The Legend of the Green Lady (Remastered)

by FuzzyBeta

When Ariel's brother is cursed by a witch there is only one way to save him. She must find the one ring and destroy the evil Sauron. There's just one hitch. First, she must help one hobbit and thirteen Dwarves reclaim their kingdom from a deadly dragon's claws. Oh and look, there's also elves, witches, Orcs, Wargs, and a Necromancer. Won't this be fun? Thorin/OC Rated T(remastered)

11. The Burdens We Bear

Chapter 11: The Burdens We Bear

Darkness grew deeper over the edges of Wilderland. But that didn't deter a lone figure as it swiftly crossed over open fields and towards a single solitary house towards the edges of the great woods.

This figure quickly looked behind themselves, their red cloak swishing behind them in their haste as they made to the front door.

They knocked once swiftly. However, no one answered.

They knocked again.

Again nothing.

A woman's voice sighed in the darkness.

"Oh, you stupid bear of all the times you had to be gone-"

"I am right here" a deep voice rumbled, and the woman gasped as she wheeled about. Behind her was the silhouette of a very tall, very large man with a mane of dark hair and dark eyes that glimmered in the moonlight behind him.

The woman gulped nervously.

"Oh…I'm sorry old friend…I must've passed you in the dark"

"It is alright" the man nodded quietly his voice now slightly gentler, laced with amusement. "It has been a long time since we last met."

"Yes" the woman nodded slightly nervously "Yes it has. I am sorry I haven't come to see you."

"Do not apologise. You have come now and that is what matters most" the man's face softened.

The lady in the red cloak's smile widened, though it fell just as quickly.

"My Lady?" the large man reached out a hand to lightly touch the woman's shoulder, but she shook her head.

"You must forgive me" she murmured gravely "I have not come for a visit. I came here for your help"

"Anything for you dear friend" the man patted her shoulder gently and the woman wiped her eyes on her sleeve of her dress which like her cloak was a deep red.

"It is not help for myself that I ask for" she sniffed "There is someone very dear to me. They are in trouble. Azog the Defiler has been tasked hunt them and their friends down. They've only just escaped with their lives-"

"But Azog still hunts them" the man's voice tensed.

The woman in red nodded. "Yes, he hunts them, and they have proven themselves able to fight him but-"

"But you are afraid of what might happen." the man's face softened "Do not worry. I shall look after him and his companions if that is what you wish"

"Oh thank you! thank you so much!" the woman in red gasped with relief before adding in a mumble "Oh uh… is should have probably said this before but the one I mention is not a man. It's a girl"

---

"Are they gone Bilbo?" Ariel Rosalie Brooks winced as the hobbit shifted his furry feet on her shoulders as he peered over the top of some rocks.

He was silent for a moment as he watched carefully. A pack of mounted Wargs were running off in the distance but one small whisper or move out of place and they'd be on their tails faster than piranha's to fresh meat.

"All clear-oh shoot!" He quickly ducked once more as something growled close by.

"What?" Ariel gulped her grip tightening over Bilbo's ankles at the horrible sound. It was the sound of a great beast, but it seemed too large to a warg.

That knowledge itself, was enough to make Ariel's heart hammer harder in her chest as she helped lower the hobbit back to the ground.

"What was that?" she muttered as Bilbo almost slipped but he just shushed her quickly.

"Shh…just get me down I'll explain when we reach the others"

"Ok, ok! Crap!" Ariel jumped as the great strange beast behind them gave a guttural roar. She glanced back quickly and saw to her astonishment something massive and dark standing atop of rocks someway off, something that looked strangely like a bear.

Huh? A bear?

There was silence as she and Bilbo darted down the great hill, over stones and through trees and down into a small sheltered clearing where thirteen dwarves and a wizard stood waiting nervously.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin growled as the hobbit and the girl both ran into view.

"Too close" Ariel puffed. "Way too close. They couldn't have been more than-what? Just a couple of leagues away?"

"Yeah, but that's not the worst of it" Bilbo added grimly.

"Have the wargs' picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked as he fingered his drawn axe in his hands.

"No Ariel's distraction seems to have drawn them off" Bilbo nodded to Ariel who blushed a little, trying hard not to look too pleased with herself.

She had only just managed to gain some measure of control again over her powers after that terrifying night on the cliff, and with the help and guidance of Gandalf had managed to send her energy straight through the ground and over towards the wood in the other direction to where the company was going. It had caused a bright flash of green light as it had surfaced, one that anyone could have noticed from a mile off.

However, that was the least of their worries now as Bilbo kept on explaining.

"We don't know for how long though. They still might be able to pick up our scent if we're not careful. That and we have another problem"

"Did they see either of you?" Gandalf muttered anxiously but Ariel shook her head.

"No that's not it"

"There what did I tell you, quiet as mice?" the wizard chuckled much to the amusement and admiration of the other dwarves "excellent burglar material"

"Will you listen? Will you just listen?" Bilbo cried out as Ariel rolled her eyes in exasperation "We're trying to tell you there is something else out there!"

"What form did it take?" Gandalf breathed after a full minute "Like a bear?"

Bilbo looked up at the wizard utterly perplexed.

"Ye-Yes but bigger…much bigger…"

There was a sudden very sticky silence as Gandalf paused once more, his face strangely grim.

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur gulped and when the wizard didn't reply his face paled. "I say we double back"

"And be run down by a pack of orcs" Thorin sighed heavily though Ariel suddenly gasped.

Big bear on edge of wilderness?! Of course, how could I have forgotten?

"Wait, wait hold on there is someplace we can go to safety, a-a house. It shouldn't be too far from here I don't think…" she glanced awkwardly at Gandalf who quickly hid his confusion behind a small nod.

"Who's house?" Thorin narrowed his eyes on both Sorcerers "Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither." Gandalf shook his head "He will help us, or he will kill us."

"What choice do we have?" Nori groaned only to gasp as a great loud roar, like a beast, rumbled through the air about them.

"None"

---

I swear…by the time we're done with this quest we will all be champion marathon runners

Ariel puffed as she ran up ahead of the other dwarves through a wide-open field of green grass.

She could barely remember a time in her life where she had run as much as she had in the past few days, let alone be fit enough to keep running as far as she did or as fast as she did.

"How far is the house?!" Gandalf called from behind her.

"I can see it now" she called back just as another great monstrous roar sounded from behind them.

"Come on guys we're almost there" she shouted back to the others as they all stuttered in their steps. She didn't need to be able to feel the earth beneath her to know that the bear behind them was closing in and fast.

Come on girl push it hard, push it!

She puffed as she extended her legs out further and pumped them harder into a final sprint towards a large pair of great wooden doors set within a great barrier of hedge and wooden fence.

"GET IN!" she cried out as she managed to push her way through the doors, her arms straining against the massive handles as she struggled to keep them open.

"One-four-six-nine-thirteen-fifteen!" she counted off as all the company came pouring through behind her and into a garden filled with grass and flowers.

However, no one had time to stop and admire the beauty of the place for the snarling giant bear had burst out of the tree line of the nearby woods and was charging towards the house with a ferocious speed.

"Quick get inside!" Thorin bellowed as the others crashed into the front door, struggling to find a handle or even a lock or key.

Eventually someone had the brains to reach up and un-bolt a small latch towards the top.

They all rushed inside with loud yells of panic as the bear leapt for the end of Ariel's skirt as she and Bilbo both dove through the last small gap before the door managed to shut.

With a great final push from Dwalin, Gloin and Thorin the bear was pushed back and the lock on the door refitted back into position.

"What is that?" Poor little Ori was shaking where he stood gaping at the place where he'd seen the snarling mass of black matted fur.

"That is our host" Gandalf sighed with relief as he straightened up "His name is Beorn and he's a skin changer. 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 overly fond of dwarves."

There was a silence as the whole company exchanged nervous glances, all save Ori who was peeping out a nearby window.

"He's leaving" he murmured as he pressed his ear to the door only for Oin to drag him back hissing with worry.

"Come away from there. It's not natural. None of it. It's obvious he's under some dark spell"

"Don't be a fool!" Gandalf rolled his eyes "He's under no enchantment but his own."

"Huh? Who is enchanting?" Ariel spluttered as she suddenly popped up from where she had been on the ground.

Had Bilbo not been so shocked by what the wizard had just said he might have laughed at the state Ariel was in, for when she'd leapt inside Beorn's house she'd promptly landed headfirst into a large pile of hay. Her dark russet hair was so messy that it stuck out at odd angles with golden strands of hay poking out like a strange form of frizz.

She blinked blankly as she looked about at her surroundings.

The building around them seemed to be a mix between a cottage and a barn. Animals either stayed in pens or were walking about all over the place. Hay and straw littered most of the floor, save for an elevated platform of stone where a small kitchen area seemed to have been erected.

Thorin and Dwalin and Balin made to check out this space whilst others made to inspect the barn and the animals.

"Come on get some rest all of you. You'll be safe here tonight" Gandalf called before anyone could get out of earshot. But then he softly added as he looked outside a window.

"I hope"

---

Tauriel of the Elves of Mirkwood, even though she was still only young by the standards of her people, had seen many seasons pass and had watched many flowers grow.

And yet even as she watched on the small white rose now growing in a small pot in her rooms of the Woodland Realm she could not believe her eyes.

Days had passed since the flower had first been found and still it continued to thrive as well as one that had only just blossomed from a bud.

She barely even jumped as a sudden knock came at her door. Settling her silver green robes, she called out quickly in Elvish.

