Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I can see Kili and Fili throwing plates from one another to someone else in the house on the hill in Hobbiton.

The closer I get to the house, the louder can I hear the others. 

I laugh a little when I realize that they are singing.

That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates!

I look at my companion and nods towards the green door.

- This is the house, Thorin. I can see and hear it. And there’s the mark Gandalf said would be.

Thorin nods and smiles before he loudly knocks on the door three times.

- You know. You could have used the doorbell just as well. 

I say, shrugging a little.

- I know.

Thorin answers before he goes silent, so we can hear what’s happening inside.

Everyone has gone silent, and we hear Gandalf say:

- He is here. 

“Thanks for forgetting me, Gandalf.”

The door opens, and there they are. The company of Thorin Oakenshield, we are fourteen, not counting Gandalf, which makes us fifteen. 

Hopefully, I’m looking at the sixteenth member of the company, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. A Hobbit? Well, Gandalf must have known what he was thinking when he chose him. 

- Gandalf.

Thorin says and walks in with me right behind him. 

Thorin looks at Dwalin and Dori and smiles. They return the smile and bow to him. 

To me, they just smile. But I return the smile and walk past Thorin and over to Kili, who smiles with his whole face when he sees me.

- I thought you said this place would be easy to find. We lost our way, twice. We wouldn’t have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door.

I look at Bilbo, who seems so confused. 

Suddenly I feel an arm go around my waist. 

I smile when I understand my older brother Kili is hugging me in our secret way. No one else can see it if they don’t know where to look. 

Fili is quick to do the same.

I smile at them before I keep on listening to the conversation. 

- So, this is the Hobbit.

Thorin says while he gives his cape to Kili, Fili has already taken my cape.

Thorin then walks around Bilbo while he continues to talk to the Hobbit.

- Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?

- Pardon me?

- Ax or Sword? What’s your weapon of choice?

“- He has just got to meet him, and he is already pushing him down.”

I whisper to Kili, who shrugs.

”- That is Thorin.”

He answers.

“Yepp, that’s Thorin, all right. Not being the leader, he should be.”

- Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar.

Everyone starts to laugh except me, and we walk after Thorin to the dining room.

And that place looks like…

I don’t even know how to describe it. The only word that comes to my mind is destroyed, and that is not the whole picture.

Now when we’re all seated, I can introduce the rest of the company. Thorin, you already know, and Fili and Kili.

Then we have Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Dori, Nori, Oin, and Gloin.

Ori looks at me and smiles while he gives me a plate with food on, which I take returning the smile. 

I have just started to eat when:

- Excuse me? I don’t want to sound rude, but who is she?

Bilbo stands at the end of the room behind Thorin, looking at me, who is sitting between Fili and Kili (where else). 

I look at Thorin, and he makes a gesture with his hand to show that I can tell him.

I swallow the food I have and says:

- I’m Ratcha. I’m the adoptive sister to Fili and Kili.

- So, you are not a Dwarf?

That makes me smile, and the rest of the Dwarves laugh. Thorin rolls his eyes and continues to eat.

- No, Mr. Baggins, I’m not a Dwarf.

- So, what are you then?

- That we can take another day.

I answer with a smile.

Bilbo looks so confused and is on the way to say something more when Balin interrupts.

- What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?

- Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms.

I feel the happiness and joy that fills the room, and I feel a little guilty. 

Not everything went as we expected it to happen in Ered Luin.

- What do the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?

Thorin looks at me, and I nod my head slightly, showing him that I can answer.

- They will not come.

I say and put down the piece of bread I have been chewing on and continues.

- They say this quest is ours, and ours alone.

Some of the Dwarves start to mumble bitterly to one another, I can’t blame them, I also got a little angry on Dain when he said that.

- You’re going on a quest?

Bilbo asks, looking at us, confused.

- Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light.

Gandalf says, and Bilbo walks away to get a candle or something. 

In the meantime, Gandalf speaks.

- Far to the East, over rangers and rivers, beyond the woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak.

While he says this, he takes out a map, and, at that moment, Bilbo comes back with a candle. 

He leans forward to be able to read what it says on the map.

- The Lonely Mountain.

- Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portent says it is time.

Says Gloin.

- Ravens have been seen flying to the mountain as it was for told. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end.

- Uh, what beast?

Poor Bilbo looks terrified.

- Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age.

Bofur says and then continues.

- Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals…

- Yes, I know what a Dragon is.

Suddenly Ori stands up and says:

- I’m not afraid! I’m up for it. I’ll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie.

“Sorry for laughing at you, Ori, but that sounded so weird and funny at the same time.”

Dori pulls down his brother Ori while telling him to sit down while several of the Dwarves scream at each other.

- The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number fourteen, and not fourteen of the best, nor brightest.

Balin says.

That causes all of them to object, saying things like someone is dim and so on.

- What did he say?

Oin asks.

Poor Oin, can’t hear a thing without his hearing trumpet.

Fili slams his hand in the table while saying:

- We may be few in numbers, but we fighters, all of us, to the last Dwarf!

“I like that they either have forgotten me, which I doubt, or they are counting me as a Dwarf when I just said I’m not.”

- And you forget, we have a Wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of Dragons in his time.

“That, my dear brother, I don’t think is entirely true.”

- Well, now I, I, I wouldn’t say that I…

- How many then?

Dori asks while looking at Gandalf like a child in the candy section at the market.

- Uh, what?

Gandalf starts to get nervous and is looking around nervously.

“Is there something you haven’t told us, Gandalf?”

- Well, how many Dragons have you killed? Come on, gives us a number.

When Gandalf doesn’t answer, everyone starts to argue about how many Dragons Gandalf has killed.

The noise they’re making becomes too much for my ears, and I cover them to stop the loudest of noise to get in.

- Shazara!

“Thanks, Thorin, for screaming at them to keep silent. My ears didn’t like them. Not you screaming either for that part.”

- If we have read those sings, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The Dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!

“To arm! To arm! You don’t think we already have taken what weapons we can carry?”

Everyone is cheering. 

Well, everyone except Balin.

- You forget, the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain.

- That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true.

Gandalf says and holds up a Dwarf’s key. 

I look at it with wonder, and I sense Thorin does it too.

- How came you by this?

- It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now.

Gandalf gives the key to Thorin as the rest of us looks in wonder.

- If there is a key, there must be a door.

“You don’t say? Why wouldn’t there be a door if there is a key, Fili? You need to have a door to be able to make a key.”

Gandalf points on something on his map. Runes, I think it is.

- These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls.

Kili puts his hand on my shoulder, with a smile on his face. I can sense his joy and enthusiasm.

- There’s another way in!

- Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map, and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done.

- That’s why we need a burglar.

Ori says.

- Hm, a good one too, an expert, I imagine.

Bilbo states. 

Everyone looks at him, some with hope in their eyes.

- And are you?

Gloin asks suspiciously.

- Am I what?

- He said he’s an expert! Hey, hey!

Oin says, and several of the Dwarves laughs.

- M, Me? No, no, no, no, no, I’m not a burglar. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life.

- I’m afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He’s hardly burglar material.

Balin says to which Bilbo nods in agreement.

- Aye, the Wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves.

Dwalin says to which Bilbo nods in agreement again. 

The Dwarves start to argue. Fili and Kili scream at one another over my head.

Suddenly, I sense a wave of anger so powerful it scares me. I pinch both Kili and Fili in their legs, which makes them squeal and look at me with rage. 

But when they see my terrified face, they look at each other and calm down and go silent so they can listen on what’s going on around the table.

At that same moment, Gandalf rises to his full height. 

Now I know where the anger I sensed before came from.

- Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is.

He has cast a darkness over the room and has spoken with a powerful voice. But now the darkness disappears, and he speaks in his ‘normal’ voice again. 

Well, that voice he usually speaks in. You never know with Gandalf. He has a mysterious personality.

- Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the Dragon is accustomed to the smell of Dwarf, the scent of Hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fifteen members of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There’s a lot more to him then appearances suggest, and he’s got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this.

Gandalf looks at Thorin, waiting for him to answer.

- Very well. We do it your way.

Poor Bilbo looks terrified and says.

- No, no, no, Please.

But no one listens to his pleading, and Thorin turns his attention to Balin.

- Give him the contract.

- All right, we’re off.

Bofur says and looks at me with joy in his eyes, and I smile. 

He and I were the only ones to be sure about this adventure. Even Thorin doubted that we would do it. 

Balin stands up and gives Bilbo a piece of paper saying.

- It’s just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, the time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth. 

- Funeral arrangements? 

Bilbo asks while he backs away from the room to read the contract. 

At the same time, Thorin stands up and leans toward Gandalf, saying something I can’t hear from where I’m sitting. 

“- How is it with our mother?” 

Fili asks.

“- She was fine until Thorin came and said I had to follow him to Ered Luin. It looked like she wanted to kill him right there. At first, she didn’t want me to follow him because she didn’t want to lose me, too, you know. I don’t know what Thorin did to get her to let me follow him. But she’s fine what I know.  Why didn’t you asked this when we met at Far Down? ” 

“- Uncle always knows what he should say and do with Dis to get his will. And to answer your question, I didn’t have one thought about our mother when we met.”  

Kili says with a laugh.

I smile and want to talk more about Dis and Thorin, but I get interrupted by hearing Bilbo reading the contract out loud. 

- … Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations… evisceration… incineration? 

The last words he says while looking at us, fear written all over his face. 

- Oh, aye, he’ll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye.

Bofur says like it is nothing to worry about.

“Stop it, Bofur.”

- Huh.

- You all right, laddie?

Balin asks.

Sweet Balin, always worries about everyone else except himself.

Bilbo has bent over, trying not to fall.

- Uh, yeah… feel a bit faint.

- Think furnace with wings.

“You’re not helping, Bofur.”

- Air, I-I-I need air.

- Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! You’re nothing more than a pile of ash.

“Shut it, Bofur!”

Bilbo breathes heavily. 

Then he just stops and says.

- Hmmm. Nope.

And falls onto the floor.

- Ah, very helpful, Bofur.

Gandalf says, and I can’t help but chuckle. 

Kili looks at me, then he also starts to laugh.

We stop laughing when we see Thorin’s face. 

If looks could kill, he would have killed us right there and then.

No one has got the sense in them to help Bilbo up from the floor, so I stand up and walk to him (it took a while to get past some of the Dwarves).

When I get to him, he’s on his way to wake up. I help Bilbo up and asks him where his bedroom is, and he points to one of the rooms, I lead him there and sets him down on a chair near the fireplace. 

Dori comes in after us with a mug and gives it to Bilbo. Bilbo smiles and takes the cup. Then Gandalf comes in, and I walk away so they can talk alone with each other.

Kili walks up to me and takes me by the arm, so I have to follow him even if I don’t want to. 

He drags me back to the dining room where Fili still is. Bombur is there as well as Oin.

- Something you wanted, brother?

- What exactly happened in Ered Luin?

Fili asks.

I sigh as I sit down on one of the many chairs around the table to tell them the long story on what happened in Ered Luin. 

But just as I open my mouth, I see Bilbo walks past, and I forget what I was on the way to say. Not long after, Thorin sticks in his head and tells us that we’re going to follow him to the living room.

There are the rest of them, smoking their pipes. 

All of them are humming, and I smile when I realize what song they are humming and start to hum to. 

Then Thorin starts to sing.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long-forgotten gold.

Then the rest of us joins him.

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light.

Chapter Text

I don’t remember much of what happened after that we had sung. I do know that I fell asleep on Fili’s shoulder, and woke up by him shaking me.

- Wake up, Ratcha. We must go now.

I mumble still in my sleep, but after we have walked out and into the fresh air, I wake up more, so I don’t fall asleep on my pony or worst, slip off her.

I turn my head and look at the house where Bilbo had to deal with us for a whole night. Now when I think about it, I can’t see Bilbo amongst us.

- Kili? Where’s Bilbo?

Kili looks at me, the smile he had while listening to a joke Bofur said, disappears as he answers.

- He did not sign the contract and will not come along.

- Oh. 

I say and look down on my pony’s mane, not wanting to say more when:

- I think he will come.

Oin says from behind me. I look up and turn so I can see him, a quested look on my face.

- Do you want to wager about it?

Bofur asks.

I don’t know how Oin can hear that, but he and the rest of the company (except Thorin and Balin) starts to wager about whether Bilbo will come or not. Even Gandalf says that he thinks Bilbo will come. Nori looks at me and wonders if I want to bet, too, but I say no because I don’t have money to do it. But that, of course, I don’t say.  

After we have been riding our ponies a while, some of the Dwarves start to talk about last night. Saying things like that, it was a waste of time and making fun of Gandalf’s choice of Bilbo.

Suddenly we hear someone screaming for us to wait. 

Turning around in my saddle, I smile when I see that it is Bilbo who has run after us. The contract in his hand.

- I signed it.

He says and gives it to Balin, who inspects it with his pocket-glasses.

- Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield

Everyone cheers except Thorin.

- Give him a pony.

He says and turns his pony away from us and keep on riding.

Bilbo looks terrified and stats to stammer that he can walk in the same speed that we are riding, but his speech gets cut off as Kili and Fili lifts him and put him on a pony. Whatever the pony does terrifies Bilbo.

- Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on.

Oin screams at Nori, and soon enough, there are sacks of money getting tossed between the company.

I ride up to Bilbo and Gandalf as a sack of money is being tossed to Oin.

- What’s that about?

Bilbo asks and looks at Gandalf.

- They took wagers on whether or not you’d turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn’t.

I say while I look at Bilbo, smiling slightly.

Bilbo looks back at Gandalf and says.

- What did you think, Gandalf?

Gandalf doesn’t answer, but he catches a sack of money as well and looks at Bilbo smiling.

- My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second.

Bilbo huffs, and then he sneezes very loudly, and I have a tough time not to laugh.

- Oh, all this horsehair, I’m having a reaction.

“Really? Is it not that you haven’t been outside your house for a longer time?”

Bilbo starts searching his pocket for something and looks up in shock. He raises his hand while screaming that we have to turn around.

“This will not Thorin like.”

- What on Earth is the matter?

- I forgot my handkerchief.

Bofur is quick to come up with a solution and tear a strip of his clothes and toss it to Bilbo, who catches it and looks at it with disgust to the amusement of the others. I smile while I look at Bofur, raising my eyebrow. He just shrugs and smiles back at me.

- Move on!

Thorin says and again turns his pony away from us.

“You’re a joy-killer, Thorin.”

- You’ll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey’s end.

I say, while I give Bilbo an amused and knowing glance.

He looks down on his hands and doesn’t say a word.

- You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you, the world is ahead.

Gandalf says as we leave the forest and rides through the most beautiful lands and areas of Middle-Earth. 

As the sun goes down, Thorin decides that we should camp near the edge of a cliff. I can’t sleep just yet, so I am sitting with Fili and Kili by the fire. I feel that Bilbo is awake and very annoyed by Bombur’s snoring.

- Ratc?

Fili nudges my arm, and I jerk back of whatever I was thinking of. Fili laughs with amusement, and so is Kili.

- What are you thinking of that makes you unable to hear what we say to you?

Kili asks, still with the smile on his face.

- I don’t remember to be honest.

I say, smiling towards him.

Kili looks like he wants to tease me more but says nothing when we hear the screaming of Orcs.

- What was that?

Bilbo asks while he runs away from the ponies where he has been standing for a while.

- Orcs.

Kili says.

Soon after, there is another scream, and I feel that Thorin wakes up by it.

- Orcs?

Bilbo walks closer to us and looks around, scared.

- Throat-cutters, there’ll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them.

Fili says.

Knowing what they want to achieve, I stare at Fili as anger pours out of me like toxic. But that doesn’t stop Kili from continuing the teasing.

- They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone’s asleep. Quick and quiet. No screams, just lots of blood.

Bilbo looks away into the night and Kili look at Fili and laughs, Fili follows him soon after.

- Do you think that’s funny? Do you think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?

Thorin asks, looking at us with sad eyes.

“Don’t look at me. I have nothing to do with this.”

- We didn’t mean anything by it.

Kili says, looking away from Thorin’s gaze.

- No, you didn’t. You know nothing of the world.

- Like you do? (Hah!) That’s funny, Thorin, you may understand the world better than them, but I know the world better than anyone here, not counting Gandalf.

I say.

Thorin, who has been walking away from us, stops and looks at me with sadness in his eyes.

- How can you know the world better than the others?

- Ever heard of a race called Mind-Changers, Bilbo?

- Didn’t they disappear or die out a long time ago?

- That’s what the tales and songs say. But they are not true, there is one Mind-Changer left. And that one is me.

Bilbo looks at me with shock.

But soon, the shock turns to surprise and happiness. And also, a little bit of sadness.

- Wow, but how does it come that you are with Dwarves then? Sorry, that sounded ruder than I wanted it to.

- No, I understand that it can look weird that someone like me is in the company of Dwarves. But they are my family.

I take a deep breath before I start to tell my story. 

- My mother became mad by grief when Smaug attacked Dale. She ran into the forest that was behind our house. Father and I, we didn’t understand why she did that, but when we, well first, we heard a sound that I hadn’t heard before, and I wish never to hear again. Then we saw him. This giant beast that flies over our house, building up his fire to destroy more of the town when he turns around. Father and I ran to Erebor to help those who needed help. But Smaug had gotten there first, and everyone who was in Erebor was running out, carrying children and wounded to save themselves. Dale was destroyed, Erebor lost. Mother was gone, I only had my father.

I sigh and try to stop the tears from falling. Fili lay his hand on my shoulder, and so does Kili. That gives me the strength to continue the tale of my broken background.

