Chapter 7

Fili could not help but grin watching Amli tie the ponies off. There was something about that she-dwarf that left a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach. She was absolutely beautiful bathed in the setting sun's rays.

Granted as the next in line for the throne, Fili knew he should have been more focused on the journey or finding what would be deemed a 'suitable' queen. Yet any worries or concerns of that nature managed to disappear with no more than a glance from the feisty half-blood.

Amli could not help the small blush that crept up her cheeks as she felt Fili's gaze upon her. He seemed to manage to leave a warm pool in her belly every time the two interacted. This damn dwarf was going to be the death of her.

Sure she bloody well acted playful and cocky but underneath that façade was just a girl.

A girl, who was ostracized, learned to hide that pain and keep powering through though those taunts stung all the same.

"Well look at the half-blood walking proud as can be. Have you come back for more?" Azi taunted as Amli blinked away the tears finding the she-dwarfs who were so desperate to make her life a living hell.

Glaring over at the clique, Amli glared looking rather rough around the edges thanks to the shiner they bestowed upon her earlier in the week.

"Would you sod off Azi? Is it my fault that you are so clueless?" Azi's stupid laughter rang in her ears as they circled around her.

"You are so foolish, half-blood. I am not the clueless one. You think that Lo would be interested in you? You are a worthless, nobody who does not deserve to be loved…"

A small squeal escaped her lips as she was suddenly tossed over a burly shoulder and spun around.

Blonde hair covered her face as she giggled in delight at the sudden change of thought. It was nice to not linger in the past pains.

"Fili put me down!" Amli cried smacking the dwarf's muscular back as he chuckled heartily. That probably didn't even hurt the bastard.

"No, I don't think I will. Let's call it payback for that earlier." He replied as Amli playfully rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry you're highness, I figured you would be able to handle a little taste of your own medicine." Amli replied sticking her tongue out at the blonde who promptly dropped her back to her feet.

"I hope you know that I meant nothing by it." Fili said gazing into her green eyes making that warmth pool right back up in her stomach.

The handsome fool thought she was seriously irked at him?

Grinning softly at the dwarf, Amli placed her hand upon his shoulder. "I know, I've meant nothing by my attitude either. It was all in fun, well except for that apple I chucked at Kili. Now that I meant…"

Fili's raucous laughter met her ears as she sat down in the grass, Fili at her side. "You've got a hell of an arm."

"Why, thank you I am rather proud of it. Where did apple boy go by the way?" She asked as Fili smirked.

"He wanted to examine himself for a lump and concussion. I suggested he do that by continuously counting the ponies." Fili replied as Amli giggled and rested her head upon his shoulder.

It was not a romantic gesture by any means but it just felt right.

"Have you seen Trouble around?" He asked glancing down at her.

"No, but I expect that he is nearby. Mahal forbid his new pack leader finds himself in danger." Amli replied smiling at his laughter as she gazed back up at him their eyes locking.

The two seemed entranced in one another as their eyes flickered to the other's lips. Amli's heart seemed to beat in her ears as she bit down on her full lip; mind a whirl with what-ifs and the likes.

"We have a problem." Kili called emerging from the thicket as the two practically jumped from one another, getting to their feet.

"What is it, brother?" Fili asked trying to regain some composure.

"Two ponies have disappeared." Kili began leading the two dwarves back to the ponies.

Amli was not entirely sure if she was relieved for the interruption or prepared to chuck another apple at the dwarf's head. Yet she followed the two diligently to the ponies.

After a quick head count, it was obvious that Daisy and Bungo were missing.

"How in the world did you let this happen?" Amli asked rubbing her forehead as her head began to throb.

"Me!? You were the one who gave me a bump on the head." Kili whined as Fili smacked his brother on the back of his head.

"You seem fine to me." He growled as the two brothers got into a small bickering match were no one would be declared winner.

A few moments later, Amli could not help her gasp as their hobbit popped up beside her balancing three bowls of stew rather gracefully. He may have had the potential to be a great burglar yet.

"What's the matter?" Bilbo questioned handing Amli some stew as he gazed around the dwarfs.

