Hello my dearies. Thank you all so much for the reviews, the love and the follows. You truly are great fans and readers. Much love goes out to you all. So, the time has come. This is the PENULTIMATE chapter of this 'Adventure like No Other'. I really do hope you have enjoyed all that has happened, given my ups and downs through the writing. And I hope you like what is to come also. Please, read and review and tell me what you think. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is much appreciated. For all my Hannibal and Loki fans, just to let you know that one this story has finished, my attention will be put back to those stories. Also, to my Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fans; I have a new LOTR fanfiction brewing. I shall be taking my attention from the beloved Dwarves and putting it towards the Elves.

So yeah, thank you very much for your dedication you bunch of lovelies.

0.o.0.o.

Bilbo felt dread sinking in his stomach as he walked away from the elven encampment. He feared what Thorin and the others might say if they found out that he had given the kings jewel to none other than their enemy, King Thranduil. Thranduil had regarded the hobbit as a brave and an elf friend and thanked him for his aid in stopping with war between the dwarves and the elves, though Bilbo feared that this would only prevent it for a little while. Walking quickly back towards the mountain, the Halfling was surprised to see none other than Gandalf the grey pacing the rubble before the great gate of Erebor. "Do my eyes deceive me? Gandalf is that you?" Bilbo spoke, rushing toward the old wizard. The wizard turned in surprise at the voice and grinned.

"Ahh master Baggins, a pleasure to see you unscathed!" Gandalf responded, stooping slightly to meet the hobbit on his level.

"Perhaps not unscathed on the flesh; I cannot comment on the marks inside" Bilbo retorted, a slight smile dancing on his lips.

"You are alive nevertheless and that is something to be grateful for, is it not? I must commend you on your bravery in the matter of the Arkenstone. It took much courage to relieve the king of his jewel and give it to the one whom his heart hates. You have however, it seems, lessened the likelihood of an oncoming war between the two races - something they will come to thank you for"

"I take none of the gratitude for myself, Gandalf; I did what was needed to prevent more death. Many more besides me would have done the same"

"Do not so modest. Do you honestly believe that stubborn race inside that mountain would be so quick to form an alliance with those they despise so much to save lives. You may have seen the soft side of the Dwarven race master Baggins, but in the matters of war even the kindest of them can turn sour. You were right to trust your instincts." Spoke Mithrandir. Silence swept over them for a moment or so until sorrow washed over the curly haired male.

"You are not residing here long are you?"

"I am afraid not; I have other matters to attend to. I just wanted to see that all was okay with you before I left. I am pleased to see you are still well" Commented Gandalf, straightening up; his bones crunching from old age.

"Not all is as it seems…" Bilbo remarked and walked towards the gate a little more.

"You speak in riddles…" Gandalf spoke, leaving the statement open for the Hobbit to explain himself.

"Anya's child is no more. The poor child passed away early this morn" Bilbo explained with sorrow, thinking about the despair that was evident in Anya's eyes, the last time he looked upon her face.

"That truly is sad news…" Was all that Gandalf had said. Bilbo remained looking at the ground, waiting for the old man to say something else. Glancing up after another bout of silence, he was surprised to see that the wizard had left.

"You do not know the half of it…" whispered master Baggins, thinking on the words that had been exchanged between himself and the elven king. Sighing loudly, Bilbo made his way back silently into the mountain.

0.0.0

Dawn broke over the silent mountain and the company grumbled as they woke to the chill of air whizzing into the dwelling place. Tauriel was the first to rush to her feet as she her keen elven ears picked up approaching footsteps. Climbing the rocks underneath the window, she kept silent.

"I have returned!" A voice shouted, aiding the dwarves into waking fully out of their slumbered state.

"What is your request this morn!" Thorin spat, coming to join Tauriel by her side.

"I have come with the same request. Will you not share your treasure with us and aid us in rebuilding our homes. Will you not have peace?" Bard spoke up feeling irritated by the Dwarves lack of compassion.

"My answer still stands, human" Thorin responded. Bard shook his head and defeat and reached into his coat. Thorin pondered at what he could possibly be retrieving until the sparkles of pure starlight answered his thoughts. "How come you by that? That is not yours to possess!" Thorin growled as Bard held the Arkenstone. Before Bard could answer, the king under the mountain turned in rage and descended the stones, walking to the Halfling. "You lied to me, thief!" grabbing the hobbits jacket, the angered dwarf shook the hobbit.

"Thorin what are you doing? Leave Bilbo alone!" Balin shouted, trying to pry the king's hands from the hobbit.

"This piece of scum gave the Arkenstone to Thranduil!" Thorin spat and threw Bilbo to the floor amid the gasps of the company.

