"This is crazy, Nori –yeh don't even know the first thing 'bout takin' care o' babies!"

"Oh, that's a poor lie and you know it! If I didn't know how t' care for a child, then why's Ori still around?"

"Because Dori was overprotective an' didn't leave yeh alone with 'im for a minute." Dwalin crossed his arms as he stared down at Nori as he did his best to feed the child some mashed up berries. "Children take a lot o' work –work tha' yeh don't like puttin' the effort into!"

Nori rolled his eyes as he continued to feed the child. "What was I supposed to do, Dwalin? Leave him there to die? I may be a rogue, but I'm not evil." He looked back down at the child. "Alright, little one…it's time you start eatin' and stop playin', alright?"

The child –who Nori was calling 'Zori' for now- seemed to be more interested by Nori's braided beard. Even when Nori spooned the berry mash into his mouth, he'd merely blow raspberries and reach for his beard, tugging it and toying with it.

Dwalin shook his head. "I would'a left him outside someone else's door step," he mumbled. "Let him be their problem."

Nori threw a small glare up at him, but said nothing.

Will rubbed his forehead. "I'm just glad that we know where the three o' them are now," he murmured. "Granted, my sister's missin' some bits, but at least she seems t' be doin' well."

Bofur patted him on the back. "She's doin' better than what most o' us would be if we were in her an' Ori's predicament." He glanced over at Seth. "What about Tyko, though? What was his situation?"

Seth scratched the side of his neck. "Is in city's center. Will be hard getting him out; building is big and has so few rooms, but many occupants. Ehh…Seems to have become favorite concubine."

Bifur's brows furrowed. "Kuf anâk tada?"

"He wants t' know why you say that," Bofur translated before taking a drink from a flask. He glanced over at the horses, feeling a bit of pity for them. The grass in the area was not the soft, supple green grass that they had gotten to eat out in the fields, but a hard, wiry grass that was used to harsh climates.

"When spotted him," Seth replied, "was eh…having grand time with woman." He chuckled, shaking his head. "So could not talk to him. Managed to get layout of house, though."

Rán glanced up from her bedroll. "Good. Can you draw it?" she tiredly asked. Seth nodded. "Good. Also draw out its location relative to the wall, will you?" She rested her head back down on the ground, her eyes closing. "Bofur, do you remember the way to Baylee and Ori's location?"

He scratched the top of his head. "Er, a little bit."

"When Seth finishes, add in their location," she yawned. "We can start coming up with a proper plan when that is done." Unlike the others who went out the previous night, she hadn't gotten much in the way of sleep. She winced as Zori started to whine and snuck her hands over her ears.

"Uh-oh," Nori murmured. "What do you want, lil' one?" He started to lightly bounce the child on his knee but it was to no avail. Zori only started to whine more, his little hands curled into fists. "I fed you, so are you thirsty?" He tried to offer the child some water, but Zori turned his head away, letting out a small wail.

Lovisa hopped up from her spot and took Zori from Nori. Cradling him against her shoulder, she quietly cooed to him and patted his back. The action seemed to calm him a down a bit, bringing a smile to her lips –that is, until she smelled something quite disgusting. Her brow rising, she pulled back the cloth of Zori's diaper, peeking down it. Will snickered when she stuck her tongue out and glanced away in disgust.

"That bad, huh?" he asked.

Giving him a small glare, she nodded. Then, turning to Nori, she started to sign at him. 'Not happen to steal diapers?'

He grimaced. "No…"

She rolled her eyes and, grabbing Nori's hand, dragged him towards the nearby stream. As they left, Zori let out a rather large burp for a baby his size, earning a small cheer from the dwarves and some laughter from the rangers. A large, oblivious smile came to his face; he was just glad that the bubble hurting his tummy was gone.

Lovisa knelt down beside the stream and, using her teeth to tug off her glove, checked how warm it was. To her luck, it was quite warm thanks to being exposed to the sun most of the day. Nori watched as she made quick work of removing Zori's diaper, the sight and smell of which managed to make even him gag.

"Oh, Mahal, that is disgusting," he cringed, waving his hand in front of his nose.

She glanced up at him before holding up the child. Zori seemed to be in much better spirits now that his bottom was free of the stinky diaper and he reached out for Nori. Hesitantly, Nori took him and hopped across the stream, knowing she had meant for him to bath him. As he, too, knelt down, he watched as Lovisa shook her head and began the rather nasty process of washing the dirty diaper.

'Need boil water,' she signed to him after a few minutes.

"What for?" He was dangling Zori's lower half in the water, letting the current wash away any poo that was clinging to his bum.

'Wash diaper.'

"But you're washing it right now…?" He raised his brow, wiggling Zori slightly when he noticed that some of the poo was refusing to come off. Zori giggled, his little hands trying to reach down into the water so he could splash or grab a rock. Admitting defeat, Nori set the child down on the ground before ungloving his hands and moving to scrub away the rest of the poo.

'Need to boil. Stench go away. Stain sort of go away. Just cleaner to boil.' She found herself a bit surprised by how gentle Nori was being. 'Will need more diapers.'

He sighed. "I'll try and steal some tonight," he told her as Zori splashed his hands in the water, giggling. "After I boil my hands…"

Ori lightly shook Baylee, a frown on his features. "Baylee, it's past noon –you've got t' get up!"

She tiredly opened her eyes only to shut them against the midday light. Groaning, she pulled her blanket over her head. "Not now, Ori…"

"It's past noon, Baylee. We're worried about you!" Grabbing the foot of the blanket, he yanked it off of her, his brow rising as she curled into a small ball. "While I'm glad you're sleeping well, you need to get up." He watched as her eyes suddenly snapped open and she bolted upright. "Yes, noon, now come-" He faltered and smacked his hand over his eyes; during the night, Baylee's top had managed to skew itself. "You…may want to adjust your top…"

Glancing down, she squeaked and started to adjust the triangles of cloth back over her breasts. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Sorry…"

"Not your fault," he assured her. "How're your hands this morning?"

"Sore. Very sore." She frowned, feeling something jabbing into the bottom of her spine. Cocking a brow, she reached back and gasped as she felt the dagger hilt.

Ori frowned behind his hand. "What? What's wrong?" Peeking from between his fingers, he saw that she had covered herself again and was feeling along her back.