"[come in]"

She was quickly greeted by the sight of Legolas as he strode over the threshold, garbed in a tunic of silver-green. He smirked with amusement as he caught sight of his friend whose eyes had not left the plant even when he'd arrived.

"[Tauriel you did not come down for the feast. Are you still bewitched by your new charge?]"

"[Not bewitched]" Tauriel murmured "[Merely curious. Most plants we try and salvage from the dark sickness barely last more than a day when we try and rehabilitate them. This one however continues to stay in bloom, indeed it thrives. Even though we both found it amongst other plants that were surely dead.]"

"[Yes, indeed, I too was wondering about that]" Legolas frowned "[I asked my father of what it might mean. But he thinks it is merely a fortunate survivor]"

"[And what do you think?]" Tauriel looked up at her friend with a quirked brow of intrigue.

"[I think…]" Legolas murmured "[that you were right when we first found it. This blossom is precious. It is a sign of the Valar Yavanna herself. A gift to remind us of the pure remaining even when we think all hope is lost. Perhaps she may even be telling us that help is on the way soon and we must be on the lookout for it. The spiders that once roamed the south are now moving closer to the river…and the darkness over Dol Guldur grows every day…We are running out of time]"

"[Yes, we are]" Tauriel nodded grimly. "[Hopefully you are right, and the help will come before it is too late]"

---

"Ariel"

She was drowning in smoke…

"Ariel"

But Ariel's eyes were shut tight.

Her skin was burning…

"Ariel" the voice hissed once more and this time she felt a hand jostle her slightly by her shoulder.

The shadow was looming over her, reaching out to grab her…

"Ariel wake up!"

…and a red eye was flashing down upon her as she held up an arm to shield herself-

"AH-mph!" Ariel's squeak was quickly muffled by a hand as a voice softly hissed down at her voices cried out.

"Shh Ariel, it's alright its just me"

"Fili!" Ariel spluttered in shock as she looked up into the face of the young blonde-haired dwarf as it loomed above her, his blue eyes full of worry.

"Are you alright?" he whispered his eyes darting over her sweat drenched pale face "you looked like you really were upset"

Oh great he heard me.

Ariel sighed heavily.

"It was just a stupid nightmare, nothing major. Just unpleasant" she rolled her eyes though her hand unconsciously rubbed at her left wrist. "I'm sorry I woke you up"

"No-no it's alright" Fili reached out to put a hand on her shoulder as she sat up. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

"Why?" Ariel frowned but then her eyes caught sight of the small wooden pipe he'd tucked hastily into the pocket of his jacket. "ah"

"Yeah…" Fili nodded as he took the pipe back out and held it up to light it "Haven't been able to sit in peace for a while since the cliff"

"Tell me about it" Ariel snorted watching curiously as with a small flick of flint the bowl of the pipe began to smoke gently.

Fili smirked softly with amusement as she watched the smoke rise in small curling tendrils up into the air.

"hmm…Ariel?"

"Yeah-ugh! Fili!" Ariel spluttered as Fili chuckled, smoke puffing into her face with every exhale.

"Oh come now it can't be that bad"

"Maybe it wouldn't be if you didn't blow it all into my nose at once" Ariel hissed still coughing softly, though they were quick to turn into gruff hacks.

"It's- ahem-ok" she puffed as Fili leant over her with worry once more.

"Here" he muttered reaching down to his belt and pulling out his water skin which he carefully brought to her hands

"Just take it slowly, slowly" he murmured soothingly, holding the skin steady as Ariel made to take a couple of deep gulps.

"Better?" he asked when she rasped for breath.

"yeah" she nodded opening her mouth to speak only for a tiny belch to escape her lips.

"oh, shit I'm sorry I-I just-"

She blushed a million shades of pink as the dwarf beside her chuckled harder than before.

"Ha! Don't apologise. Besides-pff-Better out than in-che-he-he"

"S'not funny" she pouted but he only laughed harder as she reached out to slap him on the chest.

"Ow!" he winced. "That hurt"

"Oh come on that wasn't even a proper slap!" Ariel rolled her eyes "I thought dwarves were supposed to be tough as stone. So much for the strong line of Durin"

"Oh-ho-ho! You did not just say that" Fili narrowed his eyes though the corners of his lips were tilted upwards in a smirk

"Oh yes I did-HA".

Ariel did her best to stop the squeal of giggles as Fili's fingers darted swiftly to ghost over her ribs, the sensation of which sent her toppling back down into the pile of hay they were both resting on.

"Fili-ha-Fili stop-stop I'm too ticklish-ha"

"No way" Fili grinned "the reputation of Durin's line must be avenged"

Ariel laughed only for a gruff voice to hiss from somewhere in the darkness.

"Hey, will you two cut it out! Some of us want to sleep!"

"Sorry uncle" Fili quickly clapped a hand over Ariel's mouth, pursing his lips in the effort to not smile though he failed miserably.

Ariel giggled softly as she heard Thorin's gruff voice mutter darkly from somewhere off to her left.

"Children! Always so noisy-hmph!"

Fili and Ariel both did their best to keep quiet as they listened to the dwarf prince grumble himself to sleep in the dark.

Once it was silent Fili snorted softly and removed his hand from Ariel's mouth.

"By the maker he is such an old man sometimes"

"The maker?" Ariel tilted her head to the side.

"Mahal or Aulë. He was one of the Ainur…they are supposed to be holy beings that helped create Middle Earth during its beginnings" Fili whispered quietly "he was a great Smith and craftsman and created the first seven fathers of the dwarves."

"Like Durin?" Ariel propped herself up onto her elbow on her side.

Fili nodded smiling softly at the childlike curiosity over her face.

"Were there any other Ainur?"

"Many apparently…I only know of the maker from the stories my mother used to tell me and Kili when we were Dwarflings"

"Sounds much cooler than the bedtime stories I used to have." Ariel huffed enviously "Only princes rescuing princess or cute fuzzy animals in forests"

"alright that does sound rather flimsy" Fili agreed "But there must be something you liked"

"Well…" Ariel bit her lip "I always did like mermaids"

"Mermaids?"

"Yeah Mermaids" Ariel nodded with a sigh only to see Fili looking thoroughly confused. "uh…you have no clue about what I'm talking about do you?"

Fili shook his head.

"Never heard of such creatures in my life. What are they?"

"umm…well…Mermaids…are or they're supposed to be…uh these mythical beings that live in the sea. From the waist up they are shaped like beautiful women but from the waist down they have the tail of a fish instead of legs. There are also Mermen who are the male version but there are not many myths that mention them."

"Well that sounds…bizarre" Fili quirked a brow and Ariel giggled.

"Yeah it sounds weird, but it actually looks nice when you see an illustration of one. They also were supposed to have beautiful singing voices which they would use to lure sailors into the sea or rocks so they could drown them or eat them"

"Oh so beautiful and deadly huh?"

"Yeah I guess you could say that?"

"So what stories are there about them?" Fili muttered as he lay himself down on the soft stack of hay, putting his pipe once more in his mouth.

"Oh, there are a couple" she coughed her eyes darting down to the hay. "The most famous story about a mermaid is called, err…The Little Mermaid…and it was written a very long time ago by a man called Hans Christian Anderson."

"The people where you come from have strange names" Fili muttered but then quickly backtracked "Sorry, sorry, please continue I'm listening"

"Uh ok well the story begins…well it begins like most other fairy tales I guess. Um… Once upon a time far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above. There dwell the Sea King and his subjects."

---

Darkness grew deeper as the night drew on and still Azog the pale orc was skirting around the edge of a great open field in the shadows of the trees.

Just a few hundred metres away a great hulking bear, greater than the white warg he rode was pacing up and down with heavy growling breaths.

Another wall between me and my prize

Azog growled to himself just as another Orc came running up silently beside him hissing in the familiar black speech.

"[We attack them now. Kill the dwarf filth while they sleep]"

"[No]" Azog snarled as he turned his back on the sight before them and stride back amongst the trees"[The beast stands guard. We will kill them on the road]"

But even as he spoke branches snapped and the wargs of his pack snarled as another dark hairy shape burst forth from the trees.

It was another warg rider, though he was far different from his other fellows who were all smaller and squint eyed and ape like. This one was rather like Azog himself, with pale skin (though not as pale) and just as tall and strong, though he wore more armour over his head and shoulders.

He spoke down to the pale orc with much urgency.

"[They are gathering in Dol Guldur. The Master has summoned you!]"

---

Thorin Oakenshield had been wanting to enjoy a silent night's sleep after all the mayhem and stress of being chased by Azog's warg and orc pack. However, it seemed as if fate had other plans for him that night.

He rolled his eyes and tried to shut them tight as the sounds of his nephew's and the young woman's voices wafted through his ears.

By Mahal, youths really were chatterboxes at the worst of times. Of course, the Dwarf Prince had to remind himself that Fili was nowhere near as young or as innocent as he'd once been.

Despite most past bitterness's, Thorin remembered those times with his small nephews most fondly indeed. Boli, their father had died when Kili was still but an infant and Fili was only a small toddling child and ever since then Thorin had done his best to help his sister Dis and be a father figure, especially considering he himself would never get married.

From their first steps on their own two little legs, to the first time either of them had held a sword or the first time either of them travelled along the road with him, Thorin had always been there to watch over and see to guide them as best he could.

Come a few years they won't need my guidance anymore…

He mused with bittersweet pride as he turned over slowly to listen as Ariel made to tell her story. It was a strange tale, about a maiden of a strange underwater species who fell in love with a human prince after she rescued him from drowning at sea. Then the little mermaid was willing enough to give up her fish tail and voice to a witch so that she may walk on the surface and be with him for eternity, even though it sounded like the poor mermaid would not ever find that happiness and it would cost her own life.

