The dwarves quietly ran around and Bilbo acted as scout. Amara was strapped to Thorin's back but he could feel the feverish heat from her face. Oin had worried over her. He warned that if she got much worse they could lose her. They tried the plant trick they usually did but for some reason it wouldn't work. Bilbo came back from scouting out of breathe and a stuttering mess.
"What did you see out there, boy?" Gandalf asked exasperatedly as the dwarves tried to guess
"Orcs?! How many?!" Dwalin demanded
"N-no..." Bilbo tried to say as he attempted to catch his breathe
"Spit it out, hobbit!" Gloin demanded
Bofur moved closer to Bilbo.
"Well maybe if you lot shut up, he could speak." Amara whispered
Everyone snapped their head to her
"Amara, you're conscious." Bilbo said moving closer to her
"Not for long. Where are we? What's going on?!" Amara asked weakly
"There is a huge bear out there chasing the orcs that were following us." Bilbo finally said
Gandalf nodded. "There is a home not to far from here."
"Does this home belong to friend or foe?!" Thorin snarled not liking how Gandalf was acting so secretive
"It doesn't matter. If we stay here the orcs will be upon us before we can find cover." Amara said slowly closing her eyes more and more before her breathing began to wheeze
Balin came forward.
"You did good, lass. You rest up. Oin will fix you up in no time." Balin said as Thorin watched her flushed face worriedly
"Don't let them die." Amara said deliriously clasping onto Thorin's braid
The other dwarves looked confused until Dwalin came up next.
"We promise, Amara. They'll be fine when you wake." Dwalin said as Amara finally passed out
The look in Thorin's eyes said they would have to explain later. They all began to follow Gandalf. They saw the house but the bear saw and gave chase. The dwarves hit the door but couldn't reach the latch. Thorin jumped and hit the latch making Amara groan at being jarred and woken up. They all raced inside and tried to slam the door shut as the bear pushed against it. Amara reached into pack and took the first thing she had her hand on and hit the bear on the nose with it. The door slammed shut and the latch clicked down. The dwarves fell back and began to catch their breathe. Thorin stared at Amara's hand in disbelief.
"You hit the bear on the nose with a frying pan." Thorin said incredulously
Amara grinned cheekily
Kili and Fili began laughing which started off the others. Bilbo shook his head before taking the pan out of her hand.
"Mama Baggins thumping pan. It's been passed down in the Baggins family for generations. This pan has seen many adventures with the women folk of our clan." Bilbo said
"Never go walking without the pan you never know what trouble you're bound to meet. Grandma never lied." Amara said before blood began to leak out of her mouth and she passed out
Thorin and the others quickly got her off and laid down on a bed of straw they found.
"Why won't she heal?!" Thorin demanded of Oin
"It has to be some kind of poison. The bastard must have used some kind of poison." Oin muttered
"Brother, do you have the herbs you need for something like this?" Gloin asked
"No. If Amara was a dwarf then yes we would be able to get this under control and start her healing. I've tried our methods it doesn't work. Fili, Kili see if you can't get a bath going. Maybe if we clean Amara up the poison will seep out as well." Oin suggested
The cleaning process took hours. The beginning was filled with loud, painful screams from Amara as her wounds were being scrubbed clean of debris and poison. Finally Amara was in a almost coma-like state as she slept. The following day the dwarves and Bilbo met Borin. Borin admonished Gandalf for the improper care of taking care of a hobbit. Borin started a new bath of warm water before setting the hobbit sized tub under direct sunlight. Borin then went to a waste bin filled with fruit and vegetable peelings and began to put orange and cucumber peelings in the water. He added dried rosemary and thyme. Borin gently lifted an unconscious Amara and laid her in the water. A dog walking on his hind legs came and dropped rose petals in the water. The water smelled like fruit and flowers. The dwarves believed they had cleaned everything off of her before but the water began to slowly turn black as orcs blood.
"The healing she gets from the plants will work now. The little bunny was poisoned with orcs blood. Its all gone now. A fresh bath and a healing ritual and the young one will be up in a few hours." Borin said as he lifted Amara from the tub as animals dragged it away to discard and refill with the same concoction
Amara was fully awake by lunch much to everyone's relief.
