Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.

Marie believed that no one found any real sleep that night, not with a storm bearing down on the house and the thought of encountering the orcs again. She had heard their mumbles and sounds of discomfort right into the early hours of the morning. She herself found only some hours as she drifted in and out but gave up trying after the third time she woke and passed the time by tracing a nail around her one remaining acorn button.

It felt much better to have the button out of her pocket and between her fingers, but her ring stayed in her pocket. It felt safer that way.

Once the dwarves decided they had waited long enough, they hastily collected their weapons and supplies and left the house just as the sun light hit the rooftop. The ground was still muddy be the time the morning finally came, but with it came a clear sky as promised.

"Come along now." Gandalf appeared out of nowhere yet again with a large Clydesdale and ushered the dwarves out to the back of Beorn's land. "And take up those saddles, our host is waiting."

Marie strapped on a canteen of water and a bag holding part of their food while the dwarves collected the saddle, which looked just like a mere bundle of cloth and yarn.

Beorn was standing amongst a heard of ponies, patting the neck of the largest one softly as the dwarves and Marie approached.

"These creature no nothing of the whip or shackles," Beorn told them. "Treat them well and they will go where you need." He walked towards the west with his arms flexed at his sides. He seemed to be looking out for something. "Go now while you have the light."

The dwarves wasted no time in tacking up the ponies. They had beautiful yearling coats of black and white with long manes that were as long as they were tall. It was no wonder that the saddles and reigns were all hand made from yarn, so they would not harm such dazzling beast.

Marie approached one with caution and reached up to stroke its snout, but it backed away from her nervously.

"Oh come on now," Marie muttered and tried again. The pony's ears folded back against its head so she stopped. "I'm not that scary."

The pony may have walked away if Thorin had not caught it. He gently muttered to the beast which calmed at his touch long enough for him to hook the harness around its head. Marie was almost envious at how confident Thorin handled himself.

"Hold him still." A pair of reigns were given to her before she could say no. She held them tightly as the dwarf king threw the blanket across the ponies back. Marie took this chance and placed her free hand on the soft felt nose. It was not like her old pony Murtle, whose coat was thick and coarse.

Maire wondered whatever became of Murtle and the other ponies, but that thought was short lived.

"Did you get enough sleep?" Thorin surprising asked.

"Yes I did actually thank you." Marie gave a half smile, "I think I owe that to your nephews from yesterday. They are quite a handful."

Thorin faltered in his work for a second, "Indeed." He mumbled.

"Whose are they?" Marie knew by the simple look he gave her that Thorin had no clue what she was asking about. She glanced back at the pair of brothers not far from them. "Fili and Kili. Whose are they? Your brother's?"

"No." Thorin adjusted the harness around the pony's waist. "My sister's."

"You have a sister?"

"Aye. And at a time, a brother." His words were slow with apprehension.

"What do you mean 'at a time'?" There was a look that came over Thorin, one that Marie knew all too well and she knew she had overstepped her boundaries. "I'm sorry I don't mean to pry, I only ..."

She was silenced with a single look from Thorin. "You have an insatiable curiosity don't you Miss Baggins."

Marie didn't know what to say. She had a fervent hope in her heart that the dwarf king would open a little more of himself up to her, if only a little. But she may have hoped too much.

She didn't what to be shut out anymore.

But Thorin's frown dissipated and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I never said it was a terrible thing. Don't look so petrified."

Marie breathed a sigh of relief. "I just didn't want to cause offence."

"There is nothing to offend. Besides, you trusted me with a story, I think it is only fair that return the favour."

He was opening up to her.

"Before my grandfather attempted to reclaim Moria, Frerin and a small band of our warriors went to search for safe havens for the women and children. They were all slaughtered by Gundabad scum."

"Your brother's name was Frerin?" Marie felt bad for interrupting, but it appeared that Thorin didn't mind.

"Yes. The loss was hardest on my sister. They were closer in age therefore closer in companionship. She was never the same after that, and when she lost Vari she became so protective of the boys, to the point she was suffocating them. I guess it's because they remind her of Frerin, especially Kili."

"Was he reckless too?"

"Yes, though not as impulsive. I did my best to help Dis raise them."

"Now I see why they hold you in such high esteem. They view you as a surrogate father."

Thorin seemed to disagree with the notion and shook his head. "I am no father."

Marie looked over her shoulder. Fili had already mounted his pony while Kili was still tying supplies to his, but he looked more interested in gossiping with his brother. As he was tightening one of the straps, he glanced over and caught Marie's gaze. Her mouth quirked a little and she returned her focus to Thorin. "Regardless of what you may or may not consider yourself, you should be proud. They're both fine boys. A little out of hand at times, but still fine."

"That tongue of yours can be as honeyed as it can be bitter Miss Baggins." Thorin mounted the pony in one swift motion, "A common trait for hobbits?"

Marie shrugged and handed Thorin the reigns, "Our only weapons may be our bitter tongues, and it inflicts some more than others. The Sackville-Baggins for one."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

The pony shook its mane wildly and Marie spluttered as the hair hit her nose. Thorin smirked down at her before holding out his hand to her. Marie took it and was pulled onto the pony.

'Wait ... what?' Marie realised all too late that she was now sitting behind Thorin. 'Since when was this part of the plan?'

