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Chapter 7

Blood Magic

May 2

"Rylee caught fish for supper," Kíli said holding up the three large trout, he kept his tone light, trying to break the tension among the group. He completely ignored Rylee's enraged glare as she moved quickly away from him towards her bedroll.

"What beauties they are!" Bombur said rubbing his hands together, he too tried to keep the mood light. Though everyone wanted to know what was going on, they didn't want to outright intrude, "I will get those cooked up in a jiffy."

Kíli handed the fish to Bombur and sat near the fire beside Fíli. Within seconds, he was back on his feet and pacing in the shadows of the campfire. Too angry and confused to sit down, too frustrated to do anything but rehash what just happened in his mind.

Oin looked at Rylee with a bit of surprise. "I didn't know you liked to fish, what did you use for bait?"

"The two smaller ones I used blood worms, and the big one I caught with a water beetle," Rylee said trying her damnedest not to show any of her inner turmoil. She ignored Kíli's pacing and continued speaking as though nothing was wrong. "Oh Bombur, I will need those hooks back, so don't cut them, please?"

"Of course not lass," Bombur said as he set about cleaning the fish.

"So, blood worms and a water beetle, but you are afraid of spiders," Gloin looked at her with a disbelieving glare as per usual.

"You would be too if you ever met Ungoliant," Rylee shivered at the memory of her single encounter with the massive arachnid. "That was a meeting I will never forget and will keep me terrified of spiders as long as I live."

"I didn't know you met Ungoliant," Gandalf said, looking up at her in surprise. Thorin's eyes also snapped up to meet hers upon hearing that she went up against the Dark Spider. It made a chill run down his spine.

The moment she said it she regretted speaking out loud, she spoke without thinking. She was too distracted to even guard her own mouth! It was like everyone was instantly alert, the moment Rylee said anything about her past, everyone tuned in to listen to her. Now they would want the story and she was not prepared to tell them the whole thing. She sighed knowing that there was no way that she would be able to back out of it now.

"It's not much of a story. It was during my first quest, Gandalf. After you escorted me to Jovina's home and returned to Aman. Turin and I were searching for a path to get closer to Glaurung, I was scouting ahead. I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in one of Ungoliant's webs of darkness. Typically I would see through such a glamour, but it was a moonless night, I could barely see through the darkness as it was. She was quick to pounce since most of the beasts in the area were savvy enough to know where the dangers lie. Without those types of instinctual traits, I had no idea she was there in the darkness. She was so much bigger than I ever imagined, even in my worst nightmares. Nothing could have prepared me for her." Rylee whispered softly, her voice rough with the remembered fear. The power in her voice was in every inflection as she related her tale.

"Her beady red eyes glowed from within the perpetual darkness that surrounded. I could hear her voice out loud, but also whispering into my mind. She told me to give her all of my light, that she would devour all of the light and love in my soul. All I knew was I had to get out of there and fast. I already had my axes in hand, when she arrived, so when she started to pull me into her web, dragging me deeper into darkness, I kept cutting lose." Rylee said, clutching her arms around her, shivering violently at the memory.

"How did you escape?" Ori asked his quill flying across his page as he took everything in, his eyes wide with wonder.

Rylee looked at the scribe for a moment. Not yet ready to trust anyone with the absolute darkness of Ungoliant and the beginning of a new terror. Not willing to admit that the venom that remained was eating at her soul, or that she could sense the darkness that followed them because of that venom. It was a gift and a curse. Rylee purposely skipped to the end of the story,

"I used a rune spell," Rylee said shrugging it off, and looked across the camp to where Gandalf sat. "I asked for light, and the glyphs on my Armor and weapons lit up like fireworks. The light stunned Ungoliant for a mere moment, but that was all I needed, I hacked off one of her fangs and ran. I did not waste a moment running out of that one's web. It was a very narrow escape and I have not been able to look at a spider the same since."

Thorin looked at her, watching her face, the mask was up but there was something there for a moment, when she shrugged. She was hiding something. Something she didn't feel comfortable sharing. It was confirmed in the uncontrolled shivers and the completely defensive stance she was taking. That shrug and that stance were always a giveaway for when she was being flippant or understating a tale that she was telling. He would ask her another time, when there were not so many eyes and ears.

"I read that Ungoliant devoured herself at the end of the First Age," Ori asked with his usual bright curiosity as he looked up at Rylee expectantly. "Do you think it possible, Rylee?"

"She may have, I do not know what became of her. All I know is that she was very much alive when I escaped her nest." Rylee said as she shivered in the darkness of the camp. 'I still hear her, in my nightmares and in moments of weakness,' she thought to herself pursing her lips and crossing her arms protectively across her chest. It was possible that she devoured herself, but if she did then who was the one in the shadows? The only monster that made sense was Sauron, but that was not possible was it? Both of them terrified her. Then she said to Gandalf, "I have my doubts that the spider is truly dead. If anything she has finally succeeded in becoming one with the darkness she created."

