A/N: WOW! A really long time to update, I cannot apologize enough and thank you to anyone still reading or interested at all in this fic.
"Aleric? Really?" Kate sneered, doing her best to appear nonchalant as the dwarves made camp for the evening.
"It's a very common name, Kate. And it suits me, wouldn't you agree?"
She shoved passed him, moving toward Gandalf. She'd tell him the whole horrible truth now, let this business with Kedron be over with once and for all! As if divining her thoughts Kedron grabbed for her arm, pulling her close enough so he could whisper the warning in her ear.
"Now, now Kate, do not go off doing something the both of us will regret."
"I haven't the slightest idea what you could possible mean."
"Oh, come off it. You think running off to the Grey one and spoiling our little plan will save you? Even if he chooses to believe you instead of thinking you've gone utterly mad…what will he think when he learns you chose to side with me?"
"I'd hardly call it a choice" Kate spat back, wrenching her arm from his as subtly as she could.
"Oh, but it was. Regret it all you like now, darling, but we have a deal. A deal you made all on your own."
"I'm aware."
"No. No, I don't think you are, Kate" he laughed casually, as if this whole thing was some inside joke. "You need to think, very very carefully about double crossing me. What that would mean for you…for your sweet prince."
"A bit familiar for an Apprentice, wouldn't you say?" Balin called, Dwalin standing right beside him, axe hanging over his shoulder.
"This is hardly familiar." Kedron laughed, though taking a quick step away from Kate, not before giving her a hard stare.
"We're fine, just arguing." She deflected.
"A lover's quarrel." Kedron supplied. Filli and Killi were now beside them hands resting on their weapons.
"Are you always that rough with your lover's then?" Filli asked, his voice low, a hint of threat hidden in the timbre. Kedron smirked, stepping forward and making a show of bending low.
"Only when they ask me."
"Oh, for fuc- We are not lovers. Have never been, and never will be." Kate shouted, already exhausted by this entire thing.
"Well never say never, sweetheart."
"I hate you."
Killi sniffed a laugh and the others seemed to relax, just a touch before Balin spoke again.
"And what were you arguing about then, lad? Your tutelage?"
"No, lacking though it may be, I was just explaining to our blessed Traveler that I believe it best we move on. I don't believe it right to mingle in one timeline for too long." He supplied, that serpentine smile still plastered on his face. Kate's lip pulled up in disgust. "Further more, it stinks of Troll and that is never a comforting place to call camp, wouldn't you agree?"
"Indeed," Gandalf called looking around the debris that had once been a farmer's home. "I think it would be wiser to move on." Kedron leveled Kate a look as Gandalf continued. "We could make for the Hidden Valley." Kate shot back her own look. Rivendell is where we are going, like it or not.
The pair walked toward Thorin and Gandalf, locked in their debate.
"I have told you already, I will not go near that place." Thorin refused, stalking forward to the rundown hearth as if it could give foundation to an argument he knew was based on nothing more than disdain for the elves.
"Why not?" Gandalf and Kate both asked, the dwarf throwing a glare at Kate's direction.
"The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Kate nodded in agreement, it made sense to her!
"I do not need their advice." Thorin ground out, and now Kate remembered. Ah yes, the famous Elves vs. Dwarves feud. She had forgotten, being that Gimli and Legolas were so close now, but as she thought on the beginning of their journey, she had remembered there was quite a lot of tension between the two. Even as they moved into Lothlorien, Gimli had practically cursed out Haldir. It wasn't until he met the Lady Galadriel that his heart had begun to soften.
"We have a map we cannot read." Gandalf countered, and Kate looked to Kedron who rolled his eyes.
"Do not look to me." He said, arms crossed and leaning against the dilapidated old wood. "I wouldn't know how to read it either."
"Oh, you're no help." Kate mumbled to herself, ignoring his huff of annoyance.
"Help?" Thorin sniffed, the word itself an insult to him. "A dragon attacks Erebor. What help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls. The Elves looked on and did nothing! And you ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather. Who betrayed my father."
"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on the past!"
"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin spat back, the argument ending just as quickly as it had started and Gandalf stormed away, shouting about needing company.
Kate stifled a laugh, knowing this Thorin must truly stress him out because she had never known Gandalf to storm away like that.
