Sorry I haven't posted recently. I have been busy with college and my job plus this week I got sick and getting stuff ready for Valentine's Day.
Hope you all like this chapter.
Chapter 2: The World Ahead
it was nearly the afternoon when Bilbo joined up with the company but there were still no signs of the last two members.
"You sure they will appear, brother?" Dwalin asked Balin as the company rode their ponies.
"Yes, brother they will appear." Balin said as a white owl flew towards them and Gandalf lifted his staff for the owl to land on.
In its beak held a small blue flower causing him to chuckle. "They are on their way." Gandalf said to the company causing them to look at the wizard in utter confusion as they heard loud thunderous sounds from behind them.
They saw a white horse gallop pass them with Fenrir on its back as Aurora galloped towards them on a brown horse yelling in a strange language.
The company looked at the direction the two rode off in then looked to Gandalf as he smiled. "They are racing again." Gandalf said to them.
The company arrived at a stream to see the two horses gulping down their water as Fenrir sat on a rock with only his pants on and glaring at the young woman who just smiled innocently at him.
Thorin looked at the sky. "Let's make camp here for the night and continue in the morning." Thorin said as everyone got off their ponies while Gandalf walked over to the duo.
"She kicked you off your horse again, Fenrir?" Gandalf asked the white haired man as he growled.
"You are no lady…no respect at all." Fenrir growled at Aurora as she giggled at him.
"Says the Lord that dumped freezing water on me before dawn." Aurora said to him as Gandalf chuckled at them. "Even Gandalf is laughing."
"All of this because he dumped water on you, Lady Aurora?" Gandalf asked her as she glared at him.
"Yes!" Aurora said to him while pouting and turning away from them. "You know I hate freezing cold water, Gandalf."
Aurora yelped as she felt a hand ruffle up her brown hair. "You truly are like your parents, young one." Gandalf said to her and she blushed.
Bilbo walked over to them and cleared his throat. "Um Lady Aurora is it?" The young hobbit asked as he smiled at her. "I don't mean to intrude but what language did you use earlier?" Fenrir and Aurora looked at each other than at Gandalf.
"It's called Draconian, young hobbit." Fenrir said to him with a small smile. "It's an old language from the Silverfrost Mountains."
The dwarves watched them as Aurora walked towards Balin and Thorin. "We are truly sorry about being late this morning, Master Oakenshield." Aurora said to Thorin with a small bow. "Fenrir and I usually pull pranks on each other we hope we didn't cause any trouble." Aurora sat next to Balin as Thorin nodded at her.
"That language you yelled in what was it?" Thorin asked her as he watched her.
"An old language that many cannot understand at times…it's called Draconian." Aurora said to him as Dori walked over to her with some hot tea.
Thorin nodded as the company set up camp for the night. "Lass would you mind showing us your swordsman skills?" Balin asked her as everyone looked at her.
"May I show them once we get to Bree? I left my swords there to be fixed along with Fenrir's weapons." Aurora said to him as he nodded. "I'm just borrowing these just in case I need them." Aurora held up a two curved swords.
"Those are your aunt's yes?" Balin asked her as she smiled. "How is she?"
"Fine…wasn't happy to see Fenrir with me on the way to Bag End." Aurora said to them as she watched the sky darken more. "But she is happy to see me going on another journey as long as Fenrir keeps his promise to Runa."
Fenrir walked over to her with some bread and fruit. "For some reason she doesn't think I'm a good protector for Aurora." Fenrir said as Aurora took the food while he sat next to her with his clothes back on.
"Because you set her garden on fire…if I wasn't there to block her sword you would be dead right now." Aurora said to him as he chuckled.
Later that night
Fenrir looked around the area as he heard nothing but the sounds of the night and the snoring of dwarves.
He glanced over his shoulder to see Dwalin behind him. "So you and the lass travel together?" Dwalin asked him as he nodded and looked across the stream.
"Before you ask no I have no feelings for her like that…she is more like a sister to me than anything." Fenrir said to him as Dwalin sat near him.
Dwalin nodded. "Will she be a burden?" Dwalin asked him as Fenrir looked at the brute dwarf.
"No…she is strong willed, excellent fighter and healer." Fenrir said as he glanced behind him to see Aurora asleep near Bilbo as he curled up next to her more. "And we know what lies ahead of us better than anyone."
