I own nothing but my array of OCs such as Rayna. Everything else belongs to Tolkien.

"Iii" = speech

"Iii" = translated speech

Iii = thought

Chapter 12: Acceptance

Seeing the memories firsthand, so real and full of horror, with Greum's help made Kili want to be sick, but managed to hold down his breakfast. He wasn't the only one as Ori had begun to clutch at his brother and cousin in his loud sobbing over what they'd seen. Dwalin was red in the face and his mouth moved with silent curses while Gloin clutched at the locket of his family. Fili was pale while the rest were simply rendered speechless. Thorin was on his bed, features like stone as the company reacted in their own ways. Eventually, Dwalin's voice was filling the quiet other than Ori's sobbing. "I'm glad that beast Azog is dead. Otherwise I'd track him down and kill him myself."

"What occurred that night truly is a tragedy, one I'm sure Sim would've done more to avoid had things been made clearer." Greum spoke up in a subdued tone. "I knew Sim for many years, and mourned his death when I was told of this event. Never did I know until now just how complete the attack was."

Having recovered his demeanor, Balin sounded pained. "Of all the places to be, at such a time, why go there? Why not simply leave?"

Greum's face was a mask of sadness, his large shoulders almost in a permanent slump at this point. "After abandoning our homelands around Erebor out of concern of Thror's mind madness, our people became nomads who often used our many caravans to ferry cargo to lands as far as Rohan or Ered Luin for reasonable pay. After many years, it became habit. One I have reason to believe Sim could no longer break." The large shifter admitted quietly, his sorrow all but palpable now. "That and the suspicions of Thranduil's potential cruelty kept many from passing through the forest using the elf roads, opting instead to go around, even if it brought them closer to danger. Knowing he died as a warrior should is the only peace I can gain from this whole horrid thing."

"Where's Rayna?" Kili asked, somehow finding his voice, not surprised it sounded frail and cracked. He'd known from his uncle that Smaug's attack on Erebor had been terrible. But to see something just as horrible… and to someone he loved just as much as his uncle was hard to fathom.

Greum shook his head, defeated. "I know not, though Vera will no doubt know. That girl was the first to try and be kind to Rayna when she was found, even if she didn't understand what Vera was trying to do. As fellow children at the time, the boys who you now know as their brothers were next to try and gain Rayna's trust. It took decades I imagine, which makes her friendliness towards all of you a bit surprising."

"Because of her early years?" Balin inquired, putting two and two together.

"A factor, yes. But also possibly the knowledge that for all their warmth and kindness, death would still find a way to strike them down like all others she'd witnessed. It's not hard to see this will have hurt Rayna more than she admits." The shifter told them in a grave voice, looking at Kili with an imploring stare. "Seek her out, but give her time. Be kind but do not coddle her. She will only find it insulting."

"What of Thranduil?" Thorin inquired, not about to let the question go unasked. After all it was on everyone's minds anyway.

Greum appeared thoughtful. "I will keep speaking with him, try and decipher the true extent of his knowledge, see what happened to the scout Rayna encountered. With luck, that elf is here and remembers that night."

"And the humans? Things are still tense with them." Fili pointed out, speaking in a quiet voice that was nothing like his normally boisterous tone. He clearly felt as sickened as Kili did.

"All will be worked out in time. As allies, I'm sure Thranduil is speaking to Bard. If not, I will and try to make ground. For now, you should focus on healing your arm and working with your cousin on getting your people back to their home, Thorin." Greum pointed out, gazing at the dwarf king with a stern look.

"I shall, as I know not what to say about any of this." Thorin admitted softly, his face softening to show empathy. "I knew from what little she said our experiences were similar but…to know it was so horrible, if not worse than my own recollections is hard to fathom."

Greum nodded sagely at his words, kind as ever. "That is understandable. Even now, Rayna will not abandon the humans or the elves out of spite, and her loyalty lies with the both of us. Showing you have rightly earned that loyalty will be one of many reasons to maintain her candor with you."

"Has she not done that already?" Dwalin cut in, baffled.

The large shifter chuckled deeply. "Out of duty to your company and her promise to Gandalf, yes she has. But that changed over time to that of concern and affection for you all. It took Vera and their brothers three decades to even get so far, but you lot got there in a less than a year." He told them, watching as amazement dawned on their faces. "To have gained such a thing is a task itself, even with so little time to accomplish it."

Gaining the strength to stand, Kili all but declared to the room. "Well I'm not going to wait that long."

"That's our Kili." Gloin muttered, much to the amusement of his brother Oin.

Smiling, Fili gave his brother a pat on the shoulder. "Tell her we're worried, alright brother?"

"I shall." The younger dwarf promised, walking out and leaving his kin behind.

Kili headed right for the shifter part of camp, none of the guards stopping him as they'd come to know him and the others well in the past few weeks. Dodging the many people occupying the area, the dwarf found Vera's tent easily enough, surprised to find the woman standing just outside it looking up. Following her gaze, Kili felt like he'd been punched in the gut at seeing Rayna was up in a tree, unmoving and with a calm mask for an expression. Looking at Vera, the woman bore a worried frown but it deepened when Kili finally approached close enough to be noticed. "Master dwarf, I was wondering how long you would wait."

"I came as soon as Greum…showed us what happened." He told her, not about to hide such a thing from her, not at a time like this.

Vera's exotic orbs of violet widened but calmed after a second, sighing. "That is not surprising. I doubt Rayna would've been keen to show you herself after yesterday."

Kili nodded, gazing up at the woman in question worriedly. "How long has she been up there?"

"Since last night, and I'm told she has yet to move. And I highly doubt she slept. Nothing I say affects her! I believe yesterday was more damaging than readily assumed." Vera responded, sadness and worry etched into her face.

At that, the dark-haired dwarf couldn't help but wince. Greum hadn't been lying when he said Rayna would be in pain. "Let me try. Give me a boost." He said, getting onto a nearby branch with Vera's help, sitting down to face the woman who had yet to stare at anything other than the foliage hiding the rest of camp from view. "Rayna? Rayna, it's Kili." The dwarf called softly, looking down helplessly at Vera when still nothing happened.

"Keep going." The woman urged, silently wanting the dwarf to succeed where she had failed. Something like this was no longer her place to try and fix, even if she could still help.

