Chapter 12 Thunder Battle

The stars were just beginning to wink out like dying candles when the company set out for the Misty Mountains. Elwen's heart was heavy as she stood next to Bilbo Baggins and watched as the sun bathed Rivendell with the gold of first light.

"Do you think we'll ever come back?" asked the Hobbit.

Bilbo was once again shouldering his heavy gear, which made him appear as if he were going to topple over any second. Elwen had thought perhaps he would not continue on and choose to stay with the Elves. No one would have been surprised, and she, at least, would not have thought less of him. She, too, felt the pull of the valley below.

Even if it was only a bit, enough light had been shed on her past to give her the barest sliver of hope. At least now she knew her name, what race she belonged to, and where she'd lived for the first five years of life. I even know how old I am, she thought wryly. Twenty-five wasn't too bad considering she might have been one hundred years old and not known it. That would have been awkward.

"I think so, yeah," Elwen replied, looking down fondly at her small friend. Bilbo looked up at her with watery blue eyes and when he smiled, she felt the truth of her words in her heart.

The Hobbit seemed to change before her very eyes. His hair grew grey, then stringy and white. His shoulders stooped, his fingers gnarled like tree roots and withered with age. She saw him sitting in a large, comfortable chair next to a roaring fire, and he was reading aloud to a man she did not know. His light brown hair brushed his shoulders and he had a kind smile ready for the old Hobbit as he listened. The man looked up as if he'd sensed another presence in the room. For a moment, his light, sky blue eyes met hers.

"Hello, wanderer," he said.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

He responded only with a smile.

She took in his entire person. His clothes were not the simply clothes of a traveler. He wore leather armor and weapons on his person and a heavy cloak with a hood made for hiding.

Ranger, a voice whispered inside of her. Dunedain.

She almost asked him again who he was when something silver at the base of his throat caught her eye. A pendant around his neck that shined far too brightly, as if it were made of starlight. The Evenstar.

Elwen blinked, the light of the star fading before her eyes. She was back on the narrow ledge etched into the side of a mountain, overlooking Imladris. The pendant she had seen, the Evanstar. How had she known that? And who was that man listening to Bilbo tell his tales? The old Hobbit had been Bilbo, she was sure of that much. Had it been a vision? Her foresight giving her a glimpse into a possible future? Elwen didn't know, and decided to put it out of her mind for the time being.

"Be on your guard," Thorin warned the company. "We're about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."

"Aye," Balin assented, taking his position at the lead of the company.

Elwen and Bilbo both took one last longing look at Rivendell, each saying their silent goodbyes to its burbling waterfalls and golden light.

"Master Baggins, Miss Greenleaf," Thorin called to them gruffly. "I suggest you keep up."

Elwen whipped around and gave him a look so filthy it could have pealed paint from walls. She flashed him a rude hand gesture and then patted Bilbo on the shoulder.

"I suggest you bite me!" she replied with false cheer.

A ripple of laughter moved through the group, and Thorin's lips twitched but did not quite turn upward. He turned and continued his march.

It seemed that whatever spell had been placed upon him in Rivendell was broken now. It left everything that had happened the night before feeling like a dream, and Elwen suddenly felt very sorry for herself.

"Let's go Bilbo," she said sadly, and they fell in with the rest of the company.

Elwen left the Last Homely House behind and set off into the wild to meet whatever it was that destiny had in store for her.

The company traveled deep into the Misty Mountains as the day wore on. They took rocky, narrow paths that lead them over the tops of peaks and onto craggy paths. It took a great deal of concentration to walk and not plummet to her death, so there wasn't much chatting going on, which meant there was far too much thinking going on for Elwen's liking.

She tried not to think too much about Thorin. If she thought about him, she found herself fighting the urge to run to him and either embrace, or kick him in the stones and send him rolling off a cliff.

He hadn't said two words to her in hours. The night before, Thorin had held her in his arms like she was something cherished, but today it was as if it had never happened. Elwen knew he was a complicated man prone to moodiness, not to mention the temper. But she had thought that maybe, just maybe…

Elwen shook her head. None of it mattered. She had a job to do; get rid of a dragon, take back an ancient Kingdom, and most importantly, keep those three idiot Sons of Durin alive. And, if she had time between all of this, perhaps she'd even find some clue about her parents. She really didn't have time for romance drama.

It was past mid-day and Thorin was still driving them hard. Everyone was starting to grow hungry and more than a little tired, but no one was brave enough to ask their leader to call a halt. Well, almost no one.