"Can you show us?" Ori asked, ever curious.

"Show you what?" Rylee asked warily, looking at the scribe.

"Your magic, the spell you used to beat back Ungoliant," Ori insisted, his eyes wide and hopeful.

She looked into the flame, taking a single step towards it and watched as the flames rose several inches, as though to greet her. Rylee wanted to touch it to allow the fire to wash over her, but she stopped and watched the flames flicker and dance in the darkness. Rylee was tempted to grab her kit and show them her magic when Thorin stepped up beside her and said, "Nay, magic and spells should only be used in moments of great need. It takes great energy to wield such power. It should never be abused."

She turned to look at him, 'when had he become so knowledgeable about magic? Or was it because he didn't want her sharing her magic with the others?' She narrowed her gaze at him and he returned the look. 'Sure enough, he didn't want the others to know.' She could feel the defiance rising in her. What was it about Thorin that made her want to defy every order, and scream at him? She turned away from him trying to rein in her bubbling emotions. Kíli brought them to the surface. The fear, rage, frustration, even lust, passion, and love, it was making her insane. Thorin was riding on the coat-tails of a flash flame.

"Where have you been Mahalul?" He asked her quietly, following her to her bedroll where she began rifling through her belongings, searching for something in the darkness. She stopped as she reached for something under her pillow.

"For a bath obviously," She said scathingly, shooting a glare at him, "Can't bloody well stay in camp smelling like a werewolf, now can I? The scent alone will lure every vile creature within ten leagues."

"Werewolf," Thorin looked at her in shock. Rage hit him furiously, a vein in his temple started to tick and his heart was hammering in his chest as he tried to control his anger. His voice rose as his ire grew, "You were hunting a werewolf?"

"That's what I just said," She snapped at him. After her argument with Kíli, the last thing she needed was one with Thorin, but her rage was beyond her control when she lowered her voice and bit out, "You hard of hearing Ugshar?"

The entire camp went silent, no one moved, no one breathed. The tension grew tenfold within ten seconds.

"What did you just say?" Thorin growled at her, his voice, his stance, everything about him was menacing as he tried to control his anger at his young charge.

"Huh! So, you have gone deaf," Rylee said unflinchingly, her hands clenched in rage at her sides, her entire body was poised for a fight. She repeated herself loudly, being purposely obnoxious, "I said I was hunting a werewolf! Yesterday it was a pair of Orcs riding on Wargs, the day before it was another blasted Warg. Who knows what will be after me tomorrow? You want to know why I hunt them, Thorin?"

No one spoke, no one moved. Thorin had to hold himself back from backhanding her like he itched to. She was a dwarrowdam, regardless of the fact that she was a War Maiden, a dwarf did not hit a dwarrowdam. Ever. He met her flashing gaze, her stone mask was long gone. All that was left was anger, rage and hate, all of it directed squarely at him. He grimaced and clenched his own fists for a long moment before purposely loosening his stance and putting his hands behind his back. Then he smirked at her and sneered, "Enlighten us, Rylee. Why do you hunt them?"

"Because they are drawn to me, because they want me to join them in darkness, because other than a small spark of light, I am dark. My light was destroyed long ago," She said coldly, darkly, her voice was low, but it carried over the camp and the electric power within it made everyone shiver. She pulled off her coat, heavy tunic, and her mithril corselet, glaring directly at Kíli as she continued, "And the only thing that keeps me from giving in is magic. Magic borne of my blood, my fire, and my soul. Now if you don't mind, I am going to cleanse my spirit from the taint of that darkness."

Rylee bent down picked up her kit from underneath her pillow and turned to the fire. Thorin tried to stop her, but she shrugged him off, pushed bodily past him and continued on. Her need to work her magic was now so far beyond her control, she could not have stopped herself if she had tried. Rylee dropped to her knees before the fire and rolled her kit out on her lap. She took a shaky breath and put her hand into the fire and picked up a coal. Flames shot high into the night sky, the entire company gasped in horror. Thorin reached for her in fear.

Rylee was inside of herself and inside of the thrall of her fire, controlling the flame in her hand as she sang the song that wound through her heart. It was not a song of words. It was more like humming and chanting, deep and guttural. The song was ancient and it was formed out of feeling and deep emotions, it was a way of releasing the negative and reclaiming the positive and imbuing an artifact with the energy to be great and powerful. When she did this the world dropped away, it was just her, the metal, and the fire. Nothing else existed for her. Nothing else mattered.

"Don't touch her!" Gandalf hollered as Thorin and Kíli made to stop her, "She is in a thrall, nothing you say or do will reach her."

"How do you know this?" Thorin asked as he watched in horror as Rylee pulled her hand out holding a singular small ember and started to sing. He stood just to her right, and knelt beside her, wanting nothing more than to pull her away from what he saw was danger.

