so sorry for the forever long update I have the next chapter done so I will post in a day or two. Anyways I am also sorry it is so short! Thank you to everyone who spends time reading and following!


Fili and Kili exchanged a glance and smiles grew on both of their faces at the sight of poor Bilbo.

"Orcs?" Bilbo looked around frantic before he ran back over to the young dwarves. Anathwen could see the eyes of Thorin pop open at the word. Thorin's body stiffened as he listened to the howls in the surrounding fields below. Fili and Kili began to describe the gruesome attributes of Orcs. How they would tear people apart in the darkness of the night. How they would find pleasure in the pain of others. Anathwen brought her blanket up and wrapped it around her body, as a sort of protection. At the end of their story Fili and Kili began to laugh at Bilbo's tightened eyebrows and darting eyes.

"Do not listen to them Bilbo, for they are too young to know of how truly vile those creatures are. They only tease you," Anathwen tried to push back the memories of her mother and hold in her tears. She gave Bilbo her best comforting smile before patting the ground next to her for him to join. Bilbo plopped down on his mat as his face went a shade of pink due to embarrassment.

"And what would you know of orcs, miss?" Fili leaned in and she could smell the weed in his breath. A smirk rested on his face and his lip beards twitched with anticipation. Anathwen rolled her eyes at him before leaning in so there was only an inch between their noses. They looked at each other directly in the eyes.

"I know the sound a person makes when they are being torn apart by an Orc. The smell they leave of blood and rotten flesh forever lingers where they have been. I know that they have no mercy, not even for their own kind," she could feel the tears border her eyes and she closed her eyes. The scream of her mother being dragged out of bed and slowly torn apart by those monsters, filled Anathwen's mind. She shook her head at the thought. She opened her eyes and Fili's smirk completely disappear to now be replaced by a mournful expression.

"Do you think it is funny?" Thorin's deep voice filled the air, making the two of them separate. "An orc raid is no laughing matter," Anathwen saw the two princes straighten themselves up with guilty faces at the sight of their uncle. She stood up from her spot next to the fire and brushed off the dirt from her trousers.

"We didn't mean our words," Kili looked down at the ground unable to meet Thorin's eyes. She went over to the ponies and stroked their faces.

"Do not fear," she whispered to them. She had to get away from everyone, so they would not see her cry. She wiped away a tear as she continued to stroke the pony's face. "Do not fear," she repeated. "It is only memories. Memories can only haunt if you let them." She could hear Thorin's steps growing closer, but she did not turn around to face him. He did not approach her but shifted from his position. She turned her head slightly to see the King staring off into the forests below. His eyes would look up into the vast hills in search of something before returning to the ground. He stood still as Bawlin began to tell the tale of the orc attack. Anathwen watched as Bawlin went over the details of his grandfather's murder, Thorin's eyes seemed to glaze over as he indulged in the memories. She had heard of the story. How valiant and fearless Thorin was to take over the army and led them to victory. Her mother fought in the war. The war led to the hatred of elves. It led to anger, and hostility. It led to her mother being thrown out of her home for falling in love.

"It must be hard," Anathwen finally turned to face the king, "to have the memories be dragged back up only once you buried them so deep." Thorin did not give her the pleasure of his look.

"You must feel the same," his voice was hoarse as he whispered it to her. "To have no family or friends. Tell me miss," Thorin took a single step forward, his arms still behind his back. "Who was your mother and father?" Anathwen bit into her lip hard enough to draw blood.

"They were heroes to me," Anathwen spoke the words slowly. "My mother died a similar fate to your grandfather," The king looked down at her with curious eyes. "Torn apart by orcs and left to suffer," she finished before turning her face back to the ponies.

"I apologize for bringing you pain," Thorin muttered so quickly Anathwen was unsure she even heard the dwarf right.

"You are mistaken," Anathwen stroked the pony a final time, "there is nothing to apologize over. I am the one who opened the conversation so I should be apologizing," she gave Thorin a half-curtsy. "Besides, I am never alone. I have no family indeed, but I have friends," she looked over at Bilbo whose mouth hung open as he listened to the story for the first time. His face flinched as Bawlin gave details of the deaths. "I have all I need, and clearly I am not alone."

Thorin turned to see all of his company awake and waiting for their king. It was a sign of respect. Thorin led them to victory; he saved them. The king walked towards his friends and touched each one as he went. Anathwen was sure he held a smile. Bilbo looked around from his spot, unsatisfied with the ending of the story.

"And the pale Orc? What happened to the pale orc?" Bilbo'so eyes scanned over each dwarf until he rested on Thorin.

"That scum died of his wounds long ago," and with that the story was over.

The group finally managed to settle down after the story. Anathwen stared at the fire and the shivering form of Bilbo as his body inched towards the fire. She took her blanket and draped it over his body, and his shivering seemed to dissipate.

