A/N: new update time! This chapter is a little more eventful to keep things interesting and a training session with Deakin. This one goes out to all you shy silent readers whom I know are there hopefully enjoying this story!

(That was actually a short author's note I'm so proud)

Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien's shiz. Only my OCs and storyline.

Enjoy!

-AngelsandDouchebags

"Again!" Dwalin threw down his wooden staff on top of mine as it cluttered to the floor. It has been a week since we've arrived in Erebor and this was my second training session with Dwalin. I was making good progress with my studies and wanted to be able to defend myself.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead and rubbed my hands onto my old tunic.

"Lass you've got to watch your footing. Step forward with the opposite foot to your sword hand."

I did as he instructed and pushed the wooden staff towards him in a jab. He ducked but the jab caught him in his stomach.

"Good. Now we will work on defence."

"When defending against opponents who are bigger than you keep your shield arm close to your body and your sword up extended pointed up."

I followed his instruction as he continued.

"Orcs and trolls have weaknesses in their neck, stomach and knee joints so aim for that."

"Your small stature means you have to get close so keep your shield up."

Dwalin delivered blows to my body as I held up the shield. He continued to jab with his sword as I stepped back to defend myself. He stopped for a moment before circling me.

"Goblins are small so aim for their eyes and arms, it will weaken them and give you an advantage."

"Elves and men wear armour with the weakest points at their necks and waist."

"Dwarves are stronger in their heads, the weakest chain in our armour is where our abdomens are."

I widened my eyes at him. Why would I be attacking dwarves? Dwalin looked at my confusion before replying.

"Lassie I want to prepare you for any situation." I nodded at him as I prepared to defend his attacks on me.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this!" I smiled triumphantly. When the wooden staff hit my legs and tripped me until I ended up on the floor.

"Never let your guard down!" He barked at me. I glared at the older warrior as I struggled to get back on my feet. Exhausted. He saw my state and took pity on me.

"We'll carry this on next time Lassie." He smiled and helped me up then walked away. I brushed the dust off my tunic before walking away.

"Your arse is going to be sore tomorrow by the number of times you fell on the floor."

I turned around my braid hitting the back of my neck. I pouted at the figure standing in front of me.

"I'm trying my best." I pointed out.

"It just takes practise Lu."

"Shouldn't you be in the council meeting with Fili?" I eyed him warily.

"Nah he's got this covered!" Kili smirked at me. I raised my eyebrows pointedly to him until he replied.

"It's been cancelled, uncle is making his way back today and then Fili and I will be back to the Royal guard with minimal council duties." His eyes gleamed as he played with the frays of his shirt.

I nodded in understand as I picked up the wooden staff to try to practise hitting the dummy.

"You're exerting too much of your body."

I ignored his comment as I kept parrying and jabbing.

"You'll get exhausted too quickly."

"When you let your guard down that's when your enemy will strike."

I stopped slightly frustrated to look up at him.

"What do you propose I do?" I challenged him.

"I could teach you some archery." I looked at him to see if he was joking.

"I-I don't know I mean are you sure?" I stuttered.

"We'll start in a few days." He smiled.

"Come on, I'll escort you to your chambers." He held his arm out to me as we walked through the magnificent mountain.

"Luna I made this wonderful dress for you to wear at the Durin day's ball." My mother started as the four of us are at the table.

"Mother that is not for another couple of months."

"I know but I just wanted to have something for you." I shook my head at her and smiled at her over enthusiasm.

"How was your first day of training Lu?" My father asked inquisitively.

"Tiring." I moaned feeling my muscles ache. My Da laughed as he looked at me.

"You're learning from the best though, Dwalin is an excellent fighter." He pointed out.

"He's also quite tough." I mumbled.

"Do you know he used to have a Mohawk?" My father smirked. I spluttered out food.

"What?!" I said laughing.

"It's true." He replied.

I continued eating the roast chicken on my plate as I played with the potatoes.

"You know," I started.

"Kili offered to teach me archery." I held my breath waiting for the response.

"Did he? That was awfully nice of him." My father went back to reading his book seemingly uninterested.

My mother perked up in interest at Kili's name.

"Yeah, we start in a few days."

