Guess whose updating!? :D I am terribly sorry for such a long wait. Getting my mind to focus on this chapter was rather difficult. Not much really happens in this chapter and I'd rather bang my head against a wall: I do not do well without any action xD. Unfortunately the next few chapters will mostly deal with Thyra integrating into the company and sharing stories of her life in Skyrim, so they might be shorter than usual. I do want to thank everyone for their encouraging reviews! They pushed me to get this out as soon as I possibly could and without them I'd be procrastinating getting this chapter out even further.

I also have a twitter and tumbler up for all of my stories and art. I'll be posting updates on twitter specifically about my stories, also giving sneak peeks for chapters to come, more background information of characters, and other little treats. So if any of you are interested, you can talk to me on there: KagoOfTheFunk; .com

Chapter Four

The fire had dimmed as the night continued on. Many of the dwarves had already found small nooks to curl up into, attempting to get some amount of rest before the sun rose. To Thorin's surprise, Thyra had been one of the first to retire. For the majority of their time together, he had witnessed the wildly maned woman sleep very little. When she did, though, she was difficult to wake. Many times he had to shake the female awake before they could continue on their way.

Thorin inhaled deeply, the smoke of his pipe filling his mouth before he allowed it to escape through his nostrils. Though his gaze lingered on the flickering flames within the hearth, the dwarven king's thoughts centered around the nordic woman.

Her skin was tanned, though still light in tone, and her voice was lower pitched than most other females he had encountered, yet still retained some femininity. Her womanly figure was also emphasized by her light fur armor. The woman's face was strong, her jaw and nose neither harsh nor soft, lips a darker hue, full and prominent, and her almond eyes, colored a strange white, like newly fallen snow, stood out against the dark violet of her make-up. Then there was the dark violet tattoo over her face, like the color of plums or grapes: a single stroke across her nose stretched along with a pair crossing over each eye down to her cheeks, and another pair cutting across her brows, all four ends meeting together in a crisscrossed design on her forehead. And at last there was her hair, rampant curls falling around her head and reaching to her collar, untamed and unmanageable, and the color undistinguishable between brown and black. Thyra had a subtle beauty to her, femininity and masculinity blended together pleasantly with only a small scar, what appeared to be two small slashes, over her left cheek bone.

Although Gandalf believed her story whole heartedly, suspicion still clouded Thorin's mind. He could not shake the notion that there was more to her presence here. It was simply too convenient for an experienced dragon slayer to show up at his doorstep right when one was needed most. Why was it now that a Dragonborn showed up when Smaug had been a plague for almost two hundred years?

"Care to share what's on your mind?"

Dark eyes slid to the short, white bearded man who stood off to the side, waiting for an invitation to sit despite the close relationship the two had. Thorin gave a curt nod and Balin took a seat, settling comfortably into the wooden rocking chair. Neither spoke for a time and Balin simply waited in content patience for the leader to organize his thoughts. When he still did not speak, Balin took the initiative. "The lass seems interesting enough. She's smart at least, though I'm curious how she would hold up in battle."

"I do not trust her, Balin." Thorin said.

The statement was not surprising though and Balin simply looked on at his friend in thought. "And who would trust a stranger whole heartedly upon first meeting? It is wise to keep an eye on the lass, but it wouldn't hurt to be a tad more hospitable, don't you agree?" Balin shot his king a knowing look, his words holding nothing but truth. Thorin was well aware of this, but maintained his hard expression.

"It has been hundreds of years since Smaug laid siege to our mountain and stole it from us. Why is it now that the Dragonborn choose to take action? I do not believe in coincidence. If she truly is as she claims, her skills will be an asset to our quest; however, if my mistrust is proven just and she betrays us… The safety of every one lies in my hands. If even one of my kin were to fall victim to this woman's treachery, the responsibility would lie solely on my shoulders." Behind the sternness of the king's visage, Thorin's dark eyes glimmered with worry and concern.