"We're supposed to be looking after the ponies." Kili muttered with a touch of fear in his eyes realizing that Thorin would be positively furious with them.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem…" Fili began gazing around at the three companions.

"You see we had sixteen…" Kili began as Amli finished with an agitated look.

"And now there's fourteen."

"Well that's not good at 'tall." Bilbo muttered glancing about at the dwarves then their surroundings more importantly an uprooted tree. "Shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

"No!" All three dwarves practically yelled, not excited at the thought.

"We figured that as our official burglar, you might want to take a look around." Kili said as the hobbit's chest puffed up in pride and they got to basically counting the ponies again.

"A productive bunch you are…" Amli muttered under her breath taking a few sips of the stew, brows quirked as she saw a light in the distance.

"What is that?" Bilbo questioned as the three ran through the thicket towards the light.

"Trolls." Fili said hearing their grumblings off in the distance.

The ground shook violently no more than a moment later as Fili yanked Amli down beside him shielding them from a troll walking off with two more of their ponies.

"Thanks." Amli mumbled getting back to her feet while rubbing her now bruised tail bone.

"They've got Myrtle and Minty. I think they're going to eat them, we must do something." Bilbo said with a touch of indignation at the dwarf's seemingly not caring attitude.

Amli's eyes widened in surprised as the brothers exchanged glances then literally pushed the poor hobbit in the direction of the trolls.

"Are you serious? That fool is going to get himself in trouble and you just want to let him go?" Amli asked as the two brothers rolled their eyes.

"We're not going to leave him. We just need help." Kili said as Fili grabbed her hand which she shook off.

Rolling her eyes, Amli turned and headed in the direction that Bilbo had went off in. To be quite frank, she knew these dwarfs were going to need back up and she knew that Thorin would be more than happy to blame it all on her.

It did not take long for her to stumble across those charming creatures and poor Bilbo trying to free the ponies. Climbing a nearby tree, Amli got to a high branch just above one of the trolls heads and prepped her bow and arrow.

Unfortunately, Bilbo was quickly and rather disgustingly picked up by one of the trolls blowing his entire cover. Though Amli was inclined to jump to the hobbit's aide, she knew better considering the dwarves would hopefully be here soon.

"Drop him!" Kili's raspy voice growled catching Amli's attention with pleasantly surprised look on her face. Look who was Mister Rough and tumble.

"You what?" One of the trolls bellowed as Kili smirked with an air of cockiness.

"I said drop him." The edge in Kili's voice was sharp as he grasped his sword.

Bilbo was then promptly projected at the dwarf and then the dwarves flew from the brush beginning to fight.

Amli remained alert and shot at the trolls when they got a little to close to the dwarves for comfort, like when they picked up Ori. She shot an arrow into the ghoul's hand causing enough of a distraction for Dwalin and Thorin to drop the dwarf.

She sent multiple arrows at the three trolls allowing for the dwarves to catch their bearings and regroup. Amli was no fool; arrows were like pin pricks to their tough skin.

Though it was priceless to see the surprised look on Dwalin's face as the arrow struck the troll, giving him the opportunity to knock some of the beast's teeth out.

A soft gasp escaped her lips as she saw Bilbo in the trolls clutches.

"Put down your arms or we'll rip his off." One bellowed as she made sure to duck down on the branch ensuring that they did not hear her.

Her eyes had yet to leave the dwarves, her anger growing seeing how Thorin took a bit of a long time. A small whimper caught her attention as she glanced down from her position on the tree as Trouble gazed up at her, paws resting on the side of the trunk.

"I love you; you foolish dog but tsk…" Amli whispered clicking her teeth drawing out the later sound hoping that Trouble would get the message.

Much to her relief, Trouble scampered off however that relief faded fast as she was promptly plucked from the tree branch.

A cry escaped her lips this time as a troll squeezed her abdomen.

"Look we seem'd to have missed one." Bert said as the other two eyed her.

"She looks tasty…" Another murmured as Amli glared.

