Would you look at that? Another update! And I didn't take a month for it this time xD

First of all, I just want to thank everyone who's been favoriting, following and reviewing my story! Your support means a lot to me and it's what keeps me going with my stories :) I don't do this just for myself, I do it for all of YOU, too! So thank you :)

I hope you enjoy this new chapter! There are some interesting little tidbits in this one xD

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When Aelin awoke, she felt like she was lying on a cloud and there was bright light all around her. When her eyes adjusted, she noticed that she was in a room; a bedroom of sorts and she was actually lying in a bed. It was perhaps the softest bed she had ever been in. She sat up and observed one side of the room. There were small tables around the room, candles and little trinkets. The walls had vines embossed or engraved into them. There were a couple large doorways with delicate engravings in the frames. It was quite an intricate-looking room.

"Well, look who's now awake."

Aelin nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a familiar voice on her other side. It had been quiet in the room and she thought she was alone. With a hand over her heart, she turned whipped around and then winced from the sudden soreness in her shoulder, which was bandaged and no longer had an arrow protruding from it. She wasn't surprised to find Nori sitting on a chair by her bedside.

"Where are we?" she asked him.

"We're in Rivendell; in one of the healing rooms," he answered.

She went to push herself up a little more, but a sharp sting shot up through her left arm from the pressure and she fell back onto her pillow. Then, using her right arm only, she was then able to position herself upright against the backboard of the bed, even though it was hard to move her right leg.

"How are you feeling?" Nori asked.

With a shrug and a small groan, Aelin replied, "Well, aside from the throbbing in my leg and my shoulder, I'm just wonderful."

"Always full of sarcasm, you are," said Nori. Then his expression turned a bit grim. "Aelin, you should not have overworked yourself trying to fight and walk like you did. You were in no condition to do so."

"What was I supposed to do?" she questioned. "Sit there and let the Warg finish me? And how else was I supposed to get to the passage?"

"Fili, I know, would have carried you."

"That's what I don't want, Nori! Any woman who has to be carried is always viewed as weak or pathetic. I will not be seen that way."

"It does not mean you are weak. It means you are asking for help. We all need help sometimes and there is nothing wrong in asking for it."

Aelin hesitated a moment, knowing that Nori had a point. But then she hung her head and said, "Oakenshield would not have seen it that way."

"After you had saved his nephew's life?" said Nori. "I rather doubt that. He already carried you here, so I don't think—"

"Wait, what?" Aelin interrupted him. "Oakenshield carried me here?"

Nori nodded. "Aye, he did."

"Willingly?"

He bobbed his head in thought and then replied, "I would say so, yes."

That was surprising to Aelin. Why would he carry her? She thought he would be the last one to volunteer for that, knowing how he felt about her.

What was going on with them? First, he told her he was trying to protect her, then she saved his life and then he carried her to safety after she fell unconscious. They were both acting so differently and it only added even more to her confusion.

As she tried to find a response, she looked down towards her arms and realized that she was wearing different clothes. Her normal clothes had been removed and she was now in a lavender, sleeveless Elven nightgown. Anxiety hit her hard when she realized it was sleeveless. Her eyes darted to the corner of the room where she saw a wardrobe.

"Nori, quick, find me a shawl or a coat or something with longer sleeves!" she told Nori, pointing to the wardrobe.

He was quick to obey and went straight to the wardrobe. He opened it, searched through it for a brief moment and then found a cream-colored coat.

"How's this?" he asked, holding it up.

Aelin nodded in reply. As he handed it to her, she peeked around his shoulder to see into the wardrobe and then grimaced in disgust. "Ugh, is there only dresses in there?" she asked.

He looked back into the wardrobe and then came back out, replying, "Aye, only dresses. I'm sorry."

She groaned. She hated dresses. The only time she had ever worn a dress was when she was little and was living with her uncle. Then she grew to hate them and preferred trousers instead. Much easier to move and sneak around in. And she preferred long sleeves to cover up her arms. She didn't like how the skin on her arms looked, so she was more content keeping them concealed from herself and others.

"I'm going to have to wear a dress...wonderful...," she said begrudgingly as she carefully put the coat.

