The rest day wasn't too eventful thankfully. I'd asked Bilbo where he thought the noble was from about an hour or two after we'd cleared the gates of Bree. He'd been confused for half a second before patiently explaining to me how unlikely it was that the man had actually been a noble. After Balin had finished loudly and angrily chewing out Thorin for his carelessness he had joined Bilbo in educating me on the social classes of men and where those of higher standing would usually be found. Which wasn't anywhere near Bree.

"So what was that man doing in bree?" Balin hummed at my question stroking his beard.

"Bree was most likely a rest stop for him just as it was for us. Although it is highly unusual that he was without an escort or guard."

"Couldn't they have gone inside?" I'd shifted on my saddle, so it'd be easier to look down at both Bilbo and Balin.

Balin hummed thoughtfully. "It is possible, depending on his status."

"Perhaps he stole the clothing and is using it for some nefarious purpose!" I laughed a little. I doubt we'd ever really know for certain what he was doing there but I could have fun speculating. "Or maybe he ran away from home and is joining a group of traveling musicians."

"Him?" Bilbo huffs a little laugh. "That's ridiculous, if that man were to join a traveling group it would be to annoy them into getting to the destination faster."

I nodded very seriously. "Very true, very true. I'm sure it has to be a very well paying job." I tried to hold a straight face but I made the mistake of looking to Balin. Whose face was drawn into a hilarious mixture of amusement and disbelief. I cracked. Snickering turned into full laughter which drew the attention of the dwarves riding ahead of us. Most simply shook their heads at us but the younger ones, Fili and Kili, fell back. I couldn't tell you who was who, but I knew that those were their names.

"May we ask what's so amusing?" The brunette asked, he kind of reminded me of a puppy. Happy, curious and full of energy. The blond was more reserved but I'd seen him wrestle with his brother in camp when they thought me and Bilbo went looking. Actually all of the dwarves acted different when Bilbo and I weren't looking or they thought we weren't looking. I mentally shook myself.

"Oh we were just speculating."

"Oh? About what?"

"The nefarious purposes of fake nobles, of course."

"There is simply no way of knowing if he was a fake or not." Baling corrected me and I pointed at him.

"Part of the specutiulation then." Balin sighs. I found out that Kili was the brunette and the younger brother, while Fili was older and blond. It wouldn't be hard to just remember that Fili had the braided mustache.

Lunch came and Bombur passed around meat and a slice of cheese on bread. I offered my bread to Bilbo who waved me off. He'd picked some fruit while we rode that morning, and I was happy to stuff the midday meal down my throat. Then we started off again Bilbo road up along side Gandalf and they talked. I caught the name 'Sack-ville Baggins', shuttered, and focused back on my own conversations.

Kili, Fili, and I played traveling games and told jokes for the rest of the day. For an hour or two we pulled Ori into it but he left because I pointed out that Dori kept glancing back and Nori seemed annoyed by his lack of attention.

We had stew for dinner that night. I couldn't eat as much as I had wanted, Bombur and Bilbo made a mean stew, but it felt great to not be hungry. The new bedroll Bilbo and I had gotten in Bree were much better than the fur I had brought from the Shire.

The next day was much the same with the exception of Dwalin pulling me aside while Bilbo and Bombur where cooking.

"Can I help you Mr. Dwalin?" I wasn't sure exactly where I stood with most of the elder Dwarves after Bree. They seemed to tolerate me more, but that doesn't really change how fast they turned on me. Sure they only knew me three, four days but to turn on me after a couple words from a man we'd met the day before? Just because we were the same race? That's going to take time to get over.

"Training." He grunted and I just blinked at him.

"Right now?" He raised an eyebrow as if to say 'what do you think?'

"Alright I'll just go grab my sword," I jerked my thumb over to where Bilbo and I had set up.

"Lesson one, always have your weapon on you." I raised my eyebrow and glanced down at my gun. That was a lesson I learned the hard way.

"I'll remember that mister Dwalin." I jogged over and attached the belt around my waist.

"So what first?" I asked hands on my hips.

"First," he grumbled pulling out his battle ax. "Show me what you've got lassie." I stared, he wanted me to do what now?

"Uh so just… attack you?"

"What do you think?" He walked a few feet and turns with an axe the ready.

