This is just a new story idea I came up with. I kinda like it and decided I'd write more of it and see where it leads me. I have also given permission to our very own Kitcat12 who is writing her own version of my plot bunny, so I hope you enjoy both our stories.

Chapter 1

I must congratulate you. You have everything you ever wanted. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? You may lose it all

There is a region on the edge of the map of Middle Earth. An unknown area blanked in ominous darkness and uncertainty. For anyone who traveled there were never heard from again. Nothing was left of them once they entered the area. Because of these unexplainable circumstances, this region was deemed too dangerous to travel to. But Elves are curious, Men are prone to discovery lust, dwarves are stubborn, Hobbits can be foolish, and orcs never had much sense to begin with.

Dis sat inside the meeting hall listening intently to everyone who was gathered around. Thorin and her two sons were there, bent over trade agreements, routes and other maps and plans. Balin ran a hand through his beard with a slight frown on his fair skinned face. A nervous habit he developed when he wasn't completely certain of a matter. His brother Dwalin also had a furrowed brow, but when his and Dis's eyes met, his features softened.

" I don't know about this Thorin." Balin stated. " They call it The Dark Unknown for a reason." The scarlet clad dwarf argued.

Thorin looked up at his friend. " I am aware of the warnings and legends. But I cannot just turn my head and pretend like I didn't just lose an entire platoon and trade caravan that have seemingly disappeared."

Kili nodded his head. " And let's not forget that whatever is there is not just praying on dwarves. Men, hobbits, anything that enters that boundary is gone forever." Dis smiled slightly at her youngest. He has grown up so much after the War.

Dwalin grunted. " As much as I'd like to go there myself, I agree with my brother. That caravan had good warriors escorting them. I trained them myself. Whatever overpowered them is no normal enemy to be taken lightly. Perhaps we will be better off waiting for allies."

Other council members were in there as well, some siding with Blain, some with Thorin.

" We send half our army there!" One shouted.

" Nay we send scouts to watch the area and gather information!"

" Are you daft?! We must wait for allies!"

Thorin stood up. " SHAZAARA!" He roared over the crowd. " This thing clearly has no limits to whom it's victims are. It is not particular in it's targets. How long before it decides to stretch out it's claws further into our homeland? Do we turn our heads to our own people as they vanish like they were never here? Do we turn our backs to the Men of Laketown whom we owe thanks for aiding us in winning Erebor back? I will send a force of dwarves there. I will go myself as well." At his last statement many gasped and protested.

Now lady Dis stood up. " Quiet your squabbling!" Due to the years of practice she received from yelling at Frerin and Thorin as children and yelling at her own boys, her voice was unsurprisingly and significantly louder than Thorin's. She slowly swiveled her head to catch every attended member in the eyes. " Listen to yourselves, arguing like wee children over the last slice of cake. This 'Forbidden land has haunted us long enough would you not agree? AT first I was completely against reclaiming Erebor. I thought that it was gone forever and belonged to the dragon. I even tried to convince my brother and kin not to go on several occasions. And look where we are now. I gave in to defeat just as many others did, and I tried to destroy the hope of ever coming back home for many others due to the might of the dragon." She stopped to allow her words to sink in as she closed her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them she continued. " And now here we stand, in our rightful homes once again. I have learned that no matter how mighty the enemy may seem; no matter how dark things are; as long as there is hope and the will to keep on, all enemies will fall at your feet. Nothing is impossible." She looked at her brother. They're eyes reflected compassion they shared. " Nothing is to be feared, only understood. I support my Brother and I will go with him."

Moved by her words, the councilors ended their bickering, though it was clear that some still had their doubts. They kept them to themselves. As Dis lay on the hard ground in a stone room that may have once been where the oven was, tears ran fresh down her cheeks. As always when the memory of that day came back in her mind, she regretted ever saying those foolish words. She regretted ever supporting her brother and ever allowing her boys to come. She regretted this day more than any day in her life, because now, as she lay in dirt filled clothing, chained to the wall by both her leg and a collar, she has found out what lay in the Dark Unknown.

Sweat dripped down his face. Chains jangled about in a despairing rhythm as he and his kin moved. They were all stripped of their weapons once they were subdued. Even now, three days later he still couldn't fully fathom how these Men, if that's what they really were, overpowered thirty dwarves, ten elven scouts, and twenty Men of Lakewood and Dale. They all fought well, cutting down a number of intruders before the enemies bested them by poison darts, a strange smoke that makes a victim drowsy, and many tools and weapon that were mostly meant for maiming and subduing instead of killing. Even during the night watches, they were begrudgingly organized and took no chances. A foreign scent passed by Thorin's nose, in which a human informed it was the smell of the ocean. As they trudged onward, the world's largest blue blanket laid out in front of him.

