Hey!
How is eveyone?
I had a little time before work so I decided to go ahead and post a chapter for this week.
Anyway, I've had no feedback for awhle and I'd really like some.
I can be discouraging without knowng what y'all actually think.
So, I'm just going to leave this here and hope that someone reviews.

~ Rachel

The next day, Eraveth clung to her brother's side as they wandered the darkness of Mirkwood. None of the dwarves mentioned the events of the previous day. She was grateful for that as she fought to keep her mind clear but it was getting harder with every day they wandered. Despair began to grip her and she watched as her companions stumbled through the woods like lost children. They began to talk but Eraveth could not focus on what was being said. Dark whispers were invading her mind and she paid little attention as Bilbo climbed a tree beside where the company had stopped.

Eraveth closed her eyes to try to rid her mind of the voices, but gasped when a sharp pain entered her side and darkness consumed her. When she awoke again, her entire body was encased in a sticky substance. A skittering sound came from her left and she stilled herself to keep from drawing attention. High-pitched screeches were followed the sound of someone grunting and the breaking of branches. She reached for the knife at her hip and began to cut through the webbing that was surrounding her. She managed to cut her way through just as Bilbo came over to cut her down.

Bilbo took one look at the half-dwarf in front of him and could see in her eyes that she was fully aware. He stretched out a hand to help her up and caught glimpse of the spiders returning. He yanked Eraveth up and told her to free the others.

Eraveth looked to where Bilbo was looking and felt a chill run up her spine. If there was one thing in all of Arda that she hated as much as orcs, goblins, and wargs, it was spiders. She began to do what Bilbo had said without a single argument. As soon as she freed a dwarf, he took up his weapons and began to fight the advancing creatures.

Tosur was the last one to be freed and they reached for their weapons at the same time. Eraveth's swords were unsheathed and poised to kill a spider that was charging her, but the spider was killed by an arrow to the forehead. Eraveth spun only to find a similar arrow pointed in her face by a pale-haired elf. She turned to find the company was surrounded by bow-wielding elves. She looked to see another pale-haired elf with an arrow pointed at Thorin say, "Don't think that I won't kill you, dwarf."

Before she could stop herself, Eraveth had positioned herself between Thorin and the elf. The elf's eyes grew wide but he quickly recovered and ordered his soldiers to search the company. A red-headed elf stepped forward to search Eraveth. Her weapons were removed and Eraveth felt her heart quicken its beat when the knife in her boot was discovered. The elf turned away from her and Eraveth took a step forward.

"Wait!" she cried and immediately, every arrow was pointed at her. The elf turned back and Eraveth said, "Please be careful with that. It's all I have left of my mother."

The pale-haired elf leaned over and spoke to the red-head in Elvish. The red-haired elf nodded and handed the knife to the blonde elf. Eraveth watched nervously as the elf studied the bone-handled knife. The bone handle was carved like twisting ivy but was still comfortable to hold. At the very end of the handle was a carved horse's head. The elf held the knife up and noticed the inscription. "Ibaria, Light of my Life," he read softly in Westron.

"My father made it for her as a wedding gift," Eraveth explained with a small gesture to the knife. The elf turned and placed the knife gently with the other weapons before issuing another command in Elvish. Quickly, the company was blind-folded and tied together. They were led through the forest and over a river. Eraveth knew that they were being led into the Elvenking's Palace and tried to memorize the path but gave up when they entered the gates only to have them sealed shut behind them. They were led for what seemed like minutes until they were forced to a stop and a voice sounded above them.

Thranduil watched as his guards led in a weary looking group of dwarves. He waved a hand and ordered, "Unbind them. Besides they need no ropes in here. There is no escape from my magic doors for those who are once brought inside."

Eraveth looked up to see a pale-haired elf sitting on a wood-carved throne that was framed by giant antlers. He held a staff made of oak in one hand and leaned against the other as if he were bored. On his head, he wore a crown of red leaves and berries. His sleek, silvery blonde hair hung about him like a curtain. He began to question them of why they were in his lands and where they were going. The answers that came from the dwarves were completely useless and full of nonsense. The more questions he asked, the more he and the company became angry.

Finally, Balin spoke up. "What have we done, O king?" he asked with a small amount of annoyance in his voice. "Is it a crime to be lost in the forest, to be hungry and thirsty, or to be trapped by spiders? Are the spiders your pets and you are angry at us for killing them?"

Thranduil shot to his feet in anger and hissed, "It is a crime to trespass in my realm. You came into my kingdom, using the road that my people mad, without my leave! You have greatly disturbed myself and my people, and for that, I believe I have every right to know why you are in my forest and where you are going. I will keep you all within my dungeon until you learn some sense and manners and answer my questions!"

With a shout of Elvish, the company was surrounded and herded toward the dungeons. Eraveth was in the back of the group and looked back just in time to see a familiar face right before they rounded a corner. "Wait!" Eraveth cried as she spun to head back. An elf grabbed her arm to stop her and she acted without thought. Her fist came forward and connected with the elf's nose. The stunned elf released her and she started to run back toward the throne room.

She had only made it a few steps before another elf caught her around the waist, pinning her arms to her side, and hoisted her in the air. Kicking out with her legs, she screamed, "Lindir! Mellon nin!"