A?N: Hellooooo! Here's another chapter, and it's quite a long one when compared to the last few, and a lot happens. Anyway, I hope you like it! :)

Big thanks to the following people for following/favouriting: RKOforlife01 and alpahis :P

Review Response(s):

Sparky She-Demon: Which scene would that be, I wonder? ;)

Sophia Kaiba: Yeah, those three are a bit of a weird trio, but I had a lot of fun writing that, and so I'm glad to hear it paid off. Thanks! :)

SunnySides: Ummmm... :P

Rohirrim Girl 2187: I think 'best friends' might be stretching it a little, but yeah, I certainly don't plan on having any serious animosity between them. And yeah, well, he is Thorin.

CrystalVixen93: Thanks, and here ya go! :)

ro781727: Yeah, it's sometimes not easy mixing the timelines together, but I'm doing my best... :P

SilverLark25: Yeah, the Alana/Tauriel thing seems to have caught a lot more attention than I thought it would, haha. It's alright though, you'll get an explanation for it in this chapter. And yeah, I figured Fili would be more open-minded to Legolas than Thorin - especially since he's friends with Alana - and I don't think Legolas would be as harsh to the dwarves as Thrandy was, so that's one of the reasons why I included it. Glad to hear you liked it, though :) As for Kili, well... ;)

CheekyLittleFoxy: You'll find out later this chapter, and I just hope you don't hate me for it! :P

'Just remember that sometimes, the way you think about a person isn't the way they actually are.' ~ John Green

Chapter 25:

Alana was dizzy and disorientated for a few seconds, before her barrel resurfaced and she popped her head out over the top, shaking her wet hair from her eyes. "Why did it have to be so cold?" she grumbled to herself, before she, with all the others, turned her eyes back towards the cellar door. Barely a moment later Bilbo came tumbling into the river, sans barrel.

From the front of the line, Thorin grinned at the little hobbit. "Well done, Master Baggins." He looked behind him, then gave his kin a nod. "Let's go."

He released his hold on the rock next to him, and within a second his barrel was caught up in the rapid flow of the river, the others quickly following behind. Alana glanced over her shoulder, sighing in relief when she saw Bilbo was clinging onto the side of Nori's barrel, and then turned back to the front. She gasped in a startled breath just before she was toppled over the edge of a small waterfall, her barrel becoming submerged for a moment before popping into the open air.

Her head whipped up when she heard the sound of an elvish horn, and she shouted to the front, "They've spotted us!"

And indeed, when they turned the corner and came across the river gate, there was an elf already pulling the lever. The gates snapped shut just before Thorin's barrel crashed into them, the dwarf King letting out a shout of frustration. The barrels clustered together, and the company watched the elves draw their swords with trepidation. Alana bared her teeth, ready to act if necessary, when suddenly one of the elves when rigid, before tumbling into the river with an arrow sticking out of his back.

"Orcs!" Bofur shouted, and Alana cursed under her breath. The orcs came in force, leaping over the elven gates with their crude swords. At their lead was a pale orc that bore a peculiar resemblance to Azog, though it obviously wasn't him. Alana yelped when an orc jumped at her, grabbing hold of her hair and tipping over her barrel, pulling them both into the river.

She snarled at the orc under the water, wrapping her legs around it and then yanking a knife free from its armour, stabbing the blade quickly through the orc's neck. The water around her became saturated with slimy, black blood, and Alana quickly kicked to the surface. She managed to crawl onto the shore before she was attacked again, but it was only a small matter before her to throw her arm to the side and stab her borrowed blade through the orc's skull.

"Kili!"

Snapping her head to the left, Alana watched Kili lunge for the shore, heading for the lever keeping the company trapped. With a curse Alana jumped to her feet, slicing through the stomach of another orc and then picking up its dropped sword. It was badly balanced and awkward to hold, but was still favourable to a dagger. She raced after Kili, cutting down the orcs that ran after him, though she had no way to defend him from those ahead. Kili managed fine though, and he quickly reached the lever. He extended an arm, but before he could open the gate an arrow came soaring through the air and impaled itself in his left thigh.