Some of the dwarves had to pair up on a single pony, but Marie hadn't been made aware that she was to share with Thorin of all people. She had not been thinking when he had offered his hand but in that moment it did not feel wrong to do so. It just happened, as naturally as the sun rise.

Thorin stirred the pony on to head the group. Marie made sure to lean away from him and clutched the back of the saddle as the creature rocked her side to side.

"Have you ever galloped before?" Thorin asked.

Marie eye balled the back of his head. "Do I look like I've galloped?"

"Then you might want to hold on."

"What?"

"Ride now, all of you!" Gandalf called as his horse took off to the east. Thorin dug his heels into the pony's side and it Marie almost toppled off the back. She yelped and threw her arms around Thorin's middle. She felt his chest was thrumming under her arms and was sure he was laughing at her.

'Well this is ... interesting if not awkward.'

Marie loosened her arms slightly so that was only gripping Thorin's belt her face wasn't pressed into the scabbard slung across his back.

'Might as well make do with the present course of events.'

xxxxx

The sun had barely passed over Midday when Mirkwood came into sight. Fortune favoured their ride as none of the orc pack had been spotted behind them or in front, but there could be no grantee just how long that would last.

Marie first saw the wood when Thorin slowed the pony to a trot and turned it enough for her to peer around Thorin's shoulder. She knew with one glance there was something amiss with the forest.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Gandalf said as he dismounted. He walked under a pair of white arches that had begun to fade and age, but not from time. They looked like one of the entrances at Rivendell, only ... for lake of a better word, wilder.

Gandalf looked back over at the company, but Marie could see his gaze staring beyond them, back at the path they had just taken. "Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."

The dwarves did as they were bid, but Marie remained seated as Thorin slid off in front of her.

She was starting to agree with Thorin's original apprehension about the forest. Beorn was right, there was a darkness in the trees, twisting them from root to branch in unsightly shapes. Leaves of sickly hues grew on blackened branches that fought for dominance over one another.

"This place feels ... sick. Like a disease is choking it from within." Marie's fingers curl around rope holding the water canteen over her shoulder. "Is there no other way round?"

Gandalf shook his head, "Not if we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south."

Marie chewed on the inside of her lip as the wizard walked further into the forest with caution.

'We should go ... south.'

Her hand slid down to rest on her hip. She was overcome by an urge to touch the ring again.

"I don't think Gandalf would want me sending you back with the ponies."

Marie gasped and her hand jerked away from her leg. "Alright, alright just ... give me a minute." She told a waiting Thorin.

She hated dismounting.

This was the one thing she could not grasp when it came to horseback, being only three feet it was a long way down for her. She swung a leg over and gripped the saddle tightly, looking down at her fall. She readied for her clumsily decent but was stop by Thorin. He wordlessly placed his hands around her waist and picked her right up off the saddle. He was not rough with her, more careful than anything. Marie's hands came forward and grasped the fur of his coat as he lowered her to the ground.

She mumbled her thanks as she let him go.

"I have something to ask of you." Thorin muttered

Marie blinked in surprise but listened on.

"Before I do, can I trust you?"

"What? Thorin I thought ..."

"Can I trust you?" He asked earnestly.

"You can trust me." Marie said each word slowly to make her point, even if it made her sound silly. "I hope you would after all this time."

Thorin's eyes danced about for any onlookers, but the pony hid the pair of them well enough. He pulled something out from his coat, but it did not take long for Marie to realise what it was. It was the iron key and the map Gandalf had given him in her dinning room, the legacy his father had left him. "We can not risk these falling into unsavoury hands. You at least may escape should that come to pass." He took hold of Marie's hand placed the map and key into her palm. She looked down at his large hands folded around her's. "Keep them safe." His hands gave one firm squeeze then slipped from her touch, yet her hands still felt heavy.

He was trusting her with the two most important things he possessed, her of all people. An emotion started to swell in her chest, but Marie could put her finger on just what it was. Pride? Fear? Happiness?

"Thorin, I ..." But when she looked up he was already walking away from her with their pony.

'Why must he always do that?' Marie slid the folded map and the key into her pocket with a sigh and wathed passively as Thorin handed the pony to Nori who loosened the saddle slightly before letting it join its brethren in returning home.

"Not my horse I need it!" Gandalf came rushing out of the forest, startling the company.

Marie was confused. Why would he need his horse? Unless he planned to ...

"You're not leaving us ... are you?" She asked. Gandalf gave a hasty nod and an apologetic glance to her as he passed her, "I would not do this unless I had to. I'll be waiting for you at the over look, on the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." He directed his warning at Thorin, but the dwarf king gave very little to acknowledge it.

This did not sit well with Maire. Every time Gandalf left them, trouble found them again and again in even fouler forms.

"This is not the Greenwood of Old, the very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

The way the wizard spoke, Marie thought he was implying that the forest was a living creature. Gandalf mounted his horse and stirred it around. "You must stay on the path, do not leave for if you do you'll never find it again."

The sunlight faded as the black horse and his grey rider made their way towards the north and Marie felt the pelting of rain on her head. They had lost the light.

'Bad things are going to happen. I just know it.' Marie followed on as the dwarves entered the forest with Gandalf's warning ringing in her ears.

"Stay on the path."