A mouth watering smell was what caused him to come from his peaceful slumber.

Sunlight filtered in through the small slot between the window and and the sill, casting a stream of light across Thorin's face and warming his skin. He simply lay back on the thick blanket placed beneath him, enjoying the wonderful aroma that continued to fill the bargeman's home.

He blinked slowly, letting himself wake up at a relaxed pace, not normally having the luxury of doing so. His dark head of hair lay back against the pillow but then he realized that a certain warmth was missing from his arms. Turning his head lazily to the side, he found that the small space upon the blanket was unoccupied, unlike how it had been the night before.

After Ren had fallen asleep, he had held her for another few minutes, her smaller body feeling so fragile against his. But, she had felt so right there in his arms.

He had gently rocked the both of them slightly, his cheek rested on top of her head. He pressed more than one kiss to her hair, his lips lingering there much longer than they should have. Drinking in her natural smell, he had closed his eyes for the longest of times, just holding her and rather enjoying himself.

Eventually, he tried to pull her sleeping form away from him but he found that her grip upon the front of his shirt was incredibly strong and he didn't want to push her away for fear of waking her up, only for her to start crying again, leaving him no knowing what to do.

So, he had laid her down and held her through the night, perfectly content to do so but there was a small worry in the back of his mind that someone would see them together.

However, when he raised his head off of the pillow they had shared when he realized that he was not alone in the room and voices were talking rather loudly. How he had not heard them before was a complete mystery to him and he found that dwarves were coming from the kitchen and were carrying plates of food out before placing them upon the counter.

Frowning softly, he sat up, the blanket placed over him falling down to pool around his hips. He watched the dwarves work for a long moment before he slowly climbed to his feet, rubbing the sleep from his heavy eyes.

The whole group of them were busy entering and exiting the kitchen with various platers of food in their hands.

With a new sense of curiosity overwhelming him, he carefully pushed the kitchen door open and was nearly tackled when his youngest nephew came barging through the doorway at the same time as him.

"Woah!" Kili cried out and his Uncle quickly stepped to the side before his dark haired nephew could drop the platter of breakfast meat in his hands.

"Be careful with that." He playfully teased the younger dwarf who only turned back to look at his Uncle, a strange, almost awestruck smile upon his face. It wasn't often that Thorin was in such a good mood. Then, with a brisk nod, he turned and continued in his journey to the large dinning table, limping the entire way.

However, that small detail caused the dwarf lord to frown and he made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Finally entering into the kitchen, he watched as the eleven other dwarves continued to move about the small room. It was mass chaos and food was being thrown everywhere. The air was thick with flour and Thorin found it hard to breathe but the scent in the small room was heavenly.

The kitchen was packed full of dwarves, all of them bustling about trying to help out in some way. Even the two human girls of the house had heard the commotion going on in their kitchen and had been more than happy to work beside their guests.

For it wasn't everyday that they hosted a troop of dwarves.

However, at the head of the operation were the two unique creatures that belonged in the Company and Bombur himself but Thorin only had eyes for one of the three.

He watched as Ren stood quietly off to the side, simply kneading bread that she envisioned would eventually become cinnamon rolls. She cut the newly kneaded dough into strips and then rolled them up before placing them into a pan, adding an extra dash of cinnamon on top before she placed it into the small wood oven.

She wiped her hands upon the apron tied around her waist as she straightened up, the entire scene extremely odd to the dwarf.

Instead of being in a pair of trousers, she was wearing the clothes that Bard had given her.

She was clad in a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up as she worked, revealing the three metal bangles around her right wrist. Her lower half was covered by a dark gray skirt with a white apron covering the fabric to protect it from possible stains.

The entire picture was odd to him, unsettling. He didn't think that he would see the day where she wore a skirt and actually cooked food like a regular woman would.

Though, at the same time, it looked right to him. And he wished to see more of it.

He could almost see it then and there.

Her moving gracefully through the sunlight that streamed into their own small kitchen, causing her blonde hair to shine like gold, a few braids pulling it back away from her face that had been woven into her hair by Thorin himself. She wasn't dressed in a fancy gown but a simple skirt and loose shirt just as she was, looking comfortable but not dressed for travel or a dance. She would be busy going about making him breakfast and he would be awaking from a full, restful night of sleep, the two of them having slept in each others arms throughout the night, not having to worry about Orcs or anything of the sort.

And maybe, just maybe, there would be the quiet pounding of little feet upon the wooden floorboards of their home and he would get slammed into as their beautiful children clung to their father, squeals of pure joy escaping their throat when they found that he was awake.

Galaren would only gaze fondly at the children draped around their father's legs, both of them beaming back up at her and calling her endearing dwarvish title of 'Mammr'. She would then step forward and smile at her husband before placing her hands upon his chest and then leaning down to press her lips against-

"Thorin, are you okay?" Bilbo asked from his place upon the footstool beside Ren, the entire kitchen now silent and everyone had stopped to gaze at the dwarf who stood stock still as if in a trance.

"Uh..." He said once he faded back into reality. "I'm perfectly fine." He blinked rapidly as he was finally able to wrap his head around what they were saying. He quickly dismissed those rather appealing thoughts but then leaned his thick frame against one of the counters in the kitchen, the staff simply going back to work as if nothing had ever happened. "It just smells wonderful in here."

"Indeed it does." Dwalin said as he came up beside his friend who handed him a soft looking biscuit. "Who would have thought that she can cook?"

"When you've lived as long as I have, you get bored more often than not." She replied with a smile on her face as Bilbo handed her another pan so that she could fill it with the rolls that the two of them had just rolled up. "And you learn to do things..."

