A.N. Three in one day? What is this magic? Pre-written chapters….that's what.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters and plot points.
The journey from the Shire to Bree was easy-going, especially since they had the cart, which was now empty of fireworks. If one of them was tired, they could climb back and sleep for a while. Because of this, they were able to ride through each night. However, Gandalf still found their pace too slow, and traded the cart in for another horse when they reached Bree. Thorin and Danica would have to ride together, but they didn't complain. It made sense, seeing as how another horse would be too expensive, and they needed supplies. So, when they stopped in Bree, they got the horse, some food, and better traveling clothes. Though he was very reluctant, Gandalf agreed to spend a night at the inn so they could all rest before the next leg of their journey.
Danica had recognized the dreary town the moment they'd entered. It had been raining the first time she'd been there, though it wasn't now. The clear sky didn't help the dark mood of the place, but at least this time they weren't being pursued. As far as they knew anyway. They were all still a little antsy, but had calmed down some on the road.
"We'll need to be careful," Gandalf murmured as they traded the cart in. "You will need to use different names. You are suspicious enough as it is,"
Danica shared an exasperated glance with Thorin, but they agreed. Thorin took the name Vard, and Danica went with her middle name, Kathleen. Gandalf booked two rooms, stating it would be less conspicuous for he and Thorin to share one, and Danica to have her own. There was something about the way Gandalf said it that had suspicion growing within her. Judging by Thorin's dark look, he had the same notion. However, Gandalf gave them no opportunity to confront him about it. They were rushed through dinner, and then instantly sent to bed. Gandalf waited just enough time to say they would be leaving near dawn before closing the door. Feeling a little frazzled, Danica sat in front of the fire, staring blankly into the flames.
The time since Bilbo's party had gone by in a blur, with Danica scrambling to figure out what was happening. Gandalf and Thorin kept looking at her, waiting for her to magically answer all their questions. She desperately wished she could, but anything having to do with a ring remained thoroughly and completely sealed. Pressing her lips together, she stared harder into the flames, and wracked her brain.
She could see herself and Thorin making their way through Bree, followed by two men. He had pulled her into an alley, and kissed her to keep them from being discovered. A smile lifted her lips, but was short-lived. The rest of their stay had been fraught with one nightmare after another. Her fingers reached back to feel the slightly raised skin of her scars. That's right, she had seen Smaug long before she had actually met him face to face. Then, she'd had no control over where her dreams led her. She'd been at the mercy of some other force. Not now. Now, she knew things could be different.
It wasn't quite clear to her when her thoughts turned to dreams. Her attempts to regain her memories led her through her journey with the Company. Everything seemed normal until Mirkwood. There was something missing. Something important. It was the same information Gandalf and Thorin were waiting for, and apparently had a great evil hunting her. If only she knew…
"I could help you," a voice murmured.
"Who are you?" she asked nervously, the scene around her changing from rushing river to quiet forest.
"A friend. We've spoken before, though you don't remember,"
She wasn't sure whether that should comfort or concern her. Either way, something was off, but she was desperate to clear away the rest of the fog.
"How can you help me?"
A figure appeared in front of her, blurry around the edges. It held out a hand to her. Though her stomach clenched with nerves, she lifted her hand and took the one offered. The instant she did, she felt something cold and dark slide over her. Whoever it was gave a triumphant laugh and pulled her forward into their arms so she couldn't move. The feeling of a drill pressing into her head began as it had when she was working with Gandalf. Though she fought to stay silent, it overwhelmed her, and she cried out.
"It seems someone has helped you lock away your memories quite tightly," the words barely made their way through her agony. "Let me show you some of what you are missing,"
Though the pain remained, her focus cleared. She saw a beautiful man as he plotted and schemed, carefully laying out his plans. No one could see what the rings of power meant, and even once the elves began to unravel the puzzle, it was too late. With the One, he plunged the world into darkness. Perfect, beautiful darkness. However, that ring had gone missing, and he needed it back. Needed it the way lungs needed breath. It was the final piece in his plan to restore his perfect order. He knew it was not as lost as many claimed it to be.
'Baggins…'
A creature, dark and wretched screeched in the night. He'd had it once, and knew where it was now, but had been surprisingly resistant to torture.
"You know as well,"
"No," she tried to think of anything else but what he wanted.
"You should not try and defy me," the voice grew cold and hard, and he tightened his grip until she whimpered in pain.