"Hey!" Elwen shouted from her spot on the line. "Prince Princey McBroody Pants! Can we take a fifteen minute breather to eat something and, I dunno, sit down?"

Thorin ignored her. Her brows knitted together in annoyance. Elwen did not like being ignored.

"Okay, have it your way, you stubborn boulder with hair!" she heckled. Bofur pretended to have a coughing fit when he laughed. "If one of us passes out from hunger or fatigue and roll down a mountain, our death will be on your head."

Thorin whirled and pinned her with a stare that would have made a lesser man qual. Elwen glared right back with equal fervor. He wanted to pretend like nothing had happened between them? Fine, she'd let him have that. But he would not simply pretend she wasn't there. That wasn't going to fly.

Thorin made a noise that sounded like someone slowly letting the air out of a balloon. He could see this wasn't a fight he was going to win, and Elwen had to bite back a smirk.

"We'll stop for a little while," he conceded begrudgingly. "Eat, rest, and be ready to move when I say. We will not stop again for some time." With one last look at Elwen, Thorin stomped off and joined Dwalin and a few of the other Dwarves where they settled.

Elwen was so angry that she dropped her satchel, pulled her bow off her back so as not to sit on it, and sank down to the dirt right where she'd been standing. She thought about unhooking the belt that kept her quiver and swords on her back, but decided she was too tired for even that much effort.

She pulled out a loaf of the bread that had been packed for her and glared down at it. She knew she was acting petulant, but she didn't know what else to do. She was pissed, and it was either sit and sulk or go over and give Thorin a piece of her mind. So she sat, and she was determined to sulk.

A low whistle brought her out of her angry haze and she peered up, needing to block out the sun with her hand. Fili was looking down at her with a grin, braided mustache practically wiggling in amusement.

"That bread must have said something rather nasty about your near relations," he said and she couldn't help but laugh at Middle-earth's version of a 'your momma' joke.

"Your uncle is a pig headed boar," she said, and he nodded. She motioned him to sit, and he plopped down, jostling her with his elbow a bit.

"You aren't exactly the most reasonable person I've ever met either, to be honest," Fili teased, and she punched him. He rubbed his arm and flicked her nose.

"Keep it up and I'll show you how unreasonable I can be," she warned, but there was no bite in it. She broke her bread and offered him half, which he took gratefully.

They ate in silence for a moment. It was a little strange, sitting with only Fili. She looked around and saw Kili chatting with Bilbo and giving him what appeared a quick lesson with his short sword. It was Kili who she was used to paling around with, not that Fili wasn't perfectly good company. She caught Fili giving her a sideways look, and she reached over and gently tugged his beard.

"I'm fine, Fili," she said, sighing.

"Tell that to the bread you were looking at murderously," he said, half joking. When she didn't say anything, it was his turn to sigh. "Kili saw you and Thorin on the bridge." His voice lost its teasing tone.

Elwen gaped, her face burning.

"Fili, look, I don't know what he thinks he saw, but-"

"It's not my feelings you're trying to spare, Elwen," he said softly, smiling. "It's very kind of you, but Kili will have to deal with this in his own way. You, however, don't seem to be dealing with it very well at all."

Fili gave her a meaningful look. She didn't have it in her to argue anymore.

"He's acting like nothing happened," she said in a near whisper. "I get that this probably isn't the time but…I guess it just hurts a little."

Fili wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know he's a bit of an…um…"

"Obstinate ass?"

Fili laughed. "That works, yes," he chuckled. "I do know one thing for sure though, Elwen, and it's that he doesn't mean to hurt you. I think Thorin is just trying to deal with how he feels the only way he knows how. Give him some time."

Elwen peered over at him. "And what about Kili?" she asked quietly.

Fili squeezed her shoulder. "I hate to see my little brother hurting, but you can't help how you feel. Lying to yourself would end with everyone hurting, and no one wants that."

"It's not that I don't care about him," she said honestly. "I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Kili, to be honest. It's all very confusing."

"I've heard finding your One can be a stressful process," he shrugged.

Elwen went absolutely still. My One?

"Do Elves have Ones?"

"I don't know much about the way Elves court," he said apologetically, shrugging. "But I know that some Dwarves do, and I think that's what's happening now, for both Kili and Thorin. Not exactly the most convenient time…"

"You don't say," Elwen drawled, and Fili laughed.

