Hey everyone. I actually got to properly edit this one before it got out! Yay! More back story and more nudity in this one. I tried to get Thorin's reaction right in this one, but if you don't like it feel free to message me about it. My beta has been MIA for a while so I could use the extra help. Anyway thank you so much everyone for your reviews on the last chapter it. All of your kind words really made my day and is getting me through some rough days.

angel897, silkissez, Christina Fey, ReiVin, lillisa34, Crazygirl8243, shishiwastaken, Taboo22 and animexchick – Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you liked it!

QueefCream – I had considered it, but I now have other plans for Bilbo. MUWAHAHA!

Outofthisworldgal – So much Durin goodness! I hoped it held you over!

0x0UnderDog0x0 – I hope I don't disappoint.

An Echo In Time – Oh gosh! I'm glad you liked it. There might be a little more blushing in this chapter…Maybe…

Lesliezin – Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I didn't respond to your review. I meant to and I really have no good excuse. You might not have liked anyway because I might have fangirled! I love your story so much! Would you hate me if I promote it? I hope you like this chapter!

Everyone please be sure to check out QueefCream's story: Lians' Contingency. She's getting to the intense part!

Also, one of my reviewers from the last chapter is Lesliezin. I absolutely love her Thorin/OC story: A Shadowed Companion. It's a female ranger who follows the company at Gandalf's request. All should read, it's fantastic and I can't wait for the next chapter.

My father picked me up and carried me from the stables back out into the yard where Neir was waiting. Without warning the building collapsed and we watched the make-shift pyre burn Gaellyn's body. Part of me was sad, not because he had died, but because of the realization that for all of the years I had known Gaellyn – it had been nothing, but lies. The man I thought I knew simply didn't exist and it left a cold and hollow feeling within me.

I saw the bodies of the boys who had defended me nearby and I realized that it was wrong for me to grieve for their murderer. I should be mourning the innocent people he had killed, but I cannot bring myself to forget Gaellyn either. The memory of the man I grew up knowing was too strong and my shame was great.

Neir saw my distress and placed the two horses he had saddled in my line of sight. With my view of the bodies blocked, I return my attention to my father and uncle. Anything to temporarily block out the pain.

"What happened to the tunnels?" my father asked demandingly. For a moment I thought he was talking to me, but my uncle cut in before I could form words.

"Gaellyn gave them the exit points of the tunnels. Practically everyone inside was slaughtered," Neir remarked, his voice uncharacteristically broken. "He gave them the women and children. Damn him!"

"He's rotting in the Void as we speak," my father snarled. I felt his hand tighten on mine and I reciprocated to placate him. "Did Aceia and Amara make it out?"

"I managed to send Aceia to the Weeping Stones with Altor," Neir swallowed hard before continuing, "But Amara went to the shelters like she was supposed to."

A momentary silence passed in respect of my aunt's passing. I don't remember much of her now, except the winter afternoons she stayed indoors with Aceia and I, but I recall the lump that had settled in my throat at the time. Then I think of my mother, who had been above ground at the time the tunnels were overrun. There was still a chance!

"Papa! Mother was above ground when the tunnels were taken," I said quickly. "We need to go get her!"

The look of hope that flashed through my father's eyes spurred me to pull him back towards the main street and take him to the safe house where I'd last seen her. The sooner we went to look for her the sooner we could leave. However, my uncle saw things differently.

"It's not likely that she's there any more, Tahna," he said gently. "Most of the houses were overrun."

"She had me leave," I cried out in protest. "I made it out by jumping on the rooftops. She said she was right behind me so maybe she did the same." I could tell from the look on his face that he had already given up. I'm sure that the loss of his wife was painful beyond belief, but I couldn't afford to give into my sorrow. She was my mother and I wouldn't leave her behind.

"Tahna," my father called. I looked up at him and I am relieved that he didn't share my uncle's view. "I'm going back for your mother, but I need you to go with your uncle. I know you want to find your mother, but it's too dangerous right now for both of us to go. I promise to find you once I find her."

