I don't own the Hobbit nor Merlin, only my OC Maddie.

The next morning, Maddie woke up. For a moment she thought she was in her room in Camelot, and that Gaius would knock on her door and say that breakfast was ready.

But then she remembered: she wasn't in Camelot anymore, but in Middle-earth. And she was about to undertake a dangerous quest to help thirteen Dwarves to reclaim their homeland from a big dragon.

Maddie stood up, packed her bag and went down the stairs.

Gandalf, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin were already having breakfast. Gandalf noticed her and beckoned her to join them.

She walked towards the table and said: 'Good morning.'

Everyone said or mumbled a greeting back, except for Thorin, who just ignored her and focused his attention on the plate of food in front of him.

While Maddie was eating her breakfast (bread and eggs with bacon), the other Dwarves came down with their packed rucksacks and ordered their breakfast.

After everyone had filled their stomachs and Gandalf had paid the huge bill, they went outside to the stables where fourteen ponies and two horses were waiting.

Gandalf walked towards the white horse and told Maddie that the other horse was hers. It was a beautiful black steed, with long manes and intelligent dark eyes.

The other Dwarves walked towards their ponies. The fourteenth one was used to carry extra luggage.

After everyone was ready, the company left Bree.

As soon as the towns gates were behind them, Gandalf and Balin rode aside Maddie.

Maddie watched how a grumpy Dwalin paid a happy Bofur for their wager about whether or not Bombur could catch a piece of food. Bofurs money pouch had suddenly gotten a lot havier.

After an hour of riding Maddie asked: 'Gandalf? Can you tell me a bit more about Middle-earth?'

'Well, there's no harm in knowing a bit about your whereabouts,' Gandalf answered while kindling his pipe.

The next hours while they were travelling, Gandalf told Maddie about the Elves, Dwarves and Men of Middle-earth.

Maddie listened carefully. A few things were the same as in Camelot, but a lot of things weren't.

For example, in Camelot Elves were the helpers of the evil Sidhe, but in Middle-earth they were wise and just creatures.

After a few hours, Gandalf had to stop his storytelling to ride beside Thorin, who had asked his advice on some matters. But Balin took his place and told Maddie more about Erebor and the incredible craftsmanship of the Dwarves.

Maddie liked Balin, and in a few days they became good friends.

And so went the first days of Maddie's journey, mostly riding with Gandalf or Balin and listening to their fascinating stories.

Maddie also got on well with Fili and Kili. The two young brothers were kind and always in for a laugh. And when Maddie would find the track of an animal that would well do as supper, the three of them would go hunting together.

It didn't take long before Maddie got on well with all the Dwarves, except Thorin. He still didn't like her. Apparently, he believed that she was just a burden on his quest and that the moment Gandalf would find a way back to Camelot for her, she would abandon them.

Maddie didn't think that was fair. Yes, she missed Camelot and her friends, but she wouldn't return to Camelot until her job here was done. She had given her word and it was the right thing to do.

'You killed her! You killed Cara!' Mordred shouted as he swung his sword in an attempt to cut off Arthurs head. Arthur blocked Mordreds sword and said: 'I gave her a choice, but she would not change her mind, Mordred.'

Maddie tried to reach Arthur. She knew that soon he would fall on his back and Mordred would stab him. But unfortunately, one of Morgana's men stepped in front of her. She tried to shout Arthurs name, but he didn't hear her.

Arthur now had the upper hand and Mordred was driven back. Arthur took another step forward, but then stepped on the arm of one of Morgana's fallen warriors. Arthur tripped and fell.

Maddie killed the warrior in front of her and tried to run towards Arthur, but she knew she would be too late.

Mordred raised his sword, the blade pointed at Arthurs heart. He had a sick smile on his face. 'Goodbye, Arthur Pendragon.'

Arthur searched for his sword but he could not find it. So he closed his eyes, waiting for his death.

Maddie woke up, breathing heavily. A few tears streamed down her face.

It had been just a dream, but she feared it would become reality. She feared that she wouldn't be on time to save Arthur.

Maddie shook her head and wiped away her tears. She needed to keep faith. She needed to believe that she would be on time.

She stood up. She probably wouldn't get much sleep after her nightmare.

Gandalf and Balin sat together against a rock, smoking their pipes. Fili and Kili, who were standing watch, were sitting at the fire, talking to each other.

Gandalf looked up as Maddie walked towards her horse. She stroked its manes and secretly passed an apple. She smiled when she saw how the horse ate it with a satisfied smirk on its face.

Maddie looked at the landscape beneath her. For two weeks, they had been travelling and tonight, they were camping halfway up a mountain and she could see the tops of trees and a river below her. It was a beautiful sight.

Suddenly, she heard screeching in the distance. 'What was that? A Wilddeoren? Hippogriffs?' she asked Fili and Kili while walking toward them.

'Orcs,' Kili answered while peering in the distance, trying to see something in the dark.

'Orcs?' Maddie asked. She didn't know what an Orc was, but it wasn't something good, judging the looks on Kili's and Fili's faces.

Fili confirmed her suspicions. 'Throat-cutters,' he said. 'There'll be dozens of them out there. The lone lands are crawling with them.'

'They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep,' Kili continued. 'Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood.'

The two brothers glanced at each other and laughed. Maddie understood that they were just trying to scare her and were making fun of her.

'You think that's funny?' Thorin asked, awakened by the screeching. 'You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?'

Kili looked at his feet under the piercing look of his uncle. 'We didn't mean anything by it.'

'No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world,' Thorin said angrily before walking away and tending to his horse.

Balin looked at Thorin and sighed. He stood up and walked towards Fili, Kili and Maddie.

'Don't mind him laddies. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs,' he said.

Maddie frowned and looked at Thorin who stood with his back to her, looking at the landscape.

'Do you mind telling me why?' she asked Balin.

'No, I don't,' Balin answered and began to tell Thorins story.

'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.

Thrain, Thorins 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.' Balin glanced at Thorins back with a proud look on his face.

'A young Dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. He fought bravely, but lost both his sword and shield.

His armor rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield, he grabbed the sword of one of his fallen fellow warriors and sliced off the arm of the pale Orc.

Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken.

Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated.

But there was no feast nor song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. Few had survived.

And I thought to myself then... there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call king,' Balin said and glanced at Thorin again who now turned around.

Maddie glanced at Thorin too. He had suffered so much, she thought. She pitied him.

Then she turned her attention back at Balin and asked: 'And the pale Orc? What happened to him?'

'He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago,' Thorin answered her and walked back to his sleeping spot.

No one but Maddie saw the look Balin and Gandalf exchanged and Gandalfs deep sigh. Apparently, they did not believe Thorins version about the end of the pale Orc, but they didn't voice their doubts out loud.

Maddie feared that this enemy would appear on their path sooner or later.

Maddie returned to her bedroll and tried to sleep.

None of the others, who were still awake, saw the pack of Orcs that was watching them.