- King Thror did not like us, Mind-Changers, for what I don’t know, and he did not want to take me and my father with him and his kin to find a new home. But he was overruled of that decision by his son and grandson.

I say as I nod towards Thorin, who is standing by his pony and looking out into the night.

- But then came the next backlash for me. And that is also the reason why Thorin hates Orcs so much. But I can’t tell you what happened for I was not there to see it. But I know one who can.

I say as I look up from the fireplace.

Bilbo has sadness written all over his face, and both Fili and Kili look at me with sorrow, they know how hard it is for me to tell stories of my childhood. 

- Balin? Can’t you tell us what exactly happened in Moria? I don’t want to say something that is not true, or guess what might have happened.

Balin looks up from whatever he is doing, nods, and walks over to us.

- After the Dragon took over the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Dwarf Kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first.

I can’t help but smile when I listen to Balin when he tells a story. I don’t know why, but I always like to listen to the story’s he has to say, it can be because he tells them so well that you actually can see the story plays in front of your eyes. I lay my head on Fili’s shoulder and continues to listen. 

- Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the vilest of all they raze; Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin’s father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken a prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him, a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent… wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived.

Bilbo looks at me with a questioned look.

- My father was one of the dead that day. Thorin was the one who had to tell me the news. And he had promised that he would bring my father home. I became mad by grief myself and did the same thing my mother had done. I ran away. But I did not run into the forest, I ran back to Dale. To the ruins of the house that I had been living in. And it is a very long way from Moria and back to Dale. But Thorin came after me, and he was there for me the whole time it took us to get back to the Blue Mountains. There he asked his sister, who is Fili and Kili’s mother, their father died as well in the battle of Moria if she could take care of me. She did, and I became a member of their broken family. So now I have to deal with these two idiots.

I say and points at Fili and Kili. They both smack me lightly on my shoulders, and then they laugh, crushing me in a big hug.

- And it was also that day that I thought to myself, there is the one I could follow. There is the one I could call King.

Balin says, and at the same time, Thorin turns back to us. All of us are looking at him. Those of us who were asleep is now awake and is looking at him in awe. Thorin walks back to us, a smile barely visible on his face.

- But the Pale Orc? What happened to him?

Bilbo asks, looking at Balin, who shrugs his shoulders.

- He slunk back into the hole, whence he came. That filth died of his wound’s long ago.

 
Thorin says.

Sometime later, I am laying a little outside of the camp, so I can see the stars without the blaze from the fire disturbing me. But something is bothering me, there is a nagging feeling craving for my attention. When I listen to the feeling, it tells me that something or someone is looking at us from a cliff on the other side of the valley. And when I look there, I can’t see anything at first. But then I see something I’ll never forget. An Orc on a Warg that is turning away from the cliff and disappears into the night.

“Are we being watched?”

Chapter Text

The next day it’s raining, of course. We were all wet and cold by the time we had packed our stuff and left the cliff. I had been trying to talk to Thorin about what I saw last night, but he either hasn’t listened, or he had just ignored me. We have been riding for quite a long time when Dori says.

- Here, Mr. Gandalf, can’t you do something about this deluge?

“You don’t think he would already have done that if he could, Dori?”

- It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another Wizard.

Dori mumbles something that I can’t hear, but I know that he said it in Khuzdul because of the looks he gets from Nori and Bifur.

-Are there any?

Bilbo asks Gandalf.

- What?

- Other Wizards?

-There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are two Blue Wizards; you know, I’ve quite forgotten their names.

- And who is the fifth?

- Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown.

-Is he a great Wizard, or is he … more like you?

“That was mean, Bilbo. Gandalf is a great Wizard in his way.”

Gandalf looks a little offended before he says.

- I 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.

After a while, it finally stops raining, but we’re not in our happiest mood, and I feel that if someone says one wrong word, then it will not end well for that person.

Bilbo comes up to me, and I look at him because I feel that he wants to ask me something about my folk.

-Something you wanted, Bilbo?

He looks at me, startled for a moment before he smiles, and says. 

- Can you tell me more about your kin?

He asks.

I shrug and look at the back of Thorin, just to see if he is going to turn, or he will continue forward. He doesn’t look for any other ways, so I think we will continue forward for a while.

- What do you want to know about me?

Bilbo thinks for a moment, and then he looks at me, saying.

- What can a Mind-Changer do?

- There is a lot of things a Mind-Changer can do. I can look into your head and see what scares you the most or what makes you laugh. I can change your mind, so you forget something you don’t want to remember. I can talk to you through your mi…

- Can you do that?

Bilbo asks with a surprised voice.

I laugh and nod my head.

-Yes, Bilbo, I can do that. Kili says that it feels weird the first time, but he is kind of used to it now. 

- Can you do it with me?

- If you want.

I say, and Bilbo nods his head.

- All right, it can be a little scary the first time because I don’t know if your mind wants me to talk loud or soft.

I say and shake my head slightly. Bilbo is the first one to be excited about having me talking in his head. Kili and Fili were it the first time, but they don’t count because they are still my family.

~ Is there something more you want to know, Bilbo?

He jumps a little when he hears my voice in his head. Then he laughs, and I feel that he is amazed by this new information. I smile, it is not often that someone gets this amazed over something I can do.

- How do I answer or want to speak to you without anyone to hear?

- You just think of what you want to say, and at the same time, you think of my name, and we can have a conversation in our minds. You can try it if you want.

~ Can you hear me?

I smile slightly and nod my head to which Bilbo smiles. He is thrilled to have done something he thought he would never have.

- Is there anything more you can do?

- As I said, there’s a lot I can do. Somethings are not as great as others.

- What are the bad things?

- I can take control of your mind and force you to do stuff for me. I can force you to… well, for example, to kill someone I don’t like. Or, because I’m not that type of person, I can force you to do silly stuff, like dancing and singing in front of the others.

Bilbo looks at me in shock, and I can’t help but laugh. Fili turns around in his saddle and raises one of his eyebrows. 

That just do so I laugh even more and louder, soon Fili starts to laugh too, which does so everyone else looks at us wondering what we are doing. One of them is thinking very unappropriated stuff. At first, I get angry, but then I laugh again when I feel that those thoughts come from Kili.

~ You idiot! How dare you think such thoughts?

~ I dare! Because it is my mind, and who says that you are allowed to read my thoughts?

~ That’s true. But you are my brother, and I don’t care if I’m not allowed in your head. And you know that.

- Hey!

Thorin looks over at us, and for a second, it looks like he wants to scream at us for not being quiet.

~ Calm down, uncle. We just want to have some fun. And if you’re going to blame any of us for being too noisy, then blame me.

~ I’m not going to blame anyone, Ratcha. I just wanted to tease you a little. Sorry for sounding and looking angry.

I smile and nod towards him to show that I have heard him. He smiles too and turns his pony, and we continue our journey. Bilbo doesn’t say anything more and rides up to Gandalf.

Leaving me alone.

“What was it that Bilbo just felt? Is he having feelings for my uncle? No, I must have felt it wrong.”  

After a while, we come to an abandoned farmhouse. 

Another thing that I can do is to see the past of something. Like this farmhouse, for example, I can see what has happened to it and its owners. And their life did not end well. What exactly happened, I can’t see, but something terrible happened.

- We’ll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them. Ratcha?

- Aye?

- Look after them, so they stay with the ponies.

I smile and nod. Fili and Kili look offended like they can’t watch some ponies?

- I think you would do an excellent job watching the ponies. But I also feel that Thorin wanted me to do something where I can be with you two.

They both smile and start to walk with their ponies to the little grove that is nearby.

- Everything all right? Gandalf, where are you going?

- To seek the company of the only one around here who’s got any sense.

- Who’s that?

- Myself, Mr. Baggins! I’ve had enough of Dwarves for one day.

Gandalf says and walks to his horse. Bilbo looks at Balin like he wants to find answers to his question. But Balin can’t give him the answers. None of us can give him that.

- Come on, Bombur, we’re hungry.

~ What have you done, Thorin? Why is Gandalf so angry?

~ He wants us to search for help from our enemy.

~ Not all Elves are like the Woodland Elves, Thorin. But I will not go against what you decide. You’re my leader and uncle, and I will follow you no matter what.

Thorin smiles and walks over to Dwalin to help him with something. 

I go after Fili and Kili, to help them with the ponies. 

Later that day, I leave Fili and Kili to go and get some food for us. But I don’t come far before I meet Bilbo walking with three bowls. How he managed to carry them, I don’t know, but it is impressive.

- I can help you with that. Thank you, Bilbo.

He looks a little relieved to not having to carry three bowls with supper.

When I take one of the bowls, I feel that Kili is worried about something. But I can’t just run off to see why, so I have to force myself to walk slowly, so Bilbo doesn’t get worried over why I run away.

When we find Kili and Fili, they are standing and looking at the ponies. Bilbo walks up to them and gives them their bowls.

- What’s the matter?

Bilbo asks when they don’t take the bowls. I lay down the now-empty bowl I got from Bilbo and look at the ponies and tries to see what got my brother’s so worried.

- We’re supposed to looking after the ponies.

- Only we’ve have encountered a slight problem.

- We had seventeen.

- Now there’s fifteen.

I say, walking up to Fili, who looks at me.

~ We failed the simples’ task. Thorin will kill us. 

~ He won’t if he doesn’t know, right?

- Let’s see which of the ponies is missing.

I say and walk over to the ponies. The others soon follow.

- Daisy and Bungo are missing. 

Kili says.

- Well, that’s not good. That’s not good at all, shouldn’t we tell Thorin?

- Uhh, no, let’s not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it.

Fili says, looking at Bilbo.

Bilbo looks around and points at a tree that has been uprooted and is lying on the ground.

- Well, uh… look, some -- something big uprooted these trees.

- That was our thinking.

- Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous.

- Hey! There’s a light.

I say and walk to one of the fallen trees, and Fili comes over.

- Over here! Stay down.

I say and drag Bilbo down. We can hear laughter, and I realize that the light is a fire.

- What is it?

Bilbo asks, to which Kili answers with.

- Trolls.

He and Fili jump over the tree and run closer to the fire, I follow them and look back to see if Bilbo does the same. He does, but he stops and runs back to get the bowls he has been carrying the whole time. I smile and continue after my brothers.

When I come up to them, Kili grabs my arm and drags me down beside him. I soon realize why.

Walking towards the fire is a giant Mountain Troll. And he is carrying two of our ponies.

“When did Mountain Trolls venture this far south? Have they ever done that?”

- He’s got Myrtle and Minty! I think they’re going to eat them, we have to do something.

- Yes, you should. Mountain Trolls are slow and stupid, and you’re so small.

Bilbo look at Fili and Kili, terrified. But Fili and Kili take the bowls from him, promising that they will be right behind him.

- If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl.

Bilbo starts to walk towards the fire, while he whispers Fili’s instructions but gets them all mixed up.

Sighing to myself, I look around at the surroundings and then close my eyes, imagining what I just saw and when I open my eyes again, I know that no one can see me. That’s another thing I can do. I can make myself invisible by just changing to my surroundings.

- Are you sure this is a great idea?

Bilbo asks, turning around to look at us. 

But Fili and Kili have taken the chance and disappeared somewhere. And Bilbo can’t see me even though I’m standing right in front of him. I want to tell him that I’m here, but at the same time, I want to see what he can do. Maybe Thorin has been taking hasty conclusions.

Sighing to himself, Bilbo walks towards the fire again. 

Around the fire sits two Mountain Trolls, and one of them is stirring whatever it is in the cauldron that is hanging over the fire. The third one is carrying the ponies.

I hate Mountain Trolls. They’re big and clumsy, and they don’t care if they destroy your house when they are out from their caves.

- Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it doesn’t look like mutton again tomorrow!

Says the Troll, who is the… cook, I guess. Reading his mind, I know his name is Bert, and the two others, who are his siblings is Tom and William.

- Quit yer’ griping. These ain’t sheep, these are West Nags!

William says as he puts Myrtle and Minty in a makeshift pen.

- I don’t like horses, I never have, not enough fat on them.

Tom says.

If I have read correctly in Bert’s mind, Tom is the youngest of them, and Bert the oldest.

- Well, it is better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I’m still picking bits of him out of my teeth.

“So that’s how your life ended. That is not how it should have ended, stupid Trolls, always thinking about themselves and not on anyone else.”

Suddenly, Tom sneezes into the cauldron. 

I have to look away and pinch myself, so I won’t laugh, cause even though I’m invisible, if I’m not careful then everyone can hear me. It’s both good and bad for being a Mind-Changer.

Now, where’s the Hobbit?

- Oh, that’s lovely, that is, a floater.

Bert says, pointing at the cauldron with the spoon he has.

- Oh, might improve the flavor!

William says, more as a joke than anything else.

- Ah! There’s more where that came from.

Tom says as he inhales to sneeze more into the cauldron. But he doesn’t come far with that, because Bert grabs his nose.

- Oh no, you don’t!

There’s Bilbo!

He has managed to get past the Trolls and is trying to untie the rope to the makeshift pen. When he sees that Tom has turned towards the ponies, he kneels and stays still so Tom won’t see him.

I have walked towards the pen too and is now standing beside Bilbo. Tom’s breath stinks, and I have to force myself to not cough. But I’m impressed that Bilbo hasn’t moved an inch.

- I hope you’re gonna gut these nags. I don’t like the stinky parts.

“And I don’t like you. And you stink.”

Bert hits Tom with the spoon, and Tom squeals while sitting down.

- I said, sit down!

William stands up, and they have a little fight over if they will eat the ponies today or not. 

In the meantime, Bilbo tries again to untie the rope, but with no success. He looks around and sees Tom’s knife. 

Tom had to sneeze again and took his handkerchief. When he does that, Bilbo and I can see his very long knife. I look at Bilbo and realize that he attempts to use that one to cut the rope off.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Bilbo.”

I should say that to him, but that will just scare him, and the Trolls will see him. Oh, by Durin’s beard! Why didn’t I tell Bilbo before that I was with him?

Oh well, Bilbo sneaks up to Tom. Unsure on how he should take the knife, he hesitates a few times. Then when he grabs it, Tom has to sneeze again.

“How many times haven’t you sneezed already?”

But when he grabs his handkerchief, he grabs Bilbo too!

“No!”

~ Kili! Fili! 

~ What?! What happened? Ratcha, where are you?!

“Okey, I shouldn’t have screamed at them. Great one, Ratcha, now you have scared them.” 

~ I’m with Bilbo. Go and get the others! Now! 

~ Why? Why are you with Bilbo? And why should we get the others? They will kill us when we have to tell them that some Trolls have taken some of our ponies for lunch.

Tom has shaken Bilbo off his handkerchief, and William asks Bilbo what he is. He suggests that Bilbo is an oversized squirrel.

~ If you don’t go and get the others, then these Trolls will eat Bilbo as well as the ponies.

- I’m a burglar- uhh, Hobbit.

Bilbo says, terrified.

~ Go your idiots. Or I will hate you both for the rest of my life, and I don’t want that.  

~ Fili is on his way. Why in Durin’s name did you have to follow Bilbo?

~ Cause you two idiots just abounded him.

- A Burglar-Hobbit?

- Can we cook him?

“No, you can’t!”

- We can try!

Tom says as he tries to grab Bilbo. But Bilbo is too short and quick for him and dodges away from him only to be cornered by Bert.

- He wouldn’t make more than a mouthful, not when he’s skinned and boned.

- Perhaps there’s more Burglar-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie.

By now, I have run towards the Trolls and trying to figure out how I can help Bilbo. But before I can do anything, William grabs Bilbo’s legs and holds him upside down.

~ Kili! Where are you?

~ Almost there. Hang on!

“Ha, humor without even knowing it.”

- Are there any more of you little fellows’ iding where you shouldn’t?

- Nope.

“Clever Bilbo.”

~ We are by the ponies.

~ Hurry. They will cook him or burn his toes off.

I can’t just stand there watching them hurt Bilbo. So, I take my knife. And (here’s another thing I can do) twists my wrist, so the blade grows to a sword. It’s efficient when you are out, and you don’t want to carry a lot of big clumsy swords and axes.

I run forward, making myself visible while I do so, and cut Tom in his leg.

- Drop him!

- You what?

~ We here, Ratc. Just tell us what to do.

“Thanks, Thorin, for giving me that reasonability.”

- I said, drop him.

William smirks and throws Bilbo towards me. As we fall, I tell Thorin to attack the Trolls.

They come out from the bushes, yelling and brandishing their weapons.

The Trolls, shocked by the surprise of that suddenly, there’s a lot of Dwarves around them, hacking and slashing their legs, tries to grab all of us. One of them screams that they have to find the sacks.

- Come on, Bilbo. Let’s free the ponies.

I say while helping Bilbo up from the ground.

Bilbo nods and runs towards Tom’s knife and cut off the ropes to the pen. 

Just as the ponies run away, I see that William has seen what Bilbo has done and is now charging towards him. I throw my sword, and as it flies towards William, it shrinks to a knife. It buries itself deep in his palm, and he screams in pain. William looks around to see whose knife it is, and he seems rather angry when he understands that it belongs to me. 

How he realized that so quick is a question for me. But he is a lot faster than I thought. ‘Cause suddenly, I’m hanging in the air with my arm and legs stretched out by Bert and William.

- Ratc!

Kili screams and tries to run up to us. But Thorin stops him.

- NO!

- Lay down your arms, or we’ll rip hers off.

Thorin looks at me, and I can see and feel his frustration.

~ I’m sorry, Thorin. I just did what I thought was the right thing to do.

Thorin sighs and plants his sword in the ground. The others drop their axes and swords too.

Bert and William are not so kind when they release me. They just drop me from where they have held me. 

