...

"If I'm being completely honest, I never really thought I would meet someone or need someone like you. You came into my life at the perfect time!" -Unknown.

~Chapter 14~

Sparks of Understanding

I watch Thorin's retreating figure with growing concern, torn between staying with Bilbo and going after him. The conflicting emotions within me intensify, leaving me trapped in a web of uncertainty.

Bilbo notices my distraction and follows my gaze. "Is something wrong?" he whispers, his voice filled with genuine concern.

I hesitate for a moment, torn between confiding in him and keeping my worries to myself. But ultimately, I decide to share my concerns with Bilbo.

"I'm not sure," I admit, my voice tinged with worry. "Thorin seems upset as he leaves. I can't help but wonder if it's because of me."

Bilbo's brow furrows, and he reaches out to place a comforting hand on my arm. "I highly doubt that, Peyton," he reassures me. "Thorin has a lot on his mind, and it's not fair to assume that it's because of something you did."

I smile at my friend, appreciating his kindness. Thorin has never given Bilbo the time of day the past month and a half, and yet here he is defending the guy. I wish I was more like him, and I appreciate his words of comfort. "You're right," I say, trying to convince myself as well. "I shouldn't jump to conclusions. But I can't help but worry sometimes, you know?"

Bilbo gives me a sympathetic smile. "I understand," he says. "But sometimes, it's best to give people their space and trust that they will come to you when they're ready."

His words resonate with me, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Perhaps Thorin just needs some time alone to process his thoughts and emotions. It doesn't necessarily mean that I've done something wrong.

With a newfound sense of resolve, I turn my attention back to Bilbo. "Thank you, Bilbo," I say, gratitude evident in my voice. "I appreciate you being here."

He smiles warmly at me before shrugging and looking at the ground, suddenly uncertain. "Yes, well, at least I can be of help to someone. I have been of much use on this quest so far, haven't I?" He murmurs sadly, picking at a fraying string on his bedroll. He still hasn't made much progress with the dwarves, and if I recall the book correctly, he won't until after the Goblin Tunnels. That's when they'll look at him in a completely new light. Of course, I'm going to do my best to try and include him before then.

I shrug. "Well, to tell you the truth, nothing's happened yet. You'll get your shining moment when things start getting exciting. Like the dragon!" And before that.

Bilbo shudders theatrically. "Please don't remind me. I was having such a good morning."

We smirk at each other before settling deeper into our bedrolls. The worries about Thorin still linger in the back of my mind, but for now, I will focus on resting and recovering. And when the time is right, I will approach Thorin and address any concerns that may exist between us.

As the company tries to sleep in, the sun soon climbs high, and we're all enjoying the warmth of its rays and a hot breakfast, even though we're dead tired. Dori and Ori have not left me alone since we woke up, asking if I need any clothes mended or if I'd like to assist as a scribe again. Nori has been silent for the most part, studying me.

I hum in contentment as the hot, creamy porridge fills my mouth after cooking over the crackling fire. Finally! Warm food!

"Strange that you're all having breakfast at this hour..."

We all whip around to see a grey-robed wizard in a pointy hat and staff walking toward the company beside his matching grey horse.

"Gandalf!" I gasp, scrambling to get up. Every muscle in my body is in pain, and I fall back down onto my log with a yelp. Kili quickly comes to my aid, offering me an arm to pull me back up.

The rest of the company makes their way over to him, relieved.

"Good morning!" Gandalf smiles cheerfully at the sight of everyone getting up to greet him, surprised at our exuberance to see him, "Did I miss anything while I was away last night?"

One hour later...

Gandalf and I sit a bit away from the camp as he blows his smoke rings. The dwarves have all filled him in about Nori's situation and then mine. Now, he and I are sitting on a log a good distance from the company, and I give him my version of it. Everyone has been relaxing, and many of the dwarves have laid down in the shade of the tarp to get more sleep. Gloin, Kili, and Fili however, are currently hunting for something bigger to put in our stew for dinner since they have all day to do so. Thorin and Dwalin have gone on a patrol around the area.

I finally get to the heart of the matter, my voice trembling, "Gandalf...that lightning strike was never supposed to happen! Do you even know how rare it is to get struck by lightning in the first place? I've changed the story somehow!"

Gandalf hums but I'm disappointed when he merely replies, "Interesting. We must exercise caution then."

I blink at him.

