From Other Worlds

The Mirkwood Path

As they rode to Mirkwood, Rayna purposefully took up the rear of the company. She didn't want to keep seeing the glares of Thorin. Kili was all too happy to stay close to her as ordered. He thought about bringing up the necklace, but the stress in Raynas eyes told him it wasn't the best idea right now. He would wait until she was proven right perhaps, if the timing felt right.

They stopped at the entrance to Mirkwood, each climbing off their pony and collecting their packs. Rayna watched Gandalf enter, and looked to make sure Thorin was watching as well.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf moved swiftly, and Rayna looked back to Thorin who only stared at her.

"You're leaving us?" Bilbo rushed to him.

Gandalf sighed, "I would not do this unless I absolutely had to." he paused, "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins."

"I was going to tell you. I found something in the goblin tunnels." Bilbo stopped himself from speaking, the feeling that he now needed to keep an important secret.

"What did you find?" Gandalf became curious.

Thorin was still looking at Rayna when she mouthed the words along with Bilbo, "My courage."

"Good. Well that's good. You will need it." Gandalf gave Bilbo a warm smile before mounting his horse, and Rayna watched Thorin approach her.

"You have proved yourself right, now prove yourself useful. What will we find in the forest?"

"One hell of a stubborn mortal woman Thorin." Rayna gripped his arm and dragged him away from the rest of the company, not unnoticed by the brothers, "I have told you that I am not telling your future, for it could be wrong. That interaction was a safe bet. I have already explained things are different than what I know. Azog namely. You continue this I will fuck off. Leaving me is no longer a threat Thorin. If you want my help, if you want to see this quest done you will respect that I am not telling your future. If you want this quest done you will respect me. You will trust me. And this is your only warning Oakenshield." Rayna let go of his arm as she walked back to the company. This left Thorin a little shocked at her tone, and accepting he may have met his match when it came to stubbornness.

"Everything alright this time?" Fili asked his Uncle when he returned to them.

"She's telling the truth." Thorin nodded to them.

"That's a relief." Kili felt like a weight was lifted off his chest.

"You still want to know what she knows." Fili pointed out.

"She made it certain that I knew she won't be telling anyone. Even threatened to leave this quest herself if she had to."

Kili pulled his brows together knowing that's not whats he told him, "She wouldn't."

Fili gave a quick pinch to his side to remind him where he was, all actions not unseen by Thorin.

"She's a stubborn as a dwarrowdam, I believe she would." Thorin called for everyone to move.

Fili turned to his brother, "Be careful."

"She told me otherwise. She told me she would see this quest done."

"Maybe she was only threatening Thorin. It's best to let him believe that." Fili assured his brother.

"Her necklace." Kili stopped his brother from continuing just yet.

"What about it?"

"I carved it. Gave it to her on the road one night when we couldn't sleep. She found leather in Rivendell to make it into a necklace. I didn't know where she got a necklace for so long and the way she constantly reached for it crawled under my skin, but I carved it. It gives her comfort."