"The little mermaid drew back the crimson curtain of the tent and beheld the fair bride with her head resting on the prince's breast. She bent down and kissed his fair brow, then looked at the sky on which the rosy dawn grew brighter and brighter; then she glanced at the sharp knife, and again fixed her eyes on the prince, who whispered the name of his bride in his dreams. She was in his thoughts, and the knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid: then she flung it far away from her into the waves; the water turned red where it fell, and the drops that spurted up looked like blood. She cast one more lingering, half-fainting glance at the prince, and then threw herself from the ship into the sea, and thought her body was dissolving into foam…."

Thorin, cracked open an eye slowly to watch as Fili gave a small sigh into the silent night about them.

"Wow…"

"Yeah…" Ariel nodded slowly her smile softening with sadness. "I know right. It used to make me cry all the time when I was little, but I don't know… I just couldn't stop begging my mother to tell it to me each night"

"I don't blame you" Fili paused for a moment to puff on his pipe slowly "It's such a sad story…but beautiful, nonetheless. But I must ask, did this Little Mermaid have a name?"

"…Yes…" Ariel gulped. "Well, at least she did in one version of the tale."

"What was it?"

"It-it was…um… well in one incarnation of the tale it was Ariel" the last word came out as such a tiny whisper that Thorin had to strain his ears from his spot to hear it. But when he did it took all he had in himself to not snort out loud then and there and keep his mouth shut.

Instead he opted to watch as Fili smirked widely.

"So…you are the little mermaid then huh?"

"Uh…no …my mother just loved the story so much she named me after her…that's all. I mean I don't have a fish tail, I'm fairly average singer and I'm not that beautiful a dancer or a strong person so…" Ariel blushed a little as she realised that his sole attention was on her face, his expression intent and curious.

"This is coming from a girl who had enough guts to strike at Azog the great Defiler and put up with my crotchety uncle daily. You could've run away or let yourself be trampled over at any time, but you didn't. You fought back even when you were down. You are stronger than you think Ariel Brooks. And I am glad that you are here…"

Ariel tilted her face down into the hay beneath her, her smile now shy as Fili's fingers tucked the last lock of hair behind her ear and trailed softly over the soft angle of her jaw.

"These beads…" she asked quietly looking up at Fili's hair curiously "are they just for decoration or are there actual symbolic meaning behind them"

"Both actually" Fili answered just as softly. "The beads in my hair were my uncle Frerin's. they are family heirlooms of Durin's house. Whereas the beads here on my beard are of my father Boli's line, or at least two of them. Kili will get the other two when he finally grows his beard in a few years"

"So he's young by Dwarf standards?"

"Fairly young" Fili nodded "If he were a human he'd probably be around your age, give or take a few years, though you seem a fair bit more mature than he is"

"Well that's because I'm a girl" Ariel smirked before adding with a sigh "though he is better at fighting than I am"

"You're not that bad" Fili shrugged "I mean your technique could do with a fair amount of work, but you have a knack for it that much is clear. You just need someone to help further refine your skills. You certainly improved after those couple of lessons with that human boy from Rivendell."

"Only because I almost begged him, and even then it wasn't that easy. Truth be told I've not met anyone else that would be willing to teach me since I came here." Ariel snorted, remembering some of the earlier comments from Thorin and the older dwarves from when she'd first started the quest. Fili seemed to remember too because he frowned.

"Well now you've settled into our company, I'm sure there's someone here who wouldn't mind. Someone strong, patient, willing…a good friend…"

Ariel quirked an eyebrow up at him.

"Is that an offer I hear on the table Mister Fili"

"Maybe?" Fili smirked "Why you think I couldn't teach?"

"No-no it's not that" Ariel bit her lip "it's just that it is a big thing of me to ask- "

"And it won't be for nothing" Fili leaned in slightly closer to murmur softly. "If I agree to teach you how to fight, you must tell me the stories about where you come from."

"Stories?"

"Yes. One story for every lesson"

"Why?" Ariel frowned slightly in confusion.

"because I swear if I have to hear Dwalin boast about all the fights or pub brawls he's been in one more time I swear I'm going to go mad"

Ariel giggled again only this time it was punctuated by a soft wide yawn.

"hmm…a fighting lesson for a story…sounds fair enough…when do we start?"

"Tomorrow if you want…but first we need to get some sleep alright?"

"Alright…" she blinked sleepily as she rested her head back down on the hay. "G'night Fili"

Fili watched with faint amusement as Ariel's eyes grew heavier with each passing second, before finally drooping shut.

As soon as the gap between the eyelids was completely shut her breathing turned deep and even at once.

By the maker you have got to be kidding me

Thorin rolled his eyes as he saw his nephew stroke his thumb tenderly over the back of the young girl's hand which was now resting in-between them, smiling as he whispered down to her.

"good night Ariel"

---

In the great tower of the old fortress of Dol Guldur the shadow with burning eyes was once more looking down through a magical orb with a clawed hand stretched above it.

His fiery eyes narrowed and seared hot as they looked upon the faces of several people sleeping soundly in the night. One in particular caught his eye, for her dark red brown hair and sweet innocent face as she lay dreaming alongside a young blonde-haired dwarf. However unlike before her mind was far away from the darkness of her heart, instead it was far away in dreams of the calm beautiful ocean. Of a beach lit up by hundreds of lanterns at a festival.

The hand above the orb tensed with revulsion and pulled away as the young dwarf by her side made to bid her goodnight, the last of his words garbling as the magical connection was cut off.

The shadow stood for a moment in the cold empty darkness of the tower about itself.

The girl was becoming more of a hindrance than he'd first thought. Her tender heart brought light to the greedy prideful hearts of these Dwarves. What would come next? Would she save the great king of dwarves from its gold-sickness too?!

No! He could not have that happening!

He would not see an Erebor reclaimed by the light, he would not see the dragon killed and the Line of Durin return to its throne beneath the mountain, nor let his line continue in his kin.

No…Thorin Oakenshield would not be king! He would make sure of that…

Only he just had to get that girl out of the way, had to silence her, once and for all. And yet…and yet…

He looked down at her through the orb's surface, his clawed finger reaching out to stroke at her face to trace a lock of red hair that had fallen over her cheek. Of course her interference would ruin everything, yet it would be a such waste of raw untapped power and potential if she were to die…

His fingers now trailed over her arm and wrist, the claw like nails smoothing out over the image of her skin.

"Balcheth!" his charred lip curled, his tongue as black as the shadows that made him and the heart that he bore.

"[Yess my Lord]" The voice of a woman sneered through the darkness. Upon the wall above the doorway behind him a faint shadow of something massive and covered in feathers was briefly illuminated by a flickering torch, held high in its bracket.

"Balcheth…" The Necromancer's voice simmered down to a dangerous purr "[…I have a new job for you. Bring me the Green Witch that travels with Thorin Oakenshield, alive and unspoiled]"

"[Of course, my Lord]" Balcheth hissed. There was a rush of wind and dark feathers as a gigantic pair of shadowy wings suddenly beat into the air, leaving the Dark Lord all alone in the blackness of his tower and his thoughts.

When Fili son of Boli awoke it was to find that he was pleasantly warm as something, or rather someone, draped themselves sleepily over him.

He craned his neck up to see the identity of his living breathing blanket only to see the top of Ariel's soft red-brown head of hair just beneath his chin. She seemed to have curled her body unconsciously over his own, with one leg accidentally wrapped over his hips.

The young dwarf gulped as he saw that whilst she wore black boots up to under her knee, most of the rest of the leg was completely bare as it poked through a large tear along the side of her green dress. The light maple beige of her skin was shining in the soft golden light of the morning sun that was peeking in through a window high above.

He took a deep breath to steady himself as he felt her snuggle tighter against him, her soft slender chest pressing against his own tough stout one.

He knew the gesture was completely innocent on her part. Indeed most of the many innuendos the rest of the company were fond of joking about around a campfire usually went over her unexperienced head. And therein lay Fili's problem.

Even with her spirit and temper, Ariel was as innocent as a lamb in mind and soul. Her body on the other hand…well she may not have been as short as a dwarf lady, nor as hairy as one, but most of the younger (or single) dwarf men in the company weren't blind when it came to the beauty of the female form.

Fili could clearly recall a scene from a few days back just after they'd left the Eagle's Carrock. Ariel was helping Bombur cook the spoils of their days hunt for the evening meal.

Ariel had been tasked with handing out the bowls to the dwarves and had been leaning to pass over to Ori and Nori when Dwalin and Kili had both looked up from their food to watch.

Fili's teeth grit as he remembered the way his brother and his friend's eyes had both stared unabashedly at the young but rounded rump of the girl as she leant down even further to pass a bowl to Bilbo who was seated on the ground.

There was a tiny scruffling noise and Fili quickly jerked himself out of his thoughts just in time to see his younger brother sit up from the spot of hay across from him and Ariel.

Kili's dark hair was flecked with golden straw and hay but otherwise he looked rather contented with his rest.

He grinned as he caught sight of Ariel snuggling closer into his elder brother's chest.

"You lucky dog you" he playfully waggled his eyebrows as he nudged Fili's boot with his own. "So what happened?"

"Shh! She's asleep" Fili hissed feeling his cheeks heat up a little "and nothing happened."

"really because you both look pretty cosy like that" Kili raised his brows as he eyed Ariel's exposed leg. Fili's eyes narrowed dangerously as he tugged one half of his jacket over the limb to obscure it from his brother's not so innocent smirk.

