Welcome to the first chapter of Desolation of Smaug. I will leave it at that and apologize for uploading late and leaving it on such a cliff hanger.

In this chapter is more of the actual Hobbit lines so that all belongs to J.R.R Tolkin not me.

Enjoy!

Thorin was frozen in place as he took in the scene of Dwalin sobbing and rocking Adaira in his arms before he ran towards them, Fili and Kili at his heels. He skidded as he ran, falling onto his knees beside Dwalin. Adaira was covered in bright red blood along with the dark, tarish blood of the Orcs. She was bruised, black and purple, her lip was slip, her forehead had a deep gash and on her face three angry gashes started above her right eyebrow and trailed down to her chin. Already dark bruises formed a handprint on her throat and her face. Her shorn head made Thorin feel sick and when Thorin looked around, he spotted his oaken shield and Orcrist lying near Dwalin and Adaira.

"What happened?" Thorin asked, the details fuzzy to him, he remembered when Adaira's hair was cut off by Azog, but not the rest of what happened afterwards, having been knocked almost senseless. Dwalin said nothing, his sole attention on his One as he cradled her and hummed an old Dwarven lullaby. Gandalf hurried towards the pair a grave look on his face.

"Make way!" Gandalf shouted, the dwarves crowding around Adaria tightly, several with tears in their eyes, and they jumped aside for the wizard, letting him through looking startled.

"She's not moving," Dwalin told the wizard in barely a whisper, his voice sounding broken and Gandalf knelt beside Dwalin after forcing Thorin, Fili, and Kili to move back.

"Lay her out straight," Gandalf ordered Dwalin who gently laid Adaira out on the rocks before him. Gandalf checked at her wrist and then her neck with two fingers before sighing in relief. "She's alive," He informed them, and sighs of relief sounded from the others, but Gandalf frowned deeply as he continued to inspect Adaria "But her injuries are great," He warned them, placing a hand on Adaira's forehead and reciting a spell under his breath. They all waited with bated breath for something to happen and after a long moment Adaira took a deep breath and moaned, turning her head towards Dwalin, who took her hand into his own.

"Thorin," Adaria mumbled out, her voice cracking slight over the word and Thorin knelt down at her feet and placed a hand on her leg.

"I'm here Mizimith," Thorin assured Adaira with a gentle voice and Adaira finally opened her eyes, looking up at Dwalin who was in her line of vision. Dwalin sent a prayer to Mahal, thanking him for sparing his One. He knew that he couldn't live without her.

"Dwalin," Adaira said before she smiled slightly, wincing when the cut in her lip split.

"I'm here sanâzyung," Dwalin assured Adaira and she looked down towards her feet and saw Fili, Kili, and Bilbo who were knelt there, the rest of the Company standing behind them.

"Good, we did it," Adaira said, raising one hand a little and punching the air before lowering it. She frowned then as she realized that everyone looked teary eyed and concerned as they stared down at her as if something was wrong. "Why does everyone look upset?" She asked in confusion. "We all made it, right?" She asked before she started to try and sit up, crying out in pain as she did so, one hand going to clutch at her side.

"Just lay down," Dwalin told her, gently pushing her back down. "We all made it," He assured her so she wouldn't try to sit up again. She frowned even more deeply and reached for him with her other hand.

"Then why are you crying?" Adaira asked Dwalin and he cleared his throat which felt tight.

"They're nothing," Dwalin told her before placing his other hand on her shoulder. "You just…," Dwalin said, not sure if he should tell her and he looked to Thorin for help.

"You were injured rather badly mizimith," Thorin stepped in and Adaira turned her gaze back to her uncle. "Just lay still until Oin can take a look at you," Thorin told her and she nodded the older dwarf stepping forward.

"Give the lass some room," Oin ordered and the others listened without protest. Fili and Kili left to join the others and Bilbo patted Adaira on the knee once and shot her a look of sympathy for what was to come before rising to give her a moment. Dwalin began to move as well, but Adaira kept a tight grip on his hand, keeping him in place.

"Will you…I mean…could you stay with me?" Adaira asked Dwalin shyly, biting her lip and while Dwalin would like nothing better, he wasn't sure if it was exactly proper. He looked to Thorin again for answer and Thorin nodded his approval, so he turned to his lass.