Balin sat in silence, taking in the dwarven leader's countenance. To be responsible for all of their lives was a burden that sat heavily on Thorin's conscience and it was a burden he would allow only himself to bear. The somber atmosphere was broken by two drunken chortles, though, and both dwarves turned their attention to two of the more younger and outspoken of the group.

"You should be asleep. We are only just beginning our travels tomorrow and you will need the rest." Thorin spoke, lips curved down into a stern frown.

Looking up from their mugs, the light and dark haired dwarves smiled and collected themselves, meandering over to their two elders. "We tried, Uncle, but it seems sleep means to evade us tonight." Fili said.

"How could we possibly sleep at the precipice of our adventure?! We'll be roaming across the lands; slaying beasts and evil creatures alike. It'll be much more fun than sitting at home with Mother." Kili grinned, growing even more excited as his imagination grew to wild heights. "What about you, Uncle? Why is it you can't sleep?"

A grunt came from the king, exhaling wisps of smoke, and he at last set his pipe onto the table. He ignored the question presented to him and looked between his two nephews. "I want the both of you to listen to me: stay away from the nord. She is trouble and I don't need you getting mixed up with her."

The brothers looked to each other, curiosity and puzzlement written across their face.

"The woman? She can't be that much of a problem, can she?" Fili spoke, lips twisted in a disbelieving smirk.

"How did she even come to join us, Uncle Thorin? What is she even? I've never heard of a Dragonborn before." Said Kili.

"Aye, that's not surprising. To the far north, near the top of the world, lies an island, it's northern-most province: Skyrim. Most aptly name if I do say so myself. The habitants of such a cold and harsh land are Nords." Balin began to explain, sharing his exorbitant amount of knowledge, yet the impatience of the young interrupted him.

"Nord? But I thought she was a Dragonborn?" Fili said.

"I still don't know what a Dragonborn is!" Kili said.

Thorin gave an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Be quiet and listen to Balin."

Clearing his throat, Balin continued. "Nords are enthusiastic warriors, known for their warfare; yet they highly value honor, glory, and family. Even the women have renowned battle skills. Magic also runs through their blood, but what makes a Dragonborn is all but a mystery. From the tales I have heard, one will be found every so often and will join their order. Legend says Dragonborn have the power of a fire drake and the immortality of any dragon. They are powerful beings, do not doubt that, and if Thyra is one such being, she will definitely prove vital to the success of our quest."

As Balin spoke, Thorin looked off into the dwindling fire, a rather unimpressed expression upon his face. Legends did not impress. Kili and Fili, however, looked quite amazed.

"Can she really be that strong?" Kili asked.

Skepticism spread across Balin's features and he gave a subtle shrug. "I do not know."

"She will either be a powerful ally, or a dangerous enemy." Thorin spoke, "Do not let your guard down. Now, it is about time we took to bed. We have a long day ahead of us."

Getting to his feet alas, Thorin left the room without further word. Balin let out a haggard sigh, the weariness of the night finally weighing upon him, and followed his king's example. "Do not fret lads; Thorin just worries himself. Do as he asks and ease his concerns. Now goodnight."

Kili and Fili watched as the others left, looking to each other in confusion. Everything involving this strange woman was a mystery, and it seemed to have their leader stressed. But Balin was right; there was nothing to do about it at the moment. All they could really do was wait and watch.

And as the night's hours began to wane, the last of the company fell to sleep; their final thoughts lingering on the stranger in their midst.

The night had been long, but entertaining; especially when the dwarves had broken out into song. Again they surprised me by the beauty of their creative arts. Their song had been sad, yet held such mesmerizing beauty that I had actually fallen asleep to the tune, curled up in the far corner. Sadly though, I only managed to get a few hours of rest in before the sounds of the others waking in turn woke me.

Blinking my weary eyes, it took a moment for them to focus and I stretched my arms into the air, mouth ungracefully opened wide. "Is it morning already?" I asked. The soft morning light had yet to fully envelope the world, but looking out the window, I could see the sky lightening, the vast blue absent of any clouds.