The female only turned to look at him, their eyes meeting for a long moment before she smiled softly and went back to kneading more bread with her one hand, being careful of her wounded shoulder.

Thorin placed the pastry into his mouth and let his eyes close as he chewed slowly, savoring the mouthwatering biscuit for as long as possible. He then let out a soft groan before taking another bite, a few of the crumbs falling into his beard.

Ren didn't turn back to look at him as he made these noises simply over the sound of her cooking, apparently enjoying her skills. Bilbo looked up from his place upon a stool beside the she-elf and found that her cheeks were tinged a soft pink though she only persisted in her work.

He felt a grin beginning to tug at his lips but he was able to keep it contained though it took his all of his will power to do so.

It wasn't long before the rest of their meal was done and placed upon the large dinning table in the bargeman's home.

It wasn't exactly a feast but it was better than what the Mirkwood elves were feeding them so they didn't hesitate to dig in. The pork and sausage she had cooked over the fire were the first to go, the dwarves having been deprived of meat their entire stay in the elvish prison.

Sigrid and Tilda were also mixed into the strange group of dwarves, their plate full of the elf's glorious cooking but when a few of the dwarves went back for second helpings, Ren had scolded them from her place leaned upon the open doorway, telling them that they needed to save food for Bard and Bain who had gone out that morning to the market to restore their stock of food that had nearly been wiped clean by the dwarves.

Of course, this also led to the question of where they got the money to restock their entire pantry and the she-elf simply told them that she had paid them for the food that they had used. When asked where she had gotten said money, she nonchalantly told the dwarves that it had been in her satchel the entire time and immediately a groan of protest radiated across the group. For all of them had given up what little gold they had to pay the bargeman and her she was simply throwing money at him for rather expensive food that they did not need. They could have surely sufficed with something a little less extravagant.

However, Kili noticed that Ren didn't have a plate in her own hand and she was simply watching the rest of them eat. So, he decided to ask her about it.

"A cook doesn't eat until everyone is served." She replied, continuing to stand beside the kitchen doorway as she did so, her arms crossed over her chest and a small smile on her face as she watched her companions enjoy themselves.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that Bard and his son returned, their arms heavy with burlap bags that were stocked full of food that would replace all the food used to make their breakfast and even then some.

In fact, Ren had given them an excess amount of money, considering that she had plenty of money from past experiences that had accumulated over the years.

The males had both been pleased to find that a glorious amount of food was awaiting them upon their return home. Both had immediately shrugged out of their coats before eagerly seating themselves at the table beside the other two members of their small family.

After they had eaten their full, the she-elf then decided to take her own small portion of the room, stealing a few slices of ham and some of the soft biscuits that she herself had to admit were pretty good. Before she was even finished, however, most of the dwarves had moved from their seat and went back to the kitchen to clean up the dishes that they had dirtied, some of them instead opting to go to find a suitable place to take a nap.

Bard and his children also moved off to begin their daily routine, leaving only one dwarf seated at the head of the table.

Pulling the chair out beside the lone dwarf still seated, she swiped her hands beneath her rear to make sure that her skirt was not rumbled before sitting down upon his left hand.

Thorin only looked up at her as he chewed a bite of sausage in his mouth, his eyes watching as she also began to eat her late breakfast though at the time he probably imagined that it would be called lunch.

The two ate in silence for a long while before Ren decided to speak. "How was your meal?"

"Wonderful." He mused to her, finishing the last of the large cinnamon roll that he had claimed as his own. However, he continued to chew and the elf only let her head drop before tearing apart her own roll and carefully popping a piece of it into her mouth. He then looked at her and noticed that the bandages were gone from her head. "How is your head?" He asked after a long moment.

"Better than it was yesterday..." She told him, carefully reaching up and feeling the slight bump upon her head, the metal of the cuffs jingling together as she did so. She carefully parted the thick mane of hair so that she could feel the wound and Thorin was surprised to see that it had already scabbed over and was in its final stages of healing.

"Your people do truly heal quickly."

"It's also the herbs I used. They're scarce but strong. I can only find powerful drugs like that back in Lorien. It's a shame. I've nearly used all in my wares..." She explained to him before letting the hair fall back into place, her eyes trained upon the few little bits of crumbs upon her plate. However, when she placed her hand upon the table, she found that the dwarf was still looking at her.

His own hand that had once been resting upon the table beside his plate began to inch toward her own. His fingers gently brushed against the jewelry secured around her wrist, his eyes tracing over the neatly written script stamped into the metal.

"And... your arm?"

"I've had worse." She explained, shrugging it off as if it were nothing, carefully picking at the crumbs still on her plate. "It... isn't healing as quickly as my head is." She explained once again absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder with her free arm.

The hand that had once been toying with the bangles carefully closed around her own, his thumb running across the back of her hand.

"I'm glad you're okay." He murmured, a soft look entering his blue eyes as he gazed at her.

"Last night..." She began, her thoughts of the night before coming back to her. The last thing she remembered was sobbing into Thorin's chest after she had told him how afraid she was of losing him and the rest of her friends. "I..." She started but couldn't seem to find the words and shook her head. "Thank you."

"It was no problem..." He told her quietly and she only looked up directly into his eyes.

"But its true." She began to explain quietly. "I'm afraid of losing you and the rest of the Company." She let her eyes fall away from his and she looked to the side. "Before the quest and before I met you... There was only me. I wasn't attached to anyone and the ones I loved, were safe or would live for all eternity. I didn't have to worry about losing anyone but now... That's changed." His heart fluttered at the slight indication that she truly cared about him.

Suddenly, Bard came into the room with a long dripping bundle of cloth in his arms, the dwarves all following behind him and filling the room once again.

