My chapters are just not as long as they used to be, I am so sad.

~Chapter 20~

"Nori stop scaring the poor girl" Visha scolds the spymaster. Nori removes his hands from my shoulders. I sigh in relief and press my hand against my pounding heart.

"Sorry auntie, I couldn't resist" the starfish-haired dwarf grins. Auntie?

"Wait, she's your aunt?" I ask.

"Yep, can't you see the resemblance?" Nori asks and wraps his arm around Visha's shoulders. I see no resemblance. Nori has a bulbous nose, slightly squinted eyes, and a questionable taste in hairstyles, whereas Visha has a small nose and big, round eyes.

Visha suddenly whacks Nori across the back of his head.

"I'm not yer auntie, now stop using that revolting nickname." Visha snaps at Nori.

"You are an official member of our family, irak'amad." Nori gives her a cheeky grin. "What would we have done without you all those years ago?" he asks Visha.

"Ya would 'ave been arrested by Dwalin and flogged within an inch of yer life! And if I knew then what I know now, I never would 'ave taken you in." Nori waves her off and approaches me. His eyes alight with mischief

"Wanna help me with something secret?" his smile reminds me of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

"No" I say flatly. Whatever he is up to I want no part of it. I've already gotten myself mixed up in enough trouble.

"Wise choice" Visha approves with a nod of her head.

"Oh come on" Nori begs, "it'll be fun. Danger around every corner, creeping in the shadows, dodging murderous attempts." he breathes in deeply. "Just think about it" he finishes with a grin.

"I think that you have a death wish." I say. "My answer is still no."

"Alright, fine, I know the look of a girl with her mind made up." Nori concedes. He sighs, looking defeated, making me feel like I've just kicked a puppy.

Nori places his hand on a shelf of one of the bookshelves, making one of the books fall off. The pages in the book spew across the floor.

Visha swears and stoops to collect the scattered papers. I lean down to help her collect the pages.

Picking up the pages I realize that they are blueprints of Erebor. I recognize one of the diagrams. Its of the market room. It shows the location of the pillars, the shops, and the hallways leading from the room. But something's not right. There's a tunnel behind the shops, and each tunnel has a what looks like a door to each room.

"There's no tunnel behind the shops." I say and shuffle to another page. It's of the level where my forge is. There are several passages that I have never seen before on the diagram. "And these aren't here." I look up at the two dwarves. Nori is grinning like a maniac and Visha is looking at Nori like he's just called her an ugly old crone.

"Oops, cat's out of the bag" Nori shrugs.

"What was it you wanted me to help with?" I ask.

"Are you free early tomorrow morning?" Nori smirks.

"I can't believe he actually talked me into this, this is not early morning" I grumble to Thunder, whose happily trotting alongside me. We are going deeper into the mountain than I have ever been before.

Looking at the map Nori gave me, I make a right turn at the next intersecting bridges. There are less lanterns lit in the area

I shiver and pull my coat tighter around me. The air is becoming chillier the deeper I go.

Coming to a stop at the next corridor I double check the map to make sure this is where Nori marked an X. I'm at the right mining entrance, but no one's here.

Thunder huffs as he sits down next to me. I smile and pat his head as I look around for Nori. No one is around except for us.

After a few minuets I start to get worried. I am certain that I'm in the right place though.

"Caelinn" I jump at Nori's voice. "Let's go" he enters the mine, that I assume he's just come from.

"Some guard dog you are" I scold Thunder, who just wags his tail and tilts his head. I humph and follow the spymaster into the mine.

"This is the deepest into the mountain I've ever been" I tell Nori. He's walking ahead of me with a small lantern in his hand.

"Honey, we're gonna go deeper than we've ever mined before the sun rises"

"Will we be back in time for stage three?" I ask.

"That's not happening till noon, we should be back by then. Do you have what I asked you to bring?" I move my coat to pat my sword. "Good. Alright boys, let's get a move on. Dwalin, Caelinn, you two together, Bifur you're with me, and Kíli and Bofur you two partner up." he orders.

My head shoots up. I didn't know that anyone else was here. The six dwarves emerge from the shadows, looking like they had just melted out of the rocks.

"Nori, when we said extra help, we didn't mean her" Kíli hisses at Nori.

"What? She already knows what's happening, and that sword of hers will come in handy" Nori reasons.

"No, I don't want her here with us, it's too dangerous!" Kíli raises his voice. All the other dwarves, except for Dwalin, shush Kíli before I can tell him he's being an idiot.

"We don't know who else is down here." Bofur reminds Kíli.

"Sorry" Kíli apologizes. Thunder walks up to his and bumps his head against Kíli's hand. Kíli pets the husky pup on the head.

"Kíli, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and I'll be with Dwalin and Thunder. I don't think I can get much safer than that." I say. Kíli says nothing else. "So what are we partnering up for?" I ask.

"In case we need to separate at some point. It's never wise to travel alone underground." Nori says.

"Unless you're Bilbo." Bofur pipes in. "We asked Bilbo to come with us, but our lucky charm said he's had enough of sneaking through tunnels in the dark."

"Lucky charm?" I ask. "I don't think Bilbo will appreciate that nickname very much." I chuckle. I hear Dwalin laughing behind me.

"Aye, that he didn't. Stirred up quite a storm when Nori referred to him as that" the tattooed dwarf chuckles.

"If he had been tall enough I'm sure he would have strangled him too" Bofur adds. Nori growls before soaring ahead of us, taking the light with him.

"Better light up that sword girl" Dwalin tells me. I pull out Candle and hold it upwards.

"Id-ursu" I command the sword . The tip of the sword lights up, coating the walls golden-red light. I smile hopefully at Dwalin while he eyes my sword critically.

"Can't even forge an enchanted weapon right" Dwalin scoffs at my sword. The smile falls from my face. What will it take to earn his approval?

"It should be around here" Bofur says while tapping his pickax on a side of the wall. I hear a click before cracks appear in the smooth wall, forming a rectangle shape. Bofur pushes against the wall and it swings inwards like a door.

"Alright now boys, and girl, shut your traps and keep your eyes peeled" Nori says before entering the small tunnel.

Dwalin motions that I go on ahead of him.

"Ladies first" he rumbles.

"Age before beauty" I bow and motion towards the secret entrance. Dwalin raises his eyebrow at me before marching after Nori.

"Stay close to me and Dwalin" Kíli whispers as we enter the slender tunnel. I place my hand on Thunder's collar as we descend deeper into the mountain.

Thanks to everyone who has bothered to follow/favorite me so far. I really appreciate the support!

Outofthisworldgal: No the last chapter was not filler. Just something I had to write quickly.

LoverxofxNight: Me too.