"I have seen blood magic performed before," Gandalf said quietly, motioning for the others to gather to watch. "Most people believe that all blood magic is dark, but in its truest essence blood magic is not impure. It is the kind found in the basest foundation of a being. It is the most natural form of magic and can be the most spiritual as well."

"How can you tell that hers is not dark magic?" Kíli snapped the question, his voice was hostile and angry, but there was anguish and worry as well. He too was at her side, kneeling beside her to her left, tempering the desire to caress her cheek as she chanted in the strange tongue.

"Listen to her," Gandalf whispered as he watched, "don't you hear it? Can you not feel it?"

Rylee knew that the others around her could hear and feel the emotions behind what she was doing, even if they would never be able to put it into words. She could not see or hear or even feel them as she focused intently on the fire and the task at hand. The bright coal in her hand began to cool a bit until she began to chant to it, then it brightened and turned white hot. She watched as the coal turned to ash and drifted away leaving a bright bulb of heat sitting in the center of her palm. She placed the dagger on top and sang and chanted to the metal filling it with heat and emotion until it was malleable.

Kíli watched in awe as she held fire in her bare hands, hotter than any flame he saw in any forge he ever worked. Her gray eyes were bright with electricity sparking and flashing within their depths and the humming grunts that came from her throat seemed strange and unnatural, and yet he understood everything that she was saying. Her face was bright with passion, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, her breath coming and going in small pants. He thought her beautiful before, but like this she was enthralling. Desire swelled in him as he watched her, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her, and he wondered if he could make her face light with a different kind of passion. He tried to remind himself that he was angry with her, but he could not, he was angrier with himself.

Bilbo could not take his eyes off of Rylee, her movements were sure as she worked with the metal. He had never seen magic before and what she was doing was beyond the scope of anything he had ever witnessed before. Not that he knew anything about forging metal. He did know that she should not be able to do this without a forge and the proper tools. It would take a lot to get a campfire to the right temperatures, and even more to maintain it at the right temperatures. He once heard that a Dwarf could withstand extreme temperatures allowing them to spend hours in great forges, which were bigger than the Shire itself. Considering the awe on Thorin's face and that on the rest of the Company's, Bilbo was certain that while it might be true, holding bare molten metal in one's bare hand was unheard of.

The blade on her hand was superheated and Bilbo could tell that it was quite soft. She somehow lowered the temperature just enough that the shape was retained and yet the metal was workable. He watched carefully as she picked up a fine etching blade and began to cut runes and glyphs into the metal, from tip to handle she wrote on the metal. Some of the glyphs seemed to embed themselves into the metal, then they filled themselves in and she started all over again. Again and again she etched the metal with her blade, and again and again the metal absorbed the glyphs. She turned the blade over and did the same on the other side.

The chanting changed and the runes lit up from within, brighter and brighter, white light shone from inside the metal. She continued to sing her inner song, putting every part of her heart into it. For the first time in ages, she released her hidden hopes and dreams into the somber inflections and the soaring arias of her inner music. It was then Rylee started to cry, her tears flowed freely from her eyes, her song changed to heartbreak, sorrow, grief. Each salty drop was captured by the flame in her hand, but instead of sizzling and evaporating away, the moisture was collected and began to coat the bright silver metal. Rylee didn't understand why she was crying or why her tears were being collected, but it felt right and it soothed her soul.

Fíli could feel the emotions of each glyph as it lit up, fear, sorrow, pain, grief, hate, rage, love, passion, lust, happiness and joy, elation and gentleness. Every negative emotion was outweighed with an opposite, they each ebbed and flowed into and out of the song and into the blade. Finally one word rose to the surface on either side of the blade, 'hush'. The rest faded into the metal, but that one word shone, then it started to bleed. The blood mixed with the tears that she cried and the blood turned a deep royal blue. Fíli could feel the fire emanating from her, and yet he was not overly warm, it was like she was contained in her own little bubble. He wondered at the immense control it must take for her to do this kind of magic, considering the science it took to work metal in a proper forge. Fíli could only imagine that she must have some feel for the metal, as she held it in her hands.

Ori stood behind Kíli so he could better see what was happening, trying to be silent, so as not to draw attention from Thorin or others. The blade and tang brightened and turned white, and then they too began to bleed. The blue blood collected on the cutting edge and in the runes. Then with a few changes in her note and tone the heat rose and the blood moved down from the runes and the blade and collected on the metal where the handle would be, it was absorbed back into the metal. Dori drew Ori back, his eyes wide with worry for his younger brother, not wanting him to get too close to Rylee or her fire. For fear that Ori might burn himself.