Despite the promise, tears welled up in my eyes. I understood what he meant and what he wanted, but that didn't make the fear of being left behind any easier to bear. My eyes must have communicated this because he picked me up and held me tightly. He started handing me off to my uncle when a loud horn sounded. We looked around, trying to discern its origin, but came up empty handed.

"It's an orc horn," my uncle deduced. "It's a call of victory." There was a low rumble, like thunder, coming back from up the street. My father and uncle moved us and the horses back behind an untouched silo of grain as we waited for whatever was approaching to pass. I kept crouched watching around the silo with caution. My father and uncle withdrew their swords and stayed at the ready.

Suddenly orcs flood the main street and burst through the gate with their wargs. Their speed is dizzying as the escape the dying city. The ones that are on foot are nowhere near as fast, but as they follow the others out they too seem just as frightening. They howl and shriek triumphantly as they leave Imelkane to burn. Among the masses, I see him once more; the large pale orc from before. His sinister face is twisted into a terrifying grin as he watches his soldiers flee the dead city. The only thing more alarming than him at the moment is the person in his arms.

My mother was unconscious and her head was bleeding. She rested in the crook of the orc's remaining arm. She was wearing only her shift and her sword was missing. Blood covered one side of her face, staining the top of the white fabric and her eyes were closed. There was more blood further down on the dress and at first I thought he had stabbed her. My father's breathing stopped as he spotted her as well. The orc called to his soldiers in the black speech and soon they relinquished the city to the elements, with my mother as his prize. My father tried to bolt out after them, but there were just too many orcs and my uncle had to hold him back. Not even my father could take on an army of orcs…

Once the sound had completely dissipated we removed ourselves from our hiding spot. My father looked out at the gate with sudden rage in his brown eyes.

"They have her, Neir," he growled. "She's alive."

"That was the Defiler, Kalar," my uncle said, shaken. "She will not last long."

"There was blood on her thighs. He raped her," my father shook with rage. "I will tear Azog apart with my bare hands!"

"You can't risk it, Kalar. Not with Tahna here. Believe me I would ride with you in an instant, but we both have our daughters to think about," said Neir. "We cannot save the dead."

"BUT SHE LIVES!" Kalar shouted back. "I will not leave her to those monsters. I will not let them break her, Neir!"

There was a moment of pause where I can almost see and certainly feel the struggle between my father and my uncle. My uncle only wanted to protect what little family we have left, but my father who loves my mother beyond measure couldn't leave her in the hands of the orc. When it ended my uncle released a large sigh.

"Very well, brother. I wish you luck and send you all of my prayers, for you will need them all," said my uncle. He clasped hands with my father in a show of goodwill and my father also added a nod.

"Where will you go so that I can find you when I return?" asked my father gravely.

"I will go to the Weeping Stones to collect the rest of our kin. From there I will lead them to Thoth where the rest of my encampment is temporarily staying. I will stay there and wait for you as long as I can."

"Very well then; Tahna-" my father tried.

"I'm coming with you father," I said defiantly.

"No you are not," he growled. As much as my father is intimidating to most other men, he didn't scare me when he was mad; at least not as much as my mother.

"Yes I am! She is my mother and I will help you save her!"

"You would only be in the way and I will not lose you as well, Tahna!" my father shouted.

"If you try to leave me behind, I will follow you. If Uncle Neir takes me to the Weeping Stones I will find a way back when he isn't looking. You know I can and I will! I will not leave her to die, papa!" I yelled right back.

At the time, I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I didn't know then what waited before us. There are moments…when I'm sitting next to Wildwind and watching the stars above, thinking of my parents…I would wish my father had said no…or that maybe Gaellyn hadn't indulged his guilty conscious.

"Very well, but you stay close and you do everything I say. Do you understand?"

"Kalar! You can't be serious! Tahna is only a child; she cannot survive where you are going. Would you risk your daughter?! Would you see her die?"

The pair of us ignore my uncle's enraged rant. I can see in his deep brown eyes that I hurt him, but he knew that I would have done my best to follow. Neir couldn't watch both Aceia and I at the same time. I was also aware that being out in the open on my own was dangerous, but the thought of leaving my mother out here at the mercy of the orcs gave me courage. I would have faced a dragon to save my mother…in some ways a dragon would have been easier.

