Hey guys, a little late with this chapter, but was not in the right frame of mind to do any editing and uploading yesterday. . .I'm not really today, but I need to get this out to you all, I don't want to keep you waiting any longer than you have done in the past with this story. So, here's the next chapter for you, I hope you enjoy xx

Tibblets – I am glad you're enjoying this xx

The Truth Comes Out

Darkness. That is all I see. I can hear voices nearby, voices I recognise as my company, my friends. . .my family.

Opening my eyes, I groan as the light of the sun hits me, making me close my eyes once again.

"Caladwen?" I hear a voice call out.

I recognise the voice as Bofur and soon feel him kneeling beside me.

"Someone get Thorin, she's waking up."

I hear feet hurrying away before I turn my head to Bofur, opening my eyes slowly this time and see his jovial face looking at me, though I can see the worry in his eyes.

"W-Where. . ."

"Shh, don't talk, lass. Thorin will be here soon." Bofur tries to soothe me.

Soon enough, I hear his voice calling my name. Turning my head, I see him rush over to me. He takes my outstretched hand as he kneels beside me.

"I am here." he says as he kiss my hand and then my lips. "Thank Mahal you're alright."

I just smile as I look him over. "I'm fine. Are you alright?"

He gives a small chuckle as he helps me to sit up. "I'm fine, amrâlime, I'm just relieved to see you finally awake."

I sit back, laying against him as I rest my head on his chest. "How long have I been asleep?"

"A couple of days."

I instantly pull back to look to him, eyes widening slightly, "A couple of days? What about Azog?"

"Do not worry. We are ahead of him by another few days at least, thanks to the Eagles."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I would not be able to face Azog with the condition I am in right now.

"Which reminds me. You may not want to talk about it. . .but I have to know. You and Azog. . .how is it he knows you?"

I look up at him. "What makes you think he'd know me anymore than you?"

"I did not pass out straight away, not only did I hear you speak in Black Speech, but just the way he looked at you. . .it made me feel as if there was something more there."

I look to him for a few moments before looking away with a sigh. I had wanted to keep this secret to myself for a little longer, until Azog was defeated at least. But, the past certainly has a way of catching up with you when you least expect it.

I nod as I look up to him. "Okay. I'll tell you. But, I'd prefer to tell all of you. This is something I don't want to keep remembering. A part of my life that I would rather forget."

He nods as he gently swoops me up into his arms, causing me to gasp in surprise as I wrap my arms around his neck. He then carries me over to the camp fire where everyone else is sat around. They all look up and smile in relief.

"Cal! You're alright!" Kili calls out.

"Sort of." I reply as I wince in pain from the wound on my side as Thorin gently lowers me on the ground, resting me against a fallen tree.

"Are you sure you're alright, Caladwen?" Bilbo asks as he comes next to me.

I smile at him. "I will be, Bilbo. But, never mind that for the moment. I do not know what Thorin has said to you, if anything, about his fears of Azog and myself, or whether any of you were to notice anything for yourself." As I pause, I notice a few of the others give nods while others look confused. "Well, Thorin is right to be concerned. I have met Azog before, and not just during the Battle of Azanulbizar. . .and I am about to tell you of that now."

"Are you sure about this, my dear?" Gandalf asks, knowing personally how traumatising that encounter was for me..

I nod to him. "I am. They deserve to know the truth. Especially Thorin."

Thorin turns to Gandalf. "You know what she is talking about?"

I stand up for my friend. "He does. He will come into this story at the end. . .as the one who saved my life."

They all look to Gandalf before turning back to me. I sigh as I look into the fire for a moment, wondering where to start.

"Well, it all started around sixty years ago. I had decided to make a surprise visit to a friend in Rohan, so I planned to go over the Misty Mountains and follow the Anduin river South, fate wasn't on my side however. I was crossing the Mountains when I was ambushed by a large pack of Orcs. They killed my horse before circling me, I fought them off as best as I could, but I was far too outnumbered, I was soon knocked out. When I next opened my eyes, I found myelf in a small cell, and looking out of the little window, I found myself within the Ancient Kingdom of Angmar. . .in Gundabad."

Thorin lifts his head up at this, shock and surprise in his eyes. "Gundabad? You said your mother. . ."

I nod. "What I told you was true. My mother did indeed die there, not long after my brith. But, what I failed to mention was that I was also taken there, many years later. I thought I was living a nightmare. . .I never realised just how bad the nightmare would become. I was thrown into a cell and left there.

