Thorin returned as the leaves were falling from the trees, staining the ground scarlet throughout the forest. After a few short days of rest he called a meeting among his closest advisers.

Responding to the summons, I headed to the meeting hall, joining the others. Thorin was there, as were Balin, Dwalin and Dis. We all sat down, waiting to hear what he would have to say. Anticipation ran high in the room, all of us taking private guesses as to the purpose of this meeting. Clearing his throat, he took a look around the table before he began to speak in a low voice.

"It is with great regret that I return to inform you of the passing of Thrain, my father." At this he paused, his face betraying nothing of his emotions past a slight darkening of the eyes. I gave Dis' arm a sympathetic squeeze, trying to offer my friend some comfort as she tried to process the news. Thrain had been her father also, and despite it having been expected it didn't make it any easier to handle. Straightening with all the strength she could muster, she flashed me a look of gratitude before turning to Thorin expectantly.

"I take it this is not the only news you bring brother?"

"It is not," he nodded in agreement. "When in Bree I was approached by the wizard Gandalf, who was the one to actually find our father." Retrieving something small from his pocket, he held up the ornately carved key. "He gave me this." Everyone with the exception of Balin looked uncertain as to the significance of the item, prompting Thorin to elaborate. "This is the key to the hidden door of Erebor!" Gasps met his words. I looked at it with renewed wonder, calling to memory the conversation we had shared the day we met.

"Is the moment upon us? Do we go to the mountain?" My question was graced with the largest smile I had seen from Thorin since we met. It took years off his face, igniting a fire in all of us to follow him to whatever he had planned.

"Soon. Gandalf has asked that we spend the winter gathering what followers we can and we are to meet with him in the spring to begin the journey. You will come with me?" he asked hopefully, locking eyes with each of us. I knew that Dis would stay here, leading those who could not go in his stead, so that left the rest of us.

"You know Dwalin and I are in," Balin said with a smile, his brother voicing hearty agreement. They all turned to me, waiting for what I would say.

"The day we met you told me the story of your mountain. Well, actually it was Fili and Kili if I recall correctly. I made you a promise then to help when the time came, and it stands true more than ever now. Besides," I teased. "You'll need an accomplished dragon slayer along for this venture, and I'm more than up for the task!" The others laughed, not entirely certain if I was serious, but it dissolved the tension as I had hoped.

"Well, that's that." Thorin said decisively. "This afternoon we will gather all in the town square and present our request. That will give them time to consider their options and give us an answer come spring." As we made to leave the room Dis grabbed for Thorin's arm.

"I know you have to do this, but, must you take my sons?" She pleaded with him, desperately hoping the answer would be no, and knowing it was false hope.

Thorin gave her a gentle look of apology. "I must offer this chance to them, same as the others. They have grown up to be fine young warriors, and they will be princes when we have retaken Erebor. You know I do not do this lightly, but it is the right thing to do. I cannot deny them the opportunity to prove themselves." Dis nodded, eyes filled with pain and resignation. She left the room quickly, retreating towards home. When Thorin made to follow her I pulled him back.

"Let me," I said softly. Thorin stayed behind to continue planning with the others while I followed his sister, running to catch up to her. She heard me and stopped, breaking down as she fell into my embrace.

"I'm afraid for them," she mumbled. "What if it doesn't work out?"

"What if it does?" I said, startling her a little. She smiled slightly at my optimism.

"You'll look out for them?"

"Always." Promises made, we spent the rest of the morning together until the announcement was made calling everyone to the town square.

The square was packed with people, teeming with sound as everyone asked their neighbor what they thought about the impromptu meeting. I stood near Dis and the others that were already in the know, waiting for Thorin to make his appearance. Kili had joined us right away, shocking his mother when he confessed that Fili had given him the slip and disappeared for the morning. Thankfully we didn't have long to wait before the dwarf in question ran up to join us, looking slightly flushed as if he had been exercising. We had no time to question his whereabouts before Thorin stepped outside. The crowd hushed, a tremor of sound indicating the shuffling of feet as they all tried to get a better look. The regal dwarf held up his hands for attention, looking every inch the leader.

