A/N: Cameron discovers more about her destiny
We're in the fountain. It's just me and Thorin, in the fountain, and we're… very, very naked. I don't know how we got here, or what happened in the first place, but all that I know is that he's naked, I'm naked, and we're standing so close that I feel like his breath is mine.
"Cameron…" his deep voice rumbles, making shivers run down my spine. I don't protest when his arms wrap around my waist, gasping when he pulls me close, bodies now touching. I stare into those deep blue eyes, and am overcome by the huge need to kiss him. And so I do. His lips touch mine, wet skin meets wet skin, and everything else in my head just disappears. His hands roam my body, setting it on fire wherever they go, and all I can think is that I want, no, need to get closer. His lips move away from mine, and I nearly pout until they find my neck, sucking harshly. I moan, body curving against his, his hands supporting my back as he leans me back. Gently, he lays me down in the water, him on top of me, body fully pressed against mine, and I see stars, and it's not the ones that are currently in the sky.
"Thorin…" I moan, feeling his lips trail down my body, lower and lower and lower until…
' .Knock'
I wake up, startled, his name still on my lips. Eyes wide, I look at the door.
"Yes?" I call out, voice still shaky.
"Cam, it's Bilbo! Were you sleeping?" my friend calls from behind the door.
"Uh, y-yes!" I call back, forcing myself to take deep breaths.
"Oh, sorry! I wanted to ask you if you wanted to check out the library! Apparently, it's even bigger than our home!" He exclaims excitedly.
"I-I'll come find you when I get up properly, okay?" I ask, my heart beating like mad.
"Sure! Bye!" I hear Bilbo's feet as he walks away, and sigh deeply. What. The. Hell. Did I just dream?
It takes me another 10 minutes to get out of my shocked state, and then it only gets worse, the dream replaying itself over and over in my head. It had felt so real... Enough! This was not going to get any better unless I did something about it. Sighing, I get out of bed. Time for a long, long shower…
"Lady Cameron." A voice speaks up, making me turn from where I'd been admiring the flowers in the gardens. I had joined Bilbo for a while after I took my shower, but the library hadn't helped to distract me from my dream at all, so I'd told Bilbo I'd take a stroll in the garden.
"Lord Elrond." I greet the Elf with a polite smile, turning back to look at the flowers as he moves to stand beside me.
"This place is beautiful." I say after a while.
"I can only agree with you." Elrond answers, voice soft.
"How do you manage to last with those Dwarves? They are exhausting." He adds after a moment with a deep sigh, making me chuckle.
"They aren't that bad, once you get to know them. They may be rude and suspicious of others than their own kin, but they are also very loyal, and sweeter than I expected them to be." I say, smiling fondly as I glance up at him for a moment, seeing the surprise in his eyes.
"You must have a lot of patience." I laugh at it, shaking my head at the Elf.
"Not at all. When I first met them, I had a fight with Thorin right away. They do get on my nerves a lot. I'll admit that I'm relieved to have a room of my own to stay in, I've forgotten how peaceful and quiet the world can be." I admit, causing him to chuckle amusedly.
"I can understand why." Elrond says, a comfortable silence dawning upon us.
"Gandalf told me he found you one day, and that you do not remember anything before that?" He questions after a moment, grey eyes meeting my own.
"That's true. He brought me to Bilbo, and I've lived with him ever since. I don't remember anything else." I admit, beginning to walk beside him through the gardens. I take note of the fact that he's trying to hold back his steps so I can keep up with him, for his legs are way longer than my own. It's kind of sweet of him, and I can feel my cheeks heat up.
"That must be difficult for you." Elrond says, empathy in his voice, and I can sense it's an honest reaction.
"Has Mithrandir ever told you about the prophecy?" He then asks, glancing down at me.
"No, not really. I've never asked about it either, to be honest, I didn't even know there was a prophecy until you said so yourself." I admit with a shrug.
"Would you like to find out?" Elrond asks, making me halt.
"You-You're saying that you know why I'm here?" I ask, eyes widening in surprise.
"When I only just began to build Rivendell, there was an Elf who could see the future. She did a prophecy of a saviour, sent to us by the Valar…," He begins, before halting, "But, it would probably be better if I showed you. I believe there's a blockage in your mind, but it should be easy to remove. If you want that, of course."
"I… okay." I bring out, and follow him out of the gardens, into a building. After a while, we reach a cave-like room, which holds a bowl of water in the middle of it, placed on a table.
"This water contains magical powers. All you need to do is drink it," Elrond explains, leading me towards it. Lightning flashes behind my eyes, but it's softer, like it's thrumming along with my heartbeat. I don't know if this is a good time to bring it up with him that I've been seeing those flashes this entire journey, but decide not to. We could talk after I drank.
Carefully, I wrap my hands around the bowl, and lift it to my mouth. When I take a few sips, nothing happens at first. Suddenly, the lightning fills my entire sight, and I feel like I'm rising up, up, up…
In the beginning, there was… music. There was no sight, but I could hear, and it was beautiful. Until something began to weave through the song, a different melody… It felt wrong. The world shifts, and there's Middle Earth, an orb floating in the middle of darkness. Spirits descend, not spirits really but… The Valar, and Maiar. Or the Gods, as dwarves would call them. For a moment, I'm falling, until I land before a familiar presence. I could not see them, but I felt them.
"You shall be the saviour, created by all the Valar."
"What is my task?"