"KILI!" Fili and Alana's shouts echoed through the air over the noise of battle and chaos, and with renewed vigour Alana fought her way towards the dwarf she considered family as much as Aragorn was. Kili managed to crawl his way to the lever, using his weight to pull it down, opening the gates for his kin.

"You idiot!" Alana snapped, stopping beside him and quickly checking his wound. When she saw the black feathers of the arrow, and the black gunge tinting his open wound, she swore colourfully. She grabbed Kili under the arms and pulled him towards the edge of the platform, where Fili was waiting with an empty barrel. It was the only one, so Alana knew she'd have to remain on foot from here on out. "Make sure you tell Oin to get some kingsfoil when you reach the shore," she whispered in Kili's ear. "And don't do anything strenuous until I get back. Promise me, Kili."

"Alana, I'm fi-"

"Promise me," she repeated, then ducked as another arrow headed their way.

Kili grumbled. "Promise. Kingsfoil, right?"

Alana nodded, then helped him to drop into the barrel below, wincing as the arrow shaft snapped on impact. She then grabbed the blade of a fallen elf guard, finding it to be far better than the orc one she'd held, before chasing the dwarves downstream, cutting down any orc she could in the process. Due to the multitude of waterfalls and tight bends in the river, she was able to keep up for quite some time, marvelling at the effortlessness with which the dwarves worked together to defeat their opponents.

She stopped alongside Legolas, surprised to have just witnessed Thorin give up his only weapon to save the elf Prince's life. Thorin met her eyes and she nodded to him, receiving a nod in return, before the dwarves drifted out of sight.

"You're not going to arrest me again, are you?" Alana asked her friend.

Legolas chuckled. "I'm not going to dignify that with a response, mellon nín." He glanced at her. "Are you hurt?"

Alana shook her head. "I'm fine. It's Kili I'm worried about. He was shot by a what I believe to be a morgul arrow." Alana twisted the Arodroch ring she still had on her finger, the only outward sign she made of her anxiety.

Legolas started, his eyes widening in shock. "A morgul shaft? Are you sure?"

"Not completely," she admitted. "But I know enough to be fairly confident." She frowned. "But I thought morgul weapons were wielded by-"

"They were," he cut in, his tone cold and sharp. "If such a weapon has, in fact, been used, then I fear there may be many dark days to come."

Alana sighed, and turned back to Legolas and clapped him on the shoulder. "It was good to see you again, Legolas, despite the circumstances. And I look forward to our next meeting."

Legolas smiled and bowed his head, pressing his hand over his heart. "Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta, (May your ways be green and golden,)" he murmured.

"Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva, (Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet,)" she said in response, before she smirked at him and then turned away, disappearing into the trees and following along the river. She knew she had to catch up with the company soon, or their quest would end. Thorin had, after all, given her the map and key to look after, and without either, their way into the mountain would be barred forever.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin called, glancing over his shoulder to see that every member of his company, except Alana, was there.

Balin reported from the back, "Not that I can see."

"I think we've outrun the orcs," Bofur called, having clearly regained his usual optimistic demeanour.

"Not for long; we've lost the current." Thorin sighed as he and the company paddled their way towards the shore, all of them tired and wet and hungry and miserable. Thorin had the added weight of guilt and worry, as they had travelled many miles further downstream than Alana, who was forced to make the rest of the journey on foot. He didn't want to think about what would happen if she didn't make it in time for Durin's Day or, Mahal forbid, if the orcs caught up with her.

"Kili's wounded," Fili reported. "His leg needs binding."

"Wait," Kili cut in, his voice thick with tension as he no doubt tried to hide his pain. "Alana told me to tell Oin about something. It was..." He winced, clearly trying to remember. "I think she said kingsfoil."