"Aye, I'll stay as long as yah want," He assured her, and she smiled once more, fresh blood welling up in the split of her lip due to the action. Oin lifted her torn shirt to take a look at her midsection which was already bruised a myriad of colors from purple to black. Once he was certain that nothing was broken, he had Dwalin and Thorin help sit her up. Adaira panted and used some very colorful curses that would make Dori blush if he was in ear shot and Thorin raised his eyebrow to his hairline upon hearing her.

"I'd ask who taught you words like that, but due to the situation…," Thorin commented and Adaira snorted, rolling her eyes before closing them and trying to just focus on breathing. Seeing that Adaira was in good hands, Thorin wandered away from her and sought out Balin.

"What happened?" Thorin asked, approaching his advisor and the wizard, both men frowning deeply.

"She fought him, Azog. First with only her bare hands and then with her father's dagger. She must have hidden it. She stabbed him twice in the back," Balin began to explain and Thorin's mouth fell open in shock.

"What in Mahal's name was she thinking?" Thorin asked as he looked down at his feet, not knowing what could have possessed her to try and take on Azog alone.

"She saved your life, Thorin. I've only seen what she did one other time. She wielded nothing but an oaken branch as a shield and your sword and fought to protect you," Balin told Thorin who frowned, before looking to his shield and sword which he had reclaimed from near Adaira and Dwalin. It had not been Dwalin then who had recovered them for him.

"How did she manage?" Thorin asked himself more than the others as he weighed his sword in his hand. He had seen Adaira try to lift it before and she hadn't been able to. Gandalf hummed upon hearing his words, a curious look in his eye.

"How indeed?" Gandalf said before stroking his beard and the trio looked to Adaira who was turning this way and that for Oin to inspect, sitting on Dwalin's lap. "Magic can only heal so much. She'll need a place to rest until she has finished healing," Gandalf told Thorin who nodded in agreement as he turned back to the wizard.

"We also need supplies. We lost everything in those tunnels," Thorin said, wiping a hand down his face with a sigh. This had gone from bad to worse.

"Not everything," Gandalf said before he wandered off, to where, Thorin didn't know, nor did her care. He had more on his mind then the wanderings of wizards.

Adaira's POV

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it lass. You were lucky," Oin said, and I winced as he prodded at my ribs again, wanting to bat his hands away.

"We all were," I reminded Oin and the older Dwarf nodded in agreement. Dwalin was oddly silent as the healer worked and I looked up at him with a frown and found him staring at me with a strange look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, reaching for his hand and hissing as Oin poked at the cut on my forehead. I had known Dwalin long enough know that I knew how to read his emotions. He wasn't an open book, far from it, but he carried his emotions in his shoulders. He was tense. Very tense and seeing as I was sitting in his lap, I could feel that he was trembling slightly.

Nothing. I'm fine," Dwalin grunted and I raised an eyebrow at that knowing that wasn't the case. I shook my head and turned to look at Oin.

"Could you give us a minute?" I asked the older dwarf who looked surprised by my request. "Please?" I added and he took a look between the two of us before nodding and walking a little way away. Enough within ear shot that if I needed him, he could hear me, but not so close that he would be eavesdropping. "I know you aren't fine, Dwalin. Talk to me, please. I want to help, but I can't if you won't be honest with me," I said as I carefully turned to look at him and Dwalin sighed, closing his eyes and leaning down so that his forehead was pressed into my shoulder.

"This is my fault," I heard Dwalin say in a low voice and I frowned and reached up putting my hand to his head and getting him to lift it. He looked at me then, his eyes filled with tears. "I abandoned yah. I never should have left yah. If I hadn't…," He said before he cut himself off, his voice sounding choked. He brushed roughly at his face with the palm of one hand before looking away from me and I sat in shock. Is that really what he thought? That this was his fault?

"Dwalin," I said, but received no answer, my One not even looking at me. "Sanâzyung," I said, my voice firmer and Dwalin turned to me then, surprise in his eyes as I used a term of endearment reserved only for Ones. "You did not abandon me," I began and when he began to retort I spoke quickly. "Please, let me talk," I told him my voice still firm, but not harsh, and he nodded his consent unhappily.