I maintained our eye contact to give my father a nod of confirmation. He held his hand out, which I quickly took a hold of. I was hoisted up onto the brown stallion and my father settled in behind me. Before we make any distance, my uncle's hand shot out to grab my forearm. Realizing that my father was beyond reason, my uncle thought to find it with me.

"Tahna, do not be foolish. What good can you do? You are just a child. Do you not understand the danger your father intends to face? He will be riding to Gundabad," he stated. He is pleading with me, begging with me to change my mind. How I wish my child self would have listened to him, but in that moment nothing could have changed my mind.

Gundabad was to us what Mordor is to the children of Gondor. Every horrifying creature of every scary story we were told as children supposedly came from the stone fortress of Gundabad. It is a place where darkness lives and cruelty is common practice. Malicious orcs would relish their own depravity and the sinister deeds that actually took place there were not allowed to be spoken of by the warriors who braved further north.

However, my thoughts were that: there was only a chance that I would die. If I did nothing my mother would surely die.

"We will return soon, uncle," I said.

It was then my uncle started to cry. Tears began to fill his golden eyes, turning the area around them an angry red. It was as if my words had sealed away all hope he had of protecting me. This would not be the last time I hurt him, but I think it was one of the worst. The only time it may have been worse was when I snuck away in the night after Neir had refused to train me as a ranger, but I never saw him after that so I wouldn't know…

With that my father spurred the horse toward the gate. Along the way we pass what remained of Traehan. He had been opened and gutted, his eyes still wide with frozen fear. His mouth was still open midscream when he died. I closed my eyes and look away. Despite the sudden bout of nausea from the sight, it strengthened my resolve. I would save my mother…or at least that's what I had thought.

We ride along the outside of the wall to reach the northern trail next to the mountains on the north end of the city. The metal exterior shields us from seeing the burning city on the other side. It was easier, I suppose, not seeing the city that had once been our home burn to the ground.

While we rode I could still hear the crackling of the fire and the splintering of buildings that collapsed under the damage. Some of the bodies would burn if they had died within and the tunnels would eventually collapse, bringing the flames inside. Others would become frozen in the streets of the city; but none would ever receive a proper funeral.

One of forges must have caught fire inside the wall because we passed a segment that had been heated and wrent. The inescapable heat of the wood created bubbles on the dark metal exterior. I was looking over the damage as we passed when a pale flake lands on my face. At first I think the storm we had been anticipating earlier this morning had finally arrived. However, when I tried to wipe it from my face, my fingers came away smudged grey. Ashes…

I quickly thought of Gaellyn and the inferno that had consumed him. I panicked at the thought that the ash on my face was Gaellyn. I tried to wipe both it and other ashes from my face, but they stick to the dried blood on my face. Gaellyn's blood. Blood and ashes…ashes and blood. More tears started falling down my face. My father saw my distress and took one hand to wrap it around my smaller hands. I didn't even realize I was shaking before…

Once we reached the path that would lead us deeper into the Grey Mountains, we were finally high enough to see the inside of the city. We stopped momentarily to watch the thick clouds reflect the light of the decimated city. All at once our glass Citadel exploded from the expansion of the heat inside, fighting to reach the cool air outside. Further away there was a deafening 'crack' as the Centennial Tower fell over and into the city below. It fed the smaller flames in the city like a corpse to maggots.

"Don't look back anymore, Tahna," said Kalar coolly. "We cannot change what happened. They are gone, but we still live. We must learn to move forward. Right now your mother needs us. She is why we must live. Do you understand?"

