Noelle didn't know what to do, other than to go back to Thorin. After whispering "good bye" to Kili, she stood up and went back the way she came. Her ears perked up when she heard a horn. Bolg was already here, but that must be the second army. What was going to happen? If Azog and/or Bolg was killed, would the Orcs flee?

Noelle suddenly realized she was lost! She tried to get her bearings.

The frozen river was facing the North, where Bolg's army came from.

Noelle didn't have a compass, but she looked at the sky. The sun had risen from the east and was heading west. It must be late afternoon, because the sun was on the other side of the sky. Noelle figured that behind her must be south, so she went forward.

SCREECH!

The sound was familiar. The last time she had heard that sound, the company was hanging onto the edge of a cliff, about to be killed by Azog.

The Eagles were coming.

Noelle glanced up. Around fifteen feathery bodies were soaring towards the battlefield, but she didn't have a great view. She wished she could see what was going on, but she wasn't high enough. Pushing away her curiosity, Noelle continued, with one goal in mind.

But she came to a high point where she could see everything. Over the frozen river-plain, she saw Orc-bodies scattered, and a single figure standing on the edge of the waterfall. Thorin. He was watching the Eagles destroy the armies. They had won.

Thorin was standing incredibly still though. Something didn't quite look right. Noelle frowned. Then Thorin staggered backwards and crumpled to the ground.

Noelle gasped. She ran blindly, not thinking at all about where she was going. Her head wasn't clear.

Which way! Which way! Thorin! I have to get to-

She sat down and buried her head in her hands. A thought entered her mind that did not come from herself.

Clear your mind.

The Force. Noelle recognized it. Felt it. Let it flow through her to help her find him. She composed herself, and knew exactly which way to go.

Bilbo was already at Thorin's side. Noelle didn't care what had happened to him right now. She'd ask later. Nothing mattered. She heard part of what Thorin was saying to Bilbo. He was whispering, which meant he was struggling to speak, which meant that he had been impaled, like in her vision.

"If more people valued home above gold, this world would be a merrier place."

Home. It was a word Noelle had maybe taken for granted. You'd think that this adventure would have made her miss home, but if anything, it had made her dread returning to it.

"Thorin!"

Thorin's glassy eyes fell on her. "Noelle. I'm still here. I said I would be."

She couldn't find the heart to laugh among her tears at Thorin's joke. Noelle knelt beside him and Bilbo. "I couldn't save you. I'm sorry," she whispered, tears in her eyes.

"No, it is I who should be sorry," Thorin coughed. Noelle grabbed his hand. "Sorry for everything. You and Bern. You are young. You never should have been burdened with-" He coughed again. "My problems."

Noelle shook her head. "No, they made me what I am now. Not who I wanted to be, but who I will be from now on. I can't let anything like this happen again."

Thorin's eyes were still on her. "Sometimes, things are out of our control. All we can do is our best."

Noelle closed her eyes, which were filled with fresh tears.

"Farewell, Noelle. I hope you find what you seek."

When she opened her eyes, Thorin had stopped moving, stopped breathing.

"No, no, no!" Bilbo was crying. "Thorin! Look! The Eagles! The Eagles are here." He pointed. "Thorin!"

No response.

His eyes were glazed over. Noelle closed them. "He's gone, Bilbo," she whispered, swallowing her tears.

The two of them sat there and cried for a long time.

Noelle stood up before Bilbo did, and tried to wipe away her tears as best as she could. She had to blow her nose badly. Unfortunately neither her nor Bilbo had any pocket hankerchiefs on them.

Noelle decided to go for a walk alone for the first time in a long time. She was still in a state of shock from everything that happened today. She couldn't believe it was almost dusk. Now, by herself, she was thinking things through. The logical thing to do after this would be to go home with Bern, and never go on any more adventures again. But there was a problem- something standing in the way.

Her gift. The Force.

Gifts were meant to be used for the good of others, not locked away and hidden. Noelle had failed to use her gift wisely on this adventure. Maybe all the Laketown people wouldn't have died if Noelle had not been selfish and scared.

She needed to learn how to best use this gift of hers. Gandalf had said that there were others out there like her who possessed Force-abilities. Noelle had thought that Gandalf was always meant to train her, but perhaps these "others" he was talking about knew more about the Force than him.

Stopping to rest on a stair, Noelle knew what she wanted to do with herself now. She wanted to be trained to use the Force- whether that meant staying in Middle-earth, or going somewhere else. Gandalf had hinted before that Middle-earth was not the only place in the universe other than her own world.

Noelle also realized that the only person she would really have to break the news to was Gandalf. Bern had already guessed her decision before she had made up her mind, and the dwarves and Bilbo probably weren't expecting to see her again.

Noelle sighed and turned towards the setting sun. Then she heard something. Startled, she jumped up quickly and pulled out her sword, expecting to see a stray Orc. But it wasn't an Orc. It was actually Legolas. Noelle breathed a sigh of relief as she sheathed her sword.

"I found you," Legolas remarked quietly, as he sat down next to her.

"I'm not going back, Legolas," she said, since she didn't know what else to say.

Legolas looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I need to learn more about these Force-powers..." she trailed off looking at the palms of her hands.

Legolas seemed to understand. "Do you think you will ever come back to Middle-earth?"

Noelle hadn't expected him to ask that. "I-I don't know."

"Then allow me to bid you farewell." Legolas leaned over and kissed her cheek. Noelle froze, and looked at him.

"Although I have only known you for a short period of time Noelle, you have touched my life in a way I cannot possibly explain. Your bravery, loyalty, and caring heart have inspired me to be more." Legolas looked completely serious, and he was looking at her in a way she couldn't explain.

Her face red, Noelle was too dumbfounded to answer, because everything he had just said was definitely not true, and he had just kissed her. She was anything but all those things!

Legolas got up, gave her one last look, and that was the last Noelle saw of him.