Turning back to face the woman before him, Kili pressed on gently. "Rayna, Greum came to see us this morning. He showed us what you showed him and the others. We just want to know if you're alright." He said, trying not to be discouraged when the woman still didn't react to his voice. "Okay, how about a story then? Like how I saw a fire moon once."

The woman did react to his words then, ice blue orbs focusing on him in faint curiosity, and Kili wanted to jump around happily at his success. Delighted he was making some progress, he went into his tale with gusto, describing how the moon had turned red as blood while traveling with merchants as guards. Light seemed to return to Rayna's eyes the more he went on, his energy cracking the mask she had on just enough so she appeared more relaxed than before he'd arrived. His story lasted only an hour, but that short time span seemed to be enough to convince Rayna to move. Or at least eat something as Vera passed up two plates of food for them near noon. Kili watched until Rayna ate before partaking of his share as well, only leaving to give the plates back and tell the others he wouldn't be around for a while. They asked him why and he explained as best he could, earning worried glances from his kin. Still, they bid him luck when he left. After two day of this, Kili found Rayna was open to his stories and eating meals but little else, only moving to look at him. By the third day, Bard appeared with a troubled look on his face with Legolas and Tauriel in the distance appearing just as uneasy. Next to him Rayna tensed but didn't move, though whether she smelled or saw him Kili couldn't tell. Having become accustomed to the tree by now, Kili's descent was swift to stop the human at least halfway. "What is it?"

"I wish to speak to the captain." The human said, his expression kind in spite of the fatigue settled heavily on his shoulders.

Kili frowned, his heart sympathetic to the bargeman made lord. "That may be hard. She's not said a word in four days."

Bard stared, concern pushing some of his tiredness away. He didn't know Rayna well but he'd come to respect the woman. "What? Because of the meeting? I heard what happened."

"We fear it was more than that. She responds to me but little else. Trying for more could be pushing things." Kili admitted, grateful the man was actually worried instead of feigning it.

The human male nodded slowly, frowning. "Is there nothing that can be done?"

Kili allowed regret to bleed into his expression. "I fear not. Getting her to eat is all I've been able to do. Whatever is wrong, it may be best to seek Greum about it."

"No, I understand. I thank you for your time." Bard responded, smiling kindly.

"Of course." Kili muttered, following the taller human to the edge of camp where the two elves stood just beyond the guards glaring at them. At Kili's request, the glowering pair wandered off, allowing the dwarf to smile at the elf woman. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"As am I. I'm glad you're doing better." Tauriel said, smiling in turn.

"Yes, the others said you were to thank for my leg." He told her, patting the now healed limb. "You and your prince." Kili said, giving a meaningful glance to the blonde. Tauriel blushed and Legolas tried to keep a straight face.

Tauriel sobered after a moment, gazing at the tree. "Is she well?"

Kili sighed, losing his own mirth to his sadness. "No, and not for some time. If you wish to speak to her, I'm afraid patience is all I can ask of you."

"Has she fallen ill?" Legolas inquired, puzzled but clearly wanting to know.

"No, nothing like that. Only…she has withdrawn. For all her candor, Rayna is a private woman and knowing what she endured is a giant step to understanding her. For all of us."

The elves blinked at him, Tauriel breaking the silence first, astonished. "You knew not of what happened?"

Shaking his head, the dwarf prince knew his frown was etched into his face by now. "No, none of the company did. She only said they were attacked by Orcs and said she didn't know it was Azog until we met him on the way here some few months ago. Anything else was merely hinted but never exact. We respected her privacy in that." Kili said, pausing to give Legolas a faintly reproachful look. "I hope your father has a good explanation."

Legolas didn't avoid the glance like Kili thought he would, the elf prince nodding as pain appeared in his sky blue eyes. "As do I, master dwarf."

The two elves departed after that, leaving Kili alone to climb the tree again. He was aloft in its branches with a still unmoving Rayna for another two days before someone else came to visit in the form of Dwalin. The bald dwarf had his ever-present frown on, only this one had a saddened edge to it at seeing not much had changed since Kili had come to tell them of the woman's regression. So far, they'd kept their distance so not to overwhelm her.

Coming to stand just at the tree's roots, Dwalin looked up at the younger dwarf, lips pursed. "Still nothin' laddie?"

Kili nodded down at his superior, frowning along with him. "She moves and eats, but doesn't speak. My stories are helping but I don't believe I alone am enough."

"I might have something." A voice cut in, making both dwarves start at seeing Vera come walking up with a checkered board made of different colored woods in her hand, a small burlap sack in the other.

Dwalin bowed slightly in her direction. "Lady Vera, I did not see you."

"That's alright." Vera said kindly, smiling brightly as she called out. "Oh Rayna! How about a game? I found Sim's old board and everything!"

On her branch, Rayna straightened, her face giving away nothing as she hopped down with Kili to watch her friend set up the board. Seeing Rayna move for the first time in days was a relief to the young dwarf, though he was drawn by the strange game he'd only seen once. "How will this work?"

Already Rayna had taken up the bag from her friend's grip, Vera smiling fondly as she watched the woman set up the pieces. "It's how I connected with her the first time. Though she's a warrior and crafter of arts, my sister is a thinker at heart. Challenge her to a game and see if you can win."

"Balin might be a much better choice at this." Kili commented as he gazed at the board and its many pieces, nearly all of them appearing the same. One set had been varnished to a dark brown while the other set was a pale cream with only dark knots to betray their pure visage.

Vera chuckled. "Chess is a king's game even though anyone can play. See the board as a battlefield and the pieces your army, and you will do well."

Still, Kili was feeling wary as he sat down on the crate set just by the larger one where the board had been placed, wondering if it was a good idea for him to try. "Are you certain?"

"Of course! This game is of patience and strategy, something the twins were well suited when they felt the need. They would stare at the board for hours but at the snap of your fingers, they played a game in just under a minute only for one to lose and they'd start again. It was rather entertaining." Vera told him, earning curious stares from the two dwarves.

"How often would they do that?" Dwalin asked, sounding awed.

"Almost every day, several times. They were a remarkable pair." The woman remarked, her smile wistful now.

"What of the other two? Gayle and Cormac?"

Vera nodded slowly, amused. "Gayle did have a mind for strategy but couldn't keep up unless it was to help organize things for our caravan. Cormac was lazy at best as being with any of us was the only time he could rest and be himself when not caring for his sister. I think only Rayna and I were any real kind of competition for them."