"Did I kill him?" Amara asked quietly as the room turned silent
Bilbo went to his pack and dug to find a small box. When he returned, Bilbo kneeled in front of her and opened the box. Inside the box was a thick mithril bracelet with golden runic etchings. Bilbo had tears in his eyes as he began something that his mother should have been the one to do. Amara stared wide eyed as tears formed.
"Amara Baggins-Took on this day you have avenged many a victim as well as the last protector of our great Shire. You have mastered the art of stealth, hobbitry, and weaponry. You have followed in our mother's footsteps as your swore to do before our Thain. You have stayed true to yourself and have been gracious as well as brave and strong. Though our previous Protector cannot be here to complete the ritual for you as her apprentice. I shall do so in her stead. With this bracelet you shall gain your mark and graduate to Protector as the one before you. Do you, Amara Baggins-Took accept this honor?" Bilbo stated as the dwarves watched
Some were confused but the others understood this as an honor bound ritual. Amara was finally being freed of her past.
"I do." Amara said clearly
"Then may your mark choose you well." Bilbo said with a smile before placing the bracelet on Amara's wrist
The bracelet glowed red before dark lines formed up Amara's arms. The lines formed vines with flower buds that had yet to bloom but the vines continued on until they formed a lions head. The dwarves noticed that vines seemed to move like in a breeze and then the lion roared. The tattoo flashed red then black.
"The ritual is complete. Welcome to Amara Baggins-Took, Protector of the Shire, Champion of the Gods, and member of the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. Long may your reign of protection be." Bilbo said
Amara smiled before tears fell and Bilbo hugged her.
The dwarves and Borin clapped and congratulated the young hobbit. Amara smiled freely and breathes a free breath as a part of her mission is complete. Azog is dead and now all they have to worry about is Being, son of Azog. He'll be leading the final battle so they had a little breathing room for a bit. The Company stayed with Borin for a few days. Amara refused to deal with the spiders. She hated spiders in this life and the last. Borin let her use his kitchen to make a cream for Thranduil. It would help with dragon scarring on his face. It would also weaken the evil bindings on his mind. Amara knew the only way to help the Mirkwood was to destroy the ring. Dragon fire was able to destroy mostly anything but she hoped that divine intervention would fix the rest of the occurrences to come. It was now time to move into the woods. Borin loaned the Company his horses on the condition they were released before entering the Woods. Much of their journey was the same except for Amara tying the Company together except Bilbo. Amara was deathly ill the entire three day trip through Mirkwood. One night they stopped and Thorin pulled Amara close to him.
"Amraline. What is wrong?" Thorin whispered in her ear
Thorin was worried. Amara was heavily pale as well as cold to the touch. Thorin grabbed an elk skin and pulled it over them as camp was made. The Company worried seeing Amara not getting better.
"I can feel the darkness in the Woods. I can hear the trees and plants begging for help. I can feel their pain and anguish. I can't help them though. I have to finish my mission to help them. The deeper we go through the Woods the louder and harsher the darkness is." Amara explained
Bombur quickly began separating some of the rations and made a small fire to begin a stew. Amara couldn't stomach a lot so she nibbled on a handful of nuts and drank some of the broth from the stew once it was done. Everyone curled together to keep warm and get some sleep. Amara didn't even feel when they had been attacked by the spiders nor did she wake when Legolas and his patrol found them and rescued them. Amara woke when the Elf King ordered her to be snatched from Thorin's arms. Amara came awake abruptly and immediately attacked everyone around her that wasn't dwarf or Hobbit.
"Stop!" Legolas shouted as he dodged tree branches growing from the ground
"What has happened? Why have you harmed my Company?!" Amara demanded and immediately looked for Bilbo who was beside his One
Thranduil came forward when the branches formed a wall around the Company. Amara was swaying slightly.
"A champion. I have not seen one in many years." Thanduil said
"At least my godfather has manners or is it above your intelligence to introduce yourself." Amara said with her held high
Thanduil huffed slightly and his eye twitched.
"I am known as Thanduil, Elf King of the Mirkwood."
"I am Amara Baggins, Champion of Yavanna and Mahal."
"Now that we have been introduced shall you begin your tale for why you are in my Woods." Thranduil said dismissively
The dwarves growled at the show of disrespect to their future queen. Amara merely told the story of what has happened so far. She fought the agonizing headache as it built up. She knew that if the Gods connected the ring to the evilness through out the kingdoms then the Woods would be saved.