Gandalf's sat against a tree, his eyes were closed but Anathwen question whether he actually slept. Thorin no longer stood at the cliff edge, but was once again by his rock. His eyes stared out into the trees. Anathwen watched his chest slowly raise before falling again. It calmed her.

After she was sure Bilbo was sleeping comfortably; she made her way to Gandalf. She could feel Kili's eyes follow her along the short journey.

"Miss Anathwen," Gandalf gave her a smile, his pipe hanging out the corner of his mouth.

"Gandalf," she answered as she sat down next to the wizard. He had to peer down to her, as Anathwen had to arch her heck to see him. "I was wondering about this journey."

"What bothers you about it?" Gandalf raised an eyebrow to her as he pulled the pipe out of his mouth.

"The services I can provide," Anathwen answered. "Are of no use to this company. I will surely be left behind when Thorin discovers I am of no worth."

"You are not alone in this," Gandalf gestured towards the sleeping-form of Bilbo, "everyone has their inner demons. There is always something to overcome. Besides," Gandalf finished, "a true friend is what people need most," he winked at her and titled his friend towards Kili. Anathwen looked over at him to still see his eyes resting on her. Once his eyes caught hers, he quickly adverted his eyes and started to smoke rapidly from his pipe.

"How do you think Thorin will respond?" Anathwen whispered to Gandalf quietly since Thorin rested only a few meters away.

"Thorin is stubborn. He believes your race is to blame for not helping. His pride and stubbornness, I fear, will lead to his downfall."

Right so don't tell him. Anathwen tucked her hair behind her ear, before covering her ears once again.

"He is going to find out eventually. Prove your worth until then."


Anathwen sat by the fire, next to Bilbo. She watched Thorin fall into a restful sleep. He held the fate of everyone here, including hers. She would have to prove that she is valuable.

"I am sorry if my words hurt you," Kili's voice made Anathwen blush. She adverted her eye's from the King and looked up at Kili. She gave him a small smile. "I would never intentionally hurt you."

Kili offered his pipe and Anathwen accepted it. She took a long drag from it, holding the smoke inside of her lungs. She leisurely let the smoke slip from her lips. "Thank you," she murmured handing the pipe back to him. Kili smiled as his lips covered the pipe end and took a lungful of the weed.

"Why did you undo your hair?" Kili reached out to touch her blonde locks, but hesitated before he pulled his hand back to his chest. "I liked them."

Anathwen ran her fingers through her hair, making sure her ears stayed masked by it. "It did not suit me," she rested her chin on her hands. "I am not deserving." She finished her thought.

"It is just a braid, Anathwen," Kili chuckled at her dismay.

"It means more to me than that!" Her voice raised slightly at the sight of Kili.

"Why?" Kili went serious and he leaned towards her. "Fili braided your hair, surely his braids and beads hold no value to you."

Anathwen mulled over his words. It was true about Fili. Kili insisted on braiding her hair only to be outshined by his older brother. "Would you like to redo it?"She looked up at Kili to see the prince fumbling around with his pipe. Kili narrowed his eyes at the request before they went large.

"I thought you said it does not suit you. Besides you said you are undeserving of Fili's braids yet you deserve mine? He is not better than I," Kili gestured roughly towards the sleeping form of his brother. Anathwen mentally slapped herself for saying those words. She did not place either one over the other, yet her heart always ached for Kili more. Kili was always placed under Fili in a rightful manner. Fili is older, and is entitled to more than his younger brother. Yet, with Kili lack of charm and looks of his brother, the poor dwarf does not hold up to him.

"What I am saying is that it would be an honor for someone who I cared for to do it."

"You care for me?" Kili rubbed his neck as a light blush formed on his cheeks.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have bothered saving you," she muffled her laugh so she wouldn't wake the others. Kili shifted over and Anathwen turned. His fingers brushed across her hair lightly as he took it with his fingers. His eyes narrowed as he slowly began to weave the hair. His speed was nothing compared to Fili's as it took all of Kili's concentration to not make a mistake. Braiding was a difficult, yet expected skill that Anathwen failed to learn. Kili's soft tugs along with his finger running through her hair, made her begin to drift off. She rested her head against his knee as he continued to work on her hair. She felt her head turn and be placed on his other knee. Kili restarted the process on her other side. She woke up to the fire crackling and the sun barely beginning to rise. She was still sitting upright and her neck ached from leaning against something stiff. She realized she was still against Kili's knee. The male dwarf looked down at her with tired eyes. "Why didn't you wake me?" She shifted away from him so he could stretch out.

"You were tired," Kili shrugged. She ran her fingers through her hair to be stopped by two braids. She ran her fingers along them. Kili beamed at her from his spot. "Took a while but I think I mastered it."

"It would seem," she whispered.