Oin immediately cursed up a storm, appearing next to Kili in a flash and peering closer at his wound.

"Oin?" Thorin asked, concerned. "What is it? What is kingsfoil?"

"It's a weed," the healer replied. "Useless to most, but in Rivendell I learned it has healing powers of great significance, known only to the Rangers of the north and the elves. If this wound needs that particular plant, it means Kili was struck by a poisoned arrow." He frowned. "We shall have to find some soon. I know nothing about it, nor how to unlock its healing properties, so we must wait for the lass's return."

Thorin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, before nodding. "Bind his leg," he ordered. "You have two minutes, and then we must leave."

"It could make his leg worse-"

"We have no time to delay," Thorin cut in, though it pained him to do so. "We still have an orc pack on our tail. We must keep moving."

"To where?" Balin asked.

"Well, the mountain," Bilbo pointed out, frowning. "I mean... We're so close."

"A lake lies between us and that mountain," Balin pointed out. "And we have no way of crossing it."

Bilbo huffed. "So then we go around."

"We'll be cut down by the orcs, sure as daylight," Dwalin muttered, shaking his head. "And we have no weapons to defend ourselves."

Thorin sighed again. "We must travel to Esgaroth," he decided. "It is safe enough that we can hide from the orcs, and we can restock our supplies there. If we wait a few days, then there is also a chance that Alana may be able to catch up with us."

"So how do we cross the lake?"

A startled yelp had them all whipping around, only to find Ori had an arrow pointed at him, the owner of said arrow being a tall figure shrouded in shadow. Kili tried to stand up to help, but then let out a groan and collapsed again, his leg giving out beneath him. Dwalin jumped in next, bearing a rock in his hand, but the stranger fired the arrow and knocked the stone out of his hand.

"Do it again, and you're dead."

The voice was gruff, and bore a heaviness that often accompanied exhaustion, but was nonetheless firm and strong, and commanded respect the same way Thorin's did. The threat of being killed was also enough to make the dwarves fall silent for a moment. Then Balin, with tentative steps and his hands raised in a placating matter, addressed the man. "Excuse me, but, uh... You're from Laketown, are you not?" The man slowly lowered his bow, only the furrow of his brow visible with the setting sun behind him casting his face in darkness. "That barge over there," the old dwarf continued, "I don't suppose it would be available for hire, by any chance?"

Alana raced through the forest for the second day, her pace as quick as she could manage without getting exhausted by the long distance she had travelled and had yet to travel, and she presently began to notice that night was falling. With no food, she had nothing to stop and cook to eat, and so she continued moving until she lost all light, as she had done the night before. It was only then that she paused, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath, before she looked around her. The trees overhead were tall and strong, with thick branches. Alana headed to the tallest and strongest in her vicinity, jumping up to grab the lowest branch, and then forcing her tired limbs to pull her up. Once that was achieved she scaled higher, so she could still clearly see the ground but was hidden enough that she was unlikely to be seen by anything or anyone that ventured below.

Despite her exhaustion, Alana couldn't find it in her to fall asleep. Every sense was on high alert, and she jumped every time she heard the screech of an owl or the rustle of the tree leaves above her head. She remained awake for at least four hours as the dark deepened, eyes scanning the surrounding area with a vigilance that never waned, and as the moon reached its peak in the sky she became aware of the sound of hooves. She slowly sat up, then brought her feet up to balance on her branch so she had both her hands free. One fell to the hilt of her borrowed sword, whole body tense.

She waited no longer than a minute before the source of the sound cantered into view, and Alana couldn't believe her eyes. How was it that, after so many miles and after so long, Firebrand could still find her so quickly? How was it he knew she was in need of his presence? Her eyes fell to the ring on her finger, distinctly remembering the way she had twisted it while by the river the day of their escape. Was that why? Did the ring somehow let the mearas know when they were needed?