"I'm not sure that is entirely appropriate Luna." My mother warned. What?!

"Mother a week ago you wanted to adopt him into the family!"

"Would it help if Fili was there?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Alyssa? Arya?" She smiled with satisfaction.

"We're just friends Ma."

My mother hummed slightly as she began to wash up.

"I'm going down to the bath houses."

"Don't take too long dear."

As I arrived down to the bath houses level I walked into a steam filled room with lots of chatter. Various female dwarves were in communal baths chatting away. I grabbed a towel from the rack before making my way over to one of the private rooms.

"Luna!" I heard a voice call over to me. I turned around to find Arya, Alyssa and a familiar looking dwarf in one of the baths chatting.

"Come join us won't you," Alyssa asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

I dropped the robe as I entered the tub. It was very common for dwarves to bathe together as none of us were particularly sensitive about our bodies.

"Lu we'd like you to meet Nessae." Arya said.

I smiled at the brunette dwarf who gave me a quick wave.

"We've already kind of met." The dwarrow in question smiled.

"We were just talking about who the best looking dwarves were." Alyssa smirked.

"Present company excluded."

"I would say the Durin princes." Nessae suggested.

"You have to admit they've got a good gene pool going." She added with a sly smile. I looked slightly shocked at her before laughing.

"Sorry when we met you seemed incredibly shy." I said hoping not to offend her.

"Well I am, but I've known these two for a while." She stated pointed at the redheads either side of her.

"So which prince Ness?" Alyssa asked not missing her observation.

"Like she would tell us, we're their cousins!" Arya exclaimed.

"Is it Kili?" Nessae remained expressionless.

"Fili?" I asked. Bingo. Her cheeks turned a rosy pink colour.

"You like him!" The twins gasped simultaneously. She couldn't even deny it.

"It's not like anything would happen! He's royalty and I work in the library." She replied wistfully.

"Trust me, you deserve more than our cousin." Arya reassured her. We sat in the water in comfortable silence. I rolled my shoulders slightly basking in the warmth.

"So what do you think?" Alyssa prompted me, untangling her hair.

"About what?"

"The best looking dwarves." Arya dead panned.

"I think Bofur's got something going for him." Alyssa twirled her hair.

We all looked at her in silence and laughed before she answered.

"I'm just saying!"

"Honey he's a lot older than you." Arya let out with a huff. She looked much more relax than I had normally seen her.

"It's only 50 years." Alyssa stated.

"Besides Luna and Kili have 30 years between them."

I stopped playing with my hair before promptly glaring at her.

"And what does that mean?" I said pointedly.

"Just means to keep an eye out in the future." Arya finished for her twin. I stayed quiet thinking her words over. I was perfectly happy being just friends with Kili.

After a while I got out of the bath, said goodbye to the girls before walking back to my chambers. I was trying to find the bracelet in my robe before I walked into something hard.

"For Mahal's sake!" I shouted.

"Kili!" I glared at the brunette dwarf.

"What are you doing?"

"It's lovely to see you too Luna." He grinned.

"Just doing down for a bath my lady. We princes do need our personal hygiene." He replied fixing his tunic.

"What are you doing here so late?"

I gestured to my wet hair.

"Ah"

"Good night Kili."

"I'll see you tomorrow Lu!"

"Now lass when dealing with loss of limbs or deep cuts." I winced slightly when he talked about loss of limbs hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Now Luna, I know it seems like you won't be able to do its but you'll make a great healer!"

This was the 500th time we had had this conversation in the last two days as I was constantly doubting my ability to be a healer due to the blood.

"It's just something we have to deal with." He smiled softly at me.

"But how did you? What if I faint at the blood? What if I can't do it? What if-"

"Luna!" Oin shouted getting my attention back to him. He put his fingers underneath my chin and lifted it up.

"I have no doubt you will make a great healer. You are undeniably the brightest lass of your age and exceptionally talented. And beautiful." He cheekily grinned at me. His pale eyes looking into my green ones.

"Thank you master Oin." Tears welled up in my eyes. He gave me a pointed look.

"I meant Oin." I grinned at him.

"As I was saying you will need to know how to deal with this."

I tugged on my twin braids before listening to him.