Ren immediately pulled her hand from Thorin's upon seeing that they were no longer alone before the bargeman only shot the both of them a look before dropping the sopping pile upon the dinning room table.

He then began to undo the ties, the dwarves around him anxiously awaiting for the weapons that they had been promised and were only now receiving.

However, when the dark haired man drew back the flap, all of the dwarves let out small noises of confusion before they reached out to claim one of the various weapons offered to them.

"What is this?" Thorin rumbled as he reached out and picked what looked like a spear but instead of a single pointed end, it had three long hooks attached, looking more like some sort of fishing rod instead of a weapon.

"Pike hook. Made from an old harpoon." Bard explained whilst the rest of the dwarves scrutinized their own sad excuses of protection.

"And this?" Kili asked, frowning at the thick hammer in his hand.

"A crow bill we call it. Fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand I grant but in defense of your life, it will serve you better than none."

"We paid you for weapons!" Gloin growled out in his thick accent, him being one of the most angry considering the large amount of gold he had to hand over to pay for the crummy things before him. "Iron! Forged! Swords and axes!"

"It's a joke!" Bofur himself suddenly became very angry which caused Ren's brows to lift in surprise at his outburst. He normally wasn't one to get angry.

The dwarf with the crazy mustache threw down his weapon, the rest of the group rumbling with agreement before following suit and returning their own to the pile.

"You won't find better outside the city armory. All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key." The bargeman explained, Thorin and Dwalin both sharing a look of knowing.

"Thorin." Balin came up to his old friend. "Why don't you take up his offer and go? I've made due with less. So have you!" The white haired dwarf protested but the dark haired one simply turned away with his arms crossed over his chest, clearly displeased with the entire situation. "I say we leave now!"

"You're not going anywhere!" Bard exclaimed over the roar of the group.

"What did you say?" Dwalin murmured in a dangerous tone.

"There are spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in this town. You must wait until nightfall." He explained, all the dwarves groaning in protest before finding themselves a seat somewhere while they waited for the day to grow late.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Kili sank down onto one of the padded benches in the home, his hand gripping tightly to his wounded leg but he remained silent as he did so in hopes of keeping his pain a secret for awhile longer.

However, upon hearing the dwarf lord's name, this caused Bard to tilt his head sideways as he felt a small wave of recognition pass over him. He had heard that name somewhere.

Allowing these thoughts to stir in his mind, he left out the front door so that he could think in silence. Leaning against the railing just outside his front door, his mind was racing with the possibilities that came with that name. "Thorin..."

However, he then turned as another spark of knowing entered his mind and he turned to find Erebor lying off in the distance, numerous clouds drifting about the peak and hiding most of it.

"Da?" The door opened and Bain peaked his head out through the crack, finding his father gazing upon the mountain.

"Don't let them leave." Bard told his son before quickly turning and walking down the stairs and off into the village, the dark haired boy confused about his father's actions but nonetheless listened and shut the door behind him.


Night had since fallen over the land and the dwarves decided to come from their hiding place. Once again, Ren had taken up her place at the head of the group.

Her weapons were strapped onto her person as they normally were and she had since then replaced the gray skirt with her old pair of trousers but the same light blue shirt hung loosely on her torso.

Sneaking through the village, she followed her gut instinct and tried her darnedest to remember where the armory was.

"How do you know the way?" Bofur had asked her when they had first climbed from the water, having used the toilet again as their exit. They had resurfaced beneath one of the mossy docks and had instead been swimming beneath the various buildings and homes, trying to use them as cover to stay hidden.

"I've been here before." She told him while helping to haul Bilbo out of the water who had since then began to get a stuffy nose. Ren had the strange feeling that he was going to catch a cold. "A long time ago, before Smaug attacked and when this place was a prosperous trading center." She then looked at the now rundown village around her, a sad look entering her eyes. "A lot has changed since then."

And since then, she had been guiding them through the town with little memory of the place since she figured many of the older buildings had either collapsed since her last visit.

"Shh! Keep it down!" She growled back to the group as they remained crouched behind the corner of a building, a small patrol of guards passing by.

"As soon as we get the weapons. We head straight for the mountain." Kili whispered, having already devised the plan with his Uncle and brother before they had even left Bard's home.

She was surprised, however, to find that the armory lay in the same place and the elf guided the thirteen dwarves and hobbit to the back where she knew a window lay, one that they hopefully could use to get inside seeing as how they didn't have a key.

The dwarves then quickly began to form a staircase and stacked themselves on top of each other.

"Ren, go." Thorin told her and she nodded before wordlessly ascending the dwarves, her feet light as a feather, so much so that the dwarves hardly even felt her step on them.

Pushing the window open, she drew a dagger out of her sheath and disappeared into the dark building, her face now serious.

All the dwarves held their breath for a moment before she reappeared and waved her hand, signaling that it was safe to enter inside.

The dwarves were pleased with the weapons that they found lining the walls once they made it into the room and they soon began to pile them into Kili's arms who was struggling slightly beneath the weight.

His Uncle noticed this and the elf of the group also sent him a slightly concerned look.

"Are you alright?" He asked his nephew as he passed by who sent him a look of disbelief.

"I can manage." He nodded his head though pain was clearly written across his features. "Let's just get out of here."

However, as the young dwarf moved to step down the stairs, his injured leg could no longer hold the weight and he fell, the weapons clattering loudly to the ground.

Everyone held their breath as the last tool fell silent upon the stairs. Ren had her teeth gritted and her nose scrunched up, knowing that it was only a matter of time before they were found.

Grabbing more weapons, they were soon surrounded and weapons were pressed to the Company member's throats both in and outside the building.

