Lothrena had laid in the sunlight with her eyes screwed shut for as long as she could. When she heard some of the dwarves speaking with their host, she had rolled over to face Thorin. Only problem was he wasn't there. She peaked her eyes open the tiniest bit to see that only she and Bilbo were left among the hay. Sighing heavily, she rose from her blankets, pulled Thorin's furs over her, and she readied herself for a most awkward reunion. Bilbo snorted awake, managing to grab her attention, as the Bees buzzing around him had landed gracefully on his nose. At least she wouldn't be walking to the table alone...

The two exchanged a smile as they walked over to the great table surrounded by dwarves. Their host was pouring drink for the dwarves and had yet to notice her presence. Lothrena froze at the sight of him. He was bigger than she remembered, fur-like hair coated his jaw and muzzle. It grew out from his brow as well, disappearing into his mane of grey and brown. His skin was speckled with dirt and scars, and his skin crinkled beneath his eyes. Those big brown eyes. She should've known she'd never forget those eyes. How could she? He had meant so much to her...before he had betrayed her trust.

"So you are the one the call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?" The elf held back to the shadows as the great man spoke to her lover. He had no doubt seen her sleeping, and caught the scent of elf, but if she were lucky the blue locks had been hidden by black. There was a chance he had not seen her yet.

"You know of Azog? How?" The dwarf gruffed, distrust evident in his voice. The giant had yet to see Lothrena, but Thorin could not shake the feeling that had lingered once he found out this man had wanted to marry his elf.

"My people were the first to live in the mountains before the orcs came down from the North. The Defiler killed most of my family but some he had enslaved. Not for work, you understand. But for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse them." It was a story Lothrena knew well. She could remember all the stories Beorn had told her and no one else. He told her because he had trusted her. Because he had loved her.

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asked suddenly, obviously incredibly intrigued.

"Once there were many." Beorn grumbled in his low voice, obviously not wanting to elaborate any further than this. It seemed to slip past their burglar.

"And now?"

"Now, there is only one." He answered shortly, casting his great brown eyes over the company. The figure lingering in the shadows caught his eye. "I see everyone has awoken now." Lothrena's whole body froze at the knowledge that she could hide no longer. With stiff legs, she took a step into the light, the blue in her hair glistening brightly in the light. Now it was Beorn's turn to freeze. His massive body came to a screeching halt, his advancement towards Gandalf cut short. The two seemed to stare at each other for hours, though it was only a few seconds. "Lothrena..." He managed, his voice cracking in shock.

She could almost kick herself for not being able to speak. Even more for being so scared that she had let him have the first word. A childish response, really, but she didn't care. He had been childish the last they met, why wouldn't she have the same right now?

"Beorn." She acknowledged, her throat tense. The name felt foriegn on her tongue. She hadn't spoken it for years, and here she was. Standing before him now. The tension oozing off of them seemed to infect the company as everyone began to shift uncomfortably. "It's been...a long time."

"Indeed." His voice was tight, as if he was trying to refrain from letter her know that he knew exactly how long it had been. She wasn't surprised. He'd always had a good memory. She cursed that feature now.

His eyes lingered on her for a second as he moved to sit beside the wizard. Lothrena took the opportunity to move to Thorin's side. She needed his strength right now. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?"

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Thorin's hand held tightly to Lothrena's as he felt the fear seeping from her. He looked at the man that was causing her distress and wondered what a truly horrific sight it would be to see him enraged.

"You are running out of time."

"This is why we need to go through Mirkwood." The wizard explained, eyeing the skin-changer warily. He and Lothrena both knew something was wrong with it, something that would be a sensitive subject for their host, no doubt.

"A darkness lies upon that forest." He snapped, confirming their suspicions. "Bad things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the orcs of Moria and the Necromancer of Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need."

"We will take the elven road. Their path is still safe." Thorin shifted at mention of the elves, moving to pace throughout the kitchen. Lothrena stopped the whimper from escaping her throat at the loss of his warmth.

"Safe? The wood elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin." He warned, glancing quickly to Lothrena. The fiery stare he met turned his eyes back to Gandalf. "They're less wise, and more dangerous. But it matters not."

Thorin spun on his heel, eyes falling to the skin-changer. "What do you mean?"

"These lands are crawling with orcs." Beorn growled, his distaste of the creatures evident. "Their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." He rose to tower over everyone in the house. "I don't like dwarves." He seethed. "They're greedy, and blind. Blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own." He looked to Lothrena, now at Thorin's side, and the pale hand she'd placed protectively on his shoulder. She tilted her chin up in warning, and had no doubt in her mind that he had a few choice things to say to her. In this moment, he clamped down on the rage and held those things to himself. "But orcs I hate more." He growled, returning his attention to the king. "What do you need?"