"Danica! What do you think you are doing?!" another voice jolted her awake, a different, but still painful grip shaking her shoulders.
She sat up, breath rattling painfully in her chest. Gandalf was standing over her, looking livid.
"What did you do?" his voice rose even more, and he gave her another shake.
"Gandalf! That's enough!" Thorin burst in and pulled Danica away, keeping her against him as she shook.
"He was here," Gandalf growled. "Sauron was here. She may as well have invited him in. We cannot keep your mind protected if you willingly give it away!"
"I didn't mean to!" Danica exclaimed, panicked and overwhelmed. "I didn't know. He just-he…it was-" she stopped, taking a breath to steady herself and will some of the pain away. "He appeared in my dream, promising to bring back my memories,"
"What did you show him?"
"Nothing. He showed me who he was, and that he's looking for the Ring. He has someone, or something captive that used to have it. He's torturing it to find out what it knows,"
For a moment, Gandalf seemed to stop breathing, his eyes widening. Danica suddenly realized that he wasn't truly angry, he was frightened. Truly, and deeply frightened. That knowledge only served to scare her just as badly. She felt Thorin's grip on her tighten, and knew he felt the same.
"We are running out of time," Gandalf murmured hoarsely. "A couple more hours to rest, and then we should go. Thorin, why don't you stay here in case Danica has another dream?"
Though she couldn't see him, she assumed he nodded. Without another word, Gandalf walked out. Thorin sighed and helped Danica up.
"Come. We should get as much rest as possible,"
He was distant, and barely looked at her as she crawled into bed.
"Are you angry with me too?" she asked softly.
There was no response at first, and he kept his back to her. His silence had her chest tightening painfully. Finally, he sighed and turned to face her.
"No, I'm not angry," he said. "It just seems like there is so much out of our control," and she could see how much it ate away at him.
"I know," she responded. "It frustrates me too,"
The snort he let out spoke to how inadequate he thought her phrasing was. She smiled.
"Alright, it pisses me off too,"
Thorin gave a half nod of approval before one corner of his mouth tilted upward. He began to settle into a chair, leaving the bed to her, but she would have rather died than stay in that bed alone. With so many of her memories back, everything was different.
"Thorin,"
When he looked back at her, she held out a hand to him.
"Are you sure?" he questioned.
"Please,"
Looking almost relieved, he walked over and joined her. She turned into him and laid her head on his chest. Just like when they had kissed at the party, she felt whole again. She opened her mouth to tell him all that she had remembered before Sauron had appeared, but he spoke first.
"I saw something when we kissed," his voice was soft, distant. "There were moments of our lives in Erebor, and something else I couldn't explain. You were standing on a bridge in Erebor, looking about ready to jump," he sounded deeply troubled by the image, and she had no real way to comfort him. She couldn't remember such a thing.
"Do you think that was a memory, or something from the future?"
"I'm not sure,"
"I don't remember anything like that,"
Thorin adjusted slightly, looking down at her. "What do you mean?"
Knowing they weren't going to sleep right away, Danica sat back up. "Before I fell asleep, I remembered most of the quest. There are still some bits missing, and I still don't remember anything after Laketown,"
"It seems your memories are coming back rather quickly," he sat up as well, his voice and expression unreadable.
She waited to see if he would elaborate any, but he didn't. "What's bothering you?"
Unable to sit still, he got up and began pacing.
"I wish I knew. As you, yourself have felt, there is a dread that I cannot understand," he shook his head. "There probably isn't much point in dwelling on it now since neither of us can remember,"
The bitterness in his voice took her by surprise. As he continued to pace, she tried, and failed to come up with something to say. There were times when words did no good. So, she rose and approached him, putting a hand on his arm. When he stopped his pacing, his eyes were dark and stormy. Knowing what that look could mean, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. After she pulled back, he sighed, some of the tension melting off of him. Expression softening, he cupped the side of her face.
"Thank you,"
"For what?"
"Being you," his smile had her bones turning to mush, and her stomach erupting in butterflies. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her again, he pulled away.
"Now we really should get some rest,"
Completely unsatisfied, she nodded, and followed him back to bed. However much she wanted to breach the barrier between them, he needed to remember all of who they had been. They both did. Trying to keep that in mind, she settled beneath the blankets.
P.S. Thank you all for reading!