"Aye, it is."

Turning my attention from the window, my eyes landed upon the nearest dwarf, this one being the portly ginger whose thick beard swung down below his bulging belly. As Bombur –I think that's what his name was- moved about the room, packing his supplies, he would take large bites out of one of the many slices of jam covered bread he held in his thick-fingered hand.

"It's a bit too early if you ask me." Bofur said. The dark-haired dwarf stepped around his brother –they were brothers, right? Or was Bombur his cousin and Bifur his brother?- carrying a mattock over his shoulder and a messily closed bag under his arm. Tossing his items together with his brother's things –I jumped when the steel head of his weapon smashed into the floor- the male gave a sigh, looking rather disgruntled and fatigued.

Haphazardly running my fingers through my thick curls, I let out a weary groan before I convinced myself to get onto my feet lest I fell back asleep. I definitely didn't want Thorin leaving me behind as I slumbered, though with Gandalf around, the chances of that actually happening were dramatically decreased; though not eliminated. "So what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you can scavenge from the pantry." Bofur said.

"When are we leaving?"

"Well, Kili and Fili are rounding up the ponies now. Once we have them packed, we'll be on our way."

I bobbed my head in understanding as I recalled the blonde and brunette brothers, and strolled through the short hallways and past busied dwarves. The pantry was for the most part barren, except for some moldy-blue cheese, and I sighed, resting my weight against the threshold. What did a woman have to do around here for some food?

"Lookin' for somethin' ta eat, lass?"

Spinning around, I smiled tiredly down at the white-haired mini-man. "Yeah, but it looks like you guys cleared our poor host out of his stores of food. I've got some spare bread in my pack, though, so I'll manage." I pushed myself from the wall and shrugged nonchalantly. "So since I'm already packed and eating on the road, it looks like I'm waiting on you guys."

Crossing my arms in front of me, I smirked as Balin chuckled. "So it seems." The comfortable atmosphere that seemed to be settling in between the dwarf and I was rudely interrupted by a shout from outside. Balin frowned, looking towards the source and shook his head. "Those boys…" I raised an eyebrow at his obscure comment and the dwarf quickly began to explain. "The two rounding up and preparing the ponies, they always seem to be up to some sort of mischief and I can only wonder as to what they have done now."

I chuckled; the thought that there were some dwarves of this group that caused more trouble than the others was ridiculously amusing. However, I paused when his words truly registered. If dwarves were rounding up all of the steeds, did that mean Haldis as well? Oh dear Sheogorath. Taking a step in the direction of the door, I gave Balin an apologetic smile. "Excuse me. I have to go check on something."

With deliberate steps, I moved quickly, the volume of frantic voices only increasing as I left the house and neared the spot where I had left my mare the previous night. And as expected, Haldis was snorting and stomping about as the brunette brother –Fili?- was yelping and whining, holding his right hand carefully, small splotches of blood quite evident against his skin. The lighter haired dwarf pulled his brother by his hood farther away from my angry horse.

Before any more damage could be done, I neared my mare, my hand up and palm facing her, eyes watching her every move and attempting to catch her gaze. "Haldis, kos ahst drem. Morah." I spoke softly yet firmly, finally catching the mare's attention. It took a few moments, but slowly Haldis began to calm down, and when it was safe enough, I ran my hand down her nose and comfortingly stroked her neck.

"Wha- How did you do that?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I took in the sight of the disgruntled duo. The blonde was watching me curiously, almost cautiously, while the brunette just stared on in obvious wonder. My eyes drifted down to the hand that was bleeding. The injury didn't appear to be too terrible, so revealing my magic to heal him wasn't necessary, thank Nocturnal.

Forcing an apologetic smile, I bowed my head, a gesture to my regret over the hassle these two went through. "My apologies; Haldis does not like to be handled by others, much less strangers. Will your hand be alright?"

