The company sat outside the house and rested. Kili telling the tale of how Ginwyn had summoned the dragon and how they flew when all eyes whipped to the door at the sound of a scream from Ginwyn. Some looked in horror and others in amusement as the sight. There was their king carrying their female ranger on his shoulder while said ranger was yelling, cursing and hitting him on the back. She was mad, no that was an understatement. There was no words for how mad or embarrassed she was. She was being carried like a sack of potatoes in front of all, and some of them were even laughing. She would never live this down, so she decided to make it just as uncomfortable for him as it was for her. She was finally thrown down when they reached a small river. Had he just put her down she might have forgiven him in the end, but he threw her into the ice cold river. The water wasn't deep, it only reached her knees as she stood up. She whipped her head to face him bellowing with all her might.

'' WHAT THE HELL''...

There she stood in the middle of the river, soaking whet, cold and spitting mad, while that blasted dwarf stood at the riverbank looking smock with a stupid smirk on his stupid face.

'' I thought I would rid you of that foul dragon stench, before we had a talk''.

'' Oh you want a talk do you?'' she lowered her voice as she advanced on him. He would pay. When she finally stood right in front of him she grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him forward while she tripped his leg making him fall head first into the water. When he surfaced she noticed that blood was seeping from his torso, but before she could utter her concern she was pulled into the water and dragged into the deeper end of the river where she could just reach the bottom. She tried to wriggle free from his arms, but they would not butch.

'' Stand still woman''. The command was cold and hard, but when she looked to his face she saw none of those emotions.

'' If you want to fight we can fight, but it seems to me like we have a lot to discuss''.

'' Thorin your hurt, you should be resting. Let me tend to your wounds''. He heaved a great sigh, but nodded his acceptance.

'' Then you will tend to my wounds, and while you do that you will tell me everything, and I do mean everything am I clear''. His face broke no room for argument so she nodded and let him guide her back to the riverbank where they found a little clearing with grass he could sit on.

Thorin noticed that she seemed withdrawn and realised that they still hadn't talked about what happened on the cliff. He had been so worried for her and Kili thinking them dead that he had forgotten his anger at her. Balin had also admitted that he too had known of Azog. He understood her reasoning for keeping it from him, but now with her thinking he was mad at her she might tell him, her story finally. But he couldn't take that look on her face so he tried to soothe her some.

'' Look at me''. He drew her head to his with his hand '' I'm mad that I didn't know about Azog, but I know why you kept it to yourself. Know that it doesn't change my feelings for you in the slightness''. She seemed like a great burden had lifted from her chest. And as he kissed her she could feel warmth spread through her body. Before she could deepen the kis, however, he pulled back and took off his shirt. Ginwyn knew that she had to tell him everything, she no longer wished to keep secrets from him.

When he had thrown his shirt to the ground she startled. She had known he would have muscles, she had felt them, but seeing them were an entirely different experience. His toned muscles were covered with dark hair that descended down and dissappeared under his waistline. She averted her eyes as she felt a blush coming on. She went to retrieve her pack and knelt down next to him. He had seen her appraising him and smirked. It was nice to know that she was affected by him, he certainly was to her.

As she started tending his wounds he asked her. '' tell me. Tell me everything''.

'' Where do you want me to begin''.

'' At the beginning. I can't wait to hear how you got a blasted dragon to fly you all the way here, much less with my nephew. But start with the beginning, where were you born''. She couldn't determine his tone, it was gruff, but not angry. She cleared her throat and started her tale.

'' I was born at a camp far to the north in Gondor. My father Arathorn and my mother Gilraen were rangers. At the time they lived with a big group of rangers since my father was the leader.'' she paused, remembering a happier time. '' I remember being in a saddle before I could even walk properly''

She smiled at the memory of her fathers face bathed in pride at her first jump on a horse. '' My father taught me everything I needed to know about fighting, tracking and hunting while my mother taught me the healing arts. When I was about six or seven and I thought myself invincible I went off on my own without their knowledge''. She paused in thought. Thorin studied her face as it became troubled and slightly embarrassed.

'' well I ended up stumbling onto the path of some wargs, and you can imagine their hungry faces when they saw me. I quickly climbed up in a tree while they circled me and tried to jump up and get to me. I hoped that I could just wait it out and they would give up in the end, but I was not so lucky. I don't know how long I waited, the sun had gone down and they were not giving up. They just waited for me. It got cold and I was freezing. I knew that my parents would know I had gone. I knew my father would find me, but not if he would be in time. As the sun rose I could hear the sound of horses and soon battle followed. My father and some of his men had finally tracked me and fought of the wargs. At first my father seemed to be relieved that I was not harmed, but that soon turned to disappointment of me actions. I had never been so ashamed in all my life. It took a long time before he truly forgave me and I don't blame him. I acted like a child. But we mended our relationship and things got back to normal. I took to my studies with a vengeance, I wanted to make them proud of me''.

She paused again as she was done cleaning then wounds and were now spreading a foul smelling salve onto them making Thorin wince at the cold touch.