"My friends," he called loudly. "A time is now at hand that has been hoped for for over a hundred years. I have received tidings telling me to reclaim Erebor!" A massive cheer swept through the crowd, though the individual reactions were varied. The young were nearly bursting with excitement, while the old ones who could remember life in the mountain wept openly. "We have until the first day of spring to prepare before I will leave to take back what is ours! If you are with me and wish to join the quest, report to Balin and he will take down your name so that we may begin planning together. Those of you who cannot, know that you have my support. It is not my wish to break apart families and this is a difficult choice. You have until the week before spring to give your answer." Stepping back, he turned immediately to the two young men clamoring for his attention.

"We can go, right uncle?" Fili and Kili cried.

"It will not be easy," Thorin warned them, evading the question for a moment. "We will face many dangers in the wild, not the least of which is the dragon at the end of all things."

The two did not look deterred in the least. "But, we can go?" they pressed. At Thorin's nod of assent they whooped, heading over the tell Balin the good news. I was not surprised to see all the others that I had met those long years ago also on the list. The Ur brothers, the Ri brothers, and Oin and Gloin. That last one was the only one that did surprise me a little. Gloin was the only one with a family, a wife and young son. He had flat out refused to allow Gimli to accompany him, stating that it would be too dangerous. The crestfallen youngster was not made to feel any better by the order to stay and protect his mother, snorting at the indignity he felt he was faced with. As we watched the townsfolk begin to drift off in groups to discuss the happenings I noticed no one else had signed up. There were fifteen of us. I wondered if we would get anyone else.

I was too lost in thought to notice Thorin step up next to me and survey the rapidly dispersing crowd as I was.

"It doesn't matter," he stated, jerking me out of my thoughts.

"What doesn't?" I asked curiously.

"If we get no one else," he replied as he guessed my thoughts. "We still have a group of the bravest, most loyal dwarves I have ever known, and you of course as well. Most of the others have families, I will not ask them to leave that behind."

As winter set in we spent much of our time indoors, spending the time together in planning and celebration. That meant that we almost always knew where the others of the group were, making any absence that much more obvious. While many of us still had jobs to do, the only one missing consistently was Fili. He would disappear at odd times, usually in the afternoons, reappearing with a flustered expression and poorly thought out excuse. I suspected the cause for his absence, as did Dis I assumed, but Kili was growing more and more distressed by the constant separation from his brother. He came to me one day, looking utterly dejected.

"Auntie, I don't understand. Where is he going? He doesn't seem angry with me, but maybe he is? Why is he hiding from me?"

I exchanged a knowing look with Dis, barely concealing my grin. "I have a hunch, but I feel I cannot say anything until is it confirmed. Do you want me to find out?"

"Can you?" Kili asked in surprise. "I can never find him."

"Yes, well, you cannot become invisible. I can follow him without him being any the wiser." I felt a little guilty at the thought of deceiving poor Fili, but the hopeful look from Kili took some of that away. The amused smirk from Dis only acted to seal the matter. If she approved I could not really feel bad.

I rose early the next morning, dressing hastily before standing up on the wall where I could see all exits of the house. I grinned when Fili eased out his window less than an hour later, hurrying towards the gate out of the town. Cloaking myself, I followed behind him. He didn't walk very far before stopping in the nearest clearing, just out of sight of the wall top. Pacing nervously, he appeared to be waiting for someone. Both of us looked up at the sound of soft footsteps approaching. A dwarf lass slipped past the trees, drawing a shy smile from the young prince. I recognized her as the daughter of one of the miners. She was very pretty, with long chestnut curls and sparkling green eyes.

"Barla," Fili sighed, pulling her into his arms. She snuggled against him, giggling for a moment before turning serious.

"Fili?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, my sweet?" he answered huskily, looking at her with affection.

"Are you really going away in the spring?" She held his attention, doe eyes widened with concern.

"I must. If we are ever to truly be together I need something more to offer you. This is a chance of a lifetime." Their talk subsided, and I gave them another moment of silence before deciding to confront the couple. Stepping out from the trees, I cast off my invisibility. Both jumped in fright, badly startled with my appearance. I held up my hands in a gesture of peace, striding forward until I was within a couple feet of where they sat before crouching down.

"Auntie!" Fili looked terrified and embarrassed. "What are you doing here?" He glanced around reflexively to check if anyone else was there. "Please don't tell anyone about this," he added quickly.