Nori helped her inch her wounded arm into its sleeve and he said, "It's better than no clothes at all."

She shrugged. "Where is everyone else?" she asked.

"The Elves are preparing dinner for us, so they're all waiting outside down on one of the verandas. Lord Elrond, the Elf in charge here and the also the one who helped fix you up, wanted me to tell you that he can have dinner brought to you. He doesn't think you should be walking on your leg yet."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Nori went over to the door and answered it. Aelin couldn't hear who was on the other side because they both were talking in hushed voices. But then Nori looked back at her, gave her a nod of the head and proceeded to walk out of the room. Just as Aelin was wondering what was going on, someone else stepped into the room in Nori's place and shut the door behind him.

It was Thorin.

The strangest thing was that, when he turned his head to look at her, there was nothing that she expected to see in his eyes or his expression. Just uncertainty and...was it pity that she could see? What was he even doing there?

There was a moment of awkward silence between them as they just stared at each other, unable to think of anything to say.

Finally, Thorin asked, "Are you well?"

Aelin didn't expect such a simple question of concern. Timidly, she glanced down at her fidgeting hands and answered, "As well as I can be...what with a wounded leg and shoulder."

There was another long pause and Thorin took a couple more steps towards her bed. "Are you in much pain?"

She shrugged, which caused a sting in her shoulder and she groaned quietly. "Not very much, but I've hardly moved since I awoke only moments ago." She knew it wasn't entirely true, but she didn't want to appear any weaker in front of Thorin.

But he gave her a look that showed her that he didn't believe her.

She rolled her eyes. "All right, they both are throbbing painfully," she admitted. "What else do you want?"

"You do not need to lie about your condition."

"Why would you care? I know it doesn't matter to you."

"That's not true...it matters."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, startled. There was something different in his voice; more feeling than she had ever heard from him before. Was he actually implying that he was concerned for her?

His eyes looked down to the floor for a few seconds, then he lifted his head and explained, "You are a member of my company and, as the leader, it is my duty to ensure the well-being of all my followers. I realize I have failed to do so with you and, because of my neglect, you were hurt. I want you to know that I shall endeavor to do better from now on."

Aelin was speechless. Every word that came from Thorin's mouth was not what she expected to hear. She had expected some lecture or angry words from him, but nothing like that. This was new and she wasn't sure whether or not she should like it or get used to it.

She said nothing for a moment and just stared blankly at him. Then she asked curiously, "Is this your way of apologizing?"

Thorin was silent and hung his head. In a way, it was, but being as stubborn as he was, he wouldn't really admit it. But he had had some time to reflect on their situation since they had arrived in Rivendell and was beginning to see that maybe it was time for a change...a change that he would have to try and enforce.

Earlier...

The company had arrived in the Elven city and were greeted by Lord Elrond and his cavalry upon their return from dealing with the remainder of the Orc-pack. They were promised food and shelter as well as help for their injured companion. Elrond took Aelin from Thorin and proceeded to the healing rooms while the rest of the company was led to where they would be received for dinner.

Once they were settled, Thorin found that his mind kept wandering to Aelin and all sorts of things pertaining to her, particularly the day they had first met in the pub a hundred and forty-two years ago.

He needed to confer with someone about what he was thinking, so he pulled Dwalin aside. Dwalin knew right away what Thorin was going to talk to him about and he had questions of his own.

"What was that all about at the passage? The woman taking an arrow for you?" he asked Thorin.

"I don't know," Thorin responded. "I have been wondering the same."

However, Dwalin could tell, from the distant look in Thorin's eyes, that there was something on his mind. "What is it?" he inquired.

"Dwalin...I am beginning to wonder if perhaps I was wrong about her."

Dwalin's eyes squinted in puzzlement. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I keep thinking back to that day; the day in the pub when she and I first met and she tried to steal from me," Thorin explained. "I know that she hates me because I lashed out at her a bit harshly...but why do I hate her? She tried to steal from me, but she never got away with it. Then, after that, she has done no more wrong to me."

He looked intently at his friend and said, "If she was as bad as we believe her to be, then she would not have saved my life today."

