Tauriel blinked her eyes, feeling half asleep. She felt like she'd just woken from a deep slumber, but yet here she was standing on her feet, in the broad daylight. And there were people all around her – staring at her. One of them was barking some kind of order at her. She forced her eyes wide open and tried to work out what was happening.

King Thranduil seemed to be shouting something at her, from atop his best battle elk. He looked pretty pissed.

Tauriel put a hand up to her mouth, trying to stifle a yawn.

"I said you are banished from my realm – forevermore! Don't you have anything to say to that at all?" Thranduil was glaring down at her with astonished fury in his icy blue eyes, a theatrical pout on his lips, while all around the other blond elves stood staring open-mouthed at her.

The memory of the past three days slammed into her mind like a lightning bolt. The banishing, the fighting, the dying, the endless grief... and the deal with Mandos.

Kili! I need to save Kili! Where is he?!

She looked around frantically, getting her bearings. She was in the ruined streets of Dale again. But she needed to move fast – she had to get to Ravenhill. And she had to do it before anyone wound up dead... but how?

She eyed Thranduil sceptically. "I need a horse!"

The king stared back at her, one hand on his hip. He seemed lost for words. And in no position to offer her a horse.

But she didn't have time for any of this!

"Sorry, my Lord – I need to be somewhere right now! It was... nice working for you!" And with a small curtsey, she spun round and began jogging towards the battle. Surely she'd be able to find a stray horse between here and there?

The assembled elves turned to their king, and watched as his face went purple in fury. With an audible hiss, Thranduil raised a shaking hand to his forehead, and ran it slowly down his sleek, blond mane, staring after the redheaded guard as she broke into a run towards the battle field. Had she lost her mind completely?

Without a word, the elves turned back towards the homeward road, waiting for their lord's orders. They knew better than to speak out of turn, especially when he was in one of these kind of moods.

"Thorin, are you sure this is a good idea?" The hobbit looked up at the Ravenhill tower and frowned. The sun was in his eyes, shining brightly behind a curtain of cloud, and the whole building loomed darkly before him. There was no sign of any of the enemy signals.

Hiding behind the boulder beside him, his taller friend craned his neck to get a better look. "It would seem the orcs have abandoned the tower." His voice dripped contempt – and Bilbo thought he could discern some disappointment too. He'd had a feeling Thorin was spoiling for a fight.

The dwarf king turned to Bilbo, a tender look on his face. "You should stay here, my friend. I don't wish any harm to come to you."

"Harm?" the hobbit queried, casting a nervous glance back at the tower. There was no movement inside - the place looked deserted.

But Thorin ignored him. "Fili! Kili! Take a look inside the tower, check whether it has been abandoned."

Bilbo watched as the two young dwarves, bright and alert, nodded at their uncle's command and started making their way towards the tower doorway. He was glad to be staying behind the big rock, and felt a knot of concern for Thorin's young nephews, as they approached the shadowy doorway.

And Thorin himself must have felt it too. "Be careful! If there is anyone in there, come back at once and don't engage!"

Without a backward glance, Fili raised his right hand in a thumbs up sign, and hurried to overtake his younger brother, unwilling that Kili should enter the black building first.

Thorin relaxed against the rock, a deep sigh on his breath, and the hobbit looked at him in concern. Bilbo for one couldn't wait for all this fighting to be over, and then they could all go back to Erebor and stop worrying about each other all the time. He put an arm on Thorin's shoulder. "What do you plan on doing now?"

Thorin turned to him and gave him a wry smile. "We'll wait for Fili and Kili, and then – "

"Thorin! Someone's coming!" From several yards back down the trail towards the battlefield, Dwalin came running up to them. "It looks like an elf, on horseback!"

The dwarf king drew his sword instantly, his momentary calm replaced by the familiar glower. He turned back from the tower, on high alert.

But the only sound that any of them heard, as they stood there in the cold sunlight waiting for some sound of alarm, was the surging hoofbeats of the approaching rider, as she rode quickly into view. Bilbo recognised her instantly – it was the same red-haired elf from two days ago- the one that had locked them in the Mirkwood dungeon. Surely she wasn't still chasing her quarry? Not even Thorin would be that stubborn.

