I woke up slowly to find myself lying in a bed. Birds chirped and sunlight filtered through vines above me draped over the planks of a pavilion.

I sat up slowly and yawned, feeling as if I had just taken a nap. I moved my hand to my stomach and realized that I had fresh bandages, but there was hardly any pain left.

I looked up with a start as a man entered the room. He paused, studying me, then said, "So. You're the one they've been talking about."

I blinked the sleep from my eyes, staring at the human incomprehensibly. "Who are you? Where am I?"

He bowed his head. "Forgive me. My name is Samson. And you are in the North. Where the dragons are. Wr call it the Nest. It's a dangerous world for anyone not a Dracari."

"Are you Dracari, too?" I asked in wonder.

He nodded. "Yes. Your dragon is outside. He hasn't left the healing pavilion since you arrived."

"And when did I arrive?" I asked.

"Yesterday." He replied.

"I need to leave." I said and tossed the blankets aside and got slowly to my feet, swaying slightly.

"No, no. Don't move. You were almost killed. Dragonheart Weed is deadly to those with Dragon's blood. You're lucky you're still alive, Freya."

"How do you know my name?" I demanded.

"Everyone here knows everyone. It's a community of about six- now seven with you- Dracari, and about seventy dragons."

"I need to get back. You don't understand. My friends. My husband- they're walking into a trap. They need me to keep Smaug under control for them, and-"

"Smaug? You expect to go after Smaug?" He laughed condescendingly. "My dear friend, none of us have been able to control Smaug. What makes you think you can?"

"Because I have before." I said and lifted my chin. I found my belongings on a table and limped over to them and began collecting them as Samson stood silently, merely watching me tug on my boots and tie on my cloak again, realizing I wore new, strange clothing. "I told him to stop killing my people in Erebor. He listened. He hasn't been violent since. But I need to get to Erebor today. Before he awakens and attacks the-"

"You aren't going anywhere." A voice said behind me.

Anger coursed through my veins and I spun around and spat at the dwarf woman before me, "Says who? There is absolutely nothing stopping me from taking Finian and leaving."

She studied me curiously, the beard on her face shaved off, and her brown hair tied back in several braids. "Says me, child. I am the leader here. I make the rules."

"Yeah, I don't really give a shit about your rules. My family is to the south- so if you'll excuse me." I say and go to walk past her, but she grabbed my arm and said softly,

"You look like your father. So, so much like him in spirit, too."

Her words chilled me to my bone. I yanked my arm free and stared at her in horror. "Wh-Who are you?"

"Freya... I am your mother." She says softly.

I recoiled. "No. My mother is dead." I said angrily.

"I'm not dead. I'm here."

I blinked back tears and ground my teeth. "You gave me away!" I shouted. "Why?"

She looked away. "I wouldn't have been a good mother to you."

I laughed mirthlessly. "Well, you are right about one thing. You were never a mother to me. I found my family, and I'm married now, and that means I'm leaving to the people who actually stuck around."

She flinched as if I had struck her. "You chose Thorin. I saw his bead in your hair." She murmured. "I'm proud of you."

I bit back hot tears and snapped back, "What do you want from me?"

She hesitated. "To talk to you? To have a relationship with you?" She lifted her hands and her eyes filled with tears as they dropped defeatedly to her sides again. "I regretted every day I didn't get to be with you."

"Then why didn't you show up?" I demanded. "You have been alive this whole time and didn't bother to come south and say hi? You could have helped with your dragon and the War with Azog. You could have used your dragon to fight off Smaug or rallied the other Dracari to help defend Erebor. Countless numbers are dead!"

"You don't understand- I couldn't. I didn't think you seeing me would have been good for you."

I glared at her and spat, "You don't have the right to decide what's good for me. And Thranduil doesn't either. You know, he tried to imprison me in Mirkwood."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry. He can be a difficult man." She sighed heavily. "I need to warn you about Smaug, Freya. He's not a normal dragon. He's sneaky, and only does what he wants. No Dracari has been able to convince him of anything or control him in any way."

"Until me." I said. "I saved the last of Erebor from becoming his lunch. I did that. And I'm going to do it again, without your help. So step aside."

My mother stared at me evenly, and finally said, "I can't stop you. You have Finian. You can do as you please. Just remember something for me."