"That's it? But..." I hesitate, "If I don't know the future...how am I going to save them? What if lightning strikes Thorin next?!" I'm being melodramatic, I know. But to be honest, at this point, I'm not sure of anything anymore.

Gandalf, however, seems unfazed by my panic. He takes a puff from his pipe, a twinkle in his eye. "Well, a kiss works wonders for Nori. I'm sure one will bring Thorin back as well."

"GANDALF!"

Gandalf lets out a hearty chuckle, "Apologies, my dear, I could not resist." His deep tone carries a hint of mischief.

"This is serious!" I gape at him, wondering why he isn't more worried about the future.

"Then, ON that more serious note..." he forces his voice to carry more weight, "I wouldn't be surprised if many more events than simply that have changed or will change on our journey from what you expect. The future is an uncertain path for us all. It may be wise for you not to place too much reliance on your story." He pauses, letting his words sink in.

"But...then what am I doing here?" I ask, lost.

"To save Thorin, of course!" he declares, his voice resonating with a mix of unwavering resolve and a touch of exasperation. "And the line of Durin." He adds as an afterthought.

Exhaustion gnaws at my nerves, pain pulses every time I move my muscles, and worry is a bitter taste in my mouth. All of this overwhelms me, and I erupt, "HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT IF I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO DO THAT?!"

I stand up from where I sit and begin pacing angrily. "The only thing I had going for me was future knowledge! And you left me alone to deal with last night's mess!" I turn to him and point accusingly, "You should have been here to save Nori! And to keep the fire going so I wouldn't freeze!"

"Miss Peyton, I am not your caretaker!" Gandalf snaps, his voice carrying the weight of authority. Startled, I fall into silence, my heart sinking.

"Please do not mistake my words for indifference to your struggles," Gandalf says softly, his tone filled with genuine concern. "I care very much for you, my dear. However, this is your adventure, your story. There will be events beyond my control that you must face with courage and resilience. Besides, you handled the matter quite capably yesterday. I'm very impressed." He compliments me sincerely.

Gandalf is the only one who knows my full story, yet here I am, expected to navigate this bewildering situation on my own.

"But where were you? I was all alone," I murmur, fear welling up inside me and I hold back tears. "I didn't know what to do... I almost died."

For some reason, my thoughts drifted to Frodo at that moment. He also felt the weight of solitude in a difficult situation. (Well, I mean, he will feel all that)

"You are never alone," Gandalf reassures me firmly and then heaves a resigned sigh. "If you must know, there was a small caravan a little ways south of here. They were traveling to Dunland when their wagons got stuck in the mire. They would have drowned from the storm yesterday if I hadn't come upon them."

Any resentment or frustration I feel for Gandalf's absence yesterday vanishes and I stare at him in amazement. He really is like an angel, appearing to help when you least expect him. In the book, he disappeared a lot more frequently than he does now and this must be the reason.

"You are never alone, Miss Peyton" He repeats gently, "You had the company with you. And Thorin."

Embarrassment flushes my face, and I shake my head. "I feel terrible about that. He should never have been subjected to such a situation." And no one still knew where he was. Dwalin left an hour ago once Gandalf arrived to look for him.

"Oh, fret not about Thorin," Gandalf chuckles, with an exasperated shake of his head. Rising to his feet, he prepares to rejoin the company before leaning down to me and speaking in a low conspiratorial voice, "I am willing to wager my entire coin bag that he did not mind nearly as much as you believe." With a cheerful pat on my shoulder and a meaningful side eye, he walks past me.

I can't help but cringe, closing my eyes in sheer mortification. Who would have thought that Gandalf the Grey could be as meddlesome as the most persistent match-making mothers in Pride and Prejudice? But more pressing than my embarrassment is the uncertainty of the future that weighs heavily on me. I can't shake off the worry gnawing at the pit of my stomach.

I gather my courage, calling out to him once more, "Gandalf."

I hear him pause, perhaps sensing the seriousness in my voice, and I turn to face him, my tone grave. "What if the future changes again...and I find myself unable to prevent whatever comes next?"

Gandalf's piercing blue eyes hold mine as we gaze at each other across the distance. "Remember what we discussed, Peyton," he says cryptically, a hint of wisdom in his tone. "Follow what your heart tells you." With that enigmatic remark, referring to our conversation at Bilbo's house, he turns once more to rejoin the company.

I stand there alone, pondering his words and worrying about what other surprises are in store for me, before I turn and sit down on the log once more.