"The dragon has slept for more than fifty years. Why should we risk waking it for some dwarves?!" Thranduil demanded
"For pride if nothing else. No one more than you should know the devastation a dragon can cost. Just as elves should be able to spot a curse upon another being on instinct. As a king I understand your reasoning for refusing to go into battle, but afterwards you offered nothing to your allies. There were refugees with no food, water, or shelter. You did nothing for your allies. You may choose not to help us this time either, but you have no right to keep us locked away and away from the quest." Amara tersely
She didn't know she falling down until Thorin held her close. Thranduil listened and judge everyone. Legolas watched as he knew that his father would deny them. Thorin knew that his One couldn't stay here much longer it was eating away at her.
"I remember the elves commissioning a cleaning and restoration of moonstones from our kingdom shortly before the dragon came. In exchange for passage through your forest, would these gems return satisfy you?" Thorin growled out
Amara turned to Thorin in shock, for a dwarf to give the elves anything was astonishing. Thranduil was about to open his mouth when the whole room darkened for a moment. Everyone looked around at the ominous feeling but Amara gave a scream clutching her head and passed out.
"Amraline. Amara!" Thorin said catching her
Oin rushed forward to check her as did Legolas who waved over one of the Guard.
"This is bad, Thorin. We need to get out of here. Maybe the further we get away from the Woods, she'll recover." Oin said
"Father, make a decision. We are used to darkness in our Woods. The young Champion cannot see to handle it." Legolas said quietly as the Guard began to instruct Oin on what herbs to mix and gave medicine to Amara so she wasn't so pale
Amara snapped awake with a moan and was disoriented for a moment.
"I can't help you yet. I'm sorry. I'm so soo sorry." Amara pleaded
Thorin could see the darkness was getting the better of her. This wasn't a battle she could win. Amara turned dazed eyes to Thranduil and moved away from Thorin.
"You're hurt. I can at least help you." Amara muttered and pulled a cream out of her sack
Thranduil went to push her away but branches came up and held him in place. Other elves attempted to help him but we're stopped by vines. Amara applied the cream making the illusion fall and everyone see the burn from the dragon fight centuries ago when Thranduil lost his wife. The cream instantly healed the burn and the skin was restoring itself before their eyes. Amara finished and patted Thranduil's head.
"Such a fuss. See no more pain maybe you won't be so cranky now." Amara said before passing out again and the vines caught her carrying her back to Thorin
Elves were able to cut Thranduil free who immediately began to touch his face in awe. Legolas hadn't seen his father's whole face since he was a child.
"Escort them to Laketown and get accomodations for them. We shall help them finish prepare for their journey. Your weapons and other supplies shall be provided for from us. Do not forget your promise, Thorin Oakenshield. This is mere thanks to the Champion." Thranduil said before giving a slight bow
Thorin gave a nod as he and his men carried Amara away. It was a two day walk to Laketown. Amara didn't wake which concerned everyone until Thorin and Bilbo removed her coat and saw how thin and bruised she was. Oin prepped the elven medicine and gave some to Amara.
"Thorin, she won't make it up the Mountain not like this." Oin said seriously
Thorin looked grim but nodded. Oin put a hand on his shoulder.
"You can always bring her up once we've conquered the Mountain. She'll be at less risk then. Right now she needs to recover." Oin said before walking away
Bilbo overheard everything. He waited until everyone was asleep to go to his sister. He was effected by the forest but not like Amara was. He only felt like he had a cold. Amara woke up as Bilbo touched her arm.
"They plan to leave you here." Bilbo stated
"I know. I'm not strong enough to get up the Mountain yet. I'll be there shortly after you guys get inside. Bilbo they'll need you to go inside to get the Arkenstone. When you see the dragon, you must toss both the Arkenstone and the ring inside the dragon's mouth. They will be destroyed but so will the darkness and curse on the dwarves and their Halls." Amara instructed
"The dragon could get out." Bilbo said worriedly
"If he does I'll handle it." Amara said seriously
Bilbo stated at her before nodding.
"You always were braver than me." Bilbo said
"That's because you got all the self preservation awareness." Amara said jokingly
Both chuckled before coughing harshly. They had a few days yet until the Company set out. Amara hopes to be prepared.