A/N: Thank you so much for all the comments and follows. I'm thrilled y'all liked the beginning of my new tale. I hope you enjoy chapter 2! My musical inspiration while writing was Brunuhville's "Winds of Freedom" and "The Elven March." Check him out; his music is spectacular!

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Just4Me: So glad you found the new story! I'm thrilled you like Rhae (and Thorin of course!) so much. Making it an AU is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time but I'm looking forward to the challenge. And yes! Dis! I wish we could've seen her in the movies.

Margaritasc: Thank you!

Guest: Thank you! I'm so glad you read my first story as well!

Arianna le Fey: Yes, its here! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter 1!

angel897: Thank you!

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Might be an AU but all credit goes to Tolkien and PJ. Only Rhae and her Rangers are from my poor little brain.

Nighttime bugs chirped in the darkness beyond the Ranger camp and Rhae stared into the fire, lost in her own thoughts. So that was the sister of Thorin Oakenshield. She had the look of him, same dark hair and blue eyes, though the similarities appeared to end there. Dis's eyes weren't cold and hard, they were warm and occasionally sparkled with mirth. The dwarrowdam was kind and friendly, everything her brother wasn't. Rhae wished she had the time to get to know her - and the other members of her party. Unlike many of the citizens of Middle-Earth, she did not hold a prejudice against the dwarves, Oakenshield being the exception, and had always found their culture somewhat interesting. During her training in Rivendell Lord Elrond had insisted she learn at least the basics of Khuzdul and some of their history. He argued that as she was being trained in politics and diplomacy (along with all the other skills required of a Ranger) she needed to know the languages of the various races in Middle-Earth. Considering her strong dislike of the dwarven king, she had been a rather reluctant student, though eventually she'd found she enjoyed the lessons. She had not had many opportunities to mingle with dwarves though more had been traveling through the Shire in the past three years on their way from the Blue Mountains to the Lonely Mountain in the East. Rhae knew they were rather secretive but perhaps they wouldn't mind sharing something about their history if she found the chance to really talk with any of them .

"Would you mind if I joined you?"

She looked up, giving a smile to the dwarrowdam. "I would enjoy the company."

Dis made herself comfortable on one of the logs around the fire, remaining silent for a bit while she contemplated the Ranger. The flickering flames threw shadows on Stryker's face, making her appear a trifle menacing, and from what Dis recalled from their short skirmish earlier that assessment wasn't far off from the truth. She had never seen a female of Men fight though she'd heard some of their kind, especially in Rohan, had shieldmaidens and she was instantly curious. It had been quite a surprise to discover one of her rescuers was a female. She had never encountered any Rangers but had heard tales of how elusive and deadly they were, never seeming to settle in any one place and able to appear and disappear at will. With the dim light from the fire it was hard to discern any of the other woman's features but Dis recalled seeing dark hair and eyes and that she was shorter than the three men with her. It had also appeared that she was in charge of her little group, which was another surprise.

"How are your companions?"

"Your healers feel they will recover with no issues. Once they were cleaned up Throm's injuries weren't quite as dire as Gron thought but the cut on Brevic's leg is rather deep. I am grateful for all the help you have provided. You were there when those ruffians surprised us, rescuing me from a fate I don't even want to think about, and its now obvious our healer was not prepared to handle such a wound. There are not many who would put themselves out to help dwarves and you have my thanks."

"No thanks are necessary, Lady Dis. As a Ranger it is my job to protect those in danger, no matter their race. I am glad we were nearby."

"Well, you will have my gratitude anyway so learn to live with it." Rhae laughed. Dis was more stubborn than she'd originally appeared. Considering what she knew of dwarves and the line of Durin the princess came by it naturally. They sat in comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts and trying to access the other without being noticed.

"Were you glad to return to the Lonely Mountain?"

"Yes," Dis answered after a long pause. "I was very young when the dragon came so I don't have very clear memories of it but it was still my home. There were so many years of suffering afterwards, even once we settled in Ered Luin. I honestly never thought to see it again and then my brother came up with that hair-brained quest of his to retake the mountain."

"You didn't think he would be successful?"

Dis laughed. "No! I thought he was dragging my sons on a suicide mission. It almost was. I came very close to losing all three of them in that battle." Her face darkened for a moment. Rhae had never bothered concerning herself with the details of the battle three years ago - good had triumphed and that was what mattered to her - but she could tell whatever had happened had be dire enough to almost cost Thorin and his nephews their lives. Not wanting Dis to dwell on something that was obviously painful to her Rhae searched for something to change the subject with.

"If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing this far east?"

"My brother sent me to handle a small dispute between some merchants in the Blue Mountains. Since he has regained Erebor and many of our kind have relocated there is only a small council left to govern those remaining in the west. As he cannot leave the mountain right now and he keeps my sons nearby and busy, it was decided I, being the only other Durin, was the best option. It feels good to be useful but I will be glad to return to Erebor."

"Has the mountain been restored completely?"