"Please Thorin, let me explain! I only did what I did to prevent a war. If it means that much to you ask for an exchange; the gold that they desire for the stone!" Bilbo reasoned as he scrambled to his feet. Anger coursing through him, he felt that there was no other way to undo Bilbo's wrong doing than to do what Bilbo suggested and so marching to the window with some speed he gazed at the man.

"I will give you a fourteenth of the treasure in exchange of the stone, what say you?" Thorin spoke with authority. Bard thought this over and thought over what the elven king had asked of him that eve and looked upon the dwarf with sad eyes.

"Nay, we will accept a fourteenth of the treasure and the woman you have in your midst in exchange for the stone" Bard answered.

"Tauriel?" Thorin asked, slightly confused.

"No, the human!" One of the elven escorts replied. The company on hearing this, gasped and glanced at the silent woman. Anya heard all and rose to her feet, ignoring the questioning glances.

"Agree with them" Anya spoke and Thorin glanced over his shoulder at the woman.

"I will not give you over to the elven scum who poisoned you against us" Thorin replied, watching as Anya ignored him and made her way to the door.

"That is not your decision to make anymore Thorin. I will not let your stubbornness kill any more people. Our son has already suffered from this gold sickness; do not let other suffer. I do forgive you; will all my heart and my love for you remains."

"If you love me, stay!" Thorin pleaded, ignoring the impatient messengers outside.

"It is because I love you Thorin that I will leave with them. You will not save yourself, so let me safe you from the fate you now face if you decline them." Anya replied, her eyes watering as she finished speaking. With all the strength she could muster, Anya pulled open the door and gave one last look at the company before disappearing into the sunlight. Thorin's heart beat faster and faster as he watched out of the window, his love being taken hold of by the elven guards and pulled towards the encampment, leaving the man alone to speak with the king.

"See to it that you deliver your side of the bargain!" Bard spoke "… then and only then will the stone be returned to you."

"You hurt her and I will rip the mortal skin from your mortal bones!" Fili growled to Bard through the open door. Bard gave a slightly sad look and turned his back to the others, walking away. Thorin sat down under the window in disbelief at what just passed and placed his head in his hands. Tauriel sat next to the kingly dwarf and ignoring all thoughts that told her that Thorin would not appreciate it, she placed her hand atop his knee and spoke

"I do not think her fate will be sealed in death. Thranduil is selfish and will use all his power to get what he wants, but he is not a murderer of the innocent. He has a fascination with her that I do not understand. Take hope in the thought that she will remain alive, master dwarf…" Thorin raised his head and the she elf feared he would retaliate and so she quickly removed her hand, only to find that Thorin had reached out and grabbed it in his own. Turning to face her, the hate faded from his eyes as he looked at her.

"Out of your entire race, only two do I regard to be worthy of mention and befriending. Elrond of Rivendell and you, Tauriel, have my greatest thanks. You are proof that your kind do have a heart and do not seek the destruction of this kingdom and its inhabitants."

"I thank you for your kind words, Thorin" Tauriel responded with a smile and removed her hand from his, standing to her feet to take a quick look out of the window before descending the rocks to sit with the others.

"I am capable of walking myself, you bunch of pompous creeps!" Anya spat as she was being handled rather roughly, and pushed inside a rather large tent. Anya fell onto her hands and knees and growled out of frustration.

"I would be grateful if you did not speak to my men as such" A regal voice sounded in the tent and Anya glanced up, her eyes locking on to those that belonged to the elven king as he sat in a make shift throne.

"Oh it's you…" She seethed, scrambling to her feet "… I will speak however I wish to whomever I wish" She spat. Thranduil raised his eyebrows at the woman. She had much more confidence since her departure from Mirkwood and almost an aura about her. She became even more intriguing to him. His ice blue eyes then trailed down to her stomach and noted that it was no longer swollen. She must have given birth, Thranduil thought, as he lent back in his chair. "What do you want with me?"

"You have something about you… something more than what humans possess. I first noticed it when we met, and even more so now…" Thranduil answered in a riddle. Anya scoffed and glanced at the soldiers protecting their king at the mention of her having some sort of ability.

"I don't have any powers if that is what you are trying to get at. If I did, I would know of it…" Anya replied, but then suddenly memories of what she did to Fili in Erebor flooded her mind. Perhaps she did have some sort of power. Nevertheless, she feigned innocence. Thranduil smiled and silently dismissed his men before coming to stand before the woman, ignoring her statement.

"You have recently had your child?" Thranduil inquired, glancing down, once more at the smaller stomach which was once bulging.

"Had and lost" Anya spat, taking a step backward. Anya could have sworn that a genuine look of sorrow for her loss passed over the face of the elven king. Stalking around her, until he came to stand directly behind her, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I know what it is to feel grief from losing a loved one. I lost my wife many moons passed." Thranduil spoke out of sincerity but also as a means of gaining the woman's trust once more.