He was both mesmerized and uneasy by the sight. Strange ships similar to ones he's seen in old drawings bobbed up and down at the bank. Dozens upon dozens of row boats awaited them at the bank. The row boats had half one section built as a cage, the other were for the rowers up front. Onto the row boats they were hauled. Thorin fought like a madman when he saw one man roughly push his nephew Fili.

This only earned him a dart in the back full of sleep drought. Very soon everything blurred. Voices become slowed and hard to decipher. He thought he caught a glimpse of Dwalin screaming out for him, also receiving the same treatment. His eyes closed of their own accord and the last thing he saw was a young lad looking down at him, gathering him in his arms and looking very afraid.

Foreign sounds woke him from his sleep, which was perhaps the most he really had since his capture. They were being loaded onto the rowboats again. The same young lad was right beside him curled in a ball. He was sporting a black swollen eye and his shirt had two long tears in it stained with blood that clearly indicated he had been whipped.

" What Happennn?" Thorin tried to ask, still under the influence. His throat was dry as sand.

The lad turned to him." They're about to unload us sir." He whispered in a shaky voice.

Thorin made himself sit up. " Where are we?"

The young dwarf shrugged slightly and looked up with owlish eyes at the sounds above deck. " I don't know sir. All I know is that this is a slave trade of some kind. We're slaves now." His eyes began to turn watery.

The dwarf king gave the boy a squeeze on his forearm. "Do not give into that. Remember who you are at all times. We will find a way out of this. What is your name?"

The young dwarf looked back at him. " Jerek, son of Jurak sir."

Thorin nodded. " Jerek. Be strong for the others too. Do not let whatever happens next cloud your mind and make you forget where you come from. I have met Jurak once before. He will be very proud of you for your courage. "

Jerek nodded and swallowed, some of the fear in his eyes now banished. There were a few shouts and the door to their hold was swung open. Thorin once again found begrudging respect for the strange men, they knew how to cow a dwarf. They were starved to the point of nearly fighting each other for food, and water was passed around every four hours. Thorin watched in horror to see how some of his men have behaved like animals when they were all unloaded and bread was tossed in the middle of them.

Jerek found two pieces and gave one to his king. Balin sat miserably not far from him sharing his with another young soldier. The Men of Dale and Laketown seemed to have a small strategy going, as they stayed still as can be so that they were ignored by the slavers. Either that or some of them were just scared stiff. The elves fared no better, some were cowed like the dwarves, some were quiet like the humans. All in all, no one made an attempt to over-power the slavers anymore.

Thorin walked along with his kin as they were led towards the city. This city was unlike anything the dwarf king had ever heard or seen before. As in every basic plan of a city, the farms were outside the perimeter. The inside of the city made Thorin's eyes widen. Some streets were bustling with people, some were fairly busy. Buildings of strange architecture with roves that seemed to flower at the edges, meticulously designed lined the streets. Some building were similar to that of Laketown and Dale but obviously built much sturdier.

There were lanterns that were designed in ways that were similar to the elegant detail of elves. Fountains in some places that were very well made. Were the humans that were working on it, he would have been completely sure it was dwarven make. How can humans know such craft with stone and metal? He stared at how humans had some people by chains and shackles and/or collars. These slaves ranged from all races, even orcs stared forward with blank or fearful expressions on their ugly faces.

Some slaves even wore chains that were decorated by frivolous masters. And the clothing! People here did not have one sense of style, like those of Middle Earth. Some dressed simply but cleanly, others dressed in garments that shimmered with laces or ties. Ladies dresses ranged from completely covered with fine detail, to the showing of legs, arms and shoulders. Some outfits made the wearer look larger, some made them look slim. Some had strange metallic eyewear on their foreheads and hats like a miner or jewel appraiser would where. Others had long coats dressed like what Thorin remembered them to be called as pirates. Some still wore animal furs and leathers while others wore fabric.

Music of all different kinds flooded his ears as he was marched towards a very large building. Inside there were more guards, and he had to wait about twenty minutes before they made him move again. A man walking with a list came down and asked for each captive's names. If they answered he wrote it down and moved to the next. If they spat and remained silent he made up a name and moved on. " Thorin." The dwarf king answered. The man worte it down and he was marched down the corridor of the large building. Inside he saw many other people enslaved, staring at him with mixed looks of interest pity and misery.

Thorin was thrown in a cell that he shared with Jerek. Beside him was a human and an dwarf on his left and A dwarf with and hobbit on his right. He watched despairingly as some of the company was marched further down. Bofur tried his best to keep with his cousin Bifur. As did Bombur, unfortunately the younger brother was separated and put with an elf. Nori walked with a limp, holding his side and sported two black eyes. He was being supported by his brother Dori. Ori supported the other side. That was until he was ripped from them and put into another cell with a human.

