Thorin had taken a job to protect the Earthen Tribe's Princess as she traveled to the other Tribes of Nymphs. He had agreed because the Nymphs were the only ones who had tried to help the Dwarves when they lost their homeland. The King wasn't too fond of the Dwarves, but they had heard rumors that this Princess had convinced her father to help. He gave them food and offered permanent sanctuary. Thorin knew he would need to repay them for their generosity, so he agreed to protect the Princess. He thought she would be stuck up, it was after-all, only a rumor that she had chosen to help him and his kin.
She was so young when Thorin first met her. Innocent, even. He did not know if she would survive her quest. He enlisted the help of his finest warriors. Those he knew he could trust to protect her at all costs. Dwalin and Balin. Bofur. And his nephews, Fili and Kili. They had met in a small town, far enough away from the Nymph's village so that they would not be in any danger.
They met in a pub. Bofur, Fili and Kili were to meet them on the road once the Princess arrived.
"Where is she?" Balin looks around the pub.
"I am here." A young woman answers. She is dressed in a male's armor. Her red hair fell down around her shoulders. She sport a bow and arrow and many daggers from what Thorin could see.
"Princess Neara?"
"Shhh!" She looks around as the inhabitants of the bar turn to the group. "We cannot talk here. Call me Nee in the presence of others."
"Sorry. Shall we be going then?" Thorin gestures to the door.
"Please." She hurries outside and pulls herself onto a pony. Kicking her pony, she gallops off towards the edge of town. Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin follow quickly. They reach the edge of town and Neara looks at the Dwarves.
"I didn't realize I'd have an entourage."
"Your father wants to make sure you are protected." Thorin answers.
"I can take care of myself." She snaps.
"I'm so sure." Dwalin scoffs. "A young Princess against a pack of Orcs, how would you attack them with no one to protect your backside? Do you even know how to use those weapons upon your back? Who did you take them from? Your father? Or brother?"
A whir of silver flies past Dwalin's right ear and lands in a tree next to him. He stares at her incredulously.
"I am fully capable of taking care of myself." They stop, as to wait for the rest of the entourage.
They arrive and Neara is introduced to them all. She cares not to remember their names. She does not expect to be with them much longer. They ride a little longer and stop for the night. Neara camps above them in a tree.
Once she was sure they were sleeping, she carefully climbed down the tree and onto her pony, riding off into the night. What she hadn't noticed is that the youngest Dwarf, one of Thorin's nephews, had seen her leave and followed her.
The rest of the Dwarves woke to find the Princess and Kili missing.
"We must find them." Thorin orders.
"They are probably together." Fili ensures.
"No. If I'm correct he is following her. But they are both most likely in danger." Thorin kicks his pony and they ride off.
Neara stopped near a spring to get some rest and water for herself and her pony. She began to take off her armor, fancying a swim in the beautiful spring. She was down to her nether wear when she heard a twig break behind her. She quickly grabbed her bow and strung an arrow, aiming it into the woods.
"Show yourself." She orders. The young Dwarf came out of the trees, hands raised. She puts down her arrow. "Why did you follow me?"
"To protect you." He says quietly.
"I don't need protection." She growls.
"No?" Kili smiles as he quickly grabs her bow from her and shoots an arrow behind her. She turns quickly to see an Orc, dead in the meadow. She quickly grabs the sword off her pony's saddle and turns, looking out for more of the monstrosities. The Dwarf notches another arrow and aims it into the trees himself. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then it happened all at once. Orcs ran out of the forest. Neara and Kili started attacking. Kili kept looking to make sure that the Nymph was not in danger, but she did not try to avoid it. In fact, she ran towards it. Kili grunted and ran after her. It was his duty to protect her, and she was not making it easy. However, she slayed everything in her path. Kili laughed. His uncle couldn't have been more wrong about this girl.
Not ten minutes later, all the Orcs were slain, just as the Princess pulled her sword out of the last one's body, Thorin and the rest of the group showed up with swords and axes raised. Upon seeing that all were dead, he put his sword away, walking to his nephew.
"It's a good thing Kili were here to protect you, otherwise, these monsters would have killed you on sight." He kicks one of them. Neara glares and takes her bow and arrow from Kili, knotching an arrow and aiming. The Dwarves behind Thorin raise their weapons, even a Nymph could not harm their to-be king. She releases the arrow as the Dwarves yell and run to protect Thorin, but he was not her target. A thud three feet to their left makes them stop, looking to where an Orc was sneaking upon them.
"I will admit, your nephew helped greatly, but I could have handled myself. As I've been telling you." She glares and picks up her armor, strapping it back on. Thorin scoffs at her
"We'll camp here for tonight, since the young Princess decided to run off and waste away the day."
Neara looks at him incredulously, before grunting and going to set up her camp on the other side of the meadow.
Young Kili looked over to where he knew the Nymph was supposed to be sleeping. Something about her intrigued him. She was beautiful, yes, but she was not afraid of battle. He'd never seen anything like her. His brother nudges him.
"May I help you?" Kili grunts.
"You know Uncle won't have it. He hates the Nymphs. He says they are almost the same as Elves." Fili nods towards the Princess.
"But she is the one who offered us help when all others turned their backs." Kili looked longingly.
"Those were only rumours, Kili. Uncle said she is as stuck up as any other Elf or Princess."
"Do you always listen to what Uncle says?" Kili snaps and stands up. "Good night, brother."
Kili stormed off, not caring where he went. It's not like there are many woman Dwarves that were interested in the young Prince. Something to do with his Uncle, he was sure. Besides, female Dwarves had never interested Kili. They would cater to every need of their husbands, often putting aside their own happiness to do so.