"What about that other one, Laomann?" Kili ventured, glancing at the different pieces again and how Rayna seemed to be staring at them like their lacking movement was puzzling.

To the side, Vera kept speaking. "He was busy being mentored by his father or being trained by us. The only times I know he even played was with Sim. I'm sure he'd be a contender should we ever play against him."

Kili felt wary still, asking. "Are you certain this is a good idea?"

"First time player?" Vera inquired kindly.

"Yes." The dwarf admitted, earning a giggle from the woman. It didn't last long as Rayna became annoyed and stomped Kili's foot, making the dwarf cry out. "Ow! What?"

"White goes first." She said gruffly, surprising everyone.

Vera's voice filled the quiet, hushed in shock. "Ray-!"

Only Rayna cut her off, staring at Kili as she pointed out the different pieces. "White goes first. Pawns move one or two squares but only forward, diagonal when attacking. Castles go only in straight lines up to four squares, knights go three straight then left or right one square, and sages only go diagonal on their color. The queen goes any direction as far as she likes but the king can only go one square at a time. Should a pawn get to the far end, it can be replaced for a lost piece. The game ends when the king is felled or trapped." when she stopped, the woman didn't seem all that bothered at his openly gaping stare. "Can't let my opponent have too big a handicap, takes the challenge out of it. There's no point if you're completely clueless."

"R-right." Kili muttered, shifting his foot to get the feeling back. "Do you feel better?"

The woman's responding smirk was ghostly. "I'll get there. White first."

Gazing down at the board, he saw his were the 'white' ones, taking hold of one of the pawns and moving it forward one square. "Like so?"

"Already a master strategist! There's hope for you yet, Kili!" Rayna quipped, her voice oddly soft, one could guess from lack of use.

"You won't be laughing when I win." Kili responded, watching the woman across from him match his move.

Rayna chuckled. "If is more like it."

"When!" the dwarf insisted, much to the amusement of their observers.

"No, if is better." The woman countered easily, both falling silence as the game took over their thoughts. It wasn't until a few hours had passed that Kili was truly regretting being pulled into playing against his lady love as she was as cunning in her strategy as she was in everything else. Each game taught him something new, especially when Rayna played a new trick on him at every turn.

After at least three hours had gone by, Vera spoke up tiredly. "You're being mean."

"And yet you do little to stop me." Rayna said in turn, not the least bit intimidated.

Vera's eyes rolled in their sockets. "You'll feel different when I play next."

"If you play next. I doubt Kili will give up…after ten straight losses." Her friend retorted, patiently waiting for the dwarf across from her to make his move.

"I've almost got it." Kili muttered, brown orbs examining the board with a spark of wile in them.

Rayna chuckled, amused at the dwarf's optimism. "That's what you said six games ago."

Kili pouted at her, giving his best puppy eyes. "Do you not care for me?"

Dammit, he'll kill me one day with those. Rayna thought but resisted. "Sweet-talk all you like. Thorin might not be very amused to know how badly you're failing at this. I can hear your brother now…chortling like a fool."

Off to the side, Vera wasn't as amused as her friend. "Rayna, stop playing with your prey and just put the poor man out of his misery."

"Aw, but Vee!" Rayna mock-whined at her friend, earning a dark scowl from the woman, at which she merely snickered impishly.

"And for spirit's sake, let someone else play next. For all your mockery, you're actually starting a line."

"Dwalin will just cut the board in half out of spite!"

"At least it would end Kili's torment." Vera growled, her ire showing in rare annoyance over her friend's antics.

Rayna scoffed, countering Kili's attempt to save himself from defeat and moving her pieces back into position. "It's only been four hours. He can last another if he tries."

Said dwarf groaned but didn't resist, as he'd given up trying some time ago. His saving grace came in the form of his brother halfway through their next game, the blonde dwarf coming over on quick feet. "Kili, there you are. I sent Dwalin for you and—what is going on?"

Only glancing at Fili, who was in his big fur-lined jacket against the coming snap of cold air around them, Rayna answered him absently. "A thorough thrashing if Kili doesn't get the hang of this for the eleventh time."

Fili's blue eyes stared in awe, his jaw nearly dropping. "You are speaking?"

"And you're listening. Strange how that works." the woman quipped, not looking away from the board to make another devastating move that had Kili groaning tiredly.

"Fee, help me!" the dwarf said in a less than subtle whisper, pleading that his sibling had some kind of excuse to free him from his predicament.

Though smirking at his brother's exaggerated suffering, Fili rubbed at his beard. "Hm, this appears to be more of Balin's sort of thing to me."

"That's what I said!" Kili shouted miserably, focusing his mind long enough to put another piece into position in the hopes it would delay his downfall.

Moving another piece that had Kili wanting to fall off his seat and stay there, Rayna gave Fili a curious glance. "Did you need him for something important?"

"Well uncle Thorin wanted to talk to him so-."

"Then by all means! I take pity on my competitor, for the moment." The woman stated, Kili letting out a cheer as he all but leapt away from the board. Rayna chuckled as the pair darted away with Kili doing most of the running. Somehow she knew he would never really get the hang of the game but play just to amuse her. So she turned to her next opponent with an almost devious smirk. "Dwalin! You're up!"

"Why must I?" the bald-headed warrior demanded, sitting down on the crate anyway as they moved the pieces back to begin their game.

A dark brow twitched at the dwarf, Rayna's smirk taking on a devious edge. "Let's see if you're as wise as your brother, hm?"

"Fine, if only to beat you at your own game." Dwalin growled, dark eyes shining at the idea of getting the woman back for making him sit through four hours of watching Kili fail again and again.

Rayna's almost demonic grin should've been an omen. "They all say that."

Two hours later, Dwalin was red-faced and eating his words, holding back his rage just enough to keep the game going. He was surprised he'd lasted so long without stomping off to vent his anger over not somehow outwitting the woman. Across from him, she chuckled. "Easy, master dwarf. I made this set myself. I'd be most thankful you didn't break anything."

Dwalin's ire faded greatly at this, glancing between the woman and the chess set between them curiously. "You did?"

"Aye, I did. As a gift to Sim. He was like a grandfather to me, like you and the other warriors are."

"Is that so? Why keep it?" the old dwarf inquired, distantly fascinated that such things were in such good shape after so many years of service.