I said nothing, but I did as my father instructed and turn my head away from the massive grave of my people. My father nudged the horse forward and we enter the mountain pass in silence. Once we were far enough away, it was clear that there really was snow coming down. We only made it a few hours before we had to stop…

I never saw Imelkane again. I did it to honor my father's advice, but also because there was no reason. What's the point of tearing open old wounds? After all was said and done I had given myself purpose. Even after my parent's death…

Thorin couldn't stop thinking about the fear and sorrow the young boy, who became the ranger, must have felt in aftermath of his home's destruction. He recalls his own reaction at the Gate of Erebor while the city burned inside. He had felt so lost and scared…

His eyes settle on a part of the water that beautifully reflected the sun's light, but his mind is on Imelkane. Balin spoke of the great city and its people often. It was the greatest kingdom of men in the north, but much like Erebor even that too fell.

"Uncle?"

In place of the water Thorin had been watching stands his heir. Water drips from his soaking hair and looks at Thorin with concern in his eyes. Fili's fingers thread through his moustache skillfully forming braids so that he may replace the beads. He is so young, but the heartfelt nature he exhibits would make him a great king one day when Thorin passed.

"It is nothing. Ignore me," says Thorin. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much," he smiles at his uncle. The boys had been very hard to wake up and to get them outside, even harder. Once they had realized Thorin's intent they warmed up to the idea and had even managed a short run to the fountain. Master Baggins, on the other hand, had been extremely embarrassed by their behavior and took to the Hall of Fire, claiming he would take a bath later. Most of the dwarves have already clambered out, but are lazily rebraiding their hair in the warm sun or washing their clothes.

"Uncle, I would like to ask you again for permission to bind Kalar to the Line of Durin. If not as a brother, than as a brother in arms," asks Fili. "Kili and I were too out of it last night to hear the tale he wove, but from what we heard from the others…Please at least consider it."

Even without Fili's request, Thorin has considered inviting the ranger to stay after the quest since forgoing his personal fears about the ranger. Kalar had family in Thoth, but he clearly has no intention of returning and for some reason or another he had forgone the security of his ranger camp. Maybe he would like to stay with them when everything was over…

"I will consider it," offers Thorin. Fili's face lights up in excitement and swiftly moves to join his brother on the other side of the pool with Dwalin. If Thorin intends to pretend nothing is wrong with the ranger that includes his nephew's request to bind him to Line of Durin.

Thorin looks up at the sun and after realizing how much time has truly passed he leaves the soothing water and moves to pick up his clothes. Dori has already seen to washing most of the company's garments, leaving the dirtier pieces to the others' discretion. As he starts buckling up his trousers he wonders if the boy is awake yet.

"I will head back and check on Kalar," says Thorin as he tugs on his tunic. His hair is loosely pulled back by a piece of leather as he waits for it to dry.

"Do you want us to come with ya?" asks Dwalin as he momentarily steps back from the brothers who have started quite the water fight.

"No," he says assuredly. "The elves would not make a move against us now and with the ranger…I am in safe hands."

"Alright, suite yerself. Brothers in arms we may be, but I must say I rather enjoy taking a break from having to protect yer royal arse," says Dwalin as he slips back into the pool. Balin, who hears the remark his younger brother makes to his king, soundly cuffs him on the ear from the edge Dwalin is leaning on.

Thorin chuckles lowly as he ascends the stairs that reach their balcony, feeling relatively refreshed. He feels physically lighter now, knowing that they will have the answers they seek by the morrow. When he reaches the top of the stairs he notices a piece of bacon upon the ground. When he first sees it, he finds it odd, but assumes the ranger must be awake.

"Kalar?" he asks upon entering the room. There is no reply. More cautious now, he enters the room quietly. He checks the sleeping rolls, just to make sure the ranger hadn't fallen asleep a second time. He finds it empty and the strange mask sitting off just to the side of it. The small plate of food Bofur had made for the lad when he woke is still there as well, almost completely untouched. Another quick look about the room and Thorin deduces he is not there. However, he doubts the ranger would just wander off without telling them. Perhaps he is in one of the side rooms…

Thorin decides to start with the washroom. It seems like a logical place to start. "Kalar?" he calls again after opening the door. He moves forward slightly to look around for any sign of the ranger. He is about to leave when he notices Kalar's black trousers strewn about haphazardly on the stone floor. Thorin makes his way over to them, not noticing the door has almost shut itself completely. As he gets closer he sees more of the ranger's clothing along the ground. Amongst them there are an odd set of bandages…Had the ranger been injured the night before?

