I'm not gonna lie to you guys.

I really wanted this chapter to belong to a different part of the story, because the title I had in mind would have been so good. Unfortunately, because I am basing chapter titles off of LotR chapters... it can't happen.

Oh well.

This is sort of where the rising action actually picks up and starts to rock 'n' roll.


Cheyanne cast an unimpressed look at her husband as the envoy from… somewhere, stood before the throne, asking that Erebor agree to a trade of sorts. What kind of trade…? Well, she'd stopped listening before he had said, but Thorin didn't look any more interested than she felt.

Thorin leaned back in his throne as the envoy went on and on, glancing first at Balin, who was seated to his left, and then at Dwalin, who was standing at the head of the row of soldiers at the bottom of the dais, baring the envoy from getting closer than he was.

Dwalin understood the look at once, and he nodded to a couple of the soldiers. They stepped forward and began to usher the envoy from the Great Hall, much to the Elf's annoyance.

"King Thorin! Do you not wish to hear what else we have to offer? We must be able to come to some sort of agreement -"

Thorin was done listening, and he drowned out the rest of the Elf's words as the soldiers pulled him down the stairs and out of the Great Hall entirely. Groaning, he ran a hand across his face and looked to his right. Cheyanne was leaning her elbow on the arm of her own mini-throne, her eyes closed.

"Long day of court," she commented, feeling his eyes on her.

"Mmm, you're lucky you don't sit through it three times a week as I do," Thorin answered with a short chuckle.

"Your Majesties." Balin rose from his chair and stretched. "Perhaps we should be getting to the council meeting."

"Lovely," Cheyanne sighed. "What are we discussing at this one?"

"Designs for the treasury rebuild," Balin answered. "Ori seems to think he has the doors perfect this time."

"That's what he said last week," Thorin mumbled, rising all the same. He offered his arm to Cheyanne, and she took it, giving him a small smile as the three of them walked down the dais to where Dwalin was waiting.

Thorin could feel her fatigue by the way she gripped at his arm for support. She hadn't been getting a full night's rest for almost three weeks, now. Thorin knew as much. Whatever spell had overtook her before their wedding had started to return.

When Dwalin had gingerly approached him with the information one morning before Cheyanne had awoken, Thorin had been angry. He'd demanded to know how long Dwalin had known, and why he hadn't said anything beforehand.

"She asked me not too, Thorin," Dwalin had explained. "I didn't know what to do about it, so I… I waited. She said they haven't gone away…"

"How long has she been having them?" Thorin had asked, his anger beginning to subside. He knew that Cheyanne placed a lot of her trust in Dwalin, and it must have been very hard for his friend to tell Thorin what she'd told him.

Dwalin lifted his shoulders. "Two weeks or so, I think. She didn't give me an exact amount." He glanced towards the closed door of the bedchamber the the King and Queen were using during their Apartment's renovation, and then turned back to Thorin. "I asked her to talk to Oin about something that might be able to help. You could talk to him about it."

Thorin did as Dwalin suggested, and Oin told him that Cheyanne had asked him to look into a special tea that would allow the drinker to sleep without dreaming. Oin had no notion as to where she had heard of such a thing, but he was doing his best to find something for her.

Thorin was grateful to Oin, but he knew his Queen needed something stronger than tea. Even a Hobbit could get sick of it after so long. And what if it wasn't potent enough to help her?

If it even existed at all.

Cheyanne's fingers tightening into his sleeve brought Thorin out of his lament. He looked down at her, and saw she was raising an eyebrow at him.

"I could hear you thinking," she said softly.

He offered a smile in response and leaned down to press a kiss against her head. "It was nothing," he said. "Do not worry about it."

"When you look as concerned as you just did, it's extremely hard for me to not worry," Cheyanne told him, frowning. "Do not lie, Thorin. What troubles you?"

Thorin merely shook his head, reaching down to fix her crown, which was lying tilted on her head. "I will speak with you later on the subject," he whispered. "I promise."

"If you two are done," Balin said grumpily from where he was a good ten paces ahead of them, "we should hurry."

"Must I go?" Cheyanne asked wearily, hiding a yawn behind her hand. She blinked up at Thorin. "I attended court with you."