They were soon forced down the stairs by the guards and out the front door of the armory, weapons being held against them the entire. Ren's weapons were confiscated immediately, the she-elf reluctantly handing them over for the second time in nearly a month.

She was getting tired of it.

They were then dragged through the streets of the town, most of the dwarves fighting and cursing the entire time until they stopped before a rather large building and placed into a half moon formation around the Head Guard.

"What is the meaning of this?" A rather ugly and beady eyed man came out the large front doors of the house dressed in a luxurious fur coat, a slimy looking man just a few steps behind him.

"I caught them stealing weapons, sire."

"Ah! Enemies of the State, eh?" The man said, scrutinizing the prisoners presented before him, Alfrid sniveling behind him. He shrugged his thick coat on, due to the nip in the air and the fact that it was snowing.

"A desperate bunch of mercenaries if ever there were, sire." The greasy man said as he stepped around the fat man. Ren immediately disliked him.

"Hold your tongue." Dwalin growled, stepping forward and away from the guards towering over them. "You do not know to whom you speak!" He then nervously glanced back at the group lined up behind him. "This... is no common criminal!" The dwarf gestured to Thorin who stood behind Bilbo and Balin. "This is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"

At this the lord stepped forward slightly to stand beside his old friend. "We are the dwarves of Erebor!" Thorin said and a wave of amazed murmurs began to echo across the group of citizens gathered around the Master's large home. "We have come to reclaim our homeland."

The Master only began to look nervously around, not knowing how to respond.

"I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken down on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North!" The people began to murmur their agreement. Ren just stood off to the side and the dwarf looked to her for a short moment. She nodded her head, urging him to continue. "I would see those days return! I would relight the great forges of the dwarves to send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"

The gathered crowd cheered at the thought, the idea much better than living in the rundown, sorry excuse for a town they resided in at the moment.

The Master himself didn't completely protest the idea.

"Death!" A voice called from the back of the group. Thorin turned away from the fat man to watch as Bard himself came pushing through the crowd and guards so that he may stand were all could see him speak. "That is what you will bring upon us! Dragon fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, you will destroy us all, as the prophecy has foretold! I'm sure that all of you have heard it! Must I say it again?" His dark eyes shined in the flickering torch light and he was about to open his mouth but he never got the chance to speak.

"The Lord of Silver Fountains..." The blonde woman stepped forward out of the half circle to stand beside Thorin. Everyone's eyes were upon her now yet she continued. "The King of Carven Stone. The King Beneath the Mountain shall come into his own. And the bells will ring in gladness with the Mountain King's return. But all will fail in sadness and the lake will shine and burn." She finished, her sapphire eyes trained upon the bargeman whose own irises were filled with worry and anger as he gazed back at her. "I would imagine that they all know the tale."

"Yet why does this concern you? For you are no dwarf but a woman." Her irises flashed angrily at him again.

"Because I am the one who foretold it!" A wave of gasps washed across the group before whispering was passed between the townsfolk, their eyes never leaving the strange woman.

"What?" Bard asked in disbelief but Ren turned her eyes away from him and into the crowd.

She then reached up with her good hand to draw the top curtain of hair back so that her pointed ears were easily visible. "I, Galaren, daughter of Lord and Lady of the Wood have returned though it has been nearly sixty years since I have done so!"

"Lady Galaren!" Some of the older folks gasped in recognition at the name, all of them mere children when they had met her but they remembered her kind smile and soft words to them.

Thorin merely turned to look at her, this information new to him. She said that she hadn't been there when the dragon attacked.

"I have heard tale of our kindness, my lady." The Master spoke from behind her and she only glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering what had happened to the old caretaker of the village.

Bard only continued to stare at the woman, his father having told him various stories of the help the woman had given both Laketown and Dale after Smaug's arrival.

"You can listen to this naysayer but I promise you this: If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the Mountain." Thorin began again, gesturing to the bargeman and taking the focus off the woman. The crowd cheered upon hearing his final words and Ren couldn't help but let a small smile pull at her lips, proud of him for offering up a share of his gold to the poor town and its people.

"You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" A nearly deafening cheer coursed through the gathered citizens.

"All of you!" Bard began to speak again. "Listen to me! You must listen!" The people of Laketown grew silent. "Have you forgotten about Dale? Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?" More protesting cries came forth. "And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a Mountain King so riven by greed he cannot see beyond his own desire!"

Ren frowned after listening to the bargeman's words and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Now, now! We must not, any of us, be to quick to lay blame! Let us not forget that it was, Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor who failed to kill the beast!" The Master spoke up and everyone, both Ren and Thorin turning to look at him, this information new to the both of them and their mouths fell open with shock.

"It's true, sire. We all know the story! Arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Murmurs of agreement rippled across the people.

Bard stepped forward to speak with the dwarf. "You have no right... No right to enter that mountain!"

However, Thorin only leaned in to speak with him. "I have the only right..." He told him and once again, Ren filled with pride. He then turned to face the caretaker of the town.

"I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled?" He took a few steps up the grand stairs to stand before the man, leaning forward slightly. "Will you... share in the great wealth of our people?"

The Master was silent for a moment, his eyes shifting to gaze between the dwarves, the woman among them, Bard, and the citizens of Esgaroth.

"What say you?" The dwarf prodded again.

"I say unto you... Welcome!" He called, throwing his arms out wide and the people cheered loudly. "Welcome and thrice welcome, King Under the Mountain!"

The crowd continued to cheer and a few of them jumped up and down in joy whilst others hugged each other.

Thorin simply turned to smirk at his Company before he turned his head to Ren who was also smiling back at him, a look of pride in her eyes.