Thorin arrives, with Dwalin at his side. They're both a distance off to the side and haven't noticed me yet, their eyes resting on Gandalf.

I slowly rise from my secluded spot on the log, and my movement causes Thorin to look over, our eyes meeting. I give a timid smile and start towards him, my heart burdened with an odd sense of guilt and confusion. We need to talk. He turns, muttering something to Dwalin who shoots me a strange glance before leaving Thorin to stand there alone as he walks over to the company.

"Hi Thorin," I begin, a little hesitant. "You vanished so abruptly this morning...Is everything alright?"

Thorin's gaze is inscrutable. "All is well. Just finished scouting the area," he assures, his voice steady.

I nod, my gaze falling to the ground. "Oh, ok, cool. I... I hope you didn't leave because of me. I didn't want to upset you." I do my best to sound composed but there's a very slight tremble in my voice.

Thorin is silent for a moment. "No, Miss Peyton," he finally says, his voice softer, almost defeated. "You've done nothing wrong."

Relief washes over me. "I'm glad," I sigh, "I owe you my life. Thank you again for what you did for me last night."

Thorin is already shaking his head even as I finish speaking, "You owe me nothing. Nori would have been lost without you." His gaze lingers on me. "It seems we have much to learn from your world that will aid our quest. We are very fortuitous to have you with us."

My heart flutters. Stupid heart!

"Thank you, Thorin," I say, gratitude evident in my voice. "That means more than I can express."

Thorin offers a regal nod, though remains silent. Together, we return to the company. I hobble, my muscles protesting, and Thorin, surprisingly, slows his pace to match mine.

Even after arriving at the main group, however, there's still this strange tension that lingers between Thorin and me. He said nothing was wrong and that I'm a valued member of the company. But something's off because it doesn't feel back to normal between us. It's probably because we slept next to each other. He's different now, polite but distant.

The remainder of the day is thankfully calm in comparison to yesterday's craziness.

For the first time in a long time, I can just kick back and relax. My body's sore all over, so I just curl up in my bedroll and marvel at the chance to do absolutely nothing. The old Peyton would've loved this. I find myself unable to sleep with the sun up, however, and I decide to read one of the books that I got from Hobbiton.

"What're ya readin'?"

I look up, surprised to see Nori asking, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"Oh, hi Nori!" I blink and then look down at my book as if surprised it's there, "Uh, it's called 'The Travels of Falber.' I picked up from the Shire. Mostly because of it's pretty pictures." I hold up the book, showing him a beautiful painting of a lake in the moonlight.

He nods and lowers himself down beside me with a groan, clutching his chest.

I furrow my brows sympathetically. "How're you holdin' up?"

"Feels like someone gave me a few good whacks to the ribcage," he says wryly, shooting me a playful look.

I chuckle with embarrassment, feeling for him. "Sorry, Nori. That's how it's supposed to feel after getting CPR. It means I did it right."

Nori nods. For a moment, there's an awkward pause between us. I haven't spoken much to Nori this entire trip, besides helping Ori to write. He and Dori had been polite to me but still kept their distance since they thought I was a weird seer. This, him seeking me out, is a new experience.

"So, um, how...how does it feel to be struck by lightning?" I can't help but ask.

He pauses, reminiscing. "I don't rightly know how to put it into words. Never felt somethin' so... powerful. Like my whole body was froze, but there was somethin' inside my muscles, still movin' and vibratin'. The pain... can't quite describe it."

My sympathy turns into empathy. "I've had a few minor shocks from electricity, so I know it hurts. I can't imagine what you went through."

He looks at me, astonished. "You've been shocked by lightning too?"

"Oh, no," I shake my head, "No, I've had electric shocks, which are... well, smaller versions of lightning, actually," I muse aloud.

Nori thinks hard for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm baffled."

"Yeah. Middle Earth doesn't have electricity," I muse aloud again, watching Thorin checking in with Bombur about our supplies.

I turn to find Nori watching me observe Thorin. I quickly try to continue with the conversation to divert his attention, "Yeah, in my world we've harnessed the power of electricity, or, uh... lightning."

Nori's eyes widen, and I realize I have a lot of explaining to do.

Fortunately for me, at that moment, Kili, Fili, and Gloin walk into camp with a brown doe hanging between Gloin and Fili's shoulders, finally back from hunting. Kili struts like he's the king of the world an enormous grin on his handsome face and the company becomes ecstatic, all dwarves quickly come over to him. Clapping his back and setting to work hanging and skinning the deer, they get to work cutting off meat for dinner. It looks like they're planning on roasting some of it.