"I don't know, Thorin," Dwalin told him, shaking his head in uncertainty. "She still seems suspicious to me. Don't forget, she still has a reputation for being a thief."

"I am aware...but then again, that is something else I have been thinking about," said Thorin. "Before my arrival at Bag-End, she crossed paths with me and took my pouch of gold...but then, instead of keeping it in her possession and not uttering a word, she returned it to me. If she were still a thief, I do not believe she would have done that."

Dwalin could see what Thorin was getting at, but still looked unsure. He had his own reservations about Aelin, but most of them were because of what Thorin thought of her and, now that Thorin's mind was changing, he wasn't sure what to think.

"She may be headstrong and as stubborn as a Dwarf-woman can be," Thorin went on, "but I am starting to believe that she is not as terrible as we have made her out to be since the day we met her. I was harsher to her that day than I had reason to be."

"Well, you were not in as good a state that day. It was shortly after—"

"I know. I was still lamenting over all I had lost...my judgment was clouded and my emotions got the better of me. Perhaps all the thoughts I had about her back then had stayed with me even when the pain I felt then had lessened over time."

Thorin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, casting his gaze to the ground. "I need to speak with her," he said as he raised his head again. "There are things I need to say and things I need to know from her."

"Are you sure?" Dwalin asked, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Thorin replied without hesitation, "I am sure."

On his way to her room, Thorin had thought carefully of what to say to Aelin to try and show her that he wasn't going to be harsh or rude with her; that he wanted to be more civil. He still was unsure of how to fully and properly apologize for his behavior from all those years ago along with his more recent actions, so he was not going to bring that up until he had an idea of what to do. His stubborn, Dwarvish pride was definitely a curse, sometimes. That and he wanted to see if Aelin too was willing to at least be civil with him in return before doing anything else.

He didn't quite want to admit that he was trying to apologize to her. At least, not yet. So he kept quiet when she asked if he was trying to apologize.

Then he changed the subject and said to her, "Dinner will soon be ready. Will you join us?"

When he did not answer her question, Aelin frowned. Somehow she knew that he would never really apologize to her and that made her even more irritated with him. Then she hung her head again and replied, "Thank you...but I can't."

"Are you not hungry?" asked Thorin.

"I am, but...I cannot walk," she admitted, nodding down towards her hurt leg.

"I can have some food brought to you."

Aelin was about to reply when there was another rapid knock at the door and suddenly the door was pushed open. Then in walked Fili and Kili, sounding all happy and excited.

"Aelin! We have a way to—oh!" exclaimed Kili. He and his brother stopped in surprise when they realized that Thorin was in the room.

"Uncle...," Fili greeted him, obviously wondering what was going on.

Thorin bowed his head in reply. "What is going on?" he asked.

"What are you two doing?" Aelin asked in addition.

Bright smiles returned to the faces of the two young Dwarves at their questions. They approached the foot of the bed and stood by their uncle.

"We knew you most likely wouldn't be able to come join us for dinner because of your injuries...," said Fili.

"So we found a way to safely and carefully get you out of this room and down to dinner so you can still join the rest of us without having to walk!" Kili finished for him, barely able to contain his excitement.

"They really have excellent timing," Aelin thought, since she and Thorin were just discussing dinner. But she was touched by the fact they had thought of her and wanted to do something to help her. Outside of Nori and his brothers, no one had done anything like that for her in a long time.

"What is it?" she asked the brothers.

Quickly, Fili and Kili went out the door to bring in and show her what they wanted to use. Seconds later, they rolled in a nice, finely-furnished wooden wheelbarrow.

"Behold! Your fine chariot!" Kili enthusiastically exclaimed as both he and Fili held out their hands to display it.

"Are you lads serious?" Aelin asked, laughing at them. "Your youthful optimism never ceases to amaze me."

"It was the best we could find," answered Fili with a passive shrug. "We know it isn't much, but we still think you should be dining with us, since you are part of the company, and we thought this would help make it possible."

A grateful smile spread across Aelin's face. She was so flattered by their efforts to include her.