Whatever it was, Alana couldn't have been more grateful for the timely arrival of her friend. She tucked the sword into her belt, quickly moving to descend from the tree. Firebrand stood waiting for her when her feet finally meet the solid earth again, and with a brief, thankful pat on the side of his neck, Alana swung herself onto his back. Without needing to be told, Firebrand surged forward, dancing around the trees with effortless ease, while Alana leant low to his neck so she wouldn't be caught by any of the low-hanging branches.

It was less than an hour before they broke free of the forest, though Firebrand neither stopped nor slowed, continuing onwards around the north border of the Long Lake. At the bridge to Laketown Alana urged Firebrand to stop, dismounting and giving him a loving pat on the nose. "Hannon le, Ylfruin, (Thank you, Firebrand,)" she whispered. Firebrand snorted, ducking his head and pressing it firmly against her chest. Alana chuckled. "Hodo, mellon nín. Agóreg vê. Sí hodo. (Rest, my friend. You did well. Now rest.)"

Firebrand whickered, nibbled on her hair affectionately, then turned and walked away, leaving Alana alone on the bank of the lake. With a long breath, Alana drew up her hood and wrapped her cloak around her, knowing she would have greater luck making it through Laketown unchallenged if they were unaware she was a woman. And indeed, upon meeting the guards at the bridge, it took no more than a single look for them to step back and let her pass, pushing themselves as far from her as possible. Alana released a small sigh. Even in the east of the world, the Rangers were not trusted. She could at least be grateful that they did not wish to stop her.

Alana continued to wander through the town, wondering where it would be that she'd come across her companions. As she walked people shot her dirty looks, jumping out of her path whenever they got too close. All except for one boy, for whom his curiosity seemed too great to fight. He looked to be on the cusp of manhood, maybe sixteen years old, with thick, dark hair and tatty but warm clothes. Alana paused when he approached her, part of her actually relieved that she didn't immediately repel everyone of her kind.

"Excuse me, sir, but where have you come from?" Alana smiled, raising an eyebrow and then shifting her hood just a little, so he could see that she was, in fact, female. His jaw fell and his cheeks flushed. "Oh, miss, I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay," she assured him. "It was my intention to appear as a man, and it's relieving to see it worked. As for your question, I come from a small village near the North Downs, in Eriador. Almost a whole world away, it feels."

The boy smiled. "We don't get many travellers here," he told her. "And yet lately it seems we've had so many."

Alana tilted her head to the side. "Is that so?"

He nodded. "A company of dwarves arrived yesterday morning. They're with the Master now, feasting."

Alana chuckled. "Oh, that'll please them."

The boy blinked. "Do you know them, miss?"

"Indeed I do. I have travelled with them since April." She smiled at him. "I thank you for the information."

"Bain," he supplied with a smile. "Bain, son of Bard, my Lady."

Alana chuckled. "I am no Lady, Master Bain, though I thank you for the acknowledgement." She bowed her head. "Alana, daughter of Arathorn, at your service. Now, if you'll excuse me..." With another brief smile, she left the boy alone, heading towards the largest house in the town, which would undoubtedly be the place of residence for the Master of Laketown. It became achingly apparent this was her destination when she heard the loud revelry of the dwarves echoing out over the town.

She approached the door, and was almost instantly stopped by a guard. "You have no permission to enter that hall, Ranger," he spat at her. "Leave now, and rid us of your vile presence."

Alana smiled wanly. "I think you'll find that I am, in fact, expected in that hall. And I'll thank you not to bar the way between myself and my friends."

"Do you really think-?"

Before he could finish the sentence Alana had whipped out her borrowed sword, pressing it firmly against his jugular. "That was a warning, not a suggestion. Get out of my way, or I will water the ground with your blood." The sudden surge of anger confused her in a small part of her mind, but she realised quickly that it was the fastest way to get past him. The guard scowled at her, but relented, knowing there was no way he could grab his sword to defend himself before she made the move to kill him. Alana smiled sweetly as she passed, before heading up to the hall and pushing the double doors open with a single shove. They creaked and groaned, and one seem to sag as it swung back, and the noise drew every eye her way.