"With cuts you have to have clean linen sheets available. Make sure you clean these in hot water and wrap them around the injury. Once finished you tie the bandages tightly." He demonstrated on a dummy arm.

"Now you try."

"Ah your majesty. I trust your trip was pleasant?" Oin bowed whilst looking behind me.

"Oh! Your grace." I exclaimed bowing as King Thorin in all his majesty entered the room. He gave us a small smile as we stood up to face him. I looked the King over as I noticed his arm being held by his other arms and cuts and bruises.

"Well master Oin, we're not in the best shape."

The doors thrust open and Fili, Kili, Dwalin and Bofur rushed in carrying stretchers of dwarves.

"What happened?" I gasped.

"Fili and Kili, lay these dwarves down on this table. Quickly!" Oin barked over to them as they obliged.

"Your grace please sit here." Oin said politely to the King.

I just stood there not knowing what to do.

"Luna, over here please." I walked over to where the King was sitting.

"Your grace you don't mind if we use this as a lesson?"

"Not at all Oin. Go on." He nodded.

"What do you notice about his grace's arm?"

"There is a long gash going down the arm with possible internal bleeding. So that I means I have to um-"

"-get clean linens to patch it up?"

"Good girl." Oin smiled proudly.

He walked over to where Fili and Kili were trying to attend to the other dwarves. I noticed one of the dwarves legs had an arrow stuck in it and Oin mashed up herbs to spread over the wounds.

"Fili, Kili. Hold him down." He ordered as the young Durin princes listened.

Kili's eyes met my own as he nodded indication him and Fili were alright. It had only been a short while since I had been here and I was already caring for them more than I thought I would.

I grabbed clean linens from the shelf and heated them over the flame. I grabbed a clean cloth and started dabbing against the wound.

I heard soft moaning sounds coming from the King as he clenched his teeth.

"I'm sorry your your grace." I apologised swiftly.

"Thorin." He hissed.

"What?"

"Call me Thorin."

"But your gr-" His intense blue eyes met my own sharply then softened.

"Your parents are my childhood friends and are like my family. I would like the same from you." He gave me a small smile. All those tales of the King being harsh and hard were not true at all.

I grabbed the hot linens from the flame and brought them over to the work bench.

"This might hurt a bit Thorin." I let him now.

"Proceed."

I placed the hot white bandages on his cut as the King hissed. I looked at him apologetically as I wrapped them tightly around his arm before tying off the bandages.

"There all done." I dusted my hands off observing my handiwork.

"Thank you Luna, you have great potential as a healer." He smiled before getting up and leaving the room. My heart swelled, that was great praise coming from the King.

I walked over to where the Durin princes and Oin were standing.

"That was a fine job you did lass."

"I need you to do me a favour." Oin looked at me expectantly.

"Anything Oin."

"This dwarf soldier is stable for a while but I need you to find more Athelas and Alfirin from the woods. Otherwise I fear the poison may spread."

Before I could reply the blonde dwarf interjected.

"Oin it's not safe for her to go out to those woods by herself."

"We will go with her." Kili finished.

"Okay but hurry back."

We left the healing room as the two Durin princes escorted me outside the mountain to just outside the gates. I breathed in the fresh air. Aahhhh. It was nice to be outside after being indoors all the time. I eyed the brothers either side of me.

"Are you two hurt?" I asked seriously and began fussing over them as they swatted my hands away.

"We're fine Luna." Kili gave me a reassuring smile. The blonde Durin placed his hand on my shoulder before walking off. I followed him with Kili close behind. We reached the small patch of woods on the East side of the woods fifteen minutes later.

"What are we looking for?" Kili queried looking over to me.

"Athelas."

"Aye I know that one, it's a weed. I'll look for it." Fili set off in one direction until he disappeared into the trees.

"And Alfirin." I finished.

"What does it look like?"

"It's also called Simbelmynë. It's found on-"

"-on the burial mounds in Rohan I know." He finished deep in thought as I have him a look.

"Contrary to your belief Lu I do pay attention in Balin's teachings." He smirked.

"Sure Kee. Let's look for it."

After a small while into the woods, the trees opened out into a small clearing as I observed our surroundings. There was a river running down through the woods with a small field. There was a patch of yellow flowers growing near the river bank.

