Lothrena wasn't sure what time it was when she awoke, but it was far from morning. Reaching the her side and longing to feel Thorin's strong hand in hers, her eyes flew open when she found no one there. Sitting up, she searched the room for her king, thinking to possibly find him restless in the arm chair. He was nowhere to be seen.

Several theories overwhelmed her mind. Had Lord Elrond feared so much for the safety of his people that he would imprison Thorin to prevent him from venturing any further? Had his decided she was too much to handle, that he had made a promise he couldn't keep to a woman who was born of the race he hated, so he had run before she woke? Had his eyes even wandered to another elven maiden? Several heartbreaking visions flashed before her eyes and she grew anxious. Where has he gone?

The door to the room burst open as Lothrena chewed at her nails in apprehension. She jumped as the door swung wide and made contact with the wall behind it. "Thorin!" She cried, grateful to see him in one piece. "Where did you go, my love? I was worried for you." He was silent as he shut the door, his shoulders sagging as it clicked with the lock. There was a soft thump as his forehead came to rest upon it.

"I could not sleep. Lord Elrond's words haunted me. Durin's day is fast approaching and we are still far from the mountain with orcs on our tail." He settled on the side of the bed and relaxed into Lothrena's touch as she ran her hands through his silky hair. Even with his eyes closed in comfort, she could see pain lingering on his face. There was something else troubling him.

"Thorin...there is something you are not telling me." His sapphire eyes opened slowly, a far away look settled in their depths.

"I overheard Lord Elrond speaking with Gandalf. He spoke of my grandfather and my...and my father." his hand gripped hers tightly now and she swore she saw his eyes water. "He said they lost their minds, succumbing to the same sickness. He worries I may do the same..." A solitary tear slipped down his cheek, disappearing into his beard.

"You worry as well." She quietly observed, wiping the wet trail from his face. He simply nodded. "Well I do not."

"And if I do?" He hissed and she could see he was struggling to contain his rage. "If I do fall, I will lose the company, Erebor, my people...I'll lose you. That is something I cannot bear." He rasped, clutching to her tightly.

"And you won't have to, my king. I have faith. You are strong of will and of heart. You will not fall." He smiled at that, his face betraying his doubt. He rose from the bed and made his way to the dresser. Confusion caught hold of the elf as he displayed quite a large sack.

"I had these made for you." He said as he pulled at the strings that held the pouch closed. Lothrena gaped at the exposed material. "The elves seemed a little leery of my request, but when I insisted I wished to give you something special they were all too willing." Peaking from the bag were at least a dozen beautiful gowns of rich colors, all embroidered with gold or silver. He even managed to secure two circlets she had voiced her admiration of. She smiled brightly at his generosity. Leaning forward on the bed she kissed him fiercely and held him tight in her arms. "What would a queen be without glamorous gowns?" He asked cheekily before swatting her on the behind. "Now, we must rest. We will not have much time before we must leave...and I am afraid you will be unable to say goodbye. Gandalf speaks with Lord Elrond now, and surely will for some time but if we speak to him before we leave, he will try to stop us."

Thorin awoke her atwhat had felt like only minutes since they had returned to sleep. They packed quickly and met the rest in their quarters before heading out. As they made their way up the stony path, Lothrena took one last look at the magnificent city. She now felt a piece of herself not wanting to leave.

"Be on your guard." Thorin warned. "We are about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths, lead on." As the older dwarf walked past and took the lead, Lothrena found Bilbo standing not too much further that she, a similar look on his face as he looked back to Rivendell. "Master Baggins." Thorin's voice boomed. "I suggest you keep up." His piercing gaze caught hers and she knew he feared that at this moment she would decide to stay. Forcing her legs to move, she pushed on, planting a kiss on Thorin's cheek before taking his hand for the next leg of their journey.

They had walked for days. They rested for only one night at each place they stopped. They had no ponies and a limited supply of food, but they could not stop. They were all eager to get as far from Rivendell as they could, lest the be seduced back. As her thoughts lingered on the city behind them, rain began to fall from the sky. Unlike every time before, this rain maid Lothrena anxious. Something was held in each droplet that fell. Something ominous and not quite right.

