Disclaimer: I don't own anything - Tolkien gets all the credit.

A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than I would have liked, but it has a lot of Thorin in it, which was fun to write! The action picks up in the next chapter with a few hungry trolls :) Please review!

Chapter 3

The elves call her Angreniel, the Iron Daughter. It had been only a few seasons since she dwelt in the realm of the Golden Wood and Hilde already felt as though the peaceful years spent there might has well have been centuries ago. Lothlórien held many diversions and became as a second home to her, but living amongst elves was never meant to last. The unease in such a wondrous place could only be owed to her dwarven blood. Hilde craved the rock and earth of her birthplace. She wished to sleep midst the glow of glittering stones while smelling the dewy essence of the mountain. Living in the mallorn trees made her feel ever so small… living in deep in the rock made her feel protected. Gigantic.

At night, when all was still, Hilde could still hear the words the Lady Galadriel spoke upon their parting. "The days to come will not be easy for you, young Angreniel, daughter of Khazad-dum. Your future is yet uncertain and there are many hard choices yet to be made."

The words hadn't made sense then, but Hilde found clarity arriving quickly amidst the company of these dwarves. She'd already made one choice without even considering the implications. Tying her fate to Thorin Oakenshield's quest, pledging loyalty to him - such decisions were meant to be considered carefully before speaking the words, but such consideration never took place. Hilde had simply said them. Her father seemed to approve, at least. That made one of them.

The journey of their small company had been quiet thus far, allowing for the younger dwarves in their midst to grow rather restless. Neither Fili nor Kili seemed to enjoy the endless hours of travel, though their elder companions seemed glad for the boredom. So lost in her thoughts Hilde was, that she did not notice when Thorin came to ride beside her. She could not know how long he rode there silently, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

"Is there anything that I can do for you, Thorin, son of Thrain?" He glanced towards her with a pensive expression before responding.

"You never answered my question." Hilde was confused. They had only just now begun to speak, no questions having past between them. Seeing the look on her face, Thorin continued. "Where have you been?"

Recalling that question from the evening they'd spent in Bag End almost a week before, Hilde sighed heavily. She felt no shame in having been among men and elves in the years since her departure from Erebor, but she knew Thorin would not be happy with this knowledge.

"After leaving the halls of your grandfather, I traveled south to the realm of Gondor. I have always been fond of the sea and Dol Amroth called to me. The city is built into a cliff face along the Bay of Belfalas and you can see the ocean continue on until it hits the horizon. I was there almost 50 years before I left for Minas Tirith to be guest of the Steward." Thorin made no acknowledgement that he'd heard a word, and for a time Hilde thought he meant to ignore her.

After a tense moment of silence, Thorin spoke again. "You were there, by the sea, when Smaug came."

"I was." Hilde responded back, looking to him with a question on her face.

"I can recall the sound of the waves that day." Thorin looked to her and held his hand up for her see, showing the ring of mithril she'd gifted to him almost 200 years before. "I felt you through this. I heard water and sea birds, though I did not know the sounds for what they were until now."

"I felt you on that day as well. I prayed to Mahal to protect you." Hilde's voice was quiet and she could see from the corner of her eye that Thorin was looking at her.

"You were in Minas Tirith after that? For how long?"

"Forty years, perhaps? I saw a Steward live and die, watched his son rise up after him. Minas Tirith is a striking place, but the world of men is filled with those seeking nothing but power. They sought to use me in their games and I had little patience for it." Hilde could see frustration blossoming on Thorin's face, so she remained silent after that.

"Then?"

"Then I traveled north, to the Golden Wood. I was there until less than a year ago when my father called me to his side and told me of this quest." Thorin's reaction to her having lived among the elves while he traveled with his people, struggling to make a home for them, was simply silence.

The company continued over hills and through green fields for the rest of the afternoon, Thorin staying silently at Hilde's side. As night approached, the group once again set out to make camp and Hilde could hear Thorin's voice as he barked out orders to his dwarven comrades, leaving the two wizards and hobbit with little to do but watch.

Her father, as had become his custom, sat off to the side of the camp smoking his pipe. He'd been rather quiet all day, but Hilde had little time wonder on it because of the constant presence of Thorin at her side. It still bothered her that he should affect her so much – almost as though she couldn't concentrate when he was too close. It was different with Fili and Kili, whom she'd formed an immediate attachment to. Those boys made her feel at ease, if not a little old. Thorin made her feel almost inadequate. One small glance from him made her feel like he could see past her face and inside to her very thoughts. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

Getting the impression that her father wasn't in the mood to talk, Hilde sat by the fire and listened to Balin tell stories of the glories of Erebor. The younger in the company had never seen the great city before and he older dwarf often spoke of their home to them. Ori liked to sketch out the visions that Balin's stories put into his head – some of those drawings were rather close to the truth and Hilde made a point to tell him so.

"What about you, my Lady?" Ori asked as Balin finished speaking, "How long did you live in Erebor?" Several in the company turned to her to await an answer, including Thorin.

"I lived as a guess of the King Under the Mountain for 35 years." Stopping then, hoping for the conversation to move past her, Hilde looked on with trepidation as it was obvious that the group wanted to hear more. "Prince Thrain was a friend to me and I helped to expand the lower halls just before Thorin was born. After the celebration of his birth, I left."

"Why did you leave? Surely you liked being there?" Kili asked, Fili nodding after him. Hilde could see Thorin watching after several yards away, his eyes locked on her as if he too wanted to know the answer.

"I've lived a very long time, Kili, and I've never remained in one place for too long. I had made a promise to the house of the Prince in Dor Amroth to spend time as their guest, and the lives of men are short, so I had to move on after a time. I would have returned to Erebor eventually, for I counted Prince Thrain as a friend."

"If he was your friend, why did you not come to his aide? Why did you remain hidden in the south in the courts of Princes and Stewards and Elves? Your people needed you." Thorin's voice was laced with anger, causing Hilde to flinch. Several off the company walked off then, seeing the awkward moment and not wishing to be a part of it. Fili and Kili remained, the elder glaring a Thorin from his place by the fire.

"Surely she had good reason, Uncle."

"There is no good reason for abandoning your friends and kin." Thorin had stepped forward, his face lit by the fire, making him appear even more weary.

"I do not need to explain my actions to you, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. I left you in Erebor with a ring of protection. My magic kept you safe – gave your strength when you were weak! You have no understanding of how powerful that protection is! I may not have returned to seek you out, but my life is one of many obligations. Obligations that you know nothing of." Standing up and moving away from the fire, Hilde locked eyes with Thorin and saw his anger had not diminished. "You should not pass judgment on those who offer you help. I was not there when Erebor was taken, but I'll be there when you take it back. I swear to you."

He huffed and turned away, so Hilde continued the short trek to her Father's side. Bilbo had joined him after the outburst by the fire and he gave her a small smile of comfort. He was truly a sweet man. Gandalf placed a weathered hand on hers as she sat beside them, "Do not worry, he'll come around eventually."