"Right, silly me," I bent my knees a little my dominant leg sliding back and held my sword firmly in front of me. Right, just think of him as a zombie. A strong, thinking... yeah that line of thinking wasn't going to work. I lunged anyway and swung my sword at his neck.

I watch as Dwalin brought his axe to block it and slide it away from him back towards my side. Pulling back slightly I fell back in my typical next move. I chopped down at his arm and he in retaliation spins it around in his hands and my attack bounces off the head of the axe. I twist my wrist so the flat of the blade is in between and lean my body weight into it. I twist my dominant leg around the back of his knee and pull. He does not move. Which wasn't the plan as now I'm off balanced. He pushed our blades back and I'm falling. I drop the blade and I'm bending backwards. My hands lay flat against the dirt I coil my legs to my chest. Then spring back making contact with his chin. He stumbles backwards and I flip to my feet hands coming up ready to trade blows.

I slowly relaxed lowering my hands to my sides. Dwalin is rubbing his jaw eyebrows raised in surprise. I almost apologize but then he's laughing.

"Well done lassie!" He picks up my fallen blade and hands it to me. There's a clinking behind me and when I turn coin purses are being tossed around.

"Wha….?" I watched confused and there a bunch of disappointed curses. A majority of the bags are heading towards an openly smug Gandalf and a proud Bilbo. A few minutes later I'm sitting on my bed roll. A bowl entered my field of vision being carried by a smiling Bombur, who congratulated me on landing a hit on Dwalin.

"Is that was the bet was about?" I take the wooden bowl from him.

"Aye, whether or not you could land a hit on Dwalin."

"To be honest I didn't think I would," I admitted placing the stew between my crossed legs.

"Well you did, you should be proud lass." I smiled up at him.

"Thanks Bombur." He left to pass out the rest of the evening meal. Fill and Kili came by later to congratulate me as well. I went to bed that night with Bilbo's proud smile and my own feelings of accomplishment.

After that night we traveled across amazing lands. Bright and green. Nature almost untouched by the races that inhabited it. I wondered if Earth looked something like this at some point. I saw cliffs, valleys, and forests. Where sunshine had difficulty reaching the ground.

There was a bit of rough traveling but I noticed we stuck close to rivers for its water. I might just cook that ramen in my bag one of these days. Going up the steep hills, I want to say they were mountains but that was only because we traveled through valleys so often. I was a bit worried when we started heading down a steep trail. I mean the view was amazing I could see over forests all the way to the horizon, but people riding close to me could almost see the discomfort coming off me in waves.

I looked out from an outcrop on one of the mountains that we were traveling across when someone noticed the sun going down and someone had the bright idea we should sleep here. I could see the appeal. Harder to attack with the rock against our backs it was a good place to camp. Only two entrances also meant only two exits or an attack from above. I shoved off my discomfort. Bilbo and I still slept near the edge of the camp. Which honestly didn't help calm my nerves down. I wasn't usually this nervous but I'd had another episode the night before and what still shaking off the effects.

Bombur was snoring away. Lucky dwarf. I winced as he drew in moths. Alright I wasn't jealous anymore. Bilbo still unable to sleep well with the snoring jerked up and glared at the offending dwarf. He stood up and stretched wandering over to the ponies. I watched still sitting in disgust as moths entered his mouth again. How was he still asleep?! Bilbo whispered something and 'secretly' fed Myrtle.

A scream pierced the air and I sat straight up. Hand moving to rest on my gun. Bilbo flinched back moving quickly back to the realities safety of the camp.

"What was that?" Bilbo's voice wavered in fear. Kili and Fili sat straighter.

"Orcs." Kili answered seriously.

"Orcs?" Bilbo parroted moving even closer.

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lone-lands are crawling with them." Fili explained.

"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." Bring my shoulders back and clench my hands into fists. Memories of early nights afraid, shaking, huddled up against my brother. Couldn't see but couldn't light a fire. A beacon, don't let them know where you are. But they'd found us. There were screams that night. My brother yelling dragging me away from the carnage as the horde of zombies descended on the unexpected group of sleeping humans. Screams of my friends and family as they were eaten alive. The smell of rotting flesh and blood- snickering brought me out of my memories.