'' When I was nine or ten and my mother had just given birth to Estel, my father deemed that I was old enough to come on a scouting trip with him and a few others. I had been on a few already, but nothing like that trip. I rode on my own horse I was so proud and excited. We had been away from the camp for about a fortnight when we were attacked by a large group of orcs. My father ordered me to ride to safety, but some of the orcs had already seen me and followed me''.

A few tears slid down her chin and she wiped at them furiously while clearing her throat.

'' Ginwyn I know I said I wanted to know everything, but if you want to stop I wont hold it against you''. Thorin soothed her and wiped her tears away.

'' no, you need to know and I need to say the words''. She straightened up and started bandaging his wounds as she continued.

'' my father took persuit of those who had followed me. I had taken cover in between some trees when my horse was shot down and I fell to the ground. I could hear me fathers voice yelling at me to run, but I was frozen in fear.

They drew nearer to me, but before they could strike me father intercepted them. He was so brave as he fought them all alone. But they were too many and he was slain. He managed to kill three of them before the last two killed him. They turned to me and I was finally able to run. If I had stopped to think I would have known that they were toing with me. They could easily outrun me, but they just took pleasure in the chase. If I had the courage I would have fought them, but I was scared and ashamed at leaving my father's body. I hoped some of the other rangers had survived and found his body. The orcs chasing me were apparently herding me like a sheep, and before I knew it I found myself in the middle of an orc camp. Surrounded by orcs and wargs that were snarling at me. They cried in their foul language and I was so scared I thought for sure I would die. I heard a mighty roar that I never heard before. The orcs had trapped a dragon. How they had done so I will never know, but they had.

They were torturing the giant beast somehow evading the flames it sprouted at them. In my sorry attempt at an escape I accidentally knocked over a cauldron with this very foul smelling liquid over and it hit the cage and chains trapping the dragon and melted it so the dragon was able to get loose. It roared and turned swiping with its tail killing a number of orcs before it took to the sky. As most of the orcs turned to me and one of them ordered the others to either capture me or kill me, I don't know, but right before one on them got to me, I was swooped up by a large clawed hand and then I was airborne. I could see the orcs down below running in terror of the now free dragon, but they grew smaller and smaller as we flew higher. I was terrified, I thought for sure the dragon would eat me. I heard a strange voice in my head speaking to me in a foreign tongue that I could not understand, but the voice was soothing and I soon fell asleep. When I awoke I was not far from my parent's camp. I cried as I remembered my father, but that was quickly replaced by shock when I discovered that my pillow was the dragon.

I jumped up in fright and stumbled several steps back. Its eyes were upon me following my every move. It didn't harm me and I soon realised that if it had wanted to harm me it would have done so already. It had saved me from the orcs. Once again I heard that strange voice in my head and realised that it was they dragon trying to communicate with me. I didn't understand the words, but somehow I understood that it wanted me to return to my camp. I nudged me in the right direction''.

She paused again this time in a lighter mood at the memory of her savior. Thorin sat in deep thought. She had been so young when she had lost her father, he admired her strength for telling him her story. He remembered his own father and grandfather and realised that they had much in common. Before he had time to delve into his own memories, her voice pulled him back into reality.

'' my mother was devastated and she could hardly bare it. We stayed with the ranger for a week in which we buried my father and three other ranger who fell with my father. After the funeral, we packed our belongings and travelled to Rivendel. Lord Elrond is a distant kin to my father so my mother sought his help. When we arrived Elrond was kind and opened his home for us. When Estel was two my mother died. She had been sick for a while''. She stumbled on her words and swallowed hard. When her hand received a gentle squeeze she continued.

'' I think it was longing for my father that killed her and not her illness. We buried her and Elrond was so kind to have a statue of her placed by her grave. I think it was to show Estel what his mother looked like, he was too young to remember her. Elrond raised us and became our ada. He was always kind and patient. I started to train with lord Glorfindel and Erestor became my teacher. As I grew older I longed for the free life of the rangers so when I was about fourteen or fifteen I begged ada to let me train with the rangers. He let me and I returned to my father's people and learned all I could. Not long after that, I met you as you recall. I often returned to Rivendel to spend time with my brother and each time I returned I would see a boy who resembled my father so much''.

She paused again having finished with her job. They switched and Thorin started cleaning her head wound.

'' so tell me, how did you meet Beorn and when did you meet the dragon again?''.

'' Well that is easy, I met Beorn while I travelled close to his lands. Something spooked my horse and the next thing I know I fell into a river with a strong stream so I couldn't swim. I finally passed a boulder that I could hang on to and then this huge bear pass by. I thought it was going to eat me, but it pulled me out of the stream and dragged me onto dry land where it turned into a man.''

She laughed slightly at the memory, her face must have been priceless.

'' As for the dragon. Well he seemed to show whenever I was in the darkest of placed and in the worst trouble. As time went on I discovered that it spoke to me in my mind using elvish. Dragons have their own language that no one, but them can understand, and they rarely speak to people in their minds, but he said that he owed me a life debt and he would come to my aide if I needed it. He has saved me a few times now, I feel honored that he chooses to help me since it really was an accident that it saved him''.

Silence followed. Thorin was finished tending her wounds. They sat and enjoyed the piece and quite before they returned.

I have no idea what you think of this chapter, I hope you like it. I have been struck by a little writer's block it seems that my muse has left the building.