Welcome one and all to this fanfiction! It really was a spur of the moment thing and I don't expect it to last long but hopefully it will.

This is an AU of both DGM and the Hobbit but will be following a mixture of the films and book of the Hobbit in terms of plot pat the initial prologue-ish section.

I advise to read this in the 1/2 page or 3/4 page setting.

Warnings:Violence, blood, gore, yaoi pairing (Allen/Neah), occasional swearing

Chapter 1

Last Betrayal

The cafeteria of the Black Order's European headquarters was filled with life and noise, exorcists and finders were letting themselves relax between mission. But this isn't were the start of a new journey will begin. No, the rowdy hall is in no way connected to said event; neither are the halls filled with footsteps of scientists or the paperwork filled office of the European branch chief Komui. The events that need to be documented take place far bellow the headquarters, further than the underground hall where Hevlaska rests.

Bellow the foundations of the Black Order's European headquarters was the dungeon like prison littered with mazes of long, winding corridors and Crow members in their signature crimson, hooded robes standing as guards. Each corridor was carved from raw stone and screams of pain or whimpers of madness could be heard from behind thick cell doors. But one corridor was silent, the lack on noise seemed to emanate from the very walls and floor. At the end of that corridor was an old wooden door reinforced with steel, guarded by a bald Crow member in military attire. The door led to a dark, damp and eerily silent cell that could be mistaken for being unoccupied if it wasn't for the faint sound of labored breathing that filled the stone room.

The source of said breathing was a boy of about sixteen years He was an exorcist, bound and chained with heavy shackles that connected to the wall on his behind him. He's left arm was sealed with paper seals that kept him from activating his Innocence or moving the arm, his head and various other torso wounds were wrapped in bandages but the large stab wounds that Kanda had inflicted on him during his fight with Alma Karma were left untended causing the boy pain when he as much as breathed.

Matted white hair almost grey with grime hang limply obscuring his scarred face and dulled grey eyes. The boy was Allen Walker.

Allen's current predicament was the cumulation of many facts and events that had happened either without the boy's knowledge or choice. Firstly and most importantly he had in his head another occupant, a certain individual named Neah Walker. Said individual was the spirit of his foster father's brother who coincidentally had been a Noah who had betrayed his own family and tried to kill the Earl of Millennium. Even though Neah had been a traitor to his own kind Allen was considered a traitor himself by the Vatican because of harboring the soul of a Noah in his own body. Not that Allen had a choice in the matter, but it was one thing they could never take away from him and he was glad.

Another reason for his unfortunate state was the encounter between Alma Karma and Kanda and Allen's actions that ended it. Allen had sent the dying pair through the Ark and to a place where no-one could find them. Allen blamed himself for not being able to make Alma realise what he was doing and for allowing him to kill the love of his previous life. If only he had known sooner, known more. If only he was quicker, smarter. If only... The accusations repeated themselves in his head making him loose himself slowly but surely.

When he had first been taken into custody, Allen had quickly become paranoid and refused to eat fearing that a truth serum of some sort had been mixed into his food. He had also become withdrawn and unresponsive during interrogations which had led the Vatican to using prolonged torture such as not letting Allen's wounds heal. All to find out where Kanda and Alma where, and what Nea was planning. 'They would never find Alma or Kanda.' Allen thought to himself as a personal victory. 'Neither will they ever know anything about Neah, that was for the best. He couldn't sell out his only friend like that... Friend...' That word sounded so foreign in his mind, not so strange after the exorcists abandoned him. Allen smiled sadly. Yes, he definitely could trust Neah. Neah was his Black, just like he was his White, he wouldn't be able to hurt him – Neah wouldn't hurt himself after all.

'Don't worry Allen. We should be able to escape soon, the Black Ark is close. We can leave this world behind.'

A few days ago - at least it seemed that long but it was hard to keep track of time in the underground cells – Neah had felt the Black Ark approaching towards the Headquarters and had promptly consulted with Allen. He had told his White about his original plan of letting Mana escape from this world if his betrayal of the Noah Clan proved fatal. He had of course been dead by then but the plan stayed. He had discovered through experimenting with his powers that if he opened two gates in the same spot their power would clash and sky-rocket allowing for the possibility of leaving the current world and going to a different one.

That got Allen to smile sadly. To think that he had to resort to moving dimensions to get escape from the memories that shred away at his mind and the burning, hate-filled stares of his friends. Most children his age would move schools and maybe at most neighborhoods to get away from bad memories and prejudice but no, God's favourite child was hated by Him. Abandoned by a family that hated him, taken in by family that died to protect him, left to die by family that thought him a traitor because of his Black. He really suit the name, God's Clown.