Kili notices me watching them and yells over, "Hey, Peyton! Look what I caught!"

I clap my hands, smirking at him, bemused. He reminds me of my nephew, Jackson, who's always showing off and narrates his life to everyone. This, however, is worth showing off for. It's the first time the company has caught a deer and it's a lot of meat.

I watch them all from the comfort of my bedroll, smiling at the way they jest and playfully shove each other, reminiscing about my own brothers.

Bilbo and Gandalf sit together on a tree trunk nearby, discussing who knows what.

Nori, however, remains beside me. Probably not feeling good enough to go over and sneak some meat. He has yet to thank me for saving his life, but I don't mind. This, him sitting beside me, talking about everything and nothing, seems to be the way he feels comfortable expressing his gratitude.

Eventually, some of the dwarves that aren't any good at cooking or butchering pull away from the main group and come over to where Nori and I sit. Nori pulls out a deck of strange-looking cards out of nowhere and starts shuffling them with expert and deft fingers.

"So, Bofur, are ya up for a game of cards? It's been too long since we've had a proper game," Nori calls to him, a sly grin on his face.

Bofur grins back, "Aye, Nori, ya know I'm always up for a game. But just remember, I'm the luckiest dwarf when it comes to cards." He gives me a wink as he settles down where I sit.

I look between the two dwarves in anticipation, "Oh, this'll be interesting. I'm putting my bets on Nori."

Nori gives me a pleased grin while Bofur looks scandalized, "Careful there, Peyton. Nori might be known for his tricks, but luck's on my side."

"Wouldn't it technically be on his side since he survived a lightning bolt?" I raise an eyebrow, amused.

Nori speaks over Bofur's protests, "I never rely on luck, Peyton. I've always got a few tricks up my sleeve."

I quirk a knowing smile at him. With his quick fingers, he probably has a few cards up his sleeve, honestly.

Fili sits by my other side, looking excited, "Looks like we're in for a show, Pey!"

I give him a surprised look, hearing him call me 'Pey' as Kili also sits down beside Fili, grinning, "Oh, excellent! Are we going to be gambling in this one?"

Fili notices my expression and suddenly looks hesitant, "I... can call you Pey, right? You said last night, after saving Nori, so I just thought..."

"Oh, yes. Of course! I'm sorry, it's just... I haven't had anyone call me 'Pey' in what feels like forever. Only my family calls me that. It's nice." I reassure him, bumping gently with my shoulder, chuckling at his nervous expression.

Nori starts passing out the cards to everyone in the circle except me, at my insistence. I want to watch first since the cards look very different from the diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs I'm used to. As they begin their card game, the atmosphere lightens up with laughter and friendly banter. Balin comes over once to remind us to keep it down, since Thorin is laying in his bedroll, sleeping. I watch them play, wrapped up in the camaraderie and warmth among these dwarves. It feels like my family when we'd play together. My brothers are all married and busy with their families, so I haven't felt like this in a long time.

He places a card on the table, confident in his move as he looks up at Bofur. "You remember that game we had back at the 'Lucky Rabbit's Foot,' Bofur? The one we could never decide on who won?"

Bofur grins, "Ah, how could I forget? We argued about it for days, Nori." He places a card down on the table as well.

Bifur starts speaking in Khuzdul, shaking his head and chuckling before placing a card.

Ori, looking up from where he's writing in his journal, smiles shyly and adds himself to the conversation, "I remember that. You two were louder than a pair of thunderstorms."

"So, you couldn't agree on the winner?" Kili laughs, placing a card down as well.

"Nope, we argued till we were blue in the face. Eventually, we just had to call it a draw." Nori says.

I smirk, "Well, why not a rematch? To settle it once and for all?"

Nori grins at his cards, "Oh, we will, Peyton, eventually. And may the best dwarf win. Read 'em and weep." He lays down all his cards, and all the dwarves groan good-naturedly, the game apparently over.

But then Bifur suddenly laughs and mutters something in Khuz-dul before placing his cards down, giving everyone a smirk under his dark eyebrows.

I still don't understand much of the game, since the card numbers seem to be in Khuzdul (that and the images on the cards are of strange-looking dwarves) but the group's reactions are immediate as they shout all at once in amazement and shock, laughing and throwing their different cards at Bifur calling him sly. Nori has a dismayed expression frozen on his face and the whole group laugh and talk loudly in both English and Khuzdul.

