The Dragoness And The Dwarvish Quest

Chapter Eight Beorn..... and The Explanation

Epic song to go with this chapter. is the link

The eagles carry you to a large rock at the bottom of the mountains, "How did you do that, Naur? That was incredible!" Thorin praises.

"It was nothing." you say trying to brush it off.

"No. No, it was something... you don't have to tell me." Thorin says softly.

"Thank you, Thorin, maybe a story for another time." you say with a small smile.

"If you two are finished staring into each other's eyes, I think we should start moving again." Gandalf says. You and Thorin blush and start following Gandalf into the little forest at the foot of the mountains.

                                                                                       *****

                                                                    [A couple of hours later]

Bilbo bursts into the clearing, "There's something else out there!" he says.

"What form does it take? A bear?" Gandalf says worryingly.

"Ye-yes, but bigger, much bigger." Bilbo freaks.

"I say we go back." Ori says.

"No, the wargs will run us down." Thorin grunts.

"There is a house nearby." Gandalf says.

"Are we welcome there?" Thorin asks.

"He will either welcome us or kill us." Gandalf says with an amused look in his eyes.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin sighs. as if to answer Thorin's question a bear's roar sounds nearby.

"None." Gandalf answers.

The company bursts out the forest and on to the plain; you spot a house about a kilometer away. You see everyone running as fast as they can.... then a giant bear explodes out onto the plain, suddenly the company runs much faster.

You get everyone inside and stay outside yourself, Thorin shouts for you to come in but you shake your head. You walk straight toward the massive bear that was charging right at you. "*Stop!" You command, the huge bear comes sliding to a halt in front of you. "*Is this any way to welcome your friend?" You ask. The bear looks at you for a second and them changes into a human.

"I am sorry, my Queen. Welcome back to my home." He says while bowing.

Thorin comes charging out the house sword drawn and shouting a battle cry, "Thorin, stop!" you command.

Thorin freezes and looks at you with surprise, sheathing his sword. Thorin walks up and Beorn growls, "Who is this Naur?"

"This is Thorin Oakenshield, a good friend of mine." you soothe.

"Okay," he grunts, "anyone who is your friend is my friend... even if it is a dwarf."

"May I talk to you alone please, Naur?" Thorin asks.

"Sure! Beorn, the others are inside please go give them something to eat, I'll be a little while." you say.

You and Thorin casually walk to a river nearby, out of earshot. You talk for a while very simply and about random things like the trees and the flowers. Suddenly Thorin pulls you round and places a kiss on your lips. You stumble backwards with a shocked look on your face, "Sorry, I shouldn't have." Thorin says apologetically.

You look Thorin square in the eye and say, "Thorin..." you pause.

"Yes?" he asks gently.

"do, um.. do you love me?" you whisper hoarsely.

Thorin looks at you for about a minute before answering, "Yes, NaurTinu, I love you." he says solemnly.

You look at him and gulp, "Before you decide that, you might want to know my story.... and if it changes your mind," you pause again, "so be it."

Thorin just leads you to a , and pulls you close to his side with your head leaning on his shoulder. "I will start at the beginning... with my kingdom." you say sadly, knowing that your story might make Thorin despise you.

"My kingdom is that of the skin changers, people that can change into an animal...." you say.

"Like Beorn?" Thorin interrupts.

"Yes, like Beorn. Anyway, we got into a war long ago with the orcs of the misty mountains and the orcs of Gundabad. The Children of the Forest were our allies in this war. We lost many people in the war and couldn't regain our full strength. The war raged for many years. Our two factions joined via royal marriage, three generations before my birth. The Children of the Forest and the Skin Changers became one faction, so that's how I can call on the Children of the Forest." you say.

"Okay.... but how are you a queen?" Thorin puzzles.

"I'm a queen of both factions... because..... Thorin... please let me finish my whole story before you say anything." you plead.

"Of course." Thorin says kindly seeing your distress.

"How the queen is chosen is different to other races. Instead of having a royal family we choose our king or queen by who they can change into. The Royal Animal is very rare, one only being born every couple of centuries.... the Royal Animal changer is the person that can change into a dragon." you say painfully.

"Okaaay...." Thorin says, not fully understanding yet.

"I was born with the strength to change into any dragon...." at this Thorin starts spluttering, "I went out into the world not wanting my power to be queen. I traveled and roamed the earth, until I met a man who I thought I loved with all my heart. One day I told him half my secret, only the part about me being able to change into a dragon. The very next day Thranduil arrived with an army of elves, I could have gotten away because I saw them coming, but before I could run my lover caught me and held me still so that Thranduil could catch me without a fight." you sigh.

You look at Thorin and see compassion growing in his eyes. He was starting to look more horrified at the fact that your lover betrayed you then the fact that you could change into a dragon.

"That is how I got caught by Thranduil.... I swore to myself after I told Gandalf that I would never tell another sole my story...." you smile at Thorin and punch him playfully, "You made me break my promise!"

"Anyway back to my story, I got tortured for a century of life, as he tried to break my will. He wanted to use me as a weapon of war. One day I broke... I would do anything they asked, as long as they stopped torturing me. One day they used me to wipe out a city of men... rebels, but still people." you sob softly.

Thorin just pulls you closer and kisses the top of your head.

"I escaped... Gandalf came and found me and we became friends. He encouraged me to take my place as queen, and I did. Once again a couple of months ago Gandalf came to find me and asked me to come along on a quest to reclaim Erebor for Thorin Oakenshield. He specifically wanted me to kill Smaug... a job which I will probably die doing." you sigh.

"That is my story, Thorin, I will take my leave to give you time to decide whether you still want to know me....." you say only to get cut off by Thorin.

"No need, I have already decided." Thorin says.

You gulp and then ask, "And.....?"

* key: Skin Changer language. Words written in English like this are spoken in the Skin Changer tongue.