I'm alive! And chapters keep coming to me. Please enjoy this one. It is about to get really crazy.

I decided to keep Adaira's age as is too.

Mels

Traveling through the Misty Mountains was like nothing I could have ever imagined in my wildest dreams. Having never seen a mountain before, I was in for quite a few surprises, the towering stone leaving me breathless as I looked out over the world that I now lived in. The days were long, dragging on as we dragged our feet the further we traveled. Some of the Company complained of aching feet and while I shared in their misery, I pushed through it, knowing that what lay at our journeys end was a stable and prosperous home for our people. The time for song and celebration was over. Now our path was more treacherous, and we would need our wits about us.

Dwalin stayed close to my side and I was thankful for his never-ending support. Thorin had us walking from dawn until the light left us at dusk. The paths were very narrow, and we trudged on in single file lines, barely even finding enough room to camp at night. Bilbo seemed to be faring the worst of us all. As Gandalf had said, he was accustomed to the gentle rolling hills of the Shire. Bilbo fell to the back of the Company many times and Thorin continued to grow annoyed by the fact that he was slowing us down.

The more that Thorin voiced his ire, the slower I walked, purposefully taking shorter strides which forced Dwalin and Gloom to slow down too. Those in front of or behind us had to also slow down and Bilbo had a chance to catch up and catch his breath. Thorin never begrudged my slower pace due to my inexperience with any type of hill or mountain and for the simple fact that darrow were practically trained since birth to do everything they could to protect and care for their women. If I had to walk slower, they all would walk slower to accommodate my needs.

As for Gandalf, the wizard had yet catch up with us. Thorin had encouraged us to leave without him, banking on the opinion that he would easily be able to follow us. Days passed without hide or hair of Gandalf sighted and thus we continued to press on, now knowing that we had to reach the mountain before Durin's day. As we journeyed forward, I began to feel surer of myself. My footsteps were no longer clumsy, and I swore that I could feel a niggling sensation somewhere behind my navel that guided me as we passed through the mountains.

The higher in altitude we got, the colder it became, and I was glad that my cloak had come with me. I was thankful for my cousins then too. They both were like mini furnaces and I gladly slept between them for warmth, my One never too far away. I knew that Dwalin was not fond of the situation. He felt as if he should be the one ensuring that I didn't freeze. When the paths could accommodate us, Dwalin and I walked side by side and he tucked me close to him to warm me. Even if the wind howling through the mountain paths was too loud to talk over, we communicated well enough, talking in Iglishmêk, the khazad sign language or just through our actions.

This leg of our journey was not very conducive to courting. There was no time for a moment alone, no time for anything really. The moments that we did have together, were even more special because of that. Thorin seemed to be very lenient with us, as I was under the impression that not a lot of public affection was shown during traditional Dwarven courting, if any occurred at all before the engagement.

Dwalin took his cues from me about what I was comfortable with. He never pressed me further than what was appropriate. I had little time to try out my new axes, but Dwalin had already promised me lessons as soon as we were able. I wished that I could have given Dwalin his courting gift already, but he seemed to be very good-natured about it, knowing but there were few opportunities to properly do things strictly to tradition on the road.

Be that as it may, I had secretly been working on a courting gift for Dwalin since I never got to present him with my first gift. Dori as it just so happened was a master tailor. He'd been only too happy let me dig into the supplies he had brought with him. At night whether by the light of the moon or of the campfire, I sat and sewed, embroidering what was to be a kilt for Dwalin. The idea had come to me as I had inspected the wool and cloth Aredhel had gifted me.

I was unsure if Dwalin would even like it, afraid that he would take one look at it and refuse to wear it, but I hoped he would let me explain that it wasn't just a skirt before refusing it. My fingers were raw from the constant tugging of the thread through the fabric, but it would be worth it in the end. I was embroidering a story on the kilt. The story of Durin the Deathless, a great warrior himself and our ancestor.

Dwalin had been impressed with the simple embroidery on the cloak I had made myself and now I hoped to use my skill for him. This kilt would be very different, made of embroidered cotton over wool. It would be both functional and finery befitting Dwalin's station. I had much still to work on, but it was going places. It was easy enough to work on without much notice being taken to it as everyone had much on their minds and to them, I was simply sewing. The only one I showed my work to was Dori, asking his opinions on it and getting feedback where it was needed.

When the rain started, we continued forward, all of us too grumpy to speak with one another without arguing. The slippery and wet paths made our task all the harder. Dwalin kept a firm grip on me catching me where I began to slip. The rain plastered my hair to my face, and it was all I could do to remain upright. Darkness fell around us and without the sun, we could not tell what the hour was. The first bolt of lightning came down with a loud electric crack, I began to worry that we wouldn't make it through the night. The thunder was so loud that it hurt my ears and every time it rumbled out, I felt it vibrate through me. I felt a feeling of foreboding and hoped that nothing ill would befall us. There was a cliff on one side of us and a sheer drop on the other. We kept close to the rock face and I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified about slipping and falling off the mountain.