She was not afraid of fire, she was made of fire. A shiver ran down Dwalin's spine as Rylee suddenly changed the tone and chant and suddenly the heat was gone, the heat doused and a deep, sudden cold set in around the knife. She quenched the knife in cold and slowly started raising the temperature. She tempered the blade, hardening and softening and then hardening it again. He could not believe what he was seeing, the slight girl before him was working the metal in her hand like he would work metal at the forge. What would take him hours to complete was taking her mere minutes and her precision while she worked was exquisite. Finally, her words fell away and her strange song lowered into a quiet hum, in her hands she held her blade leaving the blunt end exposed.

From her roll of tools, she picked up a finely carved black bone handle. It was already fitted with a guard and pommel. Rylee slid the thin metal hank into the handle and started whispering quietly. Again runes lit, but this time from within the bone and the blue colored blood emerged once more, decorating the entire piece in shining blue gore. It felt like the weapon itself was pulsing with life. Kíli noticed that it was her hands that were creating the pulse, they were working the blood into the bone and into the metal, as though she was sealing the fibers together. She worked it and whispered to it until all the shining blue was gone and all that was left was a silver dagger with a blue blade and rune marks and a perfectly attached black bone handle. The weld looked perfectly seamless.

Thorin watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and her head fell forward, but she remained upright. Her breath was rushing through her body in deep gasps, a fine sweat shone over her form. He could feel her shaking beside him, shivering as though cold. Finally, the humming ended and the small girl lifted her head. Rylee pulled out her oil and a cloth and worked the blade, checking it for any imperfections. She moved the knife in her hands, she moved it in a sequence of sorts, testing for balance and weight and feel. When she was satisfied, the weapon shone brightly in the light of the fire. She held it up and turned to Kíli. Her voice was a mere whisper as she said, "A gift to you from Mahal."

Her magic was terrifying, awe-inspiring, and beautiful all at once. It was unlike any magic he ever before witnessed, it was unlike Gandalf's and unlike any dwarves, it was one borne of fire and blood. Kíli was both eager and reluctant to touch this blade made with blood magic. He reached out to touch it, and hesitated, meeting her eyes. There was no emotion on her face, not even in her eyes as she nodded at him to take it. As he did the Runes on both blade and handle lit as it was claimed by its owner. The company gasped as they watched, as the light grew as he held it and then faded into the darkness of the night. Kíli tested the blade in his hands and found no flaws. It was perfect in every way.

Bilbo met Gandalf's eyes and after a moment he sat back on his bedroll, trying to make sense of what he just witnessed. It seemed to him that her power was not of this world and he wondered if, in the wrong hands, it could be evil. Rylee said herself that it offered her a sense of purification. Purification was a good thing.

Rylee silently packed her kit and stood, Kíli watched her as she damn near shook from the effort, her eyes kept closing as though she was fighting sleep. She wiped her hand over her face to clear away the exhaustion and turned to where Mikhaul was resting and put the kit into her pack and climbed into her bedroll. Her hands touched the handles of her axes and passed out as her head touched her pillow. Within seconds of laying down she was asleep. She didn't even bother to cover herself.

The company stared at her in disbelief, awe, fear, and wonder. She was truly Mahal's Daughter, a Child of Aulë.

"That would explain why she can't cook," Fíli said looking at the girl passed out on her bedroll.

"Aye, considering she can melt metal in her hands," Kíli nodded thoughtfully.

"You noticed that she started with an ember?" Fíli asked his brother and his uncle.

"I wonder if she can start a fire, without an ember, that would take great power," Gandalf said from his bedroll. "She is, apparently, impervious to flame."

Thorin's frustration ebbed away as he looked upon her sleeping form and his parental instinct took hold as he saw her shiver in the cool night. She was wearing only her thin tunic, her other gear was folded at the foot of her bedroll, offering her no protection from the cold. He stood and went to her side bending to pull the covers around her, like he once did for his nephews, tucking her into her bed. He went back to the fire and set the watch rotation, Fíli and Kíli would have first watch, and then Dori and Gloin, followed by Bofur and Ori, he and Dwalin would have last.

"Keep an eye on her, what you saw tonight does not leave this company," Thorin told everyone who was gathered near. Thorin looked back at Rylee, then at the rest of the company. They needed to be careful, very careful. A dwarf who could use this level of magic was more than rare, it was impossible. Ori's curiosity set the thoughts in motion. If anyone outside the company found out what she could do, they might try to use her. Force her to make weapons for them against her will. He heard the song. Her craft was about finding the perfect balance for the weapon, if someone or something threw her off kilter and she truly lost that spark of light, she could create weapons of grave destruction.

"Be careful, Thorin," Gandalf said quietly from the darkness of his bedroll. "If you truly want to protect her from the evils of the world you will need to allow her to become free of the shackles that bind her, not create more to contain her. Help her embrace her future."

Thorin shot the wizard a dark glare, how the hell did he know what he was thinking?