It doesn't seem likely, what with the wrestling match he had with Fili. Something is off and Thorin's instincts are telling him to leave. The hair on the back of his neck is sticking up as he realized the ranger would be naked. It would easily confirm the theory Thorin has developed, but it would also shatter the feigned ignorance Thorin has decided to enjoy. If he is right it would also mean Thorin faces a difficult choice. For the moment, the ranger isn't in sight. He tries to make his way back to the door, when there is a small splash from the pool beside him. He freezes and turns.

He can see that the top half of the ranger's body has breached the surface of the water where he must have been submerged. Kalar's back is facing him as he runs his finger through his hair, which has grown very quickly over the last month or so. The dark brown locks are finally reaching his shoulders, much to the company's approval.

Rather than startle the ranger he opens his mouth to at least announce his presence, but all at once the air rushes out in a low gasp. The ranger has leaned to the side of the pool to grasp at a small vial of oil, from the assortment provided by the elves. That's when he sees "it." With the ranger just high enough out of the water and the angle of lean, the obvious swell of a breast could be seen underneath the ranger's arm. As he – she turns to get a better grasp on the oil; Thorin also manages to see a hardened nub of a nipple peaking out of the water.

Thorin's whole body is rigid at this point; a mixture of shock and embarrassment. So when the girl hears his sudden gasp, he hardly expects the glass vial to come flying towards his face. The glass doesn't hurt him as much as it surprises him. Fortunately, it doesn't break on impact, but it does force him to grunt and take a small step back. He moves his hand up to rub the angry spot on his forehead, but by that time she has already made it out of the water. She quickly pins him and puts one of her knives to his throat, forcing Thorin's back onto the hard stone. This time the force of the collision stings and forces a small hiss through his teeth. His first reaction is to bring up his hands and push her off of him, but he finds his hands pinned by her knees. He looks up, prepared to tell her to get off of him, but what he sees has him still instantly. The knife to his throat should have been what made him so complacent, but if he is entirely honest with himself, that isn't it…

When Thorin tries to look at the knife, his eyes went beyond it and towards the rest of her weight that had settled on his chest. He unconsciously starts staring rather blatantly at the thick, dark patch of hair between her legs. It's thick enough that he is unable to see much of the skin beneath. As if it were beard…He can feel the heat flare up in his face and his eyes start to move upward. He passes over her bare abdomen and makes note of the scars on top of her hip and the one along the side of one of her…

His eyes widen and heart picks up speed as he takes in the woman's breasts. The scar he had been following didn't make it the whole way around, but did stop right at one of the nubs he had seen earlier. Overall, they are not overtly large, but they are…rounder than some he had seen. Most certainly larger than those of dwarrow women, who are built to be flatter like the men. When she speaks he realizes just how much he has been staring.

"If it is any consolation," she starts, "this is not the worst way anyone has ever found out about this."

Feeling guilty and glad that his beard hid the worst his blush, he manages to pull his gaze away from her chest and towards her face. She is flushed and her lips are slightly parted to allow silent breathes to pass between. Her pupils have dilated from the battle song in her blood, meaning Thorin has legitimately surprised her. The golden eyes Thorin has become accustomed to are now much darker than he recalls having seen them. The entirety of her face is framed with the dark brown of her hair. With it now clean the ends have begun to curl and the dampness makes it many shades darker. A small droplet forms on a particular strand that Thorin is watching. He watches as it lands on her shoulder and before it joins another drop. They collect more as they make their way further down-

"Thorin!" she calls.

His eyes once more return to her face to see that the blush on her own cheeks has brightened. She quickly retracts the knife and her body from his person. He is surprised at how cold he becomes so quickly, their brief time in the compromising position brought Thorin warmth throughout his body. She is very warm despite the frigid water dripping from her person and once removed caused Thorin to shiver. The ranger tosses the knife off to the side and it resounds with a loud clatter. He only manages to take in the whole of her nakedness for a second before she turns away. Thorin sits up and allows for his eyes to mindlessly follow her. He has time to make note of the small scatters of scars along her right shoulder. He must have missed it before when her back was turned. In fairness there had been…other things that had stolen the dwarf king's attention.