"You did," Thorin said. He studied her for a moment longer and then sighed. "I suppose you may skip this council meeting." Cheyanne beamed, and he gestured for Dwalin. Cheyanne's personal guard sauntered over. "Make sure the Queen gets back to our chamber safely."

Dwalin nodded and moved forward to stand at Cheyanne's side. Thorin held onto her hand for a moment longer, and Cheyanne gave him a sweet smile. He could tell she was doing her best to hide her fatigue from him.

"Don't be long," she said, and then leaned up to speak in her ear: "It's high time we take another trip to Shaluk Nûlukhulkhud, don't you think?"

Thorin gazed at her as she stepped back and winked before looking up at Dwalin. "Shall we go?"

Dwalin merely nodded, and Cheyanne led the way back towards the King and Queen's newly completed Royal Apartment. It would be their first night back in the chambers after the renovations, and she was looking forward to it.

"Have you gone to see it yet?" she asked Dwalin. "I haven't had time."

"If you haven't seen it, I haven't," Dwalin said with a shake of his head. "You know that."

"True enough," Cheyanne allowed. "I'm excited!"

"It was your idea," Dwalin reminded her.

"A necessary addition."

Dwalin chuckled and shook his head. "Whatever you say." Cheyanne didn't answer, and he looked down at her. "Lass?"

In response, she let out a quiet moan and started to fall. Dwalin was quick enough to grab her before she hit the floor, and he gave her a gentle shake. "Cheyanne? Chey!"

There was no use. She had fainted.

"Mahal's beard," he muttered to himself, glancing around. The hallway was empty, at least, so no one had seen the Queen collapse, but now he had to get her to her Apartment without anyone seeing.

He heard footsteps, and he quickly rotated Cheyanne and himself so that whoever it was that was coming wouldn't see her right away.

"Dwalin? What's - Chey!" It was Fili, and in a moment, the golden-haired prince was squatting on the floor beside the two of them, his hand pressed to the Queen's forehead. "What happened?"

"She just collapsed," Dwalin answered. "No one saw, but we need to move before someone else comes."

Fili glanced around for a moment before nodding. "All right, let's get her to my apartment. It's closer than hers and Thorin's."

Dwalin scooped Cheyanne up into his arms and rose, following Fili's lead down the hall. At the end, the prince halted and glanced around the corner in both directions before continuing on. If he hadn't had the unconscious Queen in his arms, Dwalin would have sworn he was sneaking around, hiding from Smaug again.

They made it to Fili's chambers without running into anyone else, and Fili quickly brushed away his blankets on his bed. Dwalin set Cheyanne down gently on the open spot, brushing her hair away from her face and removing her crown.

"Do you know why she fainted?" Fili asked him as Dwalin set the crown down on a table.

Dwalin hesitated, and then turned to face the prince. He was looking down at Cheyanne, one of her hands in his and the other hand resting on her forehead. He glanced over at Dwalin when he felt his gaze. "Do you?"

"I don't know if she would want me to tell you," Dwalin started. "She told me not to tell Thorin, but I did, because…" He trailed off and shook his head. "I should get Oin."

"No, don't do that." Cheyanne's eyelids were fluttering, and she managed to sit up and look at Dwalin. "I'm fine. Just… the exhaustion caught up with me."

Her eyes moved to Fili. "I've been having bad dreams again," she explained. "I haven't been sleeping very good because of them. No need to worry."

"No need to worry? You have to be kidding," Fili exclaimed. "You fainted in the middle of the hallway! What if someone had seen?"

Cheyanne merely rotated around on the bed and slid off of it, stumbling towards Fili as she did so. He caught her, and she glared at him for a moment before pushing away and straightening.

"I'm fine," she decided. "Dwalin, I want to go see my window."

"Shouldn't you rest a bit longer? Clearly, you need sleep," Dwalin said.

"I can't sleep!" Cheyanne shouted, stunning both Fili and Dwalin. She let out a long breath and clenched her fists at her sides. "I can't sleep," she repeated, more softly. "I can't. It's… it's too dangerous."

"What in Mahal's name are ya talking about, lass?" Dwalin demanded. "Dangerous? Getting no sleep is what's damaging to yer health, but dreams can't harm ye."