"Alright everyone; on your feet!" Thorin thundered to get their attention. Elwen had to fight the urge to flip him the bird.

Fili pulled her to her feet and flicked her nose again. "It's all going to turn out alright, so don't worry that strange little head of yours," he promised.

"You can't possible know that, braid-face," she retorted.

"I just have a feeling, is all," he said, then grimaced. "Not saying it's going to be easy, but you know, what worth anything has ever come easy?"

Elwen smiled as Fili walked away to gather up the rest of his things and bully Kili into moving faster. When the company was once again on the march, Kili saddled up to her and cast a suspicious look.

"What was it you were chatting with my brother about so seriously?" he asked.

"I was telling her about the time I caught you wearing one of Ma's dresses," Fili replied.

Bilbo could barely hold back her laughter, and Elwen didn't bother trying.

"He's lying!" Kili said quickly, but his face fell when he saw that Elwen clearly wasn't buying what he was trying to sell. He groaned. "I wasn't even twenty! You can't hold it against me!"

The rest of the day went by in Fili, Kili, and Bilbo's company. They all swapped embarrassing stories about their childhoods, gave one another well-earned ribbings, and Elwen didn't even notice the time passing and the light fading. Their peals of laughter echoed in the mountains, and only ceased when interrupted by the rumbling of thunder in the distance.

"A storm," Fili observed, ever the one to state the obvious. Elwen rolled her eyes.

"A nasty one, by the looks of it," Bilbo commented, giving the dark, rolling clouds a tentative glance.

Elwen bit her lip and looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere, on top of some dangerous, rocky-ass mountains, and they were soon going to not only lose the light, but have to cross in a thunder storm. She groaned. What else could possibly go wrong?

Damn her. Damn her, damn her, damn her. She had to ask. She just had to wonder what else could possibly go wrong. Well, a whole bloody lot, that's what!

Night had fully fallen on Elwen and the company as a potent and powerful storm blew through and hit them with the force of Thor's hammer. The terrain seemed to grow steadily more dangerous as the storm became wilder. The trail had narrowed to a strip of rock with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other and it was all Elwen could do to keep her footing.

The rain was blinding and the wind bashed them against the rocks. The lightning flashed all around them, and Elwen thought that if they didn't plummet to their deaths, surely they'd find themselves barbequed.

"Hold on!" Thorin shouted over the storm.

It was then the stone beneath Bilbo's furry feet crumbled away. He started falling into the chasm below, but Dwalin and Bofur each reached out and hauled the Halfling back to safety.

"We must find shelter!" cried Thorin.

"NO SHIT!" Elwen shrieked.

"Watch out!"

Elwen had never heard Dwalin sound so startled. She and the others looked up to see a massive boulder hurtling through the air. It hit the side of the mountainside above them with a mighty crash. Rocks rained down upon them and they were forced to press themselves as close as they possibly could to the side of the cliff.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle!" Balin pointed into the storm. "Look!"

Elwen could have sworn that her heart stopped and restarted on the inside of a second, and then jumped straight into her throat. She couldn't even scream.

Out of the haze of rain and wind, the mountainside took on anthropomorphic shape and began to move. The bloody damn mountain moved.

Elwen had dealt with a lot during her time in Middle-earth. She'd almost been eaten by trolls, chased all over creation by a pack of Orcs, found out she was part of an ancient magical and immortal race, and had almost been kissed by a Dwarf King. But the moving mountain was too much. She froze, god-smacked, as the giant creature ripped off a massive bolder from the top of the mountain.

"Well bless me," Bofur said in pure astonishment, "the legends are true. Giants! Stone Giants!"

The Giant roared, reared back and lobbed the boulder. Elwen watched as it arced through the air and slammed into the head of yet another Giant that appeared from behind them. It fell back into the mountain, causing the rocks beneath them to shake.

"Take cover! You'll fall!" cried Thorin.

Everyone was beginning to panic. The rock beneath their feet began to crumble, and they were forced against the mountain. Fili grabbed hold of her and pulled her closely, keeping her as far away from the edge as possible.

"What's happening?" Kili asked as the ground started vibrating. It was the mountain splitting apart!

"Kili! Grab my hand! Kili!" Fili was shouting for his brother.

"Elwen!" Kili screamed. "Fili!"

