How is everyone?
I'm updating a few days early because I felt like it.
I have been super tired after work each night and I haven't got a lot written in a while
(much to my chagrin)
I am trying to hurry up and post this story because it is an AU and
I want to get the next few chapters out before the third Hobbit comes out.
A reason for that is that I don't want y'all disappointed that I didn't go into a lot of detail about the BOTFA.
OK, in this chapter, we get a little more backstory of out darling siblings.

Also, this chapter is dedicated to the Guest who just reviewed chapter 7.
I wish I could PM you to tell you how sweet your review was and how it really made my day.
As always, please review!

~ Rachel

Tosur's mind reeled as he sat on Bard's boat. Eraveth was not with them. Kili said that she had taken an arrow for him and had pushed him into the water. He raked his hands through his hair and felt a tear slip down his cheek. He roughly brushed it away when he felt someone sit down beside him.

He looked over to see Thorin sitting solemnly beside him. Thorin had yelled at Kili to know exactly what had happened to Eraveth and that was when they found out that she had pushed Kili out of the way. He told them that the arrow had pierced her middle and she refused to let him stay with her. Everyone knew that it was extremely unlikely that she would survive the wound.

Now, Tosur sat with his head in his hands and said, "It's not fair. She's been through so much. She didn't deserve this."

Thorin reached over and placed a hand on the younger dwarf's shoulder. "She knew exactly what she was doing," he said softly. "You are right, Tosur. She did not deserve this, but she did save my nephew's life. She has proven herself over and over again. There is still a chance that the elves found her. We cannot give up all hope that she is gone."

"She returned to us once before," Tosur said with a snort, "but I think that it is unlikely that she will do it again. She wanted to be there when you reclaimed Erebor. She wanted to be able to call it home. We wandered for twenty years, going from place to place, wherever we could find jobs. Those years before we joined your company were extremely difficult on Era. She had plenty of would be suitors when we lived in the Iron Hills. At one point, she thought that she might have found her One, but that was quickly put to an end."

Thorin turned to face Tosur and asked, "What happened?"

"She was working for a silversmith," Tosur began with a sigh. "I was working in the mines and we barely saw each other. I hated those days because we grew so far apart. We'd each come home completely exhausted and would barely say a word to each other. She would make some of the finest jewelry that the Iron Hills had ever seen. People would ask for her work by name and she always had orders. I later found out that a dwarf began to visit her while she worked. They would talk while she worked and she began to develop feelings for him. I began to notice because she was always happy, no matter how tired she was or how much work she had.

"The dwarf's name was Borun. He seemed to care for my sister a great deal. He doted on her and gave her gifts. One day, I came home from the mines and found courting braids in her hair. She was positively glowing. She bounced around like an excited puppy and told me everything. She sang for the first time since we left Rohan that night while she did her chores."

Tosur paused and let out a mirthless chuckle. He rubbed a hand down his face wearily and said, "Era wanted me to meet Borun. I asked her if she had told him that we were only half-dwarves and I remember her face went completely white. She said that she hadn't even thought to tell him and I assured her that if he was truly her One that he wouldn't care. She left the next morning for work, determined to tell Borun everything. I followed her that day and stayed in the shadows to make sure things would go fine. He came to visit her at lunch that day. She confessed everything to him and apologized about hiding it from him. At first, his face showed shock and then he got up and left without a word.

"Era made herself sick with worry. I took her home and told her that I had seen everything. I sent her to bed and sat down in our front room. That night Borun came to our home with his father, Tirun. Tirun was a nobleman and was feared by many. I greeted them and was met with upturned noses. Tirun informed me that my sister and I were no longer welcome in the Iron Hills and if we valued our freedom we would leave before morning. We left and never went back. Era changed after that. She became more solemn and serious. She jokes with me sometimes, but I think part of her died that day. I never heard her sing again until that night in Rivendell. This journey was helping her to heal, in a way. She smiled more once we joined your company."

Thorin nodded slowly and tried to imagine what the two had gone through. They had been turned out and every happiness that they had was ripped away from them. He felt sorrow for the siblings and that made his heart hurt more. He knew that he had begun to develop feelings for Eraveth and he felt somewhat lost when Kili had told them that Eraveth had saved his life at most likely the price of her own. His attention was drawn back to Tosur when the younger dwarf spoke again.

