Just Like Fire[Thorin Oakenshield]

~+Chapter Two~+Thing's Are Different Now

So much has changed in the last 171 years since the desolation of Smaug. The dragon took everything from Evelina that day. She not only lost her father and home that day but lost her best friend as well - the Heir of Durin. After losing her father. The exiled princess of Dale abandon her people and traveled to many lands throughout Middle-Earth, searching for where she belonged. She spent most of her years in the villages of man, taking up jobs such as being a waitress, house-keeping, even was a black smith for a time. To keep her identity a secret, Evelina changed her name to "Lina" while she was on her travels Lina was attack by a pack of warg's. The young woman would have died from the deep wound in her stomach, if it hadn't have been for the elves who weren't to far off and heard the fight. Lina was taken to Mirkwood, where she was given the medicine and healing she needed to make a full recovery.

After being on bed rest for 8 weeks, Lina was finally getting better and soon would be able to continue her journey trying to find where she belonged. The princess met the great Elven King: Thranduil. He offered her to stay in his kingdom for as long as she would like. Lina told him she would think about his kind offer and let him know her decision by tomorrow's feast. The half-breed kept her word when feasting time came rolling around and she agreed to stay for awhile. She wanted to repay him for helping her that day out in the wild - the elves could have left her for dead, but they didn't. King Thranduil insisted it was unnecessary, that he was simply welcoming her as a friend. Lina was taught by her father to always repay you're debts, especially when someone came in your time of need. But something about the way the Elf King's welcoming struck Lina. The woman still continued to be persistent about doing something to show she was thankful for his people's help. The elf finally gave in, he had heard rumors that she had done blacksmith work in a few villages of men and he could always use another one to make sure the guards weapons were kept sharp.

For five years Lina lived in the Elven realm as their blacksmith. When she wasn't needed, she spent her time in the library, reading the history of the elves. Lina never knew her mother, only that she was an elf. The half-breed had a thought and she knew finding out the truth was very unlikely but she had to know for sure. Her father never told her much about her mother - only that she was beautiful and had a very kind heart. Month's went by and she searched through the history. It was close to being a year and her search turned up nothing, she was almost at the point of giving up and she tossed the book she was reading about passed battles of the elven race. Lina glanced at it and saw something sticking out of it. The woman got up from the table and picked up the book and the piece of parchment. Lina's eyes widen. She left the library and went to her room the King had given her and stopped in front of the mirror. She looked at the drawing and then back at her own reflections. The similarities were more then a coincidence, despite the fact that she was quite short for either race. Lina placed a hand on her face, her features were not as soft as an elf since she was part man's blood but her eyes and her smile were too much a like and she now had even more unanswered questions. Lina decided to go straight for the source - The Elven King.

The King tried to deflect the questions but the young princess was not going to let it slide that easily. She demanded to know who this was and why she looked so similar to her. Thranduil finally decided to tell her. The woman in the drawing was his sister - her mother. He knew all along who Lina really was, as soon as she was brought to the Realm he saw his little sister. The elf had only met his niece twice when she was only small child; to young for Lina to remember ever meeting him. Thranduil would not talk about how her mother died only that it was his fault. Deciding she could no longer stay in Mirkwood she left before dawn and traveled far to the small village called Bree. She took work in the Prancing Pony serving food and ale to drunken men and she hated it, but it was a place no one would suspect who she really was.

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It's April 23, 2941. Lina was up early on her way to the Prancing Pony to begin another long day at work. As she strolled through the small village, she had the feeling she was being followed. She turned around but all she saw was the town folk setting up the tables to sell their goods. She kept going only to feel that same feeling again. The half-breed caught a tall grey pointy hat disappear around the corner. Letting curiosity get the best of her, she went around the corner to find out why this stranger was following her. Once around the corner the figure was gone, she narrowed her eyes, wondering where he had disappeared off to now. Deciding to forget about it, Lina turned around to head back when a tall man, wearing old grey robs and on top of his head was a grey pointy hat. "Why are you following me?"

"I've been looking for you for years Lina or should I say Evelina." The old man stated. Lina was shocked, she came here hoping no one would recognize her at all.

"I don't know that name. You must be mistaken."

"You're Evelina, daughter of Lord Girion of Dale." Their was a long silence between them before either spoke. Lina stood their and the old man decided to continue. "I am Gandalf the Grey, I am a wizard. And I have come to you for your help."

"Why would a wizard come to me for help?" Lina barked.

"I am meeting some others in the Shire, we are going a quest to retake the Lonely Mountain back from the dragon." Gandalf elaborated. Lina looked around to make sure no had heard anything this wizard had just said.

"No one would dare enter that mountain. Not while the dragon lives." Lina hissed.

"Evelina,---"

"It's Lina now." She pressed.

"Lina. I know who you really are, who you're meant to be and this is not who you are meant to be. You are the Heir to the city of Dale and this quest cannot be done without you."

" Why me? I am not the heir to the Dwarven Kingdom, I have no right to enter that mountain. The rightful heir died that day." Lina declared, feeling her eyes begin to sting as she thought of him. For years she had forgotten that name and now this wizard shows up out of the blue and brings all her pain she felt that day back.

"Thorin is very much alive my dear. It took me awhile, but I did find him eventually. Evelina we need you on this journey. The others and myself will be arriving in the Shire in four days. I hope to see you there." The wizard finally said. He looked at her with a small smile and with a blink of her eyes Gandalf had vanished. The woman ran her fingers through her hair. All this time she had lived with the thought that Thorin had died that day and now she learns he has been a live all this time?

Lina went to work, trying to forget about what just happened in the street. But as the day dragged on, all she could think about now, was the dwarf. She had been so alone without her best-friend since that day. But things were different now. Evelina had changed after that day. She was no longer the same innocent girl that hid behind books and she wondered what kind of dwarf Thorin had become. She was sure he was still as handsome as he was when they were young but was he still the same person? Lina finally decided at the end of her shift, that it was her last. She was going to the Shire to see this quest through and in hopes see her friend once again.