"Ori…Last night, I saw Bofur an' Rán." Her voice was quiet, but it was full of wonder, as if she didn't entirely believe her words.

He froze. "What?" Moving his hands away from his face, he watched as she drew a sheathed dagger from behind her. He swallowed hard, his eyes widening. "Baylee…where did you get that?"

"Rán gave it to me," she murmured, staring at the knife. She looked up at him. "I was out by the wall an' then Bofur just fell out o' the bushes an' trees, like he was some sort o' fruit."

"Well, he can be that," Ori murmured before quickly shaking his head. "But Rán was there, too?" he asked, brows knitted together. How in the world did Bofur get here?

She nodded. "Aye, he –no…no, Rán is a woman. That's right." Dropping the knife onto her lap, she rubbed her forehead. "But, aye! Rán an' her rangers are here with Bofur and the others." A hopeful smile appeared on her features. "We're goin' t' get saved."

The realization came slowly to Ori. He stared at her in shock, the news slowly, but surely, bringing a smile to his lips. When he finally entirely understood what Baylee had told him, he leapt forward onto the bed and hugged her tightly. They toppled backwards onto her pillows, laughing.

"Did he say when?" he asked, voice muffled by her shoulder.

"No, but he promised it'd be soon. Lad, you're kind o' crushin' me a wee bit."

Pushing himself upright, he gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry. That's just…the best news I heard all day."

"I would hope it's the only news you've heard," she mused, her brow rising as she glanced up at him.

He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away. "Not…really."

Baylee sat up, bringing her knees up. "Alright. What did ya hear?" she asked, frowning. "An' be honest."

"Damayanti is going to be coming over later today."

She froze. "What?"

Ori nodded and glanced away. "From what Jacek, Motke, an' Dag say, Vlasta is sort o' like the queen's confidant and lover, so Damayanti comes over here quite a bit."

Baylee clenched her teeth. "She had best stay away from you," she grumbled, crossing her arms.

Ori gave her a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Baylee. I know how t' handle myself."

"I know ya do, Ori, it's just…" Sighing, she rubbed the back of her neck. "Nori asked me t' watch over you an' I'm tryin' my best to do that."

"Nori…asked you to watch over me?"

She nodded. "Aye, he did. Though, I'm not doin' too good o' a job if I've let ya lose your beard an' get all felt up by some pathetic excuse for a queen." Lying back against the headboard, she plucked up the knife and drew it out of the sheath. She recognized it as dwarven make. 'One of the blades she got from Erebor, no doubt,' she thought.

"But it's not your fault any o' that happened. You weren't around when they pinned me down an' shaved my beard, nor could you really stand up t' a queen without severe –well, more severe- consequences taking place," he told her. "I don't blame you in the least an' I doubt Nori will blame you, either."

"I don't care 'bout the repercussions," she suddenly snapped. "If she touches ya like that again, I'll cut her fingers off!"

Ori swallowed hard, leaning away from Baylee –not because of her tone, but because she was pointing the knife at him. Despite how innocent she had looked a moment ago, he found her to be quite terrifying when she was angry and holding a knife. Realizing she still held the knife, Baylee sheathed it and sighed, rubbing her face.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "She just…Let's put it this way: I want t' cut off her fingers an' I have never, ever wanted t' hurt a person before in my life." Hearing a knock on her door, she sat upright, tucking the knife back under the waistband of her trousers. "Come in."

Motke opened the door and poked his head into the room. "Ah, are awake!" he smiled, stepping in. "Was wondering if would never wake. Since have missed morning meal, midday almost ready!" He stood with his hands on his hips, a broad smile on his lips. "But first, need bandages changed. Vlasta's orders. Not want hands to get eh…"

"Infected?" Ori offered.

"Yeah! Infected," he grinned. "Thank-you. Now come! Let's get bandages changed, yeah?" Walking over to Baylee, he helped tug her out of the bed before leading her out of the room. Ori followed on their heels, allowing himself to steal just a glance at her bum to make sure the dagger was hidden well.

'I just hope it stays in place,' he thought, shaking his head, 'and that she doesn't use it, no matter how angry she gets. This isn't a time for us to make rash decisions, especially when help is so close to coming…'

Half an hour later found Vlasta, her concubines, and Ori sitting out under the shade of some trees as they were brought lunch. Despite his role as a servant, Ori found himself being forced to sit down as other servants –these ones being female- brought out the plates, cups, food, and drink. The swelling around Vlasta's right eye had gone down quite a bit, though it was still deep blue and purple in color. Regardless, she seemed to be in good spirits.

"So, see you slept well," she commented to Baylee. "Fresh air did you good, eh?"

Her cheeks turned a little pink and she nodded. "Aye, it did," she replied before taking a drink of the limonata. She had some difficulty with the task; her hands were incredibly sore and even slightly bending her fingers bought about shocks of pain.

"Sleep good for her," Jacek spoke up. "After yesterday, need lot of rest. Am not able to believe are still walking around after that much blood lost."

"She's small, but hardy, eh?" Vlasta grinned. She reached over and ruffled Baylee's hair, earning a small pout from the younger woman. Looking at Dag as she stabbed her knife into a tomato wedge, she pointed the speared fruit at him. "Everyone need baths before Damayanti-" she ignored Baylee and Ori's cringe, "-arrive. And eh…Dag, Motke help Ori. Jacek, help Baylee." She lifted one of Baylee's ashy braids, inspecting it. "Maybe do something with her hair, eh? Simple, but pretty."

Jacek nodded slowly, asking something in their native tongue. When Vlasta replied, he shrugged and nodded before ripping up some flat bread and using it to scoop up some brown paste. As he chewed, he gave Baylee a smile. "Not worry," he told her after swallowing. "Will have looking like goddess."

Motke laughed and nudged Ori with his elbow. "Guess that mean we make you look like god, huh?" he told the dwarf. He, too, ripped off a piece of flatbread, but filled his piece with a strange mixture of fruit and peppers. "Not worry, though. Will not make too flashy."

Ori raised his brow, somewhat worriedly. "Wait, so…you're going to just help me get dressed?" he cautiously inquired.

"Will also help scrub you," Vlasta answered. "Jacek will help Baylee."

"I can bathe on my own," Baylee protested.

