Chapter 20

All rights go to Peter Jackson and Tolkien respectively, I only own my OCs.

Nina watched silently as the roaring waters of the river rushed by. They were awaiting only the dwarves—thanks to her. She had watched as Bilbo examined the barrels in the cellars of the Woodland Realm, and she knew what he was up to.

"It is a good plan I must admit," Erich acknowledged as he approached her. Nina didn't bother to turn around.

"Yes, Bilbo usually gets them out of tough situations." Nina replied. She felt a faint twinge and frowned—what was wrong with her? The reaction did not go unnoticed by Erich.

"They are filthy liars; only greed and bloodshed are friends of the dwarves." He reminded her. Nina nodded, wishing to end the conversation.

"Close the gate!" Her thoughts were interrupted as the blonde elf barked orders and thirteen barrels charged down the river.

"Take up your positions, we will attack on my signal." Erich calmly ordered to Nina and the Orcs. They all moved to their positions. Nina stayed crouched in the brush next to Erich, concentrating on gathering her power. "I have faith in you, sadril." He whispered before turning behind him. "NOW!"

Chaos.

As the dwarves crashed into each other at the closed gate, Orcs rushed in and slaughtered the Elven guards. Bilbo looked around in horror as dead bodies—Orc and elf—plummeted into the water next to him. He almost had to question whether his sight was correct when he saw a familiar face—that man. It was the man who had taken Nina, fighting alongside the Orcs.

"Fili!" Bilbo called to him. "Is that not the man who took Nina?" Fili followed Bilbo's gaze and his face turned dark.

"I believe it is." He growled. Before Fili could do anymore, he looked up to see his brother struggling to escape his barrel. "Kili, what are you doing?"

"We're sitting ducks if we don't do something!" Kili grunted as he launched himself out of the barrel and onto the stone platform above them. He focused all of his attention on fighting off Orcs and reaching that lever. The lever would open the gate and free the dwarves, giving them a chance to survive this attack.

A flash of bright light sent Kili onto his behind. The wind was knocked out of him—but not from the light. Kili knew he must have been dreaming when he saw Nina before him, dressed in black armor and looking around with a hateful expression.

"Nina!" He called to her as he scrambled to his feet, clutching his sword in case any Orcs tried to stop him. She turned to look at him—since when could she see?—and Kili felt a cold fear within him when she did not recognize him. Instead, Nina pulled out her sword and faced him.

"Nina…?" He half-whispered, his face falling. "What have they done to you?"

"She can't hear you." Erich leapt from the higher stone to stand next to her. "Well, she can, but the Nina you know is trapped so far inside of her that she has no chance of ever resurfacing."

"No…no…no…" Kili refused to believe what he was hearing. Erich had somehow controlled her mind.

"Kill him."

She lunged her sword at Kili without hesitation as Erich left her to fight elves, and Kili just barely blocked it. She swung her sword and fought him mercilessly with an unnatural amount of force. Kili blocked her blows, but he could not bring himself to truly fight back.

"Nina, this isn't you." He grunted in between swings. "I know you can be good; I know you are better than this."

"You do not know me!" She growled. Kili knew he had to get out of this fight quickly if he wanted to reach that lever, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Nina. Despite now having sight, Kili knew his skills were still better and he could easily beat her.

"Nina, stop this." He glared at her when their swords locked and they stood face to face. He vaguely wondered if Nina would know who he was with sight. She let go a fierce growl and thrust her sword at him, forcing him to stumble back and hit the ground. She stood above him, her sword pointed at him as she glared menacingly.

Kili stared into her eyes as he waited for the final blow, when an arrow lodged itself into the wall inches from Nina's head. Both fighters turned to see the source. They were met with a fiery-haired she-elf rushing at Nina. Nina turned her attention to the elf, ready to fight. Kili took the opportunity to sprint past her for the lever. Just as he reached it, searing pain filled him. As Kili let out an agonizing cry, Nina felt her blade falter.

"Kili." She gasped, staring at him through misty eyes as he writhed in pain. When he heard his name from her he looked up at her, his heart rising at the dawn of recognition in her eyes.

"Sadril!" Erich barked from somewhere near her. Nina blinked back any threatening tears and straightened herself. "Kill the dwarf while he is wounded."

"Nina, please, the lever." Kili begged through gritted teeth as he found himself fighting to remain conscious. She frowned, looking from him to Erich to the lever before understanding what he meant. She looked back at Erich. Then to Kili. She made a small noise of surprise and rushed to the lever, pulling it down with all of her strength. The dwarves floated off freely.

Kili smiled up at her, wanting to cry as he thought about having her back. It was then that Erich appeared behind her looking angry as ever. He sharply set his hand to the side of Nina's head and she screamed in pain, falling to her knees. Kili screamed her name, but she couldn't hear him. Erich was chanting something—something in black speech that Kili couldn't understand. Within a minute Nina was silent and shaking, the look of emptiness and hatred back in her eyes as she rose to her feet.

"Nina no…" Kili whispered to himself weakly. He knew that he would have to get out of there and back with the company if he wanted to live past this arrow wound—and Nina's sword. He rolled over at the last second and fell into his barrel that Fili was holding for him, the arrow snapping off as he went. He screamed again in pain as they plunged further down the river.