Rayna shrugged, moving one of her sages almost as an afterthought. "Laomann didn't want it and it was something Vera and I could do between tasks." She waited until the warrior dwarf made a move before continuing. "I didn't speak for the first twenty years with my tribe, so the game was my voice."

Dwalin's awe became etched in his face. "Not a word?"

"Not a one. I found actions worked better, whether it was fixing something better than someone else, or making something no one had. People sought out my opinion long before I started using my voice to tell it." she explained quietly, taking down one of Dwalin's knights with a castle.

"That you give without pause it would seem." The dwarf responded, frowning.

Her responding smirk was an ethereal thing, soft and just barely hinting at emotion of any kind. "Hesitation gets people killed, as do secrets. It's just a matter of deciding which ones are safe to tell." She said, lifting her other castle to block Dwalin's king from escape. "As well as knowing when to wait. My win, again."

Eyes darting over the board and its pieces, the warrior dwarf's face became red once more, the man rising and stomping off with a loud yell. "Curse you, foul woman!"

"Aw, I had a great time too Dwalin. Try again later when your temper isn't burning up your face like a tomato." Rayna called after him, making him curse louder in Dwarvish.

Taking his place, Vera was smiling. "I think you made an enemy of him."

"No, he's just temperamental. Give him a sweet cake and he'll be your best friend. For all their toughness, they're weakness is sugar, every time." Rayna told her friend, moving her pieces back so they could play.

Vera quirked an eyebrow curiously at the statement, the gesture and her tone almost suggestive in her asking. "And you know this, how?"

"They hid pastries in their bags they didn't know I could smell." Her friend countered casually, waiting for the woman to move her piece first. "Spying on them trying to eat them in secret was very amusing."

"Only you, Ray, only you." Vera chortled lightly, beginning the game.

Rayna nodded slowly, taking her turn. "I seem to have that effect."

The two women played for the rest of the day, neither needing words, just the pieces on the board between them to do the speaking for them. They only stopped long enough to deal with issues brought to their attention by their peers or to eat but little else. Kili did return later after doing what Thorin wanted, content to watch. As much as she wanted to go back with the dwarf, Rayna found her tree was place enough for her at the moment.

Rayna didn't leave the shifter part of camp for another three days, feeling she wasn't ready to face the rest of the company yet but was glad to see Dwalin, Fili and Kili return when they had time to play chess with her. Kili avoided playing against her, opting to be tutored by Vera's kinder guidance while Fili suffered instead. Dwalin got better from his last few tries but still left in a huff. The only one remotely coming close to defeating Rayna was Balin, when the silver-haired dwarf appeared to try his hand. It was a very close thing but the shifter woman got her opponent in the end, beaming as she congratulated the sage on making a good effort of it. Balin smiled back, happier at her better mood than anything. Come the fourth day, Rayna finally made her way to the command tent to find it empty save Thorin, the dwarf king working hard in spite of his obvious fatigue. Not about to watch him like a spy, Rayna announced herself loudly enough. "Thorin, looking better I see."

Jumping slightly at the new voice, Thorin's grey-blue eyes were owlish at seeing just who had interrupted his work. Putting his pen down, the dwarf tried not to be too slack-jawed as he remarked. "Rayna, Kili said you were improving as well. I'm pleased to see it's true, especially after what happened we last met."

Frowning lightly at his faltering tone, Rayna nodded. "Yes…I've grieved for long enough. It's the living that need my aid." She said, finally holding up the teapot and mug she'd brought in, the pot steaming from its spout. "With that in mind, I was able to recall the tea the healers at Rivendell gave me for my arm that you should try. There were no ill effects when I had it but small doses should work for you."

"That will help greatly, thank you." Thorin returned earnestly, allowing the woman to pour some into the mug for him to revel at the heat in his grip. Watching the liquid settle in the mug, Thorin continued. "Greum could use your help in getting the rest of your people to be more open the elves and humans. Construction at the town is going well but things are still tense. I don't believe your friend Vera can do it alone for much longer."

"No sign of the Orcs?" Rayna inquired, taking a nearby seat and leaving the teapot on a part of the table that didn't have maps and papers on it.

Sipping at the tea, Thorin found it was faintly pleasant on the tongue with a slight bitter aftertaste but was warm going down. "The remaining elven and dwarf forces have done what they can in tracking and killing the remains but so far, nothing. It may be safe to assume they're permanently disbanded now."

Rayna nodded slowly, taking in his words. "Still, I'll have scouts keep at watching the hills so we're not taken unawares like before. That may ease some people's minds on the matter." Silent for a moment, she soon continued. "I can head into town within the hour to assist in other matters, of course."

Thorin bobbed his head in turn, kicking the words out of his mouth before the overly prideful part of himself could stop him. "Balin and the others tell me that Erebor will have many chambers ready for use. Should your people wish to, they may stay there for the winter."

Ice blue orbs met blue-grey, astonished at the suggestion. "Thorin, it's your home, not theirs. It should be reclaimed by its former citizens, not complete strangers." Rayna argued, frowning. "On top of that, many of them would be wary of the place anyway. But if that's what you're set on, I can do my part in telling them of the offer."

"Your people belong here and as of yet, have no place to go. Allowing you to stay in my mountain after doing so much to defend it would be an insult." Thorin countered, his brow creased at the thought of an entire army camping out in the snow for several months.

Rayna frowned but seemed to find logic in the idea. "Many will agree with that, though they'll still feel like they're intruding. Even so, the idea to having someplace warm and safe to be during the winter may be what convinces them. No promises but it might do the trick."

Thorin nodded, accepting the answer. If the rest of the shifters were like Rayna, they would be stubborn as mules until none could argue anymore. Satisfied he'd at least gotten to say what he wanted, the dwarf king pulled off the bandage. "Thranduil has been seeking you again."

The woman next to him stiffened, her tone cool and expression frigid. "I'm sure he has."

"Rayna I'm not asking you to bow to him or anything. He gave back the Arkenstone and Orcrist to me." Thorin retorted with a sigh. I should've known she wouldn't like hearing it.

A dark brow rose in skepticism to the idea of Thranduil giving anything away freely, Rayna's voice edging on glacial. "The sword we both know he believes you stole?"