"Alright! That's enough. The game is over." Ballin says sternly coming over to us and giving us a glare as if we're a bunch of schoolchildren. We all immediately quiet and glance over at the resting King, who looks like his breathing pattern has changed. We probably woke him up.

I lean over and whisper, "Good job, Bifur!"

His eyes soften and crease in a genuine smile as he offers me a head nod and gently replies, "Dolzekh menu, Peyton."

"Dolzekh menu?" I repeat slowly, tasting the strange words on my tongue, "Does that mean 'thank you' then?"

He hesitates for a moment before nodding.

I smile, "Dolzekh menu...great! And how do you say 'You're welcome'?"

"Apologies, Lass." I look up to see Balin addressing me kindly but with a worried look on his face, "The language of Khuzdul is a very sacred thing to us, dwarves. We don't share it with outsiders."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know." I say, my face falling. And here I had mistakenly begun to feel like I was one of them. Bilbo and I must still be considered outsiders then.

Balin is quiet for a moment, thoughtful, before leaning in and murmuring in a low voice, "But, for friendship' sake, 'you're welcome' is 'Khog nâlûk'."

The tension that had started building in my heart eases and I stare at him in shock. Balin considers me a friend! He gives me a wink in response to my relieved expression before walking off. I can't wipe the stupid grin off my face after that. I knew I liked Balin.

Equally big smiles are on the faces of my card companions, recognizing what a huge concession Balin had just made for me, before we put the cards away and turn in for the night.

The dawn of the following day finds us departing earlier than our accustomed schedule, our journey already a day behind the intended pace. And Thorin stretches it into a grueling 16-hour marathon, during which the company bombards me with questions about electricity. Nori, not one to forget, had recalled my mention of my world's mastery over 'lightning' and I explained everything I knew about electricity and how it works.

Finally, as the sun's golden orb begins its descent, we chance upon an ancient and crumbling farmhouse.

"We shall make camp here for the night," Thorin declares.

I examine the dilapidated remains of the building, its structure deteriorating. Interestingly, a small chicken coop nearby is still intact. I don't know why but it sticks out to me as odd.

"Fili and Kili, tend to the ponies. Oin, Gloin, prepare a fire. Bombur, Miss Peyton, see to our meal," Thorin commands, his tone sharp and brooding.

I can't imagine what put him in such a foul mood today; his demeanor had been dark all day even though the whole company had been laughing, listening to stories about my world, and singing songs. I bet he's exhausted, even though we took a day to rest.

I exchange a knowing glance with Bombur, who stands beside me, and both of us share a wide-eyed, silent exchange of acknowledgment concerning Thorin's imperious demeanor. Better make dinner ASAP.

As he and I look through the supplies, Ori approaches us quietly. "Would you like some assistance with dinner tonight?" he asks, evidently aware of Thorin's mood and keen on also avoiding his ire.

"Sure, Ori! If you could help me with skinning the rabbit that Fili caught, I'd really appreciate it. I'm not very good at that yet," I admit with a shrug.

Ori smiles. "Neither am I, but I'm willing to give it a try—"

Catching a movement in my peripheral vision, I glance up to witness Gandalf storming out of the decaying house. His face is contorted as if he's just tasted something bitter.

"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asks worriedly, echoing all our thoughts, "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who has sense!" Gandalf retorts sharply.

"And who might that be?" Bilbo inquires, sharing a perplexed look with me.

"Myself, Mr. Baggins!" Gandalf snaps, his anger palpable.

"Oh come now, I take offense to that!" I call out jokingly, trying to lighten him up. Gandalf, however, doesn't respond, muttering to himself about dwarves as he once again leaves the company. I feel a nagging worry gnaw at my stomach. I don't like this one bit.

I turn to glance at Thorin, who was already in a foul mood to begin with. What did they talk about? He catches me staring at him, and his irritation deepens as he reacts to whatever accusation he finds on my face.

"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry," he demands. "You too, Miss Peyton."

A part of me wants to stomp up to him and demand an explanation for his behavior. But, I don't. He saved my life after all.

"Gandalf will return, won't he?" Bilbo asks Balin, his concern evident. "We've only just gotten him back. What if something unexpected happens while he's away again?" He directs a worried glance my way, and I share his apprehension.

