'-Plotting to overthrow our camp while we do not know what comes for us, Thorin son of Thrain? I took Dwarves to be a race of honor and of honesty, not cravens who attack their enemy as they sleep-'

Bard's tirade had been broken off my Dwalin's angry shout of rage, accompanied by Fili's sudden call out into the mass of Men and Elves. It had been Bard and a few others to knock upon the Front Gate, but Thranduil had not been there to accompany him.

'Thorin was mistaken!' defended Fili adamantly. 'He was not able to tell you of his defenses coming from the Iron Hills, but they are not here to wage war out in this matter. They come for another reason, a reason that we have kept from you while you have camped outside of our Gate. This reason, Bard the Bowman, will hopefully be enough to settle this dispute of gold and treasure'.

We had all been presented to Bard and his company that day, having seen no point in hiding. Thorin, Fili and Kili stood in a line in front of his, while the rest of us had crowded at the back of them, stiff and straight as we had stared down the Men and the Elves.

Apparently, word had come from those who remained at Laketown. Dain of the Iron Hills came to Erebor with hundreds of Dwarves, of whom would protect the Mountain from the Orcs and the Wargs. Bard, though, had taken this as a threat to his own company of Men and Elves.

Fili elbowed his Uncle subtly, egging him on to finally tell Bard about the Orcs that marched our way. His mouth moved beside Thorin's ear and, finally, the older of the three had nodded once, face set into stone.

'An army of thousands march for the Mountain - this is why my kin come to aid us in our protection of Erebor,' Thorin gestured vaguely to the lot of us, and we had all stood a little straighter. 'An army of Orcs and Wargs, led by Azog and Bolg - Azog, you may know, is the Pale Orc...the one who slew Thror of Erebor. Bolg is his son'. Thorin swallowed, allowing Bard to raise a brow and consider this news. 'They will raid the Mountain. Unless I have an army to protect it, that is'.

'You are certain?' breathed Bard, quieter than before.

'He is,' mused Gandalf. He had been standing within the halls of Erebor, having known that his presence would cause questions. Now though, he emerged from the Gate, his strides long and his staff supporting him. 'I have heard word of this army myself, and from very trusted sources. This matter, of course, puts into question whether this dispute should, for now, be set aside?'

Thorin had looked angrily over his shoulder, while Gandalf just tilted his head innocently, standing beside the Hobbit.

'Yes,' Bard had said quickly, after a short pause. 'You are right, of course'. He peered at Gandalf. 'You are Gandalf the Grey - the Wandering Wizard? I know of you, and I know that you are true'.

Thorin stepped forward. 'Then you agree to stop these demands of my gold?'

Bard's jaw jumped. 'I agree, Thorin Oakenshield, to protect the gold that is rightfully mine, as Heir of the rulers of Dale. I agree to fight beside you, and I agree to protect my people and Erebor the best I can. The matter of the gold shall be settled afterward. If there is any gold to share, that is'.

I could tell that Thorin hardly agreed to this, but only one thing had mattered at that time: we'd needed help, and this army in front of us could be it. That's all it had come down to.

'Good,' said Gandalf, playing his staff into his other hand. 'When Dain of the Iron Hills comes through with his army of Dwarves, you will allow him passage through your camp. It is a grave time, the time before a battle, so we best use it to not squabble, but to prepare'. Thorin looked away pointedly, and Gandalf had carried on, 'Five armies,' he'd mused. 'The Battle of the Five Armies, it will be'.

'Why was six afraid of seven?'

Kili tilted his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he had considered this question. I had watched him, my own grin growing with bight eyes and an anxious need to make him laugh and smile and forget the troubles of the war.

'I don't know,' he sighed. 'Why?'

'Because seven eight nine!' I revealed, holding my hands up in 'surprise'. 'Geddit? It ate nine!' Kili had laughed and shaken his head, looking half amused and half baffled. 'I'm just so funny, it actually kind of hurts sometimes'.