But she had the air of someone in distress.

She was scanning the tower and surrounding grounds carefully as she rode, and when she noticed the three huddled figures hiding behind their rock, she slowed her horse instantly and jumped down, leading the big chestnut mare by the reins straight towards them. She didn't draw her sword, or string the bow at her back.

Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief.

Seemingly oblivious to Dwalin and Thorin's pointed swords, she ran right upto them, thrusting the reins to her horse at Bilbo, who accepted charge of the big beast with a look of perplexity. "Where is Kili? And Fili? Where are they?" She stared at Thorin and Dwalin in turn, desperation on her face.

Thorin glared back at her, but Bilbo could see her words had concerned him. "How does an elf come to know those names?"

But Tauriel ignored his question. "My lord, your nephews are in danger! This is a trap – are they in the tower?" The fear on her face was real enough, and Thorin's face whitened as he turned back to look at the tall tower rising high behind him.

It was Dwalin that replied instead. "Aye- we've sent the lads in to scout out the tower, what are you trying to say? What trap?"

But this time, the elf didn't even stick around to answer him. "Kili!" She ran towards the doorway, drawing her sword, and Bilbo felt himself swallow hard, alarm catching in his throat. He staggered forward to look at the building again, and noted dimly that both his dwarven companions had started running too, following the redhead as she ran screaming towards the tower.

The whole world is going to know we're here now! So much for the element of surprise.

Not wishing to be the odd one out, the hobbit drew his sword, and felt the vague sense of alarm he'd felt turn to full-blown panic as he saw the blade was shining blue.

There's orcs here, oh no! It really is a trap!

And as the hobbit stared in horror at the glowing sword, he became aware of a commotion in the tower. Someone was shouting down at them. He turned, not really wanting to look, and saw Fili at the window, shouting to them.

But he wasn't alone. Beside his small blond frame, a tall, dark-haired woman in a red dress stood waving to them, a smile on her face. Kili was nowhere to be seen.

Bilbo swallowed. Where were the orcs? What if they were sneaking up behind him?

Feeling suddenly very alone – and very visible with the big horse by his side, he trotted over with the animal to join Thorin and Dwalin, as they stood yelling up at Fili and the mystery woman. The elf was nowhere in sight – she'd already disappeared inside the tower, leaving the three of them standing around out here, exposed.

"Fili, come down now! Find Kili and come back!" Thorin was shouting to his nephew, watched over by Dwalin, who was eyeing up the approach-ways to the tower with tense suspicion.

Not wanting to appear weak and scared, Bilbo raised his sword skywards, trying to summon up some warrior courage by aping Dwalin's stance. But the sword was silver again. Not bright blue.

What? Where have the orcs gone? Is this part of the trap?

He stared hard at the sword, wondering if he'd imagined it glowing out of nervous paranoia, when his regal friend turned to him with a soft smile. "You can put your sword down, Master Burglar. Fili says the tower is clear."

"It's not the tower I'm worried about!" growled Dwalin. "Look at all these boulders!" He gestured wildly around at the rocky landscape, smothered with dark shrubbery. "They could be hiding anywhere, waiting to ambush us when our guard is down."

Bilbo followed the dwarf's gaze and scanned the bushes warily. "Maybe we should go and wait for Fili and Kili in the tower? What do you think?"

Thorin eyed the horse by Bilbo's side and opened his mouth to speak, his lip curling upward with some amusement at his little friend's suggestion, but the budding smile was stillborn.

As the sound of happy voices reached the trio's ears, Bilbo turned to see Thorin's youngest nephew exiting the tower with the red-haired elf. But something was wrong: their hands were intertwined, and they were both smiling joyously.

Thorin scowled at the obscenity."Kili, come here!"

Hearing his summons, Kili approached Thorin. With the elf in tow.

"Thorin, it's fine! There's no orcs in there. We checked it out. We –" but his uncle cut him off.