"Fili, Kili, this is...very kind of you," she told them, still getting over the initial shock of someone actually being considerate of her. "I don't see how I could possibly refuse."

"Wonderful!" cried Fili. "Then let's get you out of that bed!"

As Aelin threw off the sheets, a hand came into her view. She looked up at Thorin, who was extending his hand out to her.

"Let me help you," he said calmly.

For a moment, she kept her eyes on his. What was happening? Thorin was actually being civil and then there were others being considerate of her? There was no way any of this was happening or any of it was real. She wasn't the kind of person who received any kind of good fortune. Nothing like this, anyway. She wasn't entirely surprised by the kindness of Fili and Kili, for they were such fun, carefree and generous souls, from what she had learned thus far on the journey. It was Thorin's strange generosity that was still surprising her. That was the one thing that ultimately made her believe that this was all a dream. But the longer she stared at him, she understood that she wasn't dreaming.

Aelin reached up and took Thorin's hand, which was rough yet warm. He gently pulled her arm up and slung it over his shoulders.

"Lean against me," he told her as his arm slipped around her waist and held her upright against him. Flashes of their last experience being that close to each other pulsed through their minds and they glanced at each other nervously. But Aelin did as Thorin said and leaned on him, putting a majority of her weight against his shoulder. With his assistance, she slowly hobbled towards the wheelbarrow, groaning or wincing in pain every couple steps.

"We're almost there," Thorin told her.

She nodded and continued to go. Kili was holding the wheelbarrow steady while Fili came over to her other side. Then both he and Thorin braced their hands underneath Aelin's knees and carefully lifted her up onto the wheelbarrow.

"Are you all right?" Fili asked to assure she wasn't in much pain.

"Aye, I'm all right," Aelin answered.

"Let's be off, then!" said Kili, lifting the front handles of the wheelbarrow up on either side of him. Fili moved up and grabbed hold of one of the handles so both of them had one each. Once they were situated, they pulled the wheelbarrow behind them through the front door and out into the fresh outdoor air.

Aelin chuckled to herself at the fact that she was being pulled in a wheelbarrow by two young mischievous Dwarves. To her, it was quite the amusing concept.

Even Thorin, who was following aside the wheelbarrow, had managed a small grin himself at what his nephews were doing. Then when he glanced over at Aelin, his grin grew ever so slightly at seeing her smiling and looking better than she had when they had first arrived at the city.

Aelin's head turned and she caught Thorin looking at her. He raised his eyebrows questioningly and tilted his head forward as if to ask her, "Are you still doing all right?" She gave an assuring nod in response before looking away.

"Why is he doing this?" she asked herself. "He despises me...why is he suddenly helping me and acting concerned for me?" She just could not fathom why his change in attitude towards her was even happening. She wondered if it was because of her saving his life. Did he think there was more behind her actions than just simply that she was acting on instinct? She was hoping he didn't think like that, but then again...did she really believe that was what she was doing?

After turning a few corners, they came to a veranda where there were three tables set up and Elven musicians playing lutes, harps and flutes were spread all around. At two of the tables sat all the other members of the company and at the third table was Gandalf and an Elf with long dark hair, flowing gold robes and a headdress of the same shade, whom Aelin guessed was Lord Elrond.

"There she is!" cried out Bofur, which made all heads turn in their direction.

"And in a fine, Dwarf-pulled carriage, no less," added Balin with a cheeky grin, making some of the others snicker.

"Oi!" exclaimed Kili in pretend offense. "Do we look like horses to you?"

Aelin chuckled again and replied, "You really want them to answer that?"

The others began to laugh and Kili shot her a mock warning look, narrowing his eyes and smirking. Then he and Fili set the front of the wheelbarrow down and then took their places at Aelin's sides to help her down and into a seat at the nearest table. They sat her down in the seat next to Nori, naturally. Then Kili took his place in a seat across from them while Fili went to the other table by Bilbo and Thorin sat at the third with Gandalf and Elrond.

"You holding up there, lass?" asked Dwalin.

Aelin swore something was definitely up. Now Dwalin was acting civil to her, too?

"Honestly, what happened while I was unconscious?" she wondered. "And how long was I out?"