"Kili don't be ridiculous, she's a friend who had a nightmare. We talked and we fell asleep next to one another like friends do! Nothing more nothing less"

"Yeah I heard the talking last night" Kili grinned "And let me just say that it was absolutely adorable! Really sweet so warm and fuzzy that it melted my heart."

Kili was glad that Ariel was sleeping over his brother because he was sure that had she not been there Fili would've probably killed him on the spot.

Fili the heir to Thorin, Fili the responsible one, Fili the elder that had always loved to seem more mature and grown up ever since they were small…had been just caught cuddling a girl, and a human girl for that matter.

Seeing his elder brother's look of embarrassed wrath Kili's face softened.

"Hey Fee relax! I get it ok. I know you don't think of her like that."

"It's not just that" Fili mumbled his eyes turning sad. "Kili, she's on her own, her family are across the sea. She has no one to look after her."

"Who has no one to look after them?" a deep voice growled as a shadow came over them. Both Fili and Kili jumped as they looked up to see their uncle towering over them with a grim face.

Thorin rolled his eyes as he caught sight of Ariel, who was still fast asleep and dead to the world as she lay half draped over his nephew who was looking extremely uncomfortable suddenly.

"Don't get too used to her presence. It won't last long." he grumbled gruffly down at Fili whose eyes hardened.

"How do you know that?"

Kili gulped as Thorin's face tensed. Finally, after a terrifying pause of a few seconds that felt like years he spoke softly.

"Even if she did stay with us at the end of the quest, she would be with us for long. She may have magic but she's still human…her life will end well before yours."

Fili's face paled though he did his best to stay determined.

"There may also be a chance that I may also die before the journey's end"

"Not if I have anything to say about that" Thorin growled as he stepped over both his nephews' legs and out towards the front of the barn only to stop when Kili hissed angrily at his back.

"So that's it then?! You'll do whatever it takes to make sure just us dwarves and Bilbo are alive, but you won't care if Ariel dies!"

"You and your brother are my family Kili. And the others are our kin! It's a king's duty to protect his own." Thorin growled softly as he turned to look upon the younger dwarf his face cold but furious, but Kili was not deterred.

"And isn't Ariel one of us now? Hasn't she earned her stripes amongst us after the mountains?"

"Kee don't" Fili pinched the bridge of his nose but Thorin was already snapping back angrily.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that boy! You may be my nephew but I am still your king and I will not be spoken to like that!"

There was a silence as Kili stared in shock at Thorin, his face stricken and pale. His uncle had never once pulled the king card on him or Fili ever. Perhaps it had been used on Balin or the others but never ever did Thorin ever try to assert his kingship over his relatives…but now…

"…unbelievable…" Kili's voice was barely a whisper "whatever she'll do she'll never be good enough for you will she?... because she's… different? I was once told when I was a dwarfling that just because I was different that didn't mean my life was worth less than others. I cannot believe that the same dwarf that told me that would be so prejudiced towards someone like me."

"Kili…" Thorin murmured guilt coursing through him as Kili turned his back on him and strode silently back across to the kitchen of Beorn's barn where he sat down upon a stool, pulled out his pipe and began to smoke, his face an unusually grim mask.

Fili sighed heavily as Thorin looked down on him to speak only to catch sight of Ariel's sleeping face upon his chest. The dwarf princes' face suddenly tensed up as both fury and hurt flashed in his eyes.

Taking the trust of my kin…You are proving to be a real pain in my side girl!

Fili's arms tightened protectively around said girl in them who began to stir as her breath began to get constricted by the strength of his hold.

"Fili…what's going on?"

"Nothing" Thorin snapped before Fili could respond "just get up and make yourself useful somehow. Try the kitchen I daresay you'll find something to do there!"

And before Ariel could even think of even hissing something back, he turned on his heel and strode over to wake up Dwalin who was still snoring loudly in a corner.

Once he was out of earshot Ariel glowered sleepily at Fili.

"What the hell shoved itself up his ass now?"

"He fought with Kili"

"Ah…That's not good. Not good at all." Ariel bit her lip as Fili pointed up to the kitchen where Kili was still sulking and smoking angrily.

"It's not" Fili agreed as Ariel pried herself off him, blushing a little with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry I used you as a mattress last night"

"It's alright" Fili smirked weakly "besides you made a pretty good blanket yourself"

"one of my many gifts" Ariel snorted but then quickly glanced over back at Kili as he swore and muttered darkly under his breath to himself.

"What was the fight about? Actually you know what I'll ask Kili" Ariel steamrolled over Fili just as Thorin's voice wafted over to their spot, cold and steely.

"Fili wake up the others on your side now!"

"Yes uncle" Fili mumbled though he couldn't help but chance a worried glance at his uncle.

He didn't know whether Kili or anyone else had noticed it but there was a tiny glimmer of gold flashing in the depths of his uncles once stormy blue eyes.

---

The dark shadow of a woman moved through the shade of the trees doing its best to dodge sunbeams of the morning light as they streamed through the forest canopy above.

She was a short hunched over creature with jet black robes covering her from head to foot, obscuring everything but the chalk white skin of her gnarled claw like hands. They clenched on the bark of a nearby tree, slicing its surface like knives, as she looked through the gap between two trees.

The woman hissed and cursed softly under her breath as she caught sight of the distant wall around a large cottage.

So they found shelter for the night

She snarled as she saw just over the tops of the wall, the head of a tall hairy figure as it swung an axe over its shoulder.

Damn…the bear is protecting them…no wonder Azog and his little party scarpered. Even so…

She took a deep inhale and at once her entire body buzzed with energy…energy that was dark as the cloth that covered her.

Oh what a curse that is…beautiful intricate and deadly…my master's handiwork most definitely…Oh if I could get my claws on the lucky bastard that bore such a burden…So deliciously corrupting it is…

But then suddenly she shuddered as a wave of something sweet, fragrant and altogether positive washed over her.

Ugh! What is that?! That is foul! That is…that is…ah…I see now…

The crone's eyes flashed from under her black hood as she looked back at the cottage from where she could feel the overwhelming warmth and care emanating from.

It's from the girl no doubt…Definitely has a female air about it…just like that Red Bitch she is, all sweet with her flowers and little plants…don't you worry master I Balcheth will deal with that little spawn of Yavanna once and for all!

---

Gandalf the Grey was not a wizard that one took lightly. He may have walked in the guise of a tattered dawdling old man but his mind was sharper than any of these dwarves put together.

He had been awake through most of the night, his eyes keeping watch over every single member of the company in his sights. Bilbo had been awake laying on his side and fiddling with something in his hands.

Gandalf guessed that the hobbit could hear the monstrous sounds of their transformed host from outside and was trying to busy his mind by idly fidgeting, a habit which he was prone to falling back on when he was nervous and scared. So the old wizard had just glanced over him.

When he saw Ariel and Fili however, Gandalf's lips had quirked into a small smile. After so many days of growing darkness there was finally a little light peeking through. Though he did have to admit he almost sighed with exasperation as he caught sight of the young dwarf's face as he listened enraptured by the girl's story to him.

Poor girl…sensitive to the powers of others and yet oblivious to her own draw and pull…

Well he supposed it was better that way. It was like Galadriel had said, those people who were best suited to power were often those who didn't seek it out for themselves.

He waited through the night listening and watching as even the two new friends fell asleep close to one another. Then came the morning and with that some very interesting…very disturbing developments.

Thorin Oakenshield's temper was suddenly beginning to crack again, though this time something was very different. No something was very wrong.

Gandalf's eyes narrowed as he watched the Dwarf Prince round up a couple of his more trusted friends and drag them into council in a corner of the barn.

His face was pale and stricken and his tone was tense. But worst were the eyes, blue like always though whenever they flickered warily over to the direction of Ariel they glinted a faint gold.

Gandalf's eyes grew worried as he watched Thorin repeat the action several times even though the girl was not paying him the slightest attention as she tried to cheer up a still really sulky Kili.

He's probably still angry with Kili and he's taking it out on her…

Gandalf shook his head as words spoken to him not so long ago came back to the forefront of his mind.

"A strain of madness and sickness runs through that bloodline Gandalf…whatever Thorin Oakenshield is now…he will not be so the closer he gets to that treasure. It will start with paranoia"

But even then Gandalf's frown deepened.

But it's not like Ariel actively wants to take his friends trust, nor would she ever. Besides we are so far from the mountain…So how on earth could the gold-sickness be affecting Thorin from here?

---

When Bilbo Baggins woke up it was to find a large golden and black bee buzzing lazily before his nose.

Jumping he quickly swatted the great big insect off of him before scrambling to his feet and looking about himself. All the dwarves, Ariel and Gandalf were up and standing close by the door by the kitchen looking outside nervously as something thumped someway off in the distance.

"Well it's not like we'll be able to run anyway from a guy that's part animal" Ariel grumbled softly to Fili who stood beside her nodding in agreement.

"Yeah he'll probably sniff us all out before we even get a foot out the door"

"Well I say we should still leg it. Slip out the back way" Nori was hissing but Dwalin growled over him.

"I'm not running from anyone, beast or no"

"There is no point in arguing" Gandalf snapped over all of them "We cannot pass through the Wilderland without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we even get to the forest. Ah Bilbo there you are" the wizard added as Bilbo sidled past Thorin and into the company's midst.

"Now this will require some delicate handling. We must tread very carefully. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds. So I will go first and I shall take Bilbo and Ariel with me"

There was a very awkward silence as the wizard motioned to both the hobbit and his apprentice whose faces were paler than ever as they walked up to the door.

"Using live bait to lure the beast? Good plan" Dwalin and a couple of the others chuckled.