In an instant the dwarves' faces lit up, but before any of them could say or do anything, a man in dark clothing jumped to his feet. "Who are you to dare interrupt this feast, which has been held in honour of the return of royalty?!" He spat at the floor, and when Alana saw Thorin about to rise, she gave him a quick glance that told him not to. Mischief shone in her eyes, and she predicted this man was about to get himself into a tight spot. Which was something she knew she was going to very thoroughly enjoy.

She returned the man's gaze, and arched an eyebrow. "I am a Ranger of the north, my good sir."

"Filth!" The other man, who was larger and wore more gaudy clothing, and who was also balding, clambered to his feet. "Remove yourself from these premises, and from this town! We will not have your kind here."

Alana tilted her head to the side. "I am here because my companions are here," she told him calmly, trying to fight the smirk that wanted to show. She wasn't sure she was entirely successful, though neither man seemed to notice. "I will not leave without them, and as long as they stay, so shall I."

"Then you must order your companions to leave with you!" the Master snapped. "And with that I say 'Good riddance!'."

Clearly deciding enough was enough, Thorin rose to his feet and inclined his head to the Master. "It would seem then that we are no longer welcome here. We shall make ourselves scarce, as you wish." With those words the rest of the company stood, preparing to leave. Thorin caught Alana's eyes and winked.

"W-Wait!" the Master stuttered, clearly shocked. "Of what do you speak, Thorin, son of Thrain?"

Thorin gave him a haughty look. "You have made it quite clear that the Ranger is not welcome here, and as her companions, we shall not allow her to be parted from us again."

The Master gaped. "S-She is your companion? A Ranger?"

"Actually," Fili piped up, arms crossed over his chest and a great smirk on his lips, "she is far more than that. Lady Alana is our future Queen."

Thorin sent his nephew a tiny grin, which the blonde returned, and then turned back to the Master. "We shall take our leave now, Master." Then his face hardened, and his tone became darker. "And in future, I will not be so calm if you dare to insult my betrothed in such a way again."

The Master spluttered, but then managed to gain some modicum of composure. "Forgive me, my Lords, my... Lady." He spat the word as if it were a bitter lemon, but Alana had to commend him for at least making an effort. "Of course you are all welcome to stay, as planned."

"Perhaps," Thorin stated, that coldness remaining in his tone, "but your welcome has become stale, and as such, is no longer desired. We thank you for what little hospitality we have so far received from you and yours, but I think we shall return to our lodgings." With a final tilt of his head, Thorin then led the way from the hall, the dwarves trailing after him and simultaneously greeting Alana with smiles and hugs.

When Alana spoke to Oin, he pressed a handful of green leaves into her hands. She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Thank you, my friend."

Oin nodded and offered a tentative smile. "We have been offered a house to stay for a while," he told her. "We'll prepare somewhere for you to work. I do hope you can help the lad, though. He's been getting worse."

Alana bit her lip and nodded. "I will do what I can," she promised. "But while I may have elvish blood in my veins, there may not be enough of it to harness the power of the athelas leaf to its full potential. And I will need to, if Kili is to be completely cured." She sucked in a shaky breath. "I suppose we shall just have to pray it is enough."

"I have faith in you, lassie," he murmured, clapping her on the shoulder. "We all do."

"Thank you, my friend." She offered him a smile, and with a final tilt of his head, the dwarf healer fell back to walk with his brother.

"Âkminrûk zu," Kili piped up, appearing beside her and obviously trying to hide the fact he was limping. "It means 'thank you' in khuzdul."

Alana blinked at him, words failing her for a moment. "Are you sure you should be telling me that?" she asked quietly.

He rolled his eyes. "As Fili just pointed out, you're going to become our Queen one day. I think it's a good idea that you learn at least some basic khuzdul."