"He'll be fine. And we're sorry for upsetting your horse." The blonde spoke quickly, pulling at his brother's arm. "We best get him bandaged up though."

He was nervous, uncomfortable maybe, and that fact weighed heavily on my heart; so much for making a good impression. I nodded though and forced a smile. "Of course and from now on you needn't worry about Haldis. I will take care of her myself."

A nod was all I received before the two quickly disappeared into the house in the hill. My smile dropped at the moment of their absence, and I turned to my horse, fingers running through her rough, dark tresses. "You couldn't have been nice to them, could you? Ya know you make it difficult for me to have friends when you do that sort of thing." My words came out softly, the sadness I was feeling seeping through my words.

However, I closed my eyes, and taking in a deep breath, I exhaled, a smile curving my lips in a much easier fashion. "Well, I'll just have to make it up to them, or something. They can't fault me for having a touchy horse, can they?"

I laughed as Haldis snorted and shoved me with her nose, and I began to pull the packs I had set off to the side back onto the mare's back. First were the camping supplies, then my inventory pack, and then the food. Once everything was strapped tightly, I rustled through the food and pulled out a tomato and a loaf of bread. A grimace etched itself across my face as I gazed at the fruit in my hand. If it weren't for the nutrients, I would never look upon this cursed vegi-fruit.

Quickly I ate the tomato and only when I took a bite of the bread did the disgust leave my face. The bread I ate slowly, enjoying it, and while I did so, I walked back to the house to retrieve my last item. As I stepped inside, dwarves seemed to be rushing about, a few times I even had to throw myself against the wall to avoid being trampled over, and I took the increased activity as a sign that we would be parting soon.

Returning to the corner in which I had slept in, I picked up Wuuthrad, who had been propped up against the wall. I glanced over the axe, ensuring that no one had left a scratch on its surface, and when satisfied, I rested the head just above my shoulder.

"Come on, lass! We're leavin'!"

Bofur's shout caught me be surprise as he ran past the door and my head snapped to the spot where he had just been moment ago. Ah, it was time at last. The sensation of gooseflesh rising over my skin had me shaking, the anticipation manifesting physically. Maneuvering through the house, I found myself behind Balin as we made our way to the front door and he took notice of my jitteriness.

"Nervous, lass?"

The question took me off guard, but I smiled and shook my head. "No, just excited to get going finally. Though, I do imagine Bilbo is a bit more than anxious."

"Yes, I imagine he would be if he were indeed joining us. Alas, though, it seems as if he has decided to stay unfortunately. It's a shame, really, but we'll have to make do." Balin spoke with regret, but seemed to have accepted to the situation.

I, however, was taken by surprise, my feet pausing in their ministrations. Bilbo wasn't joining us? Truthfully I had thought, despite the initial hesitance, the hobbit would have joined our company. Now…

I stood before the newly painted, round hobbit door, scarred with a single, small rune. A company of thirteen dwarves and a wizard moved before me, preparing their steeds for the long journey ahead of us; however, there was one less among us than I had anticipated.

It was official: we were out of a burglar.

I was surrounded.

By ponies.

While it was quite amusing to me, Haldis didn't seem to like them all that much if her constant annoyed snorting were any indication. So to keep my mare content, we kept at the back of the line, behind the pack-pony. It was honestly a shame to see Bilbo stay behind; Hermaeus Mora knows that I would have enjoyed the company of someone else who wasn't a dwarf. Not that I minded the dwarves; they were a snarky, fun-loving bunch –the kind of people I enjoyed- but there were those who were still weary of me. Whether it was because I was a nord or a woman, I wasn't sure.

The early morning sun softly began to warm the air and the rolling hills were quite a sight. My home consisted of snowy, rocken mountains and barren plains; rolling hills carpeted with lush, green grass were not a common sight.

"So, how long do ya think we should give the lad to catch up before you hand over my just rewards?"