"You do have some emotions then" She retorted sarcastically, feeling disgusted at this male, though she made no attempts to pull away. Thranduil ignored her snide remark and came to stand in front of her once more.

"Remain with me and I shall give you all you desire" He spoke, suddenly very serious.

"Sorry, but im not attracted to you in any way shape or form" She said, crossing her arms.

"I do not mean my statement in romantic terms, human. But I will give to you all your hearts desires if you remain by my side and fight for my cause, leaving those wretched dwarves where they are."

"My allegiance is with them. So, no"

"Yet you willingly left them to come here?"

"To save them" Anya defended, taking a step towards the elf, feeling anger rise up inside of her.

"You neglected your allegiance to answer the call of their enemy" Thranduil taunted and not a moment later he found himself on his knees, gasping for air. Anya's eyes bore into the blonde haired male as her fists clenched and her jaw locked. Thranduil looked into the woman's eyes with a hint of fear. The pale blue that once was there was replaced by fire. He was all too well familiar with fire, its wrath and ruin, and felt his knees quake underneath him. "If you harm me, my men will kill you" He gasped between breaths. Anya chuckled, though her tone was no longer feminine but dark.

"I have been to the Halls of Mandos. I have spoken with the Valar. Death does not scare me!" She said in luscious, dark tones.

"You have spoken to the Valar?" He gasped in shock, his chest rising and falling quickly in a futile attempt to grasp more air.

"I owe nothing to you. I will not serve you. I only serve myself" was her reply.

"You sound like the dark lord himself!" Thranduil spat, finding strength to stand to his feet, though he still gasped for air.

"No, I am far from the lieutenant of Melkor…" She began and Thranduil felt a sickness rise in his stomach as the mortal mentioned a name long forgotten. "… I am not darkness, for I was given rebirth by Mandos himself whom is of pure light. But I am anger. I am grief. For I feel these things in my soul. Do not compare me to evil. The evil in this room is you" She spat and in that second, Thranduil could breathe once more and Anya fell to the ground unconscious. Thranduil took in what was said in those moments, standing still, somewhat shaken. She truly had power; something that would be very useful against enemies, he pondered. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he knelt back down and reached his hand out to place it on the woman's forehead. This mortal truly was as powerful as he thought, if she indeed had council with the Valar and was given rebirth. He was unaware that she had even passed on into death. Slowly waking, aided by the soft stroking on her head, Anya woke. Staring up at the Elven king she frowned. "Why am I on the floor?" Anya asked, confused once more.

"You do not remember? You spoke of Melkor, of the Valar in a tone not quite your own" Thranduil stated, standing to his feet to make way for the woman to rise again.

"I have no idea what you are talking about" She snapped. "Is this your way of brainwashing me again? Telling me tales to make me believe them? I've never heard of Melkor!" Thranduil found this strange and took his seat on his throne, ignoring the woman. So, it was anger that brought out her power, but she did not remember a thing afterward. Secretly Thranduil grinned inside. If that is what it took then he would use it as his advantage against the dwarves, against all his enemies. Shooting his eyes up at the woman, he said in a cold, cold voice

"You will remain here."

.0

"It has been a while since the escorts came to speak with us; do you think Anya is ok?" Nori spoke in the painful silence.

"Im sure someone is approaching now for I can hear the pattering of footsteps against the ground in the distance…" Tauriel answered as she leaned into the dark haired prince. Kili smiled, accepting the warmth, though his smile faltered when he looked at his uncle. Thorin was withdrawn, frozen almost, his arms hugging his body tightly. Bifur rose to his feet and made his way over to the widow, calling out in old Dwarvish.

"What do you mean cousin?" Bombur replied followed by another conversation in the old language. Thorin's eyes shot forward on hearing Bifur's reply amongst grumbles.

"Dain is coming?" He inquired and Bifur nodded his head eagerly, his axe slightly moving. "That is reassuring"

"Perhaps not" Balin spoke "The elves and men will regard it as a threat. War is imminent; I can feel it"

"No matter what, we will face death then…" Fili grumbled, though loud enough for all to hear.

"My Lord Thranduil, a dwarven army approaches. Many there are, and broad is their armour!" An elf spoke quickly, bursting into the Elven kings tent. Thranduil seethed, glaring between the mortal woman and the soldier.

"War it is then; ready the men!" was his reply and the guard left the tent immediately.

"You will be the death of us all" Anya snapped, trying to fight the bonds that were now wrapped tightly around her wrists behind her back.

"Hold your tongue, mortal. You will not face this war without doing your part also…"

"What do you mean?"

"You shall see…."