Their eyes met, terrified. The company was soon separated, half finding themselves clinging to what appeared to be the knee of a Giant, and half on the other knee. They all hung on tightly as they were flung around. As the Giant they were riding fell to the side, Kili, Thorin, and the others were able to able to jump to a stable spot. Elwen, Fili, Bilbo, and the rest, were still on the Giant.

I'm going to die, she thought as the rock swayed beneath her. I've come all this way and now I'm gonna be smashed by a rock transformer. It wasn't the way she pictured it all ending.

A war of sorts raged as three separate Giants battled for dominance. One Giant swung wide, catching another on what would have been a chin, causing it to lose its footing and fall down the cavern. Then it turned on their Giant. It lobbed a huge boulder, and Elwen's eyes went wide as it smashed into the others head, completely detaching it from the body. Fili held her close as their Giant, now beheaded, swayed.

"Hold on!" Fili cried. She clung to a rock with one hand, the front of Fili's tunic with another. Their giant was falling forward toward the cliff.

Elwen didn't even have time to scream as the rock came rushing toward her. I'm going die, she thought again. I'm going to die, and I never told him…

They smashed into the side of the mountain.

"NO!" Thorin cried hoarsely.

He began to run. He hopped clumsily over the crumbled rock, holding on to the side of the mountain for balance.

"No! Fili! Elwen!"

It felt as though someone had closed a heavy fist around his throat. Fear gripped him in a way that left him unable to think of anything other than, please please please…

Thorin had gone all day ignoring Elwen. After what had transpired on the bridge, going back to their casual banter and interactions had seemed impossible. He was afraid that if he drew too near to her, he would be tempted to reach out and grab her hand, or brush the hair from her face. He knew marching across the Wilds wasn't the place for those type of intimacies, but he'd be lying if that were his only reason for hesitating.

Thorin wasn't sure exactly what it was that he was feeling for Elwen. He had spent so much of the past six decades etching out a new life for his people and dedicating his entire existence to them and their wellbeing that matters of the heart had not been at the forefront.

It wasn't that he'd not been around females, because he had, but none had ever captured his attention the way that Elwen had. She wasn't impressed that he was the rightful King Under the Mountain, nor did she treat him any differently than she did the rest of the company. She wasn't afraid to express her displeasure, even violently, and she wasn't intimidated by him. Even more than her beauty, which he wasn't blind to, it was these things that drew him to her.

And then there was Kili, his youngest nephew, who was pushing his way over the rocks and screaming her name right along with him.

Thorin rounded a curve, preparing himself for the worst, and was met with the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. The half of the company that had seemingly been smashed to bits against the face of the mountain laid in a pile on a ledge that been just wide enough to accommodate them all.

He roved his eyes over his friends until they fell on Fili. He was curled on his side, head tucked in, and was cradling someone close to his chest. His head popped up and when he assessed that it was safe, he pulled Elwen up too, both of them looking stunned to be alive. Elwen cried out and threw her arms around Thorin's eldest nephew in relief.

She looked up and caught Thorin's eyes. Her feline-like toothy smile lit her face with a radiant glow that left him wondering how he had ever not known that she was some magical creature. She was so much more than human. She laughed when she caught sight of his relief, and he laughed and smiled along with her.

"We're alright!" she shouted happily. "We're alive!"

"Elwen! Fili!" Kili cried, elbowing his way past Thorin.

Kili stepped around the others who were struggling to their feet until he reached her side. He pulled her and his brother into a one armed embrace, and then set about to making sure they weren't injured. Thorin watched as his nephew held Elwen's face between his hands and turned her head to each side, taking in every scrape and bruise, making sure they weren't life threatening.

Thorin had never seen Kili take such care with anyone or anything. For the first time in his young nephew's life, Thorin was beginning to look at him as a man instead of a young Dwarfling. Seeing Kili cradle Elwen close made Thorin need to look away. He began helping Dwalin to his feet to avoid the sight, his chest beginning to ache. He felt like he'd lost something that hadn't even been truly his.

"Where's Bilbo?" Elwen said suddenly, pushing Kili's hands away. She looked around frantically. "Where's the Hobbit?"

"There!" Ori pointed over the side of the cliff.

The Halfling was hanging onto the edge by his fingertips. Ori and Bofur both dived onto the ground and reached for Bilbo's arm, but the Hobbit slipped a few more feet before grabbing another handhold. He was too far down now for anyone to reach down and pull him up. There was nothing for it.

