"What good is power if you can't protect the ones you love."

- Cersei Lannister - Game of Thrones

Thanks to flint1991 for following this story! Plus over 1000 views! Amazing thank you so much!

lovingthisbook - sorry for the slight cliffhanger and there might just be another one in this chapter! Sorry! Thanks for the help with the flashbacks and I'll keep that in mind, I'm glad you enjoy them though!

Aranel Mereneth - There relationship and the proper fullblown story will start soon don't worry, at least they've met now! Thank you for the advice with the flashbacks as well it's really helpful!

Old Wounds Can't Heal With an Apology

Fili woke up happy. Stretching out he saw his brother was still sound asleep on the bed next to him, smiling to himself he pulled back the covers and padded out of the bedroom towards the kitchen where he could hear his mother making breakfast.

"Good morning Fili." His mother said looking over her shoulder as the blonde entered the room still rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "You've got a letter."

He looked at the table frowning and walked over to where the envelope sat teasing everyone to open it. On the front it read: To Fili.

Picking it up hesitantly like it could bite him he turned it around in his hands and studied the writing trying to decipher who it might be from. Frowning again he slipped a thumb underneath the corner and gently tore it open. Fishing the not out and discarding the container he flipped the paper up and out of its fold to read it.

'To Fili' it read 'I am leaving the Blue Mountain's. We might never see each other again and I will miss you forever. I have my reasons but I do not wish to share them with anybody and I am sorry that I could not have told you in person. By the time you are reading this I will have already fled. I'm so sorry Fili, please don't cry, and stay strong for me – Inca.'

Fili's mouth fell open slightly at the words and then re-read the letter to gauge there meaning. When the information sunk in his hand crashed to the table and a sob escaped his lips. His mind was in turmoil, the news came from thin air and his body shook.

"Fili what's wrong?" Dis said rushing to her son's side with concern flushing across her features at the tears. He said nothing though, only gave her the letter in his hands. She read it carefully again and again and then wordlessly took her sobbing child into her arms and cradled him tightly.

For a moment they just stared. Of course, Inca had known that Fili was alive and well and she had seen him at the ceremony; but his expression was indescribable and she had no idea about his response to her reappearance would be.

"Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit." Was all she could say and placed a hand to her forehead avoiding her gaze but kept the injured hand down. Yet he still stayed silent, processing the information remembering everything about her in a tsunami and then confusion spread other him.

"I thought you were dead. You're supposed to be dead!" He blurted out pointing a finger at her accusingly, but he was not showing rage just shock. But no less, that was not his best line and he mentally slapped himself for being so bold and stupid.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm here. Unless you'd prefer me to be dead like I'm 'supposed' to be, I'll go and take care of myself." She quipped back, momentarily glaring at her from under her palm. She was still as sassy as he remembered.

"No I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –" He began, rambling his awkward apology but she just interrupted it much to his relief.

"It's alright. To be honest it's me that should be apologizing." She admitted, once more averting her eyes to the floor guiltily. She had missed him at first but in truth she had learned to leave her past behind her. And at that moment she felt incredibly uncomfortable with him, like he was a stranger and frankly she thought it best if they avoided each other. But Fili had a different view.

He was about to unload all the questions and concerns about her and her family's disappearance all those years ago, but stopped himself when he saw the blood on her hand and unconsciously reached out for it, holding it in his own large palms to inspect it and not understanding that she was feeling more and more uncomfortable. "You're hurt."

"Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't notice it myself." She said sarcastically but he just smirked at her and when he looked down she rolled her eyes. All she had wanted to do was wrap it in a bandage and get back to the celebration; not start an awkward reunion with her childhood friend. "Now if you don't mind, I'm on my way to get a bandage."

"Oh no, it's fine I'll take you to the ward." He smiled and grabbed her unbloodied hand and escorted her down the corridor oblivious to her not wanting to be with him.

He was striding through the halls of Erebor, Inca's hand clasped in his as she dragged behind looking over her shoulder and pulling on her hand every so often to try and give him a hint. Eventually they came to the ward and Fili knocked on the door, leaning his ear to the wood for a reply before bursting into the room with Inca in tow.

"Ah Fili." An older dwarf said as he recognized the prince from the quest. "What can I do for you, shouldn't you be at the celebration." Fili only shrugged at his question and watched the healers next act.

It was then that he looked past the blondes shoulder to the girl sheepishly stood behind him with her head lowered whilst embarrassment flooded her cheeks at how pathetic her injury was. His face dropped its original smile and masked one of utter shock and his face paled slightly as he looked at the girl, his reaction to her the same as Fili's.