"ha ha very funny" Ariel snorted trying to sound sardonic only to have her voice waver.

"Gandalf are you sure this is a good idea?" Bilbo asked privately agreeing with the warrior dwarf whose smirk was turning worried.

Gandalf only rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the rest of you, you just wait here and don't come out until I give the signal."

"Right wait for the signal" Bofur nodded as he took a spot at the window out into the garden outside as Gandalf continued to give out last minute instructions.

"Oh and no sudden movements or loud noises and don't over crowd him. and only come out in pairs-no actually Bombur…um you count as two so you should come out alone"

Poor Bombur who was munching on a raw carrot nodded quietly his face slightly sombre at the prospect of coming out alone to face the beast.

Ariel couldn't blame him.

Even though she knew what Beorn was thanks to her knowledge of the books back in the real world it didn't stop her gut from sinking as she stepped out along with Bilbo behind Gandalf and into the bright morning sun.

There stretching out before them was a beautiful garden and field, green and fresh and picturesque…or at least it would have been if Ariel had not seen the large axe swing down and hack a great big piece of wood in half.

Holy shit…

Her eyes widened as she watched the man wielding the weapon bring it over his head to strike again.

Beorn was humongous…even bigger than Azog had been though he was certainly ten times more human in shape and stature than the pale orc. His skin was ruddy and his hair was more like a shaggy dark brown wolfs mane.

He looked ferocious in comparison to the sweet barnyard animals that crossed over his lawn, peacefully grazing here and there and barely paying him the slightest attention.

Don't judge a book by its cover yet Ariel...

She reminded herself as they stepped close enough to talk to him at an arm's length.

"Good morning" Gandalf called pleasantly, though he looked very nervous.

Beorn did not seem to notice and merely swung his axe down on another log of wood on the stump.

Katwhack!

And here I thought Dwalin and his axes were terrifying…

Ariel bit her lip as Gandalf repeated himself again.

"Good Morning"

This time Beorn heard him and paused. Settling the axe in the stump.

"Who are you?" he rumbled, his voice as deep and as gravelly as an actual bears growl.

"I'm Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey" Gandalf replied calmly with a courteous bow.

However at the sound of the name, Beorn turned about sharply axe in hand to face them with sharp eyes.

"Never heard of him"

"I'm a wizard." Gandalf smiled benignly "Perhaps you've heard of my colleague Radagast the Brown. He resides in the southern borders of Mirkwood"

"And who is this?" Beorn growled before turning his eyes sharply on Ariel who almost jumped with fright at the sudden keenness of the stare.

"Oh…this young lady is my apprentice Ariel the Green" Gandalf smiled only for Beorn to steamroll over him once more.

"What do you want?"

"Well um simply to thank you for your hospitality. You may have noticed that we took refuge in our lodgings last night-"

"And who is this little fellow?" Beorn's eyes widened and his hands tensed around the axe.

Ariel's eyes darted down in a panic to see Bilbo timidly protest as Gandalf tugged him out from behind his back.

"well this would be Mr. Baggins from the Shire"

"He's not a dwarf is he?" Beorn's eyes narrowed dangerously and Ariel's grip on her staff tightened in her hand but Gandalf was quick to smile and gloss it over.

"Why no. No he's a Hobbit, of a good family and unimpeachable reputation"

At this Bilbo managed a small smile and a polite bow to Beorn who relaxed considerably as he looked over the three guests before him.

"A Halfling, a girl and a Wizard. How come you here?"

"Oh the fact is that we've had a bad time of it from Goblins in the mountains"

"What did you go near Goblins for?" Beorn rolled his eyes "Stupid thing to do"

"You are absolutely right" Gandalf agreed quickly.

"I'll say" Ariel muttered darkly to herself glancing back at the cottage behind them only to sigh in exasperation.

Dwalin and Balin were the first to pop out the door, both with as broad a smile as they could muster.

"And here we go" Bilbo murmured under his breath to Ariel who snorted as Gandalf stuttered nervously. But it seemed finally his luck was running out for before he could even string two cohesive words together ten other dwarves began to file out in groups of two or three from the front door.

It was Nori, Dori and Ori first, followed by Oin and Gloin, Fili and Kili, Bifur and Bofur and then Bombur.

"are there any more?" Beorn snorted as he counted off the fat dwarf as he waddled into view and Ariel's teeth gritted slightly.

"just one"

And indeed as she spoke Thorin strode through last, his face grim and set.

"Ah…" Beorn suddenly nodded as a spark recognition lit up his face "Oakensheild…then this means you are…"

He turned quietly back to look at Ariel who gulped.

"Ariel Rosalie Brooks"

It wasn't a question it was a full blown statement, one that made Ariel stare dumbfounded.

"You…you know who I am?"

"Yes I have been awaiting your arrival for a while" Beorn nodded "for you see an old friend of mine asked me to help you. Nuldien the red sorceress"

"Nuldien?!" Gandalf's eyes widened as some of the dwarves began to murmur softly behind him. "She was here? How long ago was this?"

"Barely a week ago. She was very worried for your plight against Azog. She also asked me to pass on a message to you Lady Ariel. However it is inside the house. If all of you would care to follow me."

---

There was mostly silence as the Company made to sit around the large wooden table in Beorn's kitchen, drinking fresh cow's milk from giant tankards and eating fruit and berries laid out for them in tiny bowls.

However Ariel did not take a seat even though Fili, Kili and Ori had saved her a spot beside them.

Instead she turned to Beorn her face tense.

"This message from Nuldien…"

"Is right here"

Beorn's face turned grim as he reached out for a small side table on which a white envelope was sitting unnoticed and untouched.

He handed it to Ariel who took it gingerly her eyes roving the letters of her name on the front. The hand looked familiar to her.

"This…this is my father's handwriting" she breathed and the other dwarves were astonished to see her eyes slightly brighter than normal. Indeed her fingers trembled as she fumbled to open the envelope pulling out a single leaf of paper.

"Well what does it say?" Bofur asked excitedly only for Balin to put a hand up to stop him from getting up.

"Just give her space lads. If it's a letter from her family she'll want to read it herself." He said gently.

Bilbo watched worriedly as Ariel silently made to walk off to stand away from the dining table and in the barn section of Beorn's house. She was almost as timid and shaken as when she'd almost been attacked by that shadow in Rivendell.

Ariel barely noticed the curious and anxious eyes on her as she read through her father's words, each one making her heart grow heavy.

My Dearest Ariel,

You may not know it yet but if you've been keeping track of the date wherever you are now, you will find that you are no longer the sweet innocent seventeen year old girl that was whisked away from us nearly two months ago.

Now you are an eighteen-year-old young woman.

As you know it is a custom in my family to pass on one last small piece of wisdom to the next generation on such a birthday. And like your brother before you I will endeavour to give you the best advice I can before you venture beyond mine and your mother's reaches for good.

But what do you say to a girl that already has grown up so much?

After all a parent can only advise and guide, but it is up to the child to forge their own path.

Bearing that in mind I guess that all I can tell you is that to never forget that no matter where you go or how far we are from one another, your family will always love you and will always be with you.

Your mother and I are so proud of how far you have managed to make it on your own and whilst we know it is hard we know that you will find the strength within you to keep going on no matter what.

Because you are our Ariel. A girl with a strong head on her shoulders, a warm heart on her sleeve and an untameable fire in her soul.

With all my love,

Your father,

Calvin Brooks.

"I love you too dad" Ariel whispered tears streaming down her face as she pressed the paper gently to her lips.

"Ariel" came a timid voice and Ariel looked up quickly to see Thorin walking towards her.

"What is it Thorin?" she clipped scrubbing at her eyes as she stiffened in preparation for a snide remark or barked out order.

However Thorin's voice was quiet and measured as he spoke.

"Beorn has agreed to help us get to Mirkwood"

"Oh? Well that's good I guess" Ariel bit her lip.

"I also hear that Fili's agreed to give you sword lessons"

"He has" Ariel nodded before adding tersely "that's not a problem is it?"

"if you keep arguing like that it might be" Thorin growled but then he quickly backtracked at the look flashing over the young girl's face.

"So that's it then Ariel brooks is not good enough to fight alongside this company?"

Thorin looked up at her face and was astonished to see that there was genuine hurt and dejection in her usually fierce green-brown eyes.

"Then if I'm so useless I'll just go shall I? To be rid of me once and for all isn't that what you want?"

He winced internally as Kili's words from that morning wafted over his mind.

"If you were to leave…where would you go?" he murmured softly.

"I dunno I'd figure something out…" but even then Ariel sounded unsure as she looked down at her feet.

"You don't even know this world" He murmured softly. "you'd die if you just wandered on your own like that"

"Then so be it" Ariel muttered before making to turn away but before she could even take a step, Thorin's large hand grabbed her arm.

"By Mahal, Girl will you stop and listen for once in your life!" he growled. "I don't want you to leave, none of us do!"

"What?" Ariel breathed as she looked down on the dwarf prince before her.

His face was tense and awkward as his blue eyes darted around the barn trying to look at anything but her as he shifted nervously on his feet.

"you may be a pain in my behind most of the time" he mumbled darkly. "but no matter what you're still a part of this company, still our friend. "

Ariel stared down at Thorin in shock. She wasn't quite sure of what to think anymore. She'd spent so long expecting nasty snide comments from the dwarf that she'd never once think that he'd ever accept her as anything but a sack of extra baggage.

For him to overcome his pride and say something like this to her was huge…

"Thorin…I…I don't know what to say"

"Then just don't say anything" Thorin grumbled his grip tightening on her arm "just stay"

She felt her throat constrict as she made to open her mouth to reply.

