A Place to Belong

Chapter 19: Beorn

Braerka forcefully calmed herself as she re-entered the camp. She indignantly tossed her coat and bag to the ground and slumped into a cross-legged position by a random tree; she tried hard to contain her annoyance at the wizard.

Gandalf had no right to keep the Reaver from her, she had been the one to find it, it was hers no-one else's. She stopped her train of thought there.

'Why am I so angry? Why do I care who has the crystal, as long as no-one is being burned alive, it's fine right?' she thought.

After what all it had done she wasn't sure she really wanted it anymore. It had seemed to her beyond all usefulness, there wasn't really appoint to owning it if didn't work right. Her subconscious clearly had others idea's about that theory.

'You need it; you have to get it back, you....' Her thoughts were interrupted when an all too familiar and unmistakeable voice called to her.

"What's got you so riled?" she heard Thorin ask.

She felt her eyes dart angrily towards him; he hadn't moved an inch since she'd left.

"Nothing!" she replied abruptly and harshly. She suddenly registered just how childish and unlike herself she was being. Was this another side-effect of having owned the Reaver for soul long? Did it somehow have power over her mind? Was it making her crave it?

"There is clearly something! Did Kili say something?" Thorin continued.

"No, it's nothing he did..." she answered, smiling at the thought and noticing she'd become much less irritated by doing so, "...definitely nothing he did..."

Thorin sighed and leaned back against the tree. Braerka continued smiling recalling her moment with Kili, thinking of it relaxed her greatly and all was silent once more. She watched as everyone sat in quietly, some staring into the heart of the fire, others signing in Iglishmêk to ensure the privacy of their conversations.

She sighed and then realised she should alert them to who was coming, "Oh yeah...um... Gandalf's back..." she announced.

Suddenly, and almost instantaneously, everyone became more energetic and began to pull together their wares, confident that Gandalf had been successful.

"Finally!" exclaimed Dori, standing and stretching his stiffened limbs, "Took him long enough!"

Braerka smiled at his comment, he really didn't put much stock in the wizard.

She looked up as both Gandalf and Kili entered the camp; they walked at a leisurely pace. She noticed Gandalf wore a serious, almost grave look; his cheerful mood had been quick to go. Kili however looked content and at peace; she didn't have to guess why.

They split as they entered the camp, Gandalf approaching Thorin and Kili moving towards her.

Kili took a seat on the grass at her side; he looked directly at her and smiled. She smiled back before turning to observe Thorin and Gandalf.

"Why are you so happy?" she heard Fili whisper to him.

"Oh... nothing... just...you know glad to be alive..." he answered, discretely winking at her when she glanced in their direction.

It was nice to see him smile; she loved it when he smiled.

Thorin sorely forced himself to his feet to greet the wizard as he approached.

"So did you find this friend of yours?" he asked earnestly, more reserved and less commanding that usual.

Gandalf cocked a brow, wondering why Thorin had decided to be so sincere. He assumed it was down to something that Oin had given him.