"That was horrid behavior, sadril." Erich scolded as the Orcs pursued the dwarves. Nina hung her head. "Do you feel compassion for those dwarves?"

"No, of course not." Nina replied quietly. Erich's look and tone softened as he lay a hand on her shoulder.

"After all that I have done for you. I let you see your sister, I gave you a home, told you the truth, and have cared for you. Is this not enough?"

"I am very grateful for all that you've done for me, Erich. I was just being tested by the lies that is all. It will not happen again." Nina answered submissively. Erich smiled.

"Very well, I believe you." He moved to jump over the stone barrier between the Woodland Realm territory and the path the dwarves had been on in the river. "Shall we?" Nina sighed, hopping over the stone after him as they ran down alongside the river to catch up with the dwarves and Orcs.

Once the fight had died down, albeit with great help from the elves, the company brought their barrels to shore and struggled to regain their bearings.

"Are we not addressing what happened back there?" Bofur eyed Kili as they climbed from their barrels and onto the shore. Kili glared at him.

"As soon as we've claimed that mountain, I'm going to find her." He replied shortly. Fili shook his head.

"Not alone you're not." Kili gave his brother a small smile. He knew Fili meant well, but the moment Thorin became king then Fili would be the heir, and he would have much to do at the mountain.

"We have to get across the lake." Thorin ordered as they all attempted to dry off.

"Kili's wounded, his leg needs binding." Fili called. "We need to take a rest."

"We've no time for that." Thorin answered sharply.

"But surely—"

"No, we don't have time." He insisted. Kili grimaced as he chanced a look at his arrow wound. His eyes were met with an unsightly black, festering wound that only seemed to getting worse. He was pale and looked very much unlike the happy Kili the dwarves all knew.

"Give us at least enough time to stop the bleeding, uncle." Fili argued lowly. Thorin gave him a long stare before sighing in defeat.

"You have two minutes."

"Radagast, I had begun to think you were not coming." Galadriel greeted him gracefully but a little impatiently. Radagast bowed hurriedly as he took in the sights of Rivendell around him.

"My lady, I discovered the most alarming things in the High Fells." He rushed to say as she led him to her terrace.

"What is it, Radagast?" She pressed kindly when he began to stutter.

"The tombs, they've been…broken out of. Like something escaped from them." He managed to say. Galadriel froze as her blood turned cold with fear.

"Then the enemy has returned; the Necromancer is back among us." She whispered shakily. Radagast shook his head slowly.

"How could he be? And how much power could he possibly have?"

"I do not know, but I fear that we will discover the answers shortly. He must be the one responsible for my daughter's capture." She thought to herself as she paced the room. Radagast frowned.

"Your daughter, my lady?" He asked, confused.

"My daughter is here in Middle Earth." She explained. There was no use in being secretive about Nina, considering she would take Galadriel's place eventually.

"The next protector, my lady?" Radagast gasped. Galadriel could only nod.

"You have been of great use, Radagast. I am truly grateful to you, but with this new information there is much for me to do and I must leave you." She concluded, waving for a servant to show him out. Radagast gave her a small smile as he made to follow the elven servant.

"Of course, my lady. If there is anything else you need I am at your bidding." He gave a small bow before leaving.

Once all had left the room, Galadriel let go a heavy sigh. If the Necromancer had Nina, then her power had fallen into terrible hands. Nina was still young and new to Middle Earth and her powers, and this made her susceptible to anyone's influence. Galadriel closed her eyes and tried harder than she ever had to reach her daughter. If there was any chance Nina could be saved, Galadriel would take it.

Please my daughter, hear me.

It didn't take long for Nina and Erich to catch up with the Orcs, considering the Orcs had been held up fighting the dwarves. They all stood on the edge of the river overlooking the lake. The silence was broken when an Orc stooped down to taste some blood next to a rag.

"Dwarf blood…" He growled. "They were here."

"They must have found a way across the lake." Erich thought aloud. Nina frowned. "What is it sadril?"

"Why would they leave blood?" Nina asked quietly. Erich eyed her suspiciously, knowing that it was getting harder and harder for the master to keep her mind under his influence. Erich did not want to admit it, but Nina's light and goodness seemed to be proving more of a challenge than the master wanted to let on.

"One of them was hit by a Morgul shaft," An Orc answered from behind the two. "A black-haired archer, he'll be dead by now." Nina nodded slowly, contemplating his words. Erich waited for her reaction.

"Then that is one less for us to worry over I suppose."

"Indeed it is, sadril." Erich grinned. Perhaps her goodness wasn't strong enough after all. They all started searching for a quick route around the lake that would lead them to Laketown, where the dwarves would no doubt be. Nina paused, feeling an odd sensation that felt slightly familiar.

Please my daughter, hear me.

Nina screwed her eyes shut and shook her head slightly. When she opened her eyes again, she felt dizzy.

Please, Nina.

Nina shook her head once more and followed after the others. It would take more than a strange voice to sway her loyalty, she thought. It wasn't long before the Orcs, led by Erich, found a path to lead them around the lake.

Author's Note:

SO other than the dwarves finally seeing proof that Nina is alive, this chapter was more of a prep for the next chapter. If you wanted to see more Nina/dwarves interaction, don't worry there will be plenty of that for the whole company to come! As always, please please review and let me know what you think! Until next chapter...