"Can hardly lift cup today," Vlasta gently told her. "You will need help. Jacek is trustworthy; he won't try anything." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs, drinking a stronger, alcoholic version of limonata.

Jacek chuckled. "Not my sort of girl anyway. Are cute, but not…eh, as nice as Vlasta. Need bit more…" He waved his hands in the air, making curving motions. He winced as Vlasta thwacked him upside the head. "Ow! What that for?"

"She is pretty!" she scolded. "Just not of sort are used to. Is northern-pretty." Bringing her plate to her chest, she used her spoon to scoop some bites of bean salad into her mouth.

Ori glanced over at Baylee, finding her face red. He knew she was feeling embarrassed, but she remained quiet as she ate. 'Poor thing,' he thought, rolling up some cubes of meat, the brown paste, bean salad, and some sour, white cream in his piece of flatbread. He was careful to tuck in the ends so none of the food would spill out. 'Not only is she upset about Damayanti coming over, but she'll have a man helping her bathe…' He lightly shook his head and took a bite of his strange creation. 'But at least she won't have two men helping her bathe. Dag and Motke are nice and all, but they're a bit on the touchy-feely side. I'm just glad they seem more interested in Vlasta than me.'

Baylee poked at the brown paste. "What is this stuff?" she asked. She had tried it and liked it, but she couldn't even guess what it was made of.

"Is eh…" Vlasta popped a bite of meat into her mouth, slowly chewing as she thought of how to best explain it. "Beans. Take beans and boil them. Then mash them until smooth with herbs and bit of chicken stock. Heat again." She shrugged. "Ask Hezra if want recipe –not that will need recipe, eh?"

One of the servants hurried out of the house and, after bowing apologetically to Vlasta, hurried spoke to her. Vlasta's eyes widened and she looked at her, questioning her quickly. With a muttered excusal and apology, Vlasta got to her feet and hurried off.

Ori frowned. "What's goin' on?" he asked, seeing the frowns on the concubine's faces.

"Damayanti isn't coming with just her bodyguard like we had thought," Dag answered, glancing back down at his food. "She's bringing her whole court."

Rán stood in front of a large drawing of the raider city, her brows knitted together and her chin cupped between her fingers. While she had slept, Seth had drawn a rather intricate map detailing the locations of Tyko and Baylee and Ori, making it quite easy for her to visualize a plan in her mind. The only problem was that she was finding it difficult to come up with a sensible plan.

'I know my men are quiet and good at breaking into places,' she thought, crossing an arm over her chest. 'And I know the same stands for Nori…then again, from what I've witnessed, he has been a thief at some point in his life.' Closing her eyes, she rolled her head around her shoulders, feeling the bones creak, but none of them popped. 'Lovisa is silent, too –so is Bifur, for that matter. They would be good to bring along. As for the rest…'

Opening her eyes, she turned her head and glanced back at the group. Seth, Fifika, and Ashailyn were off scouting along the wall. Aizik, Girish, and Kreine were in the western portion of the forest, attempting to hunt down some deer or rabbit while the others were sitting about, waiting to hear Rán's strategy. Dwalin, Bifur, and Will were silent as they sharpened their weapons; Nori had his back against a tree and Zori curled up on his chest –both were fast asleep- while Lovisa and Bofur prepared a bit of lunch.

'It was already a risk bringing Bofur last night. That blunder of his could have cost us our lives.' Shaking her head, she stared back down at the ground. 'He is lucky that the Valar were on his side last night. No. I will not bring him with-'

But it'll keep Baylee and Ori calm.

Closing her eyes, she rubbed her forehead as her more sensible thoughts made themselves known. 'They will need someone they know to help keep them feeling safe,' she admitted to herself. 'But I don't have to bring him along. I'll bring her brother. Yes, he's big, but he's also fast and strong.'

"Rán?"

She glanced up; Fifika, Seth, and Ashailyn were walking towards her. "You three are back early," she told them in their native tongue. "What brings you so soon?"

Ashailyn nodded. "We know it wasn't in our orders, but Fifika and I snuck into the city," she told her sister. "We were able to steal some food and some diapers."

"As well as locate the location of the wargs," Seth added. Plucking up a stick, he knelt down and hastily added in a large 'X' in the southeast corner of the map. "They're kept in a large area near the bay. It's fenced off with a wooden wall that's as tall as the stone one. As far as I could see, all wargs are kept inside that fence, like a giant stable."

"Could you see how many wargs there were?"

He shook his head, his arms resting on his thighs as he looked up at his commander. "No. But it sounded like there were at least three dozen."

Rán rubbed her face, sighing. "We need to get them out of there as soon as possible. I would like for it to be tonight, but there's just no way…"

Fifika set a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If it brings you any comfort, some of us can go in tonight and keep a watch on the houses –see if anything happens."

She nodded. "That is a good idea. I'll go in, as well as Nakara and-"

Ashailyn gave her a stern look. "After being out most of last night? I think not."

"I slept most of today, sister. I'm fine."

"Do not give me your excuses, Rán. It's barely early afternoon and you fell asleep around nine in the morning. That isn't much sleep. You're going to stay here. I'll go in with Nakara and some others to keep a watch on the place."

"Ashailyn…"

"I don't care if you're my commanding officer, Rán –you're my sister, first and foremost, and you are exhausted. Tonight, you will sleep while you let me hand the situation." She ignored the quiet laughter coming from Seth and Fifika as they walked past them.

Rán stiffened slightly. "We'll see. I had planned on getting more sleep while I think of a plan."

"Well, you have all night to do both, because you're staying here. No arguments, Rán."

The expression on her sister's face kept Rán silent. She looked back down at the map, her jaw clenched.

She's right though. I haven't slept nearly enough lately.

'It doesn't stop me from wanting to be there…'

Nearby, Bofur stirred when he heard a quiet whimper. Glancing over at Nori, he could see that Zori was beginning to wriggle, his face contorted in a look of discomfort. While Lovisa was distracted by the stew she was making, he rose to his feet –abandoning the biscuits he had been divvying up- and crept over to the sleeping Nori and fussy Zori. Just as Zori was about to let out a wail, he carefully scooped the child up, cradling him against his chest.

"Shh, shh," he quietly cooed. "It's alright. No need t' cry."