Thorin listened as the eerie silence fell after the slavers left. He received more hard looks from the other slaves that had been there already.

" We can't stay here." He said to no one in particular.

" Don't worry. You may not for long." Said a raspy voice across the hall.

Another feminine voice answered. " They'll find an owner for you and you'll live with them, doing as they please."

" If you try to escape, you MAY make it out of here, but you'll never make it out of the city. They won't kill you like you may want them to, only throw you back in chains." Another female said.

Thorin noticed then not opposite genders did not share the same cell. Thorin turned away and collapsed to the ground exhausted. He thought to himself. About ways to get out or what to do. He would need to steal an entire ship if he were to make it back. He simply could not accept this fate.

Dori was nearing his wit's end. So many times he inadvertently hyperventilated. His worry for his youngest brother, the anxiety if someone bought him and who haunted his thoughts. Nori did his best to try and keep his elder brother calm enough not to go crazy in the dark, dank giant jail house. There was a time when as soon as the door opened to his cage, Dori jumped at the guard. He punched the first guard square in the chest, knocking the air out of him. The next guard was fast enough to hit him across the head, but it wasn't enough. Dori knocked him five feet back with a mighty hit. Nori shadowed him after grabbing a key and knocking the first guard unconscious. They ran down the hall searching desperately for their youngest brother.

Although they caught many eyes, no one made a sound and simply watched the two leave with looks of seriousness or dirty looks. They skidded to a halt where they remembered Ori to be.

" Ori?" Dori called. " Ori lad are you there?" He whimpered.

There was no answer other than the young human boy that they mistook for their brother. The boy looked at them with huge eyes of fear. Dori unlocked the cage and ushered for the boy to come closer. " It's alright lad. I won't hurt you. Come here." Nori watched his back.

Slowly, but surely the boy placed his hand in Dori's large hand. Dori pulled the boy closer into a parental hug, which the boy welcomed immediately. " Tell me lad. The dwarf that was with you in there, Ori, where is he?" The elder dwarf asked gently.

The sandy haired boy looked into his eyes. " Ori was my friend. Someone bought him."

Nori turned away and directed his glare at the ground so as to not scare the boy. " Who bought him? Where did they take him?"

" I don't know his name. He had black hair and was dressed in rich people clothes. He said something about Ori being a good assistant for his work."

Dori frowned. " What type of work?"

The boy shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know. The man was very serious all the time, like some business man on a strict schedule."

Nori turned to the right sharply at the sound of foot falls. " We can't stay any longer." Dori scooped up the boy, who stood only a couple of inches shorter than him, and the three of them ran down the halls. They ran this way and that as they tried to find a way out. They ran into three more guards. Dori kept the boy behind him and joined the fray after his brother. Now the dwarves sported new wounds, these guards were not like the men of middle earth. Still, the three pressed forward.

Everything went by in such a blur, that they honestly couldn't recall how they managed to find their way out, or in which cage and to whom the key was thrown to by Nori. All Nori knew was that there was a brunette elf lady and a dwarf lady of orange hair in that cage. He hoped they'd be smart enough to keep quiet about it. Nori, being the thief, led the way, checking to make sure the way was clear before they left. They stopped behind a building to catch their breath.

" Do you know your way around this city?" Dori asked the boy.

Unfortunately he shook his head. " I've only been as far as the woods in the west, and sometimes there are lumberjacks that work there." He stopped to breathe before continuing. " Are you Nori and Dori?"

The dwarves nodded.

" I'm Nori."

" I am Dori. Our brother has told you a bit about us I see." A ghost of a smile graced his lips.

" Yes. He said you'd find a way to get us out of there. He said that even if someone buys him, that you two will pull through and help us." The boy answered a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Nori watched the young human with an unreadable face.

Dori stood back up, his smile spread a bit more. " What is your name?"

" Josiah, Mister Dori."

" Well, Josiah. You are free now. Will you help us find our little brother?" Dori asked.

Josiah smiled back. " I sure will. He's my friend too." Dori clapped the boy on the shoulder. " Let's be off. Quickly now." And so they did. They tried to stay out of eyesight as much as possible. Nori stole unwatched bread and fruits for them every now and then. All the while Dori made no complaint or even show his disagreement while his middle brother did so. They gobbled down every bite they could and carried the rest. Nori found the back of someone shed to for them to rest and plan their next move. Just as they planned their next move, someone gave a shout and the baying of dogs were heard coming towards them.

" They found us!" Nori said. "We need to move!" And just like that they were on the run again. Soldiers with a few dogs chased after them. They zig-zagged through more buildings, the brothers even split up. Josiah went with Dori. Some came after them, the others went for Nori.