He recalled the words that she said to Kíli as they came into camp, and the barely concealed pain that was in her voice when she spoke to Bombur and Oin. Then he looked at Kíli, who was looking between Rylee and the knife still laying on his open palm in complete confusion. Something happened between them and he wanted to know what. Thorin stalked toward Kíli, grabbed his arm and hauled him away from the group. "What the hell happened?"

"She told me about her blood magic," Kíli said softly, he hedged, not wanting to admit all the things he said. She was sleeping. It was not like she was telling anyone. Looking up at his uncle and then back at the small dwarrowdam who passed out in her bedroll, her fiery hair spilling around her in thick glossy waves, he felt guilt wash over him. "We have been taught all of our lives that it is the vilest kind of magic! That it is dark and impure. I had no idea-"

"She is not a dwarf Kíli, she is the Daughter of Mahal! She was created by the Valar, born in a forge! Did you not think that she would have some sort of magic? If they thought the magic evil, do you think they would have taught her to wield it?" Thorin scolded him darkly. The Valar told Thorin years ago that there would be things that made her more than a Dwarf, magic being only one of them. Thorin accepted that when he accepted her.

"How long have you known about her magic, Uncle?" Kíli asked, certainly his uncle had plenty of time to get over the shock of such a thing.

"Since she was twenty-three," Thorin put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Any kind of magic that used blood as a catalyst was misunderstood, and usually considered evil. He worried Rylee's latest act of defiance might cost her more than she bargained for, that the company would fear her and shun her now that they knew of her magic. He was aware that there were some among them that were quite superstitious. "Does it really matter? So she can use blood magic. Now that you have seen it, does that make her a lesser dwarf or something much greater, stronger, and more precious? You had better figure out how you feel about her and what she is. I will not have you hurting her."

The rest of the company finished eating and packed everything away for the next morning. Bombur set aside a covered dish for Rylee and a small pot of water for when she woke. The tone amongst the camp was somber and a little tense, everyone reflecting on what they witnessed. It was not long before everyone settled into their bedrolls for the night. Fíli and Kíli scouted the site watching for danger before they returned to their post. They chose a place close to camp that would allow them a good view of both the camp itself and the surrounding area, then they sat back to back so they could look out.

"May I see the blade?" Fíli asked holding out his hand expectantly for the dagger his brother got from Rylee. Kíli placed it in his palm and Fíli tested it out. A small sliver of envy passed through him as he got a feel for the blade. It truly was a beautifully made knife. When she originally told them that she made her own weapons, he thought that she was bragging and taking undue credit. After seeing her work, he could not help but admire her talent. "No weld marks, the clarity in the blade, the sharpness of the metal, it is perfect. You think she would make me one?"

"If you asked her," Kíli said shrugging nonchalantly, as he took the knife back from his brother. He looked over at Rylee in her bedroll, even in her sleep tears still fell from her closed eyes. Her hands gripped tight around her axes. After watching her sleep for three nights in a row he knew her sleep routine, it was always restless and dream-filled, but she did not cry. He knew that this was his doing. He didn't really know what happened. One minute they were fine and the next he snapped at her. It was obvious that she was different than everyone else he ever met, so what was it that made him turn on her like that?

He wasn't even sure he was angry about the magic, he felt guilty for what he said. Comparing her to the Lord of the Rings, that was low, and her vow against the darkness, if her magic was so dark would she actually make such a promise? She said she hunted enemies, she hollered at Thorin that she was hunting the most vile beasts, some he had never faced before, and never wanted to. Werewolves, they would certainly be big enough to leave marks on her body, even through layered armor. How could she put herself in danger like that? She could be killed! He wanted to both shake her and crush her against him and never let her go!

"I said the most horrible things Fíli," Kíli said watching his Mithril Queen cry in her sleep. He never meant to make her cry. He just didn't understand why she made him so possessive and aggressive and protective. "I called her a Hybrid. I said she was as dark as Sauron."

Kíli couldn't believe he said that to her. The way he said it to her, like she was beneath him, when actually he saw her above everything. In his eyes, she was perfection in every possible way. He wanted to be worthy of her affection, he wanted her to be his, and instead he pushed her away as hard and fast as he could. Was it because he wanted to knock her down to his level? His mother would be ashamed of what he did, what he said. What was wrong with him?

"Why would you say such a thing?" Fíli looked at his brother with complete shock. Just as he and Thorin talked about, Kíli said something insensitive, but instead of brushing it off like he normally would, Kíli was actually upset about it. "There must be some reason you would say something like that? What happened? What did you do?"

"I saw her naked, then she was attacked by bandits. I don't think I have ever been so angry with someone in my life. She should never have let them see her like that," Kíli whispered hoarsely as he tried to explain what possessed him to be so callous. "They laid hands on her, Fíli, I just- I just couldn't stand it!"