Just as Thorin was about to swing down, Elwen breezed past him and dropped dramatically over the side of the cliff. She found foot and handholds, and swung out to grab him by his pack. She pushed up with all of her strength, and with Bilbo's help pulling himself up, she was able to push up high enough for Bofur to haul him the rest of the way up.

Thorin reached out for Elwen's hand. Their fingers brushed, but her eyes went wide; the rocks gave way and she lost her footing. Thorin shouted and lunged forward, able to grab her forearm. She cried out in pain as she dangled in the air, unable to find footing or another place to grab. Thank Mahal the girl was light and Thorin was able to pull her up one handed with little effort.

Elwen collapsed into his chest, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Thorin checked her arm to make sure he'd not pulled it out of place, but she shook out her shoulder saying that it was just sore. He put a relieved arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side, unwilling to let her go. He looked up and saw Kili watching them with curious eyes, and Thorin looked away.

"Thank you," Elwen whispered, grabbing the fur of his coat. He looked down at her and had to resist the urge to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar," Dwalin said breathlessly.

"He's been lost ever since he left home," Thorin growled angrily. He had almost cost them Elwen because of his inability to take care of himself. They had told him that the Wild was no place for soft folk. "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

Elwen dropped her arms. "You're awful," she whispered harshly, and moved toward Bilbo. She dropped down to her knee and put an arm on the Halflings shoulder.

Thorin swallowed his shame and shook his head. Perhaps he was harsh, but no more than the terrain itself, and the Hobbit had yet to prove himself. Elwen had almost fallen to her death saving him. Thorin's eyes hardened.

There was a path leading further into the mountains. "Dwalin," Thorin beckoned, and the two followed the path until the came to a seemingly abandoned cave.

"It looks safe enough," Dwalin said.

"Search to the back; caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied."

It didn't take Dwalin long to search the cave and confirm that they were indeed alone. The company began unloading their things and finding a place to settle down in for the night.

Gloin dropped a bundle of wood on the floor. Trust it to him to pack dry wood. "Right then!" he said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's get a fire started."

"No," said Thorin. "No fires. Not in this place. Get set some sleep, we start at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us," Balin reminded him. "That was the plan."

"Plans change," Thorin said meaningfully. "Bofur, take the first watch."

Thorin pulled Orcrist from its place strapped over his back and prepared for sleep. He was about to sit down when he felt a small finger poke him between the shoulder blades. He turned around to see a very angry Elwen glaring at him with sharp silver eyes.

"The back of the cave," she growled. "Now."

She turned away and headed deeper into the cave, not bothering to look to see if he followed. She knew he would. When they stopped, Thorin folded his arms across his chest and did his best to return her glower. He was still so relieved that she hadn't been turned into Elf-jam by Stone Giants that it was difficult to be irritated with her.

"Why do you have to be so mean to Bilbo?" she asked hotly. "It wasn't his fault, what happened on the mountain! It could have been any of us. He was in an unlucky spot, that's all."

"Elwen, Bilbo just isn't cut out for a journey like this. He would be better off going back to Rivendell," Thorin ground out. Maybe it wasn't as difficult as he thought to be annoyed with her.

"Elrond asked him stay, you know," Elwen snapped.

"What?" Thorin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why didn't he ?"

"Because he signed your stupid contract! Because he wanted to keep his word!" She did her best not to yell, not wanting to be heard by the others. "You're so ungrateful!"

"Elwen, enough," he took a step toward her, reaching out and touching her hand. "I'm sorry if you're upset about today, but-"

She yanked her fingers away. "Don't you dare," she whispered harshly. "This isn't about me! You were terrible to Bilbo in front of the entire company for something that wasn't his fault. You're a lot of things, Thorin, but I didn't think you were cruel."

Thorin would have felt better had she reached out and slapped him. He took a deep breath before turning away from her.

"Get some rest, Elwen," he said, doing his best to keep the hurt from his voice and failing. He was exhausted and soaked to the bone. He had no more energy for this conversation at present.

"Bilbo is going to surprise you someday, you overgrown bearded stump!" She poked him in the back again, hard, before storming off past him into the main part of the cave. Thorin followed her doggedly.

Elwen sank down in her usual spot between Fili and Kili. They both turned to her with questioning glances, but she only glared over at him in answer. Kili looked up to Thorin and shook his head, then looked back to Elwen. The three soon laid down, Elwen cuddling into Kili's side. The latter wrapped a protective arm around her and pulled her closely.