"Gandalf is not the leader of this company, Mr. Baggins. I am," Thorin declares causing all of us to turn quickly to look at him in surprise, unaware that he had walked down to us. He steps up to Bilbo, intimidateing him with his height and stern scowl. "And I suggest you remember that."

I observe their interaction with wide eyes. Until now, Thorin has largely ignored Bilbo, regarding him as an annoying tagalong on his quest. Whatever transpired between Thorin and Gandalf has made Mr. Grumpy Pants even MORE grumpy tonight.

Bilbo, naturally, acquiesces and remains silent, and the rest of the company swiftly sets about establishing our camp.

After what feels like an eternity, the food is finally ready. Bombur goes on a break and has Bofur ladle the soup. I discreetly watch Thorin sitting alone by the fire, his gaze locked on the dancing flames. Although a part of me is annoyed at his constant barking at everyone, He's obviously suffering from a night of restless sleep during our supposed day of rest. I understand how fatigue can make anyone irritable. I personally turn into a feral cat when I am tired, hissing and spitting and growling at everyone. So, I get it.

I glance at Bofur, who's busy stirring the bubbling pot. "Hey, do you have another bowl for Thorin?"

Bofur's eyes briefly shift to Thorin, before returning to me with a warm smile. He ladles some soup into a bowl and hands it to me. "Here ye go, Lass."

Carrying the bowl over to Thorin, I can't help but notice the look on his face when he sees me delivering the food. This is the second time I bring him his food. He gives me a nod of thanks but then turns his attention back to the fire, clearly dismissing me.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my voice gentle.

His eyes briefly meet mine before darting away. "I am well enough."

Thorin has a way of getting lost in his thoughts, and it seems like he needs a gentle nudge to open up. Most of the other dwarves leave him to his brooding, but for some reason, I feel compelled to try.

"Tell me about Erebor," I say as I settle down beside him. "We haven't really talked about it, which is odd, considering our quest revolves around reclaiming it."

His eyebrows furrow in surprise, and a hint of sarcasm colors his response. "Do your 'seer' powers not work in that regard?"

I shrug off his sarcasm, determined to connect with him and not let his bad mood have power over me, "I've heard descriptions of it, but it always seemed like a cold, stone city shrouded in darkness and surrounded by gold. Truthfully, the sound of it never appealed to me."

Thorin falls silent as if searching for any reason to avoid my request. Eventually, he lets out a deep sigh through his nose, his way of giving in, even if it means getting rid of me sooner. "Erebor is indeed a stone city, carved deep into the mountain...but darkness is not the memory I hold of it. Large furnaces always kept it warm. And light from the sun reflected down into his halls by the use of mirrors, illuminating giant diamonds and gems, scattering rainbows across the walls. Its galleries and art pieces are renowned for their beauty among all the races of Middle Earth. The sound of children's laughter echoed as they played in the recreation grounds and pleasure gardens. The wealth of Erebor from it's yields of gold, silver, and precious gems is unmatched. Even after centuries of excavation, the end of the mountain's riches has not been reached. Some say the veins of gold and gems may go straight to the planet's core. The Arkenstone is the most beautiful of them all."

"Arkenstone?" I tilt my head, not recognizing it's title.

"Aye, the King's Jewel," Thorin continues. "It was found by my grandfather, Thror, the mightiest of dwarf lords. It was a sign from the Valar, approving his right to rule."

"Hmm," I reply thoughtfully. "How many other dwarf kingdoms are there?"

Thorin patiently begins to list them but the only ones he mentions that I recognize is Moria, the Iron Hills, and Erebor. He pauses, and his voice suddenly turns heavy with anger. "And then Smaug," he spits out the name in disgust, "descended upon Erebor in a storm of fire and death, slaughtering my kin, driving us into exile, and laying waste to everything we held dear."

I watch the flames illuminate Thorin's eyes in an eery fashion as he continues intensely, "Smaug will pay for the suffering he's caused my people. Erebor will be reclaimed, and justice will be served. Our homeland will shine once more."

I'm both in awe and sympathy for Thorin, who has endured so much loss and suffering. In face of his honest emotion regarding his home, I feel compelled to open up a little as well and my voice turns soft. "I know what it's like. To lose everything you hold dear? My house, along with forty others, burned down in a forest fire."

Thorin's anger falls away completely as he looks over at me. His surprise is evident.