Ah ha! I ran over to the bank and sat carefully on the edge making sure not to fall in as I didn't know how to swim yet.

"Careful!" Kili reprimanded before sitting close to me making sure I didn't fall in.

"Is this it?" I nodded as we picked a number of the yellow flowers before placing them inside my bag.

"This is a beautiful place." I said looking around.

"I'll bring you back here one day if you want?"

"Really? That'll be great!" I said ecstatically. We walked back to the outside of the woods where we met Fili.

"What took you so long?" He said arms crossed. When we said nothing he shook his head and we took off after him.

When we arrived back to the healing room we handed the plants to Oin who crushed the plants and heated them until a golden colour appeared.

I then took the bowl and spread it over the man's wound as the poison was drawn out. Oin covered the injury with fresh bandages and tied it off.

"Well he be okay?" I asked worried.

"He'll be fine. Thanks to us." Oin smiled encouragingly to me.

"We helped!" Kili defended.

"And your two loyal helpers." Oin smiled knowingly at the princes.

"I'll see you two later. We have a lesson to finish." I said sternly to them before shooing them off.

"You're dedicated lassie I'll give you that." Oin replied before chuckling.

The next day I had a day off beside the archery lesson with Kili I decided to take a trip to that small patch in the woods. I set off with a turkey sandwich, some ale and a book in my bag before leaving the mountain.

I was making my way towards the woods before I was stopped. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Miss?" I turned around to see a dwarf soldier.

"I don't think it's wise to venture out by yourself."

"It's okay I'll just be in those woods over there." I pointed to the trees.

"It would make me feel better if I could stay by the woods." The soldier stated.

"That's too kind sir. But you don't need to." I insisted.

"Prince Kili ordered me to watch out for you." The soldier announced. I looked shocked and completely touched that he was looking out for me but he did make me a promise.

"Thank you soldier." He followed me armed with a sword and an axe to the edge of the woods as I continued to that clearing I found yesterday.

I settled down on the grass next to the riverbank and pulled out my food and book. Ahh nice to have some time to myself. I ate in peace for a while before opening my book, it was another hour before I closed my book and looked at the river. Maybe I could go for a dip. I took off my clothes before going into the stream and revelling in the coolness of the water. The deep blue colour of the water was refreshing as it flowed over my body. Ah this was bliss.

I heard a twack against a tree before I froze. Who was here? Dread filled my stomach as I realised I wasn't alone. I shouldn't have been here for this long by myself! I sunk further into the water to hide most of my body before pointing the branch towards the clearing. I heard running footsteps and my heart thumping in my chest.

"AAAAGHHHH" I screamed before I saw a figure jump out into the clearing.

"Luna?!" I looked and saw the brunette prince mortified to see me.

"What are you doing?" He shouted slightly angry as he turned around to give me privacy.

"Swimming?" I offered weakly despite the fact I couldn't swim. He let out a frustrated growl as I silently changed into my clothes.

"It's not proper to be out by yourself!" He shouted.

"I can handle it!" I shouted back at him.

After a while I had finished changing.

"I'm decent." I said quietly before he turned around, gave me a glare and walked off into the woods.

I followed him keeping a slight distance from him as I saw his hunch shoulders.

We walked in an uncomfortable silence before we reached the edge of the woods as I saw the dwarf soldier was no longer there. Kili must have dismissed him.

"Kili?" I looked over to him as I sighed.

"You shouldn't go off by yourself Luna. It's not safe."

"I'm sorry Kee." I touched his shoulders before his brown soulful eyes met my emerald ones.

"I promised to protect you and I can't do that if you're not near me."

"I understand Kili, but I will learn to defend myself and I wasn't in any real danger with that soldier." I said tentatively.

"But I won't leave the mountain by myself again." I reassured him.

"You're becoming one of my close friends. I don't want to lose you." Kili said firmly.

I pushed my forhead to his.

"You won't Kee." I whispered.

He started walking away before turning to me.

"Don't we have an archery lesson?" He said the corners of his mouth lifting up. I grinned at him before following him back to the lonely peak I now call home.

A/N: Review? It would make me so happy.