"Not… not that kind of dangerous, Dwalin." Cheyanne shook her head, and reached for her crown. She avoided their gazes as she placed it on her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?" Fili grabbed her wrist before she could walk away from him and towards the door of his bedchamber. "Cheyanne, how could you even think that?" She wouldn't look at him, and so the prince stepped in front of her and took her chin in his hand. "You can trust us, Cheyanne," he told her. "I promise you. Please."

Cheyanne glanced at Dwalin for a moment, and then blinked a few times and raised her eyes to meet Fili's. "I've been waking up with no idea as to who Thorin is." Fili stared at her in shock, and she glanced away again. "I don't know who he is, and last night was the worst. I considered… I considered killing him, thinking that maybe he'd…"

Her eyes closed, and Fili pulled her to him in a hug. "It's all right," he soothed, looking up at Dwalin, who was staring at the Queen in utter dismay. "Do you know why?"

"In my dreams I'm always… in another place. A shop, with books upon books and… small rectangles that have… discs inside them. The people who come into the shop call them DVDs."

"Dee-vee-dees?"

Cheyanne nodded. "For some reason, I knew that already. I guess that when I wake up, I'm always confused as to why I'm not there," she said. "I don't know why Thorin is sleeping in the bed next to me. It's like my dreams are supposed to be my real life, and I forget this life because of it."

She lifted her head from where it rested on Fili's chest and looked at them both. "I think… I think that the dreams are… powerful. If I have too many more like them, I won't remember this life at all, and I'll do something bad."

"And that's why you're not sleeping," Dwalin concluded with a heavy sigh. "All right." He and Fili exchanged a glance. "That's it, then. It's time to tell Thorin everything."

"No!" Cheyanne exclaimed.

"Cheyanne, if these dreams are just as powerful as you believe, then you are dangerous, to yourself and to Thorin, and maybe to others," Dwalin insisted. "We need to tell him so he can give his idea on what to do."

"Cheyanne, if there's more, we need to know about it," Fili said gently.

Cheyanne swallowed thickly and shook her head.

"If I have to tell it, I'm only telling it once more," she grumbled. "We'll gather the whole Company and Dis tonight for supper, and I'll tell everyone then."

"The whole Company? Are you sure?" Dwalin asked.

Cheyanne nodded. "Out of everyone in Erebor, they're who I trust the most. If something were to happen where… I couldn't… come out of my bedchamber…"

"Don't start with that again," Dwalin sighed, coming forward and taking her hands. "Everything is going to be fine."

She swallowed, and looked at them both. "Tell those I mentioned that Thorin and I wish to have supper with them this evening in one of the small dining halls."

"I'll do it," Fili answered. "Quicker that way." He started for the door. "Don't leave her side," he said to Dwalin as he passed.

"Come on, lass," Dwalin said, beginning towards the door as well.

Cheyanne allowed him to lead her out of Fili's bedchamber and towards her own.

They walked to the Royal Apartment in silence, and Dwalin told her to sit down in one of the main parlor armchairs in front of the fireplace to wait for Thorin.

"I'll be in here when you tell him," he told her, "to help you if I can."

There was more to it, and Cheyanne understood. She bowed her head. "And to protect Thorin if necessary, right?" she whispered.

Dwalin decided not to reply.

Thorin arrived at the Royal Apartment shortly before supper, and he was surprised to find Cheyanne sitting and waiting for him, and not dressed for dinner.

"What's going on?" he asked, glancing between her and Dwalin, before focusing on his Queen.

Cheyanne exhaled, and gestured to the other armchair. Thorin frowned, more concerned than surprised now, but he sat in the armchair all the same.

When he was sitting, Cheyanne closed her eyes for a moment. "I fainted in the hallway," she said quietly.

"What? When?" Thorin demanded, glancing at Dwalin accusingly.

"No, don't blame Dwalin. If it hadn't been for him and Fili, one of the Dwarves could have seen," Cheyanne said, opening her eyes. She met Thorin's and he saw, not for the first time, just how exhausted she was. "My lack of sleep caught up with me."

"I know the nightmares have been bothering you again, but… are they really so bad as to not allow you any sleep at all?" Thorin asked her.

Cheyanne shook her head. "I can sleep; the nightmares only wake me up when they get really bad. I… I've been keeping myself awake."

Thorin merely frowned. "Why?"