"I think that she liked you," he said with a slight chuckle. "I know my sister and I can read her like a book. Whenever you were around, she would become quieter and could hardly take her eyes off you. She even stepped between you and the elf when they captured us in Mirkwood. If she is alive, she will no doubt find her way back to us and if she does, you better not hurt her."

Tosur's tone had become slightly threatening and Thorin could tell that he was serious. Thorin nodded and said, "When, not if, when she returns to the company I will do everything in my power not to hurt her."

"You care for her, don't you?"

"I will admit to you that I have begun to develop feelings for your sister," Thorin said as he stared at Tosur. "I do not know the extent of these feelings, but I do believe that they could grow to be more." The two dwarves were interrupted just then as Balin announced that they were ten coins short.

-oOo-

Eraveth was in and out of consciousness for days. Pain was all she remembered. Dreams of Azog and orcs tormented her sleep. Her body burned with fever and she had to be restrained multiple times because of the pain. She awoke completely one morning but did not open her eyes. She listened to the movement around her and heard someone say the date. Durin's day was in a week! She shot up and hissed at the pain in her side. Dizziness overcame her and she fell back weakly against her pillow. An elf rushed to her side and began to speak to her in elvish.

"What happened?" she croaked as she shook her head in an effort to clear the fogginess.

A deep voice sounded from her right, "You were shot by a poisoned arrow as you were helping the dwarves escape." Eraveth looked over to see Thranduil standing by the doorway. The elf at her side bowed and moved away. "You have been in and out of consciousness for many days. The poison took a toll on your body. You will be very weak. Tell me, why are your friends being hunted by orcs?"

Eraveth licked her lips and said, "Azog the Defiler is hunting Thorin. He has vowed to break the line of Durin once and for all and will not stop until he or the heirs of Durin are dead. We first became aware that we were being hunted the day before we reached Rivendell. He caught up to us in the Misty Mountains and myself and another were captured and taken to him. I was let go in what, I believe, was an attempt to catch the company. Our companion has not been seen since. The orcs followed the company to Beorn's land and into the forest."

Thranduil nodded and left. As soon as he did, three elves walked into the room. Two were familiar and the third was a female that Eraveth had never seen before. Lindir and Glorfindel greeted her softly and stepped to the side as the female approached.

"I am glad to see that you are awake," she said with a smile. "My name is Erubadhriel. I am the one who found you and brought you back. My son, Legolas, tells me that you are the one who gave him a bloody nose."

Eraveth's eyes widened and she withdrew slightly. "I am sorry about that, my lady," she said as her cheeks flushed bright red.

"There is no need to apologize," Erubadhriel said with a laugh. "My son is fine and the Thranduil has told me that it was actually quite amusing after his anger drained away. My husband seems to be quite baffled by you. Tell me, have you traveled much? I have never been beyond the Greenwood."

Eraveth was somewhat baffled by the queen. She nodded and said, "My brother and I have spent the last twenty years traveling from place to place. We have traveled from Rohan to the Iron Hills to Ered Luin. I have never actually been to the Greenwood before this journey. We always went around to the north."

The two females continued to talk and included Lindir and Glorfindel in their discussion. By nightfall, Eraveth was completely exhausted. She slept soundly and did not awake until an elf came with her breakfast.

Over the next week, Eraveth worked on getting her strength back. By dawn of her eighth day, news came from Esgaroth that the dragon had been awakened and Bard the bowman, descendant of Girion, had slain the beast. Eraveth ran to the throne room and asked, "What news of Erebor?"

Thranduil, who had been in discussion with Tauriel, turned and said, "News has reached me that the dwarves have taken claim of the Lonely Mountain. We are to go and offer assistance to Laketown and will continue to Erebor to negotiate with Oakenshield."

Eraveth nodded and said, "I am going with you." She turned and left as quickly as she came. Erubadhriel, who had been watching from the side, hid a smile behind a graceful hand. She could tell that Thranduil was not happy about having this girl dictate things to him. She had watched as the two had butted heads over the past week.

Eraveth walked back to her room with a slight bounce in her step. If the elves were going to Erebor, there was no force in Arda that could keep her from going with them. She pulled out her pack and began to pack her clothes. She decided to wear the tunic and leggings she had been given and attached her weapons. The elves had given them back to her after she had awoken and she was relieved to have them on her once more.