"I…I will…but Thorin…"

"Yes?"

"Can you let go of my arm? I can't feel it anymore"

Thorin looked down on the slender limb in his hands and saw that her skin over her hands had gone unnaturally pale.

He loosened his grip but did not let go. Something on her wrist had caught his eye.

"What's this?"

Ariel was about to protest as Thorin yanked away her arm bracer, only to gasp in shock and horror. There over her entire left wrist and forearm was a band of dark discoloured skin shaped like the imprint of a large hand. At first she was about to berate the dwarf for his rough handling, only she noticed to her horror that the mark was even bigger than his tough grip…bigger and darker and redder…almost like it had been burnt straight onto her …

"What on earth…" she breathed as she turned her limb over. Yet even as she brought it up to look at it in the light of a sunbeam, did something red and fiery flash over her minds eye.

My dream…

She breathed as she remembered her dream from the night before, of a shadow in the fire advancing upon her, how she raised her arm to defend herself, this arm in fact.

But that was only dream and I was safe here with everyone at the time…But I was safe in Rivendell and look what happened there…wait Rivendell…that shadow…the eye…oh no…this can't…no he can't be trying to…to…

Her heart hammered in her chest, the throbbing of it like the beating of fast galloping horses in her ears. Her breath caught painfully in her chest as breathing suddenly became difficult. She was vaguely aware of her feet juddering beneath her but barely noticed anything as sweat beaded on her brow and yet instead of heat, she only felt icy cold seep through her arteries and veins. She gripped her staff tight in her unhurt hand as everything began to blur as the edges of her vision darkened-

"Ariel" a voice murmured in soothing tones and she blinked as she caught sight of an old man's face right in front of hers.

"Gandalf?"

"That's it Ariel. Just focus on me. That's it" the old wizard sighed as he saw her gently settle her down to sit on a nearby haystack. A few feet away, Beorn and Thorin were standing and watching them, their faces masks of grim concern. It was then she realized she was trembling all over from head to foot and that her eyes were streaming with tears, though she could do nothing to stem the flow as she whispered in a breathless rush.

"He's coming Gandalf. He-He knows where I am, he's coming for me just like he did in Rivendell-"

"Who's coming Ariel?" Gandalf asked her gently, though he already had a sinking feeling in his own heart.

"Him." She hissed, gripping onto her staff so tight her knuckles had gone white. The gem in its head glowed an almost venomous green and Gandalf quickly looked up to the rafters of Beorn's barn as the air around him seemed to chill. There above his head small vines that had once been harmless overgrowth, now suddenly grew longer and bore a few gnarly rather sharp looking thorns.

Then suddenly they stopped in their tracks as she sucked in a deep breath.

"S-Sorry." She mumbled shaking her head "S-sorry, I-I-I didn't mean to-I should be more in control-" she inhaled sharply, shutting her eyes as she tried to centre herself. It worked…to a certain degree.

"Thorin perhaps you should check on the rest of the company" Gandalf gave the dwarf a pointed look through the corner of his eye.

Thorin opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it as he met the wizard's eye.

"Of course, let us know if you need anything" he bobbed his head at the old man before glancing at Ariel. However, she was quick to avoid his eye, though from shame or from something else he was not sure.

All that he did know, was that there was something brewing in the background of his company's adventure. He was sure of it. Gandalf was hiding something, something that was probably far worse than the party of orcs hunting them. Something that was probably bigger than their entire quest.

But what devilry could possibly be worse than that defiler? Apart from the dragon of course.

Thorin scowled as he strode away to join the others outside the house. Whatever was going on he was going to get to the bottom of it make no mistake about that.

The day passed on in a surprisingly more relaxed manner after the rather drama packed morning.

Ariel was now seated outside with the rest of the Company while Thorin went inside to get answers from Gandalf and Beorn about the strange happenings of that morning. After she had calmed down from her small panic attack, the Skinchanger had gently applied a bandage and some honey based salve to her left arm where the burn was. Ariel had to admit that while Beorn's size had intimidated her at first, he had handled her arm with the softest of touches she had ever felt.

Despite the lack of pain, Ariel did her best to try and not use that arm as much as possible, thanking her lucky stars that she was right handed as Fili did his best to demonstrate how to hold a sword using an axe hilt to practice on, much to the others amusement.

Dwalin especially found it particularly funny whenever the young girl kept trying to swing her blade down upon the log of wood they'd chosen to practice on.

"Hmm don't worry lass" he chuckled as Ariel did her best to heave the heavy blade and swing down on the log only to miss it.

"If you don't hit it with the blade you sure will burn it with your eyes"

His laughs became louder as the novice's hit landed against the green grass instead sticking in the ground.

"The axe's too heavy" Ariel grunted as she tugged the blade out of the yielding earth.

And indeed she wasn't kidding. It wasn't like she hadn't chopped firewood before, but that was with one of her father's simple wood axes back home. Beorn's axe, though crude and simple, was almost as heavy enough as a Dwarven battle axe.

"I figured that would be the case" Fili called as he re-entered Beorn's garden carrying something wrapped in his cloak in his arms.

"I picked this up when we were running about the Goblin tunnels" he explained "It's long but it's light and sharp"

Ariel gasped as he unfolded the material and revealed a very familiar slender sword with a green scabbard and a bronze hilt shaped like a tree.

"my sword!" she exclaimed reaching out and taking the blade in her hands.

"Your sword?" came Bofur's surprised exclamation as he sat with the others as they picnicked lunch under the shade of a tree.

"From Rivendell. It was given to me by the elves" Ariel explained and there were some small hisses and shushings.

"Not so loud lass" Dori hissed "Thorin's still inside the house."

"Oh god seriously still after all this time" Ariel rolled her eyes "I mean I can understand Thorin being pissed at the Mirkwood Elves but Elrond helped us"

"I know. But that's Thorin Oakenshield for you. No trust for Elves no matter what" Fili patted her on the shoulder as he took her sword away.

"Hey that-"

"You'll get it back" Fili smirked "but only after you manage to hit the log with this"

He put the axe back in her hand. "Come on! Chop, chop!"

"I'll show you chop, chop" Ariel grumbled under her breath.

"Watch out brother, I think you've just awakened the beast" Kili guffawed loudly as he caught sight of the fierce determination flash over Ariel's face as she made to raise the axe above her head.

"Woah there lass hold on hold on!" Dwalin's voice cried out as he rushed towards her quickly. "Hold on I think I see what your problem is"

He quickly brought her arms down before her.

"You're too tall"

"Uh this comment coming from a dwarf? OW!" Ariel winced as she felt a rough hand slap itself sharply over the back of her head.

There were many chuckles from the dwarves as Dwalin growled roughly.

"No talking back to your teacher youngling. Now take your stance again"

Ariel pouted but did as she was told without a peep.

"Now bend your knees, but keep the weight on the balls of your feet"

"Balls of my feet?"

"Yes"

"…ok then…" Ariel gulped as she bent her knees but twisted said part of her feet in the dirt.

"now when you swing try and keep your elbows close to your body till you have it over your head."

Ariel did as she was told, slowly so as to memorise the action.

"That's it lass nice and easy. Keep your eyes on the target… and swing!"

She swung down hard and there was a loud groan as wood split from wood straight in half.

Ariel stared in shock at the split log before her on the stump as several loud cheers sounded about her.

She looked up at Dwalin who smirked at her awe and surprise.

"It's always the same with novices' they don't have proper stance and that's why they fail dismally."

"But I can't stay rooted down to one spot in a fight like that can I?" Ariel frowned.

"Nay you can't lass and you shouldn't." the old dwarf agreed "That's why I said to use the balls of your feet. If you stay on those and keep your legs bent it's easy to move about side to side and back and forth quickly. Here put down that axe and I'll show you."

Ariel put down the axe in her hand and laid it by the stump as Dwalin backed off into a clear patch of grass a little further away.

"Alright lass now arms up" he growled as he took a fighting stance.

Ariel blinked "Arms up?"

"yeah arms up! Come on like me and keep your legs like they were back there."

"O-ok" Ariel stuttered glancing at the others nervously.

"Don't worry lass he won't hurt you" Balin spoke up with a patient smile "he's trained plenty of bairns before. Most of them smaller than you."

God they had to be taught by Dwalin…that sounds terrifying!

Bilbo could not help but gaze in sympathy at the poor young girl as she timidly took a fighting stance.

Dwalin looked like he was torn between laughing at her fear or rolling his eyes at it. However instead he just chose to clear his throat and gruffly bark to his new pupil.

"Now come on hit me"

"But-"

"For goodness sake girl just hit me"

Ariel quickly lunged forwards, her much tinier fist landing on his shoulder. However, Dwalin did not seem even the slightest bit phased. Indeed, he just stood there bushy eyebrows raised.

"Really?" he grumbled dryly "That was the best you could do?"

Ariel felt a twinge of anger build up as she heard Kili snigger softly behind her only for Fili to shut him up.

She hit Dwalin again this time harder. She winced a little as she felt her knuckles collide with the dwarf's chainmail armour he wore beneath his tunic.

"I can't believe it" Dwalin raised his eyebrows. "This is the same girl that managed to slap Thorin Oakenshield so hard she bruised his face for two days?"

"That was different" Ariel grumbled "He pissed me off, offended my mother and walked in on me getting dressed-"

"I hardly see how that should affect your strikes" Dwalin snorted "Your opponent in battle is going to be doing a lot worse to you than all that, much worse, especially since he's premeditating the act of killing you."