"That doesn't explain why you would say such things, Kíli" Fíli looked at his brother oddly. Kíli was ranting, and he wasn't one to rant, he only did that when he was really upset. Kíli started over and told him everything from the beginning to the end. By the end of his tale, Fíli looked at him stunned. "So you called her a Hybrid because she wears another man's braid, and as dark as Sauron because she does blood magic?"

"Mahal, I am such an Idiot! That was the most enchanting thing I have ever seen in all my life, and I belittled her for her ability," Kíli groaned dropping his head into his hands, he sounded like a complete loon. A jealous, bigoted, lustful, possessive crazy person! What was she doing to him? "What if she leaves us, Fíli? What if I pushed her away? She can't leave us. I won't let her leave me."

"She won't leave us, Kíli." Fíli turned in his seat to look at his brother, concern flashed in him at Kíli's possessive statement. Did he even hear himself? Fíli was certain that there was no way Rylee would leave Kíli. According to Thorin, Kíli was her One. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I suppose I need to make it up to her, but how?" Kíli hated that he had insulted her in the first place, or that he watched tears fall from her lashes as she worked her magic. He hurt her with his words and it was unforgivable. Kíli looked back at the sleeping girl. "I know nothing about her."

"You might want to start with an apology." Fíli chuckled softly, "then get to know her."

A couple hours later Kíli finally climbed into his bedroll at shift change and he tried to sleep, instead of his eyes closing though, he was wide awake. He stared across the camp towards Rylee and watched her eyes begin to move rapidly, her breathing began to become erratic and heavy, as though she was trying to escape something within her dream. Her hands twitched and tightened on her axes before she released them and she started to toss and turn. Her feet kicked out of the blankets, and her legs swung wildly until she was lying flat on her back. She groaned in her sleep, then she whimpered softly and whispered, "No, no, no. Please No! Kaia!" Her eyes popped open and she sat straight up.

It was becoming a familiar sight, three nights in a row he watched her wake from some horrible dream. Some nights she would be able to return to sleep, and others she would bury her head in her hands and after several minutes she would rise and send one of the watchmen back to their bedrolls. He watched her sit in silence for a long while, her head in her hands, as she wept over her friend. She said something about this girl at Bilbo's place, something about her disappearing in a battle.

"You alright, lass?" Gloin asked from beside the fire, his voice was concerned. Kíli blinked at him in surprise, Gloin was always suspicious of Rylee. The only person he ever shared that tone with was Gimli, his son.

"Just a nightmare, Gloin," Rylee whispered back, "I am sorry if I disturbed you."

"No harm done, child, go back to sleep," Gloin told her softly.

"He's right Rylee, there is plenty of night left to get some shut-eye," Dori said from beside him. His face was pulled into a frown. Rylee looked up at the sky and looked over at Dori and Gloin, who were on watch. Then she lay back down and resumed her grip on her axes. "Um, Miss Rylee?"

"Yes, Dori?" Rylee whispered softly.

"What's Mahal like?" Dori asked suddenly.

"He is strong, and smart, like Thorin, but quiet like Dwalin, and he has a sense of humor like Fíli and Kíli." Rylee smiled up at the sky, "He is warm and loving, creative and inspiring. He is patient. He would have to be, to put up with me. I miss him."

"Thorin says you can have attachments to the Valar now that you are here," Dori told her softly.

"I know," She whispered softly, "I am trying to make amends, I just don't know if they would even accept my apology."

"Why would you need to apologize?" Gloin asked through the darkness.

"Because I am the one who caused the problem," Rylee sighed her voice was glum and dark. She closed her eyes and Kíli watched as she settled herself back to sleep.

Kíli looked over at Dori and Gloin as they watched Rylee, there was concern there. Genuine concern. Dori was the most superstitious dwarf Kíli ever met, and yet he accepted Rylee's magic. Like there was nothing remotely unnatural or different about it. Gloin too, he was constantly questioning her motives and suddenly he was concerned for her welfare? It was like her display of magic had unlocked some sort of communication line. Like they suddenly understood that she was not lying or deceiving them. Frowning, Kíli thought about it for a moment, she kept telling them who and what she was, and yet no one truly believed her. Tonight she offered them undeniable proof. She gave them a part of herself. Kíli took out the knife and studied it for a long time. He would talk to her, he vowed to himself. At first light, he would talk to her and he would apologize for the horrible things he said.

Rylee tossed and turned. Everything was wrong! She could not sleep, feeling all of the horrid emotions that Kíli's accusations brought up. Her mind whirled, tumbling over the words he said. Enchantress and witch, those words didn't bother her as much as the other. Hybrid. Why did that word hurt more than any other that she heard? It was a truthful word, but it held all the contempt of the world. The same old prejudices, she would never fit with any of the people that the Valar made her for. She was different from every being she ever met, some hated her for her differences, some feared her and others wanted to own her for them. Morgoth had Sauron hunting for her through the First Age, wanting to lure her into darkness, but neither ever confronted her directly. She knew the seduction of darkness better than any other being.