She answered, "Aye, as best I can."

"We were wondering if you were going to be able to join us," stated Bofur.

"Although there's hardly any food worth eating here," said Oin, poking at the greens sitting in front of him.

As Aelin began to look around, she caught Kili staring at something over her shoulder and then suddenly, he winked. Confused, she looked behind her and noticed a fair-looking Elf maiden who was playing the harp staring back at him. Kili was flirting with her, she could tell.

"Something catch your eye, Kili?" she asked him with a suggestive raise of her eyebrows.

When he realized he had been noticed, Kili's smile faded and his face turned serious. "Can't say I fancy Elf-maids myself," he said, trying to sound convincing. "Too thin. They're all high cheekbones and creamy skin. Not enough facial hair for me."

"Aelin's got some facial hair!" Nori pointed out as if he was making a suggestion to Kili. Aelin gave him a playful smack on the arm while the others laughed.

Kili smirked at her and gave her a look that told her he didn't think anything of Nori's joke, which reassured her a bit.

Then he gestured to an Elf passing behind him. "Although, that one there's not bad," he said.

Aelin looked at the Elf and then suddenly let out a loud giggle that made all heads turn to look at her in surprise. They had never heard her make such a sound.

"That's not an Elf-maid...!" she told him, trying to stifle her laugh.

Sure enough, it was actually a male Elf he had seen and had mistaken for a maiden. Kili's face turned redder than a tomato and he looked mortified. Everyone laughed and cackled at the embarrassed young lad.

"That's funny...," he told them sarcastically, dropping his head.

Just then, Nori flipped around to face the Elven lady playing the harp, who was playing a rather slow and lulling melody, and demanded, "Change the tune, why don't you? I feel like I'm at a funeral!"

"Did somebody die?" Oin asked in alarm. Aelin realized his ear trumpet that he used to hear in his right ear was stuffed with a napkin. She figured he didn't like the music and the sound was muffled.

"Oh, all right, lads, there's only thing for it," Bofur declared, standing up from the table. Then he twisted around, pointed at Aelin and stated, "Aelin, this is for you!"

She was a bit perplexed at what to make of whatever it was he was going to do, so she watched him curiously.

Bofur climbed up on the table and then hopped to a raised pedestal in the middle of the veranda. Then he raised his hands and began to sing:

Theeeeere is aaaaan

Inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn

Beneath an old grey hill

And there they brew a beer so brown

The man in the moon himself came down

One night to drink his fill.

Then the other Dwarves began to join in the singing. Aelin was laughing merrily at the entertainment she saw before her: the Dwarves tossing food at each other and Bofur dancing a jig on the pedestal.

Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat

That plays a five-stringed fiddle.

And up and down he saws his bow.

Now, squeaking high!

Now, purring low!

Now sawing in the middle!

So, the cat on the fiddle played Hey-Diddle-Diddle,

A drink that'll wake the dead.

He squeaked and he sawed and he quickened the tune

And the landlord shook the man in the moon.

"It's after three!" he said!

A round of cheers erupted from the whole company at the end of the song and even more food was thrown in merriment. Their spirits were lifted and their laughter filled the air. Dwarves were quite merry people and liked to have a lot of fun, which was a luxury they knew they wouldn't get very often on the journey.

Bofur looked in Aelin's direction and gave her a jolly smile and a wink, which made her smile. The feeling of gladness that Aelin could feel inside her was very foreign; one that she hadn't experienced in what felt like a lifetime. It was strange feeling that way again and in the company of others where not everyone trusted or liked her, no less.

Was that perhaps no longer the case? Did her actions outside of the hidden passage prove something to the others that changed their views of her? Is that why they were acting more polite and inviting?

Or were they doing that because she was injured and they were just having pity on her?

"Perhaps in time, I will see," Aelin thought to herself.

Once dinner was over, Fili and Kili wheeled Aelin back to her room. She had received well-wishes from the other Dwarves as well as Bilbo and Gandalf.

As she had left, Elrond had told her, "You are on the mend now and will be able to walk again soon. It will take a couple of days at most, but you will be healed."

