Disclaimer: I don't own any familiar characters, and or anything pertaining to the world of the Hobbit. All, but my ocs, are owned by J.R.R Tolkien (who probably hates us for doing this to his work).

Chapter 4

Fili paced back and forth before his uncle's study, trying to make up excuses in his mind. While his uncle loved him and Kili dearly, he didn't hesitate to call them out on their mistakes. Fili let out a deep breathe gathering what little courage he had before knocking on the oak door.

"Come in," Thorin mumbled from the other side, Fili opened the door flooded by the warmth of the burning fireplace. The King study was spacious and filled with the pride of their heritage. Dwalin and Balin sat in chairs around the fire puffing at their pipes as Thorin sat hunched over his large desk that was filled with parchment. He had shed his beautiful coat leaving it to hang on the back of his chair. His hands ran over his raven hair, since reclaiming Erebor little had changed about the dwarven king. He was a bit more grey, but that was to be expected with the added pressure of running a kingdom. Thorin looked up from his paper to set his eyes on his nephew, and heir. Dwalin and Balin let out a small cheer as the boy came into their view. A smile broke across the King's stony face as he sat up from his desk moving to embrace his kin.

He pushed himself from the table; his arms held out as they clapped around Fili. Thorin, though truly taken on his responsibility as king, had a weight lifted off him. He was much more affection to his heirs, and even his dearest friends now. Thorin brought his hand to cup the back of Fili's neck connecting their foreheads for a moment before embracing him fully. Fili allowed himself to enjoy the moment knowing his uncle's good spirits would disappear soon, though his affection had grown his temper was still as fierce as ever.

Thorin smacked Fili's back, clamping his hand on Fili's shoulder. "How was the meeting in Dale, did the elves put up much of a fight."

Thorin laughed patting Fili's shoulder, Fili let out a nervous chuckle. "No no it was fine, other than Bardram threatening to tear their pretty little heads off, the agreement came in the end." Fili managed to control his voice, but could not meet his uncle's icy eyes.

Balin let out a hardy laugh "Bardram is not known for his charming personality, much like my dear brother."

Dwalin grumbled but said nothing to his brother jabs, merely rolling his eyes. Thorin smiled at his friends' banter. He turned to find Fili staring at the ground. Fili did not meet his gaze, he's acting like a dwarfling, Thorin thought to himself slightly amused by the sight. His cheerful smile dimed seeing that his younger nephew had not followed Fili. Kili had always come with Fili; the two were almost inseparable these days.

"Where is for brother Fili?" Thorin question a tone of panic had been taken in his voice. Even after all these years Thorin still felt the need to protect them, though they were capable warriors Thorin couldn't help but worry. "He is in the infirmary," Fili said a bit of quiver in his voice. Thorin jumped his eyes filled with full-blown panic.

"What!" He and Dwalin, now on his feet, yelled moving toward the door. Dis was going to kill him if something happens to Kili on a mission he had sent him out to do, but Fili jumped in front of them. He held his hands out stopping the two men from running out the door.

"Kili is fine. He's not the one who's hurt." Thorin felt the air leave his body and he relaxed. Dwalin grumbled about getting him worked up for nothing as he returned to his seat in front of the fireplace. He would never admit it, but Kili and Fili were the closest things to children he had and would do anything for them. Thorin furrowed his brow he knew Fili and Kili did not ride with his diplomats on trips such as these.

"What happened then? Where is your brother." Thorin demanded.

"We were an hour outside of Erebor, and I needed a break, so we stopped for a bit. Kili and I were shooting, when Kili found a girl." This caught Thorin's attention, his eyes darkening.

"She was severely injured… so we brought her to Erebor she is in the healer's wing now." Fili sprouted out quickly, trying his best to stand his ground. Balin stood up staring at the back of Thorin's head.

Thorin clenched his fist feeling his anger roll like waves inside him. "You brought a stranger into our home? How careless could you both be?" Fili flinched at Thorin's harsh tone.

"She was hurt, we could not simply leave her there to die." Fili defended himself, standing a little taller under Thorin's gaze. Thorin raised his eyebrow "Is she of man?" He questioned quietly. Fili did not meet his gaze, and that was all he needed for an answer.