I do not know how long I was left there. It could have been minutes, hours or even days. But soon enough, that is when I met him. . .Azog the Defiler with his clawed arm."

"Clawed arm? Was this after the battle of Azanulbizar?" Balin asks me.

I nod. "Yes."

Thorin looks to me with an expression I cannot read, hopefully he wouldn't hold this against me. "You knew Azog was alive after then? Why did you not tell me?"

I look to him. "Thorin, this was a part of my life that I just wanted to forget. Just pretend it's a horror story from a book. My recovery from what happened was hard for me to go through, I did not want to bring all that back up, nor put all that burden onto your shoulders, especially since you already have the burden of Erebor upon you. And anyway, I thought that maybe you had already known. Azog made it no secret that he was trying to find you. He realised I knew you and would do anything to try to get information out of me. Something he did not succeed in, I assure you."

He doesn't say anything at first, but he nods in understanding before gesturing me to continue.

"I was held captive there for just over three years. Everyday I was taunted, tortured, pushed to work for them. I was often threatened to be fed to the Wargs if I did not do what was asked of me. Although, that did not stop them from pitting me against the beasts."

Thorin looks to the lower half of my face, where the scars I received from the Warg are. Lifting his hand, he gently runs his fingers over them.

"So, when you say you got into a fight with a Warg?"

"More like pushed into a fight. They would have me fight the Wargs or other Orcs without rest for their own amusement."

He scowls and I can feel the anger radiating from him as he sits himself next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I look down, burying my head in his chest, trying to hide my tears as I feel them come.

"There were many days where I had wished for death to take me. . .wished to join my mother in Mandos. . .but there was always one thing that stopped me from fading."

"What was that?" Fili asks.

I say nothing. All I do is look Thorin in the eyes.

He looks at me in surprise. "Me?"

I nod as I hold the courtship braid he gave me. "You kept me strong, Thorin. You kept me alive through all of my time there. I had always feared that you hated me after what my father did to you and your people, even with Frerin reassurance, I couldn't bring myself to believe him. But your love still kept me going."

There's silence for a moment before Dwalin speaks up; "How did ya escape, lass?"

"I had made several escape attempts in the last months of my capture, none of which were successful. But, one day, when I was doing my chores, I had noticed a knife had been left out in the open. With no one around, I took it and kept it hidden away until the time was right. A few days after, when one of the Orcs came to bring me food, I pretended to be dead, just laying there on the ground. As he came close to me, I jumped up and stabbed him in the neck, waiting until he was dead before leaving, locking the cell behind me. After finding a window, I squeezed out of it, scaled down the wall and ran as soon as my feet touched the ground.

I ran and ran, I did not know where I was going, but I still ran, anywhere was better than the place I had left. I do not know how long it was before I eventually collapsed in the snow, exhaustion, hunger and lack of water taking it's toll on me. That's when I saw a rider close by and after getting their attention, realised it was Gandalf. He lifted me onto his horse and made haste to Rivendell where Lord Elrond had healed me. I stayed in Rivendell until my strength came back. It was almost thirty years before I found the courage to leave the safety of the elven halls and into the wild once again."

Again, no one said anything as they took in my story.

"That night I heard you mumbling in your sleep, it was a nightmare, wasn't it?" Thorin asks carefully.

I nod as I look down to my left arm, taking a deep breath, I begin unlacing my bracer. "Yes. It was two, maybe two and a half after I was first captured when Azog decided it was time for him to 'claim me'"

I then toss my bracer to the ground before listing up the sleeve to reveal the Mark of Gundabad, the mark having faded slightly over time, but still there for all to see. I don't look up, even after hearing the gasps of shock coming from the others, nor at Thorin's hand tightening on my waist.

"He-he did that to you?" Kili asks, and I could hear the emotion in his face. Looking up, I could see his eyes glossy with unshed tears.

I nod. "He did. He wanted to make sure I never forgot my place. Never forgot I was a slave. . .that I will always be his." I shake my head. "There is only one who holds any sort of claim over me. And it is not him. . .it will never be him. . ."

I feel Thorin wrap him arm tightly around me, being careful of my wound at this.

After a few moments of silence, I place a hand on my wound as I stand. Thorin is instantly by my side.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks me.

"I hear a river nearby. I need to get cleaned up."

"Well, careful of your wounds lass. Don't want them opening up. Here," Oin then passes me some medical supplies. "You can change your bandages while you're there."