"You did not abandon me," I said again as I held his hand in mine and rubbed circles over his scratched knuckles. "You have no fault for what happened to me. Neither of us knew that we would be at the mercy of goblins. There was no way you could have found me once we got separated. You had an entire mountain's worth of goblins coming after you. I'm not angry with you, but I would have been angry with you if you tried to fight them all just to get to me. We're alive, both of us, and that is all that matters to me," I told Dwalin, reaching up and placing a hand on his cheek. He leaned into my touch, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.

"I knew what was about to happen," I added and Dwalin's eyes flashed open his mouth hardening into a thin line. "Not exactly what was going to happen," I amended and Dwalin reached up and took my hand away from his face, holding it firmly in his own.

"How?" Dwalin asked me hoarsely and I sighed before answering him.

"In Rivendell, the woman who wanted to see me, she asked me to look in the water. I saw goblins and the huge cavern, but I didn't know where it was or what I was seeing. I know now what I saw. Things that will happen or even might happen on our quest, if something does not change, if I don't make a change," I explained to Dwalin and he stopped me as my mind reeled at the image of Thorin's and Fili and Kili's deaths once more.

"Whatever you saw, it isn't up to yah to try and change what yah saw," Dwalin told me and I shook my head at that vigorously, looking at Dwalin with a pleading look.

"It is up to me though, or up to us. I'd like to think you'd be by my side so I don't have to do this alone," I told Dwalin and he put a hand on my hip, his legs spreading out around either side of me so that I was situated between his legs.

"Yah'll always have me," Dwalin told me firmly and I pulled my hand from his, only to wrap both arms around his neck, playing with his hair.

"Kiss me," I told Dwalin as I moved my mouth to his ear, still feeling disgusted by the lingering feeling of Azog's hands on my body and his tongue on my face.

"I can't. You're injured and Thorin…," Dwalin began and I shook my head as I reached for one of his hands and placed it back on my hip.

"I don't care," I said shaking my head as I rubbed circles on his back. "I don't care. Please, I just need to feel something. I can still feel his hands on me," I whispered to Dwalin and he pulled back to look at me, his expression murderous.

"Did he…," He began to say, growling the words and I shook my head quickly.

"No, he only ripped off a bit of my shirt to wipe my spit off his face," I told Dwalin and he looked at me with wide eyes before chuckling slightly. "Please," I told Dwalin, desperate to just feel his comforting hands on me once more, the two of us having barely even time to spend together until now and he groaned before giving in, leaning down and kissing me deeply as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Dwalin ran his tongue over the seam of my lips and I sighed into the kiss, opening my mouth to him. We didn't battle for dominance, but rather set a slow and easy pace. Dwalin brushed his knuckles along my spine and I groaned, the sensation leaving fire in its wake. I brought a hand up to Dwalin's face and scratched his beard and a sound rumbled in the back of his throat before he pulled away from me.

"I canna control myself much longer amrâlimê," He told me as he panted slightly."I;ve been away from yah for too long."

"Neither can I," I admitted in a very quiet voice and Dwalin groaned before he pulled me close, hugging me gently as I wrapped my arms around him.

"There will be time for that yet," Dwalin told me and I was not surprised when I felt something poking me on my belly when he leaned in close before he pulled away from me once more. He winked at me before maneuvering himself from around me and getting to his feet, leaving me sitting on the rock.

When I looked towards the others, blushing a little, I noticed that they were all pointedly turned away from us and were actually talking quiet loudly amongst one another. I blushed a deeper shade of red and Dwalin barked out a laugh at seeing my tomato red face. Kili looked over his shoulder then and waggled his eyebrows at me and I groaned as I put my face in my hands. I went to run a hand through my hair and my hand stilled as the only thing I felt were uneven tuffs of hair.

"Oh," I said in a quiet voice and Dwalin knelt down next to me once more, a worried look on his face.

"Amrâlimê?" Dwalin said in a quiet voice and I turned to him as tears welled up in my eyes.

"I'm hideous," I said, my voice breaking as tears ran down my cheeks.