"Are you going to hurt me?" Ariel mumbled feeling her body tense up.

"Hit me again that pathetically and maybe I will" Dwalin's eyes narrowed as he readied himself once more.

Ariel stared at him. He wouldn't hurt her. Not really. Dwalin may have acted like a big strong grump a lot of the time but at heart he was one of the biggest worry warts of the company.

But she had also seen him in battle, and she had to admit, the thought of the dwarf as an enemy was just as frightening to her as facing down a pack of orcs.

And so, for the third time she lunged forwards only this time with her punch came for his head, a loud cry from her mouth almost like a battle cry but less restrained and more…wild.

Dwalin barely had time to block the attack before she quickly withdrew her hand only to punch with her other one from underneath this time hitting him square in the solar plexus.

He didn't drop dramatically as she'd envisioned in her mind, but the dwarf did grimace with pain as her tiny fist dug into his ribcage.

With a quick flick of his wrist she was jerked away from him only she did not stay down. Without pausing to think she rolled to her feet swiftly just in time to dodge out under his arm as he swung it out to hit her.

"Come on!" he barked with mirth even as she made to charge at him once more this time ducking in her head at the last moment as she tackled him headfirst into the ground football style.

The dwarves and Bilbo all roared with laughter as they saw their most fierce fighter be mowed down into the grass and struggle with the young girl who made quick work to wrestle him down to the grass and pull him into a headlock.

"Whoa! Lass! Lass!" He half chuckled half choked "Whoa let go! Let go"

"HHHh HSFADow was that?" Ariel grinned as she let him go and stumbled away from him. "Was that tough enough for you master dwarf?"

"Hmm, better." Dwalin snorted noting with amusement that her eyes glimmered fiercely once more. "Alright a lot better than before. Come on let's take a bite and then we'll practice more."

"Thank god" Ariel sighed with relief her feet immediately directing her on autopilot towards the food.

Once she was seated comfortably and had a few berries popped securely into her mouth Bofur piped up.

"Miss Ariel, I hate to sound rude but how does a nice charming young girl like yourself know how to wrestle like that?"

"One of the perks of being me" Ariel muttered as she made to settle her corset which had gone slightly skewed after that tackle. "I used to get bullied heaps by the other boys when I was younger."

"How come?" Bilbo frowned.

"Because they didn't like the fact that a little girl like me used to beat them at everything else." Ariel muttered as she gulped down water from her water skin. "The boys back then were very, um, prideful and they didn't like their egos bruised especially by the runt of the litter."

"Did they beat you?" Kili frowned exchanging a concerned glance with Oin and Fili before glancing at the bandages on her left arm as they peeked out from under her sleeve and bracer.

"Yes, though it usually depended on whether or not they could get away with it or if the teacher was watching" Ariel snorted though her face had gone tense. "Either I used to run away into a tree to escape or my brother Ian would come and protect me. But obviously he couldn't be there all the time. One day it got bad and they cornered me by a brick wall far away from any tree. One boy had even taken a large heavy stick and was about to hit me with it. But then…"

She then suddenly sighed and ran a hand over her head.

"But then?" Nori prompted as he and the others leaned in.

"I'm not really sure," Ariel shrugged "I guess I just snapped. One minute I was cringing and cowering for cover, and the next I had broken a boys jaw and given another one a black eye."

"Your survival instincts kicked in." Dwalin smirked "And a good thing too, sounds like you were in pretty bad trouble."

"Yeah, even though I fought back I still came back home black and blue" Ariel nodded a small smile playing on her lips. "My Dad was so mad when I told him what happened. I seriously thought he'd find those boys and kill them himself if it hadn't been for my mum telling him to calm down. Anyways they had words with the other boys parents though that in itself was another battle because apparently the boys were from well to do families and apparently were very sweet but rambunctious boys according to their gossiping mothers." She sneered as she mimed quotation marks with her fingers.

"But they still paid for their crimes?" Balin asked.

"Yeah it was a good thing my teacher was more interested in morals than money or status. She made them apologize in front of the whole class and everything." Ariel paused as she chewed on a sweet strawberry in her fingers before continuing. "They kept their distance for a time. I don't think I actually had a problem with them till last year."

"They didn't try to gang up on you again did they?" Dwalin growled but Ariel chuckled

"No, nothing like that at all. It was just that Kirovski suddenly seemed to notice that I was a female with breasts and hips."

"And did you give that boy another black eye?" Bofur chortled along with all the dwarves.

"Hmm no, but I did smash whatever little was between his legs so…"

There was silence as she munched and when she looked up it was to see rather stunned faces of her friends as the all looked on her.

"What? don't women in this world ever stand up for themselves or something?" she blinked feeling her cheeks light up.

"…Not human women…at least not many of them" it was Balin who answered, and Ariel wasn't sure whether he was nervous or impressed "Are you sure there isn't some dwarfish blood in you lass?"

"Of course, there isn't!" Dori steamrolled over the top "The girl is as hairless as stone as any other human."

"Do…Do all dwarf women have lots of hair?" Ariel gulped torn between laughing and awkwardness. She knew that dwarves were very fussy about the state of their beards, but to think that women had them or that they were a desirable trait at all was rather…well…odd…and she couldn't help but feel strangely self-conscious about herself as she looked over her smooth skinned arms.

"Yeah nearly all of them do." Kili explained "Most have at the very least, long sideburns and hairy legs. Like that cute lass Zal in Erid Luin"

"So what because I'm hairless I'm…unattractive by dwarf standards" Ariel tilted her head curiously.

"What NO!" it was Ori who had shouted much to everyone's amusement. Indeed, even Bilbo snorted softly under his breath, though he coughed quickly to cover it up as the young dwarf spluttered and mumbled:

"no…you're human…and even if you are you are still nice enough by…human standards a-and dwarf standards um…" he trailed off, his cheeks turning a brilliant shade of magenta.

"I think what our good friend Ori means to say Ariel," The hobbit patted the young dwarf's shoulder with a kind smile "Is that it doesn't matter what race you come from, you look fine just the way you are. Isn't that right Ori?"

"…yes." Ori mumbled softly.

"Oh well that's very sweet Ori" Ariel smiled just as the thudding of several feet came up behind them.

They all turned to see Gandalf, Thorin and Beorn walking out the front door, the lattermost detaching himself from the wizard and dwarf to head off in the direction of a group of ponies grazing in a distant corner of the large garden.

"We are staying one more night then we'll leave for the forest" Gandalf announced as Thorin made his way to examine the stump where Ariel's chopped wood log was still laying split in two.

"Beorn's been kind enough to lend us his ponies until we reach the forest edge. But after that we must let them go. Since there are only ten ponies and one horse some of us may have to double up. Bilbo, Ori since you two are the lightest you should sit with Fili and Kili and Bofur you should try to ride with Oin."

"What about the lass?" Gloin raised his eyebrows.

"Ariel will ride with me since she is taller" Thorin answered before Gandalf could open his mouth "Though I doubt it'll make much difference who she rides with she's so scrawny"

"Since I am to be graced with your majestic and fair presence do I at least get to drive the poor beast or will we both be forced to put up with your terrible sense of direction?" Ariel shook her head with a sigh.

"I assure you I am more capable of driving a pony than most others" Thorin snorted.

"Says the guy that got lost twice on his way to Bilbo's hobbit hole even though the map was very clear about where to go."

Thorin opened his mouth to retort only to see that Ariel was pursing her lips in the attempt not to laugh, her eyes glinting with playful mischievousness but not contempt or scorn.

"Don't get too smart woman," he rolled his eyes, a small smirk playing on his lips even as he turned his back on the group to walk away, but not before calling out. "By the way you need to work on your wood-chopping skills. Even a mouse could swing an axe better than that!"

"Oh go suck an egg Oakenshield!"

The night air was cool and crisp, the moon above them bright and full and softly illuminating the insides of the barn of Beorn's large house where all the dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf and Ariel rested.

Or at least Ariel was trying to rest as she tossed and turned over for the umpteenth time that night. She couldn't help it. She just had too many thoughts bouncing around her head.

How? How can Sauron have marked me from such a distance? I mean I know he's quite powerful even without his ring but how?

She sat up wincing as she felt her left arm twinge. For some reason the burn seemed to hurt more in the night than it did in the light of day.

Not that it really changed things for Ariel as she gingerly got to her feet and quietly crept her way towards the raised kitchen.

Her footsteps were as silent as a ghost as she approached the spot where Gandalf slept. The wizard was asleep, as per usual with his eyes open. Ariel could remember only too well how much it had freaked her out the first time she had seen him like that early on in their quest. It still unnerved her even as she stepped over his outstretched legs and up the step that led into the kitchen.

She sat at the table doing her best to make sure she made as little sound as possible as she drew up a chair and sat down heavily in it.

She felt tired, but not because she wanted sleep. In fact, sleeping was the last thing she wanted to do. And if she did want to sleep, she wanted to do so in her own bed, back home with her favourite mattress and comforter in her warm fleecy pyjamas. And when she woke up, she wanted to smash her fist down sideways on her old alarm clock, go downstairs and eat breakfast with…

She pulled out her father's letter from where she had stashed it inside her corset, her eyes feeling the familiar burn as they teared over. She knew it was pathetic, knew she had to get some balls and grow up but-

"It is alright if you miss them" a deep voice murmured in the night.

Ariel looked up and saw the large hulking mass of Beorn standing in the large doorway that led from the kitchen to the outside of the house.

"Sorry" she mumbled scrubbing away at her tears, and he quirked a thick bushy brow in confusion.

"For what? You are doing nothing wrong. You miss your loved ones; it is only natural you should feel sad."