"And I do declare that we shall have a feast for the grand return of the King and the rest of the his Company!" He announced and the citizens cheered loudly. He then turned to his servant. "Alfrid?"

"Yes, sire?"

"Make sure that our guests are well taken care of. Give the King and his court run of the old inn and bring them new clothes that properly fit."

"Yes, sire." The greasy manservant walked down the steps to the dwarves who were smiling and beaming in joy at one another. "My lord..." He stopped before the dwarf lord, taking his hat off and throwing his arm out in a full bow. "If you will please follow me to the your knew home."

With that, he began to lead them through the crowd of rowdy people before they stopped before one of the largest houses in the entire village however, they were soon alerted that it was not a house but an inn that had an old sign swinging from a board above the front doors labeled 'Little Raven Inn'. However, the Company didn't really pay it mind on the way in, instead choosing to ignore it.

Upon stepping in through the front door, warm air hit their bare cheeks and the she-elf felt her eyes close as warmth surrounded her once again, the nip and snow in the air chilling her entire person.

Taking in the layout around them, a large living space was left open, filled with a number of padded chairs and pillows that were situated near a rather large fireplace that gave the room a warm glow. A desk also lay off to the side just by a door, the woman behind it looking rather bored as she read the book before her, her chin placed in the palm of her hand with her elbow propped up against the surface of the wooden desk. However, when she heard someone enter through the door, she perked up slightly.

And when she saw the large group that was coming in, her eyes widened and she felt a smile pull at her lips but then it faded slightly when she saw who was leading the group.

"Erm... Mister Alfrid, how do you do?" The dark haired woman asked, remembering to be polite to potential customers and the Master's servant.

"Good as always, Reisa." He said before coming to a stop before her. She peered around him slightly to gaze at the thirteen dwarves that had entered the inn! Dwarves! But even then, they were not alone, their entire group numbering fifteen with a strange, hairless dwarf and a blonde woman with them.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked him, her eyes suddenly catching with the pair of dark blue ones of a particularly handsome dwarf.

"Indeed there is. Allow me to introduce Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. The rightful King Under the Mountain..." He bowed slightly and sidestepped as he presented the dark haired dwarf lord to the young innkeeper.

"It is wonderful to meet you, my lord!" She curtsied in awe, her eyes never leaving his face.

"The pleasure is mine." He inclined his head slightly at the younger woman who smiled slightly and even giggled, not used to such compliments from the other gender. However, Ren saw this innocent flirtation going on and wanted to crush it beneath foot before it could even being to think about growing into something more, jealousy coursing through her.

She stepped forward and cleared her throat, causing Alfrid to turn his head. "Oh, yes! Right!" He cleared his throat once again and sidestepped, allowing the lone woman of the group to be presented before the woman who still had her eyes upon Thorin. "And this is the fair Princess of Lorien, Lady Galaren, daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel!"

The woman who once was staring at the proud dwarf turned her eyes away from him momentarily to gaze at the apparent elf but froze when she really examined her face, her cheeks once rosy with blush going a sickly pale.

For the woman before her was undeniably one of the most beautiful women she had ever lay her eyes on, her features molded by the hands of angels and her eyes one of the purest blues that she had ever seen, looking like two jewels glittering back at her. Her hair was long and thick, the color of spun gold and it seemed to shine in the flickering firelight.

And when Reisa happened to glance back at Thorin, she found that he too was looking at her, admiring her just as she had been. Yet, in his eyes, she could see an underlying emotion that he held for her but it was guarded, as if he didn't want others to see and she herself to find those emotions present.

"My lord and lady!" She bowed again, completely at awe of being in the presence of two royals in one afternoon. This was the most excitement she had had in an entire two months.

"Anyway, by order of the Master, they are supposed to stay here until they feel fit to continue on their journey."

"All of them are staying here?" She asked, taking in the group once again. There were so many of them!

"Indeed. He wants the entire inn reserved for them and no one else." He proclaimed and the woman only bit her lip nervously as she turned back to look at the empty reservation book off to the side, along with the wall behind her that was full of keys with door numbers attached to them. "Is there a problem?"

"It's just that... Well..." She began but paused, not wanting to anger the Master's servant.

"What?"

"What if someone needs a room?" This caused the greasy man to roll his eyes in annoyance.

"Then they can take up that business with the Master! I'm only taking orders from him!" He spoke in his strange accent before slamming his hand down upon the counter of the desk, causing the woman to jump.

"Very well..." She said, her eyes flashing to the dwarf lord nervously before she reached back and took a whole handful of keys off the wall. "Right this way, my lords... And lady." She said as an afterthought.

"Oh and make sure that they're tended to at all times. Let them have all the food they want. A man will be stopping by later with clothes for our gracious guests for the feast tonight." And with that the greasy man was gone and the woman let a small scowl pull at her features causing the dwarf behind her to chuckle slightly.

"Not a very friendly fellow is he?" Thorin asked and then began to follow her up the stairs, as the rest of the Company followed suit.

"Most certainly not." She replied before she began to stop at various doors and handing certain keys to certain dwarves until she only had two keys left in her hands that belonged to two private rooms at the end of the hall with only one singular bed in each, unlike the rest of the rooms that had two smaller beds inside.

"Your room, my lord." She extended her hand to the dwarf lord who carefully took the keys that dangled between her fingers. He then turned and unlocked the door before stepping inside and examining the simple furniture in the room and found that it was homey enough and even had a fireplace in the corner, providing the guests with a little extra warmth during their stay.

"Thank you." He replied after a moment, turning back to look at her and the woman blushed and curtsied then. However, his eyes suddenly caught on something or rather someone else and she turned to find that his gaze was trained upon the lovely princess who had already received her keys and was only just opening the door.