'It must be quite a pain, having such wit buried inside of you,' he considered, the face of seriousness. He sat across from me, back pressed against the wall and a sword by his side. I'd sat, cross legged, in front of him.

'It's nice to know that someone understands,' I had sighed.

He brought a hand forward and I had caught it, pressing my palm against his. 'We have an alliance with the Men and the Elves,' he said, watching our interlocked fingers slipping into place. I had watched him. 'And an army of Dwarves come to our aid'. Kili continued to watch, almond eyes staring. After a moment, they jumped to mine. 'You plan to fight'.

I considered lying, considered avoiding the question in the statement. Nah. 'Naturally'.

Kili breathed in and nodded. 'I know this. We all do. You're learning to fight well, but you need to keep training. Even if it's by yourself. There's only short days left now, and you need to be as prepared as you possibly can'.

This, of course, I had known. 'Alright,' I agreed, as calm as I could be. Short days left. 'But you have to promise me that you won't go out of your way to risk your safety to jump to my rescue, Kili. You have to'.

Apparently, telling the truth was something that had been important between us at that point, because Kili'd just said, 'You know that if I promised you that, it would be an empty promise'.

I sighed and laughed, watching out hands and tightening my hold. 'I know'. Kili brought his second hand forward, holding my hand in both of his. 'I know you'll do whatever you can to protect all of us - you and Fili are far too concerned with everyone else's safety - I just don't want you to get hurt because of me. But..let's not talk about that now, yeah? Let's-'

But he shifted his hands as they held mine.

And something cold and small slipped into my hand and, looking away from my hand, I had looked at Kili. He pulled away his own hands quickly, and my fingered tightened around the object.

Kili looked back, all wide dark eyes, and then back at my clenched fist. The silence fell quickly, considering how we had just been talking animatedly. Slowly, my fingers curled apart and I looked at the object that had settled into the palm of my hand.

Oh.

'Marry me,' said Kili, shifting forward excitedly. 'Millie, marry me'.

A...a ring.

'You said, when we looked through the treasure, that it's custom where you are from to give a ring upon asking for someones hand in marriage. In Dwarven traditions, it is custom to give a token that...that is for her and only her. This is my token, a token to promise a life of love and of loyalty, because you are my Lady, Millie, and right now I can only promise you this'.

The words had fallen from his lips in a rush. I remember explaining to him the way in which a marriage proposal would usually go about, saying that a ring would be exchanged to show the engagement. But, I-

'Yes,' I breathed, looking up from the gold and silver ring, twisting lines of metal and mithril. It was a thick ring, though lovely and simple in the most beautiful way. 'Mahal - yes. You...' I dove at him, clenching the ring in my fist and uncrossing my legs to wrap my arms around his neck. 'You hardly even needed to ask - Kili. A ring. You remembered'.

' 'Course I remembered,' he muttered gruffly into my neck. 'I remember everything that you say'.

I pulled away, clenched fist resting against his cheek. 'I love you,' I told him, hardly caring at the moisture that assaulted my eyes. 'No matter what happens, I will always love you'.

Jesus, I sounded like a Nicholas Sparks novel.

Kili brought me to him fiercely and as he kissed me, I was glad for the absence of the other Dwarves from out corner of the room.

I couldn't imagine a life where Kili was not there, so in that moment I had promised myself one, simple thing: If he would fight to protect me in the Battle, then I would return the favor.

Kili pulled away first, taking the ring from my hands. 'I found it in the treasury and asked Thorin if I could take it and give it to you. He approves, of course'. Kili peered up at me. 'Although, if he hadn't, I wouldn't have really cared'. I laughed, tangling my legs with his. 'I can't remember which finger you said...'

I held my hand out, hating how it had trembled. 'Left hand,' I recited. 'Left finger'.

