Heres the next chapter. :) Enjoy.


Walking down the stairs, the shouting became clearer the closer we got to the throne room. I recognised his voice as soon as he began yelling, presumably at Galmar. No-one was mean enough to shout at Jorleif. He was nice to everyone and I had not seen one person be mean to him in return. I pulled the mask over my face and carried on walking towards the voices.

"Tell me where she is, right now or I swear to Mahal i will kill you where you stand!" I rounded the corner through the 'map room' to those words and smirked at what I saw. Thorin was so much smaller that Galmar. It truly was comical.

"I'm right here Thorin." I spoke up, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. I smiled at Thorin and saw his eyes widen in shock.

"Aeyai? Is that you?" he said as he came closer, peering slightly to see my eyes.

"Yes, Thorin. It's me, but I have something I have to tell you... alone." I inclined my head a little in question and saw him nod, confusion clear in his eyes. "Come with me. You lot!.." i shouted to the other dwarves who were watching us with some interest. "Stay here. Jorleif, would you get them some food? That should stop them from tearing the palace to peices." I smiled at the terrified steward before turning and walking back the way I had come, Thorin following close behind, as I lead him up the stairs and down the corridor.

"What is it Aeyai? Why is your face covered? Why did you leave Erebor?" He questioned as we entered the end bedroom in the corridor, which held Ulfric who had stayed in the same place as he was sat in when I had left to retrieve Thorin. I turned and sat down, looking back at the dwarf who now stood confused just inside the doorway. "What happened to talking alone?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Sit down, Thorin." I gestured to the empty chair that had been brought into the room while I was downstairs, clearly. Thorin's face flashed intense confusion as he slowly came closer to the table, dropping down into the chair. Breathing slowly, I thought about how to start.

"Aeyai, take off your mask and show him." Ulfric reclined in his chair, reaching out to pick up the tankard on the table closest to him.

"Show me what? Aeyai?" He looked to me, worried.

Sighing, I reached up and removed the mask from my head, pulling it off and holding it in my hands on my lap. I saw Thorin's eyes widen in surprise. The three of us waited in silence for what felt like hours, before Thorin spoke.

"Wha... Why? How? When?" he stuttered out. He sounded angry. "Is that the mark of Durin?" he asked. I nodded to him and heard him sigh. "And the mark of Stormcloak?" he mumbled.

"Yes."

"When?" he sat up a little straighter.

"What?"

"When did this happen?" he explained, breathing a little heavier as he watched my response.

I took a deep breath and looked to Ulfric who, thankfully, explained what happened that night to the suspiciously quiet dwarf, whom, turned his gaze to me after Ulfrics recollection of the events.

"You don't remember anything about it?" he asked, oddly calm about the situation. I shook my head. Thorin looked down for a moment in thought and turned his attentions back to Ulfric. "She has the mark of both of our houses tattooed on her face. I'm assuming you have one aswell?" he raised his eyebrows in question at the, obviously nervous Nord.

"Yes." he replied, not wanted to elaborate.

"Where?" Thorin pushed, to which, Ulfric raised his hand and pressed it over his heart. I saw Thorin's expression change slightly. He stood, pushing the chair back, and began pacing. "This is odd."

"We know." Ulfrics voice joined my own. I stood and, still holding the mask I had not stopped worrying between my hands, walked to Thorin, turning him to me and looking directly into his eyes. His gaze flicked between the mark on my face and my eyes.

"What do you know?" I asked him, desperate to hear his answer.

"I know of a situation similar to this, but it didn't end well." Thorin said, his eyes sad.

"You have one too.. Don't you?" Ulfric spoke up from the corner in which he still sat. He stood as he spoke, looking directly at Thorin as though willing him to say no.

"I do. Though I don't think I received mine in the same way you two did." Thorin said as he started pacing again, slowly gettting further from me.

"Thorin." He did not stop. "Thorin!" he stopped and looked at me. "Show me?"

Thorin sighed and faced me fully. He moved the fur on his shoulders and dropped his coat on the floor, ignoring Ulfrics silent protest, moving the fabric of the layers he wore to reveal a mark. Over his heart.


OK. I'll be honest, i have no idea where i'm going with this. But hopefully everything should become clear. In my head anyway.
Got any questions/ideas? let me know. Drop me a PM or leave a review and I'll answer any questions for you. :)

A.x