An Experiment Gone Wrong

Chapter 11 - Beorn's House (part 2)

"I remember who I am," Mara whispered. 

Kili and Fili looked at her excited and scooted forward where they were sitting, "so? Who are you?" They asked simultaneously.

"You will not like the answer," Mara stated quickly killing their happiness. "I am a thief. I am a murderer, an assassin. I am the Arch-mage. I am the Bane of Alduin, the World-Eater. I am Dragonborn."

Thorin listened to her intently, eager to learn more about where she is from and who she is, and also eager to know why she sounded so sad to say these things. 

"What do you mean you are a murderer?" Ori asked innocently, kind of scared to hear the answer. "Have you killed people?" 

Mara laughed at his question but not trying to be insensitive to his question, no, more so in disgust of her actions. "That depends Master Ori. Do you consider an assassin - someone who kills for money - a murderer? I lived for the Dark Brotherhood. I have killed the emperor of Skyrim. I have killed a woman standing by the side of her new husband during their wedding." She said staring at the fire. "My hands are soaked in blood more than Azog the Defiler's hands are." She spat in disgust, causing Thorin to turn his head to look at her. 

"You are nothing like Azog," he spoke hoping to quell her feelings and make her feel better. "You are ten times better than Azog will ever be." 

Mara looked up at him and smiled a tired but grateful smile, "thank you Thorin."

"When you say you are Dragonborn, do you mean like the one in that song you sang before?" Bilbo asked curiously, "what does that mean?" 

Mara looked around, "I am called Dovahkiin by the dragons. I am the soul of a dragon trapped within a mortal body, and when I slay dragons I take their souls. I use their souls to learn shouts." 

Gandalf looked at her very intrigued, "is that what you did while we were in the trees battling the wargs and Azog?" 

Mara nodded her head, "I have done it twice without actually knowing what I was doing. Once when the storm giants were battling and the other time at the last battle." She waited for them to get nervous but all she got was a pat on the back from Dwalin and words of praise and Bilbo looking like a kid in a candy factory. 

"Yes, while this is all interesting, we should all get some sleep while we can. We never know what will lie ahead of us." Thorin said, standing up and walking over to the bed rolls. He started to place his out on the ground. After he was complete setting up his bedroll, he walked over to Mara's stuff and grabbed her bedroll. "Mara, you shall sleep by me tonight. I wouldn't want you freezing during the night." He said while keeping his composure and setting up her bedroll directly perpendicular to his. The place to put their heads near one another. 

Mara's face turned a hot shade of red at the whistling of Fili and Kili but nodded her head. She wasn't sure if she wanted to argue with him or not, but she had to keep up appearances. "Thank you for your concern Thorin, but I am fairly certain I will not freeze tonight. I have been through worse." 

Thorin's facial expression never changed as he laid down, asking Balin to be the first on watch tonight. "You will lie down if you are tired enough. Otherwise, you are free to do as you wish." 

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The next morning Mara was the first to awaken. She looked around and saw everyone's sleeping faces, even Bombur's who was the last to be on watch last night. She smiled softly and turned to her other side to give the side she slept on a break from her weight. What she saw set her cheeks on fire. Thorin Oakenshield's sleeping face was right next to hers.