"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin urged, as the Dwarves hurried to get a fire going.
"It is best we move on now." Kedron urged, as the sky darkened above them. "This cannot be where we will make camp."
"Thorin says it's fine…" Kate replied, his anxiety bothering her. His proximity bothered her, their deal bothered her, nothing about this was right. And she hated more than anything that she felt every emotion Kedron had. Felt it rolling right on through whatever bond tethered her life to his. It felt far too intimate, and almost as if she were betraying Legolas in that way.
Kedron spun her around, bending to look her in the eyes.
"Thorin is not thinking clearly. His disdain for the Elves is clouding his judgement. Look around Kate, surely you can feel it?! We must move on."
"You share that same disdain, how can I trust what you say?"
"Because I have a vested interest in keeping myself alive. Especially since you've all but crippled me. How can you not feel –" Understanding clicked into place and Kedron stepped back looking at her in amazement.
"Oh…She truly is done with you." He whispered, and Kate looked down, trying to ignore the torrent of shame and disgust and anger and fear. The fear…that she had also felt. Fear that what happened to Nestaron had also happened to her, fear of being cut off from the energy that she hated but had grown so accustomed to. Fear that despite everything…she might not ever get home. "Well…now what am I to do with you, Kate Mackenzie? You mean to tell me, there is nothing left? Nothing at all?!" He seethed, doing his best to control his movement so that the curious Dwarves who looked on would not intervene.
"I'm not sure…"Kate answered, arms crossed over herself.
"Have you not tried?!"
"I did try!" She shot back, Killi sending her a worried glance. Kate shot her head and lowered her voice. "I did try, after I fixed what you broke. I returned the key and tried to go back and it didn't work. And now I can't see them, I try to reach for the lines and nothing, I feel nothing, and it feels-"
"Cut off." Kedron finished, and then he laughed, loudly. Bending over his knees to catch his breath as his body shook with laughter.
"I'm so glad you find this amusing." She said, feeling his own humor and none of her own. The Dwarves were whispering among themselves as they set up for camp and Thorin looked on in mistrust. Their eyes met and she saw the ill-concealed hatred in them. Who could blame him really? If his home being overrun by dragons was meant to happen than it would have been Kate's job, and any other travelers to ensure that it happened. She offered no help or hope to him, only ruin. She couldn't fault him…but she did need him to trust her. Just long enough. Kedron wanted the Arkenstone, which was in Erebor…with a dragon, that's where the Dwarves were going, so that's where she needed to be.
"Well, you see, it's really quite funny." He breathed out through peals of laughter. "You did this to yourself."
"Yes, I'm being punished, that much was clear, thank you." She snipped, the Dwarves now doing very little to hide their interest. Kate grabbed him, pulling him away from the other's as he wiped tears from his eyes. "Are you quite finished?"
"No, well, yes I'm sure Vairë is tormenting you in some way or another but…this is not Nestaron, this is- Oh I really don't think I can keep going." He started laughing again and Kate let out a long sigh, waiting this ancient nuisance to control himself. "It's the cuff, Kate."
"Excuse me?" She blinked, sending him into another fit of laughter as he pulled up his sleeve.
"The cuff. The cuff you used to trap me, to snuff out my power."
"I know what it is."
"We are bonded, have you not felt it?" He asked, standing upright now and smoothing out his tunic. Kate clenched her jaw in response. "Whatever I feel you do too, just as I feel every emotion you have. It is the blood bond. Really, what is it that you do to me, Kate? I must know, no one put's these on someone as a trifle."
"I haven't the slightest idea." Kate insisted. "You just popped up like a daisy, hell bent on destroying my life and using me for your evil plan. What does that have to do with the cuff and my…abilities."
"You cut me off from my magic. Now, you're cut off. You feel what I feel. I die, you die. You cripple me and hobble yourself."
"So you're telling me, as long as you have this cuff, I can't do anything?"
"It would appear that way." He smirked. "I imagine you'll want to be taking this off now?" Kate frowned down at the cuff, so simple in it's make that only the very few could know what it was. So perhaps Vairë hadn't taken everything? There was still hope…she couldn't get home, that part she needed to figure out, and dismissing this blood bond…but perhaps…
"I imagine not." Kate said, turning on her heel and walking toward the hobbits. She had a plan, this would work.
