Bloodstained (Thorin x OC)

The Home of the Skin-Changer

"Leithiandes," Beorn set down his axe by the pile of wood he'd been chopping. "It is good to see you again, old friend." He approached, towering over her, Gandalf, and especially Bilbo. He pulled her in for a very gentle hug, which she returned.

"Who are your friends?" He asked, a bit wary. He'd never been overly fond of strangers on his property. Too many trampled flowers and nearly stolen ponies for his liking.

"This is Gandalf," She started. The wizard trusted she could convince him to help them, she always did have a way with words and such.

"Never heard of him. And what's this little fellow?" He knelt down to look at Bilbo.

"That's Mr Baggins," The hobbit looked at the man, trying to hide his terror. "A hobbit, and a very good friend of mine. They have been my travelling companions as of late. Gandalf is a wizard, and I'm sure you've met his cousin, Radagast?"

"Indeed. Not a bad fellow as wizards go, I believe. Well, I understand you dropping by here, but what business do your friends have with me? You know how I feel about strangers."

"We've run into a bit of trouble, and need your help. We've lost much of our supplies when we had a run in with some goblins."

"Goblins?" He looked over to Agarwaen. "What did you go near them for?" He asked. "I would've expected you to know where they take up residence by now."

"I do. They took us by surprise on a path we had to take through the mountains. We've been travelling from the west, you see. It is quite the tale."

"Then you must come inside and tell me. I am always interested in your tales, you know." He smiled and led the way to his front door. Bilbo looked nervously back at the hedge. If this Beorn was so wary of visitors, then what would he have to say about thirteen dwarves?

Agarwaen tried to keep herself from fidgeting, as everything she did hurt her fingers, but even though she knew Beorn quite well, she wasn't sure how he'd react to the company, and that worried her. Beorn led them through his grand house, which had a fire pit burning brightly in the middle, and out onto his veranda, where she had spent quite some time recounting stories to him in the past. They sat down on the benches, and then Agarwaen began.

"I was taking a few friends through the mountains with me..."

"A few? I can only see two, and one of them is quite a little one at that." Beorn interrupted. He disliked discrepancies in her stories, as he always wanted to envision it perfectly, as if he was out there venturing the wilds too. It's something he'd always wanted to do, but knew he couldn't.

"Well, you see," Gandalf spoke, and Beorn's dark brown eyes shifted to the wizard. "We didn't want to bother you with a lot of us until we found out if you were busy. I will give a call if I may."

"Go on, call away." Beorn agreed, wondering exactly how many other friends Leithiandes had. He knew that for a time, he was her only. Gandalf gave a sharp whistle, and from around the hedge, which they could see from the veranda, came Thorin and Dori.

"Quite a few friends, I see. But these are not hobbits, they are dwarves." Beorn was less than pleased.

"Thorin Oakensheild, at your service." Thorin said with a bow.

"Dori, at your service." Dori chimed in, after. Beorn looked to Agarwaen with an eyebrow raised. She offered an apologetic smile in return.

"I don't need your service, thank you. But I expect you need mine. I am not fond of dwarves, Leithiandes knows as much, but if it is true you are Thorin, and that your companion is respectable, and that you are enemies of goblins, and not to any mischief in my lands--what are you up to by the way?" He interrupted his own words. Gandalf explained that they are on their way to the land of their fathers beyond Mirkwood, and that happening upon his homestead was entirely an accident. Thorin looked to Agarwaen, silently asking if everything was going as planned. She nodded, and spoke to the man again.