I gave them a stern look before softening. "It's not my place to tell, though in truth I was following you if you must know. The others have noticed your absence and are worried. Except for your mother that is. She has already guessed what you were up to, you're not very subtle you know. You need to tell them yourself. At least tell Kili."

Thoroughly chastened, he stared at the ground. "He wouldn't understand," he muttered quietly.

"You're probably right, but nevertheless you owe him an explanation. He thinks you're angry with him, or at the least that you're avoiding him on purpose. He's been very upset." At this his eyes rose to meet mine, regret filling his gaze. Poor Barla sat still and silent, unsure whether to speak.

"I should go," she said sadly. I put a hand on her arm to stop her before getting to my feet.

"No, I'm leaving now. Don't let me get in the way of your meeting," I teased them gently. I turned back to them just before walking away. "Think about what I said Fili. Tell your family. They will understand." They both offered me grateful smiles before losing themselves in each others company once again. Parting from the two with a chuckle at their antics, I headed back to town, satisfied at having been right.

I immediately let myself into Dis' house, catching the sounds of her consoling an upset Kili again in the other room. At my entrance he leaped to his feet, looking ready to demand answers.

"He's fine, he's not angry with you and he was not deliberately trying to avoid you. He has asked however that I allow him to explain himself when he is ready. I agreed to respect his wishes and give him that chance." When Kili came forward to hug me in relief I sent a subtle nod and a wink over his shoulder to the waiting Dis. She shook her head with a smile, sharing in my amusement at this latest stage of her son's life.

Despite my silence, Dis was not nearly as interested in making things easy for her son. When Fili arrived back at the house about an hour before dinner, she called him into the room. He froze upon entering, discomfort plain at the sight of everyone gathered in the small space and looking intently at him. Many were smirking knowingly, causing him to turn to me with a small cry of betrayal.

"Auntie, you promised!"

I sighed. "I know, but your mother didn't. Like I said before, she guessed, and I wasn't about to lie and tell her she guessed wrong."

"What is this all about?" Thorin growled, not yet clued in on the situation and becoming more irritated by the second.

Fili gulped before squaring his shoulders and facing his uncle. "I have, developed feelings for someone in the village. When no one could find me it was because I was meeting with her." He waited apprehensively for a reaction, ignoring the muted cheers coming from the others. All eyes turned to Thorin, waiting to hear what he would say. He looked conflicted, suffering some internal struggle for a moment more before snorting in exasperation.

"That's it? Who is she then?" Fili's relief was palpable, and he avoided the question for a moment as he turned to glean Kili's reaction. The poor boy was still frowning in slight confusion, as if he couldn't understand why Fili would be interested in a girl of all things. I was tempted to laugh, only sobering at the expectant look on Thorin's face. "Well? Don't keep us in suspense, I'm sure we'd all like to meet this girl that has captured your attention so thoroughly."

Fili flushed at the quiet roar of enthusiastic agreement. "I thought you might say that, so I brought her with me. She's just outside." He nearly threw himself out of the room, making a temporary escape while he went to fetch the lass. Dis took the time to lecture the men.

"When they get back you be nice," she hissed, staring pointedly at Thorin. I couldn't suppress a snort at the thought of Thorin managing that, earning a glare from the temperamental dwarf. Minutes ticked by, causing him to begin pacing again.

"Do ya think he's comin' back?" Bofur joked, the first one of the group to speak. Chuckles filled the room, dissolving quickly to silence when the sound of a door opening and closing sounded nearby. Fili reentered the room first, hovering protectively in front of the shy girl.

"Everyone, this is Barla." Placing an arm around her, he drew her close, daring anyone to speak against them. Thorin said nothing, even when Dis nudged him sharply. She sighed in annoyance before bestowing a welcoming smile on the pair.

"It is a pleasure to meet you dear. Anyone who has captured the heart of my son is welcome here." Her approval voiced, the others in the room chimed in with words of greeting. Kili still looked thoughtful, the sight of the girl clearly giving him new things to consider. Thorin at last offered a small nod of approval, the corner of his mouth twitching in a half smile. Interrupting the moment again, Dis strode forward and collected Barla out of Fili's grasp, steering her in the direction of the kitchen while I followed. "Talk amongst yourselves while we make dinner," she called back to the men folk. "I trust you will join us?" she asked the girl kindly. Barla smiled happily.