Before he could properly form a statement she bent over to collect a towel – giving him a view of her ass. He is surprised at how full the flesh appears and appreciates the curvature. Thorin had no reason to examine the ranger's backside before this, but he wonders how he missed something so obvious.

She wraps the towel around her tightly before turning back to him. She raises an eyebrow in his direction, prompting him to say or do something. Then he realizes he has hardly moved and begins to pick himself up off the ground.

"Have you nothing to say?" she asks. "I must say your silence is most terrifying." She moves towards the door and closes it fully now to give them some privacy.

"There is nothing to say," he replies hoarsely. His mouth had gone dry after her surprise attack, so his first words are a little rough.

"You have known for a while haven't you?" she asks. She walks back and takes up perch on a small stool. She starts running her fingers through her damp hair, again, in hopes of untangling some of it. "I'm surprised you haven't said anything before this. Why didn't you?"

"I…"

What is he to say? If he says he knew it would mean he had willingly endangered her life. But if he says he didn't know it would mostly be a lie, and he has a feeling she would know. Either way he would be trapped. Rather than answer he looks at the continuation of the scar from the back of her shoulder to the front. Small little marks…A bite of some kind. Beside it is the end of the scar that stops from the very top of her lip. Three long lines start at the collarbone and the single middle scar stops at the top of her lip. When he sees her waiting eyes with a quirked eyebrow he brings a hand to his face to prevent further distraction. Now he has to force himself to make a decision he had been hoping to avoid. What should he do?

"You seem to be at war with yourself, my king," replies the girl. "A copper for your thoughts?"

"What makes you think I would share my thoughts with you?" he grumbles.

"They are of me are they not? Perhaps speaking them aloud will provide you with some clarity."

The woman grabs her socks off the ground before she begins to put them on. Thorin's hand has returned to his side as he watches. Her hand drawing the wool material up over her pale calves. He uses the heat creeping up his neck as a reason to refuse her any satisfaction in regards to her request.

"You ought to wash those," he says indifferently. "They reek of troll and wargs."

Her head snaps up to look at him with an amazed smirk on her face. "My dirty socks are what weigh so heavily on your mind?" she smiles. "Are you sure you're not part hobbit?"

Thorin fought hard against the twitch of his lips and won, but in order to do that he stops making eye contact. His gaze instead watches her reflection in the pool. It is much easier to look at than her, with her bright eyes and smiling face.

"I will wash my clothes later with more privacy," she says, her tone more serious now. "If the rest of the company returns I would rather not be discovered in such a state of undress." In the small pool it looks like she might be blushing, but he doesn't dare look at her to find out.

"So you have purposefully been hiding it?" he asks accusatorily. She doesn't spare him a glance as she collects her trousers and remains standing.

"Only just," she replies. "You and the others merely assumed my gender and made your own conclusions; not that I mind. It makes easier for us to travel that way and it serves me well. I don't need to hide what I am because the company only sees what they want to see. I have become an asset to this company and rather than think I'm a woman they ignore it. They don't want me to leave and you are no exception."

Thorin growls at the ranger's blunt jab at what Thorin already knows to be true. It disturbs Thorin that the ranger has somehow read his thoughts. The dwarf lord prides himself on keeping his thoughts hidden, but it is apparent that the ranger either has a sense of knowing or he is not nearly as composed as he thought.

"You assume much," Thorin growls.

"Not an assumption as much as an observation," she states calmly. The towel rides up as she replaces her pants, giving Thorin one last look at the patch of hair on her groin. He gives a grunt of annoyance in hopes of hiding the groan at the back of his throat. He is not unaccustomed to the anatomy of human women, but he knew nothing about them outside of their…joining. He knows Kalar – if that is her name – rather intimately. They have shared much more than Thorin has ever given or received from any woman; dwarrow or human.

