The Elf, the Hobbit and the Dwarf - Book 1 NEW VERSION

The City of Dale

"We camp here tonight! Find what shelter you can and get some fires going," Bard told his people. He then turned to Alfrid. "Alfrid, take the night watch."

*

It was freezing cold and the people were hungry, crying out for food. A night they spent there, and Míriel helped Bard with his people, healing and trying to find some food for the hungry children. Alfrid was put into the night's watch in case something approached them, and Míriel had volunteered too but realised that she was needed elsewhere with the wounded.

Míriel spent most of the night trying to comfort newly orphaned children since they missed their parents while feeling strong guilt in her stomach. It was very cold indeed and Míriel had a little girl clinging to her all night in desperation for warmth. As dawn approached, Míriel looked to the mountain and realised that she was being foolish. Why didn't she simply walk over there and talk to her friends? The people of Lake-town would not survive another night like this, and if Bard would not go and speak for them, then Míriel would.

Without anyone, not even Beridan, knowing of it, Míriel sneaked out of Dale before anyone had the chance to wake up. As she approached Erebor she realised that this was the place she had set out to find so many months ago, and finally, she had arrived. Míriel would, at last, be able to see her friends in their home where they truly belonged and despite all the grief and sadness that they had caused because of this mission - the Dwarves deserved to be home once more.

Míriel frowned as she saw that the entrance to Erebor was being blocked by large boulders of stone and at the top of the gate, by the aisles, were Thorin and Balin.

"Thorin!" Míriel called with a smile. "Balin!"

More faces popped up on the aisles and soon all of the Dwarves and Bilbo stood there - safe and sound. Míriel smiled widely and was soon brought up to meet them all, and she spent a good ten minutes just embracing them all. They all wanted to tell her what happened with the dragon - how they had almost defeated Smaug but then he had fled to Lake-town for revenge. Míriel, in turn, explained how it came to be that she was in Dale now and not with Legolas whom Kíli and Fíli had explained to the rest who he was.

"I knew you wouldn't leave us for that Elf Princeling," Bofur said and grinned. "I knew you'd come back."

Míriel smiled sadly, not wanting to tell Bofur that she would have probably been with the Elf had not Arwen been sick.

"I'm leaving as soon as Lord Elrond arrives, though," Míriel said to them all. "Arwen is my cousin, she's like my sister just like you all are like brothers. You don't need me anymore and I can come and visit as often as I can. If you would have me, that is..." She turned to Thorin who had been awfully quiet ever since she arrived.

"Of course we will have you," Thorin said and allowed himself to smile at her.

Míriel beamed and then turned to look at the gate again and now it hit her that they were not trying to keep the cold out, it was the Men they wanted to get away from. Míriel stood up and looked at Dale and remembered the terrible situation the people were in.

"Why would you breach the gate?" Míriel asked and turned to Thorin. "The people of Lake-town need you more than ever. Bard, the leader, tells me you owe them coin since they helped you before. You should let them all inside and then give them the coin they deserve."

"I owe them nothing," Thorin spat and suddenly there was a look in his eye and Míriel did not recognise. The kind, strong Dwarf that she admired so was suddenly replaced by this greedy person whom Míriel did not like. "This mountain was hard-won; I will not see it taken again."