"Do…do you miss yours?" Ariel asked timidly glancing down at his wrists where she could see the remains of the nasty shackle shaped marks that marred the dark and hairy skin around his wrists. How long had he born those? Years? How long did skin-changers live?

"Sometimes" Beorn answered her question, his wild brown eyes as surprisingly gentle as his voice as he made to sit opposite her at the table. "Like waves upon sand, it comes and goes, though I would hate it more if I were not to feel anything at all."

"hmm" Ariel nodded, her thumb smoothing itself over her father's inky words.

"Everyone keeps saying they know I'll be able to do what I need to do." She muttered, staring at the letter in her hand. "But…but how can I do what has to be done when I don't even know what I need to do? I'm not special, I wasn't born into a noble house of great titles, nor was I born into a family of magic users. I'm not wise or all-knowing like Gandalf, Saruman or Elrond or Lady Galadriel-"

"Wizards and elves are not all-knowing, little one" Beorn cut across her smoothly "Yes, they have lived longer and have seen much, but that doesn't mean they know all. They just know how to handle themselves when they confront the unknown, just as you will learn in time."

"But what if I don't?" Ariel bit her lip. "What if it turns out I'm completely useless? What if I make a mistake?"

"Does a wolf cub instantly know how to hunt without sacring its prey? No." Beorn countered swiftly "Does a faun automatically know how to avoid a trap and a lure set for them? No."

He reached out and put a gigantic hand on the young girl's shoulder "You are still young, little-one, and you still have room to grow. But you won't be able to do so if you are too scared of looking into the unknown on your own."

"I know…" Ariel mumbled eyes now fixed on the tabletop "I just…I wish I knew what to do…that's all"

"As for that I doubt even the wise could tell you what you need to do." Beorn reached up to her chin and tilted her face upwards so she could look into his eyes. "Only you know what you can and cannot do, and only you can make the choices you must make. It is not always straightforward, but that is the way things are, and in time you will find it easier to forge your own path for yourself."

He paused as he heard a grunting snort from the direction of the dwarves still sleeping in the barn.

"You should get some rest." he stood to his feet. "You have a long day of riding ahead of you and you will not get many opportunities to have a full night's sleep in the wild"

"I know" Ariel muttered as she felt a yawn creep up on her from out of the blue. Yet before she crept down the stairs, she paused and turned to look back. Beorn was opening the door to the outside ajar, his back hunched slightly.

"Beorn"

He paused and glanced over his shoulder and she gave him a small smile.

"Thank you"

Beorn didn't say anything. He merely nodded gruffly; however, she could see the glimmer in his rugged eyes soften ever so slightly even as he turned around and strode outside, his two footsteps suddenly turning into four which thudded on the ground as their owner began his prowl back into the night.

---

"You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest?"

"You have my word" Gandalf assured Beorn as they walked through the dense woodland they were currently using as cover till they were ready to set out across Wilderland.

They knew it was to be a journey, not of comfort but of speed, especially considering the news that Beorn had seen a couple of orcs and wargs patrolling solo here and there on the edges of the great plains.

But that wasn't all that was worrying the wizard as he looked away to behind two trees in the far off distance. Was it just him or had he just seen a pair of watchful evil eyes peer out at him for a split second?

"We're being watched" he murmured softly and Beorn nodded as he sniffed the air.

"Yes…the orcs will not give up. But that was no orc smell…it was something fouler…more dangerous…and I fear it will not stop hunting you till they see you destroyed"

"But why now?" Gandalf frowned "What has made such creatures as the Defiler crawl out from his hole?"

"There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the sorcerer in Dol Guldur."

"Are you sure of this?" Gandalf breathed in shock.

Beorn nodded.

"Packs have been seen gathering there each day more and more come."

The skin changer paused as something screeched far off in the distance. It could've been a bird. However, if made the hairs stand up on the back of Gandalf's neck as he made to murmur.

"What do you know of this sorcerer? The one they call the necromancer"

"I know he is not what he seems. Fell things are drawn to his power. Azog pays homage to him,"

"Gandalf! Time is wasting" Thorin called out as he took his spot before Ariel on the tallest pony.

Gandalf nodded and quickly made to walk off to his own tall horse but Beorn continued to speak.

"There is more. When she came to me all those days ago, Nuldien told me that she had seen something like the dead walking near the High Fells of Rhudaur."

"The dead?" Gandalf quirked a brow only for Beorn's thick ones to bristle.

"Is it true? Are there tombs in those mountains?"

Gandalf's eyes turned to the distance as the familiar but distant voice of a woman's filled his head.

"When Angmar fell, the men of the North took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him. In a tomb so dark it would never come to light"

"Yes" Gandalf's voice was barely more than a murmur "Yes there are tombs up there"

Beorn's face grew tenser than ever but he maintained composure.

"I remember a time when a great evil ruled these lands. One powerful enough to raise the dead. If that enemy has returned to Middle-Earth, I would have you tell me."

"Saruman the white says it is not possible" Gandalf said sternly "The enemy was destroyed and will never return"

"And yet your apprentice bears a mark such as he used to brand his enemies and prisoners in days of old."

Gandalf's face paled as both he and Beorn looked down upon said apprentice who was glancing up at them curiously from her spot behind Thorin.

"Wait one more moment before you depart" the skin changer muttered to the wizard before stepping forwards towards the dwarf prince and the young girl, the former of which narrowed his eyes as Beorn gestured towards Ariel.

"Give me your hand child"

Ariel did as she was told only to see the gigantic fingers place something small within them.

She looked down curiously and saw to her surprise a couple of small brown seeds, barely bigger than the nail of her pinky finger.

"The greenwood of old has grown sick. The plants withered and evil" Beorn murmured softly "No matter how much of a gift you have the dark power over them will severely limit your control. Hopefully this might tip the balance in your favour."

"They're just seeds." Thorin growled down at the tiny seedlings with disdain.

"Some of the best things in life come in the smallest of packages," Ariel snorted before adding with a smirk "Thorin Oakenshield on the other hand comes wrapped up in his ego that's bigger than a mountain."

"And thus, begins fireworks." Gandalf sighed as Thorin rolled his eyes. Beorn however chuckled.

"You have spirit. That is good. Nuldien always did like those of great spirit."

"Are you sure she didn't give you any other message?" Ariel asked trying her best not to sound desperate. But she couldn't help it. That woman had been solely in charge of sending her to Middle-Earth in the first place. The reason she was entangled in this mess in the first place. If anyone knew the answers to all of Ariel's questions it would be her.

Beorn seemed to guess this but it only made him sigh heavily.

"I'm afraid not young one. That letter from your parents was the only thing she'd said you'd need from her."

"Oh…ok…" Ariel's face fell.

Thorin's face softened with pity as he glanced back on her, adjusting his grip on his pony as it whinnied with fright. There had been another inhumane screech from close by and it was severely distressing not just one but all the equines present.

"You must go now" Beorn growled as he stepped back "As long as you have light, you'll be safe. Though your hunters are not far behind."

"Thank you" Thorin nodded gruffly down towards the skin changer before flicking the reins of his pony hard.

"Hold on" he hissed at Ariel who barely had time to register his words before they were speeding off at a fast canter straight through the trees.

But even as they sped out of the line of the trees and out into the open sunlight Ariel could have sworn, she'd seen through the corner of her eye a dark bird-like figure stooping atop a rock high above them watching them with beady eyes.

Ariel felt her injured arm suddenly sting again and gritted her teeth, her grip on Thorin's waist tightening uncomfortably.

"Just my arm" she hissed before he could comment "Nothing drastic."

"It might be" Thorin muttered his eyes darting about him to the other riders. Beside them were Fili and Kili who were sharing and trying to race Bofur and Bilbo as the fields about them widened and expanded.

However instead of joining them, Thorin slowed the pony's pace slightly, tugging on Ariel's hand so that she leaned into his back, just close enough for him to murmur softly.

"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Gandalf says the brand on your arm might have been caused by magic."

"Whose magic?" Ariel gulped. Damn, this wasn't supposed to happen, Gandalf wasn't supposed to know about Sauron's return till he had found Dol Guldur later in the story. Had her attack at Rivendell sped up the timeline? Was the mark on her arm a dead giveaway?

But the dwarf prince stayed silent as he watched Gandalf's horse gallop on ahead to lead the company. Once he was well ahead of the racers Thorin spoke once more.

"You said a hag cursed your brother…One that looked like a vulture with a dark symbol on her palm"

"Yeah…that's right" Ariel bit her lip torn between relief and dread "do you know who she is?"

"Tell me does the name Balcheth mean anything to you"

"No I have never come across such a name in my life" Ariel tilted her head.

"Neither did I" Thorin muttered "But both Gandalf and Beorn seemed to recognise it. I don't know what she really is, but whatever she's got planned for you cannot be good."

"She's a hag" Ariel rolled her eyes rubbing at her stinging arm "nothing she's got planned bodes well for any of us"

"you're right" Thorin agreed grimly "it won't"

---

Where are you, Crone?

"I am at the borders of the Forest my lord. The girl will come soon. She rides with Oakenshield. You need not worry I shall capture her once they are in the open -"

No. Wait till she is in the forest. You shall have no trouble separating her from her friends once she is in my domain.

"Very well my lord. And what of her friends"

Lead them astray off the path. Let the forest have them, or toy with them as you will. My prize is worth far more than a dithering band of dwarves.

"I assure you my lord…everything is going swimmingly. The girl will be yours soon"

I should hope so, because if you should fail…there won't be any barren shadow left for you to hide Balcheth…