"Oi that's the one whose been shooting those dar arrows." The third growled plucking her roughly from the other's grasp by her arms shaking her like a bloody rag doll.

"Aren't you just charming?" Amli muttered smacking the troll's hand as the troll eyed her pointedly.

"Leave that one for last; she's got a bit of spirit. Strip her and bag her." Bert bellowed as Amli's eyes widened. There was no way in hell; she was going to let this thing take off her clothing.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to bag myself." Amli said with a glare as they looked amongst one another trying to find conformation.

"We take your weapons, and you handle your bits." Bert said as Amli nodded.

"Sounds like a deal."

Amli was soon stripped of her weapons, and placed behind a troll to slip into the sac. It felt rather uncomfortable with the dwarves a few feet away, but she made to getting into the sac quickly so she was not exposed in her undergarments & bindings.

Piercing green eyes peeked through the darkness as Trouble awaited direction. Quietly as possible, Amli did her best to direct him to locate Gandalf with a series of soft mewls.

"Alright, you've had enough time." The troll bellowed flipping around to tighten the sac and toss her gracefully a top of Gloin and Fili.

"Sorry…" She whispered rolling off the two dwarfs right besides Balin who looked rather exhausted.

"Are you alight Balin?" Amli asked as the elderly dwarf nodded and sent her a grin.

"I am well, excluding our current predicament." The two shared that grin as Amli adjusted herself, trying to stay clear of other dwarfs while all the while ultimately resting her head a top poor Balin's stomach.

Amli was not quite sure how much time had passed since they were captured but the one thing she was certain of where that the trolls were just as bad as the bloody dwarfs. They were always complaining about something; one wanted to cook them one way while the other did not like it.

It was enough to make a girl go mad really.

She was so sick of their belly aching that the hobbit's rather odd outburst of "Wait, you are making a terrible mistake" brought her relief.

"You can't reason with them, they're halfwits." Dori called from the spit as Bofur, ever cheeky, was quick to reply, "Oi, what does that make us then?"

Amli could not help but giggle as she gazed around from her resting place, catching sight of a tall grey figure moving in the shadows.

A grin befell her face realizing that Trouble managed to find Gandalf.

Glancing back at Bilbo who was convincing the trolls, much to the chagrin of the dwarves, that they would need a strong herb than sage to "plate that lot up," Amli was quick to catch on. They needed a distraction.

"He's absolutely right. Personally I think I'd go lovely with a coating of honey and a bit of sugar. That way I'd have a sweet, crunchy coating." Amli said as the trolls and dwarves looked amongst themselves pleased and concerned.

"Don't take this the wrong way laddie, she's mighty pretty but the girl has finally lost her marbles." Balin murmured to Fili as Bert picked her up by her ankles in one fell swoop.

"I heard that!" She cried quickly coming face to eye with a troll.

"That does sound rather tasty! You got any others?" Bert asked as Amli winced at the squeeze he gave to her ankles.

"Actually Bilbo knows a mighty fine way to cook dwarf." Amli replied ignoring the incredulous look Bilbo shot her.

"The secret to cook dwarf is…to…" Bilbo began stuttering about for an answer as Amli rolled her eyes from her position. She could have come up with a decent answer by now.

"The secret to cooking dwarf is to skin them first!" He answered causing uproar amongst the dwarves who called him traitor and the likes.

"Maybe we should try it with this one first, so we don't spoil the whole lot." Bert said shaking Amli whose eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Her feelings were voiced by the dwarves who called out, "NO!" and"Amli!"

"Hey I thought we had a plan; honey & sugar." Amli said trying to reason with the oaf.

"What a load of wubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on." The bitchy troll bellowed as the stupid one grabbed at Bombur.

"No, not that one, he's infected." Amli could not help but look over rather impressed. The little hobbit was now pulling things out of his bum with the greatest of ease.

"You what?" One troll growled in disbelief.

"He's got worms in his tubes…" Bilbo began as the troll dropped Bombur in disgust. "In fact they all have, they're infested with parasites; a terrible business I wouldn't risk, I really wouldn't." Bilbo said causing uproar amongst the dwarves.