The plan had quickly been developed to the use of both Arks, the Black and the White - as Allen had suggested - to increase the chance of success as the signatures of both Arks were slightly different allowing for a larger boost in power. Now all they had to do was wait for the Black Ark to get within range. Allen had originally commented on how he could open a White Ark Gate from anywhere no matter where the Ark was to which Neah had explained that he only had partial control of the Black Ark which itself was only possible because of the nature of his Noah powers.

There was a shout outside the door to his cell and Allen looked up with dead, dark grey eyes before returning his gaze to the stone floor by his feet. The sound of the door banging open wasn't enough to gain the boy's attention and it wasn't until Link pushed a bowl of food into Allen's lap that the white-haired boy looked up. Standing above him was a scowling blond man.

"This is head chef Jerry's rice gruel. I had him make it so even someone as cautious as you would eat it. The central office has done nothing to your food. So eat!" Allen looked to the table on the opposite side of the room where his last untouched meal was still sitting before positioning the bowl between his knees and opening the lid.

Allen's eyes widened slightly at the sight of 'Levellie, you shithead!' scrawled atop the food in neat handwriting. So Link was telling the truth. Rouvelier would have never let something like that pass if he had been tampering with his food. Convinced, Allen started eating unnaturally slowly savoring the taste of food after having none for such a long period of time. After a few mouthfuls he stopped and looked up at Link who had decided to sit in a crooked chair by the far wall. Allen swallowed and looked down in guilt.

"Link. I'm sorry for attacking you back then."

Link turned to Allen with a blank look. "Just when I thought you were finally about to speak... you apologise!" Allen looked back at the floor not meeting Link's gaze who, after a short while turned away from Allen and propped his head on his hand, elbow on the table. Silence followed and Allen started to eat again.

'My dear Allen, soon we can rest. The Black Ark is close enough now I should be able to make a Gate.' Allen's dimmed eyes seemed to gain a hopeful glint that went unnoticed by Link.

Allen heard a series of muffled thumps and sharp intakes of breath outside the cell which Link missed yet again before the door opened slowly revealing the Cardinal. 'Apocryphos...' Neah hissed out the name in disgust. 'Allen you have to open a White Gate right now, I'll open the Black Gate.'

"C- Cardinal! Why are you here..." Picking up Allen from from the cell floor the Cardinal knelt down, Allen felt malicious intent pouring from the Cardinal and attempted to struggle. Link stepped back in shock, why would the cardinal of all people be here? Why would he be helping the the Noah traitor?

"It's fine, I'll heal him. Everyone is worried about Allen," A cruel smirk filled out the Cardinal's face as the fingers of his right hand turned into feather-like blades. "Especially... the heart."

Allen quickly searched for the pull of the Ark, but it was weak and hard to grasp. 'Help Neah.'

'I'm doing what I can, I can't help you any more.' The cardinal pulled back his hand and Allen closed his eyes. The Cardinal smirked thinking Allen was too weak to try to stop the attack – he wasn't completely wrong - before piercing his bladed fingers into Allen's Innocence causing Allen to gasp in pain but that fortunately wasn't enough to make the exorcist's concentration slip completely. As Link stepped back shocked beyond coherent thoughts Allen tried to find the feeling of summoning an Ark Gate, he felt the living pulse of the White Ark and pulled. He quickly hummed the Musician's song in his head willing and Ark to appear as Nea did the same. Static danced around the room and Allen saw the seals on the walls start to peel.

The Cardinal pushed his bladed fingers further into Allen's Innocence. Blood flowed down Allen's arm, his whole body felt as if it was on fire, the foreign, painful feeling tearing through is skin and muscles like a knife through butter making his grasp on the Ark more and more fragile. As the Cardinal's hand retreated Allen screamed louder, the blood-curdling sound reverberating off the stone and breaking Link out of his shock. "Cardinal... who are you!?"

As the cardinal turned Link sent sealing paper his way with a shit-eating grin. 'Shibaribane!' To Link's horror the cardinal had dogged the speeding seals and disappeared. The shuffling of feet was the only warning but it didn't reach Link's ears which were still blocked with horror and slight fear. The cardinal was behind him. Placing his hands on either side of Link's head the cardinal sent his powers in to alter the man's memories.

