A.N! Hi, guys! Sorry it took me so long to write the next chapter, but i will try to do better if you are interested and try to update more. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 3

After her question, there was silence. Everyone wanted her to come with them on this quest, but it was Thorin's call as the leader and their king. Thorin was conflicted on this matter. He was taught that women need to be protected and battles are only for men, but here was a woman, that was powerful, had seen many battles and could help them. But mostly he just wanted to know more about her.

Gandalf was looking at then young woman and he could see, that she was intrigued by Thorin, but also cautious. Nobody lived as long as her by trusting everyone. Rafaella just looked at them one by one and waited. She didn't have to wait long, because Thorin said:

My lady, you can come with us if that is what you wish." Gandalf smiled, but Rafaella surprised everyone by laughing out loud.

I thought you understood, that i am no lady." Kili smiled at that and Thorin just looked at Gandalf, who nodded. Balin stood and went to get a contract, which he had just in case something happened, but Rafaella just waved her hand and he sat back down. Gandalf had a big grin and he was beaming at the young warrior. She smiled at him and waved her hand again. Everyone was looking around in confusion, but Gandalf just said:

Wait a moment." Just then Balin's bag came flying and landed next to him. He was startled, but overcame his confusion very fast and gave her a contract. She signed it without even reading it.

They were all tired and went to sleep except Rafaella, Gandalf and unknown to them, Thorin, Dwalin, Balin and Fili. They feigned sleeping even though they knew, that everyone could see that. Gandalf took his pipe and smoked. Then he asked:

Tell me, Rafaella, what about your powers?"

The warrior sighed, but answered:

They are getting stronger. I can feel almost everything around us, but sometimes my powers fail me, because the Fates don't let me see anything."

Gandalf thought about it for a while and asked again:

What do you see?"

Rafaella smiled and said:

It is hard for me to understand, because it could be the past, present or future. Even the wisest cannot tell. I see this quest and there are many paths that go different ways. I will see the right path, when we are on it and you know this shit, Gandalf."

The dwarves almost gasped at her language, but held it in. Gandalf did not. He choked on his pipe and looked at the warrior in disapproval. She just shrugged and said:

You know, old friend, where i came from, this is normal language, so get used to it. I am not a lady, i am a warrior. Just because i have tits and don't have a dick doesn't change anything."

This time the dwarves couldn't hold back their gasps and they heard Rafaella's laughs. She turned to them and said:

You held quiet longer than i gave you credit for." Thorin and those, who were awake sat up and looked at her. Finally Balin said:

Forgive us, lass. We just haven't seen many women folk, who cuss more than men."

Gandalf looked at them and then turned a questioning glance to the woman siting by his side. She straightened her back and looked Balin and Dwalin in the eyes and said:

Just because many think, that women are weaker doesn't make it true. I know, that many men are corageous and brave, but women are more so. Think about it-they wait for men to get back at them, they give birth to children and raise them." Here she stopped talking and got up. She nodded to Gandalf, who took a deep breath, and went away. Thorin moved almost instinctly to follow her, but Gandalf shook his head at him.

He waited til they couldn't see Rafaella and then turned to the dwarves, siting by the fire and looking expectantly at him. He took a deep breath and said:

Children are a tough subject for Rafaella. She can only have children if she meets her soulmate and he loves her back. And also.." Here Gandalf took another deep breath and continued:

She had a sister, Morgana. Morgana fell in love with her soulmate and he loved her back, everything was perfect. But then her sister got pregnant and was getting weaker. She only got the strenght to give birth to a girl and died." There he fell silent. Dwalin couldn't hold still:

Was this Kerheb her soulmate?" Gandalf shook his head no. Dwalin asked again:

Then why would she almost marry him?" Gandalf answered almost immediately:

Because she had been alone for a very long time and she felt comfortable with him. Maybe even loved him, but not that strongly, because she could feel, that he only lusted after her." Here Gandalf had to stop, because them dwarves were growling very loudly. After about 6 minutes, the growling stopped. Then Fili asked:

And the young girl? Her niece. What happened to her?" Gandalf opened his mouth to answer, but someone beat him to it:

She made it to her teen years and then was killed." They all almost jumped up at the sound of Rafaella's voice, because she was siting above them in a tree. But then they heard thunder and looked at Gandalf. They all took a step back, because at that moment he looked murderous. Rafaella jumped down from the tree and went to him. Thorin wanted to stop her, but she just waved him back. When she was in front of Gandalf, he just broke down and started to cry. Rafaella just had time to catch him and set him on the ground. She let him cry and just held him. She didn't cry , but around them elements raged and it started to rain around them, but they were dry.

Gandalf finally had enough strenght to ask:

Who?" Rafaella looked at him and touched his temple. They saw a grey cloud emerge from her hand to his temple and then he gasped. It looked like all his strenght left him at that moment. Those, who were awake, sat silently and watched. Fili wanted to ask something, but Rafaella just looked at him and he shut his mouth.

Finally the rain stopped around them and Gandalf sat up. His eyes were red but there was steel around him. He turned to Rafaella, took her shoulder and said:

Now i understand. This is your revenge." She just nodded and turned to the dwarves.

Gandalf will explain." Then she got up and went to the nearby lake to just sit there. Thorin was looking at her, but Gandalf coughed and the attention went to him.

Her niece, Luna, was killed by the dragon Smaug. She was burned in front of Rafaella and she couldn't shield or heal her with her powers. Rafaella can't tell you this herself, because she is bare;y holding in her powers. Killing the dragon is her revenge." Everyone gasped at this and now they understood the steel in her. But Gandalf continued:

Luna was my daughter."