"Never," Dwalin told me in a firm voice as he put a hand to the side of my face, careful of the gashes. "Yah could never be anything but beautiful in my eyes," Dwalin told me and I shook my head and looked away from him, the hot tears stinging as they rolled over the gashes on my face. "What yah did takes a lot of courage. Not many would choose to face such odds," Dwalin said next as I sniffled.

"How can you love me when I look like this?" I asked Dwalin turning to him and looking up at him once more feeling very confused. He looked at me like he always looked at me, like I was the most important thing in his life.

"Because I love more than the way you look, kurdel. I love yah for yer spirit, yer soul. I'm not much to look at myself. Yer my One. No matter what I will love yah," Dwalin told me and I broke into sobs and hugged him tightly as I pressed my face into the crook of his neck. "It's alright, amrâlimê," Dwalin told me as he rocked me back and forth. "I love yah and that is never gonna change," Dwalin told me as I sniffled. We spent several long moments in each other's arms, taking strength from each other before I pulled back and wiped at my eyes carefully, Dwalin brushing some tears away with his thumb.

"I know it is silly. Hair grows back and I know how you all view scars, but I feel like I've lost a part of myself," I mumbled and Dwalin shook his head as he took my hands into his own larger ones and squeezed them gently.

"It's not silly if it upsets yah, lass. None of us will see yah any differently," Dwalin told me and I nodded before sighing. "Now, can yah have Oin take another look at yah?" Dwalin told me and I nodded once more. As if waiting for his cue, Oin stood up and walked back over to us.

"Ready lass?" Oin asked me and I nodded once more. We hardly had anything in the way of supplies, so we had to make do with what we had. Gandalf supplied some bandages and several healing salves that had been given before he left Rivendell.

I had a strange feeling that Lady Galadriel was the one who had ensured he would have them. She knew what I had seen in the water. My ribs were wrapped tightly and Oin declared them bruised and not broken but with a possible crack. It was still better news than I feared. He set a broken finger which I hadn't even noticed I had broken before he took out a needled and some thread which Dori had provided from what was left of his sewing kit.

"These need to be stitched up," Oin told me with a frown as he inspected the long scratches on my face. "Yer lucky he didn't get yer eye," He added before taking the small flask which Nori had handed over and poured the alcoholic liquid first over the needle before turning to me. "Take a few swigs lass, yah'll need it," Oin told me and he handed me the flask. I drank several mouthfuls, grimacing at the harsh burn of the liquid as I gulped it down before handing the almost empty flask to Oin. Dwalin grabbed me around the waist and then held my hands together with one of his own and before I could protest, Oin splashed the liquid over my cuts. I cried out in pain before swearing.

"Fusak," I swore, and heads turned around to look at me.

"Language," Dori told me, looking properly scandalized. "It's unbecoming for a lady to say such things," He added, and I glared at him.

"I think it is justified right now," I grumbled before looking up at Oin.

"I did warn yah lass," Oin told me before looking to Dwalin. "Make sure she doesn't move too much," He told him before he pinched the torn flesh together and pushed the needle through.

I swore some more but gritted my teeth, trying to remain still so that he could work. It was a long fifteen minutes as he stitched my skin back together and when he was done, he patted my arm before applying a salve to them. He had also stitched the gash on my head and the torn bit of my lip just to be on the safe side and when it was over, Dwalin picked me up before sitting in my spot and pulling me onto his lap.

Ori approached us, offering a spare tunic which he hadn't lost and Dwalin turned away as I took off my old tunic and put on the new one which was only slightly loose on me. Gloin provided a cloak for me and I could almost believe that all of that had not just happened. Almost. Dwalin and I enjoyed some time together as the pain ebbed away, the salve numbing my face and I began to doze off in his arms. I was roused before long as Dwalin stood, carrying me over to the others before sitting down once more and repositioning me. I looked around at the others and saw them all staring at me, some with pitying looks and others almost impressed.

"What you did...there are no words I can say to express how proud of you I am or how grateful I am," Thorin began to say as I met his gaze and I frowned as he spoke.

"Thorin...adad," I began and Thorin looked at me with wide eyes as I called him father. "We are family. All of us whether related by blood or not," I said before looking at the others. "I would give my life for any of you," I told them before turning back to Thorin. "I don't need your thanks. I would do it over if I had to," I told him firmly and he nodded, smiling before he leaned down as he was sitting next to Dwalin and I, and carefully bumped his forehead to mine.