" Keep going lad." Dori encouraged behind Josiah. Dori knocked down crates, barrels and whatever else to slow down his pursuers. The two made a sharp left turn and into an old and unused building. Josiah gripped the dwarf's shoulder, giving him a concerned look. Dori waved it away. And he wordlessly ushered them upstairs.

They clambered to the roof. " We should jump to the other roof and escape that way. We can look for Nori while we're up here." Josiah said.

Dori peered over the edge and made a grimace, obviously not liking the idea and the two story fall if he didn't make it. " It's really not that far of a jump. The ground just makes it look that way. Come on." Josiah said and took the leap. He made it after a running start. Dori hesitated, but mimicked the move. He teetered a bit before Josiah grabbed him and pulled him away from the edge. They jumped from roof to roof. Just out of the corner of his eye, Josiah spotted someone running on his right. It was Nori. He jumped a fence, hid in a thick bush for a moment made his way across a plank to a house by the large river.

Precariously, vigilantly, and quickly they made their way towards the house they had last seen the brunette dwarf. They followed the same technique Nori displayed as they ran to the back of the store house. Dori slowly opened the door and was immediately grabbed by the neck with a large shark hook at his throat. Nori quickly let go however upon recognizing his brother and ushered them in. He barred the door with whatever furniture he could find as Josiah and Dori scrambled in.

Nori turned about. " I almost thought they caught you two again." He smirked.

Dori shook his head. " I feared the same for you. I'm afraid we can't keep this up for much longer. We need to find someplace far away and bid our time. We need to find aid as well." Josiah wandered the place. Looking for anything else that may be useful. He found a latch on the floor that opened up to the river beneath them, probably where the fishers dumped the guts of the fish they cleaned out. He kept searching about as the dwarf brothers discussed their new plans. Josiah found another door that opened up to a hallway. That hallway led to another store room and a narrow bridge across the rapids of the river. Some shouts caught his attention and he ran back to Nori and Dori. The two dwarves looked very angry and worried, for they heard the shouts too.

They had been found again. Josiah led them to the next room as people tried to break down the doors and some went through the window. They came to the bridge, making Josiah go first. Some soldiers were outside, poised with arrows and blow guns. As they were half way across the bridge, Josiah came to a sudden stop. " There's some in front of us!" he cried out.

Nori cursed as he looked ahead. He turned to his brother, giving him a silent message. Dori nodded. Nori turned back to Josiah. " Can you swim good lad?"

" Yes I can. But what about you?" His brows knitted together as he looked at Nori.

Nori smirked. " Don't worry about us lad. We got you outta there, now find our brother." He suddenly grabbed Josiah, not allowing him to fight back, and threw him over the rail of the bridge into the water. They two dwarves chose the path ahead of them and charged forward in hopes of getting to the thick woods before they were caught. To their credit, they fought well. When they couldn't fight, they switched tactics and used agility to get past the guards. They almost made it to the woods before they were caught. More tranquilizers were struck into their backs, more chains thrown on them, and back to their cages they were escorted. Silently, they co-operated with the slavers and guards.

Slowly Dori came more and more calm, not as anxious as he used to be; and Nori also fell into himself, doing little more than glares at a guard that looked at him for too long. Eventually, they accepted the fate that was now before them. And there is nothing more easily to defeat than a doubting dwarf. Nori was bought by a woman with a wicked grin who wore her high status proudly. She grinned wickedly and strutted about in self-importance, coercing the slavers to lower their price on him. The trident haired dwarf gave one last look at his brother, one more hug, and he was taken away, trying his best to look as fearless as he still could.

And not long after that, Dori was bought by a rotund man and woman who reeked of too much cologne. They had vulturous looks on their faces and eyed Dori with probing eyes. Dori was bought and led away, shoulders slumped, eyes of sadness, heart full of despondency.

Gloin coughed and his entire body racked as he hacked away till his breath was gone and he gasped for air to get ready for another coughing fit. He wiped away spit with a trembling hand and nearly fell over from his knees when the fits finally stopped. A water pouch was thrown at his feet.

" You're getting sick dwarf." Said the man in front of him. " Even in your weakened state will you continue to deny me?"

Gloin gulped down the water greedily and looked up at the man with a leer. The man simply stared down with his same nonchalant expression as he wound up the whip again. " I told you to work in the fields, harvesting the crops, and you refuse even that simple and mundane order. Stupid dwarf." The man sneered.

Gloin's leer intensified. " Dwarves are no one's slave. Where I am from we live alongside Men. No one ever thinks to do something so disgraceful."

" You no longer reside where you're from dwarf. You are here now. You are a farmer now, a sheep herder and my personal servant." The man said evenly, unfazed by Gloin's stare.

Gloin struggled to his feet. " You're a filthy and dishonorable human." Gloin growled.