Zori whimpered quietly, squirming about in Bofur's arms. Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes, so Bofur started to gently rock his arm, hoping to lull the child back into sleep. He had been a hard one to put down for a nap; Bofur hoped it wouldn't be as hard to help him fall asleep again.

"Are ya thirsty?" Sitting down on the other side of the tree, he pulled out his flask and poured a little bit of the water into Zori's mouth. He eagerly drank the water, his hands trying to grip the lip of the flask and pull it closer. "Ah-ah, that's a no-no. You'll spill it all over yourself. Trust me; one o' my nephews tried the very same thing. Always ended up with milk or water up his nose, he did."

Watching Bofur as he talked, Zori slowly started to raise his hand up, trying to grab at one side of his mustache. He quietly cooed, not caring when a bit of water dribbled down his chin and along his shoulder –he only cared about grabbing that mustache.

"You've got some o' the bluest eyes I've ever seen," Bofur murmured, smiling. He was fairly used to little ones grabbing and tugging at his beard and hair, so he didn't mind in the least when Zori managed to grab hold of his mustache. "An' since you're not a dwarf, they'll probably stay blue, won't they? I'm sure you'll be usin' 'em to woo all the womenfolk when you're older."

"Already trying to tell him 'bout women?"

Bofur glanced up at Will as he moved to sit next to him. "May as well. I've the feelin' this wee lil' lad will be quite popular when he's an adult." He tilted his head as Zori tugged on his mustache. "Especially if Nori's the one who's goin' t' be raisin' him."

Will quietly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "…Can I hold him?" he hesitantly asked.

"Don't see why not," Bofur mused. Carefully untangling his facial hair from Zori's fists, he passed him over to Will. "Keep his head supported if you're goin' t' have him lyin' down. Ah, standin' up? Try bouncin' him a bit. Babies love t' bounce." Closing the flask, he set it aside and leaned back on his palms.

"I take it you know so much because you're Uncle Bofur?" Will chuckled, lightly bouncing Zori. The baby giggled, his legs wiggling about happily.

Bofur nodded. "Eight nieces an' nephews does tha' to someone," he smiled.

"I don't know what I would do if I had that many children."

"You'd love 'em, that's what."

Will smiled, watching as Zori clapped his hands together happily. "Tha' I would," he murmured. He still couldn't even begin to fathom why someone would toss their baby into an alley in the dead of night…Then again, he was still upset by how Manus Stover had treated Adela. "Parents should always love their children," he unconsciously murmured. "Not toss 'em out like trash…"

Nodding slowly, Bofur scratched his beard. "It's a big responsibility, bringin' a helpless lil' thing into the world. Those who can't take care o' them shouldn't have done the deed –or, if they can't help it, find ways around it." He watched as Will sat Zori down on the ground and, taking his small hands in his large ones, started to 'dance' with him. The whole time, Zori made noises of happiness.

"Baylee an' me were accidents," Will admitted, still dancing with Zori. "Mum and dad weren't married until we were nearly a year old. They still kept us an' raised us, even when people told them t' get rid o' us or have mum end her pregnancy. Said it would shame her family name t' have a child out o' wedlock..." He shook his head, a reminiscent smile coming to his lips. "I wish I had been around t' hear the scoldin' dad gave 'em. Dad still tells us he wouldn't have it any different." Shaking his head and grinning, he let out a small sigh. "I just hope I can be as good o' a father someday as he's been. He's had to put up with so much shit from us over the years…"

Bofur smiled. "I think you'd be a good father, lad."

"You think?" He glanced over at the dwarf, his stomach fluttering slightly. He started to tickle Zori, who let out an occasional laugh.

He nodded. "Aye. I mean, look at the way you're playin' with Zori there! You've got him all giggles 'n smiles."

Will quietly laughed. "I suppose it'll be different when it's my own, though."

"Oh, no doubt. You'll not want t' hand them over t' strangers or let them out o' your sight, but at the same time, you can't help but toss 'em a small ways into the air just t' hear them let out a laugh…" He started to straighten out his mustache, combing out the small knots Zori had made.

"You almost sound like ya speak from experience."

He quickly shook his head. "Oh, no, no, no…just observation, lad. I've never been a father. Don't know if I'll ever get the chance to…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ground.

"You may get a chance yet. I mean, when we rescue Baylee…"

"Nice try, lad," he chuckled, cheeks turning red. "I don't think I'll even get a kiss out o' her until we're back in Dale."

Will cocked his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Bofur rubbed the back of his neck. "Lad, I can't tell her that I love her right after this sort o' situation. For Mahal's sake, the poor thing got her finger's chopped off!" He shook his head, sighing heavily. "She's traumatized, lad. What she needs is her brother t' console her, not me tellin' her that I love her out o' the blue like tha'." He gave Will a reassuring smile. "I've waited this long; I can wait a while longer."

The day had managed to turn from hot to hotter as clouds rolled in, trapping the morning's heat and amplifying it. It was hard to believe that it was only early summer by this point. Ori yawned as he rested his hands over his chest. He had his head tilted back against the edge of the bathing pool and was enjoying the feel of the lukewarm water on his skin. With his eyes closed, he couldn't see Dag and Motke as they sorted through different bath oils, trying to guess which one would leave them smelling best, but he could hear them as they quietly talked to one another in their strange language.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Dag sank into the water with a glass bottle containing spicy-smelling oil while Motke had one that smelled more of fruit. Dag glanced up when he noticed that Ori hadn't started to clean himself.

"Ori, what scent you want?" he asked, pouring a bit of the oil into his palm.

Ori scrunched his nose up, catching whiffs of the strong oils. "I don't need any," he replied, sitting upright. Grabbing a cloth, he started to wash himself.

"Not want to smell good?" Motke asked, frowning a bit.

He shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine with just a bit o' soap and a washcloth."

Dag and Motke raised their brows, glancing at one another. Turning, Dag plucked up one of the bottles and tossed it to Ori, watching as it landed in the water beside him. "You'll at least need that," he told him, "for your hair. Trust me, you will need it."

"I don't see why," he grumbled, plucking up the bottle. Uncorking it, he was met by a gentle, floral scent that was surprisingly underwhelming.

"The royal court will be coming here in less than two hours, that's why," Dag told him, a bit of a scolding tone to his voice. "We need to look and smell our best, regardless if we're servants or concubines." He glanced up when the door opened and Jacek poked his head in. He said something and pointed at the vials before Motke plucked one up and tossed it to him. Jacek thanked him and left.