"Why are you fraternising with our enemy?" He glared openly at Tauriel, who seemed slightly offended by his choice of words. Kili just looked confused.

"Fraternising? But the orcs –"

"I don't mean the orcs, Kili! I mean the elves. That elf!" he spat the words out, as if even the hateful word caught in his throat. "Or have you forgotten how she locked you up in the Mirkwood dungeons already?"

But Kili just grinned. "No, I haven't forgotten." And then – to Bilbo's astonishment - the pair of them gave a little chuckle, laughing at some private in-joke at Thorin's expense.

The hobbit winced, and braced himself for the inevitable Khuzdul explosion. But it didn't come. Thorin's eyes were back on the doorway, his attention caught by something else.

And as the hobbit stared after his friend, and saw Kili's blond brother escorting the dark-haired woman from the tower, he understood instantly.

The woman was young – not much older than a teenager, Bilbo guessed, but she was strikingly beautiful. All dewy skin, dark curls, and ruby lips. Even the elf looked less lustrous in her presence.

Bilbo studied Thorin silently, noticing how his blue eyes followed the woman as she sashayed in her red dress towards their group, and he felt himself suddenly overlooked as his friend's interest found a new home. He shrank towards the horse at his side, and stroked her mane nervously.

"Fili, who is this?" Thorin addressed his heir, but his eyes were still on the woman as his nephew led her forward. Bilbo noticed how Fili's arm was round the woman's waist. She seemed like she was upset – although she held her head straight and high.

The blond dwarf looked up at the woman questioningly, as if asking for permission. "This is Rose – I found her in the tower. She was a prisoner... Of the orcs."

The woman bowed her head, and Fili rubbed his hand around her back as if trying to comfort her. She met his concerned, blue-grey eyes with a brave smile, and raised her head again towards the others. "My father and I were travelling to Laketown with our cart of tapestries – he was a rug merchant – my father." The woman sniffed, and frowned. "But as our cart rounded a bend, we came upon a pack of orcs packing up their camp!"

Bilbo looked at the woman, and could guess the rest. The others could too, he reckoned, but they all drank in her words just the same, listening intently... All except for Kili maybe, who seemed too wrapped up with his elven friend to pay the woman much attention.

The woman bowed her head again and continued. "They killed my father with his own sword. And they stole all our gold. I tried to run away, but they caught me. And they told me I would fetch a good price as a slave, so they brought me here – they tied me up in this room in the tower and left me there... until Fili came, and cut me loose..." She smiled gratefully at her blond saviour, and Fili shone with pleasure.

Bilbo glanced around their little group, realising even Dwalin was watching the woman, wide eyed. He cleared his throat respectfully. "My lady, where are the orcs now? Are they still around here somewhere?"

The woman's deep brown eyes locked onto Bilbo's, as she noticed him there, behind the horse, for the first time. "I don't know – I think they went to join in the fighting. They said they'd be back soon." She shivered, and Fili held her closer.

Thorin took a step towards her, drawing himself up as tall as he could. "My lady, I am Thorin Oakenshield- the king of the great dwarven kingdom of Erebor. I am glad my nephew has found you unharmed. Please accept my sincere condolences for your loss." He bowed to the woman in a gesture of respect, and she nodded politely in acknowledgement. "Please accept an invitation of refuge in Erebor, my lady. You will be safe and welcome there among us. Any enemy of the orcs... is a friend of ours."

He smiled as the woman met his gaze, and she strode forward, slipping out of Fili's arm, and reached out her right hand towards Thorin. The dwarf king stared at it for a second, and then extended his own hand and shook hers, as if sealing a deal like a common man.

The woman smiled deep into his eyes. "It would be a pleasure, my lord, to see your kingdom." Her hand still lingered in his. "I do not dare to take to the road to return southwards now – and there is nobody left to return to anyway... now my father is gone." She cast her eyes downwards, and Thorin released her hand and put his arm around her shoulder, steering her away from Fili and towards Bilbo and Dwalin.

