A/N: Look up Winx Club season 6 episode 5 for the music reference in this chapter...

Chapter Six: A Lesson, A Story & Emotions

Bilbo's POV

As our company rode on, I noticed that Amara was cheerfully chatting with Balin and Ori. I couldn't help but smile as I remember how shy she was when I first met her, how it took a few weeks for her to warm up to folks in the Shire other than children.

She was skilled and powerful in magic that was unknown even to Gandalf, she was also a very good teacher to me when she started training me for this quest after she had told me of my destiny in the company. Many folks in the Shire had thought that I would eventually marry her but to me, she was nothing more or less than the little sister I had always wanted but never had.

Amara told me things about her life back in her country, but after living with her for the last two years I can tell there was something she was hiding from everyone including me. But I knew that if she could tell me she will in time so until then all I can do is be patient. As soon as we entered yet another woodland, area the sound of thunder reached my ears before seconds later it began to pour down with rain as we continued on.

But instead of being soaked by the rain, we looked up only to see the rain hitting some kind of invisible shield over our heads, protecting us from the rain and then seconds later a wave of warmth washed over me.

"What is this?" One of the dwarves, Gloin I believe, asked before Amara then explained.

"These small barrier shields overhead will keep everyone and the ponies safe from the rain until it stops, or we find shelter. And the second spell will keep our body temperatures at a comfortable warmth."

Everyone seemed very pleased at Amara's actions in regard to their health, I smiled contently as I knew how much of a kind and caring person Amara was but then again that also meant I knew how sinister she was when angered or wronged.

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins was a prime example.

"Good thinking, Amara." Gandalf praised from the front of the company, "This is certainly very helpful magic that even other wizards other than myself couldn't master." I looked over at Amara who was smiling casually before I then turned to Gandalf.

"Are there any?" I asked.

"What?" Gandalf asked back.

"Other wizards." I said to clarify.

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White, then there are the two blue wizards..." Gandalf said before losing his pace of thought, after a few seconds he then said casually. "You know I've quite forgotten their names."

"Alatar and Pallando." Amara called out from in the back. "I heard a few stories about them during my travels before reaching the Shire."

"Yes, indeed. Thank you, Amara." Gandalf said as I watched Amara smile happily like a little girl being praised by her grandparent.

"And who is the fifth?" I asked.

"That would be Radagast the Brown." Gandalf answered.

"Is he a great wizard? Or is he... more like you?" I asked before hearing the rest of the company holding back their laughs, even Amara tried to hide her giggles while Gandalf then turned around and glared at us all in annoyance before turning back.

"Think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the east. And a good thing too, for always evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

We all continued our way through the rain until Amara rode ahead but stopped when she reached Gandalf.

"Gandalf, I sense there's a really bad thunderstorm coming this way. We should find shelter until it dies down. I'll scout ahead." She said before trotting off ahead of us, there were times where I was envious of Amara's magic and abilities. Gandalf then motioned for us all to halt and wait.

After a few minutes, the sight of Amara's return filled me with relief.

As Amara reached us, she turned to Gandalf and Thorin. "I found a cave nearby that's uninhabited, it's big enough to hold all of us and the ponies too." She reported, trust in Amara to find a shelter that big.

"Lead the way then, Lady Amara." Gandalf said before Amara then led us all to the cave, it was certainly big enough for all of us and the ponies. As we made our way into the cave, I turned to see Amara casting a spell on the cave entrance. Instantly I knew that she was casting a barrier to keep out anything dangerous so that we all could sleep peacefully as we have been since leaving the boarders of the Shire.

After a few minutes, everyone was dismounted from their ponies and setting up to camp. but then I notice Amara in the far end of the cave chamber tending to the ponies by putting up a series of stalls filled with hay and feed for them. And seconds later she then set up a large tent before turning to Bofur and Bombur who were about to start cooking food.

"Here guys, I'll cook dinner. so why don't you all go and enjoy the baths in the tent." Amara offered which brought up a cheer of delight in the dwarves, I knew that they were grateful to have a real bath and then a big hearty meal.

Amara then turned to me and asked: "Bilbo, could you show it to them?"

I nodded as I then led Gandalf and all the dwarves into the tent, I explained to them how the bath worked. And after showing them the traditional way that Amara showed me the first time I used this very bath, everyone was enjoying a good soak in the bath.

Many of them even let out a sigh of content, saying it was the first good bath they have had in a long time.

Once everyone was out and dried from the bath, I served them a cold coffee flavoured milk which they all enjoyed. But then we all began to hear the sound of a beautiful singing voice coming from outside the tent and in the cave.

Amara's POV

I was focused on cooking and setting up a large picnic table with food for the whole company that I couldn't help but hum at simple tune at first but before I knew it, I was then singing the same tune from Winx Club. The fifth episode in season 6 where Techna and Musa are in a cave and Musa sings before they gained their new powers.

Thanks to both my powers and all the time back in my old life I spent singing with my father and grandfather, I spent many days and events singing and through all that practice and hard work I developed a lovely singing voice but with my magic I enhanced it a bit more.

I was so focused on cooking and singing that by the end I could hear the voices of the company coming from the tent.

"Is that... Lady Amara?"