Meanwhile, Amli had been focused on taking deep breaths to ignore the pain from the blood rushing to her head. She couldn't help but scoff hearing Kili's mutterings of, "We don't have parasites. You have parasites." Almost bloody eighty and they still acted children.

"They always act like this?" Bert asked taking in the rambunctious ness of the dwarves before glancing at the she-dwarf.

"Yup, believe it or not they do." She murmured eyes going wide again as the insipid one, Tom, eyed her.

"What about that one? She's much too pretty for parasites!"

Much to Amli's relief, Gandalf appeared before anything could happen turning them to stone with the bright rays of sunlight. Grinning, she could not help but cheer as everyone was released from their sacks.

"I do hate to be a bother lads but anyone decent enough to aid a female?" She called feeling a little lightheaded as Gandalf, Fili and Kili were at her side.

"Ah it looks like the princess is in need of some help brother." Kili said with a grin as Fili stood beneath her.

"It appears so but what do we get for aiding such a creature?" Fili questioned with a playful grin as Amli rolled her eyes.

"A kiss to the one who gets me unstuck." With that Amli was dropped into Fili's awaiting arms. Grinning, Amli could not help but see her dear friend send her a wink.

"It seems that Gandalf has beaten us to the punch." Kili said helping her to her feet as Fili undid the sack.

Amli could not help the gasp that escaped her lips as the cool air hit her bare back.

A faint blush painted her cheeks as she remembered that she was only in her undergarments and Fili had just gotten what had to be a delightful view of her arse.

"Play along." The dwarf whispered breathily in her ear as his brother spoke with Gandalf.

Amli could only nod stupidly trying not to focus on the proximity of his warm, hard body to hers.

"Amli are you hurt? That ankle looks rather swollen." Fili asked as those around glance as Amli shifted her weight primarily to one foot.

"I'm fine Fili, its nothing to worry about." Amli muttered trying to play the part of a prideful wounded she-dwarf.

"Come let's take a look at it." He murmured taking her up in his arms causing a gasp to escape her full lips. Let's just say she was not prepared to be swept off her feet and feel the warm of his skin against her own.

Once in the cover of the trees, Fili handed Amli her clothing as she quickly got to dressing behind a nearby tree.

An awkward silence filled the air as the two were left to their thoughts. Amli felt stupid for forgetting that she was just in her undergarments while Fili felt a blaze. Aulë's Hammer, Amli had the perfect figure. It was soft, curvaceous and was right in front of him.

Speak of the delicious devil, Amli had reappeared before him cheeks rather flushed.

"Thank you Fili, I would have been in some serious trouble if it wasn't for you." She whispered gazing into his blue eyes.

"Think nothing of it, wouldn't want Kili to have gotten his hands on you." He replied with laughter in his voice though his eyes held a touch of seriousness in them.

Silence overcame them yet again as they seemed to move slowly closer and closer to one another, till Amli rested her hand upon his chest. She bit down on her full lip finding herself getting lost in his blue orbs.

The sound of their thumping heartbeats was all that could be heard in their ears as Fili leaned down and Amli up to capture the other's lips in what was a nearly heart stopping kiss.

Though it did not last as long as either one would have liked considering that was when Kili decided to pop in through the clearing.

"Brother! Amli! Come we are to find the trolls cave." Kili cried as the two jumped from one another as if each were a flame.

"Are you okay Amli?" Kili asked glancing at her with concern as he looked at her ankle.

"Oh yes, it's just bruised but good to walk on. Excuse me; I do believe I hear Bilbo calling!" She rambled slipping past the brothers to grab her weapons and avoid any embarrassment. She didn't think that anyone's lips could as sinfully delicious as that dwarf's.

Back with the brothers, Fili could not help but growl and smack his younger brother's shoulder.

"Ow what was that for?" Kili asked as the two headed back to the rejoin the group.

"Could you have waited just a little longer? We were…" Fili began blushing as he caught Amli's eye and the two gazed at anything but the other.

Kili gazed between the two and a great grin painted his face. This was going to be fun!