Chapter Seven

A letter for not much of a lady.

"I know that it takes getting

everything you ever wanted,

and then losing it to know what

true freedom is."

Boran told us everything. Thorin Oakenshield, how he got his surname. His parentage, his grandfather.. He told us about Thrain and Thror. About the Lonely Mountain and Smaug taking over Erebor. But when he spoke of Dale, Boran's eyes grew dark and his voice rigid and sharp.

"The dwarves were not the only ones who were wronged that day.. My ancestors were decimated in those fires.." He whispered in a heartbreaking tone.

I looked down, feeling awfully guilty. I had forced him to open old wounds for the sake of my curiosity.

We set up camp and it was silent, painfully silent. But he continued.

"I heard from an orc that Thorin is active.. They are curious to see what he is planning to do." Boran offered a familiar smile and bedded down next to the fire.

"The key, that the goblin lord had.. What was it for?" I tilted my head, the very same key dug into my bosom. I don't know why I didn't just give it to him. Something.. stopped me from doing so. Something deep in my heart, in my very bones. The feeling wasn't greed and for some reason Gandalf appeared in my mind, repeatedly.

Boran tilted his head to the side and looked away, his jaw clenched, "It was to Erebor. There was a secret room. Far down, deep inside the treasure room, there's another vault." He said in a way that was as if he were spouting some religious psalm, "It's said Thrain kept his most precious jewels in there. So precious, that only a single gem could rebuild Dale twice over." the sellsword smiled to me, something dark playing in his eyes, something that made my stomach churn.

It wasn't something unknown, it was greed in his eyes. I saw it once before when we were taking out a troll herd and we found their hoard. Jewels and coins overflowing and Boran nearly wept at the sight.

Is that why I kept the key? How did I know? Again, Gandalf came to mind. I'd have to speak to him of this key.

Some time passed, and Jacob left to hunt. During this time, Boran and I didn't say a word. After a short time, Jake returned with a two freshly dressed rabbits.

Cooking them, he looked to Boran, "What'd you do that got the goblins attention?"

"I stole from them." He smiled.

Jake chuckled, "What'd ya steal?"

"Maps and gems." He sat up, "Gorgeous gems."

"They for Telis?" Jake flashed a grin at me. I rolled my eyes, what a brat.

"Yes, I plan on making her a ring." Boran continued, completely unaware of my silent glowering.

"Nice. Gems are a lady's best friend. Ain't they, Jenna?" Jake grinned.

"I don't agree. I think a sword is a lady's best friend." I said rather sternly.

"You are hardly a lady, Jenna." Boran laughed, shaking his head.

Ouch.

Laugh, Dwarf, that was a joke!

"Heh-heh-heh." I laughed, though it sounded like I was choking, "Jerks." I said as if I was jesting.

The rabbit was good, with the herbs Jake found really reminded me of mom's baked chicken.

I didn't think that was very fair.

I may have known how to fight better than any man, but that did not mean I wasn't a lady. I grumbled silently, and pretended to sleep.

The next morning, we were off at the crack of dawn. There wasn't much point in staying any longer and Boran really wanted to get back to the village that day. Before we left, we covered our tracks and left no trace we were ever there.

As we rode, I returned Boran's pendant that I'd snagged from the orc. He was utterly relieved and happy to have it back.

By midday we were back at Delius. Boran hardly stopped before he slid off of Colton and ran to a well dressed, yellow haired woman.

It was Telis.. his lady, his wife.

She was incredibly beautiful, way prettier than I ever could be.

My heart sank into my stomach as he kissed her and they exchanged hugs and sweet words. I bit the inside of my mouth and looked down at my calloused, scarred, and tanned hands.

I knew I had no chance with him, and yet I couldn't help but be a little hurt and sorrowful.

"No grief, dwarf. No grief." I whispered myself the courage I needed. "Let's get going, Jake." I said loud enough for the blond to hear.

"Yep, home's calling us and also Phil." Jake chuckled.

"Yeah, no doubt there's another troll." I urged Blitz on. "Where d'you think all these trolls come from? I mean- I've never seen a baby troll!"

I didn't want to look back.

But I had to.

One final time.

Jacob rambled on and on where he thought baby trolls came from, yammering away about trolls popping out of eggs that looked like stones.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Boran's back to me, he wrapped his arms around his pretty wife and walked into their home, well, what was left of it anyway.

He never looked to me, not once as he faded from view. I was coldly relieved. That was it, that was what I needed.

He didn't want me. He didn't need me. I didn't need to keep clinging to the notion that he ever did or would. I had to move on. I had to let go of things that wouldn't or couldn't be.

Later that day, as the sun set, we arrived back in Rodasinn. We stopped at the Inn for a chat with Phil.

