Balin strode around in the dark elven city, two guards always following him and watching his steps. Morsha had seen to it that the dwarf was not harmed and that he could move freely. But Balin knew that she only let him go to the unimportant parts of the city, the tactical and military parts were left out and Balin did not even know where they were. Senka had left two weeks ago and Morsha had not talked to Balin since. She had been out at days fighting the Haradrim with a wing of dark elven warriors, all female, to Balins dismay. The old dwarf knew martial females, Thorins sister Dis was very skilled with an axe, but this culture of the Duredhel scared him. All the males he had seen so far had worked as simple workers or craftsmen. Females ruled the world under this mountain and Balin had a hard time adjusting to it. Beeing as it was Balin wondered how Morsha could adjust to the dwarven way of life without complaining. She had adjusted well in Thorins company and had been eager to become their queen and as such, not superior to Thorin. Balin shook his white head. He realised how much Morsha must have loved Thorin. Dwalin had seen it first, the gleam of hatred in her eyes. He had held the rope which had lowered Morsha from the lookout in Erebor. He was the last one who had looked into her face and he had known the moment Orins head had arrived in Erebor that Morsha was gone. The real and warm Morsha. The loving elf. Gone.

'Master Balin.' her voice made him jump. He turned around and looked at the beautiful elf, who stood there in her bloody armor. 'I hope that you are treated well?'

Balin bowed his head. 'Yes, Morsha, dear.' The old dwarf could see that something was bothering her.

'You are free to leave, Balin.' Morsha sighed. 'Our world has changed. Thorin needs you now.'

'What happened to you, lass?' Balin had to ask.

Morsha sneered. 'Thorin happened to me.' With these words she left the old dwarf behind. No words between them could change the past.

'Get her.' Tauriel had appeared in the door of their cell and ordered the guards to drag Morsha out. The dark elf had somehow managed to sleep while chained to the wall and cried out in pain as the guards losened the chains.

Thorin growled and charged at the elves, knocking one of them unconscious. Tauriel draw her sword and swung at him, hitting his temple with the flat side. The dwarf king fell to his knees, seeing stars and flashed before his eyes.

'No!' Thorin!' Morsha screamed out her rage and knocked out the other elf guard. Then she went for Tauriel. The red hair backed away from the furious dark elf and tripped. Morsha had no weapon, but she launched at Tauriel with her bare hands. Tauriel shrieked as Morsha pulled out a few of her red streaks and grabbed for the captains sword. In the last moment she was pulled back by a younger elf, the one who looked like Thranduil.

'You can´t help him if you fight. But you can help him if you surrender.' he told her calmly. There was something in his voice that made Morsha stop struggling. With a last glance at Thorin she let him guide her to the kings chambers.

Thorin leaned back against the cool wall, but jumped as Bilbo appeared at his side behind the bars. 'Shall I follow them?' he asked Thorin who nodded thankfully. He felt as if the halfling took hours to return, but it had been only moments. Bilbo could tell him that they had brought Morsha to Thranduils rooms, but Bilbo had not managed to sneak in with the elves. He had listened though and knew that Thranduil had offered Morsha to stay in Mirkwood, but the dark elf had declined his offer. The elf king had then decided to let her rot in the dungeons together with her dwarf lover. Bilbo blushed as he told Thorin what Thranduil had said. But Thorin did not see it, he smiled as the guards approached and Bilbo slipped on the ring and disappeared. As Morsha was pushed into the cell and landed in Thorins arms she cocked an eyebrow at him. Thorin was still smiling.

Thorin walked to Senkas room to spend another day with his daughter. The last weeks had been almost peaceful, Senka had been quiet, but at least she seemed to have buried her hard feelings for her father. The past could not be changed anymore and Thorin had realised how much Senka needed a loving parent, for her mother could not love anymore. One day a letter from Morsha reached Senka. Thorin watched his daughter go pale and rushed over to her to steady her as she stumbled. Without a word, Senka gave the letter to Thorin.

My dear daughter,

it is very difficult for me to ask you to do this. But you have to stay in Erebor, with your father.

Things have changed, something dark and powerful has awaken in Mordor. The dark lord Sauron has grown powerful yet again and his armies are swarming the territory of men. The council of seven has decided to not turn against the dark lord and has even offered its support. This is a decision I can not accept, but I cannot leave my post. Maybe I can use the little influence I have to fight the dark lord, alongside of Serja and some others who are against our new alliance with Mordor.

The lands of the East have taken Saurons side, too. Please warn the dwarves of Erebor and the men of Dale of the new threat at their borders. The Haradrim are also standing at Saurons side and we are in need of new enemies. I am afraid that the council will decide to turn against the lands of the West, soon.

Promise me that you will not come back. I can only follow my duty when I know that you are safe. I have sent Balin back to Erebor. He should arrive shortly after this letter.

Be safe my daughter.

Morsha.

Thorin let out a deep breath as he read Morshas words. Something of her old self seemed to still live in her or else she would not have warned them of the growing threat from the East. He worried deeply for her and he could see that Senka was torn between obeying her mother and rushing home to stand by her side. He walked over to his daughter and took her in his arms. Finally Senka felt at home.

60 years after the dwarves retook Erebor.

Senka lived in Erebor for over half her life now and enjoyed the familiar atmosphere at her fathers side. The queen Ariel had been nothing but mean to her stepdaughter at the beginning, but she feared to lose Thorins goodwill and finally accepted the half elf within the royal family. But she still could not accept that Thorin held that bastard and her mother in higher respect than her. The queen had turned bitter and let everyone suffer under her moods. She still had not conceived a child from Thorin and since Senka was there as proof for Thorins reproductiveness, it was obvious that the problem was her. This fact made Ariel even more bitter.