"Hold on!" Thorin shouted down the line and as Bilbo who as walking on the other side of Dwalin stepped forward, the stone beneath his feet gave away, and he started falling into the chasm. Dwalin managed to pull him back in time and I breathed a sigh of relief, my heart pounding in my throat. "We must find shelter!" Thorin shouted as the lightning got worse, striking the rock ahead of us and causing some of it to crumble down the cliffs ahead of us.

"Watch out!" Dwalin shouted, spotting something I hadn't, and I looked up in time to see a massive boulder hurtling through the air. Dwalin grabbed me and pulled me to him, turning his body so he was protecting me with his own as it hit the mountainside above us, causing rocks to fall all around us as we pressed ourselves against the mountain.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin shouted and I gaped in shock as Dwalin pulled me back upright. A massive stone giant pulled away from the nearby mountain and it ripped off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur shouted above the rain and wind and I came out of my shock as Dwalin grabbed my hand. The stone giant threw the boulder far into the air and I was caught in surprise once more as a second stone giant appeared from behind us and the boulder hit it in the head. The rocks beneath our feet began to give away from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks.

"Take cover: you'll fall!" Thorin shouted to us and I widened my stance so as to balance better, glad that Dwalin's hand was firmly over mine. I didn't even feel the pain from him squeezing it tightly then. I was just glad that he was by my side through this.

"What's happening?" Kili asked from the other side of me, as the others yelled at each other to brace and hold on or in fear. The ground between us began to split apart then and I got separated from Dwalin, now on one side of a rift in the rock with him on the other.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki..." Fili shouted, reaching for Kili's hand and as the two stone giants fought with their fists, we held on tightly as we were flung around. I grabbed hold onto Kili tightly and looked him right in the eye, pulling him to look at me.

"Don't let go of me, I won't let go of you!" I shouted to him over the wind and he nodded firmly before he grabbed a length of rope he had. He quickly tied some knots into it before he tied it around his waist and then around me.

There was some slack between the ropes, but it kept us secured. Bilbo had some how made it over to our group as we had gotten thrown around and I yelled for Kili to give me more rope. I quickly tied some tight knots into it, fisherman's knots which I had learnt from my father and I shouted for Bilbo to tie it around his waist. If the worst were to happen, we could pull ourselves up.

As the mountains continued to move around us, Thorin and the other half of the Company with Dwalin managed to jump to a different spot closer to us as we tried to just hold on. A third stone giant appeared then, and it threw a boulder at the head of the first one I had seen. That giant began to fall over, and I had one moment to say, "Shit," before I clutched onto Kili as it fell towards us.

Kili rolled to the side, pulling me with him and I felt myself slip on the wet, rocky ground. A tug came from behind me and I found myself falling as Kili screamed my name. As I began sliding over the cliff, I reached up and grabbed one of my new axes. I fell over the side and with all of my might, I brought down my axe into the rock face. It stuck into it and I clung to the axe and whatever hand and foot hold I could find. I chanced a look down and Bilbo was clinging to the rocks slightly below me, still tied to me. The hurt stone giant lost its footing and fell down the chasm near us as I grunted, wishing that I had not lived such as sedentary life before this.

"No! No! Kili! Adaira!" I heard Thorin shout, but it was his voice that nearly crushed me at how broken it sounded.

"Adaira!" Dwalin shouted and Kili grunted above me as he dug his feet in, now having to fight against my weight and Bilbo's pulling him down. I heard the group rushing over to us now that the rocks had settled, the battle over and I heard Balin and Bofur above us.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin shouted to Thorin as he made it over to us.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur asked as he looked around, finally noticing as Kili braced his feet.

"Where's Adaira?!" Dwalin thundered and I grunted before calling out to him.

"I'm here! We're both here!" I shouted and Ori spotted us clinging to the rocks first.

"There!" Ori shouted, pointing to us and Dwalin locked eyes with me as he finally spotted me. He swore loudly before pressing himself to the ground, reaching for me.

"Get him!" He shouted as I grunted, trying to reach Dwalin's hand, but he was just out of reach.

Ori dove down beside Dwalin and reached for Bilbo who was not that far below me and to my right. Bilbo reached for him, but he slipped and fell another few feet. I grunted as this pulled at me and I groaned as he finally caught another handhold.

"We're tied to Kili!" I shouted up to Dwalin and he looked around at Kili who was straining to not come flying over the edge with us. Dwalin immediately sprung up and grabbed the rope around Kili's waist and began pulling.