The last thing I know is that I hit my head on the cauldron, and before the world goes black, I hear Fili and Kili screaming my name.

Chapter Text

“Ouch! Why does my head feel like it has been run over by a herd of horses? Oh, now, I remember! I hit my head when the Trolls dropped me. Wait!! (Note to yourself: don’t scream when your head hurts, it will just make it worst, ouch!) What happened to the others??”

With a head that is spinning and hurting, I open my eyes…

And close them shut again very fast. God, the blaze from the fire hurts.

“Wait, fire?”

I open my eyes again, slowly this time, and I see that the Trolls have made the fire bigger and, Christ on a lily pad! They have tied; Dwalin, Bofur, Bifur, Dori, Nori, Ori, and Fili, to a log. The rest of us: Thorin, Kili, Oin, Bombur, Gloin, Balin, me and Bilbo is tied up in sacks.

“- Hey, Ratcha.”

Thorin quietly says when he sees that I have woken up.

“- Hey, Thorin.”

I say.

Surprisingly, my voice sounds weak and cracks a lot, just saying, hey. I haven’t screamed, have I?

- Don’t bother cooking them. Let’s just sit on them and squash them into jelly.

Tom says.

That makes me scared. Why can’t I control myself anymore?! I have never been this scared, I have managed to control myself not to be this afraid.

“No, thanks! Let’s not eat us at all.”

- They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage.

Burt says, checking that the rope is not loose or anything.

- Oh, that does sound quite nice.

- Is this really necessary?

Dori asks.

I can understand his fear. I feel the same.

~ Thorin

~ Yes?

~ I hate to admit this. But I’m scared. I can’t control myself anymore, and that’s even scarier.

~ I can’t do much Ratc. Not when I’m tied up in a sack.

~ No, but you just made a joke about the situation we are in, and, by Durin, you know how to make me laugh.

~ Glad I can help.

- Untie us, you monster!

- Take on someone your own size!

Oin and Gloin screams.

The Dwarves are talking both to the Trolls and each other with fear and anger.

~ Kili? Fili?

By the Eldar! My voice sounds weak even in my head. What have I done to my voice??

~ Ratcha! You awake!

~ Yeah, but if you keep on screaming, I won’t. I’m panicking at the same time as my head is spinning and hurting. What amazes me is that it doesn’t hurt when I talk in my head unless someone is screaming, so to speak.

~ Sorry for screaming (~ Yeah, sorry) But we are just happy to hear that you are awake. You have been passed out for a long time.

~ I can imagine. But hey, what did I do to m…

- Wait! You are making a terrible mistake.

“What have I missed?”

- You can’t reason with them, they’re half-wits!

“What does that make you then, Dori?”

- Half-wits? What does that make us?

~ Can you read minds now all of a sudden, Bofur?

~ Not when I last checked. Why wonder, little one?

~ Little one? Anyway, what you just said was the same as I was thinking.

I managed to see Bofur smile before he disappears to the other side of the log.

- Uh, I meant with the, uh with the seasoning.

Bert comes up to him. Bilbo has gotten his attention, but for what?

- What about the seasoning?

- Well, have you smelt them? You’re going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up.

“Hey!”

- Traitor!

All sorts of insults are flying from almost every one of us. But I feel that Bilbo just wants us to shut up.

~ What are you doing, Bilbo?

~ Trying to buy time. If you just shut up!

I wince when he screams in my head, everything starts to spin, and the corners of my eyes begin to darken. I have to force myself hard not to pass out.

“Wait, buying time?”

- What do you know about cooking Dwarf?

- Shut up, and let the uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk.

“Let who talk?”

My head has stopped spinning, but it still hurts because the Trolls speak so loudly. It’s a miracle that my head hasn’t said goodnight or something yet.

- Uh, th- the secret to cooking Dwarf is um…

“The sun! Ouch! Damn head. Now I know what Bilbo is trying to buy time for. The sun, of course, they will turn into stone when exposed to the sun. They must have said that, and Bilbo must have picked it up, clever Bilbo.”

- Yes? Come on. Tell us the secret.

- Ye… Yes, I’m telling you… the secret is to… skin them first.

And that is the start for all of us, including me but not so loud cause then my head says no. We all start to yell at him and so on.

- Tom, give me the filleting knife.

Bert says, reaching out his hand for Tom to give him the knife.

- If I get you, you little…

- I won’t forget that!

That is some of the insults that the Dwarves are screaming to Bilbo. Everyone except…

… Thorin?? He’s quiet and looks very concern.

- What a load of rubbish! I’ve eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all.

- ‘es right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw Dwarf!

Tom says and takes the sack with Bombur.

- Nice and crunchy.

“Bombur! Ouch, stupid head, stop hurting!”

- Not, not that one, he—he’s infected!

“What are you doing?”

- You what?!

- Yeah, he’s got worms in his … tubes.

I can’t help but laugh, but the laugh turns to a cough. Something is… Ouch! There came Bombur. Ugh, he’s so big and bulky.

- In – in fact, they all have, they’re in—infested with parasites. It’s a terrible business, I wouldn’t risk it, I really wouldn’t.

- Parasites, did he say parasites?

I said it once and will keep on saying it; poor Oin.

- Yes, we don’t have parasites! You have parasites!

~ Shut up, Kili!

~ No! He is lying…

~ Because he is trying to save us, idiot! Think a little, Kili. They will turn into stone when the sun touches them.

But it is like I’m talking to a wall, he won’t listen.

~ Thorin, please tell them to shut up.

~ Why?

~ Not you too. Bilbo is trying to buy us time. They can’t be out when the sun comes up.

Thorin kicks Kili’s sack, and soon they all are screaming that they are ‘riddled’ with parasites. Kili and Oin are saying that they have the biggest ones.

- What would you have us do then, let ’em all go?

William asks, walking up to Bilbo.

- Well…

- Do you think I don’t know what you are up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!

“Ferret? Bilbo? Oh, come on!”

- Fools?

- The dawn will take you all!

I have never been so happy to hear anyone’s voice before. But hearing Gandalf’s voice and see him on the rock above us made me feel delighted.

- Who’s that?

- No idea.

- Can we eat him too?

Gandalf lifts his staff and strikes the rock with it, splitting it in half. The sun which has been hiding behind it pours out and onto all of us. When it touches the skin on the Trolls, it turns to stone.

Soon enough, they are all covered in stone.

Everyone starts to cheer, and I hear Dwalin say;

- Oh, get your foot out of my back!

After some time, we are all free from the sacks, and Fili hugs me after he has seen me shivering.

- I’m fine, Fili. It’s just… I can’t understand that I lost control over myself. It has never happened before, and I was also afraid I would lose you and Kili to those Trolls.

He hugs me a little harder but remains quiet.

When he releases me, I look up at him and smiles.

He returns the smile and walks away to help Bofur with Bifur.

- What were you thinking, Ratcha?

Turning around, I look into Bilbo’s worried eyes.

- I couldn’t just let you hang there when I could help, right?

I ask with a smile.

He just shakes his head, and I sense he does not believe me.

- Bilbo, I’m not someone who is just going to stand and look when someone I care about is in danger. If can I help, I will. Even if it means I would die when I do it.

I stare into Bilbo’s eyes to make sure that he believes me.

- I know Ratcha. But I just…

- Come on! We’re leaving now!

Screams Thorin, cutting Bilbo off.

I roll my eyes and nod towards Thorin’s back.

- Let’s follow him and see what got him so excited.

Bilbo snorts, and we run after our very excited Dwarf prince.

Chapter Text

- Oh, what’s that stench?!

Nori asks as he makes a funny face to the smell that hits us when we walk into the cave that belongs to the Trolls.

- It’s a Troll hoard. Be careful what you touch!

“Okey, I have to go with Nori about the smell here. Phew, this cave stinks. Whops, Bofur has stopped.”

I manage to avoid stumbling into him. But I can now see why he stopped. Looking down on the ground, I can see lots of gold.

- It seems a shame just to leave it layin’ around. Anyone can take it.

- Agreed. Nori, get a shovel.

Gloin says.

I laugh at them. Even in most disturbing moments, all they can think of is gold and glory.

- These swords were not made by any Troll.

I walk towards Thorin to see what he’s talking about.

Gandalf is a little faster than me and takes one of the swords that Thorin is holding.

- Nor where they made by any smith among Men.

Thorin looks at me with questioned eyes.

- It’s not anything my people have done.

I say, taking out my knife to show the difference between the sword and knife. 

The blade is much broader than the sword, it is also much thinner at the tip. The sword has a bluer shade than the knife too.

”I think I know where these swords can have been forged from.”

But before I can say anything Gandalf says;

- These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age.

”I knew it!”

I have to hide my smile when I see the face Thorin makes when he realizes he is holding an Elven sword. 

But the smile quickly disappears when I see that he’s on his way to lay the sword back from the stand he took it from, and the happiness turns to anger. 

- Thorin!

I say as I lay my hand on his shoulder, continuing.

- You could not find a better blade. It is even better than my knife, and you have always said that you wanted a sword like my knife. Well, right now, you are holding a way better sword than I would ever wish to have. You may not be able to turn it into a knife, but Elven swords are much better to use in battle than what my knife is even when I have turned it into a sword. 

That stops Thorin from putting the sword back, instead, he draws the sword out from the sheets, and I have to duck, or I would be beheaded. He looks at me and mimics sorry.

I shrug and walk away to see what Gloin, Bofur, and Nori are doing. They are filling a chest with the gold they found earlier. 

- What are you doing?

- We’re making a long-term deposit.

- You’re nuts.

I say, shaking my head.

- Let’s get out of this foul place. Come on, let’s go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori! Ratcha!

When I turn around to leave the cave, I step on something metallic.

Kneeling to see what it was, I realize it’s a sword. Standing up, I see that Gandalf is standing beside me.

The sword is too small for me, Gandalf, and to anyone of the Dwarves. That just leaves one left.

- Can this be something for Bilbo?

I ask and give the sword to Gandalf.

He nods, takes it, and walks out of the cave with me right behind him.

- Bilbo!

He looks up and comes to us.

Gandalf gives him the sword saying that it is about Bilbo’s size. But Bilbo doesn’t take it.

- I can’t take it.

- The blade is of Elvish make, Bilbo. It will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby.

I say, continuing. 

- That sword is even better than my knife. I would do anything to have a sword like the one Gandalf is holding. And before you say anything, I can’t have that sword. A Mind-Changer can’t take a weapon just like that, it has to be given to us from their owner or be forged for us. But the owner of this sword is not here to give it to me. Take it, Bilbo, it will suit you better than me, and besides, I already have my knife. I don’t need any other weapon. 

- I have never used a sword in my life.

- And we hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.

- Something’s coming!

Screams Thorin.

I turn around and see that everyone runs after Thorin, who disappears behind some trees. I run after them and stops beside Kili.

~ Hello Ratc, kind for you to join us.

~ Oh, shut up. What is it with that I’m with Bilbo and not with you? Jealous?

~ Of course not!

~ You are a terrible liar, Kili. You are smiling,  AND  I can feel on you that you are lying!

- Thieves! Fire! Murder!

Out from the forest comes a sled that is drawn by… Rabbits? Yeah, it looks like it. On this sled is a man screaming, and he is looking around on us, and it seems like he thinks that we are the one that has done something terrible.

- Radagast! Radagast the Brown! What on Earth are you doing here?

- I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something is wrong, something is terribly wrong.

- Yes?

Radagast opens his mouth but closes it again. It seems like he has forgotten what he wanted to say.

- Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I lost it. It was right there, on the tip of my tongue.

Suddenly he looks surprised.

- Oh, it’s not a thought at all, it’s a silly old… stick insect.

Gandalf pulls out the insect from Radagast mouth, and I have to look away not to show my smile. But of course, does Kili sees me turning away and pinch me in my arm.

~ Ouch! Dumbhead! What was that good for?

~ Stop laughing! Thorin does not look happy.

I look back and...

Lock eyes with an angry Thorin.

~ Are you angry at me, Thorin?

~No!

”Ouch! That hurt.”

~ Sorry for screaming. No, I’m not angry at you, Ratc. I’m not mad at anyone.

~ Why do you look angry then?

~ I didn’t even know that I looked angry. Thanks for telling me.

~ Say that to Kili, he pinched my arm because I looked away not to show my smile of the silliness of Radagast.

Thorin snorts and shakes his head to Kili and me.

I did so Kili heard what Thorin and I have been saying to one another, and now he looks embarrassed for pinching me for no good reason. 

Also, during this conversation, Gandalf and Radagast have walked away to talk privately.

Fili looks at Kili and then at me and raises his eyebrows to us. I shake my head and look at Kili. To which I earn a glare from my dear brother Kili.

- What have you now done, Ratc?

Kili snorts, and I just stare at Fili.

- What have I done? It’s Kili; you should ask Fili. Kili pinched me because he thought that our uncle was angry at me because I turned away, so Radagast wouldn’t see me laughing at him.

Fili opens his mouth to say something but stops when we hear a howl not so far away from us.

- Was that a Wolf? Are there— are there Wolves out there?

- Wolves? No, that is not a Wolf.

”Oh no, it can’t be.”

- Look out!

I scream when the Warg leaps towards us from behind.

Thorin kills it, and I get pushed away from another Warg that Kili shoots at, but when it tries to get up, it gets killed by Dwalin.

- Warg–scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind.

- Orc pack?

Bilbo is terrified but tries his best not to show it.

Without him knowing, I send over some strength to him, so he can control his fear a little better.

- Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?

Gandalf asks Thorin. He is furious.

- No one.

- Who did you tell?

- No one, I swear. What in Durin’s name is going on?

- We are being hunted.

I say, continuing.

- We have to get out of here.

- We can’t! We have no ponies!

”How unlucky are we going to be on this quest?”

- I’ll draw them off.

We all looked in shock and surprised at Radagast.

- Radagast, these are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you.

I say.

“Does he has a death wish or something?”

- These are Rhosgobel Rabbits. I’d like to see them try.  

Soon enough, Radagast is on his sled and on his way.

Let me say this. Those Wargs are going to have a hard time to catch those Rabbits.

- Come on!

And the game of hiding and stay hidden from Wargs begins.

Chapter Text

We have been running for I don’t know how long. But now we stop behind a big rock, but Ori keeps on running.

- Ori, no! Come back!

Thorin screams as he drags Ori back behind the rock.

- Come on! Quick! 

As the others run in that direction that Gandalf pointed at, I stop as I see that Thorin, who is standing beside me, is staring at Gandalf with anger and suspicion.

- Where are you leading us?

Gandalf doesn’t answer, he just starts running. 

”Is he taking us to who I think he is? No, he can’t do that. Thorin will hate him forever."

After that, we have been running for a little longer, we stop behind some big rocks again. 

”What was that? It can’t be?"

Sure enough, upon the rock we are hiding behind is a Warg scout, sniffing in the air to see if he can find us.

I nudge Thorin and nod my head upwards, he sees the Warg and looks at Kili. 

Kili quickly steps out from the rock and shoots the Warg and the Orc down. The Dwarves that are close react immediately and kill them. 

- Move! Run!

”Like we haven’t done that already?"

The Wargs must have heard us because they are now following us instead of Radagast.

- This way! Quickly!

We run until the Wargs have surrounded us.

- Kili! Shoot them!

- We’re surrounded!

”Are we going to die before we have seen our long-lost home? Before we even get to Erebor?” 

- Where is Gandalf?!

- He has abandoned us!

- No, he hasn’t Dwalin!

”I hope I’m right. Gandalf wouldn’t abandon us, right?"

- Hold your ground!

- This way, you fools!

”Oh, thanks, Durin! For once, I was right about him."

- Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!

We run towards Gandalf, and one by one slides down into the cave where he screamed for us. I stay behind with Thorin and kill some of the Orc’s that come to close.

- Kili! Run!

I scream to my brother, who has been continuing to shoot the Wargs. He runs to us and jumps down.

I kick Thorin in his leg, so he would slide down to the cave; otherwise, you never know when he would come down. He is going to be mad at me, but I don’t really care, right now I don’t want to lose my uncle. 

Just as I get down to the others, a horn goes off, and neighing from horses is heard. We look at each other, wondering what on Earth is going on up there. Kili puts his arms around me, and I bury my head in his shoulder.

Yes, I’m scared. Knowing that we are hunted and that we maybe have a prize on our heads is scary.

We get our answer on what’s going on when an Orc falls to us when he lands he is dead with an arrow in its neck.

Thorin plucks out the arrow and stares at it, then he looks at Gandalf in disgust.

- Elves.

”Oh, no."

- I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or not?

- Follow it, off course!

I laugh over Bofur’s answer and follow him and the others. But I still manage to hear Gandalf say:

- I think that would be wise.

”What have you come up to now, Gandalf?"

”The atmosphere feels different here."

- Gandalf, where are we?

- You can feel it?

- Yes, it feels like, well, like magic.

- That’s because it is precisely that, Bilbo. Powerful magic.

I say.

Now I know where we are heading to, I recognize this kind of magic, but I can’t understand from when.

Seconds later, we walk out of the cave and...

- Wow.

It is the only thing I can say to view in front of us.

 -The Valley of Imraldis, in the common tongue, it’s known by another name.

- Rivendell.

Bilbo says.

- The Last Homely House East of the Sea.

I say.

I’m standing beside Bilbo, and I can see that he is amazed by the view.

The house itself is enormous and is shining in the sun. You can feel the magic in the air from the place. And it looks like it was built by nature with the trees surrounding it.

- This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy.

”Oh, give me a break, he is worst then I don’t know what."