The master rolled his eyes. " Yes yes, and you dwarves are without your own faults. Dwarves never fall prey to greed by something that so much as glimmers like gold. You never try to swindle people through unfair deals and trades of your wares. Oh and of course none of you EVER ignore the cry of help from others outside your race if they have nothing to offer in return. Get back to work dwarf."

Gloin clenched his fists in defiance. He even went so far as to attack the master. However the human saw this coming and evaded the enraged dwarf's grasp. He kept dancing away until two hired bouncers came out of the corn and beat Gloin to the ground again. Gloin erupted into another coughing fit that immobilized him from the fight. The master came casually back to stand in front of Gloin who lay on the ground. Gloin was hoisted back onto his feet by the two bouncers and by request of the master, was brought to the barn where the slaves slept.

Gloin was placed back into his chains as the master chattered on about how he was now too beat up and sick to even aid in the fields. In fact, wouldn't even be allowed in the kitchens because of his sickness. Medicinal herbs were forced down his throat and plenty of drinking water was provided in a clean bucket beside him. Four days later, the master came back to check on him. Gloin was not so grey colored anymore. His cough nearly gone, and his health returning.

" I see you're making a nice recovery. Good. Are you ready for work now?" The master asked.

Gloin didn't answer with anything more than his usual hateful glare. The master hummed and motioned for the bouncers to escort him to the fields. A large empty shoulder sack was dropped at the dwarf's feet.

" Will you harvest the crops, and distribute new fertilizer to the gardens now?" Gloin gave his usual spit at the master's feet. The master sighed and motioned for one of the bouncers to move. Said bouncer grabbed a nearby lady hobbit and hoisted her up with one hand. He stood in front of Gloin and pressed a knife to the hobbit's neck.

The master watched Gloin's back suddenly stiffen. " So this is the way I must put it? So be it. If you do not work, I will torture and/or kill a slave regardless of species." Glin took a long breath to steady his temper and slowly picked up the empty bag. He threw the loop over his shoulder and knelt down by the nearest row of crops and began his work. True to the master's word, a slave was put on a chain not far from a bouncer's grasp. Every time the red haired dwarf looked over his shoulder, there'd be a slave or two watching him, communicating with their facial expressions of anger and pleading that he'd better behave. The Dwarf did obey every day after that. It was a new trend now that a bouncer would have a slave with them to ensure the obedience of the slaves, even long after Gloin stopped his rebellious streak. A hobbit slave grumbled in his cot about how the dwarf's stubbornness now has someone's life in danger each day.

The master was clever though, he never used Gloin as the chained slave. The red haired dwarf learned how to fight his basic instincts. He learned how to hold his tongue and even how to find ways where this life isn't as bad as it was before. The master treated his slaves well when they did well. They were all well fed, properly clothed for the weather and/or cared for if any were injured or sick. Some of the older slaves even sang songs as they worked. A portion of land was given to the slaves to either bury their dead or grow their own personal gardens of whatever they wanted.

Gloin learned how to bend with change and make the most of it again.

Bombur moved as fast as he could without making any mistakes that would anger his master. The ginger haired dwarf was a large one before the reclaiming of Erebor, but after a few years had passed in his life of luxury and happiness with his large family, he steadily grew bigger. But with this sudden change in his life, the gained weight was being lost again. After six months of being here he was back to the weight he had previously carried before Erebor.

The master didn't seem to take notice or really care as of yet though. He still had Bombur serving as a messenger lad, cooking dinner, cleaning the house and organizing the stock of grapes and barley for wines and other beverages. When Bombbur showed off his cooking skills, the master decided that he'd make the dwarf the head chef. So Bombur made sure to cook the best meals he could offer to the other slaves, sneaking in little treats or other dishes when the master or his family wasn't looking.

Bombur hated being around the animals almost as much as the masters. For most of them were huge, such as long horned cattle, large monstrous sized horses, and big dogs. He only needed to be hit once before the poor dwarf yelped and hopped right to work. Like his brother Bofur, Bombur was not known for his bravery. He avoided fights as much as possible. So the masers never had that much trouble with him. In fact the children even grew to like him when they found out how well he can cook pastries.

Because of how attached the children were to him, he was favored by the masters. Most of the other slaves didn't hold it against him though, since he would smuggle goods to them when he could. Bombur couldn't hate the kids, it wouldn't be fair. He played with them every once in a while after his chores. He'd listen to how their days were from school. Because of his friendly personality, he was viewed more as a friend, or a pet, than a slave. Despite his seemingly fortunate position, every night the grief would return. Sometimes it brought him to tears as he fell asleep, sometimes it was just a sad sigh. This was not his family, not his children or his life. This was a sugar coated living nightmare.