Alana bit her lip, glancing around at the other dwarves, before letting out a breath. "What was it?"

He smiled and repeated, "Âkminrûk zu."

Alana mouthed it to herself a few times, frowning as she tested out the shaping of the words, before hesitantly trying it out loud. "Âkminrûk... zu?"

Kili grinned and nodded. "You got it."

"Thank you," she muttered under her breath, then smiled and nodded. "I shall endeavour to remember that."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't mind reminding you, if I have to." He glanced at her in the corner of his eyes, and his face suddenly bore a frown. "Alana, can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask, but I can't guarantee you'll get an answer."

Kili huffed, rolling his eyes. "That elf in Mirkwood, the one who found us in the forest... Why do you hate her so much?"

Alana blinked. "You mean Tauriel?"

Kili nodded. "She spoke to me a few times, in the cells. She seemed nice enough. And she's a warrior, like you. I would have thought you'd be great friends."

"'Nice enough'," she mimicked. "That's one hell of a compliment coming from a dwarf. You're not falling in love with her, are you?" Alana teased, laughing when Kili scrunched up his nose in response. Then the Ranger hummed thoughtfully, and admitted, "Under different circumstances, I think Tauriel and I would be good friends, yes."

"Then why?"

With a gentle sigh, Alana explained. "I'm sure you noticed the way the Prince looks at her...?" Confused, Kili nodded. "At this point, I don't think there's anyone who hasn't. And I know Tauriel certainly has." Alana frowned, trying to put her thoughts into words. "The thing is... she may show it, but she hasn't told him that his feelings aren't reciprocated, nor that they probably never will be. And as long as she maintains her silence, he won't know. The longer she waits, the more it'll hurt him when the truth comes to the light. I don't hate her. I respect her far too much for that, but... I don't like that she's hurting my friend."

Kili tilted his head to the side. "Have you told her this?"

Alana shook her head. "No, I haven't. Part of me thinks this is something she has to figure out for herself - she has to realise the amount of pain she's going to cause him if she never says anything."

"And the other part?"

"Doesn't want me to stick my nose in other people's business. What happens between them is not something I should interfere with." Kili nodded in understanding, a thoughtful expression on his face. She smiled fondly in his direction, then gave him a quick once-over. "How's your leg? And don't lie - tell me honestly."

He sighed, glancing around and then lowering his voice, doubtlessly not wishing anyone else to hear. "It hurts," he admitted. "It feels like my whole leg is on fire."

Nodding, Alana glanced at the athelas leaves in her hand. "Well," she murmured, "these will definitely help. And hopefully I can heal you properly."

"Oin said you think it's poisoned," Kili muttered with a deep-set frown. "What poison is it?"

Alana glanced at him and then shook her head. "It's best if you don't know, súyon. I myself am not completely sure." She smiled. "Either way, the kingsfoil should do the trick, once we get inside."

Kili groaned softly. "Are you ever going to tell me what súyon means?"

"Why don't you ask your brother?" she shot back.

Kili blinked. "He knows?"

She chuckled. "He wheedled it out of me before I got my memories back in Mirkwood," she admitted. "And he... he also told me what irak'amad means."

"Oh." Kili glanced at Fili, who was a few places ahead, talking quietly with Thorin. "Are you okay with me calling you that?"

Alana chuckled quietly. "Find out what súyon means, and you will have your answer."

Grumbling under his breath, Kili asked, "And I don't suppose you'll just make it easy for me and tell me yourself?"

Sending him a disbelieving look that was perhaps a little over-exaggerated, Alana declared, "Why, Kili, it's like you don't know me at all!"

Kili laughed and grinned at her, before hugging her awkwardly with one arm. "It's good to have you back, Alana. We were worried about you after we were separated at the river."

Scoffing, the Ranger shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, but you should know better than that, Kee." She winked at him, and then the two continued on in a companionable silence.