As they kept walking along the slippery stone path, the rain poured harder. It was becoming extremely difficult to keep their footing. Thorin led at the front of the company, shouting back occasionally to warn anyone about any impending danger in their path. Lothrena was closer to the back, holding tightly to Bilbo in fear that he could quite possibly be blown away. They all carefully shimmied past rocks protruding from the mountain side.

With a squawk of fear, several rocks slipped out from beneath Bilbo's feet and he rocked forward before Dwalin and Lothrena ripped him backwards and upright. Without much thought, he rocketed forward and wrapped his arms around the elf for protection as they pressed on. She would've giggled if she hadn't been so scared for all of their lives. "Take shelter!" Dwalin roared, his mighty voice somehow carrying over the thunder and heavy rain. Fourteen pairs of eyes watched as a large boulder flew right towards them. Ducking low and gripping any rock they could, the company clamored on as rocks fell around them and the pathway all but crumbled under their feet.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Kili shouted to his brother as the rain began to pour even harder.

"This is no thunder storm, its a thunder battle!" They all watched in horror as two Storm Giants hurled punches and boulders at each other. The company was completely trapped. There wasn't even a moment to rest as the earth quaked beneath them and began to crack. Lothrena held fast to the burglar as he shook against her.

"Kili! Grab my hand!" Fili called as the first half of the comapny began to grow further away with the shift in the earth. Brother was separated from brother, warriors from their kin, and -

"Lothrena!" Thorin's voice roared as he watched his lover grow farther from him. His world shook as the rocks made contact with stable footing as his company leapt away from the chaos of the giants' battle ground. "Lothrena!" He called again as his elf and the rest of his men swung before his very eyes as the giant lost his footing. None dare even attempt to jump. Their eyes merely caught for a second before they were whipped away again. The giant's feet failed him completely, leaving his passengers hurtling towards the mountain's rocky face. Time seemed to slow down as they stared the sharp rock down and awaited the impact. Not like this! She squeezed Bilbo and Dwalin's hands tightly, knowing that if this were to be the end, they would not be alone. As the sharp wall met them, a hand was ripped from hers. Before she could call for the halfing, her head met the stones below and everything went white.

Thorin watched helplessly as his lover and nephew were slammed against the rock wall. "No!" He roared as his heart hammered heavily and he prayed they were all ok. The remaining dwarves all watched with ice running through their veins as the giant fell away. There was no one onboard. "No!" He roared again, setting into a sprint. "Kili! Lothrena!" He wailed and he felt his voice grow hoarse. No, he would not let the tears come. Not now. His eyes found the pile of wet limbs and groans and he sagged against the wall. They're ok. He told himself, trying to get his heartbeat under control. Lothrena groaned as her sight returned to her just to see Thorin striding toward her. He sunk to his knees before the elf and caught her in a fiery kiss. She's ok. The elf silently noted the taste of salt on his lips and knew that the dampness that coated his face was not only from the rain. Her heart thumped painfully, but they had not lost each other.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?" Bofur asked frantically. Her heart sunk when she remembered he had flown from her grasp with the collision. Her eyes scanned her scattered companions, but there was no sign of him. Not until the rocks at the ledge began to fall. Pale hands peaked over the lip of stone and Lothrena dove forward, grasping his arms as tightly as she could. Mute with horror, she watched as Thorin leapt down the wall to fling the small hobbit up to the awaiting dwarves.

"Thorin!" She screamed as he lost his footing amongst the wet rocks. She gripped him tightly, and using all the strength she had, pulled him as high as she could. With Dwalin's assistance, they pulled him to safety.

"I was afraid we'd lost our burglar!" The bald dwarf huffed as Thorin managed to his feet. With a sour glance cast over his shoulder he spat.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. Should never have come. He has no place amongst us." He seemed to ignore the pleading glance of the honey eyes that burned into him. Moving toward an opening in the rocks, he unsheathed his weapon. "Dwalin, come with me."

"He didn't mean it, Bilbo." She tried as she helped the halfing up and inspected him for injuries.

"Didn't he?" He all but snapped. His shoulders sagged at seeing her flinch away from him. "My apologies." He muttered in defeat.

"Bilbo, remember who you're talking to. I, more than anyone else here, know what its like to have been on Thorin's bad side simply because of who I am. You'll receive no hatred from me." The pair exchanged a small smile before following everyone inside.

