Chapter 3

I was in another room when I saw Bilbo walk past the open doorway. I could hear Balin trying to talk Thorin out of this quest. I smiled slightly at his stubbornness; it would seem that some things never change. However, I quickly stiffened when I heard Balin ask Thorin about me.

"What do you think of Rhosal?" he asked quietly, almost testing the waters.

"She seems to be quick with a blade," Thorin commented in a flat tone that sounded forced.

"Do you think it could be her?" Balin questioned, and I had to force myself to keep my face relaxed. "She looks so much like her, and even her name is the same."

"She is dead Balin," Thorin countered, slightly angry. "If she was alive, why didn't she try to find us?"

I didn't hear a reply and hear their footsteps walk off. Closing my eyes, I let out a shaky breath. Then I heard the dwarves start to hum and sing.

"Far over the misty mountains cold.

To dungeons deep, and caverns old.

We must away, ere break of day.

To find our long forgotten gold.

The pines were roaring on the height.

The winds were moaning on the height.

The fire was red, it flaming spread.

The trees like torches blazed with light."

As the song faded, I stood and grabbed my cloak before going outside. I sat myself on the small bench near the steps and breathed deeply. The song had brought back so many memories and emotions that I had long since tried to bury. Something wet hit my hand and I looked down, then felt my cheek to feel tears running down. I had not realized that I had been crying and quickly whipped them away.

"Are you alright lass?" a voice asked in concern. I looked beside me to see Balin eyeing me with concern. "You look upset."

I smiled lightly at his concern. "I am alright Master Balin. It was just so much emotion all at once that I just needed some air."

"May I sit with you?" he inquired, and I nodded my consent. We sat looking at the clouds move across the full moon in silence. "It's very peaceful here," Balin commented.

I laughed lightly at him. "The Hobbits of the Shire have always been more peaceful than any other race. This is one of the few places in Middle Earth that is still peaceful."

"Have you traveled much?"

"I have traveled everywhere that I am able to," I answered him honestly. "The only other places that is as peaceful as here are the Golden Wood and the Valley of Imladris."

I saw Balin stiffen slightly at the names, and I quickly retracted. "I am sorry. I forget sometimes that the dwarves are not fond of elves. Thorin Oakenshield least of all."

He shook his head at me. "It is quite alright lass. I am not as hateful towards them as my kin. My I ask what you're connection is with the elves?"

"I suppose you may," I looked over at him in slight suspicion. "My mother was born in Rivendell and my grandmother was Lord Elrond's sister. Both of them had trained in both Rivendell and Lothlórien."

"So, your mother was an elf," Balin concluded.

"No, only half," I corrected him with a shake of my head. "My grandfather was not an elf."

"And what was he then?" he continued to probe.

I looked to Balin with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think that is what you really want to ask, is it Master Dwarf?"

Balin gave me an innocent glance. "I am simply curious," came his instant reply.

"I did not think that dwarves could be that curious about someone else," I retorted quickly. "I thought that you did not care for any race other than your own."

We stared at each other in silence for a moment. Balin then narrowed his eyes slightly. "Ui coi nafl wux? (Is it really you?)" he asked quietly in draconic.

My eyes widened at him, and my stomach clenched. I looked away and closed my eyes as a few tears fell. "Tangis jaka wux jinthil (Even now you remember)," I whispered, taking a shaky breath.

"You are alive," Balin declared in a quiet voice, utter shock written on his face.

I looked at him in slight alarm. "You cannot tell Thorin," I demanded. "He cannot know."

Before I was a wanderer, I had lived outside of Dale and closer to Erebor with my parents. My father had been a blacksmith and was praised by King Thror. My mother had been a jeweler and had made many designs for the royal family as well. I had gotten to know the royal family as a result, as well as Balin and Dwalin. I had been especially close with Thorin, Dís, and Frerin. However, the relationship that Thorin and I shared was a little bit different than the others. Sadly, that ended when King Thror, under the Gold Sickness, banished my father and me.

"But why not?" Balin questioned. "Thorin believes that you died the day that Smaug came. He would be thrilled that you live."

"He would be angry that I did not come sooner," I countered immediately, remembering their conversation. "I still know him well Balin. He is too stubborn to listen to reason when he has already made a judgement."