Throwing my head up and looking to the sky, rolling my eyes as I do so, I turn around and walk up to Thorin and Gandalf, placing my hand on Thorin’s shoulder to make sure he listens to me. 

- We don’t have any enemies here, Thorin. The only ill-will that can be found here in this valley is the one you bring with yourself.

Thorin shakes my hand off his shoulder and stares at me with as much anger he can. 

- If you think that you can stare me down because of what I said, then you are out of your freaking mind, uncle.

- Do you think that the Elves will give our quest their blessings? They will try to stop us.

- Of course, they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me. 

With that, Gandalf walks down the path that leads to the house.

We walk over a bridge, the water is crystal clear, and if it weren’t so far down, I would have reached down to touch it. But if I would do that, I would fall over and become completely wet.

”This place is beautiful. Whop, there stopped Bilbo."

I managed to avoid stumbling right into Bilbo, who has stopped to look around. He looks amazed.

- You like what you see, Bilbo?

He looks at me with a sparkle in his eyes that I have never seen in his eyes before.

He only nods, so apparently, he is amazed at what he sees.

- Mithrandir!

Comes from the stairs leading up to the houses.

- Mithrandir?

I ask, looking at Fili, who looks back at me and shrugging his shoulders.

- Ah, Lindir!

Gandalf answers while walking up to meet this Lindir.

”Why does his name sound so familiar?"

Looking up at this Lindir, I think of him as a royal or something in that way. He meets my eyes and believe it or not, he bows his head slightly at me. 

Shocked, I turn my head away from him and look at Kili. He gives me a questioned look, but I shake my head to him because I can’t understand it myself. And he surely won’t understand it.

”No way in hell I’m telling him what just happened. But why do I get the feeling that this Lindir knows more about me then I do myself?"

- Ifridî Bekâr!

”Hold ranks?"

Fili takes my arm and drags me into the middle of the ring that they have created. I feel a light thump on my back.

- Hello, Bilbo.

I say, looking over my shoulder. 

Bilbo waves back with a terrified look.

Well, I can understand him. We are surrounded by horses and have arrows pointed at us.

Kili, who stands closes to me, takes my hand, just so I know that he will not let anything happened to me, I guess.

I look at him and give him a quick smile.

Just then, the horses stop, and one of the Elves who are dressed differently than the others has a big smile on his face.

- Gandalf!

- Lord Elrond.

”I know him! But from where?"

- Farannem ’lamhoth i udulo charad. Dagannem rim na lant Vedui.

”Orcs in the Hidden pass? That must have been the Orcs that chased us!"

- Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near.

- That must have been us.

Gandalf says while Thorin steps forward.

I lay my head on Bofur’s shoulder, so I can see, and also, he has comfy shoulders! Bofur looks at me and smiles. I smile back and send him some happiness and warmth. That’s what I usually do to Fili and Kili when they do something that makes me smile and happy, but I can’t show it at that moment.

- Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain.

- I do not believe we have met.

- You have your grandfather’s bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain.

- Indeed, he made no mention of you.

~ Thorin! Stop your insults. You know very well that he can kill us just by snapping his fingers. Do you want to die now? When our quest barley has started?

~ He deserves it!

~ He is not Thranduil, you idiot! You don’t know him, uncle, but I do. If it weren’t for Lord Elrond, I wouldn’t be here!

”What did I just say? Elrond saved my life? From what?"

Thorin’s back stiffens but calms down within seconds.

- Narthoi noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethailvin.

”Thank you, Elrond."

- What is he saying? Does he offer us an insult?

"Right, no one except Gandalf and me understands Sindarin."

- No, Gloin, Lord Elrond, is offering us food.

I say, giving him a look that says,  ’stop being an idiot for a second’ .

- Ah, well, in that case, lead on.

Thorin turns around, grabs my arm, not hard but enough to tell me he’s mad.

- You have a lot to tell later, Ratc.

I nod my head, and he let go of my arm, still visible mad.

”Oh, Mala."

Chapter Text

- Try it, just a mouthful.

Dori says to Ori, who looks at his food with disgust.

- I don’t like green food.

”Oh, God.”

I think smiling to myself.

I’m sitting between Kili and Bifur, I also have a perfect view of Thorin.

I can’t stop thinking that Elrond might have saved my life one time. 

When, why, and lots of other questions are going around in my head. I had a feeling that I know when it happened, but I might have pushed it far back into my head because of something. 

And knowing that Thorin wants to know just that, makes it frustrating not to remember it.

~ Ratc? What is it?

Fili asks. 

He is sitting between Gloin and Balin on the other side of the table. He hates seeing me down or sad.

~ Nothing. Just a lot in my mind. I have a feeling that Thorin might want to kill me after this feast.

~ Why?

~ Is it bad timing to say that I can also hear your conversation? And also that I wonder if I can take part in the conversation?

Comes from Kili.

Mala, I hate when I don’t think correctly and do so more people can hear than those I want to hear.

~ You bastard!

I say with a laugh.

~ You know you don’t need to ask, Kili.

~ But I will always ask, Ratc.

~ I know.

~ Now. Can you tell us why Thorin wants to kill you?

~ I have a feeling that Lord Elrond saved my life many, many years ago, And I may or may not have told Thorin that when he insulted Elrond before.

~ WHAT?!

My head starts to spin, and I see black dots in my vision. It always gets like this when someone screams in my head.

Realizing that they screamed, Kili puts his hand on my shoulder, and Fili does it too, but, well, he does it mentally. They do so in case that if I would pass out, I won’t fall backward.

~ Sorry, Ratc. But how can you have a feeling for that? 

~ I don’t know! I’m trying to remember but I can’t!

~ Can we help?

~ How?

~ We don’t know. But if we should have known, then we could have helped you, right?

~ What have I done to get you two as my brothers? Of course, you can help me if you want. But the question is still there. How can you help me with retrieving something that I can’t even remember myself?

~ We can at least try.

Suddenly, Bofur jumps up from his chair beside Kili and climbs up on a little pedestal. 

All the sound around us goes quiet, even the birds are silent, wondering what this man is up to.

There’s an inn, there’s an inn, there’s a merry old inn 

beneath an old grey hill, 

And there they brew a beer so brown 

That the Man in the Moon himself came down 

One night to drink his fill

Laughing, all of us who know the song start to sing along, as we always do when Bofur sings. We can’t just sit there and let him sing by himself now, can we?

The ostler has a tipsy cat

that plays a five-stringed fiddle

And up and down he runs his bow

Now squeaking high, now purring low

Now sawing in the middle

So, the cat on the fiddle played a hey-diddle-diddle,

a jig that would wake the dead

He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune

While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon

’It’s after three’ he said

We all laugh, and some of us, I may have been counted into that circle, throw food at Bofur and everyone we can throw at.

When I look at the table where Thorin is...

”Wait a minute. Where’s Thorin? Why is it only Gandalf and Elrond sitting at that table? When did Thorin leave? And why didn’t he tell any of us?” 

After the feast, two of the Elves guards come up to me and tells me that Lord Elrond wants to see me.

- Oh, all right. Lead the way.

- We want to follow.

Comes from Fili and Kili. To be honest, I want them to come, as well.

- We’re sorry, but Lord Elrond wants to see miss Ratcha alone.

My heart sinks, hearing this.

But I turn around to look at my brothers. I tilt my head slightly to the left side and smirks at them. That’s how I tell them that I’ll be fine, and if something happens, they will know immediately.

~ Promise.

~ I promise, Kili. You both know that.

Then I turn around and nods to the Elves and tells them to lead the way. They bow and turn around and walks away.

They lead me back to where we had the feast. 

And there in the fading sunlight, he is.

- Lord Elrond. Did you wish to see me?

I ask, bowing as I do so.

- Yes, you can leave.

He says to the two Elves. 

They bow again and leaves me alone with Elrond.

”This is going to be interesting.”

- So. You are alone with me now. What can be so important that I’m the only one to hear? 

- You are just the same as you were the first time we met.

Elrond says, smiling. His smile disappears when he sees my confused eyes.

- You don’t remember?

- There is a blank space in my memory. I can’t remember what happened, I only remember the things that happened before and everything after. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to remember it. I know it is there in my mind, but it is too far away for me to reach. I take it that you remember our first meeting?

- Come and sit down with me, Ratcha. If you’re willing to remember, then I can maybe help you.

Elrond says as he walks towards the tables, we have been sitting on earlier that day.

I follow him, my hand resting on my knife. He maybe looks kind, but you can never know what might happen if you don’t look into the future, but I don’t want to do that, and I don’t have time for it either.

- You don’t need to be on your guard, Ratcha. I’m not your enemy.

- True. But I can’t be entirely sure, can I? You belong to the royalty, and I don’t, one wrong move from me, and I would be dead.

- You know. That was the same thing your father told me the first time he came to Rivendell.

Elrond says, laughing. I look at him in shock.

”What?”

- Did you know my father? How?

- Do you know that your father worked for King Thror? Well, he sometimes would come to Rivendell in Thror’s place. Please sit down.

He shows with his hand to the chair right next to him. I sit down with a questioned look on my face. 

There are so many questions in my head, and there is gonna be more of them the more he tells me. 

- Indeed, my father could be gone for weeks, while he worked for Thror. He could be gone for months doing errands for the King. Those times he would be gone for months was not a great time for me and especially not for mother. Then one day father would come home and say that King Thror wanted us out of Dale. He wanted us dead, I don’t remember if my father ever gave an explanation, or if he withheld that information from us.

- I understand. What do you remember more from the past?

- Why are your concerns over the fact that I have forgotten some of my memories?

- Don’t you want to remember your past?

- I want to, Lord Elrond. I do. But I fear that if I would remember them again, I might also remember why I forgot them in the first place.

- Please, call me Elrond. That’s what I told you to call me before.

- Have I been here before?

Elrond looks at me with a face that says something like I’m a bigger problem than he first thought.

- Look Elrond. I did not ask for your help in remembering my past. I haven’t even told you that I have a problem with my memories. If you want to help me, I appreciate it, but don’t give me that look every time I ask something. As I said, I don’t know much after that Smaug attacked Erebor and after the battle of Moria. I don’t even remember a lot between losing my family to that Dragon and getting adopted by Fili and Kili’s mother. There, now you know what I remember and what I don’t remember.

I throw my hands up like I’m giving up. 

Looking back at Elrond, his eyes sparkle in the now fast fading sunlight. A tiny smile appears on his face when our eyes meet.

- I can’t help you if you don’t want my help. And for your question on how I knew about your memory loss. I didn’t. I did not know about it until now.

I look at him in shock.

I thought that he knew right away that I couldn’t remember or that some of the Elves that works and lives here had the powers to read minds and had told Elrond about my memory loss.

”But then they can’t read my mind. Mala, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

- My lord, Mister Gandalf, wishes to see you.

”Ah! Where did Lindir come from? He wasn’t there a minute ago.”

- Tell him that I’ll meet him in a second.

Lindir bows and walks out of the now moon bathing feast room.

- I take it as I should leave you. 

I say as I stand up from the chair.

Elrond looks at me and stands up himself. With a smile, he says. 

- Yes, but I want you to remember this, Ratcha. My offer on helping you with your memory is still here as long as you stay here.

- I thank you, Elrond.

I say as I bow towards him.

He smiles at me, and as I get escorted back to the Dwarves, I can feel the smile from his burns in my back for a long time after that I have left the feast room.

Back where the rest of my little family is, I get greeted by Bofur. He looks at me with a concerned look.

- What?

- You look like someone forced you to brush Smaug’s teeth.

What can I say? The silliness of Bofur, everyone!

I smile and say.

- ( Hah ) No, no one has forced me to do anything, Bofur. Lord Elrond just wanted to speak with me alone. He didn’t let Fili and Kili come along.

- So that’s why they have been worrying us out of our minds. They didn’t want to tell us where you were or if something terrible had happened to you.

- I maybe need to have a little lesson with them about that then.

- Maybe not right now, Ratc. You maybe have to wait until tomorrow.

- Why?

- Take a look for yourself.

He says as he steps aside.

There on the floor nearest the little fire that they have in the middle of the room, well it is more like a balcony, lays Fili and Kili sleeping in the same way as they always do. 

Their backs pressed to each other, and their feet connected, making a little heart. I smile at them, and it is like a warm hand, wraps itself around my heart, and sends happiness through my body. 

I look around and sees that everyone except Bofur is sleeping. Well, him and...

- Where’s Bilbo, Balin, and Thorin?

I ask, looking back at Bofur. He huffs while shrugging his shoulders.

- They are with Gandalf.

- And Gandalf is with Elrond. That’s why I came back now. Gandalf wanted to speak with Elrond over something, so I had to leave.

- Huh , well, we maybe get to know what they have been up to tomorrow. By the way, why did Elrond wanted to speak with,  huh , you?

Bofur asks as he yawns, reaching his arms over his head. 

When his arms fall along his sides again, he suddenly looks exhausted. 

- You should go to sleep, Bofur. What Elrond wanted is something I can tell you tomorrow. Did Thorin tell you who you should wake up to take the next round?

Bofur shakes his head.

- He maybe thought that it wouldn’t take so long, what now he is doing.

- For how long has he been gone?

- Gandalf came for almost three hours ago.

- And you have been the guard for three hours?

- No, I had already been sitting guard for three hours when Gandalf came.

”By Durin’s beard, Thorin! For once in your lifetime, don’t try to break your friends.”

- Wake Dwalin. If Thorin asks when he comes back, just tell him that I don’t want to see any of you break apart because of him. All right?

- All right, Ratc.

Bofur answers as he smiles and hugs me.

I love Bofur’s hugs!

As he walks to wake Dwalin, I lay down beside Fili. He wakes up and smiles when he sees that I’m the one that makes it hard to sleep. He puts his arm around me and pulls me closer to him.

With my head buried into his neck, I fall asleep knowing I’m protected and mostly...

I’m not alone.

Chapter Text

- Ratc, wake up.

- No!

I mumble into Fili’s shoulder.

We have been here for nearly a week, and though Thorin and the others had not told us yet about what happened when they and Gandalf met Elrond that day we got here, they have made it very clear that we need to leave soon.

I can hear Fili’s heavy sigh as his third try to get me away from his arm so he can get up fails. Kili’s laugh is like a warm blanket around my heart, and I smile into Fili’s neck.

”We have done this every day since we got here. Shouldn’t he have learned by now that his try to get me up always will fail? It’s not my fault that it is too comfortable for me to lie here than being up and walking around.”

- All right. Then we do it the other way.

”Another way? Oh no, time to wake up!”

Just as the water hits me, I teleport myself away from Fili and behind Bofur. It’s easier than to have to jump up, and you don’t get wet if you get water thrown at you. 

To teleport, then I have to think of the person or thing I want to teleport to. Then I just have to imagine that I’m there and, Poof, I am no longer where I was before, now I’m a little further ahead of you, or I’m standing right behind you as I do with Bofur right now. 

When I was younger, my brothers didn’t want to play a water fight or tag with me because I would always teleport away from them.

”How they did not come to think of my teleport skills when they planned this, I do not know. But hey, it was a little surprised that they came up with something, so they got me up when I did not want to.”

The water that was supposed to hit me instead hits Fili. And he screams on top of his lungs as the water hits him.

- Ah! It is cold, so cold!

Kili holds his stomach as he howls with laughter as Bofur turns around, so he can look at me, his eyes smiling along with his face. In his hand is the bowl where the water has been.

- So, you are the partner in crime here, Bofur?

I ask, looking up at him as I smile back at him.

- Maybe.

He answers with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

Fili stands up and wraps his arms around himself. That water must have been freezing. 

- Are you cold, Fili?

I ask mockingly.

He is shaking so much that he can’t even answer through his mind. He just stutters out words that make no sense.

With a smile on my face, I walk over to him and wraps my arms around him in a hug. Yes, I get wet, but I send over some warmth from myself to him, so he dries and stops shivering.

- Thanks, Ratc.

He says when he stops shaking and can speak normally again.

I look up at him and smile at him as I let go of him, drying my clothes with my powers as well. The fire we have during the night has long been taken out, so I can’t get any help from that one. 

- Is it safe to walk in here now, or am I gonna have cold water thrown at me to?

- Bilbo!

There he is in the doorway, returning the smile I give him when I hear his voice.

He has gotten his room here in Rivendell, and we haven’t seen him a lot. 

He has walked around and admiring the world around him, taking in everything he sees. And I did not have the heart to disturb him unless I had to.

However, his jacket has seen better days. Well, all his clothes have seen better days. He still has snout from the trolls, and there is some dirt here and there from when we fell to the cave that leads us to Rivendell. When I come to think about it. Everyone’s clothes look dirty and would need to get cleaned. I don’t understand why we haven’t come up with the idea as long as we have been here.

- Hello Ratcha. Gandalf was wondering if you are hungry?

- Of course, we are. We are always hungry.

Bofur answers.

We laugh as we follow Bilbo to the feast room.   

Gandalf is waiting with Elrond and Thorin. Balin has been with us in the sleeping room as I have begun to call it. 

- Ah, there you are.

Gandalf says.

Thorin looks at me and smiles, I smile back at him, then I get the feeling that not everything is as it should be with him. Something is bothering him, but when I tilt my head to the right, asking him what’s bothering him in our language in head moves, he just shakes his head and looks away.

”What has happened? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, I can’t have done that. The day has just started.”

“But, I can have done something any other days.”

“Ratcha, stop blaming yourself for something that is bothering Thorin!”

As we sit down to eat, I look at Gandalf with a questioned look. He shakes his head slowly.

~ I don’t know what it is.  

”Oh, Mala.”

When we start to eat, a feeling of getting choked hits me and, not wanting to worry the others, I force myself not to show any signs of fear on myself. 