"Alright!" Gloin exclaimed, pulling together what wood they had found in the cave. "Time to get a fire started!" Everyone voiced their agreement as they set out bed rolls.

"No. No fires in this place." Thorin warned. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."

"But what of Gandalf?" Balin questioned. "We were to wait in the mountains for him. Thorin, that was the plan." With a weary glance, the king tied his sopping wet hair back.

"Plans change." He said simply before bestowing the duties of first watch to Bofur. In silence, the king thumped over to his own bedroll and settled down next to the elf. As his arms wound around her waist, he felt her stiffen. "Are you alright, amrâlimê?" He questioned softly as he pressed small kisses on her neck. They both knew the company was near, but they needed to touch if even for a moment. They needed to know the other was ok.

"I do not like the way you spoke to the halfling." She answered, her voice cutting shorter than she had intended. The king took no offense.

"It was nothing amrâlimê, just-" She rolled over to face him and her smoldering honey eyes silenced him.

"Just the way you used to speak to me." He had not been expecting that. Nor had he realized it, but she was right. It was the way he had spoken to her just for being an elf. His face twisted at the way he dismissed her before and he knew he'd never be able to shed the sickening feeling of knowing that he spoke to his future bride in such a way.

"You are right, and I am sorry. I fear I let my temper get the best of me more than I care to say." She nodded wryly at that and pressed a kiss to his lips. It was a short kiss that lasted all of a few moments, but it warmed them both before they huddled even closer in the cold cave.

"Get some sleep, my king. You'll need it." With a wink that brought on a deep chuckled from the dwarf she settled against him for the night. "I love you, Thorin Oakenshield."

"And I you, my darling Lothrena." Pressing a final kiss to her forehead, the pair was the last to fall asleep.

Or so they thought...

Bilbo waited patiently to make sure everyone had fallen asleep before rising silently. He couldn't stay any longer. Not even for Lothrena and her kind words. The elf gave him courage when he had none, that was for sure but he just didn't feel like it was nearly enough to be dealing with dwarves and the dangers they baited. He packed his things swiftly, casting glances to the sleeping dwarves as his paranoia got the best of him. He was a hobbit after all. He made his way through the maze of sleeping bodies silently and thought to himself maybe he might've been a decent burglar after all. He hadn't accounted for Bofur.

"Where do you think you're going?" The dwarf whispered loudly.

"Back to Rivendell." He admitted with a determined look. Sharp ears perked up at the name of the city she longed to return to, but Lothrena did not stir.

"You can't turn back now! You're part of the company! You're one of us."

"I'm not, now am I? Thorin said I should never have come and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. Should never have run out my door." Judging by the shift in breathing pattern against her, she could tell the dwarf in question was awake and listening as well.

"You're homesick, I understand." Bofur tried to reason with Bilbo and Lothrena felt her heart break a little at the pain in his voice. He didn't want to hobbit to leave anymore than she did.

"No, you don't! You don't understand! None of you understand! You're dwarves! You're used to this life, to living on the road. Never staying in one place, not belonging anywhere!" Thorin's hard body stiffened against her, his heart pumping fast in his chest. Clinging tightly to him, she sought to show him just how much he did belong. He belonged to her. Judging by the silence that had over taken Bofur, he was shocked as well. "Oh, I am sorry...I don't..." Words seemed to evade the poor hobbit as he stammered for some way to write his wrong.

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere..." Strong hands grasped the elf just as tightly now, hugging her as close to him as physically possible. I wish you all the luck in the world, I really do." Neither one moved to attempt to stop the poor hobbit. Not knowing quite why, Lothrena knew whatever way he chose to go know was what was meant to be. "What's that?"

Bofur's tone spiked her interest and she perked up just enough to look over Thorin's large form. Blue was glowing against the hobbit's hip. The ground seemed to quake slightly, the sand shifting beneath them. When the king sat up abruptly, the elf felt the floor at her feet begin to dip. "Thorin..."

"Wake up." He barked at the dwarves and clamored for his sword. "Wake up!" But it was to late. Gripping tightly to her courting sword and her king, the floor suddenly gave way and they fell into the earth.

Almost done with Book I!
Probably only one or two more chapters then begins Book II: The Desolation of Smaug!
Huzzah!

Another chapter to come tomorrow to make up for the past few days :)
Don't be afraid to tell me what you think!
I love feed back! xx