I know it's me, but somehow, I feel like a stranger. Someone… otherworldly, not the Cameron who spent days in the garden with Bilbo, laughed with the dwarves, stared at Thorin Oakenshield…
"Protect the line of Durin. The fate of Middle-Earth depends on it."
Then, that horrible, familiar feeling of falling. Down, down, down…
My eyes fly open. My legs are shaking, but then someone grabs hold of me, keeping me upright.
I feel sick.
"Are you alright, Cameron?" Elrond asks, and I slowly begin to return to this world.
"I-I'm fine." I lie, but he carefully lets go of me, and this time I no longer feel like I'm falling.
"Cameron." Gandalf speaks up, appearing in the doorway. His eyes meet mine, and I remember now.
'Ólorin will guide you on your journey down. He'll be known as the Grey Wizard in Middle-Earth.'
"Ólorin?" I ask, and when he nods, the horrible feeling hits me that this is real.
"Did-Did you know? All this time?" Again he nods, and lightning flashes behind my eyes. This time, however, something new happens.
A flash of lightning goes through the room, startling Elrond.
"Your powers… they're manifesting. You're ready." Gandalf speaks up, walking over to me.
"Who is she?" Elrond asks, amazement in his eyes when they meet mine.
"We know her as Cameron. Amongst the Valar and Maiar, her name is Larés. She's a Maiar, created by all of the Valar."
"All of the Valar? But that's… impossible." Elrond argues, shocked.
"It's true." I speak up, sensing it in my heart.
"Now you know why you had to come along on this journey." Gandalf adds, and I nod.
Protect the line of Durin.
Thorin. Fili. Kili. I had to protect them.
"It is necessary for all of Middle-Earth that Thorin reclaims the mountain." Gandalf explains, leading me out of the room.
"That's a terrible idea." Elrond argues, as expected.
"It's what the Valar want." I speak up, feeling slightly sick.
How do you have to act if you find out something like this? In one second, you're no longer who you thought you were, and destiny is set in stone for you, leaving no other choice. It felt… terrifying. Part of me already wished I never found out. Before Elrond and Gandalf notice, I quickly excuse myself, and retreat to my room. There, I curl up in a corner, my body numb.
"I'm surprised to see you here. Thought you'd still be hanging around that Elf," Thorin speaks up.
I'd heard him arriving here, but I decided not to say anything. I was sitting on the edge of a large rock, looking down at the beautiful valley. I didn't show up to dinner, still feeling nauseous with knowledge. And now, here he stood, my destiny. It hurt.
"Sit your ass down, Thorin." I mutter, quieter than I meant. I'm surprised when he obeys, feeling his shoulder brush against mine as he sits down, our legs touching where they're dangling over the edge.
"Why are you so jealous of Elrond?" I ask him after a moment, glancing to the side to look at him. I couldn't tell him… It would be too much for him to bear on top of everything.
"I'm not jealous." He mutters.
"Then why are you acting like you are?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"You barely have any time for the Company. Some of us might… miss your presence."
"If you miss me, you can just tell me, you know. I won't judge." I say, lightly nudging his shoulder with mine.
"Besides, we'll be leaving soon, and I'll be all yours again. There's just a lot that Elrond had to tell me." And after that, I would be all his forever. His saviour, protector, body guard, forced to keep him safe till the end of his days. It sounded so… depriving of his own self, of my own self. I really did not know how to feel about this prophecy.
"I won't be surprised if he makes you stay here. He seems to be all over you, charming his way around and about. I don't like it." Thorin says grumpily.
"I wouldn't stay here." Not when I'm meant to be protecting Thorin, and all of Middle-Earth.
"Why wouldn't you stay, then?" Thorin asks, "You like it here."
"Bilbo, of course." I explain. Oh no, what about Bilbo? Would he go back to the Shire, without me? I push it out of my mind, before I begin to cry.
"You're extremely loyal to Bilbo." Thorin says thoughtfully.
"He sort of saved my life. He took me in without judging, no questions asked. He's my best friend, and I am forever in his debt." I state firmly.
"I'm glad you have him." Thorin muses, "He cares for you." And soon, I would have to tell my best friend I had to stay behind, to fulfil my destiny.
"Why did you call me King, back when we were fighting those wargs?" He asks after a long moment of silence.
"Because you are one. I could see it, out there." I admit.
"Sometimes, I hate being a King. People look at me and only see what I should be, not the dwarf behind it. They all expect me to be the image they have of me." Thorin confesses. It takes me by surprise, and strikes closer to home now than ever. He didn't like his destiny either.
"I like seeing who you truly are. As a King, you can be quite stubborn and mean. I like this Thorin better, the one who is loyal to his kin but kind to others as well." I argue, giving him a smile. There's a strange look in his blue eyes, but I don't think it's a bad thing.
"I like seeing you as you are too, not as someone who blushes and giggles over Elves." He says, lightly nudging me.
"Then how do you see me, Thorin?"
"I see you as someone loyal and brave, someone who would give their life for the ones she loves. You're already protecting the company, and we've only known you for a few months." Thorin says. Sooner or later, I would have to tell him. I would never be "just Cameron" again. I would be another forced destiny for him.
"Well, yeah, I did sign a contract after all." I state. Silence follows. If only he knew.
"Let's go to bed, it's getting late." He says after a while, standing up. I take the hand he offers, allowing him to drag me up. I'm smiling slightly when we walk back to where the others are, our shoulders brushing each other occasionally.