"No, there are still areas that need work but Thorin has accomplished so much in the past three years. It cannot yet equal the glory it held while my grandfather ruled but that will come in time. Our father would be proud if he could see the work his son has done." Rhae tried to listen politely as Dis elaborated on all that had been done since the Battle of the Five Armies, trying to not let her dislike of the dwarven king show any time his name was mentioned. It was certainly a lesson in self-control. When she finally reached her breaking point and knew those snide comments she wanted to spout were about to burst forth, she excused herself for the evening. That had not been the conversation she'd imagined when she considered getting to know the dwarves better. Once she was in the tent they'd been given, Rhae flung herself on her bedroll. She had nothing against Dis but she couldn't sit there and listen to more ways Thorin Oakenshield was such a good king. In her eyes he was nothing but an arrogant dwarf, not wanting to be bothered with anyone he deemed lesser than himself. Rolling over she tried to relax, hoping the tension she felt would be gone after a good night's rest.

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The stone columns stretched upwards until they seemed to disappear into the darkness of the ceiling. The carving on them was expertly done and she ran her fingers along them, feeling their coolness under her fingertips.. Rhae looked around, admiring the craftsmanship of the cavernous hall she seemed to be in; it didn't seem familiar but yet at the same time it did. There were no voices this time, at least not yet, and she could hear her footsteps as they carried her across - was that a golden floor?

"Rhae!"

She whipped around at the voice. It was the same one she'd heard in her other dreams, the one that was always calling to her. It didn't seem to be coming from anywhere in the room she was in so she hurried through the archway at the back, making her way carefully down the passageway beyond.

"Rhae, where are you?" Something about the voice quickened her steps, it sounded so desperate, so full of longing, and she wanted to help whoever it belonged to. She passed through several more passageways and large halls until she came to a set of heavy wooden doors. The owner of that voice was behind those doors, she knew it, and she reached out to pull them open ... but they wouldn't budge. She tugged again with the same result.

"Rhae!"

"I can't get in!" she called back.

Suddenly the doors were gone, the stone halls were gone, and she was standing upon a rocky ledge. There was nothing around her except jagged peaks. She turned slowly, not wanting to lose her footing, and gasped, taking an involuntary step back from the fiery eye that appeared to be watching her.

"You cannot stop me."

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Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright, clutching her blanket around her shoulders. Morning's gentle light shone around the tent flap. Rhae took several deep breaths to still her frantically beating heart. So much for waking up refreshed, she thought to herself. On top of the frustration she could still feel from last night, now there was the fear she'd felt in her dream. She knew she had to do something to calm herself down. Grabbing her weapons she stomped to the training rings, glad to see her companions were already there. Araden took one look at her face and nudged Galen in the side. Deonyc simply rolled his eyes. They knew what they were in for.

"You look especially chipper this morning. Restful night?"

"Thank you for volunteering to spar with me first," she snapped, responding to Galen's teasing. The raven haired Ranger gave a mock sigh and then stepped to face his leader in the ring. The three of them were well aware of Rhae's temper and knew the best thing for them was to give her the chance to work it out with sword in hand; it would usually save them from her anger and sarcasm later. Besides, they knew how anxious and unsettled she'd been lately. The two circled each other for a moment, lightly twirling their swords, stretching muscles and preparing for the match ahead. Galen took the initiative and attacked first. Rhae met him in the middle, her sword easily blocking his blow. What followed drew the attention of many of the others in the camp. Once Galen had been bested, Deonyc took his place, his height seeming to give him a bit of an advantage over her. That illusion was quickly shattered as the female Ranger dodged his swings easily, dancing around him lightly. At a signal from the red head, Araden quickly stepped in, taking his turn. Out of the three he was most familiar with her fighting style and the least likely to give in to her. They blocked and parried, swung and ducked, neither getting a decisive hit on the other. Rhae's teeth were clenched in concentration but there was a mischievous gleam in her eyes; she'd always enjoyed the hard work sparring required. The metallic clang of their blades meeting mingled with the cheers of those that had crowded around to watch, there were even some bets made on who would come out on top. Rhae and Araden's skills with a sword were well known and the Rangers in Traenor's camp were thrilled at the opportunity for such a show. Even the dwarves were drawn to see what all the excitement was about. Dis looked on with a surprised but thoughtful expression on her face.

Rhae was panting and sweat dripped into her eyes but she couldn't be bothered to wipe it away. She was glad to see Araden was just as winded. Finally, just as she had been hoping, he misjudged her. As their swords were locked together between them she yanked a dagger from behind her back and swung it at him. Seeing the danger he jumped too far to his right and she used that momentum, along with a strategically placed foot, to land him face down in the dirt. He looked up to see her holding her sword tip at his throat.

"Do you yield, muindor?"

"Aye," he answered with a nod. "I am no match for your anger today."