"As well as your sketchbooks. Oin was most delighted to have the one you gave to him back. Many of the elves admitted to reading through it, all with questions for you." Thorin told, hoping the last part would sway the woman. Knowing his nephew had been over the moon over having the thick leather tome back in hand had thrilled Thorin to the point of beaming.

It did, partially due to something else catching her attention. "Wait, Thranduil gave you the Arkenstone back? How in blue blazes did he get it in the first place?" Rayna demanded, awed by just how the elf king might've gotten such an item.

Thorin tensed, mentally kicking himself for not avoiding that particular detail about the events from a few weeks ago. "Bilbo…gave it to him."

"What!?" Rayna exclaimed, her laugh a strangled noise. "Of all the crazy-! And you let him do this?"

"Of course not!" Thorin nearly shouted in protest prior to calming, mostly not to get hot tea all over himself, glowering at the grass under his feet. "I cursed and yelled at him when he admitted it, I was so angry I tossed him out before the battle. But…he came back. Gods bless that hobbit, he came back to see if we'd lived or not. Brash fool even quoted you before he left after I scorned his actions." The dwarf king finished rather lamely, his mirth a shadow of itself.

Rayna frowned, sensing there was more than her counterpart was ready to admit. "Yet you're reluctant about letting him leave."

Thorin blinked, finally looking up at her. "I…he forgave me for my harsh words and said he'd done it to save my life, save us from my foolishness."

"At least you finally noticed." She deadpanned, making the dwarf king sigh, defeated.

"Yes, I have. Seeing you scout for your people brought home a lot of what lay behind your ire at me for…the many trials we've been through. It's something I didn't appreciate fully during our travels." He admitted, feeling rather sheepish for all the times she's glared at him for not taking her words to heart, or like after the troll incident had simply been silent in her ire.

In the present, Rayna was staring blankly at him. "Alright, who are you and where's the real Thorin? Under the table? In his tent, out cold?"

"Jest all you like but I speak the truth, Rayna. Having you around permanently would be beneficial for all, I believe." Thorin told her, months of hearing the woman speak in such a way doing little to surprise him now.

"Now I think I hit you too hard last month. Are you seeing spots?" the woman inquired, frowning slightly.

Thorin tried not to smile, some of his mirth bleeding through anyway. "I'm being serious, Rayna."

"Of course, every man with a fever says that." Rayna countered, giving him a curious once over. "Do you feel faint at all?"

"Must you talk in circles?" the dwarf king demanded tiredly, no longer in the mood for the woman's verbal trickery. At any other time he would've gladly sparred with her but he was in no shape for anything strenuous. Not to mention he would be scolded by nearly everyone for not doing better to care for himself while he recovered from his injuries. As tough as he was, Thorin knew he wasn't invincible.

To his surprise, Rayna smirked, patting him on his good shoulder as she rose to leave the tent. "Drink your tea, Thorin. We still have lots of work to do!" she said, leaving as quickly as she'd arrived, leaving the dwarf king alone once again. As he'd found ignoring her words had not ended well on several occasions, Thorin drank as much of the tea as he could stomach. After a while, he found it made him sleepy and he eventually retired for a nap before dinner. In a way, he had to guess that was Rayna's plan all along.

Being in Laketown after just over a week of seeing it under attack, Rayna found it a little hard not to feel on edge again. Her urging to try and be kind to the humans and elves was slow-going but at least no one was glaring or staring at her anymore. Not openly anyway. She had reason to believe Bard had convinced the humans of Laketown to try and be civil, though it wasn't hard to see it wasn't working that well. This isn't Mithlond. The people here aren't like that. You know it, you know it deep down. She thought, hating that her inner chant didn't seem to have the calming effect it should have on her nerves. A shout from a few houses down drew her attention, happy for the distraction, if for something as serious as a potential fight. Ironically, it was between a shifter and an elf, both men staring each other down fiercely with the shifter looking ready to change into something bigger and stronger than his opponent. By his growl, she had to guess possibly a boar as the man was already a bit on the large side, even if more than half was muscle. None of which would be any good as Rayna marched over, anger flaring up at the scene before her. The shifter must've seen her for he began to falter, his expression losing power as he tried to back away and cower. Confused by his challenger's retreat, the elf turned only to pale at seeing Rayna there and closing the distance, trying not to give away his tension when she very severely demanded. "What's going on here?"

Regaining some of his composure, the shifter started to grit out. "Captain, this elf-."

An icy glare shut him up, giving the man reason to cower under Rayna's staring. "Is of no fault unless I know the truth, which I doubt will come from you." She said, turning to the elf, much to the man's surprise as she demanded. "Now I ask again, what happened?"

Though taken aback, the elf sensed his response was crucial, his voice coming out as steady as possible. "Your soldier tried to walk down this path with too many boxes and did not see me. In his error, he dropped them after bumping into me and believed me to be at fault. As I was dealing with a similar task, I did not see him either though my sight was not hindered."

"Is this true?" Rayna inquired, turning to another shifter that wasn't the aggressor.

His face grim and mouth a thin line, the man just next to the first nodded. "Yes captain, we were gonna stop him, honest."

Rayna nodded in turn, glaring at the shifter in question once more. "Two voices against you, soldier and both ringing of the truth. Do you intend to lie to me now?" she inquired, her voice cool enough to make those nearby shiver.

"N-no I-!" the man stammered, caught with no escape.

Only the woman wasn't about to hear the man out, speaking in deathly cool tones. "Then you won't mind cleaning up this mess and aiding our friend here with the rest of his tasks for the day?"

Astonished, the shifter kept on trying to come up with something to say. "B-but I-!"

"Don't worry, your tasks can be completed by your friends who so wisely remained neutral in all this." Rayna soothed almost mockingly, her brow furrowing as her eyes flashed dangerously. "Believe me when I say there are worse things I could have done to you."

The shifter gulped audibly and didn't protest at that. Instead, he began to pick up the boxes he'd dropped, collecting up the pieces of fruit that had rolled away while the elf looked at Rayna with awe. "For a moment, I did not believe you would help me. Why?"

Anger fading, the brunette woman lifted a shoulder at the question. "A fight would've served no purpose and he was being foolish by even trying to start one in the middle of a place full of defenseless people. Your own brashness would've caused just as much trouble, though at least you would've had the lives of others in mind." She chided, making the elf wince before easily switching to a calmer tone. "Use this as a way to get him to trust you. If he trusts you, the others will trust you and so on."