She also stepped into the room, her fine boots pounding softly against the wooden flooring before she turned back and was about to shut the door behind her but stopped momentarily when she caught Thorin's eyes, lowering her own pair and then proceeding to finish closing the door.

And it wouldn't be until hours later that he would see the she-elf again before the feast.

He only stood patiently outside of his room door, casually rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands clasped behind his back. His blue eyes anxious stared at her door across the way.

The dwarf was clad in velvet fabric the color of dark purple and a pair of black trousers, his fur boots still upon his feet but they had since been cleaned by the workers in the inn.

He snapped to attention, however, when he heard the handle of the door turn and it slowly drew back to reveal the blonde she-elf.

She had yet to catch sight of him and she pulled the door open fully before picking up part of the gown she was wearing so that she could step into her boots which lay clean by the door. Letting the dark blue fabric fall into place, she felt someone's eyes upon her and raised her head to find Thorin standing there, an awed look upon his face.

The dress that she wore was dark blue and but the sleeves were a very light shade of blue, almost a grayish color that had been tinted blue. They flared out at the bottom, the fabric there very flowing and thin. A silver belt was also fastened around her hips and the trim around her square neckline was also lined with silver fabric and stitching. Her hair was neatly combed and pulled back so that small pieces of it were tied in the back in three tiers, revealing her elven ears.

She smiled when she saw him then and took a few slow steps towards him, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

"My lady..." He bowed suddenly and the female felt a large grin pulling at her lips. He then reached out and brought her dainty hand into his own pair before raising it to his lips to brush them against the soft skin upon the back. He stood up from his once bowed position, dropping one hand back to his side, the other holding her own.

"Greetings, my lord." She gave a very slight curtsy which caused him to smile wider.

"May I as you a question?"

"If that it was you truly wish..." She replied, her sapphire eyes sparkling as she beamed at him.

"Would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the feast?" Ren only blinked at him, her gaze on his form before she nodded her head, her lips still drawn back in the breathtaking smile that had become much more apparent as of late.

"I wouldn't attend with anyone else." She explained and he turned, transferring her hand into his other one so that he may tuck it into his elbow. Together, the two of them began to move down the long hallway before descending the stairs.

The loud chatter of the rest of the dwarves could be heard from the top, all of them anxiously awaiting the food promised at the feast, dressed from head to toe in their new clothes. However, when they heard the soft sounds of boots upon the stairs did they grow silent and they looked up, catching sight of one of the most heartwarming sights they had seen in a long while. All of them felt smiles pull at their lips as they took in the sight, their eyes all sparkling.

The dwarf carefully held the elf's hand in the crook of his arm, a warm smile upon his face as he gazed at her, a sight that was rare to behold. Ren herself looked content to let him hold her small hand in his own, her sapphire eyes alight with pure joy.

Coming to stand upon the same level as them, the two royals stopped and looked at their old friends, Ren's hand still tucked into the crook of his elbow.

"Well... Shall we be off?"

And with that, the Company moved from the warm inn and out into the nippy air but not before slipping on thick cloaks to keep winter's bite at bay.

Exiting the inn, the Company was led by an escort of guards back to the Master's home where a number of people were trying to find their way inside. The men escorting them simply brushed them to the side and allowed for the group of thirteen dwarves, one hobbit, and an elf pass by, the people around them murmuring the entire time.

However, the much anticipated guests had little time for that as they stared around them at the grandness of the Master's halls. Of course, little had changed in Ren's memory as she took it all in, recalling every little detail like a window or a door in the exact same place.

Long tables lined the great hall, the surfaces completely filled with various and copious amounts of food. People also lined the seats and when they heard the large wooden doors open, they had all grown quiet.

"Welcome, Thorin Oakenshield! King Under the Mountain!" The Master called from his place at the center of a large table that had been set up on a stage, the entire length of it stretching across a wide swath of the room given the number of Company members it would need to seat.

"We thank you, Master of Laketown, for showing us such kindness when no other would..." Thorin said before bowing and at his side, Ren curtsied though she didn't take her eyes of the ginger man. Something was not right about him.

"It is my honor to host such a gracious guest!" He replied, his beady eyes twinkling in the flickering torchlight that lit the rather large home. "But without further ado! Let the feast begin!"

And feast they did.

There had been a copious amount of food, so much so, that the dwarves weren't sure what to do with themselves.

However, the entire atmosphere had been happy and rather joyous in her opinion. It seemed as though the entire population of the small town was invited and had been packed into the Master's grand halls.

Of course, as the night grew later, the entire scene had been rather loud and wild with laughter and drunken cheer.

The Master then called for the tables in the center of the room to be moved and without question they were. Having made room for dancing, the townsfolk happily obliged and went about their way, all of them enjoying the grand party.

All the dwarves, save Kili but including Thorin, had danced. Ren had also, very reluctantly, been goaded into dancing as well. At first she had protested heavily but when the dark haired dwarf lord had asked her personally, she couldn't deny him that.

However, as the night grew later, families began to leave with their children due to the fact that the alcohol being consumed in the room was rather outrageous and unsettled the lady slightly.

For instance, she had calmly been dancing with Thorin when suddenly, a man who smelled strongly of red wine cut in, pushing the dwarf lord away and began to dance with her. She had only sent the soon to be King an apologetic look but her dance with the drunk wouldn't last long, for he soon collapsed with a loud thud upon the floor, leaving her standing there astonished.

That had been the last straw and Ren knew that it was time to go so she swept her cloak back onto her shoulders before slipping out the side door and making her way back through the town until she reached the inn but this did not go unnoticed by many.