"There's no need for you to travel anywhere, my lady, you are more than welcome to stay in my kingdom. You will be our most honoured guest. Come now, the battle is over- the orcs have scattered now my cousin Dáin's troops have arrived– we will return to my kingdom and find you some lodgings..." Thorin continued his monologue at the woman as he led her down the path that the dwarves had just come by- the one that skirted the battlefield and led back to Erebor.

It seemed the battle was actually over now for them after all, Bilbo realised. He found it slightly ironic, that the moment he'd been waiting for all day had finally arrived, and here it was, underwhelming and slightly disappointing. He watched his friend walk away with the younger woman, and looked mournfully at his remaining companions.

Fili stood watching his uncle with the same baleful expression Bilbo wore, but when he noticed the hobbit's attention turn on him he quickly rearranged his features into a nonchalant smirk, and motioned to Dwalin for the two of them to follow on. Bilbo rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure my uncle Thorin will let you stay in Erebor too- now that you're banished from the Woodland realm forever and all. He really can be reasonable – you'll like him. When you get to know him." Kili was evidently trying to reassure the flame-haired elf, who stood staring after the dwarf king and the woman with an ashen face, looking bereft.

"Her father was killed...and it's all my fault. Those ten minutes... they would never have ran into the orcs... before!" she whispered.

Kili looked up at her in surprise, and squeezed her hand. "You can't kill every single orc under the sun, even though I know you want to! But now you've come back to me... I think the two of us together can take on anyone."

Tauriel turned to him, as if suddenly remembering he was there beside her, and squeezed his hand back fiercely. "Oh Kili, I'm so glad you're here." And then she stooped down to his level, and kissed him hard on the lips, her red hair falling all about their faces and blocking Bilbo's startled view, before he had time to look away.

Should I wait here for them to stop? Should I ask her if she wants her horse back? Maybe I should leave now with the horse, and just let them get on with it!

Bilbo looked up hopefully at the big mare, and began gently trying to lead her onwards. Until she put her head down with a casual snort, throwing the bit forwards in her mouth, and nearly taking his arm off. He dropped the reins, and squeaked in alarm.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" the elf broke away from her entanglement with her dwarven friend, and threw the hobbit a concerned glance. Seeing he was having trouble, she stepped forward and took the reins back into her hand. "Thanks for looking after her – you've done a great job. But I should take her back now. She's feeling spooked after everything she's seen today, poor girl."

Bilbo and Kili exchanged a glance, as the elf stroked at the mare's long brown neck, whispering something in elvish under her breath. To Bilbo's eyes, it seemed that the hazel eyed dwarf was ever so slightly red in the face – he was sure he was not imaging it – and the hobbit was faintly amused.

Kili cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. "I don't know if you two have met? Tauriel, this is Bilbo Baggins of the Shire – he is one of our company, and a good friend. And Bilbo, say hello to Tauriel, formerly of the Mirkwood Guard!" The dwarf finished with a flourish, and a grin.

Bilbo raised his eyebrow. "Formerly?"

But the elf shrugged. "There's a story there, if you care to hear it." She met Kili's eye and smiled. "I'm sure everyone will have heard the story by sundown, so maybe I can fill you in, Mr Baggins, on our road towards Erebor?"

The hobbit nodded, curious now, and eager to catch up with Thorin and the rest of them. "That sounds like a very good idea, my lady. Let's get out of here and get back to some safety. It's way past dinner-time!"

By the time they reached the gates of Erebor, nearly an hour later, Bilbo could feel his stomach dissolving itself. Just how did these people expect a hobbit to survive on one breakfast alone? And that had been hours ago!

Along the way back, in between listening to Tauriel's all-too plausible story of upsetting King Thranduil, he had caught snippets of Thorin bragging to the woman about a great victory feast that would be laid out tonight in celebration, and had begun salivating at the prospect. He hoped fervently it was true: Thorin did love a good boast, but could usually be relied upon to come through on his outlandish promises. His sense of honour demanded it. And everyone else's sense of his temper usually ensured it.

"And this, my lady, is Erebor – the greatest dwarf kingdom that has ever been, and ever will be!"