Link's screams traveled through the open doorway and into the winding corridors at the painful intrusion into his mind. He reached up trying to pry the cardinal's hands off his head but to no effect. Allen looked up at the scene trying to get his blurry vision to settle. "Be a good boy, I don't want Rouvelier to notice yet, you see." The cardinal's calm voice was eerily malevolent.

The light produced by his powers lit up the scene outside the cell where bodies of Crow members lay unconscious with clumps of feathers surrounding their eyes, the same feathers were now bursting from Link's eye sockets. He clenched his teeth in pain. "When you wake up you will no longer remember me. That is all. Goodnight little guard dog."

"STOP!" Allen screamed desperately activating Crown Clown and shooting Crown Belt in the cardinal's direction. He may have not liked Link much but he'd be damned if he let the blond die. The hardened material pierced through the man's head causing Allen's eyes to widen him horror while the cardinal released Link. 'What have I done... My vision was blurred, and I couldn't move too well, I thought Link was about to die... so I... I...murdered him!' Allen froze in horror at his own mistake while the cardinal seemed unaffected and slowly walked towards Allen.

'Allen he isn't human, calm down and focus.'

"To still be able to move now you must posses truly amazing spiritual power. Love... fellowship... sadness... despair. There is no being more unevenly and deeply connected to Innocence as you." The cardinal's face became distorted as feathers appeared around the wound in his head. "You really grew up to become a beautiful exorcist, Allen. You don't need to be afraid, you will become one with me." The man's face morphed into a sickly sweet smile. Allen gave one last desperate pull to try to get the Gate through the seals surrounding the room.

There was a bright flash of light and a blindingly bright Ark Gate rose from the ground. 'Yes! Finally!' Neah shouted in triumph. Allen gave the gate a quick once over as it started to pulsate and shimmer. It looked as if the White Ark gate was inlaid into the Black Ark Gate, the edges of the first looking unstable and giving off bursts of static.

"Oh no you don't!" Allen turned to see the Cardinal getting up from where the initial push of the air that the Ark Gate displaced had thrown him with a murderous glare.

"Allen! We have to go."The exorcist heard the end of Neah's sentence bounce around the room for once loosing its ethereal quality and seeming almost solid. It wasn't in his thoughts anymore was it?

"Traitor! I won't let you escape..." The Cardinal screamed in rage.

Allen stood up shakily from the floor where he had dropped and turned his head to look at the Cardinal. Understanding flashed across the living Innocence's eyes and his whole being stopped moving. Not a thought, a breath, a twitch. With a sad smile and pain filled eyes Allen stared straight at the seemingly frozen Apochryphos.

"It's too late Protector of the Heart. Your role is finally complete." Neah's voice merged with Allen's own as he said the words that seemed right even if he himself did not understand their meaning. They must have been fully Neah's.

Allen weakly turned his back to the Cardinal and stumbled over to the Gate with the last of his strength and fell forwards tumbling into untouched and unbroken white light.

That night everything about the future changed and ethereal words carried through the Black Order Headquarters ringing with foreboding finality. The last words to be spoken by the traitor, Allen Walker before he went into voluntary exile.

"Farewell my family - my executioners."

A shadowy figure appeared beside the falling Allen and caught him. He turned to Apocryphos with a grin that split his face in two and white, hollow eyes with no pupil or iris that started to take on life and shape as had the rest of his form. The figure picked Allen up bridal style and carried him further through the gate, still colorless spiky hair blending into colorless clothes. He shattered the gate with a snap of his fingers.

Just like that Allen Walker the General class Exorcist of the Black Order was no more.

Neah walked through the other side of the unstable gate looking down at his nephew... no, Allen had become his White the moment he chose to accept the traitorous Noah that Neah was as part of himself.

Neah still couldn't understand Allen's choice, even after spending nine years as one with the boy's body, soul and mind. The boy was an enigma but Neah wouldn't hesitate a single beat of his otherwise uncaring heart with admitting that he was overly fond of the little angel. Unfortunately for a small, nearby tree this protective instinct over his White didn't help his pure, blinding and searing hatred for the Order. They had hurt Allen too much. The earlier mentioned tree exploded into a shower of bark and splinters the moment Neah locked eyes with it.

'Huh, we ended up in a forest of all places.' The fleeting thought was soon overwhelmed by the Noah's earlier thoughts. He had planned to teach the Order bastards a lesson but Allen had stopped him saying that there was no point to such an action. Although if he was going to be truthful with himself there wouldn't have been anything - much less anyone - left to teach that lesson to after he was done with them, they would have all been ground into fine dust in the Noah's rage.