"What scent did he take?" Ori inquired.

"Almond," Motke replied. "Only almond and lemon overpower scent of calendula. Is not bad scent, but not good scent when around royals. They know have been hurt and sort of….frown on you."

Ori frowned. "Well, it's Damayanti's fault that Baylee has t' smell like that because it was her who cut off Baylee's fingers!" He grumbled in Khuzdul as he scrubbed his leg. "If she had just been a sane person and acted rationally-"

Dag set his hand on the dwarf's shoulder. "Ori…Ya need t' calm down. You can't act like this when the others get here or else something worse could happen." His voice was gentle, but it still had the scolding tone he had used earlier. Ori would have preferred that he had used a harsher voice to reprimand him –at least then, he wouldn't be left feeling so ashamed. "Since you're male, Damayanti wouldn't hesitate t' cut off something more vital than your ring fingers." To emphasize his point, he glanced down at a certain area of Ori's anatomy.

His cheeks turning red, Ori crossed his legs and glanced away. "I just don't want her near me or Baylee," he quietly told him. "I already hated the way she kept touching me and tryin' to seduce me and then she goes an' just chops off Baylee's fingers…" He shook his head. "She needs to stay far, far away from us."

Motke shook his head, sighing. "Are going to have to put up with her," he told him. "She will be here a lot, whether like or not. And, since are stuck here…" He trailed off and scrubbed some oil into his hair.

"Not for much longer," Ori unconsciously grumbled.

The two men looked at each other once more, their brows knitted together. "An' just what is that supposed t' mean?" asked Dag.

Ori glanced up, a bit startled. "Pardon?"

"What did ya mean –'not for much longer'?" Dag asked again. "You're Vlasta's servant now; you're not goin' anywhere. Trust me, we've tried t' get away, but she's always caught us."

"Well, her or warg," Motke mused.

Rubbing his arm, Ori glanced away. "N-nothing. It's just wishful thinkin' is all," he lied –poorly.

"Don't lie," Motke told him, his voice stern. "What mean when say are not staying much longer? Did Vlasta tell that are going elsewhere?"

Defiantly, Ori crossed his arms and met their gazes. "Our friends are coming t' rescue us," he told them. He swallowed hard. "They're not the sorts who would just let us remain here for the rest o' our lives –especially my lover. When he finds out where I am, he'll come charging in and hewing down anyone who tries to stop him."

To his surprise, Dag laughed and patted him on the back. "Still hopeful? I pity you, Ori," he chuckled, though there was a hint of empathy in his words. "You'll learn soon enough that having any hope of gaining your freedom again is folly. No one will come –an' even if they did, they would never be able t' find this place. They would get lost in the maze o' a forest outside of the mountains an' lose hope an' return home. They won't come."

Ori looked down into the water, his arms still crossed. 'They're already here,' he thought, scrubbing at his nails. 'They just need to get us.'

Nori was startled out of his nap by something smacking his leg. His eyes snapping open, he looked down at his lap to find Zori attempting to climb over his thigh, though it was proving to be too difficult a task for the young one. A small smile came to his lips as he reached down and plucked up the child.

"An' just what do you think you're doing, young lad?" he murmured, tickling his belly. Zori giggled, trying to grab at his fingers. "So, you can crawl? You're a bit older than I thought, then. Means you'll also be causing more mischief for us."

Zori looked up at him, grinning broadly. Managing to grab Nori's finger, he tugged it towards his mouth and started to gum on it. Nori's brow rose –there was something trying to come through his gum.

'Oh lovely,' he thought, 'he's cutting a tooth. At least he seems to be rather mellow about it, though…' He quietly laughed as Zori made soft growling and grunting noises as he gummed the finger. 'He's kind of a cute child. I need to find some better food for him, though. Mashed berries, water, and stew broth can only last a baby so long…He needs some proper food if he's going to gain any weight back.'

Out of nowhere, an assortment of bird calls filled the air. Nori looked up in time to see the rangers jumping to their feet and gathering up their belongings. He frowned.

"What's going on?" Dwalin demanded.

"We need to move," Rán replied. "And fast. Quick! Don't worry about packing, just grab it!" She used her foot to erase the map out of the dirt. Lovisa grabbed the pot of stew while Will poured water over the fire and started to hurriedly cover up its ashes. "Head into the forest; follow the bird calls."

Zori whined against Nori's finger, not liking the sudden burst in activity. Cradling him against his chest, Nori snatched up his pack and cloak before getting to his feet and running towards the thicker trees. Whimpering, Zori clung onto Nori's hand and squirmed; the jostling of Nori's running was not the gentle bouncing that he liked.

Awkwardly shouldering his pack and tossing his cloak over his shoulder, Nori held onto Zori with both hands. He did his best to keep him from getting bumped around too much. "You're doing well, Zori," he murmured. "You're being a brave lil' lad. If we're safe enough soon, I'll grind you up some rabbit meat. How's that? I know you like rabbit; you ate some last night." Glancing down at him, a rare, tender smile came to Nori's features as he saw that Zori was just staring at him, no longer whimpering. "There's a lad…"

More bird calls filled the air and, doing as Rán had ordered, he followed them. Risking a look over his shoulder, he could see Will, Lovisa, and his fellow dwarves running into the forest, yet of the rangers, he could only see Aizik and Hunil racing after them. Where the other rangers were, he hadn't the slightest idea.

What he did know was that he heard the distant sound of wargs.

Looking ahead again, he cursed and was just barely able to stop himself from crashing into Girish.

"Get in trees," Girish ordered, pointing up. "Warg riders!"

Dwalin stopped behind Nori. "Up yeh go!" Squatting down, he grabbed Nori's legs before launching upwards, sending the slightly-smaller dwarf flying into the air. Nori gripped the branch and pulled himself up, clutching Zori to his chest. Once he was on the branch, he reached down, grabbing Dwalin's hand as he jumped up.

In the tree next to theirs, Will was tossing Bofur at the lowest branches while Bifur was keeping an eye out, his spear at the ready. He saw Lovisa hurrying towards the tree, a somewhat panicked look on her face, and he stabbed the spear into the ground so he could help her. Entwining his fingers, he crouched down slightly and she jumped at him. He caught her foot and pushed himself upwards, flinging her. A relieved smile came to his lips when she grabbed onto the lowest branch, getting helped by Bofur.