I nod, "We escaped with the clothes on our backs, not knowing our area would be affected by the fire until it was almost too late. We lost everything - possessions, precious memories, and most of all; our sense of security. It is a pain that never truly goes away."

He listens intently as I share my experience, and I can tell that he knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"I may not be a dwarf, and my world is a lot different from yours," I continue, "but I understand what it means to have your world shattered by forces beyond your control." I pause and think of the baby blankets, and art my mom had saved over the years. The books my dad had amassed in his small library. The toys and memories my siblings and I had in our respective rooms. "Thankfully, we had insurance, though." I give a humorless chuckle, as if that could replace the priceless items such as photo albums or my mom's wedding dress she was saving for me.

Thorin furrows his brow in confusion. "I do not understand what you mean by 'insurance'."

I ponder how to explain insurance to him, "Uh, it's a company that you pay a monthly payment to, just in case a disaster happens. There's no guarantee that the disaster will happen, but if it DOES happen, then you get compensated for the loss."

He looks even more confused as he tries to understand the strange concept, and I shake my head and laugh. "No, don't bother trying to understand it, Thorin. There's no such thing as 'Dragon insurance,' and Erebor is too wealthy. No insurance in the world could cover THAT amount of gold." I snicker to myself, trying to picture it.

Thorin shakes his head as well, a wry tone in his voice as he murmurs, "Still speaking in strange riddles."

I smile, glad to have lightened the mood. "Well, I suppose my world is full of strange things."

The campfire crackles and pops as Thorin poses his first question during this entire conversation, "What did your family do after you lost everything?"

I pause, meeting his eyes. The similarity of our two situations is not lost on me. "We rebuilt the house. Only this time we made it bigger and better."

We stare into the fire together in companionable silence, feeling a connection that transcends time and worlds. What a weird situation to be in; discussing fire insurance with a Dwarf King? Absurd. But neither of us can deny the comfort in the air as we come to a deeper understanding of one another through our mutual sense of loss and past trauma. He too desires to build back Erebor bigger and stronger than ever.

"Don't worry," I murmur, smiling sincerely when he glances at me, "I know you will reclaim Erebor one day. You have the strength and determination to see it through."

He says nothing, eyes locked on mine.

I feel a sudden shyness and look away, "So, um, Rivendell?" I say, knowing it will distract Thorin. "I think we should go. They might be able to help me get home. And you need someone to read your map."

"You obviously have been speaking with Gandalf." Thorin's voice abruptly turns cold, as he straightens his posture from the relaxed one he had before. Our moment of connection seems to evaporate. "We will not be going to Rivendell."

I tilt my head in surprise. "Is that what you and he were discussing earlier before he left?"

Thorin glares at the fire with a scoff, "That elf-loving wizard wants to seek the help of Lord Elrond. I will not."

"Well, hold on a minute." I nervously laugh, wishing to bring back the warm feeling from before. "There are many reasons to go to Rivendell. First off, you have a map that only he can read. Second, I've heard Elvish food is pretty good. And thirdly...which I probably should have mentioned first...Lord Elrond might be able to shed some knowledge on how and why I arrived in this world in the first place. He might be able to help me get home!"

Thorin raises an eyebrow, dripping with sarcasm as he says, "I thought you were planning to 'toss your little coin into Erebor's treasure hoard to reverse your teleportation'?"

It sounds lame when he puts it that way. I shoot him an annoyed look, which only seems to bring out a hint of amusement in his eyes that he can't quite conceal.

"Oh, come on!" I retort, rolling my eyes, feeling embarrassed. "You even said yourself that it probably won't work. Besides, if the elves know of a way for me to return home, all the better! They're my best chance."

The amusement disappears from Thorin's face as he looks away. He seems even more agitated than when he discussed it with Gandalf. "We're not going to Rivendell," he declares firmly.

I narrow my eyes. If Thorin knows the elves have a way to send me home and deliberately ignores it because of a stupid feud, that seems like a jerk move.

I fold my arms and raise an eyebrow, my tone indifferent. "Alright, that's fine. Let's continue on our course. When we reach Erebor and the company is stuck outside the door with no way to open it, we can all go to the Iron Hills and live with your cousin until we somehow magically learn to decipher ancient dwarvish runes. It's in your best interest to go to Rivendell if you want to find out about the moon runes and get there by Durin's Day."

Thorin glares at me, but something I said seems to catch his attention. He tilts his head in confusion. "What's on Durin's Day?"

"TROLLS!"