As the two young Princes helped her back to her bed, she declared, "I have not felt that jovial in...oh, what feels like forever."

"Has it really been so long?" asked Fili, sitting down on the bed in front of her.

"Maybe you should get out more," added Kili, coming around to the opposite side of the bed and sitting down by his brother.

Aelin's smile slowly faded as she explained to them, "Well, when you don't have any family or close friends, it becomes more difficult to go out."

"You seem close with the Ri brothers," Fili pointed out.

She nodded. "I am, yes...but I have been abandoned too many times in my life and am slow to trust completely. Nori tells me they would never abandon me, and I believe him...but I still have this deep paranoia inside that, the moment I fully accept that, they will still break that promise eventually by either dying and leaving me alone or casting me out like anyone else I've ever trusted."

"We would never cast you out," said Fili to reassure her. "Not just me and Kili, but the whole company. I would wager that they have seen your worth after today. Even if there are some that are still coming around, they still know that all of us here are in this together and that we protect and defend our own."

Aelin quietly snickered. "You sound like your uncle," she said.

The young lads chuckled themselves before Fili said, "While we are on the subject of our uncle..."

"Aye, I know...," Aelin finished for him, grinning and rolling her eyes. "You want to hear the rest of my story."

Fili and Kili said nothing but simply smirked and stared at her intently, waiting for her to continue.

"Once Zedd gave me my ultimate challenge to steal something from your uncle," she began, "I told him I was going to take something but then I would give it back. Stealing from royalty is different than any common person and would have more serious consequences if I was caught. I would take something to show I could do it, but then I would return whatever I took."

"What did you take?" asked Kili.

Aelin took a deep breath. She was getting to a part of the tale that she wasn't particularly fond of. "A ring," she answered. "It was a plain silver ring with a rune inscribed on it.'

"Aye, we know that ring," Fili commented, exchanging a knowing glance with Kili, who nodded in agreement.

"I managed to carefully remove it from his hand," said Aelin, "and I went to show it to my friends, but he was quick to realize that it was missing and he caught me. Oakenshield ordered his guards to stop me, they grabbed me and Dwalin, who was with him, pried the ring out of my hands."

Her face and her voice grew grim as she then said to the boys with caution, "What I am about to tell you will shed some negative light on how your uncle was and may still be. Do you still want to hear it?"

"We deserve to know the truth," answered Kili.

Hoping that they wouldn't be too upset with what they were about to hear, she went on, "He grew angry with me and said, 'How dare you steal from your King, thief!' I did not know why he called himself the King and when I asked about it, he told me that he was King because Thror had been slain in battle shortly before."

"The battle of Moria," said Fili.

Aelin nodded. "Then he said that his father, Thrain, had gone missing and that he was the next in line to lead the people. I tried to explain what I was trying to do, but he only grew angrier and would not let me. He called me a liar and an honorless thief and he struck me without cause or provocation. Then he ordered for my arrest and I was taken to the prison of Ered Luin. I was in prison for three days. The following day after I was arrested, he came to see me. Once again, I tried to explain everything to him, but he never let me stand up for myself. All he did was throw malicious words in my face, saying how I was just the scum of the earth; a lowlife of the slums who did nothing but lie, cheat and steal their way through life and cared nothing for the needs of others beside myself. Needless to say, I was beyond relieved when I finally got out."

She said nothing else for a moment, indicating that she was finished. Fili and Kili, however, stared at her blankly.

"That's it?" Fili asked.

Aelin nodded.

"That's what all of this has been about?" he asked, apparently astonished. "A silly little ring?"

Then Kili added, "You and Thorin hate each other over the fact you attempted to steal something and failed?"

Aelin couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Did you not hear the other things I told you about him?" she questioned. "He arrested me with no trial. He gave me no opportunity to defend my actions. He was unjustly violent towards me! That is why I hate him!"

Her voice has begun to rise in tone as her inner anger was starting to surface from retelling the story of that day. Fili and Kili both were startled and inched back a little.

Aelin noticed their reaction and immediately calmed herself down. "He was unkind to me without reason," she said in a low voice. "A good King would never behave in such a way."