"How could you bring her to our halls, how foolish could you have been!" Thorin yelled frustrated by his nephew's actions. A select few had seen the inside of Erebor, but even fewer had witnessed the true beauty of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin liked it that way. He didn't need any man or elves roaming his kingdom free to learn their secrets though he had made his peace with them five years ago. He wanted Erebor untouched, and yet it had been his nephew who had broken his simple rule. The tension ran through the room, Thorin's stony gaze cast on his heir. Fili let out a huff making himself look Thorin directly in the eyes. His back straightened and he came to his full height, he was tall for a dwarf, like his uncle.

"Thorin she was dying, and we had no time to return her to Dale, she would have died if we turned around. We only acted as you would have, finding a helpless girl nearing death on a path far from Dale." Fili stated with all the regalness of a King.

Thorin blinked glancing over his shoulder to see Balin smiling slightly at Fili's diplomatic response, Balin had taught Fili and Kili from when the time they were dwarfling. It was good seeing some of his teachings rubbing off on them. Thorin ducked his head his thick fingers linking through his front belt loops.

He thought for a moment before looking up at his sister-son, "Lead me to the girl, and we will speak on this further." Thorin instructed nodding Fili to lead the way to the infirmary.

As he walked out the door, he called for Balin and Dwalin over his shoulder, "Come you two," Dwalin sighed following after his friends. He didn't care to see a human child, he merely wished for one peaceful afternoon with his pipe — something he rarely had as a friend of Thorin's, and as Captain for the Kingsguard.

Kili's hands pushed into the girl's shoulder as Oin, Galin, and Deamra worked on her. Oin had been blindsided when Deamra pulled a small shred of glass from the girl's cut. Then the elder dwarf yelled at the young prince to tell him everything he knew about the girl, which had been nothing. Kili had nothing for them; she was injured when they found her. Galin had tended to her head wound and had begun to sew it up. The girl let out a blood-curdling scream, Kili felt panic though it didn't seem to faze the healers around him. The girl called out as her consciousness began to creep back to her. She is calling out for people named Felicity and Emma, whimpering the name Jack. Kili furrowed his eyebrow, had this Jack been the to do this to her.

Deamra placed a hand on Kili's shoulder.

"She is going to be okay, just try to keep her calm." Kili swallowed, keeping a strong grip on the girl.

Deamra began on her side wound, lifting the strange tunic she revealed the most significant injury. Kili quickly looked away wanting to give the girl some privacy. But hearing Deamra's gasped, Kili couldn't resist looking. Much to his surprise, it was not the wound that had caused her gasp. There on her ribs was a small, intricate black inked design. A long straight line split a crescent moon, echoed by two smaller wanning moons. Two stars burst at the edge of the arrow. The design had a labyrinth of details that flourished within the tattoo.

Deamra looked up to meet his gaze; it was scarce for a woman of any race to have a tattoo. Tattoos were for warriors, a sign of their time during battle and were off crudely done. Deamra came to her senses; she was showing off the girl's skin to the prince. Twin blushes bloomed on their cheeks; she batted at the young prince telling him to turn away. Kili yelped before spinning to face the wall, his cheeks still warm and the girl's tattoo burned into his mind.

A large hand enveloped Kili's shoulder.

"We will need some privacy cleaning up the rest of her wounds," Oin told Kili.

Kili nodded shift uncomfortable the girl's inked skin still hot on his mind. Kili cleared his throat looking down at the ground.

"Will she be okay, Master Oin."

Oin looked at Kili offering him a soft smile. "I think she will be, but we need to finish up cleaning her wounds."

Kili looked over at the girl lying still on the bed. Bloodied paper littering the floor around her, the healer's hands covered in the drying blood. Oin began to push Kili out of the room; he looked over his shoulder making sure she was still there. Oin slammed the door shut in Kili's face, Kili sighed sliding down the door. He laid head in his hands, unsure what to do with himself. He could go find Fili, but he had left his brother to face Thorin on his own. Fili probably didn't want to see him right now, Fili had always been better at handling Thorin than he had. Once when they were children in Ered Luin, and they had been caught putting a toad in Dwalin's bed. It had been Fili who had somehow managed to get them a less severe punishment, by sweet talking their uncle. So he had elected to sit outside the room waiting for any news on the girl's health, he felt responsible for the girl.