The healer looked between the girl and the prince with his mouth agape and Fili only chuckled at his loss for words whilst Inca stood curious of why the man had reacted to her in the way he did. I mean, Fili had the right to be taken aback but a stranger who only seemed vaguely familiar shouldn't be looking at her like she was a ghost.

"Well, Inca here," Fili laughed under his breath again at the absurdity of the situation as well as he was totally unsure of how else to act "has cut her hand and it needs bandaging." The doctor went a shade paler and then slowly nodded whilst Inca glowered at the prince again, knowing that the cut was something she would've had no problem sorting herself.

"Right this way…" The man said hesitantly and unsure as he gestured for Inca to sit on one of the beds whilst he rummaged around in a draw for some bandages; glancing at her every now and then, wary of his own thoughts. Meanwhile Fili was smirking next to her curious eyes trying to push down the questions and thoughts that threatened to come tumbling out in a speech/rant.

"Oin came with us on the quest to reclaim Erebor." Fili whispered to Inca and now it was her turn to pale as she chocked on her own saliva suddenly recognising the man and understanding how he recognized her and why he had been acting so strangely.

They spent the next couple of minutes in silence as Inca presented the small wound and Oin went about cleaning and bandaging it as carefully and gently as he could. Then when he was done they acknowledged each other with a polite nod and he scurried out of the room leaning the pair to solitary silence.

"I really should be going, Sady will probably be getting worried…" Inca said hesitantly, jumping up from the bed and edging towards the door her hand fumbling behind her for the handle and a quick exit.

"Wait – " Fili reached his hand out in an attempt to grab hers and stop her from leaving; but she had already swiveled around the door and was running down the dark corridor trying to stop tears from falling.

Fili sighed to himself and lowered his hand to his side again, cursing inwardly that he didn't stop her in time. The noise her feet made along the stone slowly echoed away from him and he shook his head to try and get a grip of the situation. After composing himself, he too walked out of the ward and down the corridor back to the faint music and the celebration.

He flung the door open that led to the Great Hall and entered the room, loud music, joy and dancing filling his senses. He ducked his head down to avoid getting stopped by the mass of rhythmically moving and twirling dwarves and shuffled back towards the head table as quickly as he could.

He slumped down into the his chair again and everyone turned to look at him but quickly forgot about the prince and went back to their original focus. Thorin however let his gaze linger over his heir, studying him as he pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. But soon even the King got distracted and it was only the younger brother left giving Fili a quizzical look with a mouth stuffed full of strawberries.

"You were gone a while." Kili pointed out, some small bits of fruit popping out of his mouth when he spoke and Fili slowly turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Your point is?" He asked sarcastically he mind in too much turmoil to put up with his younger siblings antics and interrogation, although he did have a right to know about the unexpected and very much alive memories of their childhood.

"What happened? You said you were taking a breather yet you've been gone half an hour at least." He stated pointing a finger at his brother and gesturing around with it, yet his expression remained still and casual.

"I… bumped into someone." Was all the blonde managed to say but the brunette only raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, determined to get more information he probed further.

"Stop being so vague. Plus if you only 'bumped' into someone you wouldn't have been gone so long." He tilted his head slightly and a smug grin appeared on his face but then his eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind. "Was it a girl? You didn't – "

"No! No I did not, Mahal Kili!" Fili cut his brother off before the inappropriate suggestion tumbled out of his mouth. "But yes it was a girl…" He grumbled and his brothers face lit up when he started to dig deeper into the mystery of his brother's lengthy 'breather'.

"Who was it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Fili only sighed back and rested his hand on the table, clenching and unclenching his fist lazily and then closing his eyes for a brief moment. Yet Kili didn't give up despite the obvious wall his brother was trying to put up.

"Try me."

Kili nearly choked when the name was uttered from his sibling and he thought back to the person he had seen in the crowd earlier. He had thought that he was seeing things and it was just someone that looked like their childhood friend, but his assumption had clearly been correct despite him still unable to believe it.

"Are you sure it was her? I thought I saw her in the crowd when we walked through but it could've been anyone." Kili mumbled to Fili so no one else could hear their private conversation although some of the other members at the table were eyeing them suspiciously.

"You saw her and you didn't tell me!" Fili whispered back but he was slightly angry that his brother had kept information like that from him.

"I'm sorry Fee, I didn't think it was her. I mean how could it be? She's dead… right?"