I stopped at the exit to the pavilion. "What?"

"You'll come back."

I looked back her and scoffed, "Sure. If I survive."

I stormed out of the pavilion and Samson appeared in front of me, holding up his hands. "Wait. Freya. I know you're angry with-"

"Angry? My mother has been alive this entire time and all she can do is try to imprison me here and make excuses for herself? Yes, I am angry- beyond angry."

He released a breath and ran a hand through his hair, then looked down at me again. "Your anger is valid, alright? Understandable, even. I didn't chase after you to defend her. I ran after you because you need to know some things about Smaug. I was the last Dracari he spoke to- we... we become immortal with our dragons, you know, and-"

"Immortal?" I asked softly, my thoughts going to Thorin as my hand touched the bead in my hair and I looked at the ring on my hand. I swallowed hard. "I didn't know that."

Samson frowned, and I could tell he understood. "I know. Yes. Immortal. It is the dragon's blood in our veins."

"What about Thorin?" I demanded. "I'll outlive him. I can't do that. A life without him in it... no. I don't want a life like that."

He frowned and said, "Freya, I must tell you about Smaug. Before you leave. Please. Let me teach you more about the Dracari. Dragons travel fast. And I will answer all of your questions. Can you spare me just two hours? This knowledge will aid you when you go against Smaug."

I clenched my jaw, head spinning, and said, "Fine."

******

I stared at the scroll in front of me and dropped the quill. I rubbed at my temples and said, "So, to make sure I got all of this right... A Dracari lives on with their dragon and is mentally linked to one their whole lives? And for me that is Finian?"

"Yes." Samson said with a nod.

"Dracari are also given the ability to have some control over one element of nature- like fire, water, earth, air, weather, or animals. And this is where they can channel an inner magic from."

"Mhm."

"What's yours?"

Samson smirked and held his hand out and a small ball of fire erupted in his palm. "My dragon is the green female who accompanied Finian to get you- her name is Fae."

"Wow." I mumbled. "And how do I find mine?"

"You'll know it when you find it. Has anything strange happened when you have summoned Finian?"

I hesitated. "The ground has shook."

Samson's eyes widened. "It... shook? Like an earthquake?"

"Yes. Just like an earthquake. But small. I was on Finian's back and fighting off orcs that were attacking my friends. Would that be earth, then?"

"I'm not sure. Those attuned to the earth tend to control plants or make them grow. They perform small things like moving things, and have to touch the ground, but not earthquakes from the sky...." He paused. "Do animals like you?"

"Like a Rhosgobel rabbit? I guess so."

Samson was staring at me incomprehensibly. "You are rare, Freya. You seem to be attuned to more than one of the elements."

I stared at him. "What does that mean?"

"It's rare. I'm not sure what it means." He clears his throat and nods to the scroll in front of me. "What else have you written down?"

"That a Dracari has the ability to turn one mortal immortal to live on with them, but only one. But it can only be done if that chosen person is near death, or dying." I frowned. "How does that work?"

"I'm not sure." Samson said. "Any loved one I would have used it on had already passed on."

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's not anything we can change." He says. "So what did you write for Smaug?"

"He is greedy. And if he thinks he can get more, he'll act, but only if it benefits him in some way. I also learned that in order to control a dragon's mind, I have to know their name, and understand their motive. I also have to convince them mentally that I am the best option to follow. No one has had anything Smaug has wanted or admired."

"But you might." He says. "You never know unless you try."

I scowled at him and picked up the paper. "I'll think of something on the way back to Erebor."

He stood and said, "Just be careful, Freya. And watch out for that wound. Make sure you apply the salve we gave you. Dragonsheart Weed only grows here and the antidote can only be found and made here."

I froze. "What?"

"It can only-"

"Yes, yes, I heard you. But, Samson, that means someone knew where I was, who I was, and how to get to me, and then targeted me specifically with that arrowhead." I looked at him. "I have to go."

He looked at me with concern etched across his face, but I couldn't stay here any longer. Despite the green fields, the dragons that flew by overhead every now and then, and the fact that this should be paradise to me, a Dracari, I wanted nothing more to leave this place. The Nest.

Because someone here tried to kill me, and they almost succeeded.