Dwalin watched the sleeping company. "Why did you both agree on joining us?" Dwalin asked him as the air slowly turned cold.
"Revenge…there is someone I want to kill for taking someone precious to me." Fenrir said to him as he touched his arm as if in pain. "Aurora is looking for someone…as you dwarves call your One." Fenrir said to him.
"She has a One? Then why isn't he here with her?" Dwalin asked him as he saw Fenrir's eyes glow in the moon light.
"That is a story only she can tell…I do not wish to feel her wrath if I told you or anyone who he is." Fenrir said to him as he slowly got up and made his way to Aurora.
Fenrir glanced at Thorin to see him watching as he walked over to Aurora and lay down next to her as Dwalin walked over to Thorin.
"He wants revenge against someone that took someone from him and the lass is looking for her One." Dwalin said to Thorin as they watched the duo sleep.
"Then why is he not here?" Thorin asked as Dwalin shook his head.
"He won't say…only fear her wrath then tell me." Dwalin said to him. "I noticed his arm earlier had a burn on it and as we talked he touched it as if in pain."
Thorin nodded as he closed his eyes.
The next morning
Aurora helped Bilbo on his pony as Fenrir helped her on her horse. "Bree isn't far from here." Gandalf said to them as Aurora and Fenrir rode to the front with Gandalf.
"Fenrir are you alright you been very quiet." Aurora asked him as he softly smiled at her.
"Yes…memories from the past haunting me last night." Fenrir said to her as she gently touched his arm and he relaxed. "I'm sorry if I woke you last night."
"You didn't wake me really you just held me too tightly." Aurora said to him as they made it to a large clearing causing the sun to brighten her hair more to look reddish.
"I'm sorry." Fenrir said to her as she giggled. "Did you eat today?"
Aurora nodded. "Yes and I bathed to before everyone woke up I had Bilbo watching out for me." Aurora said to him as Gandalf chuckled.
"No wonder he is in good spirits and the air smelled of your oils." Gandalf said to her causing Fenrir to laugh at her blushing face.
"The oils fell into the water…Fenrir stop laughing!" Aurora said to him as he laughed more.
"You're so clumsy." Fenrir said to her as she punched his arm.
"Says the lord that broke the bed at the prancing pony." Aurora said as he looked at her in shock.
"How in Valar do you know that?" Fenrir asked her as she laughed.
"Fenrir I woke up hearing a small scream from that woman that you talked with." Aurora said as Fenrir looked away blushing.
"Using your charm again, Lord Fenrir?" Gandalf asked as he and Aurora smiled at the blushing man.
"Not you too Gandalf…" Fenrir said to him as Aurora giggled.
Midday they reached Bree only to stop at the gate. "No entry!" A male voice said to them through the door.
"Is he always like this?" Balin asked Aurora as she sighed.
"Fenrir broke his nose for sneaking into my room last time we were here." Aurora said as she heard whispers of discuss behind her and Gandalf as Fenrir climbed off his horse and walked to the gate. "Fenrir be nice."
Thorin rode up to Aurora and Gandalf. "He snuck into your room?" Thorin asked her as she nodded.
"Yes…Fenrir has excellent hearing after he broke the bed he heard my door open across from his room." Aurora said to the dwarf lord as they heard shouting.
"I won't open the gate unless Aurora is really with you, monster!" The man said as Aurora slide off her horse and walked to the gate.
"Phillip please open the gate." Aurora said as the yelling stopped and the door slowly opened and she was pulled in causing everyone to stare at the gate in horror then heard a loud slap and a cry of pain.
The gates started to open as some men shook their heads at Phillip.
"We warned you lad not to anger her or grab her like that." A man said as Aurora stood over the man holding his cheek.
Phillip looked at the company then at Fenrir as he smirked at the man causing him to scurry away from the company and gates.
"You alright, Lass?" Balin asked her as she nodded and grabbed her horses' reigns and made her way through the street.
"Let her cool off she doesn't like being grabbed like that." Fenrir said to them as he followed the enraged woman.
They came to a large home with a large flower garden in front and saw Aurora talking with a dwarf and a tall man.
"Gandalf the Grey what trouble are you getting my niece into now?" A woman's voice asked as everyone saw an older woman with blonde hair and forest green eyes walk out of the large house wearing a blue dress and black boots.