"But you cannot do anything." Kedron argued, hiding the cuff once more, following her back towards the camp.
"No, Aleric, you cannot do anything. I can do plenty." She replied, moving toward Thorin. The Dwarf looked up at her from the log he sat upon, the others now scurrying back to work and trying harder to pretend they weren't listening.
"Well, aren't we sure of ourselves. I liked you better frightened."
"And I liked you better dead, but here we are." Kate shot back. Kedron only smiled in response, excitement rolling off him. She rolled her eyes, looking back to Thorin. "I know you're not particularly fond of Traveler's. I understand what they represent for you-"
"You couldn't possibly understand." Thorin countered, cutting the woman off.
"Be that as it may," Kate resumed, "I do believe I was meant to follow you on this quest. Call it fate, or the will of the gods, call it whatever you like. This is where I'm supposed to be." Killi nudged his brother excitedly, whispering how he'd been right all along.
"And you decide this now? Why?"
"I don't now…just a feeling…or a lack of one…I believe this is the right course. I want you to succeed. It's important. There are things that happen during this quest that are very important in the years ahead. Things that must happen." She stood taller, trying her best to sound like a wise and skilled Traveler.
"And does that include the ruination of my homeland?" He asked, his voice low looking to her now with less hatred and more suspicion. Kate racked her memory for any mention of Erebor in her time, and she could not for the life of her remember. But she knew the dragon was defeated, she knew Bilbo ended back up home in the Shire. She knew he needed to find the One Ring in the goblin tunnels, knew that'd they'd be locked in The Greenwood for a time…she also knew that he would die. She'd heard these stories, and she didn't need any Traveler skills to know that these were things that absolutely must happen. Any deviation at all could put her family at risk…and she knew she needed that Arkenstone.
"No, not if I can help it."
"You and your apprentice here." Thorin sneered. Kedron, he did not like, that much was clear. Not many did. It was why he looked to avoid the Elves and other Maiar, they were sure to see right through him.
"He needs to learn. Everyone must be taught their craft." She relented through grated teeth. Thorin smirked, the closest to a smile she'd ever seen on him, bonding over their mutual dislikes.
"It would be a great thing, a Traveler with us." Killi spoke, stepping forward. "Think of it uncle, the idea that this quest is so important to the gods that they've chosen to protect it's outcome!"
Thorin frowned, looking from Kate to his nephew. That was just it though, the outcome he did not know…and were that outcome unfavorable, such as what happened with the dragon in the first place, could Thorin allow this woman to threaten everything they had worked for?
"Filli, Killi, look after the ponies."
"But Thorin-" Killie began to argue, but Filli clapped his shoulder, leading him off to where the ponies were kept. The young Dwarf begrudgingly followed, giving one more pleading glance to Kate.
"You have not signed the contract yet," Balin offered, "The both of you will need to."
"It's best if we don't. The less record of our interference the better. You cannot speak of us, you cannot let others know what we are. We are simply a pair that is following you on your journey, safety in numbers and all that. Balin frowned, thumbs in his belt as he mulled it over.
"We cannot offer you a share." He countered.
"Nor guarantee your safety." Thorin added. Kedron folded his arms, a shrug his only reply.
"We're quite able to defend ourselves. And we don't need a claim to your inheritance. Though we'll except a bit of food."
"And you'll earn your keep, just as everyone else. There will be no leniency because you are a woman."
"I wouldn't expect it. Being a woman does not make me less than capable. I'm also a skilled healer, I can be of assistance. I am a shit cook though, and I'll be washing no one's clothing but my own." Thorin gave a nod, and Kate imagined she saw a smile he was working to hide
"I hope you know what you're doing, Kate." Kedron whispered as she walked to grab her things from their horses. She did too.
"Eat up, better get it quick before Bombur does!" Bofur laughed handing a bowl of stew to Kate and 'Aleric" each to which they took appreciatively. They were starving and the hot stew was a welcome treat when the night was so cold. The rest of the company sat, greedily eating their meal, talking amongst themselves. Everyone but Bilbo, who paced to and froe, his forehead creased as he looked on in the direction Gandalf had stormed off to.
"He's been a long time." Bilbo said at last.
"Who?" Bofur asked, ladling up another two bowls.