She didn't know when she finally fell back asleep, but her dreams were more tormented than ever before. Not only did she see the battles of the past and the future, in front of the great fiery eye, but she also felt her connections to those around her being torn apart. She was on a battlefield, there were Orcs, Wargs, Trolls, and great bats coming at was in the midst of the company, standing by Thorin's side as they went to war. All of them Gandalf and Bilbo included, they were allied with Elves and with Men, yet were still sadly outnumbered. As they fought, her mind began to spin, and one by one she watched them fall.

First Bofur, then Ori, Dori fell as he tried to reach his brother, Nori was far afield when his body became riddled with Orc arrows. Balin was cleaved by a great sword of a troll, and Bombur was struck through the heart by a spear. Gloin took a mace to the side of the head and Bifur was taken out by a pair of wargs, tearing him apart. Oin was devoured by bats, his blood sucked out of his body, his flesh torn and stripped. Dwalin died trying to protect her while she stood helplessly watching as others fell, he took a sword to his chest, cleaving through his heart. A great white beast with a dark black shadow stalked after Thorin, Fíli and Kíli were at his side, trying to keep their uncle protected at all costs.

They fought valiantly, all of them did, Fíli and Kíli took down many of their enemies as they worked together to destroy the darkness that was upon them. Thorin took an arrow to the chest, just above his heart, but he still stayed standing, fighting. Then Fíli took an arrow to his shoulder, and another to his lower back. He could not raise his arm to parry the sword that sliced through his chest, cleaving his heart. Kíli screamed as though the pain were his own and went after the Orc that killed his brother, taking its head. Thorin swung his great axe at the white and black shadow, but it was ineffective, nothing could kill it. Another arrow struck his body, in the thigh, and then another in his back. Still he fought and Kíli tried to protect him with his own body as three more arrows struck him in the chest. Rylee watched as he lay on the ground convulsing and coughing up blood. Thorin cried as the shadow figure came at him, lashing out with a broadsword, his head rolled from his body. The head, Thorin's head looked up at her, "You must save us Rylee, help us, save us," and Rylee started to scream.

It was Thorin's watch, he and Dwalin watching the camp as the company slept. Dwalin was never a man of many words but when he did speak, he always spoke his mind. He kept looking at the fire, and then back at Rylee where she slept fitfully beside Mikhaul. Finally the bald dwarf spoke, "Borne of fire and magic, made to fight dragons, and on a quest to change fates. I never thought I would say this about a female, Thorin, but that lass right there scares me something fierce. Not because she could do us harm, mind you, but because I have never met a dwarrowdam so ready to die."

Thorin hummed in agreement, "Aye, but how do we protect her without insulting her honor?"

"You got me," Dwalin said shaking his head, he moved away to do a sweep of the surrounding area.

Thorin looked over at Rylee and thought of the events of the evening before. Hearing what she told Kíli as they returned to camp, "Regardless, you will respect me as I respect you. If you want something of me, ask for it, or not. But do not dare treat me with disrespect that I do not deserve!" An elf would have offered an insult, men would draw weapons. Rylee used words that requested Kíli's respect, commanded his respect. He could see the grace of Nienna within her. Kíli must have said something pretty insulting to get a response like that. Thorin wondered what he said that hurt her so badly.

She began to thrash within her bedroll, her hands struck out at an invisible foe and she let out a silent scream as she sat upright, her eyes wide with horror and fear. He rushed to her side, knelt beside her, stopping her hands, taking them in his own. She flinched back, but he held fast. "It's okay, it was just a dream, Lukhdel, just a nightmare."

"The dreams are worse, I thought the fire would make it better, it was not strong enough, it was not pure enough," She whispered huskily. She gripped his hands in her own and looked up at Thorin as her mind moved away from her nightmares and on to what was really bothering her, "Why would he say those things Thorin? They were horrible and made me feel like I was less than dirt. Words have never cut so deep before."

He met her sad eyes and quietly he said, "Kíli spoke out of turn, he has never met anyone like you. It is hard to fathom a dwarrowdam with the ability to wield blood magic. When I found out about your ability I was terrified, terrified of you, and for you. I knew then that your path would be difficult."

"Ugshar, I wield a magic so different that I am feared because of it. How can expect Kíli to accept it if even you cannot?" Rylee choked back the tears, unwilling to betray any emotion when she spoke. She thought again of the darkness following her, the strange yet familiar dance of it, the beasts hunting her. The patterns made her uneasy. "He asked me if I am dark like Sauron. Compared me to the Deceiver."

"He did what?" Thorin's head snapped up meeting her eyes. Kíli certainly didn't admit to that, no wonder he seemed to look absolutely guilty all evening.

