Unexpected Love

An old friend.

"Luthien, you must follow what your heart tells you." The tall slender elf queen says turning to the young girl who stood before her. "I just don't feel that I belong, yes I have the skills and talents of my kin here, but I am built like them and I feel just as strong a pull to them as here." The young maiden replies softly with a sad smile. "Just remember that you will always have a home here darling." The queen answered hugging the young girl.

          Adrianna was jolted awake by a hand grabbing her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see the handsome smiling face of Kili. "It's time to pack up, we're leaving soon." He said holding out his hand for her. As Adrianna placed her small soft hand into his large rough one a fluttering sensation erupted in her stomach, as was now accustomed to the slightest brush from the young prince. Once everyone was ready they began to walk again, the hot sun pounding down upon them. As sweat began to form on the company it seemed their bathing the day before was in vain. Later that evening they all stood awaiting their burglar to return and let them know where the Orc pack was. "Too close. A couple of leagues, no more." The young hobbit said when he climbed down from the rock. As he opens is mouth to continue they night air is pierced by an earth shaking roar. "That was no Warg." Thorin said slightly confused by the noise. "Yes, that's what I am trying to tell you. There's something else out there." Kili instinctively moved closer to Adrianna and placed his hand on the small of her back. In the days since the Pale Orcs return Kili had been increasingly braver about his feeling towards the princess, and she didn't seem to mind. "What form did it take? Like a great bear?" Gandalf asked with urgency. The dwarves begin to discuss Gandalf's knowledge of this creature and what to do. Suddenly a smile spreads it's way across Adrianna's face, "Beorn." she whispers to herself. "Who's house? Are they friend or foe?" Thorin asked bringing Adrianna out of her thoughts. "Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." Gandalf replied. "If we can make it in time we will be safe." She says joining the discussion. "Come on!" Gandalf shouts as another roar pierces the veil of night. As the company takes off through the trees the Orcs catch their sent and take of through the trees giving chase. "To the house! Run!" Gandalf calls from the front of the group, who all seem surprised when Bombur pushed by fear begins passing everyone. As they reach the house they all seem to pile up on each other as the door does not budge. "The latch Thorin." Adrianna yells from the back of the company. The dwarf king pushes his way forward and raises the latch causing the dwarves to topple in on them selves. They make to slam the door when the large snout of a large bear rams into the wooden door. The company all push together and manage to shut the door causing the bear to leave off back to the woods. "What is that?" Ori asked in amazement at the sight they had just seen. Gandalf replied with a simple, "That… is our host."

          "His name is Beorn and he is a skin changer." Adrianna speaks up taking off her cloak and boots. The dwarves look at her strangely as she begins to put her pack down and finding a comfortable spot on the hay. "She is correct. Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overly fond of dwarves." Gandalf continues explaining. Adrianna folds her cloak up as a makeshift pillow, readying herself to lay down. "It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark enchantment." Dori says pulling Ori away from the door. "Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own. Get some rest, all of you. We'll be safe here tonight." Adrianna says, her patience wearing thin, as she lays down in the soft hay and drifts off to sleep. "I hope." Gandalf whispers to himself. Kili carries his stuff over next to the sleeping girl, followed by Fili, and begins to get settled in for the night. The others slowly follow his example and soon enough everyone has drifted off into the best sleep they had gotten since leaving Rivendell.

          The next morning Adrianna awakens to the sound of a heavy door opening and closing. As she opens her eyes she realizes she is quite warm for having no blanket. She rolls over to get up only to realize that a strong arm has a tight grip on her waist. She smiles down at the sleeping Kili and carefully pulls herself from his grasp making her way over to the tall man who was setting the table. "Good morning, Beorn, it's been a while since I saw you last. Though you haven't changes a bit old friend." Adrianna speaks softly approaching the man slowly. It had been sometime since she had seen him and was unsure if he would remember her. "Ah, Adria, my little warrior princess." the skin-changer smiles as he lifts her small frame up onto the table. They sit and talk for sometime before the company begins to rouse themselves and heading for the table. As they all make there way to the dining room a melodic sound echo's through the large home. "What was that?" Dwalin asks, as they are not used to hearing laughter as of late. They enter the dining room and find there half-dwarf seated upon the table clutching her sides in a fit of giggles until Beorn's face became stern and solid. "Please don't be angry Beorn." Adrianna says softly placing her small hand on his. "Angry? With you? Never my Adria, could that ever be a feeling for you or your presence." He replies turning to her with a smile returning to his face.

          Kili's face fills with a mixture of jealousy and hurt as he watches the interaction between the large man and the young girl. This Beorn person even called her by a nickname and it caused him to wonder why. Fili gently placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder and smiled, "Do not worry brother. Perhaps they are simply friends, just ask." He said and then they joined the others at the table. Adrianna beamed a bright smile at the dwarves as they joined her and her old friend, but it faltered at the expression on her favorite dwarf's face. "Beorn I would like you to meet my friends," She says excitedly. "Very well little one, if you insist." Beorn said unenthusiastically. Adrianna went on to riddle off the names of the company starting with Bilbo and going round the table, "And this is Kili!" She says a large smile edging it's way onto her face as his name rolls off her tongue. Beorn looks the dwarf prince over for a moment. Before turning back to the girl that seemed to hold his attention. "Adria, little one, why travel with these dwarves? They are greedy and care not for the lives of those they deem lesser." Adrianna glances around at all the dwarves with a loving look. "Because, they are dear to me and hold a special place in my heart, just as you do." "Very well, because my princess is with you and I wish to keep her safe; and because I hate Orcs more. I will help you, Oakenshield and company." Beorn said

          "We should leave after lunch." Thorin says addressing his company. "No! You will stay another night a leave once you have eaten then." Beorn says, the Mohawk style hair on his back bristling with his insistence. Thorin turns to the skin-changer, "We appreciate your hospitality but I will decide what my company will do." At this Adrianna speaks up, "Thorin we are all tired and the journey ahead of us will be harder than you think." Thorin stares at Adrianna for a moment before agreeing to Beorn's terms. Adrianna breaths out a sigh of relief. That evening Kili and Fili took there place on the hay next to Adrianna. Fili knowing his brother will never ask turns to the girl. "Why does he call you Adria?" A flush of pink crosses her cheeks as she thinks how to respond. "Beorn and I met a long time ago and as we talked and got to know each other I told him about how my father wanted to name me Adria because it sounded more dwarfish, but my mother refused." She says, adding, "So Beorn calls me by the name my father gave me." The brother's listened intently, along with Ori. "He likes you, you can tell by how he talks to you." Kili suddenly blurts out. She nods her head thoughtfully, "Yes, but he and I discussed this this morning before you all woke."

          Everyone seems to have fallen asleep, except for Kili who lay watching Adrianna and Beorn who was moving around the dining area. Kili decided to have a talk with him dwarf to skin-changer. As he enters the room Beorn speaks before he can, "Take care of her… Or I will rip you to pieces." "What?" Kili asks confused. "My Adria, my princess, she loves you. Now go to sleep." Beorn responds and then nudges Kili to his makeshift bed. He slowly falls asleep replaying Beorn's words in his mind,… 'she loves me