"Men lananubukhs menu, mizimith," Thorin told me quietly and I smiled before bumping my forehead to his.

"Men lananubukhs menu, adad," I said back and Thorin smiled at me before sitting back upright though I saw him wince with the motion. "What do we do now?" I asked him and the others.

"We were just considering our options," Thorin told me, filling Dwalin and I in. "The sun will drive the goblins back to their caves, but Azog still lives. He will be hunting us down once he regroups himself," Thorin said and I looked around to Gandalf.

"Do you know this place Gandalf?" I asked the wizard who was smoking his pipe as he sat one a rock a little ways away from us. I saw that we were on top of a large, flat rock and that there were little well-worn steps that wound in a path off of it.

"I do, but the first challenge is to get down from here," Gandalf said before rising to his feet. "I suggest that now we are all a little rested, we move on from here. Indeed, the orcs will be upon us by night fall," Gandalf said and Thorin seemed to agree with the wizard as he told us to move out. The rocks which were like steps were very steep and as we approached them Thorin rubbed at his beard before making a decision.

"Dwalin, you'll pass Adaira down to whomever is on the next step. I don't like the idea of her trying to get down on her own," Thorin ordered and I tried to protest as everyone agreed with him.

"There's nothing wrong with needing help sometimes," Dwalin told me and I frowned before begrudgingly nodding. As we stood to leave, I caught my first sight of Erebor, only a small sight on the horizon. I smiled as I looked upon our lost home for the first time. Even if our run in with the goblins had cost us much, we had managed to cross through the Misty Mountains already. We were that much closer to home.

Getting down was harder than we thought it was going to be. One dwarf had to carefully lower a second down to the next step and repeat the process several times before I was lowered down gently and carefully before being righted once more. It took us several hours just to get down the twenty-three steps, which I counted. Bilbo had the most difficult time of us all, but once we were off the rocky ledge, there was a ford with huge flat stones which led to the grassy lands beyond the stream. We also found a little cave which was checked several times, but the pebbly floor revealed nothing but it being a normal cave.

Those who still had water skins filled them and as I searched for what I had on me, my hands closed around two things, one in either pocket. One object was my flint and tinder box which I had used in the caves and the other were my three braids which were coming apart, the beads still at the end.

"Dwalin!" I said and he quickly hurried over to me looking worried.

"What's wrong?" He asked me in concern, and I showed him my braids excitedly.

"I didn't lose your bead," I told him with a beaming smile and Dwalin smiled slightly back. "Could you help me put them on my chain?" I asked him, gesturing to the simple silver chain around my neck and he nodded, helping me to slide the beads off my fraying braids and slid the beads on the chain before securing it around my neck once more.

"There is one missing," Dwalin told me as he was securing the chain around my neck.

"Azog pulled my bead with the symbol of Durin's line off of my braid when he noticed it. He probably still has it. I'm just happy that I didn't lose my courting bead," I told Dwalin as I turned around and slid my arms around his neck, wincing only slightly. I gave him a quick peck on the lips before letting him go and stepping away from him.

We all rested in the cool little cave, drinking our fill of water as Bilbo went to forage the nearby area for edible plants and Fili and Kili went for a hunt. The others went down to the stream to bathe and Dwalin remained by my side until I convinced him that I could sit quietly for a few minutes by myself. He left me with a dagger and went to join the others and I enjoyed the fresh air, sitting in the sunlight at the mouth of the little cave we had found.

The others returned in wet clothes, Dwalin with his shirt off and I inquired about a bath myself wanting to wash off the Orc blood and other acquired filth from the Goblin Tunnels. Thorin at first refused until Oin assured him I was perfectly capable of bathing myself and he finally relented, leading me to the steam, standing watch so I could bathe in peace and safety and possibly to also ward of Dwalin who he was keeping a very close eye on.