"C'mon, Bifur," Will urged as they could hear snarling in the distance. He looked over his shoulder, but he could see nothing.

With a moment's hesitation, Bifur tucked his spear into his holster and hurried over to Will. As he was thrown upwards, he grunted and caught onto a branch. To his ears, the sounds of wargs was growing closer and he moved to call out to Will, but as he hauled himself up, he could see the human leaping into a different tree out of the corner of his eye.

"Why is it tha' every time we encounter wargs, we end up stuck in the trees?" Dwalin grumbled as he and Nori climbed up higher.

"This time we don't have Gandalf or the eagles t' help us," Bofur grunted, shoving Bifur up ahead of him. "An' that's if they even find us!"

"If stay quiet, won't find us!" Girish hissed into the trees. He, Aizik, and Hunil were hurrying about the ground, covering up any tracks that they may have made near the trees. "So shh!"

Taking that as an order, they fell silent. Nori lightly bounced Zori on his knee, keeping the child placated while the adults sat in a tense silence. The sound of wargs was growing ever closer, causing them to grow nervous. Eventually, the rangers climbed into the trees, taking shelter as well.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a small herd of deer stampeded past their hiding spots. Chasing after them were three wargs, each being ridden by a woman. One of the woman drew an arrow and, sitting upright, aimed an arrow before releasing it.

A large elk stumbled and tumbled to the ground before landing in a crumpled heap.

The one who had shot it slowed her warg while the others continued on. Dismounting, she walked over to the slain animal and gave it a light prod with her foot, but it did not move. From where she sat, Lovisa could tell that the elk's neck had been broken in the fall. The woman looked back at her warg, giving it an order; it obediently laid down, resting its large head on its forepaws.

Hunil glanced over at Aizik and Girish, the three of them slowly drawing out various items as they readied themselves. Silently, he held up his hand, raising one finger, then two, and finally –they leapt out of the trees.

The sea breeze was nice and cool, even if the night air was not. Vlasta's courtyard and garden were teeming with people, most of them various sorts of entertainers. Many of the entertainers were highly decorated men who danced in exotic outfits or who played lively tunes on strange instruments, but some were women who could breathe fire or who could tumble through the air with the grace of a bird. It was quite the marvelous sight, especially with the light of dozens of oil-torches lighting the area.

Damayanti was reclining on a set of cushions, nestled at the head of the courtyard as she watched the festivities. All around her, members of her court as well as Vlasta and her concubines lounged on heaps of cushions and lengths of silks while servants brought them small snacks or refilled their goblets. This finger-food mostly consisted of tiny portions of salad served on stiff lettuce leaves or smooth cheeses smeared onto small crackers. These were meant to tide over the guests while two large elk were being roasted over an open fire out in the garden.

Ori found it all to be rather extravagant, but he was thankful that Vlasta had put him to work inside the house, as hot as it was. For the most part, he was out of sight of Damayanti and he was close to the food. So close, in fact, that he was currently helping Hezra and two other cooks prepare the side dishes for the main course. They had given him the task of mashing up large, white seeds, herbs, and olive oil together in a large mortar. It was hard work; many of the seeds tried to fly out of the bowl when he brought the pestle down on them. After retrieving them, he tried again, finding some success as he smashed the pestle exactly downwards with no angle.

That task, however, was soon over. When he had mashed and ground the seeds into a fine paste, Hezra came over and tasted it. She nodded approvingly before snatching up the mortar, exchanging it for a large bowl filled with spicy syrup. This she forced into Ori's hands.

"Take to fire," she ordered, pointing outside. "No stopping! Go!" Spinning Ori around, she gave him a light shove out of the door.

Clutching onto the bowl for dear life –it was almost filled to the brim- Ori started to weave his way through the crowd towards the roasting elks. His stomach grumbled loudly as he caught whiffs of the delicious smell and he sighed, wishing he could taste it now. The meat, he knew, still had a long ways to go, so he sighed in disappointment.

As he stepped up to the fire, he saw two women tending to the elk. For some reason, they looked quite familiar to him, though he would never be able to guess where he knew them from. He swallowed hard and held out the bowl to the nearest female.

"Hezra told me t' bring this," he told her.

The woman reached out, taking it from him as her auburn hair cascaded over her shoulder. "Thank you, Ori." Winking, she turned away and started to use a large brush to baste the elk carcasses.

He stared at her, gulping quietly. "D-do I know you?" he asked her, his brows furrowed.

She glanced back at him. "I don't know. Do you?" As she grinned, he could see scars running along her lips –scars left by stitches.

Eyes widening, he felt his stomach jump excitedly. He quickly turned around and started to head back, weaving his way through the crowd of performers and court members. Just as he was about to enter the house again, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Jumping, he turned around only to find Baylee standing behind him.

"Didn't mean t' startle you," she apologized. She was clad in all white with many, many pieces of gold jewelry adorning her body. "Is it alright if I come inside for a while or will I get told off?"

"No, no, come in," he told her. In fact, he ushered her indoors where it was much quieter –and warmer. "Do you need anythin' to eat or drink?"

"Some water, but I can get that myself."

He glanced up at her, his brow rising. "You're not allowed to –at least, not while there are so many people here. Vlasta came into the kitchen earlier to get some more limonata and I got smacked for not bein' the one to refill it. I had just come out of the pantry!" He shook his head as he led her down the hall. "Also, it'd be safer for you to stay out here. Hezra and the other cooks are a little…crazy tonight with all the cooking."

She nodded, leaning against the wall with her hand tucked behind her back. Watching Ori head into the kitchen, she quietly sighed and slipped her free hand along her thigh. The skirt she was wearing was comprised of many layers of thin silk with a slit up one side; tucked under the waist band was her knife. Earlier, when she had been bathing, Jacek had found the knife, but she had told him –quite cleverly, she thought- that it had been a gift from Vlasta and that he wasn't supposed to have seen it. As she felt its outline under the cloth, a sense of relief washed over her.

"Here you go."

She looked up, watching as Ori came out of the kitchen, a mug of water in hand. "Thank you," she smiled, taking it. "Ya haven't been smacked too much, I hope?" She drank from the mug.