"Gandalf!"
"He's a wizard! He does as he chooses. Here, do us a favor, take these to the lads." he orderd, hoisting the bowls into Bilbo's hands. Bombur had begun to sneak more stew and a few of the dwarves voiced their outrage, catching Bofur's attention. "Stop it! You've had plenty." He chastised.
"Hey it's not bad stew Bombur, I've had worse." Gloin called out, his bowl nearly cleanied.
"So have I." Kedron remarked, kicking Kate's booted foot with his own and the Dwarves teased each other around them.
"Is that a joke, sir?" Kate nearly choked; eyebrows raised in surprise.
"I never joke about a meal, Kate, and you are by far the worst cook I've ever met." He replied, his mouth quirking up in a smile.
"I think you're exaggerating quite a bit." She replied, feeling a kinship to Dori who was also taking the brunt of the joke about his own cooking skills. "You ate it and didn't die."
"Not for lack of trying I'm sure."
"Can't, blood bond. You jump, I jump, Jack." Kedron stared at her oddly and then chose to ignore the comment, but Kate still felt the questions coming off of him.
"You really feel what I'm feeling too?" She asked suddenly, resting her bowl on her knee, the heat of it deliciously warm against her skin.
"If I want to." He said with a shrug, setting his own bowl down on the grass as he stretched his legs out. "I shut it out most of the time, it can be grating, as I'm sure you well know by now."
Kate snorted, sipping on another spoonful. It really was good stew. Did Bilbo eat? She tossed around the idea of pulling an Oliver Twist and asking for seconds. Then she paused, spoon still raised.
"What do you mean you shut it out? We don't have magic?" Kedron closed his eyes and smiled.
"You have never had magic, Kate."
"You know what I mean." She huffed, resuming her meal. "How are you shutting it out without magic?"
"Because," he sighed, eyes opening as he sat up now. "It does not require magic. You need to fortify your mind, build a shield."
"With what?" She asked leaning forward, his annoyance bleeding into her own.
"Sheer force of will, Kate, you have that in excess. You simply will it to be!" He barked out. "I thought I was supposed to be the apprentice?"
"That doesn't make sense, I just will it closed? If I could do that we wouldn't need to do this."
"It doesn't cut off the blood bond, just gives one a moments peace from the other's volley of emotions. Yours are everywhere all at once, it's exhausting, I don't know how your husband puts up with it." Kate frowned; confident she did not experience this with Legolas. Should she? Does that happen with bonded elves? Granted she wasn't an elf and this "bond" with Kedron was more of a curse than anything close to what her and Legolas shared.
"Teach me." She asked, desperate for anything that would cut of this closeness to him. She was going to kill him one day; she didn't want to know what he was feeling when that time came. Besides, he wasn't exactly as restrained as he let on. Kedron dragged a hand down his face, pulling his hair away from his eyes as he stared at her like an idiot.
"I just told you how. It's not magic, it cannot be taught." He explained, slower this time. "You just do it. Surely, after everything you have learned this is not such a difficult concept to grasp. I will not be teaching you anything." Kate laughed, whipping a bit of stew off her chin.
"You already have though. You've taught me quite a bit." Kedron sat up, eyebrows raised in interest now.
"Like what?" Kate shrugged, pushing herself to a stand, and Kedron chuckled. "Not something your Elf would approve of then was it? Was it bad?" He asked voice lowering.
"Don't be crude."
"I simply asked a question." Before she could respond Filli and Killi crashed through the trees, panic across their faces.
"Grab your weapons!"
"Come on now!" The two of them hollered as everyone stood to their feet, grappling for their weapons. Everyone but Kedron.
"Where is Bilbo?" Kate asked, wishing once more for her old blade as she tied the one from Bree around her waist.
"He's there, with them!" Killi answered, impatient at how slow everyone seemed to be.
"With who?" Thorin asked, already armed and ready.
"Trolls. Three of them, they're huge!"
The camp suddenly woke, spurred to action now and Kate yanked at Kedron's arm.
"Don't be a coward." She whispered to which Kedron merely laughed.
"Don't be a fool you mean!" Pointing to the cuff again. "I've some skill with a blade, but even I am not stupid enough to go up against a troll without magic."
"Come on," Thorin urged, "Let us retrieve our burgluar."