Placing her cloak upon a hook beside the door, she found that Reisa was no where to be seen and she immediately returned to her room before pulling the dress over her head and putting it back in the closet where it belonged.

Pulling on a new pair of dark gray breeches, she also tugged a deep red tunic over her head, letting the fabric hang loosely about her form, perfectly content once again now that she was in more comfortable clothing.

She had laid down upon her bed and shut her eyes what felt like a moment, simply wanting her busy mind to have a moment of silence, before she heard the sound of multiple footsteps in the hallway outside her door.

Immediately, she had sat up, her sapphire eyes flickering over to the door and she stood easily, stopping, however, when she felt the terrible burning pain radiating from the wound upon her arm. Hissing in agony, she gripped it tightly before the pain suddenly dulled and her brow furrowed in confusion before slowly dismissing the subject and turning back to face the door.

She waited a moment and listened as the door opposite her's closed and she opened her own, staring at the wooden object separating her and Thorin.

Besides the pain in her arm, she felt fine and the group could soon move onto the Lonely Mountain, these thoughts having since consumed her mind during the entirety of the day since she had woken up in Thorin's arms. She didn't, however, know the dwarves' plan and needed to speak with him on the matter.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out and closed the door behind her, her feet silent as they crossed the few feet that separated their doorway. Standing just outside his doorway, she raised her fist to knock but stopped before it touched the hard wood.

Looking at her hand, she watched as it shook slightly, something that unnerved the female to no end. She never shook unless she was cold. Was she... nervous?

Nervous about what? She thought to herself before her eyes flashed back to the door. Nervous about Thorin? Nervous about talking to him... alone?

Shaking out her hand, she shook her head slightly with a frown upon her features before she quietly rapped her knuckles upon the wood, dismissing the thoughts of her nerves entirely.

It was only a moment before the door opened to reveal the dark haired dwarf and at seeing her outside of his door, his brows rose slightly in surprise.

"Hello." He greeted her quietly, not expecting to see her again. He figured that she had decided to turn in for the night when he watched her slip away from the rowdy party.

"Hello." She replied back, her voice the same loudness as his own had been.

The two of them just stared at each other for a long moment before the dwarf awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away from her sparkling eyes. "Would you like to come in?"

Wordlessly, he stepped to the side and allowed her into his room. He watched her pass before shutting the door quietly and he took a deep breath, finding that his hands were shaking slightly as an uncontrollable emotion began to cause his heart to flutter almost painfully.

He had had a wonderful time with her at the party, enjoying the fact that he got to hold her in his arms in surplus, hardly allowing anyone else to dance with her.

The elf silently crossed the room so that she could gaze out his now darkened window to see the quiet world just outside as the sun slept.

"Is something the matter?" His deep voice rumbled from behind her and she slowly turned to look at him.

"When do we leave for the mountain?" She asked and this caused the dwarf to frown slightly while taking a small step towards her.

"Not until I set a date." Thorin explained, eyeing her suspiciously. "Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

The blonde only gazed at him for a moment before looking out across the quiet night once again. "The Master... Something about him just causes me to feel... unsettled."

"Unsettled?"

"The old Master that I knew when I lived in Esgaroth for a time was named Erian. He was young when he was became caretaker of the village, not to mention that he had two sons." The dwarf's frown deepened as he listened to her words, a spark of realization entering in his eyes.

"Are you suggesting...?"

"I think something happened to them." She mused as she turned away from the window to take a seat before the small fireplace in his room, a suddenly chill overcoming her as she continued to think about the situation. "Erian was a good Master, his sons young but very strong and healthy. He would have never let Laketown become so run down. People would not be starving..." She turned over to look at the dwarf, meeting his cool gaze. "I just have this strange feeling that Erian's replacement did not inherit the position..."

"I agree." Thorin replied. "I also get this strange feeling when I'm around him. I don't think he is the most trustworthy of men yet he has given us food and shelter. We can at least be thankful that he has done that. Besides, it is not our business."

"Maybe not your business but it is mine." The she-elf suddenly snapped, her sapphire eyes turning to fire at hearing his words.

She sent a harsh glare his way and Thorin was almost taken aback by how protective she was of the little town in which they resided. For a moment, he seriously debated on arguing back with her on the matter but refrained from doing so, knowing that it would add strain to their now rather strong relationship and he did not want what they had to fray. Not when they were so close to the mountain.

"Fine. Once we take back Erebor and we settle in, I shall look into the matter." The anger in her eyes dissipated immediately at hearing the King's words and was replaced with shock and awe.

"What?" She breathed in disbelief, having seen the defiant glint in his eyes but he had stopped himself. He had refrained from using biting words, knowing that they would hurt her.

"I said I will look into it further. Your business is now my business." He told her while walking over to the window. "Which brings me to our next order of business." Ren just watched as he continued to stare out the window, his hands clasped behind his back. "You aren't going up the mountain with us."

"What?" She repeated, this time, the anger returning to her irises.

"I said that I cannot allow you to go with us into Erebor."

"And why not?!" She snapped at the dwarf, her eyes flashing dangerously and her hands fisted into the fabric of her breeches.

"Because I said so." He replied, still not looking back at her for fear that she would see the emotion lying in his blue irises.

"Whether you want me to enter that mountain or not matters not to me! I've traveled just as far as you have and given up much to see this quest through. I will be entering that mountain with or without your blessing and there is nothing you can do to stop me!" She spoke back defiantly.

"I said you will not and you will listen to me!"

"Why should I?! You are. Not. King. Yet!" She snapped and finally, this caused Thorin to turn around, his own eyes ablaze. However, when he looked at her, he saw that the rims of her eyes were beginning to grow wet and he immediately softened despite the harsh words she had just struck him with.