Ori shook his head. "No –an' before you worry, the only time I was hit tonight was a light smack. Didn't even leave a welt." He held up his arm, proving his point. "So how's the party going?"

"It was almost fun at first, but then the performers got a bit boring and the music isn't the sort that I can listen to for a long time –an' there's this really weird instrument someone's playin' that sounds like a dyin' duck." She drank more water as she glanced down the hallway, a servant walking by. "Not t' mention Damayanti. It's like she knows I'm upset, so she tries t' get as close t' me as often as possible just to mock me." She took another drink of her water.

He rubbed the back of his neck, giving her an apologetic smile. "You're safe from her in here, at the least."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Reaching over, she lightly tousled his hair. "But you're right. You're safe while you're in here. So long as ya don't leave often-"

"Baylee."

She glanced up and found Dag at the end of the hall. "Yes?"

"Vlasta's lookin' for you. You best hurry; she wants t' show ya somethin'."

After she took a third drink of water from her mug, Ori took the vessel from her and urged her forward. "What is it she wants t' show me?" she quietly asked as Dag set his arm around her shoulders, leading her outside.

"I'm not sure, t' be honest," he answered. "I think she more or less just wants t' keep ya in eyesight." He glanced around as they passed by a group of men and women who stared at them lustfully. "As concubines, we're only allowed t' be touched by her, but there are some here who wouldn't hesitate t' break that unwritten law…So I think she's just wantin' to keep you safe."

She shuddered and nodded in understanding. "I'll keep that in mind if I wander off again," she murmured.

He glimpsed down at her. "You're too small; you wouldn't be able t' fight off anyone."

Baylee stiffened slightly. "I've fought goblins that were bigger than most men," she suddenly admitted to him, crossing her arms over her stomach. "A few courtiers don't worry me." She looked around at the guests, trying to find Damayanti so that she could keep an eye on her.

Dag stared down at her in shock. "You've-" He was unable to finish his sentence, though, for they had reached Vlasta, who was sprawled on a large, silk pillow. She grinned up at her smallest concubine and beckoned her to come sit beside her.

With a quiet sigh, Baylee tucked her skirt underneath her and sat down beside the warrior. "Where did go, hmm?" Vlasta asked. Her speech was slightly slurred and her cheeks rosy; Baylee wondered how many goblets of wine she had consumed.

"I wanted some water," she replied, shrinking slightly as Vlasta threw her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "So I found Ori and went inside."

She nodded, popping a cracker into her mouth. "Be careful next time, eh?" she instructed, despite her full mouth. "Not everyone here is nice."

"Dag told me."

Nodding again, Vlasta leaned back and sighed. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, grinning slightly. "Is good party, eh? Would be better if not had been surprise party."

"I think you're only saying that because you're drunk." She scanned the crowd again, still trying to find Damayanti. "Where did the queen go?"

"Eh…She goes where she wants."

Baylee rolled her eyes. 'Of course,' she thought. She froze, thinking she had seen Lovisa across the courtyard, but the person had vanished just seconds later. 'Was that…?' She shook her head. 'No. They wouldn't risk such a thing…' Leaning back as well, she brought her knees to her chest and continued to observe. The smell of roasting elk was growing stronger as the minutes passed and her stomach grumbled loudly; it had been a long while since last had venison.

Some time passed –it could have been half an hour, it could have been an hour for all Baylee knew- when cheers arose from the garden. Soon, two women came in, carrying both cooked elks on their spits, the long poles resting on their shoulders. Baylee's eyes widened and she gawked at the women as they passed by; she recognized them to be Ashailyn and Fifika.

'Maybe they are risking such a thing,' she thought, her mouth slightly agape. She was startled when Vlasta reached over and lightly shut her mouth for her.

"I know," she smirked. "Food look good. Taste good, too! Hezra's recipe; I can tell by smell." Stretching, she lazily draped both arms around Baylee and plopped her chin atop her head. "Are good size for headrest…Are you sure are in twenties?"

"I'm positive, Vlasta," she replied, squirming slightly. Something moved in the corner of her eye, though when she looked over, she saw nothing at first. Squinting, she tilted her head up, just barely able to see Ori in one of the windows. 'What's he doing up there?' she thought. Then her eyes widened in horror –Damayanti was in the same room.

Vlasta fell forward as Baylee jumped to her feet. Darting through the crowd, she made no time to apologize when she shoved someone aside or knocked something from their hands. Jacek tried to stop her, but she pulled her arm from his hand and bolted into the house; she could hear Vlasta calling out something about her feeling ill and needing the privy.

She took the stairs two at a time, having to hike her skirt up to stop herself from tripping. There was shouting coming from the end of the hall, as well as the sound of furniture being knocked over. Clenching her teeth, she ran down the hall to the only closed door.

"Get away from me!" Ori shouted behind it. Something about his voice seemed off.

"Not many males resist me, little dwarf. They know it's not a smart idea," came Damayanti's voice. It was as calm as ever and her small laugh seemed almost mocking.

Baylee slammed her palm on the door, ignoring the pain. "You stay away from him!" she shouted, her other hand trying the latch, but it didn't budge.

Something crashed to the ground inside the room. "You stay out of this, little girl!" Damayanti snarled. "Go back to party and be a good little whore!"

"Keep fightin' her, Ori!" she snapped. Growling, she drew the dagger from her side and jammed it between the door and the frame. She wiggled it upwards, trying to dislodge the lock, though it was proving harder than she thought. More crashing and cursing came from within the room and she clenched her teeth. Damayanti cried out; Ori must have landed a blow.

'Valar, don't do this to me,' she desperately thought. Grunting, she yanked the knife upwards only to nearly stumble back as the lock finally came loose. '…Thank you.' Sheathing the knife, she flung open the door and found the room to be a mess. Damayanti had Ori pinned to the ground, his hands above his head as she kissed him. Her cheek was bruised and there marks along her arms and legs from where Ori had smacked or clawed at her; he, too, bore scratch marks and red welts from where she had hurt him.

The queen let out a yelp as she was suddenly yanked backwards. She glared up at Baylee, a smirk on her lips as she watched the smaller woman move between her and Ori. "This is a bad idea, little girl," she warned. "I'll let you have last chance to turn around and leave. Otherwise, you'll end up dead, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Baylee stared down at her, hatred on her face. "I'll give you this last chance t' leave or else I'll make ya regret ever touchin' him."