Senka, Fili and Kili had become close friends and also fought side by side when orcs or easterlings crossed the borders. Morsha had been right, the Easterlings had become a dangerous threat. But the attacks had never been serious, they only ambushed traders or merchants. The attacks had increased in the past weeks and the dwarves prepared for a massive attack from the East. They were not prepared for the threat from the south.

One morning the guards on the lookout sounded the alarm. A huge army had appeared and threatened the city of Dale. As Senka and Thorin arrived on the lookout they could not believe their eyes. The city of men was swallowed by dark figures and riders and only a few hours later the city was taken. Senka had recognised the fighting skills and the warfare of her own people. The dark elves had taken Dale and now went for Erebor. A few survivors of Dale made it to Erebor, one of them was lord Bard.

'My lady Senka! I think there is something you need to know.' he greeted the young half elf. Thorin appeared behind his daughter with a dark expression on his face. Him and Bard had never become friends or even bonded on a political level.

After the escape from Mirkwood the dwarves, Bilbo and Morsha were brought to Laketown by the bowman Bard. The people of Laketown were cheering at Thorins return, because an old prophecy had foretold that the return of the king would bring riches and gold to the city of men. But Bard spoke against the dwarves return.

'If you awaken the beast, you will destroy us all!' he exclaimed and looked at Thorin. 'You have no right to enter that mountain.'

'I have the only right.' Thorin growled at him and glared at him menacingly.

'Don´t you see what is happening here? He cannot see beyond his own desire!' Bard called out to the people of Laketown. 'His gold will be the death of us all!'

Morsha had heard enough. She stepped forward and faced the bowman. 'The Lonely Mountain is their home. The gold is their gold. They have every right to reclaim it!' she snarled at him. 'You should not waste your energy to fight the king under the mountain, but you should help him.'

Thorin looked at his queen to be in awe and felt his love for her warm his heart. Morshas words also reached the people of Laketown and after two days of feasting the dwarves continued their journey with ponies and supplies from Laketown.

Now Bard was looking at Senka. 'Your mother commands the army who took our city.'

'Thats not true.' Senka whispered. She could not believe that her mother would actively fight against the free folk of Middle Earth.

'At least she commanded the wing that entered the city. There are many female generals in this army, everyone of them commanding their own warriors.' Bard sighed. 'I have never met such deadly women before.'

'Secure the gate and the lookout. Double guards at all times!' Thorin ordered and took Senka aside. 'Stay with us, you will be safe.'

'Nobody will be safe. I know how my people fight and I know how my mother fights. Nobody will be safe.' Senka whispered. And she should be right.

Two days after Dale had been overrun an armed group of dark elves had entered the mountain and kept the royal family hostage. Morsha herself had guided them through the secret door through which the company of Thorin Oakenshield had entered the mountain sixty years ago to reclaim Erebor from Smaug. The royal quarters had been secured and sealed and the royal family faced Morsha after long years of separation.

'Morsha...' Thorin looked at his love and walked towards her. He was stopped by the tip of a blade. The female elf holding it was Morshas friend, Serja.

'So this is the dwarf who broke your mothers heart.' she sneered at Senka. ' I should kill you for everything you did to her.'

'Serja, don´t.' Morshas cold voice cut through the silence. As she moved closer Thorin could not believe his eyes. A grey streak went through Morshas mane, which she wore openly now. Her hair was shorter than before and barely covered her shoulders. Her cold glare hit him with so much force that he thought that his heart would stop. 'Thorin.' she greeted him without any emotion in her voice. Then she looked at his queen and Thorin saw the icy look of hatred in both womans eyes. 'Queen Ariel, at your service.' Morsha smirked cruelly. 'Are you content of finally meeting me? I am sorry that I had to decline your curtious invitation many years ago, but everything has its time.'

'What do you want, Morsha?' Dwalin stepped forward and looked at Morsha closely. She had indeed captured the royal family, but the numbers of dark elves were too few to resist the full force of the dwarven army inside the mountain. He knew that she was up to something.

Morsha smiled at Dwalin. 'Master Dwalin. I will get to that right now. Our scouts have sent us the news that an army of Easterlings marches towards Erebor. Many thousands Easterlings, plus our five thousand dark elves. This is an army the men of Dale and the dwarves of Erebor cannot fight.'

'You said that you did not want to fight for Sauron, mother.' Senka whispered. Morsha looked at her and smiled warmly. It was the first smile which came from her heart.

'Thats why I am here.' she told the surprised dwarves and her daughter. 'Lower your weapons.' she ordered the dark elves. 'We are here to fight alongside the men and dwarves against the dark lord Sauron. Two thousand dark elven warriors will turn against the Easterlings when they arrive, as for the other three thousand I do not know. My warriors stand loyal to me and Serjas, too. We will not let the dark lord rule over Middle Earth. At my command my warriors will turn against him and I hope that the other dark elves will not fight their own people.'

'How could Ziya let this happen?' Senka asked her mother. 'She is a part of the council of seven, why didn't she interfere?'

'Power had corrupted the heart of lesser beings, Senka.' Morsha sighed and looked at Thorin who looked down. As he looked up again he could see a soft glimmer in Morshas eyes. Senka and the other dwarves watched as the king under the mountain and the general of the dark elves looked at each other in silence, fading out all of their surroundings.