"No, she's not." Kili's face paled and he swallowed knowing how upset his brother could be.

"But how –"

"What are you two talking about?" Thorin said loudly interrupting the princes chat and their heads swivelled around to face their uncle with wide eyes.

"Nothing of importance." Fili quickly chirped hoping it would be enough for Thorin to drop his inquiery and leave them, him alone; but Kili elbowed him in the ribs and glared at him with a knowing look.

"Are you kidding Fee, of course this is important. You know how close he and their mother was, if they're alive she must be too." Kili whispered and then turned back to their uncles scrutinizing but cheerful gaze.

"When we first walked in for the celebration, I thought I saw Inca Thopal, the girl from our childhood. But thought nothing of it because of the situation that happened." Kili explained gesturing with his hands as he went but Thorin kept very still, analyzing his words and listening carefully. "But Fee just said he bumped into her in the corridor and is sure that it was her."

For a while the King remained silent flicking his eyes between his nephews and the casting them over the mass of dancing dwarves throughout the hall. "Are you sure it was her?" He eventually asked, although he might have seemed calm and bothered, behind his eyes and tongue his mind was as wild as the princes at the possibility and they needed answers.

"I'm sure."

Inca rushed back to the table where her siblings were sat, merrily drinking themselves into oblivion – well, Sady less so but even she was chugging a mug of ale alongside her brother as cheers echoed around them. She sat down quickly and shifted herself onto the bench trying her best to fake cheeriness so she wouldn't be questioned.

Soon though her worries were briefly washed away when alcohol was placed in front of her and she re-joined the spiralling mess that every dwarves head was in. After several more pints though she didn't seem to be feeling any drunker and couldn't get certain thoughts out of her head. Glancing up at the head table she saw the three Durin's talking between themselves with serious expressions and when the King surveyed the hall she knew that they were probably talking about her.

"Come on, we better leave." Inca said quietly tugging on her twin's arm and fgrabbing her sisters from across the table.

"What? Why? Oh come on we're just getting started!" Noly cried clearly upset and his eyes trying to turn into full circles as he almost begged his sister to let them stay. Even Sady, the usual responsible one was whining in protest.

"You've had enough to drink besides it's getting late." Inca said sternly standing and crossing her arms over her chest at the pair exaggeratingly whimpering but she only rolled her eyes at them and went to pluck them off the bench again.

"That's not a good enough reason." Sady said determined crossing her own arms and huffing like a stubborn child. "Besides-"

"Fine. The real reason is that the King knows we're here and is searching for us. I don't know about you but I do not want to ruin the celebrations in order for us to be interrogated. Now you either come nicely or I will drag you out. You know I will." She raised her eyebrows at them and they immediately shut up at the short information and shot up from their seats.

They quickly hurried out after Noly had sneakily grabbed three mugs of ale and was attempting to drink them as they shuffled through the crowd, picking up more along the way. Flicking around to check that both drunk siblings were there she had to snatch her twins hand away from stealing another drink and pull him towards the door.

After they had gotten through the entrance and were outside of the Kingdom's congregation Inca began power walking in the general direction of there house although truthfully she had no idea where they were meant to be going. Sady and Noly followed her like puppies occasionally swaying and babbling on about something.

Inca was just about to give up and sleep on the floor of the corridor when two guards walked around a corner clearly on a mission but that didn't matter to Inca, they needed directions.

"Excuse me, you couldn't take us too –" Inca began hopefully trying her best to be innocent and polite so that they would take pity on her and help them all get back home, but one of the guards stopped her mid sentence.

"Are you Incanus Thopal?" He asked bluntly, seemingly taking no notice of her ask for help and his face conveyed no emotion except duty.

"Umm yes? Why?" Inca replied hesitantly not wanting to tell the truth in fear of what could come next but lying could land her and her siblings in more trouble. Speaking of her siblings they were nowhere to be found and had obviously run off at the first siting of the guards in their drunken and idiotic stupor. She cursed inwardly but didn't get much time to think about that when one of the guards grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

"King Thorin wants to see you." He only replied when she squeaked in shock and slight pain at the rough movement but then his words sunk in and all other thoughts evaded her.

Oh fuck.

So another cliffhanger I guess. So the 'real' story will begin now seeing as the 'build up' has finished. If any of you want to suggest plot lines and twists or even little scenes you want me to write for this story I'd really appreciate it as at the moment I haven't got anything planned so I'd love to get some suggestions! I love you all x