He wasn't the Noah of Destruction for nothing.

Now that he thought more about this plan he had to label Allen an evil genius. The seemingly innocent boy had left the Order in pieces, Lavi and Bookman had disappeared, General Cross and General Yeager were dead, Link was near death, Kanda was either dead or had abandoned the Order, the Second exorcists were now controlled by the fat bastard of an Earl and the Earl himself along with the rest of his makeshift family were on their way to the Headquarters aboard the Black Ark that Neah had momentarily hijacked while the prophesied Time Destroyer had said 'goodbye, have fun with this mess' and promptly left their dimension.

Neah couldn't help but smirk, Allen really was his perfect White. Innocent and kind but with the ability to be cruel and vengeful. He looked down at the boy and the smirk turned into a sad smile "We're safe now. You can finally be free." Allen seemed to have heard him through his exhaustion induced slumber and with a small whimper of pain pulled himself closer to Neah's warm body. "Shh~ my White. I'll make your pain lessen."

He scanned the surroundings and finding a suitable spot lowered himself careful of his precious exorcist between the protruding roots of a large tree. He sat cross-legged and lowered Allen into his lap leaning the boy's back against his chest and circling him with one arm to steady his battered body.

Allen let out a soft but content sigh and an almost inaudible mumble that made his companion smile softly. "Neah..."

"I'm here my White, everything's going to be all right now my evil angel." He leaned his chin against Allen's uninjured left shoulder.

After a few moments of calm he reached up to steady Allen's right shoulder while moving his left hand to grab the side of the seal stuck over the bandages. He had to get the blasted thing off sooner or later, might as well do it now.

He grit his teeth - this wasn't going to be pleasant, the most he could hope for was that it wouldn't injure Allen more – and pulled the seal off in one sharp tug. Instantly his hand felt as if it was being pricked why millions of small, red hot needles so with a pained hiss he channeled his Dark Matter powers to his left hand and turned the annoying thing to dust.

He looked down at Allen's shoulder and let out a relieved sigh, no additional injuries - at least ones that he could see – had been added to his precious White. Now moving onto a more grueling task for both him and Allen, tending to the boy's wounds. He started unwrapping the bandage around Allen's shoulder and left arm revealing more cuts and bruises caused by the usually harmless seal. That idiot Link had no true knowledge of what CROW seals did to Innocence.

Finished with the bandages he pulled Allen's frail body closer to himself wrapping his arm tight around the boy's relatively undamaged torso, hand flat against his chest over the heart that beat only thanks to Allen's gracious Innocence piece. 'The only one that chose to care for my White out of that rabble of extremists is my complete opposite in power and sworn enemy... and I can't do anything to it without killing my angel...' He admitted bitterly. He may not have killed any exorcists by both choice and promise but he was still a Noah and with that title came the ingrained hatred towards the God crystal.

Everyone had assumed that Lenalee was the bearer of the Heart. They thought that Allen's Innocence was just reacting to the Musician's soul. Neah chuckled mirthlessly in a way that scared even himself before turning his eyes to Allen's disruptively calm face – if only that serenity of dreamless sleep translated into serenity in the waking world.

If only the order knew how wrong they were.

They protected a worthless Decoy meant to keep the Earl's attention away from the Heart while they shunned and tortured the true holder to near death. Fortunately while the Heart would never flounder its existence it still reflected the will of God going to extreme measures to unsure the survival of its holder. Healing fatal injuries, restoring limbs, keeping a curse at bay... protecting God's favorite child while his own disciples turned their backs on him.

Allen's innocence augmented heart beat a steady, strong rhythm in tune with his unique power under the flat of Neah's palm. He gathered Dark Matter in the hand smirking at the feeling of pure destruction within the thin, disorganized, purple-black panes of matter in his palm and started channeling it deep under Allen's skin.

The results were instantaneous and more powerful than Neah could have imagined. His jaw went taunt in agony, powerful shocks of energy too pure for a Noah to handle shot up his arm trying to destroy the Dark Matter threat. He left his hand in place and with eyes narrowed in pain he looked over Allen's body for signs of his Innocence fully awakening – he needed to know this wasn't just one of it's reflex actions.

After a few more excruciating moments he lifted his hand off with a sigh. Allen's various wounds were closing rapidly as the Innocence recovered from the CROW seal. Crown Clown was finally fully active. No seals to keep it contained. No Dark Matter interference from Neah's soul. No mental constraints from Allen himself to hold it back.