"Because…" Cheyanne hesitated, and looked at Dwalin, who nodded to her. The Queen looked back at Thorin. "My dreams aren't just nightmares. They're dreams of another life that I seem to be living, or did live." Thorin's brow furrowed, and Cheyanne shook her head. "I don't understand it either, Thorin. All I know is that the dreams are very potent, and every once in awhile, I'm confused when I wake up, because I think I'm supposed to be in that life." She frowned to herself. "It's been dangerous to you, and so I've tried to avoid sleeping, to avoid the dreams, and possibly harming you."

Thorin didn't know what to say. Cheyanne was dreaming of another life. The dreams were so strong that, even after she woke up, she believed that she still belonged in that life. And it threatened him?

He stared at her for a long time without speaking, and Cheyanne wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back in the armchair, yawning widely. Thorin watched this, and then he looked at Dwalin.

"Have you told anyone else?" he asked them both.

"No," Dwalin replied when Cheyanne didn't. "Fili is the only one other than the three of us that knows."

"I want to tell the Company, and Dis," Cheyanne mumbled. Thorin looked back at her, and she went on: "They deserve to know, and I trust all of them with the knowledge. I've asked Fili to tell them to dine with us in one of the smaller dining halls tonight."

"You will be dining with no one," Thorin decided. Cheyanne started at that, and she fixed him with a familiar, Of course I am, look. Thorin shook his head. "You need to sleep, and I'm going to leave you alone to allow you to do that while I speak with the Company."

"But, Thorin -" Cheyanne cut off when she saw his expression, and she relaxed again. "Fine."

"Good." Thorin exhaled, and rose from his own armchair. "I must change."

"Fili should be coming here soon, to tell us he informed everyone," Dwalin said, following Thorin into the bedchamber. Neither of them noticed the big window that had been built in behind the canopied bed that showed a beautiful view of Dale and the Long Lake. The sun, setting in the distance, reflected off of it, making the waters appear fiery red.

"Very well. Get Cheyanne into bed as soon as you can once I leave, all right?" Thorin disappeared into the closet, and Dwalin let out a breath.

"Thorin… does this mean you won't be able to sleep with her anymore?" he asked gently.

There was no response from the closet, and Dwalin bowed his head before returning to the main parlor.

At suppertime, the Company had gathered in the dining hall that they had been told to come to for their meal. Dis was there as well, and she glanced around at her dining companions. They were all wondering the same thing, she was sure.

They wanted to know why this dinner had been called.

Balin seemed to be the most nervous. The older Dwarf was seated across from her at the table, and he was looking down at his plate, which was filled with only a small portion of the roasted ham they were eating.

"Balin?" He glanced up at looked at her. "Do you know why we're here?"

"I have my suspicions," he said after a moment.

Dis wanted to say more, but before she could, the doors to the hall opened, and Thorin walked in. He was flanked by two Dwarven soldiers, but he ordered them to wait outside the doors, and to make sure no one entered. Other than that, the King was alone.

"Where is the Queen?" Bofur whispered to Bifur, who signed something back.

Ori glanced around at his two brothers, his eyes wide with worry. Balin seemed even more worried than he was, when he saw that Dwalin had not entered with Thorin.

"Thorin?" Dis rose from her chair, and Thorin let out a breath. He walked around to the head of the table, and stood there.

"You all must be wondering why Cheyanne and I asked you to dine with us," he said to the Dwarves in the hall. "It is because, out of everyone in Erebor, we trust the eleven of you the most." Thorin rested his hands on the table, and gazed downward for a moment.

Dis inhaled. Her brother was in pain; she knew him well enough to see that. As did the others at the table, she noticed.

"Thorin?" He glanced up at the quiet inquiry from Dori. "What's the problem?"

Thorin's eyes closed, and he swallowed. "Cheyanne is ill," he said softly, opening his eyes again.

Immediately, quiet worry broke out from the Company. Dis looked at her brother, her eyes wide.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I saw her this morning; she was fine."

"She has gotten good at hiding it," Thorin admitted, "but when she fainted in the hallway earlier -"

"She fainted?" Nori asked in shock.

Thorin nodded. "When she awoke, she told Dwalin and Fili that she has been suffering from dreams these past months that have… confused her. She said that she feels as though she is living a different life in them, but she is certain that she has lived it, only not just in her dreams."