Bilbo watched the dwarf king, with his chest puffed out, showing off his prize possessions to the young woman like a back-street hawker, and felt a wave of bitterness. How fickle he was, to be taken in by a pretty face like that! How did it go again? That line from the famous poem? All that glitters is not gold?

Clearly, it's a poem that has never been appreciated by my Khazâd friends here. But what can you really expect from a culture that elevates gold-digging to fine art?

Bilbo sniffed, and hung back a few steps so Kili and Tauriel could catch up with him. They were walking along, hand in hand, so that Kili's arm was bent double and the elf was holding onto it like that of a child, her horse's reins in the other. She looked like his big sister."Is your uncle always like this around women?" he demanded. "I thought dwarves valued facial hair in a prospective partner?"

Kili looked rather taken aback, and the elf beside him chuckled at his discomfort. "I don't know? Most of them like beards, I guess, but Thorin... has rather exotic tastes for a dwarf, as you well know. But he's the king! He can do what he likes! I'm not judging!"Kili looked slightly panicked, as if his allegiance to his uncle was somehow under suspicion.

Bilbo caught the elf's eye and she smiled innocently back. "I suppose he's... not the only one. With exotic tastes. In your family, I mean."

But Kili looked worried. "Yes, but I'm not the king!" He squeezed Tauriel's hand, and Bilbo felt quite sorry for them all of a sudden. He tried to find some words of reassurance.

"I'm sure your uncle will be understanding, Kili, he's – "

But the hobbit was cut off mid-platitude by the sound of the heavy Erebor gates opening before them. From the front of their party, Thorin spun round and raised his arms.

"My friends, we come home at last! And tonight we shall celebrate as dwarves the greatest day in our history, along with our friends and allies." He aimed a charming grin towards Rose. "Let's get ourselves home and bring Erebor back to life!"

The party started forwards with broad smiles. Although Bilbo suspected it was perhaps the thought of a good wash and a hot dinner that enthused most of them more than the historicity of their occasion.

"Not you!" Thorin spied Tauriel at the last minute, before she slipped through the gates with her travelling companions, and swaggered forward to block her way. "This kingdom is not for your kind."

Immediately, Kili dropped her hand and strode right upto his uncle, and Bilbo half imagined he was about to punch the king, so firm-set was his jaw. "Uncle please, she is our friend! She has fought on our side since we left Mirkwood – Thranduil has even banished her from her home."

But Thorin didn't appear to listen to his younger nephew. "No elves, Kili! They can't be trusted." He regarded Tauriel's wide green eyes with a sneer. "They tell you all kinds of things, but their words mean nothing to them. And before you know it, they're stabbing you in the back."

Thorin made to turn round, as if dismissing Kili's thoughts on the matter, but the hobbit knew he was underestimating his nephew. He wasn't the only one in his family that could be stubborn.

"I'm not going in unless she comes with me!" Kili declared, folding his arms defiantly. Thorin froze mid-turn, then cocked his head to regard the younger dwarf with a glacial glare. In Khuzdul, he growled something under his breath at Kili, but his nephew remained unmoved.

The rest of their party had stopped and were peering round nervously. Fili and Dwalin exchanged a loaded glance, and Kili's elder brother marched back towards his uncle and brother, positioning himself in between them and holding up his hands. He muttered something conciliatory in their language, earning a glare and petulant cursing from both of his kin.

I'm so hungry! Can't this wait till after supper?

Bilbo wondered what he could do to help speed the process on a bit, but it was difficult when he didn't even know what they were saying. It sounded angry – but from the small amount of dwarvish he'd absorbed on his travels – so did anything when you said it in their language. And whatever else he might have excelled in, listening to reason was not one of King Oakenshield's strengths. Some kind of baser play was needed here, he thought.

The hobbit stared at his companions, hoping that inspiration would strike one of them before Thorin and his heirs started a brawl at their historic homecoming. Dwalin was staring sheepishly ahead, obviously unwilling to get directly involved, and the woman – Rose – just stood there blinking in surprise. He tried to catch her eyes, and she stared back at him suddenly with a frown. He raised his eyebrows at her pointedly, hoping she would take the hint.