Peering up, I watched as Oin taunted Nori over something I wasn't privy to. I was hesitant to speak up. As comfortable and relaxed as I generally was, forcibly inserting myself into their affairs and conversations had me uncertain. I never knew how I would be received and even if they weren't required to like me for me to be a part of their journey, I would rather have them enjoy my company than resent it.

I took a slight inhale through my nose before speaking up. "You have a bet going?"

Oin, Fili, and Kili looked over their shoulders to look back at me. They didn't seem to be upset that I had spoken to them, surprisingly enough. In fact, Kili and Oin looked rather amused. "Aye, we do! Nori here thinks the little hobbit won't be joining us. I believe I am going to profit on his ignorance." Oin jested.

My laugh mingled in along with the others.

"What about you? Do you think Bilbo will stay?" Kili asked.

Silver-white eyes jumped to the young, dark-haired dwarf, the curiosity evident on his face made him look young and childish in a rather adorable way. The fact that there was a rather lack of facial hair only emphasized my point. I shrugged in response, however, relaying without a word spoken of how I honestly had no clue what the halfling would decide to do.

"You know, I don't think we ever caught your name." Fili said with a musing expression.

And indeed he was correct. I had only introduced myself to Bilbo last night; none of the dwarves had bothered to ask me my name until now. The gesture, whether out of simple curiosity and nothing more or an attempt to get to know me better, brought a smile to my lips. Especially considering the last time I had interacted with these two. "I'm Thyra Gray-Mane. You're Fili and Kili, right?"

In turn, I received a bow of their heads and a smile. "Indeed we are."

"How is your hand doing? I hope Haldis didn't injury you too badly." I said.

The one I now knew as Kili glanced wearily at my horse and held his hand to his chest cautiously, as if expecting the mare to lash out again. She seemed to pick up on his unease as well and gave a snort and tossed her head, in turn making the dwarf jolt. Both Fili and I laughed, my hand petting the base of Haldis' neck as Kili pouted. "Your horse nearly took off my hand and you're laughing?! That's hardly any way to apologize."

While his words rang true, my laughter continued to trickle out. It wasn't until Fili spoke did I manage to regain my composure. "Those words; when you spoke to your horse earlier, what language were you speaking?"

"Dovah: it's dragon tongue. I taught Haldis certain phrases so others wouldn't be able to understand what sort of command I was giving her." I explained.

"Wait. Dragons have their own language?" Kili exclaimed, his jaw dropping wide dramatically.

I simply nodded with a smile. "Yup. It's not surprising you don't know. Dragons are a rare sight here, no? Back where I'm from, it's rare to travel from one city to another without seeing one, much less hearing one."

That simple fact seemed to have both males captivated. "Are there really that many dragons? How are your lands and villages not plundered and destroyed?" Kili asked. His eyes were quite literally shining with wonder and amazement, and attempting to keep my amusement at his fascination hidden was proving rather difficult.

"Dragons are intelligent creatures. They know if they pose a threat, Dragonborn will make sure that threat is extinguished. In fact, a number of dragons are rather peaceful. Only those who in turn threaten to steal their treasure face their might."

It seemed more questions were itching to bubble up from Kili's curiosity, but a shout caught our attention. I tugged on Haldis' reigns and signaled for her to stop. Then looking behind me, the sight of a small figure running through the grass, making its way towards us could be seen, shouting and yelling for us to stop.

"Well I'll be damned." I laughed.

Bilbo ran right past us, a piece of parchment I recognized as the contract waving through the air as he ran. Giving it to Balin, the hobbit stood bent over his knees, attempting to catch his breath. Damn, he must have been running all the way here just to try and catch up to us. The little man sure had endurance, that's for sure.