Removing the blade from his face she smiled down at her friend. "Are you ever?" she teased. "I believe it is time we head back to where we belong. Let the others know and can you bring my horse?" He nodded at her and she strolled over to the edge of the ring where she'd left her scabbard. That was when she noticed Dis approaching. In the light of day it was easier to see the resemblance to her brother; it had been over seventy years since she'd seen the dwarf king but she would never forget that dark hair and those cold blue eyes. As she'd noticed the night before Dis's face bore none of the haughtiness her brother's had and her eyes were kind. She had always heard many of the dwarven females resembled their males in look, beard and all. That resemblance was sometimes so striking they were usually mistaken for males, leading to the stories that there weren't dwarven females at all, but Dis's features weren't hidden behind a massive beard. Though her hair was pulled back in a long braid Rhae could see several beads winking in the morning sunlight. Her tunic and breeches were obviously of a good material but nothing about her proclaimed her royal status.

"Well done! Quite an impressive display." Respect was clear in her voice.

"Thank you but believe me, it didn't come easily or overnight."

Dis smiled. "It is still remarkable. I'd dearly love to see my brother knocked on his arse like that once in a while ... just to remind him there's other equally skilled swordsmen - and women." The dwarrowdam chuckled as Stryker's last opponent dragged himself to his feet. Though not injured he was certainly winded but he gave Rhae a pat on the arm. For her part, Rhae fought to hide the distaste she felt at the mention of Oakenshield. That was not what she wanted to hear first thing in the morning.

"It's also surprising to me to see you in such a leadership role."

Rhae looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Your women are not allowed to train or fight?"

"Oh there are plenty of dams who can swing a blade or war hammer and some have even fought in battles of the past but it is not common place and there's never been a female commander. I honestly don't know how our warriors would respond to a female giving orders. Women and children are deemed too precious and valuable to put in such danger."

"Well, I won't say its entirely common among the Dunedain but here I am, though it may be because I'm just too stubborn and pig-headed to be tolerated by anyone else. Those three," she indicated her companions, "have been with me a long time and my more 'endearing' qualities are usually ignored."

"Are they your brothers?"

Rhae snorted in amusement. "Don't let them hear you say that! I think they'd be horrified that anyone thought we shared blood." She laughed at thought of their reactions to that comment. "No, we're not related but we've been together for years." She pointed at Araden. "Blade and I grew up and trained together. I suppose you could say he's like my brother; they're the closest thing I have to family anyway."

Dis frowned. "You have no family?"

"Not anymore. They all died when I was a small child."

This grieved the dwarrowdam. Family was so important to her she couldn't imagine being without them. The quest and subsequent battle had almost robbed her of what she had left and so she now valued them even more than in the past. To think that this young woman - well, she seemed young anyway - had grown up without anyone made her mother's heart hurt.

"Stryker!" Rhae glanced over and saw Araden mounted, holding Tálagor's reins for her.

"I'm afraid this is where we must part ways, Lady Dis. We have to return to the Shire. You'll be welcome here until your companions are fit to travel."

"It was an honor to meet you, Stryker. I do hope our paths may cross again one day."

"I don't usually travel over the Misty Mountains but if for some reason I do I know where to find you," Rhae replied with a smile.

"Make sure you do. I'd love to introduce you to my sons and brother."

Good enough reason to never cross those mountains.

"We shall see. I wish you safe travels for the rest of your journey," was all she allowed herself to say. Giving Dis a quick bow of the head, Rhae joined her friends, quickly mounting her horse, and lead them back into the forest.

Araden could tell something was still bothering Rhae. He watched her as their horses moved silently through the trees. She sat straight in the saddle but he could tell her mind was far away.

"That little sparring session earlier didn't seem to help," Galen murmured, bringing his horse next to Araden's. The brunette shook his head, his eyes going back to the silent woman a little ways in front of them.

"She's been having dreams lately - don't let her know I told you, she'd string me up by my toes - and they've been bothering her."

"Has she said what's in them?"

"They're very vague apparently, though she says the first one doesn't feel threatening."

"And the others?"

"All she's said is there seems to be a battlefield."

"Has she spoken with Lord Elrond?"

Araden snorted. "You know Rhae. She'd prefer to suffer sleepless nights and mood swings than talk with anyone."

The two rode in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. There was so much having visions of a battlefield could mean and none of them were good. They also both knew their leader would keep everything to herself, suffering silently, until it finally got to a point where she had to speak with someone - or exploded. They fervently hoped it wouldn't get that far. Meanwhile, Rhae's mind was bouncing around like a child's ball. Her frustration of the night before had been pushed aside only to be replaced with worry over what her dream had meant.

It had started off like so many of her others with the stone columns and the voice calling her name. The few additions, the golden floor and the wooden doors and the fact that she attempted to speak with the voice, didn't help her any further in deciphering the meaning of the dream. She could still hear the longing, the worry in his voice- yes, it was a male calling out to her she suddenly realized. Why hadn't she been able to open those doors? She was sure the answers to her questions rested behind them. And then there was the last part of her dream, that horrid ball of fire that had hissed into her mind. Somehow she knew who it was and that terrified her.

Rhae sighed. She didn't think she would be able to avoid a meeting with Lord Elrond now. This was no longer just visions of stone columns and a battlefield. He was stirring.

muindor: dear brother