Walking in the inn, they cheered and applauded Jake and I. I chuckled, smiling to Phil.

"Our woodland heroes have returned!" A drunken farmer slurred and hooted, riling the others in another ear-bursting cheer.

I laughed and bowed a bit, then I sat at the bar and Jake went to flirt with an Adronid the barmaid.

"How goes things?" I smiled.

"Oh, you couldn't tell?" Phil teased, "Things are well. With your success with wiping out that pack, it's given the villagers enough courage to take their farms back from orcs and trolls."

"Well, good.. No one should be allowed to take what isn't theirs." I smiled and sipped at my red wine. "However, if they need us.."

"Oh, of course." Phil chuckled, "We know to come to you and your kin." He began wiping down the counter and he asked, "Any news?"

A pause, then I nodded, "The goblins are all ruffled up over a dwarf king.."

"Oh? Interesting.. Though, I'm not familiar with the dwarf royalty." Phil admitted rather sheepishly. He was a genius when it came to elves and men, I was a little surprised he didn't know about the dwarves and their kings and queens.

"That's all right, Phil. You're allowed to not know some things." I chuckled, sipping at my drink.

He nodded a bit, "But I'm a bartender.. I'm supposed to know the what's-going-ons."

"True.." I teased, grinned.

"Ah!" Phil paused, a light bulb clicking over his head. He dug around under the counter for something. I leaned and turned trying to see what he was in search for. After a moment he presented a letter with great pride and a grin.

"For me?" I whispered, taking the letter and ogled it. I had never received a letter here. Only notes passed from mouth to mouth, urging my help.

"Of course! Got your name on it, doesn'it?" Phil grinned and continued to clean and pour drinks.

I stared at my name cleanly written on the front of it, the paper was thick, slightly yellow parchment. Carefully I opened it, and read what was neatly written there.

I gasped, glancing to the bottom to see who had sent it and I grinned wildly. It was from Gandalf! I squealed, nearly falling off of my stool.

I cleared my throat, my face red from the glances and stares that fell on me. I returned to my stool and read.

The first time I had met Gandalf was something I could never forget. He was roaming through the woods and this was within the first year we had arrived, our house freshly built and still learning of this new world.

Gandalf found Jake by the river and was talking to him, Jake got scared and ran away. I popped up, sword in hand, and demanded to know why he was there.

Obviously all this was quite amusing to the elder man, as all he was doing was laughing. Laughing!

Between feeling righteously appropriate and completely silly, I grumbled and left. Only to have him follow and ask me various question, mainly on my 'accent'.

Jake and I grew up traveling between Maryland to California. To us, we didn't have an accent; not a Northern one, not a Southern one.

After a while, we invited him to dinner and we explained how we had gotten there. We even drew him the runes that were on the door when we landed and he was in awe. He told us that was a very powerful, ancient spell.

A relocation spell.

It would have taken a very powerful, well seasoned wizard to even relocate a small flower from one side of the table to another much less, two living people from a completely different realm.

He stayed with us for a few days, talking and chatting. He showed us his fireworks, a very small demonstration of his powers, he told us stories of his battles and adventures.

People our age here ruled lands, dispatched orcs and trolls; whereas there, all we had to worry about was school and chores..

In short, Gandalf was a very good friend, and he visited when he could. We never knew when he'd show up, so we were always prepared.

I smiled at the warm memories and read through the letter, blinking and gasping. I was forced to read it again and again. Slower and more thorough each time.

Gandalf wanted us in the Shire. ..a place called Bag End.. A home, to be exact. A home that belonged to a Mister Bilbo Baggins.

I gnawed on my lip and grinned. Another adventure. Gandalf mentioned in the letter that Jake and my skills were highly sought after, and much needed in an upcoming quest. We had to be there by next Friday.

Author's Note:

Well, now things are getting a bit familiar, eh? My apologies that this and the last chapter are so short. And to clear up any confusion: I do realize Jenna is a bit of a Mary-Sue and I'm truly sorry for that! Her magical, sudden appearing of battle skills whilst fighting the trolls and trollop in the earlier chapters to be exact. And the whole 'I'm a weapon' thing will explained in later chapters and of why she can easily pick up fighting skills.

Oh! And another thing; a shout out to Jerkasaurousrex! Hello, Queen! ;P, I do know that Lady Troll had it right. Jenna, on the other hand, didn't. But ya'know what they say: If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit! And that's what Jenna thrives on; luck and nonsense.

Thank you to all who have followed, favorited, and reviewed! I really appreciate it. This little story was a thought, then an idea, and I really adore it. Jacob is a little turd, for now. Jenna is a heartsick little guard dog, for now..

It's not much of a romance now, nor will it be until quite a bit later. But if anyone has any pairing ideas, I'm truly all ears!

"Ride" by Lana Del Rey