Oin rose from his chair. "Should I go inspect her for a fever?" he asked.

"We already have, several times," Thorin answered softly. "She is fine, physically, if not… exhausted." The King shook his head. "This is not an illness that a simple tea or tonic will cure, Oin."

The Company's healer slowly sat back down. Ori glanced around at his fellow Company members. All of them were looking downcast. He decided to suggest the thing he had thought of immediately after hearing that Cheyanne was ill.

"Gandalf might have some idea as to help her, if we were to go looking for him."

All of the Dwarves turned in his direction, but Bofur was the first to speak: "You want the Queen to travel in her condition?"

"I don't want her to go to Gandalf. I think Gandalf should come here," Ori explained.

Balin was nodding, and he glanced at Thorin. Dis was impressed with how well the old Dwarf was taking the news; he was very fond of Cheyanne. "It may be the best option, Thorin. Especially if we don't want the news spreading to others."

Dis exhaled. She hadn't even thought of that. If others knew that the Queen was ill, they could take it as a sign that she was not fit to be Queen, and start a conflict. Or if those outside Erebor learned, they could march on the mountain, knowing that both of the rulers were under poor conditions.

She could already tell that the realization of Cheyanne being ill had hit Thorin very hard. No doubt he feared the worst, and she didn't doubt he would only worsen as Cheyanne did.

He did, however, nod in acknowledgement of Balin's suggestion.

"Send Master Baggins a letter," he said to Balin. "He may know where Gandalf is. And tell him that it's best if he and the wizard get here as soon as possible."

Balin rose and went to compose the letter immediately.

"Thorin, what do you want from the rest of us?" Gloin asked. The Company turned to look at their King, and Thorin was silent for a moment.

"I need you all to be prepared for anything I may ask of you," he said at last. "Gandalf may have an idea of how to help her, and if there is some sort of… thing he needs in order to do so that he cannot retrieve, I may ask one of you to go instead. And I need you all to promise me that nothing of what was spoken here goes to anyone else, inside Erebor or outside."

Kili, who had been quietly sitting beside Dis during the whole discussion, looked up at last. "Uncle," he began. Thorin looked at him, and Kili sighed. "Is Cheyanne going to be all right?"

"I hope so, Kili," Thorin answered softly. "She's been worried about you and your brother. Apparently, in this 'other life', something happened to you. She wants to make sure you're safe."

"May I go sit with her?" Kili asked, standing up.

"Yes," Thorin agreed. "I will go with you." He faced the Company one last time. "Remember, none of this leaves this room. I trust you all, and I know you all care for Cheyanne as well. I ask you to help us not as your King, but as your friend."

One by one, the Company members nodded to him. Thorin nodded back, and then both he and Kili exited the dining hall. Dis remained seated as the others began to file out after them. She didn't know what to make of the the situation, but she could pray to Mahal that things would get better.

It seemed that was all she could do.

Upstairs, in the Royal Apartment, Dwalin was standing near the foot of the bed. Cheyanne had fallen asleep shortly after Thorin had left, just like he had hoped she would, and he was watching, waiting for her to wake up, just to see if her wakening was as bad as she had believed it to be.

Maybe she had been over exaggerating. Maybe she was fine, and she was simply having bad dreams. Maybe…

Cheyanne started to stir on the bed, and he walked towards the side where she lay. "Lass?" he asked softly, looking down at her.

She let out a small groan, and blinked open her eyes. She gaped at him for a moment, and then quickly sat up and scooted backwards across the bed away from him.

Dwalin's eyes widened. "Lass, lass, it's all right!" he said holding out his hands. "It's only me. It's Dwalin!"

"You're not real," she whispered, putting her hands over her ears, and squeezing her eyes shut. "You're not real. You can't be."

"Lass, I am," he said slowly. "I am. I'm Dwalin. You're Cheyanne Baggins. You are married to Thorin Oakenshield, and you are Queen Under the Mountain. You're sick, but we're going to make you better."

Cheyanne's eyes opened, and she stared at him. After a moment, her hands lowered.

"I'm having another dream," she said softly. "I must be."

Dwalin exhaled, and he closed his eyes. She wasn't attacking him, at least, but clearly she did not know who he was.

Things really were as bad as she had thought.