Bilbo took a deep breath. "Er, Thorin?"

He was met by three pairs of aristocratic eyes glaring at him for his intrusion. "Thorin, don't you think it would be worth just letting her in? I mean, if Thranduil has banished her, he's going to look pretty foolish if she just comes marching in here! With your nephew. Of all people." Thorin's glare intensified, and Bilbo took another quick breath. "I mean, it kind of undermines his credibility, doesn't it?"

Thorin looked like he was going to spit in disgust. "His credibility? And what credibility is that?"

The hobbit thought. "Well, it'll make him really angry, at the very least!"

But the dwarf king shut his eyes, and took a deep breath, as if he was explaining a simple concept for an idiot child. "I don't care what that fool king thinks, I care about what my people think! I don't want them to scorn me because I have allowed an elf – " he pointed his finger towards Tauriel, " – into my kingdom!"

"And what about what I think, Thorin? What about what your family thinks?" Kili spoke in a soft voice, as if he was hurt. "Do you not care how we feel?"

Thorin rolled his eyes, and Bilbo thought he was about to say something he might live to regret, when from behind him, the woman stepped forward and put a hand on his back.

"My lord, a king should not be overly concerned with the opinions of others. A king must do what is right. For himself. And in time your people will learn to respect the wisdom of your decisions." Rose purred the words into his ear, and for a second, Thorin looked quite at peace with himself. And then the angry grimace returned once more.

"And whose opinions do you suggest I discard, my lady? Those of my people, or those of my own kin?" He smiled bitterly. "I can't please them all, so maybe I shouldn't try to please any of them!"

But Rose just rubbed his shoulder gently with her hand, as if soothing an angry dog. "I think you should listen to your nephew, my lord. Because above all, a king needs loyalty. From his heirs." She stared directly at both Fili and Kili with her big, deep brown eyes, and Bilbo wondered if she was vaguely threatening them, but dismissed the idea at once. That would be crazy, after all.

Yet her words seemed to have an effect on Thorin. He eyed his nephews with a colder, appraising view, as if suspicious of them already. "Yes, perhaps you are right, my lady." He turned his back on his family, gazing up approvingly at the woman with a new respect. "Let the elf come through then. But it shall be on my nephew's head if she steps out of line!"

And with that, he took Rose's hand, and the pair of them went marching through the gates, followed at a few steps distance by a confused looking Dwalin.

The two brothers regarded each other with a questioning look, and then Kili slipped his arm back into Tauriel's. She looked upset. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble between you and your uncle, Kili! I just didn't think he would... hate me so much."

The dwarves both gave a harsh laugh, and Bilbo snorted. "I thought he was in rather a good mood – that woman managed to talk him around easily enough." The hobbit stared at the ground.

"I don't like her. I don't trust her." Fili met their eyes in turn. "I don't like the way she talked our uncle around."

Bilbo smiled sadly. "He'll be over her by tomorrow, Fili, you know what he's like. He doesn't listen to anyone for long!"

Thorin's heir watched his king walk away, arm in arm with the pretty woman. "I hope you're right." He gave Kili a meaningful look, and his dark-haired brother nodded grimly.

"Come on then, my lady," Kili gave the elf a squeeze, "let's find somewhere to stable the horse and then let's get you somewhere to sleep tonight. I want to have a good, long soak in a bath before this dinner is ready!"

The elf gave him a sly smile. "Do you need my help with all of those things?"

Bilbo caught Fili's eye, and the blond shook his head and started walking towards the gate, the hobbit close on his heels.

At least I'm going to be fed soon! I'm so hungry, I could eat that horse.

But then he remembered the woman's cold, brown eyes, and wondered how much of an appetite he was really going to have, watching his dear friend fawning over her all night.

Come on! Everyone is just tired, and hungry. Everything will be alright after dinner!

Bilbo heard the gates come crashing in behind him, as their little group of stragglers entered Erebor.

I mean, how much trouble can one woman cause?