Gandalf had returned not too long after the company, including Tharwen, had packed up camp and set out to continue their journey. It was amusing to say he recieved quite and earful from Tharwen, much to Thorins dislike, she seemed to have a ranking much closer to the wizards.

"Do not go through my things ever again Gandalf! Ever!" The company caught the last few strands of their conversation.

"It was merely for-"

"Merely for academic purposes, you've said that five times now!"

"Tharwen..."

"Don't Tharwen me, last time you meddled and brought the Tharken into matters of other kin, Fharwen went blind and we lost Darien, I lost my baby brother."

Kili and Fili looked down feeling bad for evesdropping.

"Do you want Fharwen to lose me, you want me to stay, yes for Bilbos sake, really that. No! Gandalf no! No way in hell I'm staying with a bunch off insufferable dwarves. Now don't give me that look I know what you're thinking. My answer is clear, to the mountain and no further." They heard her protest.

"Laddie, best not to let her know we heard." Balin said. "It's not her choice she's here, don't blame her for anything."

Tharwen had dropped back to the rear of the group away from Gandalf with a scowl fixed on her face and a glare that put Thorins to shame.

"Tharwen, I'm sorry about Fharwen and Darien." Bilbo said gently.

"You heard?" She sounded and looked tired.

"Yes." He offered her a shy smile and the glare faded.

"How's Fharwen coping?"

"He's trying to take up archery but there's not many who want to teach him, I reckon they're scared of the lad. He is quite frightening. I remember, you got so scared, you hid behind my legs for a good hour before calming down." Tharwen gave a small ,chuckle.

"Lad and lass." Bofur said, giving a nod to them both.

"We're not formally introduced, I'm Bofur milady." Bofur pressed a kiss to her knuckles from his ponie as they shook hands and Tharwen let out a giggle.

"Such a gentleman Master Bofur, it's a pleasure to meet you." Tharwen smiled. " I'd curtsie, but, I seem to be on a horse."

Bofur laughed at the comment and gave the two a large grin.

"So lady Tharwen, what do Tharkens do?" Bofur asked, riding next to the two.

"To be honest, we're trained to be warriors as children, then, then we go on with whatever we chose, I'm still a warrior among my people, but I do work as a blacksmith from time to time. Majority live among the elves, fighting alongside them, as healers and warriors. You'll hardly find us among dwarves. No offense. My brother, Fharwen, is a warrior, captain guard, my uh- younger brother, Darien, uh, followed my brother to... he went along on a patrol around the borders of our lands, and orc ambush cost their party the loss of three lives, Darien and two others." She stopped speaking. "Tharkens usually leave when they're about 100 years of age, because they can fend for themselves, so many off us stay in trades we already know, fighting, smithing, becomming scribes, there are a few criminals among each Tharken clan, but it's to be expected, with many traitors among Tharkens, usually those siding with the Sidarians. Leaving their own for foolish promises of treasures and useless gold!" She spat the last word in disgust and Bofur looked utterly mortified.

"How is gold useless?" Bofur asked.

"Gold, tore the Tharkens apart, I've never forget the pain it has caused. It brings misery and pain, bitterness in the mind, not even the strongest off wariors can resist it's foolish promises. That useless yellow rock brings death, decay and destruction. Just look at-" Tharwen's jaw snapped shut and she looked away. "Look ignore me, gold and I don't mix, we don't care for it, we prefer silver and gems in all, I mean, I have a dagger made of quartz and another off diamond. All for looks, but they do well enough in battle. Silver is all for our courting, gold is only served for royalty. And even the royal line doesn't appreciate gold."

"Gold is the finest of our craftmanship. Lady Tharwen, if you do not appreciate it, why have you not left?" Thorin's voice came and Tharwens gaze turned hateful.

"A meddling wizard, a hobbit who undoubtedly pulls the cutest pair off puppy dog eyes when I mention leaving and a gentleman of a dwarf whose kindness and personality I appreciate Thorin Oakenshield, I knew your grandfather when he was King under the Mountain when my father had to pay just like everyone else. I know what happens because of gold, is associated with the likes of you!"

With that, the company moved on with whispers and chats among groups.

"We shall make camp here. " Thorin concluded.

"I think, it would be wiser to press on." Gandalf advised. "We could make for the hidden Valley. Lord Elrond could help us."

"I will not seek help from our enemy!"

"They are not your enemies Thorin Oakenshield, I did not give you that map and that key to hold onto the past."

"I did not know they were yours to keep." Thorin spat.

As Gandalf stomped away from Thorin muttering and grumbling about insufferable dwarves.

"Wait where are you going?" Bilbo made his bunny face at Gandalf who stormed past.

"To seek the company off the only one here who has any sense!" He huffed.

"And who's that?" Bilbo asked innocently.

"Myself! Mister Baggins!" Gandalf snapped before leaving them.

"Where is he going?" Bilbo asked frantically.

"I don't know Bilbo, I don't know." Tharwen muttered shaking her head.