Seeing her in tears always seemed to weaken him.

No, he was not the same dwarf who had first began this journey. Instead, he was a dwarf who had learned to care more than he should have. He was a dwarf who felt his heart melt simply at the sight of a beautiful, weepy-eyed, she-elf.

"Don't you even care about me?" Her tone was broken and she spoke so softly, tears not yet falling but threatening to do so at any given moment.

Thorin only looked at her for a moment before he slowly began to make his way towards her, the flickering light from the fireplace causing half of his face to become shadowed but it didn't take away from his handsome features.

He slowly continued towards her, his eyes upon her lovely face the entire time, her own angelic face cast in orange firelight. The dwarf lord came to a halt just before her so that he could stare directly down into her eyes, their difference in height rather convenient at the time.

Ren felt her breath catch in her throat as he came so close. She could feel the heat from his body radiating out towards her and after a moment of staring into his intense eyes, she had to turn her head away from him.

However, that changed when she felt his hands reach up to gently cup both sides of her face. His fingers spread across her skin and he ever so carefully tilted her head back to face him, their eyes regretfully locking once again.

And that was when Galaren saw it: his true emotions. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the thought of what he might do. What she wanted him to do.

"You have no idea how much I care about you..." He whispered to her before he slowly lowered his head down towards her.

Knowing what was about to happen, Ren felt her eyes slide closed. His thumbs continued to stroke at her soft skin for a moment and her breathing became very shallow when she felt his warmth breath upon her lips. His nose lightly brushed the side of hers and the dwarf himself let his eyes slide shut, trying desperately to control himself.

However, the temptation of her was overbearing and he was quickly losing control and she herself was losing patience.

Finding that he no longer had any resolve, Thorin ever so gently brushed his lips against her own soft pair. As he did so and he continued to hold her face in his hands which was so soft beneath his touch, just as her lips were in his dreams.

It was half a moment later that Ren responded to his soft actions after her own eyes closed, her lips easily and eagerly moving back against his own pair which had since gained confidence, a huge wave of relief washing over her at finding that it seemed as though he held feelings for her. Her hands immediately took hold of the front of his tunic, gently pulling him closer to her as their lips continued to press against each other.

His short beard was rough against the soft flesh around her mouth but she cared not and continued to kiss him, finding that it settled the once raging torment of feelings thrashing about inside of her.

One of his hands continued to hold her face while his other moved back and began to pull her hair free of the eloquent tie that it had been in before, her golden hair falling in its normal gentle waves. He immediately ran his hands through it, the strands so soft just as they had been back in Bard's home.

Her own hands slowly slid up to his own face, running her fingers over the course hairs of his jet black beard. One of her hands then carefully held his own cheek and continuously brought her face to his, her entire being alight with fire every time their lips moved against one another.

She had never felt so warm before in all her life. Never so loved. Never so wanted by someone.

After another few moments entangled in the other's hands, Thorin drew back ever so slightly so that his nose carefully brushed against the side of her own.

Both pairs of eyes open, both of them reflecting different colors but were nonetheless blue.

He smiled ever so slightly then, his lips still dangerously close to her own pair and he pressed his forehead against her own. "If you thought you were going to the mountain before, you most definitely aren't going now..." He quietly teased her, his warm breath puffing against her still damp lips.

Galaren herself smiled then, knowing that he was only jesting, and tilted her head up towards him for another soft kiss, his hands cupping the back of her head and carefully pulling her lips up to his again.

Through the haze of simple bliss her body was in, her ears pricked and caught the sound of footsteps coming towards the end of the hall.

Placing her hands upon his chest, she lightly drew back, both pairs of eyes opening once again at the sudden halt in their blissful actions. "Someone's coming." She whispered to him and with much regret, he untangled his hands from her hair and pulled back as if it physically hurt him to do so.

Ren herself felt the room grow cold without the extra warmth both his body and soul provided to warm her being but she was able to lean in quickly and press one last soft kiss to Thorin's mouth, one that left him wanting so much more of her.

Just as anticipated, Fili burst into the room, his blue eyes wide with fear. He quickly took in the two adults, not noticing the slight flush on both their faces before he spoke, breathless after having run through the entire inn to find them.

"What is it, Fili?" Ren asked, standing up from where she had been seated upon the lone chair in his Uncle's room. The frantic look in his eyes caused her unease and dread began to fill her system as she waited for the blonde dwarf to speak.

"Kili's sick!"


Hey guys! How's it going!?

I feel like I haven't' talked to you people in forever and I feel really bad about it.

Hope you guys liked this chapter and the last one even though it didn't get hardly any reviews. I mean, I though it was a good chapter. It was just a bit disheartening to feel like nobody liked it.

But since SOPA didn't get passed, I am so happy and full of relief. Now we can celebrate but there is actually another petition like SOPA out there. Just get on the sight and look at it please. They need another 100,000 signatures but its before like April something.

Anyway, yeah SOPA didn't get passed and it was just by happy coincidence that this chapter came along. They were going to kiss this chapter anyway but it was nice how it was at the same time.

Also, as a reward for those who signed the petition and kept it from getting passed, I want to do a Author Q and A. I want you guys to submit questions for me to answer in my video. I mean personal stuff like favorite music, movies, secrets, etc. It can be about this story or it can be about my plan for a zombie apocalypse. I don't care. I just want to connect with you guys.

But please, REVIEW!

The last chapter didn't get hardly any reviews and I thought it was pretty good but I guess whatever floats your boat people. I hope we make it to 500 though and stay tuned for my YouTube video. It should be up after another chapter or two with you guys posting questions and whatnot.

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P.S. I'm going to Texas this weekend!