"Quiet! I'm trying to listen."

I smiled as I silently made my way towards the tent, as I reached the entrance, I grabbed the folds and pulled them open which caused the dwarves to fall back in surprise.

"You guys need to work on your sneaking skills, cause they suck so bad." I said as I couldn't contain my laugh.

"Well excuse us for not being trained like you." Bilbo said sarcastically before sniffing at the air and moaned. "Something smells amazing."

I stepped aside and motioned to the picnic table filled with foods. "Take a seat at the table and help yourselves." I said as I then led everyone to the table and served them all their meals, as everyone was enjoying their meals I sat down with Bilbo and Gandalf for company. Once everyone was fed and satisfied, I waved my hand and all of the dishes were instantly cleaned and packed away in my item box. At this point the Dwarves have gotten used to me using my item box and my cooking on random nights.

"Miss Amara?"

I turned to see Ori standing close looking all shy, he was so adorable! Like the little brother I always wanted but never had. "Yes, Ori?"

"That singing you did earlier, it was very beautiful."

"Aw, thank you Ori." I said with a sincere smile. "I used to sing all the time back home with my father and grandfather. They used to call me their little siren, because my singing was so enchanting to them. Though I don't sing much now these days, not after-" I stopped my sentence as I thought back to the last time I ever sang for the pleasure of it.

"After what?" Ori asked, I looked up to see that everyone was looking over at me, waiting for my answer.

I took a deep breath and sighed before answering: "After my grandfather's death." Bilbo was soon by my side and took my hand, he knew the story behind my father and grandfather's deaths and how much it had hurt me.

"Amara, you don't have to tell them-" Bilbo started to say but I then cut him off.

"I want to, Bilbo. I want them to know so they can understand me a bit more." I said as I then turned to the company and sat with them before I began my story.

I told them about how my father had been a Marine and was often sent off to war for months on end all the way to my grandfather's death and the treatment I endured from my grandmother/mother and half-sister.

But I lied about how I came into my powers and how I ran away from home for fear of either imprisonment or death by being burnt alive, how I spent three years travelling by myself and ended up in the Shire two years ago. I knew that my lie would come out one day but until then I had to adapt.

I looked at all the expressions on each of their faces showed the shock, anger and grief that they all felt for me upon hearing my story. I decided to take this opportunity to leave and to go bathe.

"I'm going to have a bath myself and then head to bed." I said before bowing my head. "Good night."

I left the group and entered the tent, I felt exhaustion fill my joints as I then undressed and began to scrub my whole body clean from head to toe. Once washed, I entered the bath and touched one of the stones before the scent of Japanese cherry blossoms filled my nose as I soaked in the warm water.

I sighed as I relaxed in the bath for a while, after a good 45 minutes of soaking I got out and dried off before dressing in silk robes and pulled out a cold chocolate milk out of my item box to drink. After finishing the bottle and disposing it properly, I made my way to the bed chamber that was attached on the other side of the tent. I sat town on the bed and began to brush and dry my hair with my magic.

Once done, I placed the brush back in my item box and looked at the picture frame on the bedside table. It held a photo of both my father and grandfather holding a toddler-me with big happy smiles of their faces.

I examined the photo intensely, looking over all the details of the only two men who loved me in my old life. This photo was taken four months before my father was killed in Iraq.

My grandfather was 48 years old but he was a very handsome and well-built man for his age, with a silver streak in his light brown hair and his chiselled jawbone but even with a few wrinkles in his face he was still able to make many women swoon with just a smile.

My father was also well built and had a chiselled jawbone like my grandfather, but unlike my grandfather he had dark blond hair and very tanned skin from many hours training in the sun. In the picture, he was dressed in his Marine uniform which was a bit depressing to me as this was the very last photo ever taken of him alive.

I singed as I slipped into the heavenly soft sheets of the bed and snuggled into the warmth that filled them as I then slipped into a deep and peaceful sleep for the night.

Gandalf's POV

I watched as Lady Amara left the table and entered the tent where the baths were, before the rest of the company began to talk amongst themselves. I sighed as I could understand their anger. In the dwarf culture, both there were very few women and children among them and as such they were cherished and protected as much if not even more than gold. And for them to hear of a female, much less a child, having to suffer in such a way was seen as a great crime.

I looked over at Thorin who seemed to be in deep thought, I could see that he could see the similarities that he shared with young Amara:

Both were driven from their homes by no choice of their own, both had live filled with hardships and both have lost a father and grandfather.

I can't help but wonder how Thorin will treat Amara after this, since I for one am still a little weary of her. Never in my long life have I ever seen such immense amount of raw power come from a child of men before now, I fear of what would happen if she ever turned against us and joined the enemy.

I fear that everything in Middle-Earth would be destroyed.

'And I pray that it will never come to pass.' I thought as I leaned against the cave wall where I had set up my bedroll for the night, I looked over at the cave entrance to see the thunder and rain pouring down from the dark night sky.

I could feel the powerful magic in the barrier that Lady Amara had set up upon our arrival and knew that we were safe once again for the night, I lit my pipe and relaxed as I smoked my pipe while all the dwarves and Bilbo settled in for the night.

Thorin on the other hand looked to be on guard still, but I let that slide for now.