"And who is it that observes us? I now doubt you are who you say you are. And the story you have given us may be nothing more than lies to further-"

"I HAVE NOT LIED!" she shouts suddenly, turning to meet his eyes on the water. She couldn't have known he watched her on the water, but her eyes met his on the still surface. Her jaw is clenched, revealing teeth. The overall gesture is predatory, but Thorin easily reads the mixture of emotion in her eyes. There is sorrow, anger, pain, and regret. Her body and mind bend against each other in their desires; she clearly wants to attack him, but she reigns herself in. After a moment passes, the reflection breaks her gaze and returns to attaching her belt, the two hilts still bound to it.

"Everything I have told you has been truthful," she states tiredly. "Even if it is only half of the full truth, it is true none the less. I have not lied to a single member of this company."

Despite the newest revelation…Thorin believes her. A brief silence passes as he accepts the fact that she wouldn't likely lie about her tale. Especially after the amount of detail she had given…but surly not everything is as she said…

"Surely your parents did not name you Kalar…What is your name?" he asks more gently now.

She sits back down to put on her boots, "Just as you are Thorin, son of Thrain, I am Tahna, daughter of Kalar. I merely provide the better half of my name. Even my fellow rangers used after discovering my being a girl. It actually stands for something…"

Tahna…It suits her. Ignoring her last statement, Thorin's eyes finally turn away from the ranger's watery doppelganger to look at the real thing. She has finished lacing up her other boot and looks up at him with her large golden eyes. Once before he had thought them molten, as if they were smelting gold in a forge. Now, they seem hard and cold as they watch him carefully.

"This is not what I expected from you," she says. "While I was not anticipating anything too drastic, I'm surprised you have retained such calm, especially after the welcome you received."

Thorin's cheeks heat lightly, "Did you expect me to raise my voice at you like an angry child? I'm not so easily aggravated as that, though I confess that I was taken off guard…"

She pauses momentarily as she moves for her tunic and jerkin. It's hard to miss the small flush of her cheeks, regardless of her tanned flesh.

"I had not heard you from under the water and I did as I would with any other attacker," she says as she removes the towel fully to bandage her breasts. "I am sorry for putting my knife to your throat."

Thorin watches her hands move quickly around the quivering masses and he momentarily has a hard time swallowing. "Have you no boundaries, woman?" says Thorin as he looks away. "In any case you are forgiven. It is not every day you find yourself set upon by a naked woman in a washroom."

Her blush increases as she lets out a small chuckle, "Then you do not know many rangers, Master Oakenshield. I used to have to keep my guard up constantly in the camps."

This news concerns Thorin slightly, but he cannot really afford to let it show. "But out here, surrounded by elves is so different?" he counters.

"You and the company are close at hand if the need arose," she answers easily before her face turned and intense shade of red. "In fairness, I was also distracted."

"By what?" he asks curiously.

"I would rather not say," she answers, unable to meet his gaze. She then brings the tunic over her person, momentarily blocking the view of her face. He sees that the bandages only compress so much. The jerkin and the chest plate must do most of the work because the bandages sure don't. "Besides," she adds, "we have other matters we must discuss."

"Oh?" Thorin says dully.

"Shall we or shall we not inform the others before we move on?" she asks as she laces together the jerkin.

"I never said anything about allowing you to continue the journey to Erebor," he retorts. She turns to look back at him. Her elbows prop themselves on her knees and her hands entwine beneath her chin.

"But you have and you will," she says calmly. Her plain tone eerily reminds him of the elves and has him bristling hatefully. "You knew or at least suspected the whole truth quite early on this journey. Why? Because you know that the skills and protection I offer this company are worth it."

She pulls up the chest plate and begins to buckle it as Thorin watches. He knew Tahna was right, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that. He had thought that by holding suspicions without voicing them, it prevented him from being in the wrong one way or another. But what if that, in and of itself is wrong? By letting this go on for so long had he subconsciously keeping the ranger in the company? Was he really so selfish? Was he really so greedy?...Was the Gold Sickness already influencing his decisions? Would this girl be his first victim?