The ring slid on easily, thank God. How mortifying would it have been if it hadn't? Kili, with skilled Dwarven fingers, slid it on and stared for a moment, a smile creeping onto his face. 'My betrothed,' he said, looking up at me. I smiled at him, feeling as if my face may crack in half. I just couldn't stop smiling - it was starting to get creepy.

'At home, you call someone that you're about to marry your fiance,' I told him, rubbing my thumb over the ring.

Kili blinked.

'But we can stick with betrothed, much easier,' I grinned, dipping my head to kiss him eagerly. His hands had lingered at either side of my face, his hands warm and big and everything that I had grown so used to. So glad was I that the Dwarves were all downstairs or out gathering weapons, that I settled my legs on either side of him and brought myself closer than I would have ever dared.

Kili had pulled away, all colored cheeks and hands - that had suddenly fallen to my waist - clenching. 'You're beautiful'.

I smiled, knowing that I was dirty, tired and wearing heavy clothes. But so was he. 'So are you'.

He kissed me again and I couldn't comprehend how this could ever go badly. How we could ever be torn apart by a battle that was to come - it didn't fit, not with that lovely, happy scene that I had lived.

'They're coming!'

The horror that had settled into my stomach had me casting a frozen look to Kili, who pulled away from me quickly. Still balancing against his leg, he had held me by my shoulders and looked past me, over to the balcony.

It took me a few seconds to realize that Dwalin's shout had been about Dain's army, not of Orcs and Wargs.

We untangled ourselves quickly, marching down the stairs and joining the others just as the Front Gate was thrown open and light filtered in, bright and grey. I tucked my hand onto Kili's arm, holding him at his elbow. I hadn't been ready to let him go yet - not yet. This was our moment, even if a war was brewing and thousands of Dwarves were about to destroy our peace - this moment was ours.

Quickly, as to not let the others see, Kili had dipped his head to kiss my hair.

I'd grinned, just as Fili had joined us.

'Congratulations,' he murmured, joining his brothers side. 'Kept it quiet as long as I could, but some things, apparently, you cannot stall, brother'. He cast an amused look over to Kili, braids swishing. Kili scoffed and had looked briefly to me, smiling.

My grin had turned into a full blown smile. 'So, are we gonna be like proper brother and sister?' I whispered to Fili, just as the Dwarves were hurrying about in preparing the Gate.

'Do not even jest about such things'.

Kili snorted.

We heard them then. Every body stalled, every head turned. Their marching was like thunder - louder than that of the Men and Elves a few nights ago, louder than the anarchy of the Goblin City. Their marching was a heavy armour, stomping footsteps and shouting. A loud, few voices shouting in Dwarfish, closer and closer.

'Come,' said Kili, bringing me forward once Fili started toward his Uncle. 'You'll stand beside me'. I walked with him, past the other Dwarves, who were awe struck by the sight that I could not yet see.

And I did stand beside him, you know. I guess being 'betrothed' automatically made me a little more important, or maybe it was Kili's way of keeping me close and honoring my 'yes' to him. That's something that I will always love about the Dwarves - how they treated their women. Dwarfish relationships were built on respect and admiration, and they admired the Lady Dwarves.

Thorin cast a sideways look to me as Kili and Fili flanked his sides, myself and Kili on his left, Fili on his right. He gave me a look, to which I merely smiled softly at and nodded.

He nodded back.

Such an intimate exchange.

I looked forward, away from the suddenly prideful and bright face of Thorin, and past the great Gate, which was now open. I breathed in deeply at the sight before me, at the dozens and dozens and hundreds (they're must have been over a thousand) of Dwarfish men, all covered in fine metal and standing straight, marching toward the Front Gate.

After moments of standing there and watching with stiff backs and silent stares, the marching stopped to a halt and a Dwarf stepped out from the mass that had come closer than Bard or Thranduil would have dared.

I had never seen so many Dwarves - so many of my kind.

They shone in the light of the waning sun, they stood motionless and, despite their height, tall. The one who stepped forward was Dain, and his beard peeked out from his helmet, to which he tore from his face and smiled at Thorin, walking forward quickly.