I quickly finish my plate and excuse myself for leaving so early. I bow slightly towards Elrond, Thorin, and Gandalf before I walk back to the sleeping room, the choking feeling gets stronger for every second.

I don’t come far before someone grabs my shoulder.

- How is it, Ratcha?

Turning around, I look into Thorin’s concern eyes.

The choking feeling disappears, but I can still feel that it is there. 

- It just feels like I have done something or said something wrong to you, uncle. It feels like that everyone around here hates me.

“Why am I lying? Why can’t I tell the truth to him?”

- Don’t be a fool, Ratc. You haven’t done anything wrong to me or anyone else. It just has been a long week, that’s all.

- But you weren’t happy at me when we first came here, remember? And before you ask, I can’t remember when Elrond saved my life or why.

- Aye, but that’s in the past, we have bigger problems at our hands.

- How so?

- We need to reach Erebor before Durin’s Day.

- So, Elrond could read the runes. Well, that’s good news. But what’s the bad news? Can I see the map?

Thorin reaches down his pocket and hands me the map.

There are some new runes that I can read.

- Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the keyhole.

I look at Thorin and give him the map back while shaking my head. 

- If these runes are to be true. Then we need to hurry. Durin’s Day is in a month, and we don’t have time to be lazy here or anywhere else. If we want to be sure that we will be at the hidden door on Durin’s Day, we need to leave today.

- I didn’t know that you could read Ancient Dwarvish. 

He says as he gives me a questioned look.

- That was new. I didn’t even know that I could. But anyway, we need to leave today.

- I know. We leave tonight.

I nod and walk away.  

When I come back to the sleeping room, the choking feeling comes back much stronger, and my head starts to spin. It feels like someone has hit me with something hard in the back of my head. I stumble forwards and fall to my knees. Black dots are dancing in my view. And a voice so dark is screaming in my head.

~ War is coming! Your friends will die!

~ No! I will not watch them die! Get out of my head!

~ Your world will burn!

It feels like my head is going to explode.

I try to stand up but falls again, hitting my head on a table. The screaming in my head gets louder and stronger. I can’t see anything, and I feel that my whole body is shaking.

I crawl myself to a ball to not use my powers to do damage to myself or anything nearby me. The heat from the fire is not helping either.

”Fire? The fire was out when we left before. How did the fire start?”

- Ratc? What are y... Ratcha!! Gloin, go and get Gandalf!

Thorin screams.

”I can’t see him!”

“Why can I not seem him?!”

Someone lays their hand on my shoulder, and I can’t help it, I scream as loud as I can because the pain that comes from just that little touch is extreme. It hurts. 

I scream and throw my head backward, twisting and turning, trying to get away from the pain and myself. 

- You’re getting too close to the fire! Ratcha, stop moving!

Bofur screams as someone lays his hand on my shoulder again, and I scream even louder.

- Don’t touch her! You will only make it worse!

The hand gets away from my shoulder, but it still burns all over my body. Like I’m lying in the fire.

Then something cold runs through my body, forcing the heat and the thing in my head out from me. But the thing wont to let me go. It wants to take me with it to where ever it came from. I don’t want that. 

So, with as much force, I can muster, and the help of the cold, I force this thing out from my body. When it does give in, something snaps in my head and hearing the evil laughing is the last thing I hear before my world goes black.

Chapter Text

~ Ratcha.

”Where am I?”

Opening my eyes, I realize I’m not in Rivendell anymore. I’m at a very dark place where I can’t even see my hand when I lift it in front of me.

My name, which I thought was said through my mind, echos everywhere. But I can’t see or feel anyone near me nor far away.

“I’m the only one here.” 

“Then how can I hear my name echo everywhere?”

My head spins a little when I move from lying down to sitting up. 

It’s so dark here, and it is depressing that I’m alone in this dark and horrible place. I wrap my arms around me while resting my head onto my knees, trying not to think of why I’m here.

”I died, and now I’m at the afterlife. I will never see my brothers or my family again, never see Erebor. Never feel the wind…”

”No, Ratcha! Stop thinking that. You’re not dead!”

”But how can I know? How can I know that I haven’t died?”

”I don’t want to be here. I want to be with Fili and Kili. I want to laugh with Bofur and listens to story’s from Balin. I want to be with my family again. I… I… I want my life back.”

~ Ratc.

”Has it gotten brighter here? And why does my name sound closer? It doesn’t echo around anymore.”

Looking up with tears in my eyes from the sadness I felt before, I realize that the darkness is gone, as is the grief and depression. 

The darkness has been replaced with light and warmth. In front of me is a door that wasn’t there before. Or maybe it was, but I didn’t see it for the darkness. 

And in the doorway stands the source of light.

- Father?

And sure enough, there in the doorway stands my father. He walks over and kneels while a smile appears on his face.

- My sweet child, how happy I am to see you. Don’t worry, you haven’t died. This is only the ‘Gateway’ the world between life and the afterlife. Your time has not come to walk over to the afterlife. Gandalf saved you, and you will wake up soon.

- No! I don’t want to leave you, father. Can’t I bring you with me?

- No Ratc, I died and have walked over to the afterlife. I can’t go back.

- But…

- Remember what we talked about when you were younger? What our kin believes will happen after we die?

- We will come to the afterlife and meet our family again. Or we can choose to live once more, being someone else. But if we stay in the afterlife, we can help our loved ones back in Middle-Earth. But I don’t understand. Why can’t I use my powers to take you with me, father?

- Because, my little worrier, I have been in the afterlife for over 60 years, remember. How do you think Thorin will react if I come back? I died while I protected his grandfather.

Father looks at me with his cunning eyes, and I get the feeling that he can look through my wall and read my mind. As he always could. 

- Thorin hasn’t told me that, father. He just told me you died with sword in hand while protecting those you love.

My father laughs, and he shakes his head.

- If we had more time, I would have told you what happened that day. But you will wake up any minute now.

- I still don’t want to leave you, father. What if I forget you and my mother?

- You won’t forget us. And before you ask, I haven’t fond your mother in the afterlife. I think she is still out there alive. And if it is so, why she hasn’t tried to find you yet or show in any way that she is alive, I don’t know.

- What? I have never seen her when I look in the field of life, as you have shown me. Can we block ourselves, so we can’t be seen there?

- Have you forgotten that? Well, that can explain why it felt like it was a black hole in your memory.

- Father! You are sounding just like Elrond. He said the same thing minus that he could feel the black hole. He offered me his help in remembering what I have forgotten. But I’m afraid that I have chosen not to remember them because it can harm me. But if you can, then please let me remember what I have forgotten. If it hurts, then so be it. I want to remember!

- I can understand that, my little worrier. And I can help you, but you must be warned that it can hurt when you wake up. 

- Why is the light getting brighter, father?

- You are waking up, and before you go, I want to give you this.

He says as he gives me a neckless. 

- A neckless, shaped like a feather. A feather from an Eagle? A real Eagle?

Father nods his head and smiles. 

- My spirit animal. When you are in trouble, or someone close to you is. Just hold this neckless, and I will answer. May so be that I’m not there to help physically, but I will send help. And Ratc?

- Yes, father?

- You can always talk to me like we did before.

He says as he put on the neckless. 

- But how can you help us, father? You said yourself that you have walked over to the afterlife.

- You haven’t changed.

He says, laughing.

- You still are the curious little girl you were before all this happened. Your mother would have been proud of you.

Father says as he lay his hands on my shoulders. 

That is the last drop for me, and I start to cry.

- My little worrier, don’t cry. Come here.

I throw myself in my father’s arms as I let all the tears that I have kept inside me out. 

The grief of losing mother, the numbness I had over the news about father. Everything comes out as father rubs his hand up and down on my back while murmuring soft words.

”Why haven’t I thought about using my powers to talk to father? Didn’t he tell me that once? That I can use my abilities to speak with someone that is not with us anymore?” 

- It looks like you will wake up now. Our time is up.

Father says as he lets go of me. 

He stands up and walks towards the door leading to the afterlife.

- Father?

He turns around halfway and gives me a questioned look, tilting his head to the side.

- Yes, my little worrier?

- I just wanted to tell you that I love you.

I say as I stand up, smiling at him. 

The light around the door gets stronger, making it harder to see him. But I feel the happiness and warmth that he gives me as he says.

- I love you too, my little worrier. Take care of yourself and your family. They will help you later on. And tell them that they should not grief over their lost ones, for they are always having an eye on them just as I have an eye on you. They want you to wake up now.

Laughing, I say.

- I will, father. I promise to take care of them.

My father smiles before he disappears into the doorway, and the light becomes so bright that it hurts in my eyes. 

I close my eyes, so it won’t hurt as much.

- …Here a minute ago.

”Ouch! Well, father did not lie about the pain.”

- What was that?

- Look!

- Ratcha?

- Yeah?

The happiness that flows in the room overwhelms me as I open my eyes. 

Instead of lying on the floor, I have been moved to one of the bedrooms. I’m lying on my side, looking straight at Kili and Fili. Both are having huge smiles on their faces. 

Mimicking hello to them, I move, so I’m lying on my back. Everyone else from the company is also here. Well, almost everyone.

”Where is Gandalf?”

The light of the moon dances on the furniture and some of the dwarves. It gives them some kind of a mystery to them.

- Hello, everyone.

I say.

They just smile; some even waves to me.

- How do you feel, Ratc?

Kili asks.

- Sore, but otherwise, I guess I’m fine.

- You have been out for quite a while. The whole day to be exact.

Bofur says.

- Wow. Well, I’m sorry, I guess.

- No, don’t say that. You can’t help what happened.

Gloin answers.

- Can you walk?

Thorin asks.

”Why is he in a hurry? Oh, must be for the runes.”

- I think so.

I answer as I lift the blanket off me. 

With some help from Kili, I stand up.

~ You can let me go now, Kili. I can stand for myself.

~ You sure?

~ Yes, I am. Let me prove it to you.

As Kili lets go, I walk over to Thorin.

- Proof enough, uncle?

I ask with a smirk.

He smiles and lays his hand on my shoulder.

- Very much, Ratcha.

He answers as he lay his head on my forehead. That’s how we show our support and comfort to one another.

- Well, then. Shall we leave?

Thorin looks at me and smiles.

He turns around and nods to Dwalin, who walks away with some of the group, the rest follow Bombur to somewhere.

- Come, let’s go to the gate so we can leave this place. 

Thorin says to the rest of us. 

As we come to the bridge, we meet Dwalin and his group. 

They have gone and get our packing, I guess that the other group has gone after some food.

And sure enough, a few minutes later Bombur and his group come with a lot of food.

When we have packed the food into our backpacks, and I have gotten some help with my bag, I’m not as strong as I had hoped I would be, we leave the Last Homely House East of the Sea and into the Wild again.

- Bofur? Where is Gandalf?

- I don’t know.

”Just great.”

Chapter Text

Walking up the path away from Rivendell, with the sun coming up and taking away the darkness and the cold. That is something out of the ordinary.

”If the circumstances had been different, then I would have been loving this view better than what I’m doing now."

- Be on your guard, we’re about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths, lead on.

- Aye.

Bilbo, who is walking in front of me, stops and turns around.

I stop too, wondering how he can walk with this fight he has within himself. His mind is almost screaming that he should turn back but a little part of his mind that is growing bigger by the second wants to stay. But not for the reason that he wants to help us.

”He does have feelings for my uncle.”

“Oh, if only Thorin would have been nicer to him.”

“Ohh, that was a little too much information for me there thank you very much, Bilbo."

- Master Baggins! I suggest you keep up!

Thorin says. 

”What was that? Thorin didn’t want to have Bilbo with us in this quest before. Now he can’t think of this quest without him?”

“I don’t know what to think about those two anymore."

Bilbo turns around again and, with me right behind him, he follows the rest of the group as we enter the Wild.

After that, we have been walking upwards for quite some time and it seems like it would continue to do that, I can feel that many of the Dwarves are hungry and they are complaining to one another in a quiet tone so Thorin can’t hear them.

- For how long will we walk?

- I can’t feel my legs anymore.

- When are we going to stop so we can eat?

~ Thorin. We need to take a break. We’re all exhausted and hungry. Well everyone except you, I guess.

~ They can walk for a little longer. You as well. Stop complaining.

~ Do you want to break us?

Just then, Oin stumbles on his own feet out of exhaustions and falls on his knees. I walk over to him and help him up while I give Thorin a meaningful look. He looks around and says.

- We take a break here. Bombur, can you do some food for us?

Bombur nods and start to take out various things from his backpack.

I walk to a rock a little outside of the group. I just feel that I want to be alone and have a moment for myself.

The neckless that father gave me feels light in my hand as I take it out from underneath my shirt and in the midday sun, it looks like it was made out of gold.

”I wonder how father managed to get this feather? It is a real feather from a real Eagle but how?”

“Mala, there are so many how’s after I met father.”

“Hey! Father told me he would give back my memory, maybe I should look at some of them now."

Closing my eyes, I don't need to think before I can see the memories I had forgotten.

I’m running in the woods, blind of the tears that I have in my eyes.

”Prince Thorin can’t mean what he said. He must be lying. Father can’t be dead. He can’t be! He promised he would come back."

My five-year-old little legs stumble and I lose my balance as I run over a root or something. I roll down the little hill that I have been running on and when I land, I lose my breath for a while. When I try to stand up again a shadow goes over me and when I look up, I see three Orcs standing over me. Weapons steadying in their hands. If I even would make a move towards my knife I would possibly die.

”But who would care if I would do that? I have no one waiting for me back at the camp. I can’t even imagine that Prince Thorin would send out someone to find me. Why would he? I’m just a Mind-Changer. I’m nothing for him."

One of the Orcs points at me, but before anyone can do anything, I hear a whistling sound and seconds later, an arrow have dug itself deep in the side of the neck of that Orc. The two others look at him as he falls to the side dead. Before any of them can react more, two more arrows have been shot and have dug themselves in the side of their necks as well. 

As they fall, out of the forest comes my rescuers.

- Elves.

I whisper to myself. 

Father would tell me stories about the Elves before I would go to bed.

I always wanted to meet one but never did I thought that it would be one who would save my life.

- Are you all right, little one?

Ask the Elf who is standing in the middle. There are five of them but this one has different armor than the others. I guess he is some sort of leader.

- My legs hurt, so does my head. But otherwise, I’m fine. Thank you for saving my life Lord...

- Elrond, my name is Elrond.

- Well, then. Thank you for saving my life Lord Elrond.

- My pleasure, but tell me, little one. Why are you out in the woods all alone?

- My name is Ratcha my lord. I was running away from the place that took my father’s life.

I say as fresh tears fall down my cheeks as just the mention of my father breaks my heart in two.

- My apologies young one, losing a loved one is tough.

- He promised that he would come back.

I whisper. 

My heart and soul hurt like it never has hurt before, and I bury my head in my hands as I start to sub.

- Tell me young one. Was your father’s name Ricth?

- Aye, mother’s name was Relitch, both gone.

- Then you should not be alone. Come with us. You can live with us at Rivendell.

Lord Elrond says as he reaches out his hand, so he can help me up.

I look at him, not sure if I should accept his offer or if I should say no. He smiles down at me and as I take his hand, I make my decision.

- Thank you, Lor...

- Call me Elrond.

- Elrond, but I think that I’ll pass on your offer on living in your home. I know where I’m heading…

”No, I don’t!"

- … And I want to reach that destination before nightfall. So, if you excuse me, I have to go.

I say as I bow my head slightly towards him.

I walk past him and before I can start to run, Elrond gets my attention again.

- Just so you know. The doors to my home are always open to you, as it was to your father.

I look at him and bow as you would do if you met The King. When I look up again, I notice that one of his servants looks at me with sadness in his eyes. I give him a quick smile before I turn around and runs back into the forest.

My vision changes.

I am at the ruins of the house that once was my home.

Now? Now it is completely demolished. The house does not exist anymore, nor my family. 

I’m on my knees in the middle of the ruins. Tears get mixed with my blood from wounds I have gained after a little encounter with some Orcs. They almost killed me but somehow, I managed to survive and kill them instead.

But I did gain some really bad wounds that I need to look up, but I don’t have the energy, nor do I want to check them up either. I would rather die here alone than have to live on my life by myself.

- Ratcha?

Jumping up on my feet, knife already in my hand as I turn around, I quickly fall again as my foot that I have managed to break can’t carry my weight. But before I hit the ground someone catches me.  

Looking up I lock eyes with someone that I never would have thought would have gone out to find me.

- Prince Thorin?

I whisper. 

My voice is really weak as I’m overly tired and exhausted.

- I’m here Ratcha. I would never leave you out here all alone. You belong to us.

He says as he smiles. I can’t answer because I’m so tired that I can’t even think.

- Come. Let’s get those wounds cleaned up. Then we go back to our kin.

He lifts me and carries me to his pony.

By his pony is four more, three of them already have a rider, and the fourth one is carrying all the food and supplies they will need for the journey. The three others ha has with him is;

Dwalin.

”Why am I not surprised?"

Oin.

And...

- Bofur.

I whisper as I see him. 

He looks up and the smile he had quickly disappears when he sees me. He and the other two jumps off their ponies and rushes over to me and Thorin.

Chapter Text

- Ratcha?

Jerking back from my flashback, I’m a little disoriented at first but soon enough I remember where I am. Looking up to my left I lock eyes with Thorin who holds two bowls in his hands, and as he kneels, he gives me one of the bowls. 

- Can I sit here?

I nod as I take the bowl, while wiping away some of the tears that have run down my face.

- You know you don’t need to ask, uncle.

I say as Thorin sits down beside me, smiling slightly at him.