"Come on Bombur, we're hungry!" Thorin growled and the group broke to set up camp.

"So Tharwen," Bofur began, moving next to the Tharken who was helping Bombur hand out the food. "I heard from the lads you were a princess off sorts. What's a beautiful princess like you doing here?"

"Oh Master Bofur, such kind words, really, I'm next in line for a throne, although it's not a big deal, my brother chose not to rule, I'm next in line, well, the story I told you about the two princes, beilieve it or not, they're my ancestors from an age ago. I am next in line to the throne, but I am not so much as ready to rule as my brother thinks."

"Wel I'd say, even just from meeting you and knowing you for this short time Lady Tharwen, you'd make a marvellous queen." Bofur complimented.

"Thank you Master Bofur, you're kindness is one off many great gifts you possess."

"Enough of this Master business, Milady, just call me Bofur." He offered.

"Only if you leave out the Lady then." She grinned cheekily and Bofur smiled widely.

"Will do."

Bofur then turned to shove two bowls off stew in Bilbos hands and ushering him off to take them to the princes.

"Bilbo... Trolls HELP!" The two princes yell bursting through the shrubs and bushes

"What? Both off you tell us what happened?"

Before Fili could say anything, Kili ran back in the direction they came screaming "We're coming Bilbo!"

"Bilbo went to go get the ponies back from three trolls." Fili said quickly.

"Let's go before Kili tries to do it singlehandedly. " Dwalin said.

The company crept through, not wanting to alert the trolls when they spotted Kilk facing the trolls sword in hand.

"Drop him!" Kili yelled.

"You wut?" A troll stared in disbelief.

"I said, drop him!" Kili ordered.

Thorin looked like he was about to impale himself on his sword.

Tharwen noticed Bilbo hanging from the grasp of two trolls.

Then he was flying through the air and Kili dropped his sword and caught him.

Thats when Thorin had taken to yelling a war cry and charging into battle.

Tharwen could see Bilbo out off the corner off her eye as she pushed Ori out of the way of an oncoming troll hand and got picked up by her hair.

"Put me down you ugly piece of troll!" She shrieked and began stabbing and slashing at the trolls face.

Nori and Bofur, being the closest automatically coming to her aid.

"You okay lass?"Bofur asked as both him and Nori helped her up.

"Fine, I'm fine... just fine..." She muttered.

The three turned at the sound aff Kili yelling.

"Bilbo!"

It took Bifur, Bofur and Nori to hold Tharwen back as the trolls threathened to rip Bilbos arms off.

"Fine." She spat, throwing down her sword with a huff indignantly.

Thorin looked at Bilbo, back at Tharwen, who was now being picked up and being showed into a sack almost without protest. Nori, Bofur and Dwalin snickered at the curses that Tharwen let escape her mouth while Dori covered Ori's ears. Thorin stabbed his sword into the dirt and the rest off the company followed in suit.

'I'm in a sack... a sack!' Thorin thought as he glare venomously at the three trolls who were now cooking half the company over the fire.

"Wait, you're making a terrible mistake. " Bilbo said, struggling to stand in his sack.

"You can't reason with them they're halfwits!" Dori shouted from the spit.

"Halfwits!? What does that make us!?" Bofur yelled indignantly, wriggling against the ropes that tied him onto the spit.

"You wat?"

"Well, have smelt them, you're gonna need something stronger than sage to plate this lot up." Bilbo said, jerking his head in the direction off the dwarves.

"Traitor!" They company yelled, wriggling around in their sacks.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" A troll asked.

"Well the secret to cooking dwarf is..." Bilbo paused before blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "Skin them first!"

"What!?"

"You traitor."

"There's nothing wrong with a bit off raw dwarf." Another troll, Bert, said, picking up Bombur from the pile of dwarves.

"Wait don't eat that one he's infected... he's got worms in his tubes!" He blurted.

The troll dropped Bombur with aheavy thud and Bilbo continued speaking.

"Parasites?"

"Did he say we have parasites?"

"We don't have parasites!" Kili yelled quite hurt looking. "You have parasites!"

There was a swift thud and Tharwen say Thorin giving the company glares. 'Come on Thorin, get the message through them.'

"I have parasites as big as my arm!" Dori yelled.

"I HAVE THE BIGGEST PARASITES OF ALL!" Kili shouted from where he was.

"In fact they all have it's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it." Bilbo added.

"What would you have us do then, let them all go?"

"Get on with it, this little ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?" Bilbo sputtered.

"Fools?" Tom, a troll said in disbelief.

"And dawn shall take you all!" Gandalf announced, breaking a large boulder clean in half with his staff.

"He had the nouse to play for time, it's a wonder no one in your company managed to do that." Gandalf said to Thorin.

Tharwen watched as Thorin sent distasteful glances towards her and followed Nori and Bofur into the trolls hoard.

She picked up a few small daggers and knives, watching as Gandalf and Thorin discussed two swords they'd found.

"Let's get out off here." Thorin ordered and they marched out.