"That doesn't seem right," said Kili. "Thorin would never hit a woman."

"No, he wouldn't," Fili agreed.

"You said you were in a pub," said Kili. "Maybe he was drunk and had no control over what he was doing."

She shook her head. "I don't think so," she responded. "He did not appear that drunk."

Fili then shook his own head, still unbelieving of what Aelin was telling them. "Look, surely there must be some explanation behind his actions. We know our uncle and he would never—"

"You didn't know him then! You weren't alive!" Aelin snapped, interrupting him.

Fili's expression turned stern. "So you're saying that Thorin is a liar? That all these years, our uncle has been lying to us about the kind of person he truly is?"

Aelin said nothing and looked away, unsure of how to answer such a question.

"I do not believe it. I will not," Fili declared. "Thorin is many things, but not a liar."

"That does not change what he did to me," said Aelin.

Fili sighed, feeling torn about what was going on. He didn't think that Aelin was lying to them. Why would she when they had been getting along so well? But he also didn't want to think ill of his uncle, whom he looked up to immensely. Especially when the story Aelin was telling was from years and years ago, when Thorin was a different person.

"We're not saying we don't believe you, Aelin," he told her, "but you told me when we first met that people don't really change and I think you're wrong. I know Thorin was different all those years ago and I know that because of stories our mother told us about him. Believe me, he is different now than how he used to be."

"I'll believe that when I see it," said Aelin bitterly. She fidgeted uncomfortably a bit with the sheets of her bed and exhaled loudly. "Now you know the story of my history with your uncle."

Fili and Kili exchanged a look, knowing they both could tell that it was about time for them to leave. That and they needed time to process everything.

"Well, we will leave you now so that you may rest," Kili said politely.

She nodded and said, "Thank you, lads, again for helping me."

Fili reached forward and gave Aelin's hand a gentle squeeze. "You saved my life," he said with a tone of gratitude. "I owe you for that."

"As do I," Kili added.

Aelin just smiled sweetly at the two of them. Then they decided to take their leave and give Aelin time to rest. They both laid comforting hands on her shoulders and then walked to the door. She had been glad for their company, despite having to tell them about her past with Thorin. They both smiled at her one more time and then left the room.

It had been a long time since she had spoken to anyone about her past with Thorin. She felt comfortable enough telling it to Fili and Kili, which she found almost a little strange considering they were Thorin's family. Plus she knew if she didn't tell them, they would never let it go and would ask her endlessly about it until she relented. But even then, there were still some details about the story that she hadn't told them; some she chose to keep to herself.

Fili and Kili, she noticed, were really starting to grow on her with their kindhearted, youthful optimism, not to mention their youthful humor, as well. They both were handsome, for sure and she assumed they had probably left quite a few broken hearts behind in the Blue Mountains. If they were perhaps a little older, she might have considered an interest in one of them. But she was not attracted to them nor did she view them that way. Indeed, she was intrigued by them and was interested in getting to know them more, but only as friends and she believed that they felt the same.

A few short moments later, there was a knock on her door but then it opened up before she could respond. The door was swung open and into her bedroom entered Thorin. The expression on his face was grim; almost angry and he looked distastefully at her.

"This can't be good…," Aelin thought.

Thorin closed the door behind him and then stated firmly, "We need to talk."

While she was tense about why he was there and what he was wanting to talk to her about, Aelin kept her composure, straightened up where she sat and answered in a straightforward tone, "All right…then talk."

He stepped closer to the foot of her bed. "I overheard you talking to my nephews."

She gulped nervously as he then narrowed his eyes at her and said,

"You lied to them."

.

Uh-oh...! Looks like Aelin's in trouble...or is she...? xD

So now a couple more answers have been given to some questions I know a few of you have had or have mentioned! There is still more to come regarding Thorin and Aelin's history that also involves some other people, as well, and will be brought up in upcoming chapters!

Thoughts, comments or concerns? Then leave a review or drop me a message! I've actually gotten some messages about different theories people have had about Aelin or her past and it's quite interesting to see what my readers are thinking and coming up with!

Until next time: farewell! :)