Thorin and I both snap our heads in the direction of Fili, who's sprinting towards us from the forest. His voice carries an urgent tone. "They've taken the ponies! Kili and Bilbo are with them!"

Trolls?! We've already reached the part with the trolls?!

"BILBO!" I spring to my feet, my blood turning to ice as images of a lightning strike and Nori's lifeless body flash through my mind. I make an instinctive move to rush towards Fili, consumed by fear for Bilbo's fate. But my path is abruptly unattainable as a strong hand grabs my arm, yanking me back.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Thorin demands incredulously. "Stay here!"

"But—"

"You're going to get yourself killed!" His frustration is palpable and his face uncomfortably close. "Stay put and make sure those trolls don't catch wind of you."

"But what about Bilbo!-"

"It's always Bilbo," Thorin mutters darkly, guiding me back to the log by my arm and forcing me to sit down as he growls, "I'll bring back your precious hobbit. But situations like these are precisely why I called you a liability!"

My heart feels like it's been stabbed. But...he had said it was good I was part of the company! Now I'm back to just being a liability?

"FINE!" I pull my arm free from his grip and shoot him a hurtful glare. "I'll stay here. And don't worry; in a few months, I'll be nothing more than a distant, troubling memory for you, and you won't have to deal with this liability again."

Thorin looks even more frustrated, "I did not mean—"

"Uncle! Hurry! Kili said he'd step in if Bilbo's in trouble, but we need to go NOW!" Fili calls out urgently.

I roll my eyes at the still-hesitating Thorin, understanding that now is not the time for this conversation. "Go on. Rescue Kili and Bilbo before they do something stupid." Probably already too late for that, but...meh.

Thorin hesitates for a brief moment longer before he and Fili sprint off without saying another word, followed by the rest of the company.

I stand alone, scanning my surroundings, shifting my weight from foot to foot, and fidgeting with my hands.

I wouldn't mind witnessing the dwarves in action. They didn't have swords and axes in the book. I wonder if they're any good with them? Probably not, considering the trolls are about to stuff them into sacks. I realize that all the axes and swords must be for intimidation. In the book, Thorin stabs the trolls with a stick, the only one who truly fights back.

But how could he have defended himself against Azog if he wasn't at least somewhat proficient? He must know how to use a sword to some extent.

I sigh and decide against sneaking after them, concerned about altering events. As long as I don't interfere, I can be sure they'll be fine. Instead, I occupy myself by packing up the camp. After stuffing all the company's dirty socks and sleeping gear back into their packs, likely mixing up some of them by accident, I take Bombur's bubbling soup off the fire. Pouring myself a generous, steaming bowl, I sigh and make myself comfortable.

I gaze out into the dark night, with only the chirping of crickets breaking the silence. This is a pleasant change. It's the first time I've been on my own in a month. But then I glance over at the decrepit farmhouse and reality hits me.

They were devoured. The entire family.

I cover my mouth with my hand, my stomach clenching. How could anyone eat something that could speak? If pigs spoke English and begged for their lives, no one would dare eat pork. Thoughts of children suffering make me feel sick, and I set my bowl aside.

Inhale. Exhale.

It's going to be a long night.

End of Chapter

Argh! I worked super hard on this chapter, but I'm kinda unhappy with it! Let me know what you think please, and be honest. It's the only way I can improve as a writer.

To the Editor-in-Chief: Sorry the story wasn't up to your standard :) But I appreciate you taking the time to review!

I know I promised you guys the trolls in this chapter, but I kept adding and adding more and more to it that it got too big to treasonably add the trolls. I will post the troll chapter as well so you'll get two chapters this week as an apology. :D

Also! My husband limits my time on Fanfiction (at my request) by putting a screen time limit on my app so I don't spend every hour of every day on it (cause I would). Sadly, I'm a hopeless addict, so I go around the screen time limit by working on the story on my Word Document (where I originally began writing it). Sometimes I make major changes and sometimes it's just a word or two. So, I'll copy and paste the new paragraph next to the old paragraph on the fanfiction website to compare the two and see which one I was most inspired by and then delete one of them. I guess I don't remember to delete them sometimes. Whoops! I PROMISE I don't plagiarize.

You're welcome to try and cross anything I write with someone else's work and you'll see that it's mostly unique. Hard to be unique with Fanfiction, but you get the idea. XD Just had to mention that, because if I saw that in someone's story, that would be the first thing I'd think of. Toodles!