The Dragons' Daughter (Thorin Oakenshield/OFC)

An old enemy

Clarrei could feel the flames inside her burning, champing at the bit to be freed on this disgusting Goblin. She felt more alive than she had in months as she growled: "if you want to get him, you'll have to go through me."
She could hear murmurings and snarling amongst the goblins, and this caused a tingling to erupt over her entire body. She was close to shifting, she could tell that much, but there was no tug at her gut, nothing sprouting from her back. This rage, this anger, it wasn't enough. She needed more, more rage, more grief, to make her change into her true form. She bared her teeth at the vile creatures, feeling her eyes shift to burning gold.
"Well, well!" Remarked the Goblin King, "what have we here? A little dragonling? And what would a dragon be doing with a group of dwarves?"
"That," Clarrei growled. "Is none of your concern."
"She's right." Said a deep voice. Clarrei turned to see Thorin gently pushing his way through the Company to stand by her side.
"And look who else is here!" The Goblin crowed. "Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain! Oh," he continued, rising from the derogatory now he offered to the Dwarf prince. "But I'm forgetting you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you," he paused for effect, "Nobody, really."
Clarrei laid her hand on Thorin's arm as he clenched his jaw in fury. He looked at her and did a double take. I really must look frightening, Clarrei thought to herself.

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How did she manage to calm him? That was what raced through Thorin's mind as he took in Clarrei's new appearance. She should have disgusted him, revolted him with her red scales and golden eyes, but she only enchanted him even more. By all that was holy in Middle Earth, he really had fallen in love with a dragon's daughter. The young girl looked up at the Goblin King with a face of thunder.
"He is not nobody. He is the rightful king of Erebor. And by my own father's scales I swear, I will make you and your filthy friends pay for this indecency. Now let. Us. Through!" With that, she threw her hands out, engulfing the throne in flames. The Great Goblin only just dodged the blast, before shrieking like a repulsive child:
"Kill her, kill the witch!"
Drawing his sword from where it lay on the floor, Thorin laughed.
"She's no witch. She's a dragon."
My dragon. He thought to himself.
"I know that sword!" Screeched the Goblin in front of them. "It is the Goblin Cleaver! Kill them, kill them all! Cut off his head!" He cried, pointing at Thorin. With those words, an onslaught of Goblins surged on the Company, and Thorin found himself overwhelmed by the little creatures. They pinned him down, and one pulled a bone-like blade from its loincloth and held it over his head. Thorin shut his eyes and waited for the blow, but all that he heard was a sickening gurgle, followed by a slight warm, wet liquid splattering onto his face.almost fearing what he would see, the dwarf opened his eyes to see Clarrei smiling at him, her nails on her right hand dripping red. Then he noticed her nails were much sharper than they should have been. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow as he took in the headless bodies of the goblins who had previously held him down.
"Perhaps a little too much?" He remarked, smiling wryly. She laughed, an oddly musical sound in the melee of screams and battle-cries.
"Perhaps." She answered, extending a hand to him. He took her hand, ignoring the blood that smeared his hand. As he stared into those rich gold orbs, the sounds of battle faded away, and all he could hear was the quickening pace of his own heart.
"Clarrei, I-"
"Thorin-"
They both laughed.
"You first." She said. And so Thorin continued.
"Clarrei, I-I wanted to say that I...I'm sorry for what I said on the mountain. I didn't mean that you were-"
A sudden white light filling the cavern cut him off.

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An explosion sounded throughout the cave, and goblins went flying in all directions. When Clarrei's eyes readjusted after the light faded, she saw a tall figure in long grey robes and a pointed hat, carrying a familiar-looking staff in one hand, and a sword in the other.
"Gandalf." She breathed in relief.
"Take up arms." The old wizard said to the dumbfounded Company of dwarves. "Fight! Fight!"
And they did as he said. Clarrei suddenly sprang to life, drawing her sword from her belt. She smiled wickedly as the bright blade caught what little light was in the cavern. Crafted by the Elves of Gondolin themselves, it sliced through the air and foe's necks like a knife through melted butter. As she fought her way through the crowd of goblins, Clarrei then began to follow the Company as they ran towards the rickety bridges that connected the stone platforms of Goblin Town. Goblin after goblin rained down on them, but the Company pressed on, and as Clarrei fought, she could feel her anger receding. Her scales vanished, her nails and eyes returned to normal, and her hair ceased its amber glow. She almost felt disappointed. Clarrei had wanted to see her dragon form for the first time, but it seemed she needed to be angrier.