The door to the bedchamber opened, and Fili walked in, holding the tray of food he had gone down to the kitchens to fetch. Cheyanne's eyes darted over to him, and she inhaled sharply, her hand going to her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Fili asked, putting the tray down on the chest at the foot of the bed.

Cheyanne gaped at him for another moment, and then her eyes moved over to Dwalin again. She looked at Fili once more.

"Y-you're supposed to be dead," she whispered. "I saw you die. We… the funeral…"

Dwalin blinked at her, and then he looked to Fili, who appeared relatively calm for someone who had just been told was supposed to be dead. He actually smiled at Cheyanne, and held out his arms.

"I'm not dead, though. None of the Company is. We're all alive, and we want you to feel better. Kili and Thorin are on their way up."

"B-but…" Cheyanne lowered her hand from her mouth and closed her eyes again, breathing outwards. "A dream, Chey," she whispered to herself. "That's all this is."

Fili glanced at Dwalin. The older Dwarf merely shook his head. He didn't know what to say.

The bedchamber door opened again, and Kili slid into the room, followed immediately by Thorin. Cheyanne looked at Kili first, and then her eyes met Thorin's. She winced, and let out a weak gasp, her hand going to her head. Dwalin, who was closest to her, started to reach over, but she brushed him off.

"Thorin," she said softly, glancing up at him.

"Yes, bunnanunê," Thorin whispered, approaching the bed. He stood next to it, watching Cheyanne's face. "I'm here."

"You're King, and I'm…" Cheyanne trailed off, and shook her head roughly. "No, that can't be…" She let out a frustrated groan and fell backwards against her pillow, looking around at the four Dwarves. "What is my last name?"

"It's Baggins, lass," Dwalin said. "You're Bilbo Baggins's cousin."

"But I'm not," she whispered, covering her face with her hands. "I'm Cheyanne Phillips, and none of you are real. You're all book characters… God, what is happening to me?"

Kili glanced worriedly at Thorin, and Dwalin glanced across the bed towards his friend. Thorin was staring down at Cheyanne, his eyes dark, and his brow furrowed. If Cheyanne went on like this for much longer, Thorin would lose it.

"Thorin," Dwalin began, "maybe you should step out of the room until Cheyanne remembers."

"No," Thorin said stiffly. "She is my wife, and I must help her." He looked at Kili. "Bring me a chair, and that tray of food. She must eat."

"I am not eating!" Cheyanne shouted, bolting upright once more. "I am not actually here. This is a dream."

"No, 'ibinê, it's not," Thorin said quietly. "You are here, in Erebor. This is your home."

"N-no… it… it isn't…" Cheyanne's anger receded slightly, and she looked more downfallen than anything else. She glanced around at all the Dwarves again. "W-where's Bilbo? Is he here? I would like to see him."

Dwalin looked at Fili. The golden-haired prince's eyes had brightened. Cheyanne was remembering Bilbo, and her close bond with him. She could improve, then, but what was the trigger to make her do so?

That, Dwalin decided, was something they needed to figure out.

For now, though…

He gestured towards the tray. "Bilbo's coming, but do you want some food? You need to eat," he said to Cheyanne.

Cheyanne blinked up at him. "Dwalin. Hi."

He managed a smile for her, though it was forced. "Hi, lass."

"I… I'm not hungry," she said slowly, looking over at Thorin. "I just… can I read something?"

Books. Also a good thing to remember.

"Of course you can," Thorin said. He looked at Fili. "Will you go get her something?" There was an underlying request to the statement, and Fili understood what it was. He nodded.

"I'll be right back."

The prince darted out of the room. Cheyanne was still staring at Thorin.

"What is it, bunnanunê?" he asked.

"I just… I don't know how I got here," she said quietly. "We were… at… Beorn's house, and then…" She exhaled and closed her eyes. "I can't remember."

"Lass, we won back Erebor with the help of your cousin," Dwalin said gently. "You married Thorin after his coronation. You're Queen Under the Mountain. Don't you remember any of it?"

"No," she whispered, her eyes opening. "Maybe I just… need some rest."

Thorin and Dwalin exchanged a look from over the bed, and their expressions said the exact same thing.

Rest is the last thing she needs.


Holy smokes, my dudes! Not good, huh?

We'll have to see what this means for Cheyanne and Thorin, and the others. I can't imagine it's anything good, though.