Within an hour of Bofur waking me the rest of our company was up and moving as well. Breakfast was a quick affair as Thorin wanted to get back on the road as quickly as possible. To be honest I couldn't blame him. With orcs in the area it was best to keep moving. Staying in one place too long was asking them to raid you.

Soon enough we were ready to get back on the road. I stood staring at my pony trying to figure out how I was going to get back into the saddle. Bofur had kindly taken a few minutes to walk me through getting the saddle on the pony, but there was one small problem. While most of the dwarves were of average height for their race and could easily get themselves on an average sized pony, I was short enough that it was a bit of a task.

While I was focusing on trying to come up with a solution on how to get in the saddle, I didn't notice Fili coming up behind me. Suddenly I felt a pair of hands lift me up and set me on the saddle. I was flustered.

"I could have figured it out," I snapped at him trying to regain what little decency I had left.

He chuckled, smiling. "I know lass. But the thing is, my uncle is ready to get moving. He already has issues with the hobbit travelling with us. Don't need him any more upset because you're keeping us from hitting the road."

I sighed. He was right. There was no going around the simple fact that Thorin didn't like me. My pony fell into line without much urging. Bilbo was next to me mumbling about something to do with his soft bed, sleeping in, and a nice hot cup of tea. I smiled. While I was keeping my complaints to myself so as not to anger the leader of our troupe, Bilbo was doing more than his fair share of voicing how he felt about things.

"And what are you smiling about," he asked me.

I turned to face him, instantly losing my smile. "Nothing Bilbo. Just thinking to myself."

I distanced myself from Bilbo then. I wasn't trying to be rude, but Bilbo was slightly annoying. He wasn't used to a life of hardship and I wasn't in the mood to listen to him complain all day. Especially with what I had dreamt about last night.

As the hours passed I was mostly left alone. I enjoyed the silence, as it allowed me to watch my companions without having to be an active part of their discussions. I was so engrossed in watching them that I hadn't noticed Gandalf join me towards the end of the line we were riding in.

"Why so quiet young Nissa," he asked making me jump slightly in surprise.

I looked over at him. "Just a lot on my mind. It's really taking me out of my comfort zone being so far away from my… from the Kingdom."

Gandalf nodded, seeming to understand where I was coming from.

"Where do you hail from, wizard," I asked.

"I'll make you a deal. You tell me more about yourself today and I'll tell you more about myself tonight when we stop," he replied.

I frowned. I should have known that a wizard would figure out a way to avoid personal questions. They were often more secretive than the fae.

"You're a very sly wizard, Gandalf."

"So I've been told. One must be sly in order to keep secrets. But secrets can be the downfall of a group. Tell too much and you can lose the trust they have in you. Don't tell enough and they will never believe you are an asset."

I smiled slightly. "Has your interest in me turned into a lesson I should take note of," I asked him.

He smiled in return. "Perhaps. Now quit holding back on me. Tell me more about yourself. If I remember correctly, the fae are somewhat related to the elves. I'd love to hear more about that."

"I never knew my mother. My father always told me that she had died giving birth to me. The people I grew up with always said that it was because my mother was an elf." I paused. I had noticed Gandalf sit a little bit straighter in his saddle. Something I said had hit a nerve. "I know what you're thinking. I don't look anything like an elf. And I'm not a normal fae either. Most are slightly taller than the hobbit travelling with us, but still shorter than dwarves. I'm shorter than the average fae."

I paused again, questioning if I should tell him about my blood and the gifts the Ancients had given me. But I remembered his words before I started and decided to continue. "The things is, for the most part, the looks of the fae always stay true. Unless the Ancients step in." Again, I paused.

"The Ancients," he asked, kindly urging me on.

I shook my head, hinting that I wasn't going to tell him about them just yet. "There is old world blood in my veins. The only non-fae thing about me is my hair. My father always told me that it's the color of fire as a blessing from them. To show that they have chosen me for something. That's why I'm one of the gifted fae. I have the sight along with a few others. That's my story Gandalf. Not much else to say."

"Why are you on the run," he asked a few minutes later.

I looked at him with a sad look in my eyes as I answered, "That, my friend, is a story for another day."

By now Thorin had decided that it was time for a short lunch break. I quickly dismounted from the pony with as much grace as I could and led it away from the group. There was a small stream nearby but I didn't want Thorin to think that I would try and run off. So I stayed close but not too close. When Kili and Fili said they were going to take the ponies to get some water I let them take mine.