We all waited in baited silence as Balin examined the contract. When the white-haired dwarf declared everything settled and squared away, it seemed everyone let out a sigh of relief, and a few even let out some cheers. I laughed and watched as Fili and Kili, their attention drawn from me to our burglar, picked up the halfling between the two of them and attempted to place him upon one of the pack-ponies. I rolled my eyes and laughed as their struggles only produced failure, and urged Haldis forward behind the boys.

I grabbed onto the back of Bilbo's coat, and doing so turned the attention of the three of there. "Here boys, I've got him. I'll get him settled on a pony."

Fili and Kili looked between themselves, speaking wordlessly, before they nodded and let Bilbo go. The poor man gave out a cry of surprise, having expected to fall to the ground. With my free hand, I pulled Haldis to a halt again, and in turn caused the ponies behind us to stop as well. Dropping Bilbo to his feet, I slid from my steed and gave the hobbit a smile, clapping him on his back. "It's good to see you've joined us."

An uncertain smile and a nod was all he could manage to give me, but I didn't mind. Chuckling to myself, I motioned for Bilbo to follow, and I stood beside the pony that had a lighter load. "This one will do; let me have your bag. Have you ever ridden before?" I asked. An uncertain shake of his head was all I needed for an answer and I took his pack from his outreached hand. "Alright; to get on, put your left foot in the straddle, grab the horn up here, and pull yourself up and throw your leg over. It's awkward, but it's best to do it quickly." I explained while strapping his bag to the back of his pony.

I had thought he was going to need help, but as I ensured his pack was properly tied, he managed to get onto his steed. Nodding my head, impressed, I moved to his side and grabbed the reign and held it out for him to take. "Always hold onto this with both hands. Even if you are just following the others, you never know when you'll come to a sudden halt, or she may try and leave the path for a little snack. Pull the reigns sharply toward you to make her stop, or do so slowly to slow her down. Tug left to lead her left, right for right, and click your heels to her side to get her to pick up the pace. Do you need me to go over that at all?"

I spoke quickly since the group had continued on while I was helping Bilbo and I didn't want to get too far behind them, but he seemed to understand my instructions. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Thyra."

"No problem at all." I smiled. Then letting Bilbo urge the pony forward, I patted the last pack-pony on the butt and he followed after Bilbo.

Rejoining Haldis, I quickly caught up to the group and joined Bilbo and Gandalf, dodging bags of coin as I did so. Silently I listened to the hobbit and the wizard talk, and laughed when gold was tossed Gandalf's way. So he had been in the bet as well. Ya know, I don't think I'll be underestimating Gandalf any time soon.

And so this was it; we were off to Erebor; to slay a dragon and reclaim a stolen home. Thirteen dwarves who were as dangerous and had as much sense as a Slaughterfish, a tiny hobbit who was as harmful as a torchbug, a wizard who had a tendency to gamble and speak in riddle, and at last a nord; never in my life had I ever seen such group, and as Bilbo shouted for the company to stop and turn around so he could retrieve his handkerchief, I could only wonder if maybe going about my quest alone would have been a better idea…

Oh, who am I kidding?! This will be way more entertaining!

"You'll have to manage without pocket handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire. But home is now behind you. The world is ahead."

And indeed it was.

[1] Kos ahst Drem: Be at peace
[2] Morah: Focus

And for those who don't know/can't remember: Hermaeus Mora is the Daedric Prince of Knowledge, Sheogorath the Prince of Madness, Hermaus Mora the prince of knowledge, and Nocturnal the Prince of night, darkness, and luck. I think those were all of the ones I used. If I missed one, just let me know!

Alright, that's it for this chapter. *Le sigh* And yes, the Dovah used is canon in case any of you are curious. Anyways, has anyone seen the trailer for Desolation of Smaug?! :D OHMAWGAWD! I am so excited! So many feels ,

Well, hopefully it won't take me as long to get this next chapter out as it did for this one. I have some vague ideas of what I want to go over in this next chapter, but is there anything you guys would be interested in seeing? I enjoy listening to what you guys have to say; so review or PM me! Can't wait to hear from you all!

~Kago