Thorin bit back the curse working its way up his throat. It was for the best, he thought. But the jealousy burning in his chest told him he didn't really believe what he was thinking. He sat down on the wall opposite to her and leaned against the stone and closed his eyes. He drifted into a light sleep, the sound of her angry voice echoing in his mind.

Thorin was awoken from a blessedly dreamless sleep by the sound of movement. He opened his eyes only a fraction and saw Bilbo trying to sneak toward the mouth of the cave without waking anyone. He had his pack strapped to his back and walking stick in hand.

Thorin guffawed. The ridiculous Halfling wouldn't last a day out there on his own.

"Where do you think you're going?" whispered Bofur as the Hobbit tried to sneak past him. Bilbo stopped and gave Bofur an annoyed look.

"Back to Rivendell," replied Bilbo.

This, it seemed, was enough to rouse another member of the company. Thorin spied Elwen wiggling out of Kili's arms, gently so as not to wake the sleeping Dwarf, and walk over to the mouth of the cave.

"You can't leave, Bilbo," she reasoned. "It isn't safe out there on your own."

"That," Bofur nodded rigorously, now on his feet, "and you just can't turn back now! You're a part of the company. You're one of us."

Bilbo gave them a skeptical look. "I'm not though, am I?" he said. "Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right."

Thorin felt the stab of guilt. He knew he had been hard on the Hobbit, and maybe Elwen had been right. Perhaps he'd gone too far.

"I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door." Bilbo sounded defeated.

"You're homesick," Elwen said, putting a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"That's right, you're just homesick. We understand that," Bofur added.

"No you don't! You don't understand!" Bilbo said harshly. "None of you do-you're Dwarves. You're used to-to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere. And Elwen…"

Elwen dropped her hand and Bilbo bit his lip. Bofur's face fell.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Bilbo looked down at the floor of the cave and shook his head, ashamed.

"No," Bofur said softly. "You're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." The Dwarf smiled and placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

Elwen wasn't having it. She grabbed Bilbo by the arm and yanked him back.

"You aren't going anywhere, you little…" her snarl trailed off, her eyes falling to Bilbo's waist.

"What's that?" Bofur asked.

Bilbo looked down. A bright, blue light was emanating from the sword Gandalf had given him when they left the troll hoard. The Hobbit reached down and slowly pulled the sword partway out of its sheath, seeing it was glowing a bright. Bilbo looked up slowly, him and Elwen sharing a desperate look.

"Get up!" Elwen shrieked.

Thorin stood. He heard a strange, mechanical sound, almost like gears turning. Cracks were forming in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Wake up. Wake up!" he cried.

The company began to rouse but not fast enough.

Thorin looked over to Elwen. He saw her wobble as the floor began to shift. She looked up, her silver eyes wide and frightened.

"Thorin," she breathed.

And then the earth fell away.

Authors Note: Hello all! I'm back with another chapter. I've decided to post a chapter every week. If I catch up to myself, you'll be waiting a while between chapters, but I PROMISE you that I am working on this fic, will not discontinue it, and it WILL be completed. Eventually. I'm going to be pretty busy probably up until the New Year, so all of you lovely people will just have to be patient with me. I appreciate you all!

Once again, thank you to all who have read, followed, and favorited this story. I am beyond humbled and really happy you enjoy the story so much. Please feel free to drop a review, I LOVE hearing from readers! Tell me what you think of the chapter, of the relationships I'm forming between our heroine and the rest of the group, and where you think the story is headed! Very curious to hear your theories!

Pallysdeeks: Oh, just wait. The roller coaster ride only gets worse, my friend. My goal is to make everyone hate my guts by the end of the story haha!

Sophia Kaiba: Thank you so much for reading! I'm so glad you're enjoying Elwen. She's one of my favorite OC's that I've created and I feel quite personally attached to her. As far as whether or not Legolas knows he has a half sister…I guess you'll just have to keep reading to find out ;) Cheers!

Carre: Thank you so much for the review! Stay tuned to see what goes down!

BiscuitsandGravy: I LOVE your username, first of all. How cute! Secondly, thank you! I have decided to post every week. I have I think up to almost chapter 19 written, so I've got some breathing room to catch up to myself. I've been very busy lately, and will be busy probably until the New Year. So if I catch up to myself before then, I doubt I'll be able to update much until after Christmas. As far as Legolas is concerned, you'll just have to stick around to find out! I don't want to spoil the fun!

Alright Lords and Lassies, happy reading and once again, thank you so much for reading my little story.

Cheers, L