I smile. "Thank you Oin."

I turn and slowly make my way to the river, wincing with every step I take. Smiling as I see the water, I sit on a nearby boulder to rest a moment and take off my outer tunic. I jump as I hear a rustle from behind, turning I see Thorin standing behind me.

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thorin, it's just you."

"Sorry, I did not mean to startle you."

"It is fine. After that story, I am just a little jumpy."

He gives a small, tight smile. "I cannot say I blame you. I can stand guard for you, if that will make you feel safer."

I look to him for a moment, thinking on what he said before I nod. "Thank you. I would appreciate that. Only, could you turn around?"

He nods. "Of course. Here, I managed to retrieve your pack before we ran from Goblin Town. I gathered you would want some fresh clothing."

I smile as I take my pack from him. "Thank you Thorin, I appreciate the thought."

He bows his head in his reply before he turns his back on me, allowing me to carefully strip of my clothes and step into the water once I've let my hair free of its braids. As I sit in the river, I glance to the back of Thorin, hoping that now he knows everything, it has not changed anything between us. Would he think any different of me now? Given on how he held me close throughout the story, I believed he doesn't, but I don't want to just assume.

I spend a few moments getting rid of the dirt, grime and dried blood from my body and hair before I slowly stand, get out of the river and dry myself off with my old tunic. Looking in my pack, I find a clean pair of leggings and a loose fitting shirt, which won't rub on my stitches. I put on the leggings and hold my shirt over my breasts.

"Thorin, I need your help."

"What is it?" he asks, turning his head slightly, but not enough to see me.

"Can you help me dress my wound? I am decent, do not worry."

He turns and I hear him take in a breath through his teeth. Whether that is seeing my state of undress or my wound, I do not know. However, he does kneel in front of me and gently redresses the wound on my side. Once I have slipped my shirt on, he gently spreads some salve on the cut on my head, before he wraps that again.

I give him a small smile before I pull away slightly and bend down to pick up my old clothes. Hearing something clatter to the ground, I look down and see the courtship and engagement beads Thorin gave me. Thorin picks it up and holds them in his hand for a moment before looking to me, a questioning look on his face.

"May I?"

I smile and nod. "You may."

I stay still as he reaches forward and expertly makes the two braids on the left side of my face, clipping the beads on the end. Smiling down at the beads as they rest on my shoulder, these are the claims that I want and desire. Azog may have thought he had claimed me, but I was right, only one has a claim on me and that is the dwarf sitting in front of me.

I smile at him. "Thank you."

He smiles back. "You are very welcome."

We just sit there for a moment, looking at one another, before I turn away, picking up the clothes I set down.

"Let us head back before the others come looking for us."

He places a hand on my wrist to stop me as I make to stand.

"Wait, there's something I want to say first. Knowing now what happened to you, what you had to endure from the Orcs, I feel no differently about you than I did before. Not negatively at least, I had the feeling you were fearing rejection if I knew. But, after hearing everything, the only thing I can feel is pure love and pride for you."

I look up at him, in surprise, my heart fluttering slightly. "Y-You do?"

He nods. "How could I not? You know that dwarves wear battle scars as badges of honour from all we have been through. To know what you have been through, and yet are still here to tell the tale, bearing the biggest and deepest scars I could ever think of. . .I couldn't be more proud of you. And just know, you never will, nor have you ever, have the need to doubt my love for you. I have loved you from the first moment our eyes met in Erebor all those years ago. That love will never ever die. This I promise."

I smile as I wrap my arms around him, feeling his go around my waist as he holds me to him. I hold back from openly weeping right here and now, his words bringing such relief to my scarred heart. I know he had already given me some reassurance in Rivendell, but to hear it again after telling my story, I can finally have hope for our future.

"And I love you, Thorin. I have never stopped loving you."

He pulls away, smiling as he brushes a strand of hair from my face before placing a gentle hand on my face and bringing me in for a deep and passionate kiss. Again, as always, I let out a soft sigh, his kisses always having the ability to take my breath away. A feeling I pray will never end with him. Now that we are together again, now that there are no doubts of each other's love, we can continue on with this quest, knowing that at the end, our dreams of the future will finally come true.

Well, there it is. Everyone knows the truth know, and Thorin still loves her, possibly even more so now. We'll be going to Beorn's in the next chapter, so stay tuned for that. Please keep your lovely reviews coming, I love hearing from you all xx

Translations;

Amrâlime – My Love