- But I still do.

He says with a sense of laugh in his voice.

- You still do.

I laugh.

- Why were you crying?

- I had a flashback from when you told me about my father and that journey I gave myself to get back to Erebor. I thought I had forgotten them, but I got help to remember them.

I say as new tears start to fall on my cheeks.

Thorin lay's his now finished bowl with food aside and lay his arm around my shoulder so he can pull me closer to him. I lay my head on his shoulder and all the grief and sorrow that I have been carrying deep inside of me comes back from that deep and I bury my head in his shoulder.

I don’t want my brother’s or anyone else in the company to be worrying about me, it’s hard enough talking to uncle about it right now. So, I make an illusion around me and Thorin, the rest of the group will just see is sitting and talking and they will not see me crying.

- Shh, don't cry, Ratc.

- Sorry, it’s just… I… I miss them, uncle. I miss mother and father, I miss Dis and everyone else that we left behind.

- We all do Ratcha. I miss my sister as well, and I know Fili and Kili miss her too. Everyone misses someone back at the Blue Mountain. Therefore are we here for one another. None of us are alone. Don’t forget that.

Thorin whispers, it’s not often he gets this carrying. The other’s, especially Bilbo, has not seen this part of him, he likes to think he is a cold-hearted and fearless leader. But the truth is that deep down, he is a gold-hearted loveable person that wants to help whenever he can.

- I won’t forget that. I promise.

I say as I look up at Thorin and give him a weak but loveable smile.

He smiles back, but that smile quickly disappears and turns into a questioned look.

- When did you get that neckless? Ori said that is just appeared on your neck the second before you woke up.

Automatically my hand goes up to my neck where the feather is hanging.

- You won’t believe me even if you saw it yourself.

- Tell me and we will see after.

I nod and take a deep breath to tell the story...

- Can the rest of us hear as well?

Comes from Kili.

He and Fili had been hiding behind the rock!

- How long have you been eavesdropping?

Thorin asks in surprise.

I have taken away the illusion by now, I did that when Thorin asked about the neckless.

- We just heard the word neckless.

”Bastards."

I think with a smile before I say.

- You bastards! Well, if it as you say.

I say standing up, continuing.

- Then I guess I should tell all of you before anyone explodes with the curiosity of my neckless.

And with that, I walk to the fireplace where Bombur and Oin are sitting. The rest of the group have spread themselves out and are sitting in tiny groups of two to three people.

~ Can you all come to the fire? There is something I want to tell you.

They look up from their bowls with food or whatever they are doing, I think that Gloin was taking a nap, and walks over to the fireplace, where they sit down in a circle, as I sit down between Fili and Thorin a feeling of being watched hits me and my back stiffens.

”You are being paranoid, Ratcha."

Shrugging the feeling off me, I take off my neckless and hold it up in the light of the fading sun and the light of the fire.

- I guess you all have been wondering about this neckless?

I ask to which I gain nods and  ’ayes’  from the rest of the group.

Bilbo who is sitting between Balin and Bofur nods and look at me with wonder in his eyes. I smile a little as I put the neckless back on my neck.

- When I passed out, I went to a place that we Mind-Changers call the  ’Gateway’ . It is there where we come to when we are almost dead, and there we have to make a choice, if we want to go back to this life or if we want to go over to the afterlife. That place is so dark and depressing that I wish you never get to see it. But I met my father there.

- What?!

I flinch a little when they all shout in surprise. But I calm down fast and nod my head.

- Yes, he had walked over to the afterlife and I thought that he had come to take me there as well. But he told me that my time had not come yet.

Here I can hear the sound of relief from almost everyone in the group. They look at each other when they realize that they all had been thinking the same thing and starts to laugh, I can’t do anything more than to smile at them before I continue my story.

- He gave me the neckless saying that if we would get into danger, I would just hold onto it and he would send help. I don’t know how he can do that because he did not tell me.

Everyone looks at me with shock and surprise. No one has ever met their lost ones before. So, I can understand the feeling that I can feel they all have; Grief and loneliness.

- Hey, if I could I would help you to talk to your loved ones again. I know very well how it is to lose someone that is close to you and you all know that. But father did tell me this. None of them have forgotten neither of you. They are watching you live your life here and whenever they can they help you with various things. Have you not sometimes thought that someone is watching you? That, someone, decided to help you, but you can’t see the person? It was your loved ones. My father gave me a promise as he gave me this neckless. Whenever we need help, they will help us. And a Mind-Changer stands to his promise. You if anyone should know that, am I right?

I ask, to which I get nods and mumbling agreement from all of them.

- Well, I haven’t known you for that long. But I trust you and I believe that you are telling the truth.

Comes from Bilbo.

I look at him and smile while I mentally hug him, as I did to Bofur back at Rivendell.

- The sun is going down. Let’s get moving before it gets too dark.

Thorin says as he places his hand on my back looking at the rest of the group. We all agree and start to destroy the evidence that we ever were here. 

A little while later we’re on the road again. This time we walk over the Misty Mountain.

And of course, as soon as we start to walk on the path on the mountain, it starts to rain.

- Of course, we walk into a thunderstorm!

Bofur screams over the thunder and rain.

”He never misses a chance to joke over something."

I think smiling to myself.

- Hold on!

Thorin screams at us as the wind gets stronger.

- We must find shelter!

I scream back at him as I cling myself to Kili, so I won’t fall down the mountainside.

”Why is my whole body screaming? What is it trying to tell me?"

- Look out!

Comes from Dwalin.

”What?"

Looking up, I stare in shock as a giant rock comes flying towards us and smashes some meters right above us. Pressing my body to the mountain, I watch the rock falls in front of us.

”The only thing I can think of that can have gotten that boulder flying in the air is a Stone Giant. But it can’t be, can it?"

- This is no thunderstorm, it’s a thunder battle!

Balin screams over the rain as he points into the darkness.

- Look!

And, lo and behold, from the mountain on the other side rears a Stone Giant while ripping off a massive boulder from the mountain.

”I hate when I am right over something."

- Well, bless me, the legends are true. Giants! Stone Giants!

Bofur screams and walks towards the edge of the path.

”Like we can’t see that Bofur."

- Bofur! Take cover, you fool!

I scream as Kili and Bifur grab a hold of Bofur and drags him back. Just then, the mountain rumbles.

- What’s happening?

Kili asks as he turns to look down on the ground.

”Oh, no."

The path that we are on splits in half and start to glide apart.

I move closer to Kili as the gap gets too big and forcing us to choose one side. It’s just that, Fili doesn’t have a chance to follow us as the gap gets too big for him to walk over.

- Ratc! Kili! Grab my hand! Ki...

”Huh, we are actually on a Stone Giant. Who would have thought?"

As the Giant we are standing on fight with another Giant, we hold onto dear life as we are thrown around. Then suddenly the mountain that our Stone Giant had ripped itself from comes towards us very fast.

~ We are never going to survive this.

I say to Kili as I bury my head in the side of his shirt.

~ If we die. Then remember this. I will always love you. So, will uncle and Fili as well.

- I will always love you too, brother.

SMASH!!

As we fall off the Giant, I feel my whole body gets crushed, the air escapes my lungs and I have a hard time breathing for a time.

”Hey, we survived it."

I’m lying on top of Kili and when I raise my head my eyes locks with his. All you can see in those brown eyes is the relief and happiness of being alive and that I survived as well.

When I lift myself, I realize that I can’t move my legs. Something really heavy is pressing my legs down and makes it difficult to move them. Looking behind me, I quickly understand that the heavyweight comes from Bofur.

~ Bofur. Can you please move away from my legs?

~ Oh, I'm sorry.

He says as he moves away, well he actually rolls of my legs which kind of hurt, and I can move away from Kili, so he can stand up.

Just as he stands up, Thorin and the rest of the company come running. Fili immediately rushes over to me and Kili to make sure that we understand that we are complete idiots for scaring the living thing out of him and uncle. 

- Well, we’re sorry. But we didn't...

- Where’s Bilbo?

”Oh, no, Bilbo!"

- Where’s the Hobbit?!

Looking all around us, I see something at the edge of the cliff.

”Is that hands? Oh Mala! Bilbo!"

- There!

I scream pointing towards the edge.

Bofur and Ori jump forwards trying to get Bilbo’s hand. But Bilbo loses his grip and falls a little before his hands find new grip.

Then Thorin jumps down beside Bilbo and boosts him up. But if it wasn’t enough that Bilbo had to lose his grip, Thorin has to do it too.

- Thorin!

But Dwalin catches him before he gets too far down for any of us to help him and drags him up. If Dwalin hadn’t reacted as fast as he did, then uncle would have fallen to his death.

- I thought we’d lost our burglar.

Says Dwalin as he looks at a much-terrified Bilbo, who is lying between Bofur and Ori, trying to reclaim his breath.

- He’s been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us.

~Thorin!

SNAP!

When Thorin cuts off the link he and I share to communicate and make sure that we are all right even though we are not near each other, I stumble backward into Bifur, who catches me and gives me a concerned look. Shaking my head and telling him in Khuzdul that it is nothing I move my hand to the center of the back of my neck and rubs the sore spot of where the link were cut off.

Imagine that you get stung by a bee in the most sensitive part of your neck. Take that and multiply it with a lot, and you will get the pain that I got. The pain is horrible enough but knowing that it was my uncle who caused the pain makes it much worst.

Kili must have understand what happened because he walks over to me and lay his arm around me as we walk into the cave that Thorin and Dwalin found.

A little while later as Dwalin looks around in the back of the cave to see if the cave is occupied, Thorin comes over to where I’m sitting still rubbing my hand on the spot. It still hurts, it is like he did it just now even though he did it for maybe ten-fifteen minutes ago.

- What'd you want?

I snap at him.

But when I see the pain in his eyes as the realization of what he did has come up to him, I calm down and lower my hand from my neck and rest my head on the cave wall.

Fighting against the tears, I look at him and says.

- Sorry, I shouldn’t snap at you. But you don’t know the pain you gave me when you cut off that link. Don’t ask me why but the person who cuts off the link doesn’t get to feel the pain as the person who he cuts the link off from gets. That reminded me of all the time mother did it to me when she thought I asked too many questions. That pain is something I can only wish my worst enemy would get to feel. Not one of my own. But oh, I forget. I’m not I Dwarf. I’m a Mind-Changer. I’m not one of you.

I know what you're thinking. I shouldn’t be angry at him. But can you blame me? Because of what he did, he gave back memories that I wished I could forget. And all my sadness of being outside of the group long before Bilbo came into the picture and feeling not welcome anywhere just, comes out and I can feel the tears that I have been fighting against is falling on my cheeks when I say that I’m not one of them.

Thorin has sat down beside me, and he is not saying a word. He just sits there and lets me speak, letting me vent over everything.

When I look at him, all I can feel is sadness and I look away as more tears fall.

- You're wrong, Ratcha. You are one of us.

He says in a soft voice. I look up at him again and say.

- How? How can I be one of your kin when I’m not?

- You’re my niece. And no matter if you are a Mind-Changer or a Dwarf, I will always see you as one of us and I will always love you. No matter what you think or what I might say.

Smiling I lean closer to him and calms down as much as I can.

Feeling a tingle in my neck where the pain was before I look up at Thorin who gives me an apologizing look back.

~ You're lucky that I love you more than I can hate you, uncle.

I say to him in a teasing voice.

He just smiles back and pushes me gently in the side before he stands up as Dwalin says that there is no one here in the cave.

Gloin brings out some wood from his bag and rubs his hands together.

- All right then, let’s get the fire starting.

I stand up as well and walk over to Bofur and wraps my arms around him, hugging him from behind.

- What’s the matter?

- I’m just feeling a little down that’s all.

Bofur twist around so he can give me a better hug then what I gave him, just as Thorin calls for his attention.

- Bofur, take the first watch.

- I’ll take it with him.

~ Before you say anything about this uncle, I have too much in my mind right now and I would rather be awake and take the first watch with Bofur than lying awake, not being able to fall asleep.

Thorin nods and walks a little further into the cave.

Later, Bofur and I listen to the snoring from the others and the thunder that rumbles outside.

- What happened earlier out there, Ratcha?

Bofur asks out of the blue.

We haven’t said anything for quite a long time so him asking that made me jump a bit beside him.

- Bofur!

I whisper.

But I can’t prevent myself from smiling when I see the amusement he has.

- Don’t do that ever again, all right? Next time you will have a knife in the side of your neck. You know how I react to someone that scares me.

- Sorry, sorry, I did not mean to scare you. I just thought about what happened between you and Thorin earlier.

Sighing, I move closer to him and lay my head on his shoulder, still looking at the thunder.

- I got angry with Thorin when he said that Bilbo had no place amongst us. When I tried to tell him that, he cut the link off. Which caused a lot of pain and brought back old memories of when my mother did the same thing to me when I asked too many questions. That pain can I only wish to my greatest foe.

Bofur doesn’t say anything for a while. He just sits there with his arm around me, waiting for me to continue. 

- When Thorin came to me when we have gotten into this cave, the pain and sadness got the better of me and I snapped at him. Telling him that what he said about Bilbo also in some way meant me as well. I’m not a Dwarf. I’m a Mind-Changer.

- Ratcha.

Bofur whispers in a sigh.

- Don’t be so harsh on yourself. Thorin maybe didn’t mean what he said about Bilbo. He maybe was too much worried about all of us that he did not think it through. You know how he gets when he worries.

- But what he said about Bilbo. He meant every word of it.

Shaking my head while lifting it from Bofur’s shoulder, I take away some tears that have escaped my eyes before I look at Bofur.

- But I don’t want to talk about it now. I don’t want to remember that pain I felt from the cut off-link. But let me say this, uncle did apologize, and we have fixed the broken link.

”I’m not going to tell him nor anyone else, the fear Thorin had when Bilbo almost fell down the mountain. Uncle does have feelings for the Halfling as well."

I give Bofur a quick smile to show him that I’m all right. He returns the smile and I look out at the storm that seems to never have an end to it. 

”If I would count away my brothers and uncle. Then in this company, it is Bofur who would care about me the most. He did everything he could to make me smile the long way back to the Blue Mountain from Dale. And every night that I would wake up from my nightmares, he would stay awake the whole night. Just so I did not feel alone and would have someone to talk to during the sleepless night. If there only was something, I could do to tell him how much it meant to me what he did then. By Durin, if I only hadn’t forgotten those memories."

The storm calms down and the moon appears in the sky. Turning the awful night into an almost magical night instead.

When I feel that I will fall asleep any minute. My whole body tense and my head gets on wide alert. Not moving much so I won’t alert Bofur about it, I turn my head slightly, so I can listen to see if I can find the source that got me into alert mode. 

”It’s not Bofur. He hasn’t done anything more than smoking on his pipe. Then what ca… What was that?"

My ears normally have great hearing skills, but with some help with my powers then that skill gets even better. 

Now they have heard something like footsteps in the sand. Someone is trying to sneak his way out of the cave.

Just then, Bilbo walks by. He is still sneaking but is forgetting about me and Bofur. Or he must think that we have fallen asleep.

- Where do you think you’re going?

I whisper to Bilbo.

He looks at me and Bofur with anger and confident. His body is ready to leave but his mind, however, has split itself in half, screaming at each other if he really should leave and give Thorin what he wants, or if he should stay and show Thorin that he is not as weak as uncle have portrayed him to be. Just seeing and hearing it, if not much, makes me tired, exhausted and angry. 

- Back to Rivendell.

Both me and Bofur jumps up and goes over to Bilbo.

”No, he can’t leave, not now."

- No, no, you can’t turn back now, you're part of the company. You’re one of us.

Bofur says scared over that Bilbo wants to leave.

- I’m not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he’s right. I’m not a Took, I’m a Baggins, I don’t know what I was thinking, I should never have run out my door.

- Bilbo.

I say in a soft voice.

- You should not always listen to what Thorin says. He doesn’t always mean what he says. But it can be hard sometimes not to listen to him.

Bilbo looks at me with sadness in his eyes. The part of his mind that wants to stay is screaming at him that he should listen to me and stay here with us.

As I talk, I get a feeling that someone from the sleeping Dwarves has woken up and is now listening to what we are saying. Not taking my eyes away from Bilbo I  ’look’  with my mind and sees that this someone is the one that caused this conversation.

”I hope he learn something from this, but that is doubtful. And I probably should not tell him that I know he is awake."

- You're homesick. We understand.

”Do we?"

- No, you don’t, you don’t understand! None of you do- you’re Dwarves, sorry Ratcha.

He says as he gives me a meaningful look. I wave it off and he turns his attention back to Bofur. 

- You used to... to this life, to living on the road, never settling down, not belonging anywhere. 

~ Hey! Why do you think we are on this quest? We can’t help that our home was taken by a Dragon. It is not our fault that we never can settle down anywhere. We have a lot of enemies, Bilbo Baggins. And they will never rest until they have finished their mission. To wipe out the line of Durin.

Bofur looks at Bilbo with an offended expression and I know that I have the same look on my face. Bilbo looks back and forward between me and Bofur as I walk closer to Bofur. I lay my hand on his shoulder as I feel the sadness and loneliness. His feeling of being apart from his family is bigger than it was earlier. Bofur lay his hand on mine and I mentally hug him.

~ I’m here Bofur. You're not alone.

Bilbo quickly understands that he has struck a nerve and stumbles out his apology while fighting against the tears.

- I am sorry. I didn’t...

- No, you’re right.

I say, looking at Bilbo as Bofur turns around, still holding my hand on his shoulder, to look at the sleeping company of Dwarves that we have come to call family.

- We don’t belong anywhere.

He says.

