as good the second time as it was the first. Better even!"
The two had just seen "The Desolation of Smaug" for the second time, although Marie could probably watch it another ten times! She loved it! She felt giddy with excitement and began twirling around the theater's parking lot, causing Beth to burst into laughter.
Sometimes her sister was the youngest person she knew. It was a good thing she was used to the stares of the people around them.
"Look!" Marie suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the darkening sky above them. "The first star of the night! They say that if you make a wish on it, it may come true...Let's do it!"
"Marie." Beth sighed. "We're too old to be doing something like that! You're a quarter of a century old for goodness' sake!" Beth teased her sister. Of course she would do as her sister suggested, but she wanted to be contrary for a moment.
"Please!" Marie pleaded, her green eyes reflecting the lamplights around them.
"Alright." Beth grinned at her sister, before turning to the star and closing her eyes, silently making her wish.
Off to her side Marie did the same, silently making her wish. 'I wish I could join the Dwarven quest in Middle Earth!' Finishing her wish she turned back to Beth, about to suggest that they eat dinner out before returning home for the night. The question died on her lips as she noticed her sister stood frozen next to her, mouth open in shock as her eyes remained glued to the skies above them.
"What are you looking at? What's wrong?" She asked, turning to follow Beth's shocked gaze.
Suddenly light was all around her. Blinding, painful white light surrounded her. "Beth!" She cried out, instantly looking for her sister to ensure that she was all right. She couldn't see anything, the light filling every one her senses. "BETH!"
She could hear her sister calling for her, sounding as panicked as Marie felt. She tried to respond but was unable to as a white hot pain knocked her off of her feet and onto her back, her head slamming painfully into the pavement as the light faded to nothing but darkness.
"Marie!" Beth called out, blinded by the light that had fallen from the sky and engulfed her sister. "Marie!"
The light faded and she spun wildly looking for her older sister. She stood completely alone in the parking lot, her sister nowhere to be found. "MARIE!"
"Oh...my head." Marie moaned, shifting on the hard ground beneath her, trying to find a comfortable position to ease the pain in her head. Fighting against every natural urge she worked to pry her eyes open and look around her. She waited for her eyes to focus on the world around her and her head to stop pounding, or at least decrease in pain, as she laid there for a moment taking in her surroundings.
She didn't remember falling asleep in a forest...yet here she was, lying on her back staring up at the canopy above her. 'Strange,' she thought to herself. 'you'd think I would remember being in such a beautiful forest in the first place...' The leaves on the high reaching trees were beautiful shades of green, ranging from dark olive to a bright lime.
She felt herself relax into the ground as she allowed the beauty of her surroundings to sink in. She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep again, all alone and at peace in nature.
Marie's eyes snapped open suddenly as her mind gripped the one important word, alone... Quickly she sat up, ignoring the fact that the world spun around her as she searched around her. Completely alone! Suddenly, the beauty of the woods around her melted away and she saw danger all around her. What had just been serene and peaceful was now too large, too dark and too dangerous with far too many mysterious noises.
'Keep calm Marie.' She thought to herself as she staggered to her feet, head pounding anew. 'You just need to find some help, there has to be a town nearby. The only question is, which way do I go to find it?'
The thought had barely entered her mind as she heard a voice cry out near her. "Wait, WAIT!"
She spun toward the sound, head reeling as dizziness almost brought her to her knees. Desperation pressed upon her as she stumbled toward the voice, the person could be friend or enemy but at the moment he was her only hope. She followed the voice, which had now faded into what sounded like whispers, breaking into a panic induced run as she tried to reach the voices before they faded for good.
The voices went silent and Marie's heart plummeted as she crashed through some bushes, and straight into the side of a horse. Once again she found herself flat on her back, slightly winded by the force of her impact. This time, however, instead of gazing up at the green foliage of the forest, she was staring into the snarling face of a VERY angry looking man.