"Come on!" Dwalin shouted to the others and those closest to Kili grabbed onto the rope and began pulling. I grunted as I began to rise, my skin scraping against the stone. I reluctantly left my axe behind, unable to pull it free myself from where I had luckily embedded it into the rocks.

Bilbo cried out beneath me as he began rising too.

"Just let go! Hold onto the rope!" I shouted to Bilbo below me, but he was frozen in fear.

When I reached the edge, I threw my arm over the side and tried to drag myself up. Dwalin let go of the rope and grabbed me, pulling me up to safety. I grunted as the rope was tugged around my waist, threatening to pull me back over the edge. Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Bilbo then and he boosted him up, the others pulling him to safety. Dwalin let go of me and tried to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin lost his grip and began falling too. He grabbed onto my axe and this stopped his fall, allowing Dwalin to grab onto him and with quite a bit of effort, pull him back up. When Thorin rolled over the edge, panting as he laid on his back, he had my freed axe in one hand.

"I almost thought we would lose our burglar never mind Adaira," Dwalin commented as he helped me to my feet and Thorin allowed Gloin to help him up before he handed Dwalin back my axe, Dwalin giving it back to me.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us and now he almost cost Adaira her life," Thorin said with venom as he looked at Bilbo who was still frozen in fear next to Bofur and Ori. "Dwalin!" He shouted and Dwlain looked down at me and reluctantly let me go to follow Thorin. The rope was cut free from out waists and I took a few calming breaths before turning to Bilbo.

"Bilbo," I said as I turned to the hobbit and he looked up at me with wide hurt filled eyes. "He didn't mean it. He's just lashing out because he was afraid that he almost lost us," I told the Hobbit and he nodded before Balin placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Come on lass," Balin told me and I let him lead me to the cave that Thorin had spotted just ahead of us.

"It looks safe enough," Dwalin commented as he began to inspect the cave.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied," Thorin told him and Dwalin searched the cave with a lantern as I frowned deeply. Goblins lived in the mountains. I had never seen a goblin before, but they were relatives of Orcs, cave dwellers as they hate sunlight. Maybe what I had seen in the water were goblins.

"There's nothing here," Dwalin told Thorin as Gloin walked around me as I stood at the mouth of the cave and he dropped a bundle of wood on the floor and rubbed his hands together.

"Right then! Let's get a fire started," Gloin said and Thorin quickly dashed that idea.

"No, No fires, not in this place. Get some sleep. We start at first light," Thorin ordered and Balin stepped forward as I caught Thorin's eye and raised an eyebrow.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan," Balin said to Thorin, reminding him of what I had told them in Rivendell.

"Plans change," Thorin told Balin dismissively before looking towards the hatted dwarf who had rolled out his bed roll and was beginning to settle in for the night. "Bofur, take the first watch," He ordered before he gently took me by the arm and led me deeper into the cave. "Best get some sleep while you can," Thorin told me and I rolled my eyes and pulled my arm free from his grip.

"I know you are just upset and worried because you almost lost Kili and I, and I know that makes you wonder if you are still doing the right thing about letting us come with you, but what you said with Bilbo right there was uncalled for," I scolded Thorin and he looked at me raising one eyebrow as his face took on a haughty and angry expression.

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion or for you censure," Thorin told me in a low voice and I raised my eyebrow at him. "I am the leader of this Company," He added, and I smiled at him almost mockingly.

"Then by all means, act like an ass," I told him with a slight bow before I walked away from him and tucked myself into the very back corner of the cave, pulling my legs up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them as I shivered. Dwalin was the one who approached me, and he didn't say anything as he sat down next to me and wrapped his blanket over me.

"I can't say Thorin's words were warranted but calling him an ass in front of the others wasn't exactly necessary either," Dwalin grumbled beside me and I turned my glare onto him for a moment. He just looked back and me and I sighed deeply, rolling my eyes.

"I get it, but this is difficult enough without us taking it out on each other. Thorin has done nothing but be an ass to Bilbo. I get it, he doesn't like the fact that Gandalf forced the Hobbit on him, but Bilbo has as much to offer to this quest as we all do, something I keep reminding Thorin. It wasn't Bilbo's fault that he fell, nor was it mine. And yes, he was pulling me down, but that was because I tied us together. That was all me," I grumbled to Dwalin, the dwarf just listening to me vent.

"It was quick thinking and yeh did well on that lass, but please, calm down" Dwalin told me before he coaxed me out of my ball and I sighed as he practically lifted me so that I was sitting between his legs and relaxing on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me, the blanket over both of us now.

