A/N - Hey guys and welcome to Chapter Two.

----- Charlotte's P.O.V -----

I smiled at the woman as I pulled the bread off of the table. Distracting her through talking to her, meant she didn't notice me removing food from the table and hiding it under my cloak. Quickly I made an excuse to leave before I walked away from her shop and hid down one of the darkened alley ways so I could move what I had stolen.

Slipping the food from under my cloak I put the food into the basket, I had taken from a village over. It wasn't practical when I came face to face with an orc pack, but it made me fit in as your average woman walking through each village.

Bree was the easiest place to get what I wanted. Everyone pitied me; they had known my family for generations and were more than willing to help me pay my way, but everywhere else it was easy enough to just take whatever I needed. It wasn't like I was a thief per se. I would just take what I couldn't afford and what was a necessity, sadly, I couldn't afford anything and most things were necessities.

I wasn't completely sure what village I was currently in, they all blended into each other, I could tell the difference between towns and villages, but each town and each village were practically the same, if they were human villages. I wasn't completely ignorant to the places of Middle Earth. I could tell Rivendell and Bree apart seen as one was the home of elves and the other the home of humans. But most human towns were identical really unless I had spent a lot of time there, like Bree and Laketown.

Even though I wore a dress with a long cloak, and carried a basket, I wasn't the innocent human girl everyone in these villages saw me as. My sword was concealed under my cloak, and I had a few odd daggers hidden here and there. You could never be too careful in travelling across Middle Earth.

Orcs and wargs were everywhere, and I wasn't going to be a maiden that needed a man to protect her. I was going to fight for myself and I could kill any foe I was faced with. Although I carried a sword and daggers, I was skilled with a bow also, but if I was to fit in as the innocent woman, I wasn't going to be seen that way with a bow on my back.

Even though it was beginning to get dark, I wasn't going to hang around here any longer than I needed. The trail I planned to travel along wouldn't have orcs on it, and if any did stumble along that trail I could easily kill them. I had no reason to rest tonight, the sooner I got to Laketown the quicker I could explain everything to the only friends I ever had and I'd be able to rest somewhere that wasn't on the cold ground.

I walked along the trail for the whole night until it began to get slightly light. My feet hurt a little but I was used to walking for long periods so I was used it now. As the sun began to rise I heard voices close by.

There were no real words, but just the sounds of voices. Drawing my sword, I held it close to me. I could never be too prepared to whatever I would come to face.

Firstly I thought it could possibly be orcs, but I could understand what was being said, not that it was anything interesting. I walked off of the trail until I exited the trees to a clearing where there was an unusual sight.

Due to travelling so much, not much could surprise me, there really wasn't that much that could occur, and most of it was normal, just this sight was rather odd.

I expected to see maybe a small group, which were clearing their camp up after staying there for the night. Just that was not what was in the clearing.

Instead there was a large fire with a spit over the top of it, with a few dwarves tied to it, slowly roasting over the flames. Next to them were a few other dwarves tied up in sacks. As well as that there were large statues of trolls? No that couldn't be, they must have been trolls that were turned into stone, that was a rare sight in itself they weren't the smartest creatures but usually they had the brains to not be caught out in daylight.

To further the confusing and weird sight a wizard stood with them. Was he cooking dwarves, or rescuing them from the trolls?

Although from the expressions of their faces none of them were happy, and I was almost certain they were distressed, it was still slightly funny. I couldn't help the laugh escape my lips causing everyone's eyes to shoot to me.

I still held my sword tight in my hand as everyone, the wizard, the dwarves on the spit, the ones in the sack, and the hobbit (well I think it's a hobbit) , that I hadn't noticed first of all, turned to look at me.

"Well isn't this an enjoyable sight?" I laughed, "May I ask is the wizard cooking the dwarves, or rescuing them? Also are you a small beardless dwarf or a hobbit? Because hobbits are rare to find away from Hobbiton, not that finding a hobbit here would be the most peculiar thing for me to see."

"What about dwarves in sacks? I don't imagine that's a frequent sight," one of the younger dwarves in the sacks shouted. He was blond and had a shorter beard than most.

"That is rather peculiar I must say. So Gandalf what are you doing with so many dwarves? You do seem to get yourself into trouble often, so I'm presuming you haven't just stumbled upon this scene," I smiled.

The wizard had known my parents many years prior. They had been friends I think, but from travelling across Middle Earth I had found that Gandalf was well known everywhere but not everyone had fond words to say about him.

"I left them for a moment and they ran into some trolls, luckily I got here in time. What are you doing so far from home Charlotte?" He questioned.

"I'm on my way back, where are you guys off to? I'm sure it can't be too far if you plan to travel in sacks."

"None of your business," One of the dwarves hissed as you got closer to the spit, inspecting the ropes that held them to the rotating stick.

"To Erebor. You should join us Charlotte. Of course you don't have to take the last part of the journey with us, but simply until you get home. It's dangerous for you to travel alone, and your skills are valuable to this company, we could use your help," Gandalf stated.

"Since when did the name change from the Company of Thorin Oakenshield to the Company of Gandalf the Grey?" The same dwarf shouted.

I let out a laugh as I rested a hand on the wooden post.

"You wouldn't know this about me, but I am very clumsy. My sword could easily slip and cut these ropes and your poor friends would burn. You should learn some manners Master Dwarf," I smiled softly.

I walked away from the spit over to the rude dwarf. I pointed my sword at him, letting it get close enough to cut his beard. Instead of harming him, even though the thought crossed my mind, I cut the rope at the top of the sack.

"Charlotte, at your service," I smiled putting my hand out for him to take.

Instead he got out of his sack and got to his feet instead glaring at me.

"Thorin Oakenshield, not at yours."

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That was Chapter Two, hope you liked it.

This chapter was written by Charlotte and it's very good so don't forget to check out her account -Clint_Barton-

Any opinions you guys have please tell us in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Till the next chapter........