"Strange choice in a mate, haba er." Lothrena's teeth ground at the sound of his voice. The dwarves were all hopping aboard the ponies provided to them, all too far to hear the conversation between the great man and the elf.

"Do not call me that." She snapped, saddling up the horse that had been provided to her. She clipped the gift Thorin had given her in Rivendell onto the horse's side and turned to face Beorn. "You have no right to call me that. I am not your one."

"I have always called you that." He chuckled. The amusement he found in her anger only ruffled her rage further. "You'd never had a problem with it before. Why the sudden change?" She narrowed her eyes.

"I had no idea your feelings for me, Beorn. I would have put an end to that infuriating nickname years ago had I known. Besides, I am betrothed. I do not think he would take kindly to hearing you call me such things."

"Yes. The dwarf." He looked over to Thorin who was mounting his pony. "It seems their greed doesn't end with the coveting of gold." Fiery honey eyes met deep brown ones as her pale features rushed red in anger.

"Nor does yours." She hissed. "I wonder, Beorn, if you fail to see your greed as well. You would do well that I am not an object to be coveted, moroko." The elven word jumped off her tongue, giving the harmless word an icy intent. It did not go unnoticed.

"Is there a problem?" Thorin asked as his pony cantered over.

"No." Beorn answered, finally tearing his eyes away from the woman he'd known so long ago. "Go now, while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind. Send the horses back when you reach the forest. I would not lose them to that place." The dwarf nodded in thanks to the large man, then turning to the elf. When their eyes met and a smile graced his face, all the anger seemed to melt away from her face. Both the men were thankful for this. Anger did nothing for her soft features, a smile being far more becoming. It stirred something in the bear. "And Thorin...take good care of her." The elf and dwarf's eyes widened in shock. "I've never seen her so happy. If you are what she wishes for, I wish you both all the happiness in the world."

The elf's eyebrows knit together, but she smiled in spite of herself. She was grateful they would not say goodbye on a sour note. "Goodbye, mellon." And with one final glance at the man she'd known for so long, they spurred their horses into a gallop and ran far from the home.

Before long, they approached the elven gate at the lip of the forest. "Here lies our path through Mirkwood." The wizard announced.

"No sign of the orcs. Perhaps we have luck on our side." Dwalin huffed while dismounting his pony. The uneasy feeling deep in Lothrena's belly told her otherwise. At Gandalf's command, they took their belongings from the ponies' backs and sent them on their way home.

"This forest feels sick." The hobbit mused as he approached the gates as well.

"That's because it is..." The elf answered quietly, feeling like a stranger in her own body. The energies projecting from this place made her dizzy. She feared for what they would find inside. Upon setting a single foot inside, the nausea from the caves set in with a vengeance.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf called as he exited the trees. This proclamation was met with a chorus of objections.

"You're not leaving us?" Lothrena squeaked as she hastily ran after him. He couldn't leave her, - them! - not here. Not now.

"I would not do this unless I had to." His frail hand squeezed her shoulder, but she found no comfort in the action. Realizing this, he turned to the Hobbit. As they spoke of the change he had undergone since leaving The Shire, Lothrena sought out her lover.

"What is it, amrâimê?" Thorin asked as she sagged in his arms.

"It's this place." She rasped as her head spun. "It's - ah! - sick, just like the halfling said...I fear I will be of no use inside. I do not want to be a nuisance." She admitted and clutched her stomach as a wave of pain seized her. Begrudgingly, she admitted "It pains me."

"Lothrena, you could never be." He cupped her face, a kind smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"Keep that map and key safe!" Gandalf warned as he approached his horse. Before mounting, he held the king with a steely glance. "Do not enter that mountain without me." He now turned his attention to the elf, a warning for all on his lips. "This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray. You must stay on the path. Do. not. leave it. If you do...you'll never find it again." And with that, the wizard set on his way and called one final warning to stay on the path over his shoulder.

Pushing through the group, Thorin lead on. "Come on, we must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's day. Let's go! This is our one chance to find the hidden door!" They all followed immediately, save for the elf and the hobbit who exchanged a worried glance before forcing their feet to move. As Lothrena's feet set upon the stone inside and pushed on, a sick feeling ran through her like liquid fire. The forest was powerful, as was the magic within it. She cast one final glance to the world behind - looking right over the hobbit's head - before setting on.

In that moment, Bilbo wondered if he should mention the way her honey eyes had washed silver before him...

Elven translations:
haba er - My One
moroko - Bear
mellon - my friend

Thank you for all the feedback, loves! xx