They all nearly sighed in relief when they saw the open sky above them, as they breathed in the cool clean air free of the stench of the Goblin town. They ran over the forest floor, gaining distance from the opening in the mountain and they paused for a moment to see they were all there and well.

Thorin moved to stand in front of Evengel, lowering his voice so as not to draw attention."What did he mean the King of Rohan's payment?" he asked, watching the flicker of her eyes and the muscles in her jaw clench.

"It was nothing," she replied not meeting his stare.

His eyes hardened at her refusal to speak, having half a mind to send her back to the elves – he did not carry her willingly, though he did not mind her. "The Great Goblin knew you, they all did. Do you mean to tell me that is nothing?" he demanded. She turned her head away from him and he moved to stand in her line of sight, forcing her to look at him.

"That is exactly what I mean to tell you," she said through clenched teeth, her dark green eyes blazed as she looked at him.

Thorin's own eyes narrowed as he watched her closely, not liking the way in which she spoke to him as though he were not a king, as though his place was not above her – he knew women such as her, noble and arrogant, believing themselves to be above all including the consequence of their actions. These women he did not like, and he had no place for one among his Company; no matter her tragic past, all pity he might have felt shriveled in the face of his own loss. "You have no right to speak to me this way, lady of Rohan," he told her harshly.

Her face was dark as she looked down at him, unwilling to yield. "And what right do you have to demand answers from me, crownless king?" she demanded, shocking him with her cruelty.

"You would have died had we not taken you from the river, and you would have died still had we not carried you with us thus far," he reminded her shortly, his wordless threat heard very clear that he could expel her from his company anytime it suited him.

She smiled bitterly. "I did not ask to be saved, nor did I ask to join you. I asked for nothing and yet you gave it to me regardless, do not be so surprised when you find me ungrateful for the help I did not want."

He stared up at her angry face, wondering how he had not noticed the coldness in her eyes before. "You would have died," he repeated, thinking she should be grateful for that fact alone.

"You should have let me," she told him through bared teeth. In the next moment the rage flooded out of her as a young woman faced with admitting she would have chosen death – and a deep rooted sadness was left stark on her pretty face.

He stared at her realizing he knew nothing of this woman, whose cruelty she wore as armor, her tongue the sharpest of swords; and he looked at her wondering who her father was to have made his daughter so bitter with hatred. "What did he do to you?"

Once again she was left averting her gaze, feeling shame for her quick anger when it had been unjust – that was not how the lady of Rohan spoke, especially not to a king. And she opened her mouth to ask him to forgive her of the words she had spoken in grief, when another voice silenced her.

"Where is Bilbo?"

Evengel turned to Gandalf confused before she looked around realizing the little hobbit was gone. She found herself strangely saddened by the thought of harm befalling him, for he had been so very sweet – possibly the kindest person she had ever known. Behind Thorin she stood as the dwarves grumbled to themselves, sounding very much like they were blaming Bilbo himself for the trouble he'd found.

"I thought I saw him slip away when the goblins first grabbed us," Nori said.

Gandalf turned to the dwarf, knowing if harm befell the hobbit it would be no one but his fault alone for he had asked Bilbo to come. "What happened, tell me?"

"I'll tell you what happened," Thorin said harshly. "Master Baggins saw his chance and took it. We will not be seeing the hobbit again; he is long gone." Thorin said, and most of the dwarves looked down saddened for many of them had grown of him.

Evengel stared at his back wondering at his bitter words and all he had lost, the pain he had been given to make him so unwilling to trust. She did not speak up, though she wished to – a true lady would have, though her mother had always been quick to tell her she was no lady. But she did not agree with Thorin, for she had seen such bravery in the little man – such courage and heart; more than any of the others. And so it was hardly a surprise to her when the hobbit in question stepped out from behind a tree.

"No, he isn't," Bilbo said in return for Thorin's last words, and they all looked to him relieved – even the dwarf king, several of them asking how he had managed to escape.

Bilbo slipped the ring in his pocket deciding not to tell them, but Gandalf saw the flash of gold. "The important thing is he's alright," Gandalf said giving Bilbo a strange look before turning away, meeting the lady Evengel's wondering eyes as she stared at him thoughtfully – and he was forced to remember that this no more was a company of stubborn thick-headed dwarves and naïve Bilbo, Evengel was clever and she knew Bilbo had something strange.

Though a deep voice thankfully had her turning away, stealing her attention away from the curiousness of what Bilbo had found. "You came back," Thorin said confused. "Why?"

Bilbo thought a moment before answering. "You're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair. You see, that's home. That's where I belong," said Bilbo knowing it to be true. "And you don't have one, none of you," he said looking at the dwarves and then at Evengel. "But I will help you take it back – if I can."

Some of the dwarves smiled their approval, others nodded. Thorin took Bilbo's declaration as it came, and Evengel gave him a long look which the hobbit matched with his own. She was stronger than he'd thought, than any of them had thought; her wounded shoulder had made her seem weaker. But it was her eyes, her fiery greens eyes, that showed her strength. And Bilbo was glad he'd spotted her in the river; they would need her. They would need a woman who could offer what little nurturing she could, as well as someone who would help them fight.

Bilbo's thoughts were interrupted by the howls and snarling of wargs as they ran down the mountain. The company saw their black shapes as they charged forward, mouths open showing their sharp teeth. There were too many wargs running closer for them to stand and fight, so Bilbo, Gandalf, Evengel, and the dwarves all turned and ran as fast as they were able.

Evengel was still holding the ax she'd taken from the fallen goblin, she'd found it among the broken wood pieces of the platform. She felt a hand brush against her arm and looked to see Dwalin running next to her, always her protector. They ran until they reached a cliff and turned back to see that the wargs, riderless, had caught up to them. Dwalin put an arm out keeping Evengel behind him and she sighed irritably at his refusal to see her as a fighter. Dwalin swung his large war hammer and she heard the sickening, yet victorious, crack of the warg's skull before it slumped to the ground.

"Get in the trees," Gandalf yelled to them.

Kili shot down a warg, and Gloin and Nori beat another to death. Thorin pierced the side of a warg with his sword, though it did not kill it. He whipped his head to the side, nearly falling, as an ax flew past his head and embedded itself in the warg's head. He turned around to see Evengel and he stared at her both angry and impressed by not only her aim but also her gall. He made for her and pushed her towards a tree, seeing her mouth was curled arrogant and proud. "Get in the tree," he told her, moving aside as Dwalin lifted her to the branch so as not to stretch her shoulder. Thorin quickly climbed up after her with Dwalin following behind. "If I did not know better, I would say she tried to aim for my head that time," he grumbled as he reached for another branch.

"No, Thorin," Dwalin said from below him, "she did aim for your head."

Thorin paused as what Dwalin said registered, and he looked up to see a flash of Evengel's teeth as she wrapped her legs around the branch and sat. He continued climbing and he stood on the branch next to her on the other side of the tree, with Dwalin directly below her. Thorin looked at the ground searching for any more of their company still in danger, and saw Bilbo trying to get his sword out of a warg's belly. He made to move down the tree when Bilbo finally freed the sword, though Bofur and Bifur pulled him up to a higher branch. Evengel watched Thorin as he climbed back to her side, wondering if he did not loathe the hobbit as much as he wished to believe he did.

They all turned at the sound of the wargs snarling and growling as they raced down the mountain towards them, leaping and gnashing their teeth as they tried to reach the dwarves in the trees, though they were out of reach. Evengel heard Thorin's breathing hitch she turned to him find his eyes wide with a terrible disbelief, and she followed his gaze to see the pale orc astride his white warg; hearing release a breath. "Azog."