"Did you not speak to them on this?" the elf inquired, honestly curious.

Rayna shrugged fully this time, not the least bit bothered that her efforts had so little impact on the matter. "I have but words only do so much. My people have suffered at the hands of other races for so long that any kindness is seen as deception or an insult. Prove them wrong, and something like this won't happen as often, leading to better cooperation in the future."

Next to her, the elf frowned. "You sound unusually wise for one so young."

Her dry laugh surprised him, as did the faded, wry smile she wore. "Youth…something I never had, even when I dreamed of what it might be."

The elf stared blankly for a moment, thrown. Then realization dawned and his jaw nearly dropped. "Wait, you—!"

She couldn't help but smile at the elf, watching as his gaze became that of awe. "Our appearance is that of men, true but our lifespan is not. None of us will ever live until the end of everything like the elves but…sometimes it feels that way." Rayna muttered absently, only looking back at the elf to command casually. "Be sure all of these are clean before storing them away. Anything on them could be harmful in the future." Any reply the elf had had no chance to be said for Rayna turned on her heel and walked away, distantly glad her fear of men had left her. For now.

Hours later at camp, word must've spread for everyone was muttering to each other when Rayna bothered to listen in. She remained on the shifter side as going back to see the dwarves still felt like a bit much, though Kili seemed intent on trailing around her. Not that Rayna minded all that much, his presence was a good enough excuse to get to know him more or put him through another round of chess games he still couldn't win. His attempts were admirable and he was getting better, still the dwarf couldn't quite get the upper hand. They were halfway through a fourth game, Kili trying a more covert set of tactics this time, when something at the edge of the camp drew their attention. Standing, regal and daunting was Thranduil, giving the two guards stopping him a cool stare only a statue could hope to match. Next to him were a pair of elves she didn't recognize but were probably there under protest if their troubled expression were to go by even from such distance. One of the shifter guards seemed to be hissing in ire but left his partner alone to jog her way, Rayna having watched the exchange out of the corner of her vision. Coming to a halt next to her, the shifter guard had a dark look on his face as he grudgingly stated to her. "The King of the Forest requests an audience."

Still not looking away from the board, Rayna maintained her composure. "About?"

Across from her, Kili had tensed in wariness while the shifter answered. "He would not say. Only that the business was private and for your ears alone."

Rayna blinked, even though she'd expected that response. Calculations sped through her mind for a short while before saying. "Let him through."

The shifter guard openly scowled. Only his eyes gave away the shock Kili's expression was barely giving away. "Captain, you can't be serious!"

"The longer he remains, the more agitated all will become. May as well deal with this now, and not until he becomes irritable or uses force." The woman reasoned, glancing up at her counterpart as she commanded. "Show him here."

Face caught in-between anger and confusion, the shifter guard nodded as he left to relay her order, Kili frowning worriedly. "Should I go?"

"No, I'd rather there be a witness of some kind. We're both honest people so no one will be able to counter us should things go sour." Rayna muttered back, watching the elf king's approach out of the corner of her eye. The way he seemed focused on her felt strange but the way her people glowered at him wasn't encouraging.

Across from her, Kili remained wary. "Is this a wise choice?"

"If you think of a better one, let me know." She told him, both managing to keep up the illusion that three elves weren't observing them, the trio coming to a stop just two feet away.

When it became clear he wasn't going to be acknowledged, Thranduil spoke in his elegant voice. "Captain, I'm pleased that you would see me."

Rayna had to fight not to scoff, but allowed her voice to come out short as she kept her gaze on the board. "Pleasure is something I doubt you're familiar with and my seeing you is difficult as my eyes are turned away. Finding something more worthwhile to say before my tribesmen decide to kill you just for standing here would be a much better use of that throat of yours."

"You dare-." One of the elf guards began to say, his face twisting slightly in anger.

The woman's scathing tone silenced him when she spoke over him. "I dare because no one else will and due to my ability to kill any who are a threat to those I care for. Attack me and you'll be dead before your corpse hits the ground. One should be very careful around shifters, elves or not. Mostly due to our primal natures having a… rather nasty tendency to rule our heads at times where others expect to deal with not as violent opponents."

"Like with my nephew, Valen?" Thranduil inquired, a pale brow rising in a rare show of curiosity.

Rayna's laugh came out in a loud bark, voice low and dark. "That uppity little sprout is your nephew? I can see where he gets his arrogance from then, just like your son." Ice blue eyes added to the effect of her impish smirk. Across from her, Kili hoped it was part of her act and not some hidden part of the woman's nature. "Almost lost his eye, he did. Next he won't be so lucky."

The two elf guards seemed to shiver, Thranduil's expression clouding. "Greum warned me one of your names is 'Sharptongue'. I see he was not wrong."

This time Rayna did scoff, her smirk fading. "In my almost eighty years of life, I've found lying only helps in the short-term, causing undue harm with its falsehood. You can lie to your enemies all you like but doing the same to your friends will just undo all any have done to make the bonds you share." Finally she looked up at the blonde monarch, eyes hard and searching as she demanded. "So which are you?"

For a moment, Thranduil didn't respond, his dark eyes unblinking. Whether he gave up or not was hard to say, instead addressing Kili and the seat he occupied. "May I?"

The dwarf tried not to frown but nodded anyway, rising to give the elf king the seat as he knew he wasn't going to win the game. Seating himself fluidly, crate or no crate, Rayna scowled lightly while putting all the pieces back to their starting positions. If the elf king minded the color on his side or not, he gave no sign as she asked. "Are you familiar with it?"

"Well enough." Thranduil admitted, the lightest of frowns appearing on his lips. "It is the same board?" he asked, moving a pawn to start the game.

Ice blue orbs looked away from the board and its pieces long enough to see if the question was an honest one. "It is, though at least three of the pieces were replaced. They couldn't stand up well to being tread on by running wargs."

"That is…interesting." The elf king said in the barest hint of awkwardness. Kili, who'd settled by the roots of the nearby tree, could only guess it was his attempt to become accustomed to Rayna's biting bluntness.

The pair sat in relative silence for maybe an hour before Rayna frowned. "Staring is rude."

Caught in the act, one of the elf guards jumped, looking away. "I apologize."

"No you don't. You're curious. Something long believed that elves have forgotten. Or is that another lie?" Rayna quipped dryly, causing all three elves to frown slightly at her words.