Ori weakly got to his feet; his head was swimming. "B-Baylee…be careful…" He slid back to the floor, holding his forehead and feeling something sticky coating it. Pulling his hand back, he saw that his palm was covered in blood. When he looked away from his hand, Damayanti was lunging at Baylee.

Neither he nor Baylee knew how long the fight lasted. For many minutes, Baylee and Damayanti wrestled, kicking and punching one another until Ori managed to wrench the queen away. Baylee knelt on the floor, blood flowing from her nose and mouth.

Damayanti clawed at his face and missed, hitting his collarbone, before slamming her fist into his stomach, making him wince. Grabbing her top, he sharply pulled her down, smashing his knee into her face. A grunt of pain left her mouth and she stumbled back, covering her now-broken nose with her hands.

Baylee picked up a stool and went to slam it across the queen's back, but Damayanti saw her in the window's reflection and spun around, catching its leg. Wrenching it out of her grip, she used it to instead smack her across the face, sending Baylee sprawling to the ground. Ori stared at her unmoving body, his eyes widening in horror. Damayanti threw the stool onto the ground, shattering it.

"She didn't stand a chance," Damayanti purred, daring to run a finger along Ori's jaw. "I gave her chance to leave-"

With a snarl, Ori jabbed his elbow into her gut and, when she doubled over, smacked his forehead against hers. Staggering back, she coughed and leaned against the wall for support. She looked up at the dwarf, blood running down her face as she smirked. Slowly, she crouched down to the ground.

"You are a good fighter," she told him. "Was not expecting that from such a gentle dwarf."

"Don't try that with me," Ori snapped, his gaze locking with hers. They both refused to blink. "I know you're not giving up yet."

"Of course I'm not. I'm merely distracting you."

He frowned. "Distracting me?"

Jumping to her feet again, Damayanti stepped forward and slammed a broken stool leg into the side of his head. He lurched backwards and slid down to the floor, unconscious.

The queen's victory was short lived. She cried out as her legs were knocked out from under her and she landed hard on the ground only to have Baylee's foot slam into the side of her face. Snarling, she grabbed Baylee's ankle and yanked her towards her, her free hand seizing the smaller woman's throat when she was close enough. Baylee made a strangled choking noise, her hands gripping Damayanti's wrist.

"You thought you could best me," sneered the queen, "but you are just little girl, too weak to be of any good." A sick sort of joy filled her as she watched Baylee's face begin to change colors. "Should return your body to Dale. Let them know you died a dishonorable death…"

"Good luck with that," Baylee wheezed. Her hand leaving her wrist, she drew out the dagger and stabbed it up and under the queen's sternum. Damayanti gasped, her eyes widening in shock and pain. Baylee pulled the knife out, a flood of blood rolling down the blade and onto her hand before dripping down onto her own stomach.

In her last moments, Damayanti tried to finish killing Baylee, but her grip grew weaker and weaker as her blood spilled down onto her stomach. At last, she slumped over onto the floor and Baylee gulped air into her lungs before coughing. Her head was pounding inside her skull, but the rest of her body felt numb. Sitting up and looking at herself, she started to quietly whimper –she was covered in blood. She started trying to wipe it off of her skin, but it was in vain; there was just too much.

Hands suddenly rested on her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't know," she choked out, not recognizing the voice at first. "I don't think so…" She continued trying to use the layers of her skirt to get the blood off of her skin.

"Mouth is bleeding." A gentle hand cupped her chin and lifted her head; Baylee found herself looking at Ashailyn. "Your lip is split…"

Baylee pulled her head away from Ashailyn and let out a quiet sob. "I can't get it off –there's too much. It's not comin' off!" She was shaking by now.

"Shh, shh." She held Baylee against her for a moment as she looked over at Fifika and Lovisa, both of whom were tending to Ori. "Have never killed human before, have you?"

She shook her head and let out another sob. "No! I didn't mean t' kill her, but she was –she was tryin' t' rape Ori an' I couldn't…I couldn't let that happen!"

"Is alright. She not good woman. Killed her in self-defense."

In truth, the slaying of Damayanti was not the least bit 'alright'. Ashailyn, Fifika, and Lovisa had been there only to observe; now that the queen had been killed meant that they had to get Baylee and Ori out of there before anyone noticed that something was wrong. But how they were supposed to do that, she hadn't the slightest idea.

"Fifika." The ranger looked at her. "Go and see if front of house guarded. May be able to sneak out in plain sight."

Nodding, Fifika rose to her feet and hurried out of the room. Lovisa, meanwhile, waved a small bottle under Ori's nose and he woke with a start. His eyes widened as he saw who was tending to him, but he grinned and slowly sat up. The grin faded when he saw Damayanti's body and the sobbing Baylee.

"This isn't good," he mumbled, his skin paling.

'Are going to get out,' Lovisa signed to him. She wore a reassuring smile, though her eyes were filled with worry. 'Going to get you safe, sound.'

He nodded slowly before crawling over to Baylee. "Baylee…" he murmured, his hand resting on his shoulder. He ripped off a portion of his skirt and started to wipe the tears and blood from her face. "Thank you," he quietly told her.

"I only wanted t' protect you," she sniffled.

"You did protect me."

"But look at you! You're covered in welts an' bruises an' scratches…" She ran her fingers along a particularly deep scratch on his collarbone.

An encouraging smile came to his lips. "These? These are nothing. But look at you…split lip, bloody nose, scratches all over your front…You took a beat and are still conscious!"

She managed a quiet laugh. "I've had worse."

Fifika returned then, a hurried look on her face. "Come. No one guarding, but people beginning to wonder where queen is. Need leave now."

Lovisa and Ashailyn nodded before helping Ori and Baylee to their feet. Ori was a bit wobbly, so Lovisa threw her arm around his back and helped to keep his steady as they hurried down the stairs. Luck was on their side –no servants were in the halls or near the front door. As they sprinted through the house, the five could hear shouting coming from the kitchen; Ori supposed Hezra wasn't happy with one of the side dishes. Whatever it was, it helped them slip, unnoticed, into the dark street outside.

At least, they thought they had gone out unnoticed.