I watched as Bofur, his brother Bifur, and Bombur made a small lunch for everyone out of last night's leftovers. I knew deep down that at some point I would have to tell Gandalf, Thorin, and the others the truth about why I had left the Kingdom. While it truly was none of their business, the longer Thorin kept me 'prisoner', the more likely I was going to have to tell them everything about me. Including my gifts. I wasn't ready for that though. I hardly knew any of them.

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped turning in the direction the touch had come from, only to find Balin and Thorin looking at me. Balin with a slightly worried expression and Thorin with a look that only continued to tell me that he had no trust in me.

"Are you alright, lass," Balin asked me.

I nodded. "I just got lost in my own thoughts."

Balin nodded accepting my answer. Silence reigned after that. I wasn't about to push to find out what they wanted from me. Balin looked at me and then looked at Thorin. I instantly knew that something was up. Still I waited.

After what seemed like hours, but was really only a few minutes, Balin spoke again. "We've noticed that you've been distancing yourself from the rest of the group. Why is that?"

I was hesitant to answer. "You don't trust me. Why should I try and integrate myself when you believe I pose a threat?"

That was when Thorin spoke up. "I don't trust you because I don't know you. Give me a reason to believe that you don't pose a threat to my company."

I was quiet. I had known that I would have to tell them my past, but I didn't realize it would have to be this soon. I didn't want it to be this soon. My thinking was upsetting Thorin.

"Speak, girl!"

I turned, my anger quickly rising to the surface. "Don't you dare call me a girl! You know nothing about me or what I've been through."

"That's the problem I have with you! I don't like having people around me that I know nothing of. Now talk," he exclaimed loudly, almost yelling at me.

I bit my lip, still hesitant to tell him the truth. I knew what I had to do, but I didn't want to do it. I turned to face the two dwarves.

"Fine I'll tell you. But if I'm going to tell you why I was banished, I have to tell everyone else. They deserve that from me. In return I want you to believe that I mean no harm to this company," I told them.

They looked at each other for a moment before walking away and talking quietly with each other. Within a couple of minutes they returned to face me. Balin spoke first. "We'll let you know when to start talking tonight."

I nodded in acceptance. That's when Thorin spoke. "If you make one move that in any way will hinder this company, I'll kill you myself."

With that he walked away. I sighed. Balin looked at me and touched my arm. "He's just protective lass. He only wants to do right by his people. He feels like he has to reclaim the mountain to earn back his honor."

"Doesn't mean he has to treat me this way. I haven't earned this level of disrespect in any way," I replied.

"Just give him some time. He'll come around. Now if you and I don't get some lunch Bofur is likely to throw away the rest of the stew," he smiled leading me back towards camp.


That afternoon I tried to continue the ride alone. But fate had other plans as Fili and Kili decided to ride on either side of me. They spent the afternoon telling me stories from their childhood. Surprisingly, they were able to break me out of my shell some, making me laugh.

As dusk started to fall I realized they were helping me to feel like I might actually belong with this ragtag group. I felt I should show them a little more of my skills.

I noticed a small line of trees coming up. While small it was still big enough for what I wanted to show the boys. I turned to face Kili on my left. "Would you mind holding the reins for me? There's something I want to show you two."

He nodded, smiling. "Sure."

Fili scoffed. "What do you not trust me, lass?"

I chuckled. "It's not that Fili. Just wanted to ask him."

With that I cut off our conversation as we had reached the trees. There was a branch just low enough for me to stand up on my saddle and grab it. I quickly hoisted myself onto the branch and started climbing the tree. Once high enough I started running along the branches, much like I had been doing back in my old life. It almost felt like I was back in the forest where I grew up. As I neared the end of the tree line I had climbed into, I realized that I had actually reached the front of the company. The jump to reach the tree line across the path wasn't too far. I just had to time it right. Right as Thorin started to pass under me I jumped across the path and grabbed onto the branch that was overhanging, using it to pull myself up into the tree line. Surprisingly, Thorin didn't notice me. I knew that Fili and Kili had though. I waited until they were passing under the tree I was on to climb back down to lower myself back on to the pony.

"You're one crazy fae, Nissa," Kili told me handing me back the reins.

Both him and Fili were smiling wider than they had before. "Yes, well, I may seem like I don't want to have fun, but I really do. You're young for dwarves. I'm young for fae. In human years I'm about 100 to 120 years old. For fae that leaves me as no more than a young adult," I told them.

The rest of our journey to that evening's campsite continues without anymore crazy stunts on my part. I knew that at some point tonight I would have to tell them my story. I had to be ready. I wasn't going to tell them about my gifts just yet. But I would tell them why I was on the road on my own. I had to be ready for everything that was about to come my way. And that included being ready to run, if necessary…