"Runa, it's so good to see you again." Gandalf said as Aurora walked over to them holding black sheathes.
"Runa is it alright if Fenrir and I sparred in the back I promise he won't do anything to destroy your garden." Aurora said to her aunt as she nodded.
"That's fine dear…it's good to see you happy again." Runa said to the young woman as Aurora grabbed Fenrir's hand and ran to the back of the house.
"I don't believe my eyes…Balin is that you?" The dwarf asked as he walked over to Balin grinning.
"Aelu Stonekiller it's good to see you again I didn't know you were here." Balin said to him.
"Aye Lady Aurora and Fenrir asked Lady Runa here if I could live with them and work with her husband as a blacksmith." Aelu said to the older dwarf.
Later that late afternoon
The Company sat around a fire in the back of the house as Aurora and Fenrir stood in a large clearing behind the house.
"Lass don't break those swords again!" Aelu said to her as she smiled.
They watched as Aurora pulled out duel black blade swords with strange markings on them in red.
"I'm shocked you were able to fix her swords." Runa said as she set the tray of food down for the hungry company.
"The damned blades nearly burned off my beard." Aelu said to her as she sat next to him.
Fenrir pulled out his long sword. "I'll hold back a bit, Princess." Fenrir said as they saw Aurora lung at him with great speed and clashed with his blade.
"Why must he anger her?" Runa said as Gandalf laughed. "You're no help wizard."
Gandalf watched the two spar. "I'm sorry Lady Runa but it was their choice plus she is happy." Gandalf said as the woman sighed. "I promise to keep an eye on her."
Fenrir crashed onto the table as Aurora held her swords at his throat. "I warned you Fenrir." Runa said as the white haired man gulped while looking at the young woman above him.
Aurora sheathed her swords and helped him stand. "Stop holding back and maybe you can beat me…Princess." Aurora said in a teasing voice as everyone laughed.
"I keep forgetting you're not that scared little girl." Fenrir said to her as she smiled.
"I don't have a lot of rooms so some of you are going to have to share." Runa said as she watched them.
The dwarves whispered to one another as Aurora walked upstairs to her room with Fenrir following her.
Gandalf stopped Fenrir before he entered Aurora's room.
"Fenrir…why don't you stay with me and Bilbo tonight." Gandalf said to the man as he glanced at Aurora and slowly nodded while following the Wizard.
Aurora sighed as she set her pack down near her bed watching as the sun started to set behind the trees.
"Mother…give me strength." Aurora whispered as she touched her necklace as the gem on it softly shined with the sun.
A gentle knock came to her door causing her to jump to her feet with a start as it slowly opened to reveal Thorin.
"Lady Aurora…" Thorin said as they both stared at each other.
"Thorin." Aurora said as she sat back down on her bed. "No more beds but the spare in here?" Aurora watched him as he nodded.
"Yes…Do you mind?" Thorin asked her politely.
Aurora softly blushed as she shook her head. "No it's fine." Aurora said as she set her swords against the nightstand as Thorin walked fully into the room and slowly closed the door and went to his bed.
Thorin set his pack down on his bed and glanced at her to see her laying down on her bed reading a book.
There was a long silence in the room except for the pages being turned from the book until Thorin decided to speak. "I'm curious who made your swords?" Thorin asked her as he sat down on his bed while taking his boots off.
"They belonged to my mother…as a gift from my father." Aurora said to him while looking at him. "She gave them to me when I was a little one."
Thorin nodded as he leaned against the headboard of the bed and looked at her. "If I may what are those strange markings?" Thorin asked her as she glanced at her swords.
"They are in Draconian…they say 'Bringer of light, vanquish the darkness.'" Aurora said to him as she slowly closed her book. "That look in your eyes Master Oakenshield…go ahead and ask your questions." Aurora watched him.
"The wizard says you travel a lot with Lord Fenrir…why?" Thorin asked her as she softly laughed.
"If you must know it's because he and I grew up together…and not that long ago he lost the one most precious to him." Aurora said to him as he saw a single tear slowly fall from her face. "His wife."
A knock came to the door causing them to look at the door.
"Lady Aurora?" Aelu asked as she ran out of the room with tears going down her face.