The first thing I did was shrug off my borrowed clothes. I grimaced as I saw the patches of bruises on my sides. I knew it wouldn't look pretty as it didn't feel nice either. I lowered myself carefully into the shallow water, the pebbles that lined the bottom of the stream somewhat slippery. The icy water felt nice on my ribs and I sighed in relief, sinking lower into the stream. I scrubbed at my face carefully, the water turning dirty around me as layers of dirt and blood were washed off. I wished I still had the soap that was in my pack and then I remembered that my courting gift for Dwalin had been destroyed. Tears welled up in my eyes once more and I furiously brushed them away, knowing that we all were just lucky to be alive.

I washed what was left of my hair and allowed myself to soak in the stream for several more minutes before I got out. I was a bit sad at having to get out, but once I did, I dressed quickly. Just my luck the Orcs would find me while I had my pants down. Thorin led me back to the others and we laid out in the sun, Bilbo and the boys returning with several rabbits and some edible berries. Gloin made a small fire for us which was less noticeable during the daytime and we roasted the rabbits. It was nice to get warm and clean once more and after dividing the food, we had something substantial in our stomachs to keep us going.

We tarried near the spring for another hour as we inspected what was left of our supplies. Everything I had was gone except for my bow and quiver, Bilbo's pack was gone as well having been pulled off by the goblins before he managed to escape them, and we only had what gold that was well hidden left. It certainly wouldn't be enough to replace everything we had lost including our food supplies. With winter coming we were not in a good position.

"We should turn back and rethink this. Perhaps it is better that we give up on this venture. It was destined to fail from the start," Thorin said to the protests of the Company.

"Adad, we've come this far already. We're halfway to Erebor. I'm sure that I am not the only one who wishes to continue," I said, and I was met with agreement from the entire Company. "We can still do this," I told Thorin firmly and he looked thoughtful before he sighed heavily.

"Then we continue, and hope Mahal will aid us," Thorin finally relented to a cheer from the others. I placed a hand over Thorin's and squeezed it.

"We can do this adad. We're nearly there. Don't lose hope," I told him and Thorin nodded before capturing my hand and squeezing it back before he let it go.

"I always meant to see you all safe, if possible, over the mountains," Gandalf said then and we all turned to look at the wizard who looked lost in thought. "and now by good management and good luck I have done it. Indeed, we are now a good deal further east than I ever meant to come with you, for after all this is not my adventure. I may look in on it again before it is all over, but in the meanwhile I have some other pressing business to attend to," Gandalf informed us and the others groaned and looked distressed while Bilbo wept slightly, though he tried to hide it, at the news. Even I had begun to think that Gandalf was going to come with us all the way to the mountain and would help us out if we got into any more trouble, but by now I had learned that wizards were fickle.

"I am not going to disappear this very instant," Gandalf assured us quickly. "I can give you a day or two more. Probably I can help you out of your present plight, and I need a little help myself. We have no food, and no baggage, and no ponies to ride; and you don't know where you are," Gandalf said, and I was thankful that he wasn't going to leave us in this mess.

"Now I can tell you that at the very least. You are still some miles north of the path which we should have been following, if we had not left the mountain pass in a hurry. Very few people live in these parts, unless they have come here since I was last down this way, which is some years ago. But there is somebody that I know of, who lives

not far away," Gandalf told us before gesturing with his pipe back towards the rock we had just climbed down from.

"That Somebody made the steps on the great rock — the Carrock I believe he calls it. He does not come here often, certainly not in the daytime, and it is no good waiting for him. In fact, it would be very dangerous," Gandalf explained to us and I hummed, frowning at his words which were maddeningly unhelpful. "We must go and find him; and if all goes well at our meeting, I think I shall be off and wish you luck," Gandalf told us with a note of finality and several of the dwarves tried to beg him to stay, but he only said, "We shall see. We shall see."

As the sun began to lower over the horizon we had already packed up and traveled across the ford, Bilbo being carried as Hobbits couldn't swim and had made it to the other side. Gandalf was leading us now, knowing his way around these parts as he said. I was glad that we were not as off course as I had originally expected, but we still had a ways to travel if we were to use the Old Forest Road to cut through Mirkwood.

I stayed towards the front of the group, knowing that they were all walking at a slower pace for me and hoping that this might encourage them to walk faster. My ribs gave me the most trouble as I walked, but Dwalin held my hand the entire time, letting me squeeze it when necessary. He watched my every step and I knew he would carry me if I just said the word, but I was determined to walk on my own two feet even if I was tired beyond belief, having barely slept in over a day now.