'Is this good enough for you, Thorin son of- well, Mahal, it should be King now, shouldn't it?'

His voice was rough and deep, and I had expected nothing less of a Dwarf from a place called the Irons Hills. Thorin bowed a little to Dain, a small smile playing on his mouth. 'Not King,' he rumbled. 'Not yet. I protect this Mountain, and then I will be King'.

Dain bounced his head. 'And I will be glad to watch you take that title, Thorin son of Thrain, my kin'.

Thorin didn't comment on this statement, but said instead, 'Thank you, Dain Ironfoot, for the army that you have marched to Erebor. I cannot-'

Dain shook his head. 'Elves and Men and Orcs, trying to take the treasure of Erebor? Of course I came with help. Mahal, is the treasure for everybody to take? Once we heard word of Smaug's slaying and those who wished to take what is 'theirs'-'

But it is theirs, I had thought desperately.

'-I was permitted to march nearly a thousand Iron Dwarves this way. We moved quickly, for we did not know when the Orcs and Wargs would attack,' he peered at Thorin. 'We passed the camping ground of the Elves and Men. They watched us go - they will fight for the Mountain too, I presume?'

'Yes,' said Thorin. 'And only then will I settle this dispute over gold'.

Dain nodded. 'A good choice. We have a battle to prepare for, of course'. He cast his gaze over Kili and Fili, then to me. For a moment, I thought he might say something, but his eyebrows merely rose a little.

After that, the Iron Hill Dwarves were allowed into the Mountain after a load of Dwarfish shouting from Dain. I'd found the exchange interesting to watch, but Kili had tugged me back. We retreated back until I found Gandalf and Bilbo talking over something or another. Bilbo looked angry, while Gandalf merely looked frustrated.

I left Kili's side, to which he had hardly noticed. He had been too interested in the mass of Dwarves filing in, filling Erebor with the sounds of smashing, clashing and marching. I fingered my ring as I approached the duo in the further part of the hall, brow furrowed and steps quick.

'-I will not. Thorin will know if I hand it over to them, Gandalf! You are not the one will cop the outcome, I will!'

Gandalf looked up upon seeing me, and he cast a very nonchalant, grumbling gaze over my form. I cocked a brow at him meaningfully, doing the same to Bilbo. 'What are you two arguing about?'

'I see that you have been given the Gift of a Betrothal,' observed Gandalf, blanking my question entirely. 'I had wondered how long-'

'That doesn't matter,' I shot back. 'Tell me. Come on. You know I won't tell. What were you planning to give to who-?' I froze, eyes widening and watching as Bilbo fidgeted at my look. 'You have it,' I breathed. 'You have it. Aw, mate - I knew it!'

Gandalf shot out an arm and dragged me past himself and Bilbo, hiding me from the view of the others. Not that they would see anyway. 'Alexandria, I must insist that you keep this information to yourself, do you understand me, my girl? Thorin is going mad with Dragon Sickness, and the only way that we can allow Bard his treasure is if we give him a bargaining-'

'Yes,' I breathed. 'Oh, yes. That is such a good idea! Sorry,' I apologized, quietening down. 'I've been saying for ages how quack Thorin is going. I can help! I could totally help with this!'

Gandalf watched me while Bilbo just sighed, entirely done with arguing anymore. I swear, Gandalf's ambition in life is just to ruin Bilbo's as much as possible, and Bilbo was entirely familiar with this fact.

Finally, the Wizard smiled at me.

'I have never been wrong about a person, Alexandria, and you have just proven that idea'.

I'm so sorry for the late update, but the reassuring reviews have been lovely! No one's been rude about me not updating, you've all been very understanding and, oh gosh, I love you all. I do have exams at the moment, which sucks. Also, I've started another full time fanfiction on Star Trek. So, if you want to look, please do.

Once again, thank you for the reviews. I hope you liked the contents of this chapter!