Neah leaned back against the tree behind him pulling the exhausted Allen into his chest where the boy shifted until he was completely enveloped in his Black's embrace. Neah's work far from done. Now he had to keep his White safe while he slept off his exhaustion and injuries.

The rain started to fall against the canopy creating a lulling tune that had Neah struggling to stay awake. The endless leaves above them keeping the resting pair safe from the elements.

Neah startled into full consciousness not much later as he head the cracks of twigs and breathing approaching from his right. He looked down at Allen only to notice he was still in the land of sleep. Even in the dark Allen's pale skin and white clothing and hair would stand out enough to be seen effortlessly.

He shifted the boy onto his left arm leaving his right one free in case of danger and slowly stood up using the tree behind him for leverage stretching his stiff muscles. His face morphed in distaste, his newly regained body seemed much weaker and more sluggish than he remembered it being. Silently hoping that this annoying weakness was only temporary he lay Allen's body back down where he had just gotten up from making sure to stand in a way that hid is precious White as fully as possible.

He'd rather die than let his White get hurt.

A branch snapped to his right.

With a vicious yet protective growl boiling at his lips he turned towards the intruder, right hand outstretched ready to summon and mold Dark Matter, blood red hair whipping around his face following the swift movement and falling in a curtain to cover half his face, golden eyes glowing with power. He idly remembered how Tykki used to call him the Demon of the Noah curtsy of his peculiar color of hair and ever present grin as he tore apart exorcists, but those times were long, long gone now – and for the better.

Neah's wondering attention refocused when he heard a short intake of air from in front of him. The movement had stopped. He cursed his new body for getting distracted and missing the other's approach.

Dressed in rugged grey clothes and a faded, pale blue pointy hat, almost grey with age the old wizened man that stood before the Noah of Destruction didn't look powerful or threatening at first glance but Neah knew better than to stick to first impressions. The man's face held strength and youthfulness that was well exceeded by his physical age and his pale blue eyes hid power that could rival that of the Noah. The twisting wooden staff he held was no different and despite its obvious worn state it shone with power in Neah's eyes and the crystal at its tip gave out a pale light cast haunting shadows on the surroundings.

This man was powerful, old and powerful; and he knew about this world that Neah and his White were in. Neah needed that knowledge.

Narrowing his eyes at the stranger the Noah lifted his already raised arm level with the man's chest, "Don't move." he ground out through clenched teeth. He hated not knowing what he was facing.

Gandalf had not expected to find a human when he went to look ahead at where the company would be travelling. This human though was even more peculiar. He stood slightly hunched over, red, spiky hair that just brushed his shoulders falling partly into his smooth but angular face doing nothing to hide the cross shaped scars that traveled in a line across his forehead. Golden eyes with pupils slitted like those of a cat stared at him with barely contained insanity.

Gandalf gave a tight but friendly smile and lifted his free hand in greeting. "Peace my friend, I am not here to harm you." To Neah, the man spoke with wisdom that put him on edge. It felt like he was being studied.

Noticing the red-haired man's minute shift in stance to a more defensive one the old man continued weighing each word and trying to predict what effect it would have on the demon stood before him – what else could this stranger be but a demon? "I am Gandalf the Grey, a wizard by profession. May I ask who you are stranger?"

Gandalf held his breath as golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "My name is Neah, and while I do not believe in magician's tricks I am willing to indulge you for now Mr. Gandalf."

Gandalf's own eyes widened at how well spoken the wild stranger was– supposedly named Neah. His voice was like liquid silk and had a natural musical lilt to it that both calmed and unsettled the wizard. Neah spoke in a way he had only heard from the highest classes of men in Bree which further intrigued Gandalf. But the stranger didn't believe in wizards it seemed. How peculiar. Gandalf, ever attentive, noticed Neah shift as if to hide or protect something behind him, the movement looked completely subconscious and to any other man, dwarf or hobbit it would have gone unnoticed, but not Gandalf.

"While it is a shame that you are reluctant to believe me Master Neah, I would greatly like to know what it is that you are so sworn to protect that you would stand before a complete stranger unarmed for." While Gandalf doubted that the stranger was actually unarmed he could only wait and hope for the best reaction. The red-haired man stiffened and stayed still for a long moment.

While Neah had managed to discover what the power of the man before him was he refused to allow the wizard near his precious White. He knew that they would need somewhere to stay and eat and the appearance of Gandalf seemed strangely fortunate if he was willing to help. But Neah was a wary man. Much too many betrayals and losses on his tab to put his trust in a stranger blindly – that was Allen's job. He couldn't help but let a sad smile tug at his lips at his White's unfortunate ability to attract traitorous allies.