"The thing is, I fight the dark every day," Rylee admitted softly, "I worry that I wall fall like him. What if I fall into darkness and betray my father like Sauron did?"

"You won't," Thorin squeezed her fingers tightly, "My nephew is a bonehead, hardheaded and stubborn at times too. He doesn't know you, he doesn't know your spirit or your determination. With Nienna's Grace and Eru's strength, you are stronger than Sauron ever was. You would never let yourself fall."

Still, her voice came out thick and rough with the effort, she whispered lowly, just for his ears, "Did you know I was created to appeal to every race? Since coming to Middle-Earth, I have found that the opposite is true. Do you know what it is like to be shunned by everyone because you are different? I know that I will never have a place in the world that I was created for. I just do not belong here."

"Your place is here, with us. You are part of our company." Thorin said quietly, he sat beside her, holding her hands in his. He looked her in the eyes, "Your place is with me."

"Are you certain of that Ugshar? I seem to be doing more harm to your Company than good," Rylee said in frustration. She looked at Kíli, who hated her now because of her magic. Dori, who was already superstitious, looked at her with fear in his eyes. Gloin as always with suspicion. She thought about their conversation when she woke in the middle of their watch, they seemed oddly caring and she wondered why.

"I am certain," Thorin spoke softly, following the path of her eyes, "They do not fully understand yet who and what you are, but they will. Just give them time to adjust. Will you join us on our quest? The way I see it, we can offer you guidance, protection and camaraderie on our way to Erebor. While you can offer us your protection, assistance and advice in other matters as you fulfill your quest."

"I am a blooded warrior in my own right. I do not require protection. I will accept guidance and camaraderie," Rylee said with a small smirk, "but I expect to be allowed into watch rotation, and I will do my share. Also, I will continue to hunt, you cannot sway me against this. Consider it part of the protection I am offering you."

"Consider it done," Thorin agreed. He realized that somehow his wily pupil went and turned this discussion into a negotiation. "But no more wandering off, I want to know where you are going, and you report what you find. If there are dangers out there, I want to know what they are."

"You want to know when I am going hunting or when I need a bath?" Rylee's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Is that really necessary?"

"When you go hunting, absolutely, I do not like your version of hunting, and I would rather be aware of it when you go. Stop just sneaking away, it is disruptive and makes me look like a fool in front of my men. As for the other, just oblige me, so we do not worry so much," Thorin said seriously, he felt he was handling this situation much better than he thought he would. Then he thought of the group discussion earlier while she was away. "Keep in mind you have a bunch of mother hens surrounding you. Dwarves are very protective of their females and you, Lukhdel, are no exception to that rule."

"I remember Durin saying much the same once," Rylee said chagrined. She huffed and rolled her eyes, "I had to help him kill a dragon for him to listen to me."

Thorin looked at her oddly, and Rylee quirked her brow in askance. He shook his head, waving it away. "So, will you accept my invitation, and become an official member of our Company?"

A smile swept across her face, "I would be honored to be part of your company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"Good, Bombur saved you some food. It is by the fire, I can warm it for you. There is also water for your tea." Thorin said, rising to his feet. He offered his hand, and upon taking it he hauled her to her feet. "Bombur says that you have been eating last. Is there a reason for this?"

"Males require larger rations than I do, even though Bombur does seem to be trying to fatten me up," Rylee shrugged. Then she sighed and made a small confession, "It's also best that I do not go too close to the cooking fire."

They made their way to the low burning fire. He put her food closer to the flames to warm it for a few minutes. The moment she sat down, the flames brightened, quickened and flared. It didn't take long for her food to be warm and he handed her the dish as well as the boiling water for her tea. "Why did you defy me last night Rylee? Why the open display of magic?"

"Darkness is following me and there is a release when I use my magic," Rylee explained softly as she looked up at him, "It offers me clarity and helps me – purify?" She paused for a moment wondering if that was the best description of what she got out of using her magic, "Hmm, Yes. Purify - my spirit. Only last night it was not enough to push the darkness back."

"It sounds like your magic is more complicated than what Mahal told me," Thorin whispered as he watched her carefully.

"It is. Much more complicated," She said, but she did not elaborate. Instead, she ate her food and drank quickly. There were still a couple of hours left of the last watch, the shift must have just recently changed. "Go back to bed Thorin, I will sleep no more this night, and you look like you can use more rest."

"No Rylee, this is my watch," Thorin shook his head at her adamantly.

"Do we really need to argue again, Ugshar? You will not win an argument against me, go back to bed," Rylee said pointing to his bedroll that was still laid out on a soft patch of grass. He was reluctant, but he went, and Rylee finished up his watch.

"Do you want me to talk to Kíli, Rylee?" Thorin asked as he closed his eyes.

Rylee shot Kíli's sleeping form a dark look, "No, I will deal with him, he owes me an apology."