The guard in question frowned deeper than his comrades, voice his question. "Did Azog do that, to your face?"

"No, one of his minion's wargs did. I killed it and its rider. Then, I spent the next few weeks cleaning up the bodies of my clansmen." She growled, using a castle to claim one of Thranduil's sages, leaving his left flank open for her to work with. Given that he moved one of his knights there showed he knew it.

"I truly am sorry." The guard returned, sincerity making his voice sad.

Rayna looked at the guard, neither angry, nor shocked by his words, simply staring. After a moment, she looked away, leaving them in silence for at least another half hour. Staring intently at the wall of pieces blocking her path, Rayna broke the quiet again. "Thorin said you gave Orcrist back. That surprised me."

Thranduil glanced up at her words, his voice coming out almost sad. "Despite its makers, it was not mine to have."

"Finally something comes out of your mouth that makes sense. I was there when he found the damn thing so yes, it's his." Rayna growled, eventually commenting. "Same as how Gandalf claimed its partner, Glamdring."

"They found both swords?" Thranduil asked, his tone just giving away his awe.

"Aye, exactly how they came to that troll cave is hard to say but it was a lucky find. I found my second sword in there and the rest was rusting junk."

One of the guards frowned. "You had no interest in what you found there?"

Rayna shrugged, moving her queen out of a sage's path. "Not really. Taking only what one needs, not what you want is a well-known concept for my people. If something is damaged, broken or lost, either fix it, replace it yourself, that or find someone else who can. Simple."

"Much like the armor and weapons you people possess? They do not appear to be of your making, nor do they seem to be of another age." The elf king commented.

The woman scoffed lightly. "The Lady Galadriel was most kind in her generosity while you, Thorin and Bard were being narrow-minded, stubborn idiots. I think being under threat by a common enemy got you all to stop being selfish and actually be proper leaders for once." Rayna countered, making the trio of elves stiffen.

"It was a factor, yes. As was your arrival, which secured our victory over Azog and his kin in the end." Thranduil reasoned, his lips barely curved in disapproval.

Rayna's ice blue orbs pinned him to the spot, ire clear in her voice. "I called on my people to defend Erebor and Thorin's rightful claim to it. Not so a bunch of angry humans and a selfish elf king could stand on his front doorstep with a pouting lip. Killing you would've been pointless as your son was no better than you." She spat, looking away.

The elf king's brows came together in bafflement. "Was?"

"He's stopped being an arrogant fool, much like you have apparently." She retorted, going silent when another soldier, a woman this time approached to whisper in her ear. Nodding at the messenger, Rayna's face took on a neutral expression. "Another matter requires my attention. Good evening, elf king." Rayna told him coolly, watching in silent amusement when all three elves nearly gaped when she vanished into thin air before flying away to deal with the issue she'd been alerted of. She was occupied by it for at least an hour before returning to find Thranduil and his companions had left, allowing her to eat with Vera in peace as Kili had gone back to eat with the other dwarves. To her mild annoyance, the elf king reappeared the next day, the same pair of elves at his back, their expressions still oddly troubled as last time. Rayna surprised them all when she moved all the chess pieces to where they'd been the night before, Thranduil's dark eyes marginally wider in recognition.

"You remembered?" he asked, daring to let his awe show.

Rayna shrugged nonchalantly. "My memory is exceptional enough that seeing or hearing something just once is all I need in order to call it to mind later. Hence why what you and the others saw seemed as clear as it did. There is very little I don't recall."

"Is that why your sketches are so…accurate?"

A dark brow rose as the woman looked up to stare at the guard. "What makes you think I've sketched anything?"

The elf in question shifted under the intense gaze. "We found some books on your friends. They said they were made by your hand when we returned them."

Rayna blinked, recalling that her friend had lost their belongings in Mirkwood when they'd been captured. "Aye. I gave them freely for them to see."

"Many of them are beautiful. Places you've been?" the guard remarked, his friend appearing just as curious. Thranduil seemed interested but gave no real sign of it.

Again, the woman shrugged. "I've been all across Eriador many times. Even went to the sea and its many shores all along the coast over the years. In both winter and spring if to see if the view would vary. Ered Luin both north and south, Andrast, Tolfolas, Himling at least once, even Gondor when the need arose. What I drew were only the scenes I found the most striking."

"Why the sea?" his companion asked.

"I'd never seen it before." Rayna commented simply.

They accepted this, for the one guard moved on. "And the other lands?"

"The same, and for work when not traveling with my clan's caravan, hoping to make up for lost supplies and funds. You could say we're no different than Rangers save we're clouded in more mystery than they are." The woman muttered, pulling a knight back to the enemy queen couldn't get it.

Silence reigned, the sparring of the wooden pieces taking up most of the attention until Thranduil commented. "Greum tells me you have the ear of your tribe, even though he is higher than you. As a king, I'm curious on how that works."

"I have a unique view of the world, and not just due to my scathing retorts. Where others seek out the good in others, I try to see the darkness they hide. That way the kindness they portray isn't as much of a plausible cover for a threat that would otherwise be unseen." Rayna told him, frowning when the elf king's use of a pawn to the far right confused her. "Along with the fact I grew up around humans during my youngest years."

The last sentence stilled Thranduil's hand. "You have no blood kin?"

Rayna didn't look away from the board, her tone coming off as distant. "None that I know of, should they exist. Or any that might know of me. If so, we're both lost and may never be united. Whether they live or have died is of little consequence."

"Do you not care that you might have family?" the elf king inquired, sounding honestly curious now. Though he was cold at times, even Thranduil couldn't deny that family was important, sometimes over affairs of state.

Ice blue eyes met deep, dark brown, hard as the frozen water they resembled. "My tribe is my family, my friends are my allies and both are present when I need them. To seek out a person I don't even know about my origins is something I know cannot be accomplished for the people who I could've asked have all died long ago. Pursuing it now would be pointless."

Thranduil truly frowned then. "You have never tried?"

"Who could I ask? How could I ask? All the humans I knew were often hard and more or less uncaring, wanting little to do with me and others without families." She told him, returning her gaze to the board so to move her king free of a potential trap. "I certainly wasn't going to bring any attention to myself after learning I was different."

The two elves flanking their king glanced at one another. "How do you mean?"