His voice sounds weak and sad, and I can understand him. It's nothing fun in leaving your family behind. Even though I have my brothers and uncle with me here, I still left my mother at the Blue Mountain. Bofur, on the other hand, he left his whole family back there. He has Bifur and Bombur. But still. We don’t know if we are going to see any of those we left again. I know I can look into the future but I’m afraid of what I will see. I don’t want to see any of my family here die along the way for meeting our kin.

~ I’m letting Bilbo go.

~ What?! You said yourself that...

~ I know, I know, but he still has a chance to live his life as he did before. And I’m willing to give him that.

~ Oh, Bofur. Always carrying about others. All right then, let him go.

Bofur turns back to Bilbo, this time with a tiny smile on his face. He leans closer to Bilbo and places one hand on Bilbo’s left shoulder. I lift my hand from Bofur’s shoulder and places it on Bilbo’s right one. Bofur’s smile goes wider as he says.

- We wish you all the luck in the world.

- We really do, Bilbo. Don’t forget that.

I say, giving him a tiny smile.

Bilbo smiles back at us before he turns around to leave the cave. Bofur backs away and I see that he has a concerned look as he looks down at Bilbo’s sword. 

- What’s that?

The sword has begun to glow blue!

I turn around as the noise of machinery catches my ear's attention.

”It’s coming from underneath us!"

- Oh, no, wake up! Wake up!

I scream while I turn around and try to push Bilbo and Bofur out of the cave.

But I don’t get the chance to save their lives. For the floor that we have been standing on opens underneath us and we fall deep into the mountain.

Chapter Text

Darkness.

That is the only thing I can see as we fall deep into the Misty Mountain, I don’t even know what is up or down any longer.

After some time, I can finally see some light underneath us. Then suddenly we land in some sort of basket made of wood. For some time, I’m so disoriented that it takes some time from me to understand that we were lying on a trapdoor. 

”Why did I not come to think of that? Ouch! Bombur, you so damn heavy! What was that?"

Looking up, I stare in shock as a hoard of Goblins comes rushing towards us. Knowing that I can’t do anything against them, I just let them grab ahold of me and follow them while I try not to fall over. I must have hit my head several times when we fell before. My head spins and I can barely get my legs to listen to me. But when I see that they confiscate Nori’s weapon, I take my shirt and hide my knife under it. 

”I don’t think that they won’t find it, but it will take some time for them to find it. And I won’t feel the pain when a Goblin holds it."

- Get off me!

I say when one of the Goblins gets too close and its hands get all over me. I push him away from me, but I lose my balance and almost fall even deeper into the mountain.

Ori catches me before I do fall over and drags me back up. I turn my head towards him and gives him a weak smile.

- Thanks.

I whisper.

He smiles back before we get pushed forwards again.

Suddenly, I feel that someone gets further behind us.

When I look back, I can see Bilbo have crouched down and none of the Goblins sees him as they rushes past him.

I don’t want them to see him so, when I see that some of them are on the way to look back too, I push them, so they take their attention to me instead of Bilbo. 

I get slapped so many times that I fall on my side, and they keep on beating me with kicks and slaps. It hurts so much, and I'm so tired that I don’t have the energy to stand up. But the Goblins helps me with that part, as they grab my arms and throw me forwards. But because of that I am so tired, and my head doesn’t help so much with controlling my legs to stand up, I almost fall every time the Goblins push me forwards.

The last Goblin to catch me push me into the line again and before I fall of exhaustion, Thorin catches me and has me walking behind him.

~ Are you all right, Ratc?

He sounds very angry and worried.

Even though my head hated him when he talked, I force myself to answer him. I don’t want him to think that I am pretending not to hear him. 

~ No, I am not. Mala, my head hurts so much after the fall and the kicks. I’m scared that if this will keep up, I’ll pass out. What will happen if I do? What if...

~ Ratc! Don’t think into those thoughts. None of us is going to let that happened.

Thorin says in a soft voice as he pushes another Goblin away from him.

They haven’t searched for any weapon on me yet, but I can feel the pain that my knife gives me whenever one of the Goblins comes to close to it.

My knife has a spell on it that my father has given it, to prevent that anyone else would get their hands on it without my permission.

But it just that, something has happened with it and whenever anyone touches it, they do not feel the pain, instead, I’m the one that gets the pain. And also, the eviler thoughts this person or creature has, the stronger the pain gets. I don’t know how to get it to not hurt me but the one that should get it.

”Ouch! That hurt! Stop poking me in the ribs with your pointy fingers, Goblin!"

Pressing my hand on my left side, were the Goblin poked me, I feel that my hand gets wet.

With wide eyes, I look down at my hand and sees that I'm bleeding. 

”I can't have started to bleed by just getting poked by a finger."

I look to my left and stare into the eyes of the Goblin that poked me. He gives me a disgusting and twisted smile as he raises his right arm that is holding a knife. And that knife is dripping with blood.

My blood is dripping down that knife.

”Oh, Mala."

~ Calm down, my little worrier.

~ Father?

~ Who else?

My father’s voice has the sound of laughter as the Goblin begins to make choking sounds, and stumble backward before falling down the walkway.

I move closer to the edge to watch him fall, and I manage to catch a glimpse of something that looks like a human form that disappears into the mountain.

~ Thanks, father.

I feel how someone rubs me in the hair and I smile for myself as I feel the pain disappears, the tiredness goes away, my wounds heals, and I don’t have to struggle to keep my balance.

Just then, we walk into a giant opening, for lack of a better word, and the sound of a horn that goes off forces me to do the same as Bifur, slam my hands over my ears as the sound coming from the horn sounds awful.

- I feel a song is coming on.

Right in front of us is the most disgusting Goblin that I ever have seen. His mind is like an open book and just having a quick peak made me want to puke. His thoughts are even more disgusting then himself.

As he sings about that we can’t get away from Goblin-Town, I get informed by reading this big disgusting Goblin's mind, even though I want to stop, that he is the leader or king of Goblin-Town. And he has heard about an award for… 

Wait, Thorin’s head?

”No, it can’t be.” 

“Who would want uncle's head, if not?” 

“No, it can’t be him. It can’t be him!"

But before I even can tell Thorin this or even look more in the Great Goblin’s, as he calls himself, mind, the Goblin that took us from the basket throw some of our weapons in a pile on the floor.

- Who would be so bold as to come armed into my Kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?

”Like we would tell you. Your servants must have figured that one out."

- Dwarves, your Malevolence!

”Like I said."

- Dwarves?

- We found them at the front porch.

- Well, don’t just stand there. Search them! Every crack, every crevice.

The Goblins attack us with their hands in the search of more weapons. I slap away those who come too close to me. 

”I can’t let them find the knife."

I see that they have taken Oin’s hearing trumpet, not knowing what to do with it, they throw it on the ground and crush it.

”You bastards! Leave his hearing trumpet alone, you sick creatures."

One of the Goblins finds some chandlers and the only one I can come to think of that would carry those with him is Nori.

- It is my belief, your Malevolence. That they are in lead with Elves!

I glance at Nori and he looks away.

- Made in Rivendell. Ah, second age, couldn’t give it away.

Dori looks at Nori with a raised eyebrow.

- It’s just a couple of keepsakes.

Nori says as I shake my head to him. 

- What are you doing in these parts? Speak!

None of us wants to say anything and as we stand there in silence, I can feel that many of the Goblins have disgusting thoughts about me specifically. I move closer to Fili and takes his hand.

~ I’m scared, and these Goblins creeps me out. They have disgusting thoughts, Fili.

~ I am not in awe of your powers right now, sister. I do not want to know what these disgusting creatures are thinking. 

Fili says and squeezes my hand.

I squeeze his hand back and lean closer to him as Bofur tries to tell the Great Goblin why we’re here, but without telling the truth of course.

- Shut up!

The Great Goblin screams.

I can feel the terror that all of us have, and the strongest fear I feel is coming from Bofur.

- Well, then, if they will not talk, we’ll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the youngest!

He screams as he points at Ori.

”Ori! No!"

- Wait!

Thorin screams as he walks forwards.

The Great Goblin looks surprised when he sees Thorin. His eyes then fly over the rest of us and when his eyes come to me, I look down, but when I feel that he starts to recognize me, I use my powers.

~ I am not the one you think I am. I’m a Dwarf and not the Mind-Changer you think I am.  Sekurha!

The last thing I say to him is a word that I use to make my  ’spell’  so to speak, more powerful than if I won’t use it. Sekurha means Listen, it sounds ridiculous, but it can be very helpful when it comes to stuff like this. I hate using my kin’s languages, it is a hard thing for me to use since I have not gotten much training in it.

But it helps right now, the Great Goblin does not say anything about me and turn his attention back to Thorin.

- Well, well, well, look who it is, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. King under the Mountain.

He says as he bows. 

I roll my eyes at him and I feel that Thorin does not like his exaggeratedly bow and I laugh quietly.

- Oh, but I’m forgetting, you don’t have a Mountain. And you’re not a King, which makes you nobody, really.

”Of course, he is. He's a far more King than you’ll ever be!"

The Great Goblin looks at Thorin with an almost psychopathic smile, that sends shivers down my spine.

”I do not like this creature."

- I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours, a Pale Orc, astride a White Warg.

”Azog, no, it can’t be."

Thorin sends out a feeling of surprise and disbelief and I mentally hug him as I remember the Orc and Warg that was running away into the night the day our journey started. 

I decide to show Thorin this, but I also show him that I tried to tell him this the day after but that he did not listen to me. He returns the hug and tells me he's so sorry for not listening.

- Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago.

- So, you think his defiling days are done, do you?

The Great Goblin laughs as he turns to a tiny Goblin who is sitting in a basket, holding a slate.

- Send word to the Pale Orc, tell him I have found his price.

The tiny Goblin writes it all down on his slate, he then pulls a lever and as he laughingly disappears into the darkness of the Misty Mountain, the Great Goblin turns his attention to us again. He doesn’t say anything, he just smiles, which makes him even scarier. 

- Oh, what a joy I will have when I give the Pale Orc your head.

He says after some time, laughing his weird laugh as he walks back to his throne. 

~ He won’t behead you without having to fight us first, uncle.

~ I know that I can always count on my kin.

Thorin says as the Great Goblin stands up and walks towards us, his grotesque smile and psychopathic thoughts make the hair on my back rise. 

- Any last words to your friends?

~ Don’t say anything to us or him, Thorin. That is exactly what he wants before he gives the orders to behead you.

~ Thanks for the warning, but I have already figured that one out and I won’t give him that.

The Great Goblin looks very angry when his attempt to make Thorin talk, fails. He turn his attention to one of his servants and says something that I can’t hear.

Then he all of a sudden starts to sing and dance as the Goblins start to search us again. This time they don’t even manage to reach me before their leader runs to his throne and as he points on something on the ground he screams.

- I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks!

”Orcrist!"

As he screams, the Goblins around us take out ropes and start to whip us. Some even start to bite us and use their claw-shaped fingers to slash us.

One of the Goblins slash me in my right arm, and I scream as blood begins to drip out of the wound.

Without thinking, I grab my knife with my left hand and twist, and as the knife grows to a sword, I cut the Goblins head off.

It is just, now every Goblin around us stare at me with fear and surprise as they realize they have a Mind-Changer amongst their prisoners.

My knife is the only weapon that can turn itself into a sword. The smiths amongst the Mind-Changers did not tell the secret for how they once made them.

”Damn it! They are too many for my magic to wipe out the memory. Oh, well, why not let every damn living thing in Middle-Earth know that there is one Mind-Changer left alive!"

- Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!

- Thorin!

Before anyone can react, Thorin gets wrestled down by a Goblin, but just as he raises his knife to behead Thorin, an explosion of light knocks us all down to the ground.

Chapter Text

- Take up arms.

”Ugh, what?"

When the light explosion disappears, my whole body feels numb. I can see that I am lying on the ground with the beheaded Goblin underneath me and Fili on top of me. 

I shake my head trying to clear it while I start to feel my body again, I almost wish that I could continue not to feel it, at least until it stops to hurt.

I look towards the Goblin-Throne and when I see who has spoken, I feel that I have a smile on my face. That smile quickly turns to a weird grimace as the wound on my arm makes itself reminded. 

I look down at my arm and sighs as I see that it is a nasty wound with a lot of blood around it.

- Nasty Goblins.

I growl as I lay my hand onto it. 

With some help with my powers, I heal the wound as much as I can, but because of that, the claw-shaped finger that did the cut was filled with infections, my powers can't heal the wound properly. 

To heal this wound, I will need Oin's medical skills. 

- Fight! Fight!

”Huh? Oh, that's it!"

With help from Fili, I stand up and as the Goblins come charging at us, we grab our weapons and meet them with screams of anger.

I twist my knife to a sword and thrust it through the stomach of one of the charging Goblins. He stares at me and I can see his life disappears in his eyes.

I feel horrible to kill something even if it means that I protect myself from it. 

I have to look away from him and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that my tears will not fall.

Looking towards the throne I see Gandalf tap his staff on one Goblin and the head falls off. I laugh as I drag out my sword from one of the many Goblins I have killed for a short time. 

I guess that I stopped thinking about the killing part after I had killed 5 Goblins. I use both my sword or knife by twisting and turning it to make it to a knife or sword for the situation. I also use my powers to help others when they need it.

By snatching my hand that is not holding the knife and doing some sort of hand gesture, while pointing the hand towards the Goblin I choose to hurt, I can get them to fall off the platform, and by using my mind I can get some of them to attack each other, get them to think that they can’t breathe or that they are on fire.

It is exhausting to use my powers so much, plus that I have to use the sword at the same time is not helping the exhausting either.

- He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Feather, bright as daylight.

”Thanks for the information about Glamdring!"

- Thorin!

I scream as I throw him his sword, which he uses to hit the Great Goblin off the platform.

- Follow me! Quick! Run!

”We’re already running, Gandalf!"

Shaking my head, I run after him and the rest of the company along the pathways in Goblin-Town.

But these damn Goblins can climb on the mountain and they are everywhere! They are underneath, over, on the sides and right in front of us.

As we fight, we split up in smaller groups, I guess we did it without thinking, that is something that happens a lot in this group, for now, I’m running with Kili, Thorin, Oin, Bofur, Dwalin, Balin, Nori, and Gandalf.

- Post!

Comes from Dwalin.

He, Nori, and Bofur cut the ropes to one of the posts and use it to push away some Goblins in our way, and then we off again.

Kili is running beside me and while he is fighting Goblins with one hand, he is holding my hand with the other.

I may have stumbled a few times earlier and I guess he doesn’t want me to fall off the pathway. I know from experience that I can’t do anything to get him to let go of my hand, so I just let him guide me on the pathway while I focus on not to fall and kill the Goblins that are attacking us from behind.

Suddenly, Kili stops, and I run into him.

Looking past him, I quickly hide behind him again as arrows come flying around us. Kili deflects some arrows while we start to back.

- Use the ladder, Kili!

I say and point at the ladder that is hanging on the left from us.

Kili nods, and together, we take it down. With some help from the other Dwarves, we charge towards the Goblins. I can barely hold the ladder for they are running a litter quicker than me, so I decided to focus more on the running part then holding the ladder.

- Come on!

Kili screams as the ladder falls, becoming a bridge over to another path. We all run over with me being the last one. Dwalin reaches out his hand and drags me over the last bit before he kicks the ladder to fall into the dark.

Thorin grabs my arm and pushes me forward. Only that, he grabbed my wounded arm and his hand gets covered in blood. He gives me a questioned look.

~ It just a cut from one of the Goblins, Oin can help me as soon as we have gotten out of here. You better start to run again, uncle. Or we will never succeed with that part.

Thorin nods before he starts to run again, grabbing my hand in the process. I roll my eyes and smile as I follow him along the path. 

Gandalf uses his staff to get a rock to fall in front of us, and as we push it, it squashes the Goblins in the way.

After that we have been running, jumping, ducking, and killing Goblins, we run onto a bridge.

- You thought you could escape me?

We all pauses as the Great Goblin jumps up from under the bridge.

I look around only to realize that we are surrounded of thousands of Goblins on both sides of us. They are even underneath and over us.

”We’re not getting out of here alive."

I think with a sigh as I clutch the wound as it has begun to hurt as much as the wound in the ribs did, but this one hurts even more. And I don’t think I can count on any help from my father now. 

- What are you going to do now, Wizard?

The Great Goblin swings his mace, forcing Gandalf backward onto us. He stumbles but gets help from some of the Dwarves to stand up again. With the help of that push, Gandalf leaps forward and strikes his staff in the eye of the Great Goblin.

- Ow! Ow! Ow!

The Great Goblin screams as he falls to his knees, clutching his face in pain. 

Gandalf takes the opportunity to leap forward again and this time he uses his sword to cut the Great Goblin in his stomach. 

- Well, that’ll do it.

The Great Goblin says as he holds his hand over his stomach.

One more strike with the sword, this time to the neck, and the Great Goblin falls forwards dead.

However, his weight makes the bridge we are standing on to shake and make weird noises. Suddenly it breaks, and we slide down into the darkness of Misty Mountain.

And we are not sliding slow, no, no, we are sliding down fast. I guess that we should be lucky that the bridge didn’t demolish with us on it, as it did to everything in its path down. When it does stop, I am very lucky that I am already lying down, for I would have been crushed by the whole thing if I would have been standing up.

- Well, that could have been worse.

Says Bofur.

Of course, as soon as he said that, the now-dead Great Goblin comes smashing on top of the bridge.

The air I had in my lungs disappears and I think for a second that I will not be able to get out of this thing with him on top of it.

- You’ve got to be joking!

