One Last Chance[Thorin Oakenshield]

~Things Are Different Now~

So much has changed in 170 years. Since Smaug had taken over the mountain. The dwarves of Erebor were forced out of their homeland to start over, taking whatever jobs they could among the world of men to provide for their families. Thorin and the rest of the dwarves, eventually made a new life in the Blue Mountain...except one. Mireya promised herself she wouldn't be where Thorin was. It was only a painful reminder of what she lost and will never have again.

Throughout her years she traveled to different areas of Middle-Earth, taking job's as a Blacksmith to pay for her food, and clothing. On her travels she was badly injured by a pack of orcs, when she was a saved by a Dwarf a little older then her, named Anar and he took her to his home in the forest until she was well again. Week's went by and her wounds were finally healed, but she felt she had to repay him for saving her life. Whether it was money, or working for him, but he wished for no such thing, for saving a woman in distress was all he carried about. Of all the Races of Middle Earth, Dwarf woman were few and far between. She stayed with this Dwarf for months and found herself feeling things she didn't think she would and had not felt in a very long time. Mireya and Anar got married when she was forty-five and when she was eighty-three they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl they named Runa.

For over a hundred years Mireya never thought about Thorin. She was very happy and content with Anar and he gave her the one thing Thorin couldn't: A family, but her happiness was not to last. While Mireya and her daughter Runa were at the market buying food. Anar was at their home alone repairing the roof when he was brutally attacked by a pack of Orcs. They came home and found him on the ground with an Orc mace in his heart. Mireya was devastated just when she was happy and everything was going right for her, it was taken from her once again and worse her child lost a father. She couldn't stay, she had no idea if she or her daughter were safe or if they were next. They left their home where they once felt safe and they went into the wild. Mireya taught her daughter everything she knew with a sword. After what happened to her husband she didn't want her daughter to be left vulnerable. They are now living in a small village called Bree. She works as a waitress at the Prancing Pony.

~~~~~Present Time~~~~~~~~~~~

" What can I get you? " Mireya asked an old man with a beard, that wore long grey old robs.

" That depends, if you can answer my question. Are you Mireya? Daughter of Davina and Ormar?" The old man questioned, with a half smile forming. She bit her lip, wondering if she should say anything to this stranger.

" Who's asking?" She challenged. Curious to how this stranger knew her parents name...and hers.

" I'm Gandalf...Gandalf the Grey. I'm a Wizard." He declared, looking at the Woman in wonder.

" How do you know my parents names? They have never mentioned you to me." She stated with slight hint of anger in her voice, her eyes never leaving his face.

" I know everything about you Mireya, I know that lass over there is your daughter, Runa." Gandalf pointed out. Mireya turned in the direction where a young girl with long dark brown hair that was wavy at the ends, draped over her shoulders smiling as she served drinks to three men. Mireya turned back to look at the Wizard with a serious face, wondering what this Wizard wanted. " And I know, you long to have your homeland back." He added. A chill went through her. She hadn't thought of Erebor since it was taken by a dragon 170 years ago.

" Have you forgotten The Lonely Mountain was taken long ago by a dragon. No one would dare enter Erebor while the beast still lives." She hissed a little louder then she had wanted, and a few of her customers looked in her direction, including her daughter.

" What if I were to tell you that some others and I are going on a quest to retake the mountain." The Wizard stated, talking in riddles.

" I would say good luck, you'll all be killed. " She retorted, coldly to the wizard.

" Mireya, I know that somewhere buried in that soul of yours, you would do anything to reclaim your homeland. You would be a great asset to the company. Your an experience fighter and you know the terrain better then most. I am sorry... that you lost your husband; Anar, he was a good man, but your life is not meant to be in Bree." The Wizard explained in his riddle talk, which was only making her more confused at what he was trying to say.

" I can't just leave my daughter here all alone, I wont do that to her. She has lost enough and so have I. No I wont do that, she's all I have. " Mireya stated in a stern voice to the Wizard. The Wizard knew he was going to have to do everything he could to get her to agree to come. He would have to, he promised the leader of the company he would take care of finding the last two members that would accompany them.

" Your daughter shall come on this quest too. You have taught her well. She will meld into the company very nicely." The Wizard added, only making Mireya more suspicious.

" No. I will not bring my daughter on this dangerous quest, for her to wind up dead. She is just a girl, she deserves to live a happy life." Mireya freaked. She felt guilty ever since her husband Anar died thirty years ago when Runa was only thirty-three years old.

" Mireya, you may not see it but your daughter is a strong one. Just like her mother. I know if you don't go on this quest you'll continue to live with this regret for the rest of your life, that's been eating you up for years. " The Wizard growled at her. Mireya glared at the Wizard, wishing she knew what he was up to. She looked at the ground in deep thought and finally looked at the Wizard with a serious face.

" Anything happens to my daughter. I'll kill you myself." She threatened and she meant it. The Wizard just smiled at her.

" Very well, I shall inform the others. I will be in The Shire tomorrow evening. Their will be a mark on the home where the meeting will be held and then we leave for our journey at dawn." The Wizard informed as he got up from the table and smiled at Runa who had been watching the stranger and her mother exchange words and then he left out the door.

" Momma? Who was that?" Runa asked as she came to her mother's side.

" Sweetheart, theirs something I need to tell you." Mireya admitted and she took her daughter to the side to explain everything to her.