The grey bearded dwarf lifted his ear trumpet to his ear. " What….was that?" He asked in a shaky voice.

The woman, his master let out a loud exasperated sigh. " Why WHY are you so deaf?! You can't even hear me with that ear horn of yours!" She marched up to him, grabbing the other end and nearly screamed into the ear horn. " I said to go wash the dishes!" She yelled at him.

Oin flinched at her words and hobbled into the kitchen to do just that wordlessly. The woman had a very filthy mouth. She smoked a strange smoke weed in the house that smelled awful. Instead of a pipe it was on a long straight stick. She carelessly beat and slapped any of the three other slaves whenever she felt like it. They had to approach her with half bent backs and bow low to the ground walking backwards after they served their treys to her. She used curse words Oin had never heard before, and that's saying something considering he helped soldiers to recover. Oin grew more and more hateful towards her by the day. He hid his scowl behind her back whenever she would waste the food if she didn't find it to her taste.

For a slender woman though, she could hit surprisingly hard, as Oin found out when he found a small bruise on his cheek and another one on his back rib. If Oin didn't hear her the first time, an elf slave was there to assist him, motioning to him that she was addressing him, or repeating for him what she wanted him to do. For once he had no distaste for elves. It was all redirected to this woman.

When the dwarf found out that the elf lad was to accompany her to the market, Oin quickly wrote down a secret list of his own for the elf to get. When the woman went to her room the elf went to the kitchen where Oin was and he handed the requested items to the dwarf with a nod. Oin kept his face neutral, never giving a hint to his plans. The next two days the woman master was in a particularly nasty mood, having woke up sick. Soon she was bed ridden and barely had the energy to go to the bathroom. A house doctor was called, and he advised her to be rid of her four slaves so that she could have a better chance at recovering.

Without a second's thought, she did so, but not before Oin could cover his tracks. The slaves were questioned about the condition of their former master, which none had an answer that pointed to anything specific. When the woman died, it was deemed that her drug addicted habits had caught up to her finally. They searched the house and found a few things that could lead to headache, nausea, and even upset stomach. They found a large bowl of sliced apples. Because of the uneaten apple pie that sat on the table, they would never suspect that the apple seeds were inside the woman's body. Because Oin burned the remaining nuts to ash, they'll never find the large amounts of ground nutmeg inside the woman's stomach.

Oin and the four others were taken back to the giant slave house. Who knows what his next 'master' will be? Oin didn't know whether to be disgusted with himself or be proud of himself for what he'd done. He was a healer after all, and what he did went against all his principles. Oin may not have suffered any permanent damage to his body, but no matter what his next master will be, he knew that he was the only one had to live with his choices and his mind of turmoil.

Bofur's smile was not the same anymore, in fact, it was hardly ever there. Almost every week he'd have to pass by the auction block where more slaves were being auctioned. Try as he might to ignore it, the images and the voices would come back to haunt him. He'd wake up in the middle of the night gasping from nightmares, broken in a cold sweat. His master never really beat him, but wasn't all that friendly either.

When Bofur needed to stop, his master let him stop. He was rented out by other masters for smaller jobs like transporting cargo, cooking in large feasts or even for mining, ironically. He begged and pleaded that his cousin remain with him to his first master, but his pleading was ignored. He watched the beheading block whenever it was in his sight, praying to Mahal that his cousin would not be anywhere near it.

His new master now was a very neutral man. Bofur asked the same question to him, that if they found his brother or cousin, can he get them too? The man made no promises though. He was kind enough to set aside two banks that he would add more and more money to be able to afford them. That was perhaps as good as it was going t get for now. But it was something. Bofur offered to do extra work to earn extra pay for his master to be able to afford them. He worked till he nearly passed out the second he was back home. The master had to remind him to eat sometimes between work hours. That was all that mattered to the dwarf though, finding his brother and cousin. That was all that drove him forward.

Fili and Kili fought like animals if anything or anyone threatened to separate them. So their prices were lowered, and they were sold as a pairing. They were bought and put to work in a pottery business that was growing rapidly and adding lines of classic style made paper, imported clothing, and some ceramic wares. They had to work separately sometimes though. Fili going to cut wood, Kili making the pulp or mixing the ceramic content, or vice versa. The master was a very business-like man who had everything on a tight schedule.

He was quick to establish order and discipline. Only instead of whipping his slaves, he punished them by missing meals, or working twice as hard. He was also a skilled fighter himself, which he demonstrated his skills by bringing a misbehaving slave to their knees. Even the two brothers, with all their training, struggled to keep up with the master's skills. He master was fluid like an elf when he needed to be and hard as stone when the time was right.

" How does a human have such control over their meek bodies?" Fili asked as he rolled over to a sitting position.