Kili sat on his pony, fidgeting and smiling as Balin looked over Bilbo's contract. He had known that Bilbo would come along with them! He liked the little hobbit already, although he did seem to have quite a few nervous habits. In the silence that ensued from Balin's concentration Kili could hear crashing footsteps from the forest, coming toward them. He was just about to alert the company when someone came barreling through the bushes and straight into him, the force of which almost threw him from his seat. The figure that had run into him was thrown onto their back. Dwalin was off his pony and towering over the person, sword raised and a growl in his throat before Kili could jump from his mount.
A decidedly female voice cried out in surprise just as he scooted around Dwalin's bulky figure. A shocking pair of bright green eyes, set into a pale face, flew to him.
'She's human!' He thought to himself as he looked at her. Long, dark and waving hair framed her small oval face. Wide green eyes sat above a thin straight nose and full lips. She certainly was slight of build as well! If she had been a Dwarf she would be dangerously close to starvation, though she was very obviously female. She was also terrified, he noticed as her small, fragile frame shook slightly as she stared up at Dwalin.
"You giant bully!" Balin called out, shoving the larger Dwarf aside. "You've frightened the poor dear near to death!" He knelt down near the woman, his face melting into a perfect mask of kindness. "I'm sorry my brother frightened you my dear, are you hurt?"
Slowly she shook her head no, although Kili noticed a slight wince as she did so. He knelt beside her, bowing his head slightly in greeting. "Kili, at your service Miss. May I help you to your feet?" He offered her his hand, just as his mother had always taught him. She looked at him for a moment, deciding if he could be trusted perhaps, before nodding slightly and slipping her hand into his.
'My, but even her hands are tiny!' He thought to himself, helping her to her feet and ensuring she had found her balance before releasing her. Dwarves, by nature, had large hands which aided them in the work they did both as miners and blacksmiths. Kili was proud that, although he didn't have the customary girth and the full beard of his people, he did have the thick, strong fingers and hands of his kinsfolk. Being near this delicate human, though, made him feel bulky and awkward.
"Thank you." She said politely as soon as she was upright and steady. He could see a faint blush in the apples of her cheeks as he looked down at her.
'This is odd...' He thought to himself. Usually the average human woman was still a few inches taller than he was, never mind some of his shorter companions, but this stunning creature was small. About Fili's height, if not shorter.
His brother was at his side then, gripping his arm in a vice-like hold and pulling him away from his new unnamed friend. He turned to ask him what was wrong in the same moment he heard a sword being pulled from it's scabbard. He whirled toward the sound, a hand at his own sword, expecting danger. He was met instead with the sight of his uncle pointing his long sword at their mysterious guest.
Fili felt his younger brother tense and tightened the grip he had on his arm to keep him from doing something foolish.
"Who are you?" Thorin growled at the woman. She looked back at him, her face pale with fright.
"Uncle..." Kili's tone foreshadowed confrontation, and Fili grabbed his other arm also to get a better hold.
"Kili." He said softly, his eyes begging his brother silently to remain calm.
"Answer me! Who are you? What are you doing here?" Thorin's voice echoed as it roared through the peaceful woods around them. Fili took a moment to glance at the woman and froze, eyes glued to her. The fear was draining from her face and defiant anger was quickly replacing it. Before any of them could react she had swatted the tip of the sword from in front of her.
"Do you always question innocent people while waving a sword around in their faces?! It's very rude you know. And you don't need to shout at me, you could just ask me like a normal person!" She finished reprimanding his uncle in a huff, crossing her arms in front of her in obvious anger.
Fili bit back a laugh at both his brother's hanging jaw and his uncle's teeth grinding as he all but threw his sword back into it's sheath.
"Fine." Thorin ground out through his clenched jaw. Taking a deep breath he began again. "May I ask for your name, please?"
"Marie."
"What are you doing in these woods Marie?"
Marie opened her mouth to answer him, and promptly shut it again. She worked her jaw a few more times, sound never coming out. A look of confused anxiety clouded her features as she looked around her, tears springing to her eyes making him feel instantly uncomfortable.
"I don't know." She all but whispered, her gaze drifting back to Thorin. "I can't remember."
A/N: I don't know how tall Kili and the other Dwarves are exactly so I took a bit of creative license and made him a bit taller than he probably actually is.
Any comments and polite criticisms are appreciated!
Expect another chapter next week!