"And why is it called the Carrock?" Bilbo asked, keeping close to Gandalf's side as he trotted along next to him slightly ahead of me. I listened in, interested about this "Somebody" that Gandalf had mentioned.

"He called it the Carrock, because carrock is his word for it. He calls things like that carrocks, and this one is the Carrock because it is the only one near his home and he knows it well," Gandalf answered Bilbo's question and I hummed thoughtfully.

"Who calls it? Who knows it?" Bilbo asked and Gandalf looked down at the Hobbit almost exasperatedly before looking straight ahead once more.

"The Somebody I spoke of — a very great person. You must all be very polite when I introduce you. I shall introduce you slowly, two by two, I think; and you must be careful not to annoy him, or heaven knows what will happen. He can be appalling when he is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured. Still I warn you he gets angry easily," Gandalf said, directing his words to all of us as the sun sank over the horizon.

Night fell and as it did, we began to hear howls in the distance. We quickened our pace and pushed ahead, trying to outrun Azog. Thorin ordered Bilbo to scout ahead as he had proven to be the quietest of us all. I waited with bated breath for him to return, Dwalin rubbing circles on my lower back with one hand and gently rubbing my arm with the other. I heard a snarl from somewhere in Bilbo's direction and several moments later, Bilbo made his way down the rocks to where we were waiting for him.

"How close is the pack?" Dwalin demanded as soon as Bilbo returned, the Hobbit still trying to catch his breath.

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it," Bilbo said hurriedly in a hushed voice and I frowned deeply, wondering what could be worse than Azog hunting us.

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked yet and Bilbo shook his head, bent over double with his hands braced on his knees.

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem," Bilbo said and before I could speak, Gandalf did.

"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf said and Bilbo shook his head once more.

"No, that's not it," Bilbo told him, and Gandalf smiled and turned to us.

"What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material," Gandalf said, the others chuckling loudly in appreciation of Bilbo's skills. I gestured for them to keep it down while Bilbo just looked exasperated that no one seemed to be listening to him.

"Bilbo, what is it? What did you see?" I asked the Hobbit softly just as he said, "Will you listen- Will you just listen?" Bilbo smiled sheepishly at me and I gestured for him to continue.

"Thank you, Adaira. I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there," Bilbo told us, and the dwarves looked worried as they paid attention to him now and Dwalin pulled me closer to him.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked and I frowned at how he knew exactly what Bilbo had seen.

"Ye..." Bilbo began to say before he paused and looked curiously at Gandalf. "Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger.," Bilbo told him and Bofur turned to Gandalf, looking confused.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked the wizard and Gandalf turned and walked a few steps away from us. "I say we double back," Bofur told us and I shook my head. That was a horrible plan.

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs," Thorin pointed out and Bofur opened his mouth before closing it and shaking his head slightly.

"There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge," Gandalf told us, and I raised an eyebrow at the wizard.

"This Somebody you spoke of earlier?" I asked him and Gandalf nodded in confirmation.

"Whose house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin demanded of the wizard who looked almost thoughtful for a moment before he answered Thorin.

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us," Gandalf finally admitted, and we looked at each other in dismay.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked and a roar suddenly split through the night right behind us. I looked back and saw the monstrous bear Bilbo had spoken off which had no doubt picked up our scent.

"None," Gandalf told us before we ran for it. At first, I was able to keep up with Dwalin, but when my pace slowed, he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey!" I shouted as I bounced up and down on his shoulder, but Dwalin just ran. We crossed over plains and streams, the bear still at our heels and even though my vision bobbed up and down I could make out the bear as it crashed through the underbrush behind us. I was shocked and amazed that Dwalin managed to carry me for so long and I had to admit, it was just a bit sexy. "Uh, guys…" I said as I managed to make out what the huge bobbing blob was behind me. "It's gaining on us!" I shouted to the dwarves before the air was knocked out of me as Dwalin put on another burst of speed.

"Come on!" Gandalf shouted to us and as we raced through the forest.