With a moment to think Kili began to wonder where the girl had come from. She didn't look like she was from Dale, surely she was of Man. But her clothing was odd, and nothing like he had seen in the city or valley before. Her trousers were tight and clung to the curve of her leg, and highly inappropriate for any lady to wear. Her tunic was far too big for her frame and had strange letters on the front. That brought him to her hair, her blonde locks touched her shoulders and had uneven ends. Hair cutting held deep meaning in dwarvish culture, for a dwarf to have their hair or beard cut has a sign of great shame. Though the girl, despite her height, was a human and perhaps didn't mean the same thing.

Then there was the matter of her tattoo ribs, though it was beautiful, it was foreign nevertheless. Kili thought it best to keep that to himself, the girl was strange and would be suspicious to his uncle. She didn't need something personal, to be questioned. Perhaps the tattoo had a meaning to the mysterious girl; it was none of his business to go telling his uncle of the marking on her ribs.

Deep in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed his uncle, brother, and friends around the corner that led to the girl's room.

"Kili," His uncle gruffed. Kili shot up from the ground, straightening his back as his uncle came closer.

"Where is the girl, Kili?" Thorin demanded, looking at his youngest nephew. Fili narrowed his eyes at Kili, who averted his gaze. Kili stood at his full height; his chin held high as he stood in front of the door. Thorin looked passed Kili to the door he stood in front of.

"Kili move out of the way," Thorin commanded. Kili had always been the rebellious one out of him and his brother. Thorin waited for his nephew to move, his anger mounting as Kili stood unmoving. Crossing his arms Kili matched Thorin's stance, Fili rolled at his brother and uncle's stubbornness.

"No," Kili spoke flinching as he said it, he may have long grown out of his dwarfling years, but he hadn't grown out of his fear of Thorin's temper. Thorin's eyebrows shot up, a stifled laugh coming from his advisor and captain behind him.

"No?" Thorin muttered, leaning closer to Kili. "No," Kili repeated," Master Oin is patching the girl's wounds up, and they need privacy." He said firmly, Fili sighed walking pass Thorin to join his brother's side. Thorin sighed aloud pinching his nose between his fingers before rubbing his jaw.

"Very well then we shall wait for Master Oin," Thorin paused glaring at his nephews," But do not think for one moment you two will come out of this clean."He barked the boys flinched.

"You brought a stranger into our halls; you were careless!" Thorin shouted.

"I think at least a month helping in the stables with Master Fardus will do you some good." Fili stood tall nodded accepting his fate, Kili, on the other hand, groaned at the idea of spending any amount of time with Master Fardus. The dwarf was ancient and treated them like troublesome dwarflings at all times. Fili saw his brother began to open his mouth to argue with their uncle until Fili swiftly kicked his brother getting him to shut his mouth. He knew his protest would only lead to added time to their punishment, a month with Fardus would already feel like an eternity. Thorin nodded satisfied with their discipline, for now, turning back to speak in hushed tones to Balin and Dwalin

Oin emerged from the room a short time later followed by Deamra and Galin; the three were covered in patches of blood along their arms. Fili felt his stomach tightened upon seeing the blood, a distant memory flooded in his mind. The memory of his own blood draining through the valleys of snow he laid dying on.

Fili turned his back on the healers, taking a moment to catch his breath. Had they been too late to save the girl? Fili didn't know if he could stand having the girl's death on his concessions. Oin was surprised to find the crowned princes, and king waiting outside of his door. He smiled welcoming his friends, patting the king's shoulder. Thorin nodded stiffly; his mood had not been lifted sitting outside of the healer's room only to have been defined by his nephews.

"Is the girl awake?" Thorin asked point blank, his hands locked together behind his back in their iron grips.

Oin took the towel, Deamra had brought out cleaning the vibrant blood from her hands, wiping off his own.