" Hmph." The man grunted. " Perhaps not the people where you're from. Here we humans have a better understanding that our limits are only what we allow them to be. With the right training and will, anything can be done." The man hoisted Fili up. " Now, will you get back to work or do you want to be thrown about like a ragdoll again?" Fili nodded and picked up the firewood he threw down earlier. Kili continued to rant on about how much he hated the new master, but Fili slowly grew to respect and even take the master's words more seriously. This master wasn't cruel, just very strict. This master was wise and smart.

Kili grumped alongside him. " What a cocky man. He thinks he can just beat anyone down like that. If you hadn't told me to stop I'd have thrown him to the ground."

Fili sighed. " We don't need to give him any reason to get rid of us, or worse, one of us." He dropped the wood by the furnace and started to throw some in the fire. " We should consider ourselves lucky. It won't be so bad here. We can make the most of it and maybe we'll even find Uncle Thorin and the others if we bid our time wisely. I believe we could learn something from Master Wei."

Kili still didn't fully agree, but he let the subject drop to move on. "When we do find the others, we'll all break free out of this mad city and go home." Fili nodded in agreement. " Aye brother. We mustn't act out of rash, not now. We stay on the master's good side. And we'll see about finding our kin next."

As the weeks went on, Fili and Kili worked as the master had planned. One day Master Wei chose them to accompany him to the shop to restock his wares. They learned how to be steady and careful with the goods. Master Wei watched and arranged things how they should be in his store.

" Kili. I need the teapots next…. Kili?" The master turned around to find no one behind him anymore. He walked outside and saw the two brothers staring at someone who carried two bags of groceries, and behind them trailed Balin. The dwarves' former teacher had that familiar look of grumpiness on his face.

As far as Kili and Fili could tell, there were no bruises or any signs of hurt and pain from Balin. The lady who was in front of him turned around and told him something, which Balin nodded to. After he put down the bags he was carrying, he turned and finally found the two young brothers watching him. Balin gave a small smile at seeing them unharmed as well. He made a few gestures in igleshmek as he loaded the bags onto the trunk of the small carriage. Fili replied back. They never took their eyes off Balin until he was in the carriage and rode away out of site. Kili whispered.

" He's okay." Kili smiled.

Fili smiled back. " Aye. See brother? If Balin can hold out so can we." His eyes widened when he looked behind him to see their master standing right there watching them. " Uh, sorry master. We'll get right back to work." He pushed his brother to move him on and they quickly unloaded the next crate into the shop.

Master Wei said nothing till all three of them were inside. He made no indication that he was angry with them either which confused Kili a bit. Instead the master continued to write down some things on his check board. There was a time even when two other passerby men were harassing the brothers, and a fight broke out in which Mater Wei and a couple of city guards stopped the fight.

The brothers thought that they were going to get another beating from Master Wei, but instead, the master patted them on the shoulder. He told them that their white haired friend was doing alright still. This confused them even more, but they appreciated the update on their kin.

Master Wei became more of a firm teacher than a slave owner to the brothers, and they naturally put forth a more wanting effort to work with him. Balin sneezed again. He was at the point where he just carried handkerchiefs with him when it was time to work. The master that he worked for was a small pet shop keeper with a nasally voice. When she realized his allergy with dogs, she didn't make him work around them for very long.

Balin's days were filled with making breakfast for him and his master, helping feed and water the animals, grooming them, selling them and cleaning up after them, as well as cleaning the house they lived in as well. His days were busy and sometimes miserable, depending on the weather and his allergies. The lady was so stingy and impatient about some things, but when Balin made a sale, she suddenly liked him.

When he said or did something that made her look less than flawless, she almost ignored him for the whole day and made him work harder. The old dwarf found ways to Work around her dictator attitude by either ignoring her or giving pointless compliments just to keep her from lashing out at him. She was a hard woman to put up with. The only decent thing that Balin could like about her really was her skills as a business lady.

Other than that, there wasn't much else. Balin found the animals to be better company than the woman, even if the dogs sneezed in his face, the cats clawed up his hands and forearms, the birds were loud and very messy. The rabbits were fine and so were the hamster things. The snakes creeped him out, as did some of the lizards. The fish were the easiest to deal with at least. Balin sighed to himself again as the birds in one cage fluttered about so much that he retreated with a beard full of feathers, bird seed and dry droppings.

He went outside to the back and dusted out as much as he could before going back to work. At least the young lads were fine. He once saw Bombur walking with two kids that seemed to like him. He was worried for Dori though. His elderly friend was heading towards a large three story building that resembled and inn.

Balin suspected other things were being taken place there that made him shake his head to rid the possible images. " Balin? Where are you?" The woman called.

" Here miss." He called back as he paced towards her voice.

" What are you working on?" she asked.