"N-Neah?" That one trembling word was enough to make the ever vigilant Noah forget the potential danger of Gandalf and spin around to face his distressed White.

Dull, grey eyes looked up at Neah with wonder saturated with uncertainty and fear. 'So beautiful...' Neah startled by still hearing Allen's thoughts stood frozen as Allen used a shaking hand to pull himself up against the tree behind him until he was in a proper sitting position. "I-it failed d-didn't it? We're dead, r-right? T-that's why you have y-your body b-back. We can f-finally see Mana a-again..."

Allen's voice sounded so hopeful that it hurt Neah deep where he thought it impossible to feel anything any more to shatter his assumptions. "Oh, my White, my dear Allen, we are far from dead. We made it. No more pointless war, no more unnecessary death, no more being a puppet. We can finally choose what to do next ourselves." Allen's face had fallen at first being told that he was denied seeing Mana yet but through Neah's speech a calm smile rose on his pale, angelic face and a spark returned to his eyes turning them the molten silver they were meant to be – the way they were before he was betrayed and branded traitor.

"Thank you my Black, my shadow." Neah leaned down to hold his other half as he was filled with a serene bliss – they had another chance. "Likewise my White, my moon." Allen felt warmth spread through him from the close embrace with his Black. This was how it was always meant to be.

Neah felt Allen stiffen in his arms and pull back, the Noah looked at the face of Allen who was flushed in embarrassment. "Neah. You forgot to mention we had company." He said in a calm, blank voice that scared Neah. He cursed himself for forgetting about Gandalf. Now he had an angry, very destructive angel to deal with on top of a strange wizard.

"I'm sorry Allen." He stood up supporting Allen's body which was slumped against his, he faced Gandalf before continuing, trying to not grin at the wizard's bewildered expression. "My White, meet Gandalf the Gray, a wizard. Mr. Gandalf meet Allen."

Gandalf was stumped. If Neah was demonic and wild in appearance then the boy he was supporting with his whole body and every word was his complete opposite. He looked injured or at least recovering from a great injury of some sort but held himself with power and pride. Returning his attention to the demonic individual he noticed that he had misjudged Neah's grey skin as a trick of the light before, he now realised with wonder that it really was that corpse like color in reality, exactly like a Wight's. The comparison between it and Allen's skin color was staggering with with the white-haired boy's elvish, porcelain-pale complexion. Crisp white hair was covering half of his face from view giving the rest a shroud of shadow and eyes that looked like flowing molten silver glowed brighter than Neah's from his smooth, kind looking face.

"A pleasure to meet you Gandalf." Allen greeted with a small bow of his head in respect.

"The pleasure is all mine young Master Allen." Gandalf replied sincerely, he felt like he could trust the pale boy even if he had doubts about his wild companion. "Could I dare invite you to return with me to the camp of adventurers that I am travelling with? You seem in need of food and rest and we can provide both." He added with a kind smile.

Allen hesitated, narrowing his eyes in a spitting image of his companion. He looked up at Neah as if talking about something before looking back at Gandalf, unwavering silver meeting friendly blue. After a few moments he blinked and Gandalf felt as if he had been judged as worthy by the boy – for now.

Allen pursed his lips answering, "That would be wonderful of you Master Gandalf but we couldn't possibly intrude. We only just met after all."

"That is very true Allen and very smart of you to be wary but I give you a wizard's promise that I offer a relatively safe place to stay and no harm to come to either of you. I cannot guarantee the lack of questions or the behavior of my companions but it is known that dwarves are very considerate when secrets are concerned and well polished in manners. Hobbits on the other hand are very sociable and I am sure that young Master Baggins will be wonderful to hold a conversation with."

Allen stayed silent and let Neah answer for him, "Very well then Gandalf, we will trust you," Gandalf almost winced at how much hatred filled that single word. "until there is a reason not to." In that simple sentence Gandalf knew both that it was best to not betray their trust and that they had been hurt deeply by betrayal before. They looked too young for both things to be true and it hurt the wizard to know that it was so.

"If you would follow me then, I feel like my companions may have gotten themselves into a bit of trouble." He turned back the way he came and felt rather than heard Neah following behind him while Allen's more unsteady footsteps could be heard but only barely.

This journey was going to turn much more interesting from now on.

That's it for the first chapter, what did you guys think? Should I continue?

Constructive criticism both welcome and wanted.

All flames will be used to roast mutton! ^^