They finally came out into the sunlight, and the dwarves and Clarrei blinked in the sudden golden rays.
"So bright..." She murmured to herself as they continued to run. It was only when they stopped at the foot of the hill, panting and leaning against the sparse trees for support, that the dwarves realised they were missing a member.
"Where's Bilbo?" Gandalf wondered aloud. "Where is our Hobbit?"
"I thought he was with Dori."
At that, the fussy, tea-loving dwarf looked up, indignant.
"Don't blame me!"
"I don't mean to make things worse," interjected Nori, "but I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us."
Clarrei froze. So she hadn't been the only one to see him leave. She had hoped she had imagined it.
"No." She whispered. "No, he...he wouldn't leave us like that, he...Bilbo would never...something must have happened to him." She decided, staring back up at the way they had came.
"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin spat. "Mr. Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his warm hearth since he walked out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."
There was a moment of silence, but Clarrei wasn't paying attention. She had caught wind of a familiar scent, the smell of tobacco and freshly-baked bread she had come to associate with a certain burglar. A smile grew on her lips as said Hobbit stepped out from behind the tree they were all resting on.
"No, he isn't." He said, looking directly at Thorin. The Company all breathed signs of relief at the sight of him.
"Bilbo! We had given you up!" Kili exclaimed in delight.
"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked, eyes shining. The three had become good friends after the incident with the trolls, and Clarrei could see that the thought of losing Bilbo had affected them greatly.
"How indeed..." Wondered Dwalin. At that, Bilbo laughed nervously and stuffed his hands in his waistcoat pockets.
"Well, what does it matter?" Gandalf stated. "He's back."
"It matters." Came a deep voice. "I want to know." They turned to see Thorin staring at the Hobbit with amazement and doubt in his ice-blue eyes. "Why did you come back?"
Bilbo watched the prince for a moment longer before answering.
"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair, and my garden. You see," he said, pointing towards the way they had come, "that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back." He continued, smiling at Thorin. "Because you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."
When he was done, Thorin looked down at his feet ashamedly, and Clarrei clapped the Hobbit on the shoulder.
"Welcome back." She said.

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A howl made them all look up. Thorin cursed inwardly. Could they not get a moment's peace?
"Out of the frying pan." He muttered.
"And into the fire." Gandalf finished, sounding almost tired. "Run. Run!"
And run they did. Thorin could almost feel the hot breath of the Wargs that chased them on the back of his neck. But he could see that their options were running out. The path they were running along led to a cliff edge, which meant they either had to fight, fall, or climb the trees that dotted the landscape. Taking one look behind him, Thorin decided he would rather take the trees. One by one, the Company climbed the trees, perching high in the branches like odd-looking birds. As Thorin climbed, he reached down and pulled Clarrei up with him. She looked breathlessly into his eyes, her own once again their beautiful blue-silver, and whispered:
"Thank you."
"Of course." Thorin replied, his own breath a little short, and not from the climb. A sudden silence down below made him look at his enemies, and his blood chilled. A white Warg now stood on the small rocky platform on the ground, and its rider looked up at Thorin and his Company with disdain. A Pale Orc, scars across its eyes, and a metal claw where its right hand should have been.
"It cannot be." Thorin choked. But it was. The enemy he thought long dead. Azog the Defiler.

A.N. Aaaaand I'm gonna leave it there for now! I'm sorry if you thought Thorin and Clarrei were going to kiss in Goblin Town, but not yet, my mischievous monkeys, not yet! Trolololololololol!!! (Okay I promise, it's the only troll I will ever do on you guys, Plz don't kill me) this is going to be the last update for a while, so I gave you guys an extra long chapter! Don't say I'm not good to you! My exams are in two weeks so I will get you some more Tharrei (ship name, yes or no?) in June. If you enjoyed, show the little star button some love, and I will write you all in June! :-)