"Why didn't you return?" Balin questioned. "You knew we made a home in the Blue Mountains. Why didn't you come to find us?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly in confusion as to why he was asking me. But my eyes widened as I could see in his eyes how serious his question was. He had not been told what King Thror had done to my father and I. Thinking back, the only ones in the room that day, were King Thror, Prince Thrain, my father, Talath, and myself; and neither Thror nor Thrain had told anyone else. Taking a shaky and shuddering breath, my eyes turned sad as I looked at him. "I…I can't say it," I whispered, just realizing it myself. "Not now. I just can't. Someday, I might, but not now."

Balin sighed deeply. "I will not say anything. But you will need to say something sometime in the future." I nodded at him in thanks and agreement, as hesitant as I was. Balin reached over and pats my hand. "If it makes any difference, I, for one, am happy that you are alive and with us for this journey," he told me sincerely.

A warm smile mad it's way to my lips. "I am as well sia thurirl."

Balin smiled at me before standing and going inside. I sat there a moment longer, just trying to calm down my emotions. The realization that Thror had not made our banishment known, could mean that he had revoked it and wasn't able to tell us. So, could he have regained his senses after Smaug took Erebor? Does that mean that I could return to Erebor if we take it back from Smaug?

I shook my head. This was not the time to be planning ahead like that. First things first, get to Erebor, get inside the mountain, and defeat Smaug. I can worry about what will happen after that. Standing, I went back inside. I found most of the dwarves spread out in different rooms already asleep. I passed by Fili and Kili that were seated next to each other, asleep. They looked a lot like Frerin and Dís when they would fall asleep against each other.

Smiling softly, I grabbed a blanket off a nearby chest and draped it on top of the both of them. I then walked past them and took a seat near one of the windows. Leaning against the wall, I closed my eyes to get some sleep. I missed the deep blue eyes that watched me.

*Dragonscale*

The next morning, all of the dwarves got work on fixing and cleaning from the night before. I was putting on my cloak when Thorin approached me. "May I aske were you are off to?" he asked, crossing his arms.

I only chuckled at him. "I am simply goin to get my steed, Master Oakenshield," I told him. "I will meet you towards the entrance to the Shire."

Thorin nodded, but still looked a little suspicious. I could tell he was truly trying to find what Balin saw, but that he was also concerned that I would change my mind about staying. Standing straight, I placed my right hand over my heart and gave Thorin a serious look. "You have my word that I will not leave or forsake you, Thorin Oakenshield, or the company," I swore to him. "I have not ever broken my word and I will not start now."

Thorin stared at me with swirling blue eyes that had a strange emotion in them. He nodded to me after a moment. "We will meet you towards the eastern border," he informed me. "We are going to try and get as far as we can today."

I nodded to him before leaving the Hobbit home. I walked down through the clear morning air and breathing it in as it cleared my mind of my heavy thoughts. As I came upon my steed, I smiled gently as I watched him graze still in the same area, I left him in. My steed, Shathûr, was a beautiful large gray steed with pitch black mane and tail. He had been a gift from my grandmother for when I first left home, but we had formed a very close bond since then.

Shathûr is a decendent of the Mearas breed and he is nearly sixteen hands tall. I named him Shathûr, which means cloud in khuzdul, for his gray coat. It was back when Thorin and Balin had been teaching me to speak khuzdul, and in turn, I was teaching them to speak draconic, the language my people speak. Although, Dís caught on more than they did. I only really used him in the past when I left Erebor to visit the elven kingdoms or my own people, the Dragonlings.

I approached Shathûr as he raised his head to me and trotted over to greet me. I reached out to pet him and he nuzzled my hand with his nose. I smiled as I reached to move the hair from his forehead to reveal a black star. It was the only mark on him, and it was strange to others, but I loved it about him.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, my friend," I apologized with a sad smile. "We will need to be careful Shathûr. Thorin, Balin and Dwalin are apart of this company. Balin has already found out and I fear Thorin might suspect something."

Shathûr simply looked at me for a moment before he shook his head at me with huff. I sighed at him. "I cannot have Thorin finding me out just yet Shathûr, please."

Shathûr let out a long breath and then rested his head on my shoulder. I patted his neck in thanks. My steed was more intelligent that other horses, enough to have a full conversation with him. I grabbed my sword, Zorath, from my saddle and strapped it to my waist. I did the same with my bow and quiver. After putting Shathûr's saddle and bridle back on, I swung myself into it and got situated before leading him to meet the others.