" The bird cages miss." The dwarf answered.

The woman hummed. " Good. After that is lunch time for us. Finish that then go make lunch. Mind you wash your hands." She said with a quick glance at him. " I'll be in the front restocking the animal food and running the store. Off with you now."

" Yes Miss." Balin replied and went back to work. The old dwarf thought about how quickly things had come to this. What in Mahal's name have they done to deserve this now? Then again, The unknown dark had been around almost as long as Erebor had been. Maybe this society itself wasn't that old, but the concept of everyone avoiding this unknown territory has been.

And now, here he was, reduced to a pet shop assistant/slave. As it's been nearly a year, Balin was beginning to grow very accustomed to this life, remorsefully accepting it as his home. Try as he might, he watched keenly and listened closely to ways of getting out of the city. The only way off was by boat. Boats only left to middle Earth twice a year. Slaves who were considered too uncontrollable were beheaded and their bodies used as fish bait. Those who proved useful had the chance of being elevated to a favorite of some kind. Watching some of the favorites, which were obvious by the lack of chains, collars and shackles, they seemed to walk around freely with their masters, looking as care free as their masters. Some seemed to enjoy their lives'.

Balin however, was no stranger to grief, sorrow and loss. He thought that he'd live out the rest of his years in peace in his home Erebor. He was even beginning to consider looking into another secret dream of his about another ancient home. But instead he's here, because Thorin and his closest kin, even himself, wanted to know what lay in the Dark Unknown. The old dwarf knew what it meant to adapt and survive. And that's exactly what he was doing. Adapting to this life, accepting it for what it was and not entertaining thoughts of escape any longer.

Bifur couldn't stand being away from his cousins. He couldn't watch people being sold as tools instead of fair people. The axe in his head allowed him to get lost in his mind much faster and easier than usual. He stared out into space, completely unaware of his surroundings for almost hours on end. He stayed there in the slave building, watching and waiting as people came in and out. For a jail house, it had some simple furnishings as compared to other places that were little more than a square room.

These cells had cots for people to sleep in. There was a hidden section at the back where the chamber pots were and a pipe always flowing with water that the chamber pot was dumped into. Warmer clothes were provided for the colder days and lighter clothing for warmer days. Each cell had a window big enough for people to gaze out and sunshine to come in for a while.

When someone noticed his axe, they'd jeer at him and turn their noses, angering him greatly. He growled in khuzdal and shook his fist, or lash out if someone rude came too close. Quickly he was passed by again and again, which he truly didn't mind. It's when his hands became idle is when he began to get bothered.

After a few months, he was provided with blocks and wood carving tools and spent his time making little toys in his little world. He never forgot though, that his cousins and his kin were out there, slaving away. He didn't give up hope that one day he'd be out of here and find his kin. He simply couldn't allow it.

Dwalin was an intimidating figure and skillful individual, even in chains, and a few masters took advantage if these by making him work as a body guard or scare away unwanted customers. He was rented out for various jobs in transport, pulling heavy corn stalks out, body guarding, and even in a wrestling show a few times. The dwarf warrior fell back into the days after the fall of Erebor. He was passive, silent, showed little to know reaction to anything except what was appropriate at that time.

Most of the time it was a scary glare anyways. He was torn between two choices: The first being to follow what Thorin would undoubtedly be doing, fighting and rebelling every chance he got. Or to follow what his brother advised before they were separated, which was to play the part and bid your time till the right moment was revealed. So many times he wished he could disregard his brother's warnings and wallop some masters in the face. Dwalin was not the most cunning of the family however, nor was he that stupid either. When the whips and beatings came down on him, he learned quickly what was acceptable and what wasn't.

The dwarf was a hardened warrior, he had no fear of pain, death, or torture, but he did have a fear for his brother and his kinsmen. He feared for Dis and her sons. He had to know where they were, if they were alright. He desperately wanted to know what Thorin's plans were. He took his frustration out on the wrestling opponents or anything else that was manual labor. As the months went by, he began to better appreciate the life he lived now. He always had some sort of emotional outlet that kept him from going mad in the anxiety.

As always through-out his life to even now, he would remain as steadfast for his friends and family as possible. He did all his jobs to the best of his ability. With or without hope, seeing few signs of his friends, and no sign of rebelling or escape, he waited. As a whole year passed, he began to question himself, what was he waiting for anymore?

Please oh please don't set me ablaze! I got all caught up in the moment and came out with this. Yes I know what I just did. It's obvious now that I tend to have a dark sense of humor at times. But if this story is allowed to grow, if you really like it, then I can promise it will get better. This plot was actually inspired by one of my favorite authors, D.A. Adams who wrote "Brotherhood of the Dwarves" series I highly recommend that book if you like dwarves. Well, what do you think?