I laugh when I hear Dwalin as I start to crawl out from the demolished bridge. Just as I start to crawl, I almost cut myself with my knife that is some millimeters away from my eyes.

”I am very happy that I was smart enough to hold that thing away from me, and also, that I haven’t pierced anyone else with it. Or that it got stuck in anything for that part."

- Gandalf!

Kili screams, just as I manage to get out of the demolished bridge.

I look at him and sees that he is staring in terror and shock upwards. With a confused expression, I look up and quickly realize why he had that face.

Thousands and thousands of Goblins are running down on the mountainside towards us.

- There’s too many! We can’t fight them!

Dwalin says as he helps Ori out from the remains.

- Only one thing can save us, daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!

Gandalf says as he helps Oin up from the demolished bridge.

I help those I can before we run after Gandalf again.

As we run out of the mountain and into the light, I don’t think I have been this happy to see the sun again.

We run down for a time and as we stop, I walk over to Oin.

- Do you think you can help me with this, Oin?

I say as I take off my light brown jacket, so he can see the wound.

Oin glances at it and starts to unpack some stuff he will need while mentioning for me to sit down and to take off the jacket completely.

As he works on the wound, I use my knife to bend up his hearing trumpet, so he can hear anything again. It is not the easiest thing to do when one of your hands needs to be still, but I manage to get it open without moving too much.

- Where’s Bilbo?

”Huh? What now?"

- Where’s our Hobbit? Where’s our Hobbit!

- Curse the Halfling! Now his lost?

- Dwalin! Can you stop be mean for once? Ouch, Oin!

I look at Oin, but I quickly look away for the anger I got from Oin.

~ Be still. It won’t heal if you’re not still.

~ If you say so, then I guess I have to be still.

- I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us.

I say, earning a glance of disbelief from Gandalf.

- What happened exactly? Tell me!

- I’ll tell you what happened! Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He’s thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not see our Hobbit again. He is long gone.

While Thorin says that, I get the feeling that there is a present amongst us that we can’t see. I can’t even see it with my magic.

”I think I know who it is."

- No, he isn’t.

I can’t help but smile when I see Bilbo standing beside the trees behind Dwalin.

The relief I get from Gandalf and the others is so funny and I have to pinch myself not to laugh. 

Oin has finished working on the wound by now and I have returned his hearing trumpet. 

I am now standing beside Bofur who was the closest to where I and Oin was.

Then I get the feeling from Thorin that takes away the happiness for a brief second. The same feeling my mother felt every time she saw father. The feeling of love. 

Now I am sure of it. Uncle has feelings for Bilbo. And not brotherly love, no, this is the feeling you get when you are in love with someone. 

Believe it or not, I can feel that the same feeling is coming from Bilbo when he sees Thorin. 

"Oh, I got to get them to understand that they are in love with each other. But how?"

- Bilbo Baggins! I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life!

- How on Earth did you get past the Goblins?

Fili asks.

- How indeed?

There is an awkward silence for some time. Bilbo laughs nervously and lays his hand in his pocket. His mind is arguing over if he should tell us about it or not.

”Tell us about what?"

But he is smart enough not to say anything more about it.

”I have trained you well, Bilbo Baggins. Maybe too good?"

- Well, what does it matter? He’s back!

- It matters! I want to know. Why did you come back?

Thorin asks.

Bilbo looks at him and I can hear how something klicks inside his head, as he realizes he has feelings for Thorin. I have to force myself not to smile wider.

- Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And it is not because that Ratcha helped me with that, I understood that myself. But you’re right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that’s where I belong. That is my home. And that’s why I came back because you don’t have one, a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can.

The smile I had before comes back when he says that. After some time, when the words have sunken in, everyone starts to cheer, but it quickly goes silent as the sound of a howling Warg reach us.

- Out of the frying pan...

- … And into the fire, run! RUN!

And off we go again.

Chapter Text

We run down the mountain as fast as we can while trying not to stumble. I don’t think that we want to fall and roll down the hill.

As we run, the sun goes down and soon are we running in darkness. Well, not complete darkness for it is a full moon tonight, giving the forest a mystery to it that is kind of spooky. 

Suddenly a Warg leaps over me and Bilbo. Growling, it charges towards us. Before I even get the knife out of its sheet, don’t ask why I had it there I don’t know myself, Bilbo raises his sword and it impales itself deep in the head of the Warg. Bilbo and I look in surprise as the Warg falls dead to the ground.

- Thank you, Bilbo. 

I say.

He doesn’t answer. He just stares at the dead Warg, wondering how he managed to do that.

~ It was just a reaction your body had Bilbo. It was in self-defense.

~ But, how am I suppose to get my sword out from its head?

~ Well, that could be a problem, here let me help.

- Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb, Bilbo, climb!

I look forward just in time to see Bofur use Dwalin’s head, so he can get up easily to the trees.

I laugh as I wrap my hands around Bilbo’s sword and start to pull at it. But it is like it has been glued into the damn Warg.

- They’re coming!

Sighing, I look at Bilbo and take a deep breath. This sword won’t budge no matter what we do. Now I give up, I don’t have the strength to pull it out, not Bilbo either. The stress of getting it out before the rest of the attacking Wargs reach us is very frustrating. 

“We can’t give up now.”

- Come on, one more time. 

I say as I grab the sword again.

Thorin’s scream that the Wargs are coming is not helping the stress either. So, when Bilbo wraps his hands around mine, I send over some strength to him and with the use of my powers, we get the sword out from the Warg. When it does let go of the head, I stumble backward and fall on my butt.

In any other situation, I would have started to laugh. But not this time, I quickly stand up and push Bilbo towards one of the trees. I help him reach the lowest branch before I start to climb myself. 

Just when I have climbed up a bit, I look down to see that it isn’t five to ten Wargs with riders. No, they are so many that I can’t even count them all. 

Looking up, I see that Bilbo and I have climbed the tree were Fili, Kili, and Bombur have climbed up to.

”Damn it! I missed Bombur climbing the tree. That must have been a funny sight. How the branches didn’t break when he climbed is another question."

Looking down again at the attacking Wargs, I see that one of the Wargs stands out. This Warg is white, and his rider is the Pale Orc himself.

- Azog?

I whisper. 

Azog doesn’t hear me, or he just doesn’t care about me. His eyes are focused on Thorin.

- Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast?

”Well, no wonder we have the scent of fear over us when you and your friends are here, Azog!!” 

“Wait, how can I understand the black speech?"

- Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob.

”You did not kill Thrain, your sick creature! You did not!"

Azog then looks at me and smiles. 

- Izg azat latob krank. Ratcha lûbob Ricth-ob. Tab shiik nûlishi aklash uizub khlaat.

- You're a monster.

I whisper as tears start to fall down my cheeks.

- It cannot be.

Then, the Wargs leaps forwards and starts to climb the trees. Well, they try to climb the trees, they jump as high as they can and bites of the branches. The trees shake violently, and we have a hard time to hang on to them and not fall off. 

After that, the Wargs have jumped and, I guess, dug around the trees, the tree suddenly falls onto the other tree. Not to be crushed by the impact Fili, Kili, Bombur, Bilbo, and I jump over to the other tree.

However, this tree falls as well and like dominoes, the trees fall onto each other until all of us have jumped over to the last tree were Gandalf is. This tree doesn’t fall over, and we should be lucky that it won’t. For this tree is on the edge of a cliff.

Suddenly, Azog laughs his wicked laugh.

At the same time, something falls and hits the Wargs. Something that is burning. 

- Fili!

Comes from Gandalf, who is at the top of the tree. He throws a pinecone to Fili that is on fire. Fili catches the pinecone and I use that one to light my pinecone as well.

- Ouch! Ouch!

The fire hurts, but what would I have expected from something that is burning? But it is a good thing that it is on fire. The Wargs are afraid of fire and won’t come near the tree if we throw pinecones that are on fire at them.

Eventually, someone hit a Warg with his burning pinecone, which forces the Warg flees while screaming in agony and disappears into the night.

Azog screams in anger while we begin to cheer. 

But that cheer turns to cries of fear as our tree start to fall over. And just as it will fall over, it comes to a stop as the remaining roots are strong enough to hold it to the cliff. But for how long will it be able to do that?

I did the stupid thing to look down.

- It’s a long way down if I would lose my grip here.

When the tree fell over, we all lost our balance and is now hanging onto the branches that haven’t started to burn yet.

I must have been sweating or something like that, for I am gliding down the whole time and have to struggle to not lose my grip of the branch.

Beside me, Thorin stands up, his sword held high in one hand and an oaken branch shield in the other. 

”Where did you get that shield from?"

He starts to run down the trunk, straight towards Azog, who smiles and spreads out his arms. Like he wants to hug Thorin. 

”What is uncle thinking with? Azog is on a Warg. He is going to kill you Thorin!”

“Come on Ratcha! Get up! You have to help, if not save your dumb uncle!"

Just as I manage to get up on the trunk, Azog’s Warg leaps forwards and hit Thorin in the chest, smashing him to the ground.

- Thorin!

As Thorin gets up again, he only manages to turn around before Azog’s mace hits him in his chest.

Just as I start to walk down the trunk, Bilbo gets up on the trunk as well.

I only need to look at him once to know that he wants to help. Nodding to him, we start to run down the trunk.

Azog’s White Warg has claps his massive jaws around Thorin and Thorin screams in pain.

He manages to hit the Warg in the head with the pommel of his sword but gets thrown several feet away, Orcrist falls out of his hand and uncle doesn’t do anything to try to take it.

Azog looks at one of his riders and says something, the rider jumps off his Warg and walks over to Thorin. 

Realizing what he is going to do, Bilbo and I start to run faster. Just as the Orc raises his sword to behead Thorin, Bilbo throws himself onto the Orc, causing him and the Orc to fall to the side.

While Bilbo is fighting the Orc, I run over and put myself in front of the almost unconscious Thorin.

~ I'm here, uncle. Bilbo and I got you. Stay with me, please.

I stare at Azog with anger in my eyes, as I feel Thorin goes unconscious.

”I am scared on the inside, but I will not give the Pale Orc that. He will not have the   pleasure of seeing me afraid." 

- You might have taken my father’s life, Azog. But you will not take Thorin’s life as well. If I die while I’m protecting my family, I will take your corrupted soul with me to the afterlife. You have chosen the wrong Mind-Changer to fight against. You’re outnumbered. And I swear that you’ll have to fight me if you want Thorin. You will never have him when I am alive and by his side.

I say in a low voice.

Anyone who knows me knows that when I start to talk in a low voice. The best thing to do is to back away, for I am very angry, and it is not many people that can make me calm down. One of those people who could do that is lying unconscious behind me.

I take out my knife and twist it to a sword. At the time same, Bilbo comes over and stands beside me. I give him a quick smile before I look at Azog with a smirk.

- Well, you’ll have to get past the two of us first.

Azog smiles in hatred and points at us.

- Azul.

”Yeah, yeah, go ahead, try to kill us."

The Orcs and Wargs comes towards us, snarling and growling.

A scream of anger comes from the trunk, and Fili, Kili, and Dwalin launch themselves onto the Wargs. In the confusion that is created, Bilbo and I leap forward with screams of our own.

I cut one Warg on the nose and when I turn around, I am suddenly thrown in the air and land heavily on my back. 

Coughing for air, I look up to see that I have Azog’s White Warg focused on me. I glance over to Fili and the other and sees that they have been surrounded by Wargs.

”I will not get any help from them. What was that?"

An Eagle comes flying over us with a screech, and takes some Wargs and their riders with its massive claws and throw them over the cliff. Another Eagle knocks down some trees, crushing the Wargs under it. 

I look around me and sees that there are Eagles everywhere! I feel the smile on my face grow as I see Wargs and Orcs flying around, they get thrown over the cliff, they get fire onto them when an Eagle fans with his wings over them. 

A screeching behind me gets my attention. And when I look, I only see a mess of feathers is coming right at me. Then I am caught in the claws of one of these giant Eagles. And of course, when I am over the cliff, the Eagle releases me and I am falling before another Eagle catches me on his back. 

I can hear Azog scream and I turn my head back to see him staring at us in frustration.

The feeling of terror hits me when I see the last tree finally gives in and falls over the cliff and into the dark.

"No!"

Another screech makes me look forward and I sigh in relief when I see that every one of the company is all right and on Eagles all of them. 

On my left is Balin and Dwalin. Dwalin has a terrified expression, while Balin has an exited and amusement one. 

On my right is Bofur and Bifur. Bofur has the same expression as Balin and his laugh makes my worrying feeling turn to a happy one and a smile appears on my face. 

Bifur, on the other hand, he stands up and starts to flap with his arms like they are wings. 

- Bifur!

Bofur screams as he drags Bifur down again, and my smile goes bigger.

”Bifur, you are just as crazy as your crazy cousin Bofur, if not crazier."

- Thorin!

Comes from Fili.

I look over to his and Kili’s Eagle and sees that Thorin is lying in the massive claws of one Eagle.

The happiness I have disappears and gets replaced with the worried feeling I had before. 

I can understand Fili’s cry of worry, Thorin hasn’t moved since me and Bilbo stepped between him and Azog.

~ Come on uncle, wake up. Please. Don’t leave us, don’t leave me. You promised you wouldn't leave me behind.

But I can't reach him. He is far away in his mind. He has almost given up on that he will wake up. 

After that, we have been flying over the beautiful landscapes of Middle-Earth, the Eagles circles around a rock formation that looks like a Bear.

- ( Gasp ) The Carrock.

I say in awe.

I have only heard stories of it, but never did I thought that I would get to see it.

The Eagle that has been carrying Thorin gently deposits him on the rock, Gandalf’s Eagle is the second one to land and Gandalf rushes over to Thorin.

- Thorin? Thorin!

When my Eagle lands and I have gotten off its back, I look deep into its eyes.

- Esgarath mellonie.

I whisper in a soft voice as I pat the giant head.

What I said was  'Thank you, my friend'  in my kin’s language and a little bit of magic so the giant friendly creature can understand me.

The Eagle blink and then I feel its wing stroking my back, I smile to him before he flies up to his friends.

- It’s all right, Bilbo is here. He’s quite safe.

I walk towards the rest of the group and over to Kili. He lays his arm around me and pulls me closer to him. I smile as I lay my arm around him as well. 

- You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?

~ Calm down, uncle. He saved...

~ I know. I know that Bilbo  AND  you saved my life. Just let me speak.  

Bilbo look at me and his face has fright written all over it. I can’t do much than to shrug my shoulders and look at Thorin with a questioned look.

- I have never been so wrong in all my life!

Thorin grabs Bilbo and embraces him deeply. The rest of us start to cheer loudly and I smile to myself as I see Bilbo’s surprised face, he then smiles and returns the hug.

- I am sorry I doubted you. 

- No, I would have doubted me too. I’m not a hero or a worrier… not even a burglar.

Bilbo says and gives Gandalf a meaningful look.

We all laugh and the Eagles, that I thought had flown away, screeches. I tilt my head up to look at them, but my eyes see something else. 

- Is that what I think it is?

I say as I point at the mountain in the distance. Thorin looks at me and then follows my gaze. He walks towards the edge of the Carrock with the rest of us behind him. 

- Erebor! The Lonely Mountain, the last of the great Dwarf Kingdoms in Middle-Earth!

- Our home.

Thorin says.

Suddenly, a thrush flies by.

- A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain.

Oin says in excitement.

With a laugh, I say.

- ( Hah ) No, Oin, that is a thrush.

- But we will take it as a sign, a good omen.

Thorin says and looks at Bilbo.

- You’re right. I do believe the worst is behind us.

Bilbo says.

We look at the Lonely Mountain for a little longer before the rumbles from Bombur’s stomach makes all of us jump. Then, of course, we laugh.

We walk down the Carrock and make a fire ready for Bombur to make some food for us.

- Come on Ratcha! Sing for us!

Comes from Bofur.

I look at him in surprise and then I realize that the feeling of excitement is coming from everyone in the company. Even from Bilbo and Gandalf.

Sighing I say.

- What do you want me to sing then?

- That song you came up with at the beginning of the journey. 

Comes from Ori, I know that he loves that song. Everyone in the company does actually. 

I smile at him before I stand up from the tree I have been resting on. I walk over to the fire and takes a deep breath.

Far over the Misty Mountain rise

Leave us standing upon the height

What was before we see once more

Is our kingdom a distant light

Fiery mountain beneath the moon

The words unspoken, we’ll be there soon

For home a song that echoes on

And all who finds us will know the tune

Some folk we never forget

Some kind we never forgive

Haven’t seen the back of us yet 

We’ll fight as long as we live

All eyes on the hidden door

To the Lonely Mountain borne

We’ll ride in the gathering storm

Until we get our long-forgotten gold

We lay under the Misty Mountain cold

In slumbers deep, and dreams of gold

We must awake, our lives to make

And in the darkness a torch we hold

From long ago when lanterns burned

Until this day our hearts have yearned

Her fate unknown, the Arkenstone

What was stolen must be returned

We must awake and make the day

To find a song for heart and soul

Some folk we never forget

Some kind we never forgive

Haven’t seen the end of it yet

We’ll fight as long as we live

All eyes on the hidden door

To the Lonely Mountain borne

We’ll ride in the gathering storm 

Till we get our long-forgotten gold

Far away from Misty Mountain cold

When I sing the last words, everyone erupts in cheers and applauds.

I smile at them and bows, earning some laugh as well. 

When I have gotten some food from Bombur and I'm resting against the tree like before, I realize that I'm feeling relaxed. That is a feeling that none of us have felt for a long time.

At least not since this quest started. But it is a very good feeling to have.

”I think Bilbo is right. Maybe the worst is behind us."

Who knows? Do you?