I noticed something to the right of me then and I caught sight of Azog and his Orc pack who were racing towards us from the other side. Azog seemed to urge his party on and while I thought we had lost the bear amongst the trees; I was woefully mistaken as another loud roar came from behind us. Both the Orcs and our Company stopped for a moment before we ran for our lives once more.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf shouted and Dwalin, like the others, began to panic. Bombur only looked on in shock as he was pulled along by Bofur.

"Bombur, come on!" Bofur shouted to his brother and as we began to exit the forest, all I could see behind me was the trees crashing behind us under the weight of the gigantic bear.

"To the house! Run!" Gandalf shouted and I breathed a sigh of relief at hearing we were almost there, though I doubted a house would protect us from a bear of that size. It was like a bulldozer. I turned my head to the side and my mouth fell open in shock as I saw Bombur run past me and seemingly outrunning the others in his fear. I looked around noticing that Dwalin had just run through a gate in the hedges.

"Come on, get inside!" Gandalf ordered and Dwalin stopped short, knocking the breath out of me again. I looked around, trying to see around Dwalin's shoulder and I saw that we had come to the front door of the house which was closed.

Bombur, who had reached the door first, threw himself against the door but he fell flat on his back when the door didn't budge. The rest of us caught up to him and the other began to throw themselves against the door, trying to open it. Gandalf looked back and I did too as the massive bear broke out from the edge of the forest and ran towards us.

"Open the door!" Gandalf shouted, Thorin adding, "Quickly!" as he noticed the bear coming straight at us too. He pushed through the dwarves who were pressed against the door and managed to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors.

We bolted into the house and Dwalin promptly dumped me on the floor, which he did to gently, before he turned back, helping to try and slam the door shut, but the bear had already gotten its head into the door. The bear roared and tried to push the door open and the dwarves yelled and strained to close it. Bilbo pulled out his sword and pointed it unsteadily at the bear and I noticed that Gandalf was watching in apparent amusement.

I got to my feet and managed to slip my way past some of the others before I pulled back my arm and punched the bear on the snout. It seemed surprised and pulled back its head, shaking it and seeing a chance, Dwalin shouted, "Come on, lads!", and with a final heave, they managed to close the door and drop the bolt across it. They sighed in shock, fear, and relief before they all looked over at me.

"Did you just punch a massive bear in the face?" Kili asked me and I shrugged. "That's so...awesome!" Kili fangirled and I rolled my eyes at him.

"What is that?" Ori asked Gandalf, fear in his tone, referring to the gigantic freaking bear.

"That...is our host," Gandalf answered him and now I understood his amusement at the situation as we were kicking the bear out of its own home. The others and Bilbo stared at Gandalf in bewilderment as I just crossed my arms over my chest. "His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer," Gandalf informed us and Oin checked his hearing trumpet to make sure he had heard Gandalf correctly. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves," Gandalf admitted, and I snorted.

"Of course, he is not. This day just gets better and better," I said while the others looked at each other in dismay and Dwalin strode over to me, placing an arm firmly around my hip as he pulled me closer to him.

"He's leaving!" Ori told us, peeking through a crack in the door and Dori pulled him away from the door.

"Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell," Dori said, and I frowned at that. I had seen some strange shit since I had gotten to Middle Earth, a shape shifting bear man was at the bottom of the list.

"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own," Gandalf told Dori and I looked to the dwarf who was fussing over Ori.

"It would be unwise to insult our host," I reminded Dori and he looked slightly ashamed of himself.

"Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight," Gandalf said and Dwalin led me away to inspect the house. "I hope," I heard Gandalf say in a low voice behind me before turning around, seeing a woman sitting on a giant chair, food halfway to her lips.

"Elf," Thorin spat as he caught sight of the woman too.

"Excuse you," The woman said before taking a bite of what looked like bread. She stood then and grabbed onto a rope beside the chair and swung down on it, landing on the floor next to the chair. "I'm a Dwelf. Now, who the fuck are you?" The woman asked and I sighed. Here we go again.

Khuzdul:

Mizimith- Little Jewel

Sanâzyung- Perfect (true/pure) love (In most cases this is a term of endearment reserved only for a dwarf's One)

Amrâlimê- My love

Kurdel- Heart of all hearts

Fusak- (figure it out)

Adad- Father

Men lananubukhs menu- I love you