Even though we were both soaking wet, the moment was a perfect respite from the road. I closed my eyes, enjoying Dwalin's warmth and after a short while, Dwalin picked me up into his arms as he stood. I groaned slightly and rolled in his arms, pressing my face into his chest and he gently laid me down on my bed roll. He started to move away from me and I opened my eyes, grabbing his hand and he looked down at me, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Stay," I told him, and he blew out a breath.

"Yah, no I can't," He said, and I shook my head and tugged on his hand.

"Just for tonight, stay," I told him, and he nodded before he left to grab his own bed roll. He came back and laid it out next to me and as soon as he laid down, I rolled over and put my arms around him. His arms wrapped around me too and he pulled me closer so that I was resting partially on his chest. We piled our blankets up over us both and I sighed in relief as I cuddled close to him.

"Sleep, amrâlimê. Men lananubukhs menu," Dwalin told me in a low voice as I rose and fell with every breath he took and I opened my eyes sleepily and lifted my head as he looked down at me.

"Men lananubukhs menu, Dwalin," I told him before I stole a kiss. It was slow and sweet and over all to soon. Dwalin tucked me closer to him then if that was even possible. Before long I fell asleep, blissfully unaware for a short while. I don't know exactly what it was that woke me up, but I woke with a start. Dwalin was snoring beside me, and I was still wrapped up with him, our arms and legs tangled as I used his chest for a pillow.

"Where do you think you're going?" I heard Bofur ask someone in a whisper and I frowned before turning my head around so that I could see the mouth of the cave. Bilbo was at the mouth of the cave, his bags packed and his new walking stick which he had picked up from the side of the path while we walked in his hand.

"Back to Rivendell," Bilbo answered Bofur as I tried to extricate myself from Dwalin's arms which was hardly easy. As soon as I moved, he was pulling me back to him.

"No, no, you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us," Bofur tried to assure Bilbo as I finally got away from Dwalin's arms and began to pull myself upright.

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right," Bilbo whispered, and I saw him look over in my uncle's direction. Thorin looked to be sound asleep and I rolled my eyes as Bilbo looked back at Bofur as I pulled myself to my feet. "I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door," Bilbo continued as I quietly made my way through the others to reach them.

"You're homesick; I understand," Bofur told Bilbo and the hobbit frowned before shaking his head.

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do you're dwarves. You used to to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere," Bilbo said,and I stopped in my tracks, taking offence just as Bofur seemed to given his expression. "I am sorry, I didn't..." Bilbo tried to apologize, looking repentant.

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere," Bofur told Bilbo, sounding thoughtful. "I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do," Bofur assured him, smiling and placing his hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"Tell Adaira I appreciated her kindness, I don't know what I would have done without her," Bilbo told Bofur and I stepped up behind him and placed a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

"You can tell me yourself," I told him, and Bilbo squeaked slightly before turning around quickly.

"A-Adaria…," Bilbo stuttered, and I bent down slightly so that I could look Bilbo in the eyes. "I-I'm terribly sorry…," He began, and I cut him off with a shake of my head.

"You have to do what you think is right Bilbo. If that is going back to Rivendell than I won't stop you. However, someone told me recently that not all warriors wield a sword," I told Bilbo and he frowned before looking down at his own sword.

"What's that?" Bilbo asked as Bofur looked down at it too and I noticed that something was glowing around Bilbo's sword, he pulled it partway out of its sheath and the blade was glowing bright blue. I remembered Gandalf's words then, elven blades glowed blue when Orcs were near. The three of us froze as strange machinery noises reached our ears and I looked down as I heard the sand from the bottom of the cave moving. Large cracks had formed in the sand on the floor of the cave and I frowned as I stared at them.

"Wake up. Wake up!"Thorin suddenly shouted and before any of us could react, the floor of the cave collapsed downwards. With a thought of "Not again," I realized that the floor had really been a trap door as we plunged downwards into the dark. I screamed as we fell, hearing Dwalin shouting for me and I tried to shout back to him to find him. I caught sight of Dwalin as we crashed into a chute, but I lost sight of him as he and the rest of the Company fell down one side of the chute and me the other as they broke off into two paths. I heard Dwalin yell my name once more, but his voice sounded so far away.

Further and further I fell, and I began to worry that the tunnel had no end. I fell out of the chute, falling through the air before hitting a pile of something with a loud bone snapping crack. I waited for the pain but felt nothing and when I opened my eyes, I saw a strange glow on the cavern walls. My first that was glow worms and I realized I wasn't so far off from the truth. I looked down at what I had fallen on and I grimaced, skittering away as I looked down at the pile of bones which I had landed on. I looked back up the chute and grimace. Where in Mahal's name was I?

Khuzdul:

Khazad- Dwarf/Dwarves

Amrâlimê- My love

Men lananubukhs menu- I love you