"I'd be honored. Father is working late tonight, so it would have been just me anyways. I left him a plate and a note so he will not worry." Chatting together, we quickly whipped together a fine spread, chuckling at the loud teasing emanating from the other room. The rest of the evening was filled with good company and many a jest at Fili's expense. He took it in good humor when he noticed it, too often he was distracted by his dinner partner.

The next day Thorin voiced his desire to know more about Barla and her father. When asked why, he expressed concern that anyone set to be coupled with Fili (who was his heir after all), needed to be of a certain standing. Dis and I sat at the table with him, talking together while the brothers were out getting caught up. I snorted at his statement, receiving an annoyed expression for my outburst.

I easily matched his scowl, to the amusement of Dis. "Really Thorin? Bloodlines are more important than your nephew's happiness? What if her father is a peasant? Would you deny them? They are in love!"

"What would you know about that?" he growled.

"I know enough to recognize it when I see it. I also know when to leave well enough alone. If you refuse his choice you will do nothing other than drive him away. This is a decision for him to make. Besides, I seem to recall you saying once that dwarves only have one true love, and that to refuse it causes the couple involved immense pain. I would not think you capable of such an action." He fell into a surprised silence at having knowledge of his own people thrown back in his face. Dis took that opportunity to pounce on me.

"What about you then?"

"What about me?" I asked in confusion.

"Have you ever had anyone?" Understanding of her meaning dawned when I took in the crafty smile on her face. I also couldn't help but notice that Thorin looked suddenly uncomfortable, a slight flush creeping up his neck. I figured he was just embarrassed by the rather intimate discussion. I was a little surprised by her question, it being a topic I had never had cause to think about in all my years.

"No," I stated matter-of-factually. "Guardians do not mate. We are dedicated to protecting all life and as such we have no time for intimacy. Never in our history has there been record of such a thing occurring."

Dis looked utterly shocked, and a little saddened. "So, you do not wish to have children?"

I considered the question, ignoring the way Thorin flinched at the word children. "I'm not sure. I never had to think about that. When we are given our power it does not come without sacrifice. We are asked to pledge ourselves to protecting always without question. Whether that sacrifice took our ability to have a family or merely our desire I do not know. Even now I don't see how things are any different for me. I promised to defend this world as well as I did the last one. It is what I have always done, and more than likely what I will always continue to do." I didn't mention Elune's parting words to me, wondering now if they had a deeper meaning for my future here.

"I have work to do," Thorin said suddenly, leaving the room with surprising speed. I looked after him uncertainly, confused by his moodiness. Dis just shook her head before changing the subject.

Thorin pounded away at the sword, Alanta's words ringing in his head. 'Guardians do not mate...' She had sounded so certain. That was it then. There was no point in even considering pursuing someone who had no interest in such a relationship. They would remain friends and he would cast aside his deeper feelings. He continued to slam the hammer down on the flattened metal. Such feelings were weak anyways, not meant for kings, only children.

Spring came quickly, until it was only a week away. The day we were to leave dawned bright and warm. I had promised Dis that I would accompany Fili and Kili to our destination in the Shire, as they were too eager to leave to wait for Thorin. He would travel later once he finished meeting with the envoys that had been sent for over the course of the winter. He had told us that he would try to convince them to offer their aid in the quest. I was not hopeful given what we would be facing, but I did not tell him that, not wanting to further sour his mood. The others left as they completed any last minute jobs that needed attending, all of us planning only to arrive by nightfall on the first official day of spring.

With the two finally packed we headed for the gates. Dis came along with us to say goodbye, and I smiled to see Barla waiting nearby as well.

"Stay safe my sons," their mother cried tearfully. "Come back to me." She held them in her arms one last time before stepping back with a sniff. Barla came forward hesitantly, a question for Fili clear in her eyes. He did not hesitate. Sweeping her up, he had her blushing furiously when he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I will come back," I whispered. "Wait for me, and one day I will return to give you the life you deserve." She nodded, pressing a small token into his palm before letting him go.

At last we set out into the day, calling farewells and waving until we were out of sight. Our journey had finally begun...

Author's note: Bit of a shorter chapter, because I'm quite eager to get to the actual quest. The quest will largely follow the movie, with as much OC in as I can throw. I have big plans for this, with so many other people to meet, and I'm excited to get started. Next installment will of course see us arrive at Bilbo's house. Thanks for reading and I hope this part was enjoyable!