"You think that's funny!" I exploded my words were harsh and my hands were clenched into white nuclkled fists. "Night raids aren't funny!" I started shaking from which emotion I couldn't tell you. The lingering fear, the anger or maybe a combination of both. Kili and Filis face went from surprised to regretful.

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?" Thorins got up and walked across the camp. Kilis face turn into one of a kicked puppy. My anger lessened from boiling to a simmering. They're uncles disappointment was enough punishment. They didn't know.

"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili muttered

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin voice was pained and it was soft, which must have been worse for Fili and Kili than if he had yelled.

Balin stands from his place against the rock and walks over to the boys. I relaxed against the wall unclenching my fists and trying to relax. I definitely wasn't sleeping tonight.

"Don't mind him, laddie." Balin comforts them. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs." Balin begins telling a story and I focus in on that instead on the memories that are trying to swallow me.

"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain...King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs...led by the most vile of all their race: Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc...had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began...by beheading the king." I glanced over at Thorin. He most likely didn't like hearing the retelling. I know I wouldn't. Bilbo sat down next to me.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing. Taken prisoner or killed...we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death...were upon us.That is when I saw him. A young Dwarf prince...facing down the pale Orc.He stood alone against this terrible foe. His armor rent...wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day...that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied...wand drove the Orcs back. And our enemy...had been defeated. But there was no feast...nor song that night...for our dead were beyond the count of grief." Fili, Kili, Bilbo and I sat entranced.

"We few had survived. And I thought to myself then...there is one who I could follow. There is one...I could call king." All the dwarves stood around staring at Thorin's back. He slowly turned to look back at them.

"And the pale Orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?" Of course the only time Bilbo wouldn't flinch as he stared down Thorin was in the pursuit of knowledge.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin spat. "That filth died of his wounds long ago." I caught a sceptical glance shared between Gandalf and Balin. Apparently they thought differently. I know a Hobbit with only one arm. Maybe it's because the hobbits are cleaner or have better medical treatments but the wound was a survivable one. If Thorin didn't see the body for himself...well one could only hope that the creature named Azog the defiler was dead. I had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't the case.

Everyone settled down after that most going straight back to sleep. Bomburs snores where just as loud as ever and were not helping my already frayed nerves. Bilbo placed his hand on my shoulder and I gestured for him to get some sleep. I'd be fine.

There were two thumps as people dropped down on either side of me. I kept my eyes firmly on the horizon.

"We are sorry, Lady Ryan," Kili began softly.

"Our joke was cruel and unbefitting of princes. We shouldn't have made it." Fili continued. I didn't answer for a few seconds.

"I forgive you," I tilted my head back to look at the stars. "You didn't know how it would affect me. Besides it was all in good fun." I gave them a weak smile.

"That's no excuse."

Eh Thorin's bad memories were shared with the entire camp, I might as well share. Besides, I hear it's good to share these things. "I was in a night raid, it was almost three years ago now," I began slowly. "I was traveling with a group of...refugees. We were scared, and cold. Didn't know enough to set up a watch, or how to make a fire. It was dark and I was half asleep. Curled up to my brother for warmth when they," I paused trying to find the right word. "Attacked. They made no noise, and descended upon us like spiders dropping down from their webs. We only noticed when a woman at the edge of camp screamed. They were...eating her alive. My brother jerked me up and we ran. Left all of our supplies behind, as well as the group. There were so many screams, the people who were sleeping and the people who didn't move fast enough…...were…." I trailed off not really wanting to finish the sentence.

"I don't know if anyone else survived it." I shuttered the gears in their heads were turning trying to figure out what had attacked. I was pretty sure they had enough tact to know not to ask.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I couldn't decide if someone was watching or if it was my own paranoia. I scanned the horizon but found nothing, not surprising I don't have night vision. The feeling was gone a few moments later. If sleep was difficult before it was impossible now. I stayed up the rest of the night.

That morning I really regretted not trying harder. As I didn't have Gandalf to sleep against I kept nodding off. Only to jerk back up again when I started sliding. The only thing keeping me awake that afternoon was the ache in my butt from riding all day.

The next two days were better. I'd fallen asleep early each night after helping set up the camp. On the third day the sky opened the floodgates. Soaking everyone. It wasn't pleasant but it would have been a lot worse for Bilbo if we hadn't bought him a cloak.