Oin shook his head, "No I'm afraid the lass is sleep," He sighed looking at his King," the poor thing has been through a great deal and is in need of some rest. I suspect she'll awake in a day or two."

Fili and Kili sighed the girl was going to be fine. Her death would not be on their hands.

"Show me the girl," Thorin commanded, Kili and Fili froze at the harsh tone of their uncle's voice.

"It's best-" Oin began before Thorin cut him off repeating his order. "Show me the girl, Oin." His voice deeper and far harshed this time.

Oin slowly nodded handing the bloodied towel to Galin, telling his two appreciates to check on their other patients. Galin bowed to the king and princes before hastened off, Deamra stood there for a moment looking between the room and her King. Thorin was taken back by the younger healers defense; she looked as if she wanted to stay and defend the unconscious girl. Thorin looked from Dwalin, who was as equally surprised, Deamra was a loyal subject and had never been trouble. Clearing his throat, Deamra realized what she was doing. A red blush spread across her cheek, bowing she hurried off joining Galin. The two whispered in hushed tones as they hurriedly disappeared around the corner of the hall.

Oin opened the door to reveal the dimly lit room. The healer's room wasn't as grand as the rest of Erebor; it was far more straightforward than Thorin's throne room, council chambers, or dining hall. Three candles decorated the wall along with a small cabinet filled with healing herbs, a little water basin, and a bed for the wounded. Thorin followed by his small company huddled through the door, quietly creeping toward the bundled lump that occupied the bed. The lump let out a moan, tossing and turning in the wool blanket that wound around her figure.

The group gathered around the girl, Kili came to the girl's right side meeting Thorin's gaze as he nodded to Kili. Gently Kili pulled the top of the wool blanket to reveal the girl's face. Fili stared at the pale face that snuggled into the thin pillow underneath her grasp. The color had begun to return to her skin, the wound on her temple was patched with a white bandage. The blonde locks were wet and undone from the messy ponytail that he had last seen her in. Fili saw his uncle's eyes lock on her short cut hair.

"Is she human, Master Oin," Thorin grunted taking note of her odd tunic, the top of the grey fabric peeking out of the top of the pulled back the wool blanket, ignoring the protest of his healer. The grey fabric was covered in two patches of crimson on either side of her. The tunic was large and swallowed her, and was torn in several places revealing the white bandages that cover her torso. The odd script was written in maroon color across the front of the ill-fitting tunic. Across the top was written in common "Avalon University" below it was a drawing of three trees reaching out to touch a maroon moon.

"It seems so, she is very short for the race of man," Oin figured.

"Perhaps she is just young." Balin offered as he too stared at the girl in question. Oin huffed pulling the blanket back over the girl's body covering her once more.

"I think that is quiet enough Thorin; the girl needs sleep. I will come and get you when she has woken." Oin snipped pushing the king out of the room. Thorin watched as Oin shut the door, anger once again flared in him. His nephews had brought in an unknown, potentially dangerous, stranger into their home. That left him feeling unsettled.

"You can't truly be that worried, Uncle?" Fili questioned leaning against the pillar that held up the looked at his oldest nephew, he had grown up a lot in the five years since they had reclaimed the mountain for their people, but there were still many things for him to learn.

"Never underestimate something because of its size or looks," Thorin commented thinking back on his quick judgment of their burglar, Bilbo Baggins, who was now a dear friend and hero to Erebor.

"Oin when she wakes, alert me immediately. I will have her escorted to Dale as soon as she wakes." Thorin announced much to Kili's dismay.

"We don't know that the girl is from Dale," Kili spoke. "Aye we don't, but she will be fine among her own race. She is none of our concern, Kili." Thorin dismissed before he veered down the long hallway, Dwalin and Balin following in his wake. "Send a raven to Master Bard inquiring about the girl," Thorin called over his shoulder.

"Be on time to the council meeting tonight, and we will speak no more on this subject," Thorin said over his shoulder before disappearing up the steps that lead to the royal wing.

"Maybe we should have turned around to Dale; it would have saved us a headache." Kili sighed watching his uncle and friends disappear. Fili couldn't help but agree with his brother.