A/N: Hello, hello, hello! This chapter was meant to be done by the weekend, but that obviously didn't happen, my bad! Thank you again for all your comments! I'm so thrilled that y'all like this fic!

Just a heads up, I'm changing a few events in the timeline. Not in a way that ruins the story (I hope), but just to make it easier for Ellie to fit into the narrative.

Without further ado, here's the next chapter!

Chapter Eight

Ellie hated it.

Being in Middle-Earth was one thing, but not being able to interact with anyone except Thorin and Gandalf was unbearable. Every time she stepped over a different threshold she ended up at a different place in the dwarves' journey. So far, they'd heard the howling of something the other dwarves called a 'warg' and talked about orcs. Ellie had heard Thorin talk about them before when they were children, because it seemed as though orcs and dwarves had always been each others' enemies.

Even though Ellie knew this, she'd still been caught unawares because something changed in Thorin's eyes when he told the younger dwarves about it. It was as though his icy-blue eyes grew much darker and Ellie had noticed he would clench his hand, as if he tried to contain the anger that grew within him.

Only once before had Ellie seen Thorin angry. She recalled how frightened it made her feel, because it had turned him into an entirely different dwarf. The look she saw in Thorin's eyes now was a similar one and even though Ellie couldn't quite understand why, it scared her just as much as it had done then.

Moving through Middle-Earth in her semi-existent state was also a strange experience. She wasn't walking as the others did, nor was she floating like some kind of ghost. Instead, it was as if she just kept up with them by appearing wherever they were. Truthfully, she was grateful because nobody had prepared her for a long ass trek deep into the many, as it turned out, varied terrains of Middle-Earth.

The worst part of it all, though, was how few opportunities Ellie had had to actually speak with Thorin. Once or twice they'd been able to get a moment alone, but that was only because Ellie knew Gandalf was keeping an eye out. Admittedly, Thorin still didn't know that Gandalf was the one orchestrating this whole affair, but so far that seemed to work in their favor. Ellie wasn't sure how much could awry if everyone suddenly found she'd been a part of this all along.

During her last conversation with Thorin, it was revealed that there was some dispute amongst the dwarves about whether or not Bilbo would make it through the journey alive. Ellie knew from her conversation with Gandalf that Bilbo was important if their quest was to succeed, so she'd been able to ease Thorin's concern. At first, the dwarf prince thought that perhaps they'd be best dropping Bilbo off at the next friendly village and that maybe Gandal was wrong all along. Instead, Ellie told him Bilbo isn't used to being so far away from home and that perhaps he just needs encouragement rather than constantly being scolded.

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"We'll camp here for the night! Fíli and Kíli, you watch the ponies! Make sure to stay with them."

Even though Ellie wasn't able to get tired or even feel hungry in whatever semi-existing state this was, she still felt bad for the company. They spent endless hours trekking through muddy or otherwise unforgiving terrain, stopping only to eat and barely to rest. The older dwarves would either tell stories or sing after supper and Ellie found herself almost hypnotised by the magic in their lore and singing. It was easy to imagine those ancient battles as if they were happening right before her eyes. During those moments, Ellie sometimes caught Thorin's eyes as he inhaled the tobacco from his carved pipe.

It was strange to see him so old and so much wiser than the young dwarf she had always known. Thorin had always had a somewhat wisened air about him, but it was definitely far more prominent now than before. Yet, Ellie had never felt intimidated or frightened by Thorin, as some of the others did. Poor Bilbo never seemed sure how to approach him, as if he was stepping on eggshells. In fact, the only person who matched Thorin's sense of authority was Gandalf, which was entirely understandable.

While Ellie had never had dealings with wizards before, she got the sense that while Gandalf was a very useful friend to have on your side, he wasn't someone you would want against you. Thorin was certainly aware of that and therefore acted accordingly, even if he was also not afraid to tell Gandalf when he disagreed about his opinions.

That evening, after Thorin had given orders to set camp for the night, Ellie met Gandalf's eyes and knew at once that he wanted her to follow. Luckily, Thorin didn't seem to be aware that the wizard (or indeed herself) was leaving, which between all the noise of the dwarves and the scrambling of equipment, wasn't surprising.

"I have a task for you, Ellie." Gandalf announced very matter-of-factly, "A very important task indeed."

They had walked some distance away from the camp so that they could talk undisturbed and Ellie suspected that Gandalf still had a way of keeping an eye on the company.

"I thought this was my task?" Ellie said, "To help Thorin and the company."

"Yes and that has not changed." explained Gandalf as he leaned on his staff, "However, I must ask this of you as well. I have a friend who lives on some pasture-lands between Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains and near the river Anduin. We shall need to seek shelter at his house and he is not too fond of surprises. I would like you to let him know that he should expect our arrival."

"You can't like….send some magic instant message?"

She had meant it as a joke, but Gandalf only raised his eyebrows in that stern way he so often did and Ellie felt embarrassed.

"It would be best if you let him know in person," Gandalf continued. "His name is Beorn."

Beorn.

Something about that name instilled a sense of wonder within Ellie that she had felt before. She got the impression that Beorn was perhaps someone incredibly important, and if he knew Gandalf that was probably true. While she didn't like the idea of leaving Thorin and the company, she knew it was urgent if Gandalf asked her to go and it wasn't as if the dwarves wouldn't be safe.

"What troubles you?" Gandalf asked as he lit a pipe, which Ellie had seen him do so many times before.

"I..I don't know," Ellie replied, "It's just...I don't know what I'm doing. I know I'm here to help, but I don't feel like I'm actually helping. I can't talk to anyone except Thorin and only really when we're sure nobody's listening. To be perfectly honest, Gandalf, with you here, I don't understand why I have to be. After all, you're the wizard and I'm just Ellie."

For a while, Gandalf didn't reply and just smoked his pipe in silence. Ellie could never tell what mood the wizard was in at any given time, which was also frustrating. She had only seen him really angry once, back in Bag End when the dwarves had argued about whether or not Bilbo was a burglar at all.

"Well, Just Ellie." said Gandalf, "There will come a time when I will not be continuing with the company, for I will have other business to attend to. Though you may not think it yourself, your part in this quest will be revealed sooner than you might think and just like with our Mr Baggins, I don't think you realise your own strength and courage. Trust me when I say that in time, you will use that strength and courage and we will be grateful for it."

Ellie should have been annoyed, but instead she found that Gandalf's words made sense in some weird way. She still wished she could physically interact with the company, but it seemed like that was something out of Gandalf's control and more down to the will of the Valar.

"How do I get to Beorn's house?" Ellie wondered, "Am I walking all the way there?"

At this, the wizard scoffed so that he coughed out an accidental smoke ring.

"My dear, haven't you learned to walk over thresholds by now?" teased the wizard "If you walk, you will soon find yourself at Beorn's house and when you are ready to come back, you will be able to find us just as easily. Now, was there something else I should tell you? Hmm, no I do believe that's it. Thank you, Ellie."

"Just look after the company, yeah?"

Gandalf didn't reply and so Ellie started walking back towards the path where she noticed the air seemed like it was shimmering and she knew it was a doorway to step through.

To be continued…..

So! Ellie is going to meet Beorn! What do you think will happen?