"You need to know something," said Fili, taking her face in his large warm hands. "You will always have me. Even if the Valar take you away tomorrow, I will always be your brother. I want you. I'm going to fight Thorin for you, but even if I lose, y...
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"You need to know something," said Fili, taking her face in his large warm hands. "You will always have me. Even if the Valar take you away tomorrow, I will always be your brother. I want you. I'm going to fight Thorin for you, but even if I lose, you are always my sister. I would sooner stop being a dwarf than stop being your brother."
Can exploring caves land you in a hobbit's pantry? It happened to Sara Miller. Taken from the 21st century, she must navigate through middle-earth to find a way back home. But to do so she will have to understand why the Valar have sent her in the first place, something even Gandalf does not know. All Sara wants to do is return home so she can resume the search for her family but now she is stuck going on this insane quest.
Why are wizards so capricious? Thorin has first-hand experience with one, namely Gandalf. Thorin is determined to reclaim his home in Erebor for his people and was even prepared to accept a hobbit on the quest. But now Gandalf insists that if he wants his help he must allow a woman from another world into his company as well. But just because the wizard brings her along doesn't mean Thorin has to play nice. Who is this woman anyhow and why is the Valar's mark on her hand?
Chapter 1: The door
Sara's socks squelched noisily inside her hiking boots as she plodded through the cave. She squinted at the high dark ceiling and cursed under her breath as water dripped from one of the hanging stalactites and into her eye. Grumbling, she wiped the moisture from her cheek and kicked out at a rock sending it skittering over the stone floor, the sound reverberating back to her in waves as it bounced into the cathedral room ahead.
She had been an idiot to leave the fishing line in her car. Stupid. Stupid. She could have followed the string back to the entrance and been out of this cave hours ago when it became plain she had no clue which direction to go. But now she was stuck blundering around in the dark.
She should have just canceled the whole trip when Nathen had begged off last-minute. He was the one who had explored this cave before, not her. But no, his fiance had dragged him off to help with more wedding plans. Only two more weeks till D-day.
Her step slowed and she sighed. That had been the whole point of this trip, one last hurrah with Nathen before the wedding. She didn't blame him, not really, just Stephanie and her overly complicated wedding plans. Not that she had any particular problem with Stephanie either; it was inevitable that Nathen would eventually find someone to share his life with, and Stephanie was nice enough. Heaven, Earth, and all of Facebook knew Nathen was head over heels for his soon-to-be bride, but Sara couldn't help but be a little bit jealous. Growing up Nathen had been the closest thing to having a sibling, to having family and now... well nothing would be the same.
Still, the trip had been planned, supplies bought, and it was the last chance for a break before finals. It would have been a shame to waste it all just because Nathen could not go. Besides, Sara desperately needed a break from the mind-numbing search through old police, hospital, and orphanage records. Stubbornly she had gone alone but now she was rethinking her faulty logic.