A cold stab of fear enters the dwarf's heart. When he looks back at her, he sees her readjusting her vambraces onto her arms. As if sensing his eyes, she looks up at him almost immediately. When their eyes meet, Thorin must have revealed the overwhelming sense of guilt he carries because she moves on with her conclusion.

"I also noticed you worried about me smelling of troll earlier. Now why would you worry about that unless I am to remain within smelling distance?" she says with a lighter tone and a small smile.

Despite the light-hearted gesture, Thorin still feels disgusted with himself for letting this go on for so long. The fact that he would throw this girl at a dragon…He looks at her again and really begins to look at her. After the jest she made her eyes are a little warmer and the small smile, despite having only seen it for the first time yesterday, suited her. She has so much life ahead of her and after leaving behind such a dark past; what right did he have to take it from her? He should leave her behind.

"For one who is often so silent, Thorin Oakenshield, your thoughts are unbearably loud," she states. "There is no need for such self-loathing. I chose this path and I will follow it, and you for that matter, to whatever end."

"You shouldn't," he snorts.

"Perhaps not," she responds, "but then again there is much in life we shouldn't do. Since the fall of Imelkane I have always chosen to do what others say I shouldn't do. Why should I stop now?" She stands up, fully dressed, and it is the form Thorin has best come to know. "It is decided then. We will not tell the others."

She did not ask him, but she didn't need to either. Much as she stated earlier, she is an asset Thorin could not yet part with. It hurt him to admit it, even if it was only to himself. The idea that he would bring about her death tortured him endlessly. However, such a burden would be his to bear and no one else's. He is the leader of this company and this is his decision to make. She is his responsibility.

"Besides," she starts again, "We can't let Lord Elrond read your map, can we?"

Thorin's heart jumps. He had almost completely forgotten the map. Kalar – Tahna is the only one who can read it. How could he have forgotten? He really could not separate her from the quest anymore. Apparently, in his feigned ignorance he had also allowed this girl to become vital to the success of this journey. She retrieves the knife she had tossed away carelessly before and slides it back into her vambrace. He looks up at her once more and their eyes meet. There is so much left unsaid that Thorin wishes to say, but cannot form the words under her golden gaze.

So with strenuous resignation he nods. It is the best he can do for now with so much riding on the ranger's assistance. He must for the sake of the company, his nephews, and if he is entirely honest-

"There ya are, lads," says Balin as sweeps into the wash chamber. Dwalin and Dori follow closely behind him, surveying the pair worriedly. "We were wondering where you had wandered off to."

"Nowhere, Master Balin," says Tahna. "We were merely discussing the map and journey ahead." Thorin is beginning to see how Tahna made her half truths. He feels dishonest allowing her to make that statement to his advisor, but truly nothing she said had been false.

"Ah, yes," says Balin with a large smile on his face. "I eagerly await for moonrise. I feel like a dwarfling going to his first tournament. Soon the mountain will be ours again, I am sure of it." A stone settles in Thorin's stomach at those words. He never intended for this to happen when he followed the ranger that night. She smiles and continues to converse with Balin. Dwalin, however, recognizes Thorin's discomfort immediately and opens his mouth to speak when Gandalf enters the room hurriedly.

"Lord Elrond is prepared to meet with you now," he says directly to Thorin, "Best make ready." He turns to Tahna now, "You will be coming with us to apologize and so that I may keep an eye on you."

The ranger gives a defiant snort before making for the antechamber. She stops momentarily to accept her mask when Fili offers it up to her. With the image still fresh in his mind he can't help noticing the curve of her backside as she leaves.

"Ya alright there, Thorin?" asks Dwalin as he approaches his king.

"Yes," Thorin lies.

"That's a load," Dwalin says. Thorin hasn't been able to lie to him since he was a child, but luckily Dwalin took the hint. "I don't know what's got you like this, but I trust ya. Anyway, let's hurry up and get this over with. Maybe if we're lucky, Kalar will knock a couple more heads, aye?"

I did my best trying to think how Thorin would react in this situation, but if you think I did it wrong let me know. I'm always happy with a little bit of criticism.