"I know not what it's like for elves but getting a nasty cut on one's arm that should take weeks to heal that all but vanishes in a matter of days is a scary thing to a child. Even more so when everyone seems to age slightly faster than you, all of them assuming you're not getting enough food to grow with them. All the more reason to keep quiet." The woman commented, her tone nearly as hard as her face. She didn't want to recall such things at the moment.

"It sounds horrible." One of the guards returned.

"No, logical. Bringing attention to such things, no matter your age, gets you dead or worse." Rayna growled, ending that line of conversation right where it was. Thranduil's subtle glance stopped any questions at least.

"My apologies. They meant no offense." The blonde monarch told her, his voice soft with apology for once.

"Their ignorance is your fault, not theirs." She returned darkly, inching a castle to the side and into place. "Hardship is part of my life, one I'm perfectly accustomed. Pretty words will do little about it now."

Frowning noticeably now, Thranduil's frown deepened a bit. "Do you truly think so little of me and my kin?"

"How can I not when you've given me little to say otherwise?" Rayna questioned, silently glad the king was still somehow paying their game some mind, even if a tad distracted now. "Elrond does his part as a fair ruler and Galadriel and Celeborn were open to my plea to gain their aid for the battle. You sat and did nothing. Just like you did to Thorin, to us and like you're doing now by waiting over a day to get to what you came to say."

"Greum warned it best that I at least attempt to gain your confidence first." The elf king responded, possibly sensing that things were going for the worse.

Rayna scoffed. "He was half-right." She said, growling. "Speak."

Knowing that evasion would be pointless, Thranduil chose his words carefully. "It concerns the scout you met that night."

Ice blue eyes focused on him like a bird of prey seeing a mouse in the grass far below from a great height. The woman's voice sounded almost dead. "Does he live?"

"The men who stand with me are his brother and his captain. They-."

"Does he live?" she repeated, stopping the king in his tracks.

Thranduil didn't move, his face giving away nothing. "No."

Rayna was still a moment, calling out to a nearby shifter in a calm tone. "Fetch Vera, have her come at once."

The shifter nodded and ran off, Rayna looking down at the chessboard again and not speaking until her friend appeared with the shifter sent to find her. Violet eyes bright under a furrowed brow took everything in, puzzled as she looked to Rayna with uncertainty. "Sister, what is happening?"

"The truth." The shifter captain responded dryly, all but glaring at the two elves standing by their king. "Name yourselves."

Dark-haired and pale-skinned, the first of the pair nodded to Vera politely. "I am Loman, brother to Lorcan, the scout that bore witness to the attack on your people."

"And I am Duhban, captain of Loman and his troop." His fair haired companion said in turn, both of their expression grave.

Blinking at this information, Vera's uncertainty grew, glancing between the elves and her friend. "Sister, what is going on?"

"Something that is coming a decade late." Rayna said calmly, focusing on the guards intently. "Where is this Lorcan?"

Duhban was clearly seasoned at this for there was no hesitation. "Dead, since the night of the attack on your people and at your bequest for seeking help. We believe he was so anxious to deliver his warning of your situation that the spiders in the trees ambushed him when he was most vulnerable. By the time my men found him, he was long dead. His message died with him and we knew not why he'd been so far from us…until now." He said, his voice losing power at the last sentence, empathy overcoming his features as he looked at Vera. "We are truly sorry, dear lady."

So taken aback by what she'd just heard, Vera could only stare, her brilliant eyes wide and brimming with tears. Her face had paled, her mouth pressed closed possibly in fear of what kind of horrible noise they would set free. Waving a nearby comrade over, Rayna muttered softly. "Take her to the kitchens for water, bring her back when she is recovered."

"Yes captain." The woman murmured in return, gently guiding the stunned woman away and leaving for the far side of camp.

Rayna waited until they were well and gone before speaking. "Does Greum know of this?" she asked, her tone truly dead.

"He does. He bid us try and tell you gently." Loman responded, his voice gentle and full of sympathy he clearly felt. "My brother-."

"Is still not at fault here." Rayna said curtly, looking right at Thranduil instead. "It is you, elf king."

Said monarch's eyes widened marginally at the accusation. "I have given you the truth you sought. Surely that's-."

"Not enough." The woman snarled, effectively silencing him. "But it's a pretty damn good start." She said, making the king blink even as she went on, pointing an accusing finger right into the blonde's face. "Your man died when you failed to deal with the illness plaguing your lands from the beginning, cutting that darkness off at the source. His death is of your doing, same as the deaths of my clansmen. One of whom was a beloved husband to the woman who was just here. I feel pity for Lorcan, and how his fool of a king hid away, as the people around his lands were under assault."

So intense was her ire, Rayna's eyes had begun to glow with the shining power of her people, the two elves behind Thranduil becoming like statues at seeing the phenomenon. Even if they'd seen it before, they now felt pinned at seeing it pointed in their direction. Thranduil was motionless, whether it was from fear, insult or indifference was hard to say. Either way, the woman before him was obviously seething if the way she went on with a hard edge to her cold voice, each word promising the worst. "You can hide no longer, elf king. Not in the face of all this death. Not in the face of my sister's pain. Not in the face of my wrath. You cannot deny your part in things, not anymore. You want my respect? You want my loyalty? Do as Thorin has done: earn it. Earn every bit with every drop of sweat your people shed. Earn it like your life depends on it. I've risked my life many times over my short life, all for my clan. But I'll not risk my godchildren, my sister's children, in the hands of a man with their father's blood on his hands. Know that if you do, I shall march up to you on your precious throne in your mighty little mountain and stain it with your bloody, headless corpse for all of your people to remember me by." She paused, her voice having lowered to a level of coldness able to freeze the sea. "My people wish to reclaim these lands come spring. I plan on making it safe for them by then. Even if I have to put you down like the wretched dog I see you to be."

Falling silent, the brunette woman glanced down at the chessboard one last time, moving her surviving sage just to the right spot, trapping Thranduil's king hopelessly. If the elf king lost on purpose there was no saying as the man himself was a statue. Ire gone, Rayna got to her feet with a tired sigh, declaring. "This game is mine. Think on my words and begone."

She left him sitting there, staring at the tall wooden king trapped in a corner, his companions too widespread to do anything about their leader's demise. In a way, all three elves felt a chill that possibly, the chessman's king shared their predicament.