They reached the mountainside and Gandalf helped her up the steep mountain. It was a long trek up but they made it in time as Gandalf pointed below them at a group beneath them making their way back down the hill.

"Dwarves." She whispered, "Is my soulmate a dwarf?"

Gandalf only shook his head.

The smallest of them all, that Darcy almost had to squint to see, shouted, "We can't give up now!" He stayed while the others left and so it was him along with Darcy and the wizard who saw the true last light fell upon the wall of stone. The light seemed to strike the rock causing a wide crack down its middle.

With many shouts, they brought the dwarves back up. The one with a beard and braided hair and broad shoulders, face reminiscent of Richard Armitage, came up with the key while Darcy gave a low whistle. He inserted it into the lock before the last of the sun's sliver of light shifted.

"Are you sure my soulmate is not a dwarf? That one there is hot!"

"I don't think his temperature has anything to do with fate's decisions."

Darcy's laugh made the dwarves turn their heads upwards as Gandalf and she slid down a section of the cliff to the outcropping the others were already congregating at.

"Gandalf." The dwarf with the English actor's visage nodded toward the wizard before narrowing his eyes at the sight of the woman beside him. "You bring us another thief? Or is she simply a new pet you've picked up."

"I take it back you are not hot, you are a jerk face…." His smoldering gaze connected with hers, "Damn you really aren't my soulmate."

His narrowed eyes shifted back to the keyhole and the light faded with a snap the stone had shifted as the key had been inserted.

As evening arrived they all pushed the wall of stone together and slowly it gave way. Long cracks appeared and widened until a door a couple inches shorter than Darcy appeared behind the slabs of stone. Despite the thunderous sounds of the stone shifting before the door itself opened without a sound and the air that came from the hole warmed all there faces, like the mountain had exhaled. It was only darkness beyond the doorway, the mouth of the mountain remained open and wide beckoning them forth if they so dared.

"...and now is the time for him to earn his reward."

After a long-winded speech from the not-yet-king Thorin, Bilbo the hobbit stepped forward the walls of the doorway framing his small form. Darcy looked upon him in curiosity so this was the great 'king-maker'. She looked down at him and smiled.

He glanced up but then away his eyes never quite meeting hers.

"I'm Darcy."

"Bilbo Baggins."

"Nice to meet you Mr Baggins."

He glanced at her his eyes resting up at her nose never quite meeting her eyes, instead they shifted towards Gandalf before looking down. One hand in his pocket as if fiddling with something inside it.

Her eyes drifted to his pocket wondering if that's where he hid the ring, missing part of his answering speech to the high prince of the dwarves.

"Now who is coming with me?"

No one answered, but Darcy "I will, Mr Baggins."

He looked up at her this time his gaze not going up above her knees but he could feel her gaze upon him.

"So be it."

As the stars shone down upon their heads the two made their way into the dark. One ducking through while the other walked through with a few feet to spare.

A vapor like fog warmed the air and in it Darcy squinted her eyes, one moment she saw where the hobbit lead and then the next he was gone.

Sweat fell down her face soaking her shirt through and making her eyes blurry.

A great rumble almost growl shook the walls and made the air even more humid and as she walked forward her sleeves wrapped around her hands so she wouldn't burn herself against the walls the sound grew louder until it seemed to echo around her and she came upon a cavernous space. Her hands flying to her mouth to stop the gasp as she viewed the giant dragon that rested below her. Even through her grey, black and white scaled viewpoint he glinted in the light; almost shimmered amongst the millions of pieces of treasure head around and beneath him. He was beautiful and lethal.

Suddenly Bilbo appeared beside her in his hands a large glinting cup, with one last look at the dragon who had moved majestically in his sleep Darcy followed the hobbit from out of the cave.

As the hobbit and dwarves celebrated the reunion of a piece of the treasure, Darcy stayed staring into the mouth of the cave a shudder going down her arms while she both hoped to see and prayed she wouldn't see the monstrous beauty once more.