The company made good progress throughout the day. Amelia found herself riding at the front of the group alongside Thorin. To her surprise, no one disputed her place of honor.
Throughout the day they joked and laughed together, pulling Amelia into conversation. For once no one was excluded. Kili acted as an interpreter, translating Bifur's Khuzdul for the Phoenix and Bilbo, and neither Amelia nor Bifur admitted that only one of the non-dwarves needed the translations.
When night finally fell the company set up camp, still laughing happily. Amelia was pleased with their progress. They had moved twice as quickly they would have on foot. With any luck, they could simply avoid any issues upon the Misty Mountains.
From there Amelia wasn't quite sure what they would do. With the added time they might be able to skirt around Mirkwood and avoid it altogether, but she wasn't sure if Thorin would risk the extra time.
There was also the issue of the woodland elves. Amelia knew that though they would be an annoyance if encountered, they would ultimately be needed in the Battle of the Five Armies. Despite her efforts to change the future, she knew that battle was inevitable. The only thing she could alter was who died in it.
Amelia was at a loss. If they avoided the trouble in the Misty Mountains Bilbo would never take the ring, and wouldn't be able to rescue the company from the dungeons of the elven king. So if everything went according to plan, Amelia couldn't let them be captured in Mirkwood. On the same token, if they didn't meet the elves Thranduil would have no cause to come to the mountain, and wouldn't be present at the time of the battle. It seemed there was no winning.
There was of course the option of bargaining with Thranduil for his aid in the battle, but she knew Thorin would never agree to it. His hatred of elves ran too deep. It was something she hoped he would overcome, but she wasn't holding out too much hope.
Amelia sighed. She would work out a solution at a later time; for now she had to get the company past the Misty Mountains.
As the company travelled Amelia found herself- much against her will- growing closer with Kili. The dwarf's bubbly personality made it impossible to not get along with him, and he seemed to both know it and use it to his advantage. At the same time Bilbo and Thorin were also growing closer. One morning, after waking to discover the king and hobbit had taken watch all through the night, sitting up together and talking, the company had begun to bet on how long it would take for the king and burglar to get together.
"Eh, Phoenix?" called Bombur. "Care to weigh in?"
Amelia snorted. "Really?" she reprimanded jokingly.
"Really!" chirped Bofur. "Come on, lass."
"I've nothing to bet with," Amelia replied.
"We'll work something out should you lose," replied Nori. "There must be something interesting in that bag of yours." He gestured to the bag on Amelia's belt, where she was inserting her rolled up bedroll.
She laughed lightly. "I'm sure," she admitted. "But nothing I'm willing to part with."
"Come on," Fili said. He seemed much friendlier with her than before, most likely because his uncle was. From across the remains of their campfire Thorin was watching them, but not with his usual scowl.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?"
"Nope!" chorused the company.
Amelia sighed. "Fine. By a year after the conclusion of the quest."
Gloin scoffed. "You bet far too warily. Have some fun with it. Narrow your range."
"I've cast my bet," Amelia stated. "If I do so with caution, it only ensures that I will win."
"Thorin?" called Balin. "Bilbo?"
Both shook their heads.
"I would think you would be above gambling over the love life of your king," Thorin mused.
"Never!" shouted Fili and Kili. They laughed and began jumping around near Thorin, who rolled his eyes lovingly.
"Come on," pushed Oin. "What'll it be?"
"Nothing," Thorin insisted.
"Same," Bilbo said.
With dejected faces, the company nodded. Amelia threw her hands up.
"How come you leave them alone?" she demanded.
Nori smirked at her. "Consider it a sign of affection that we pester you."
"Mmm-hmm."
Amelia saddled her horse, shaking her head in mock sadness. As she began helping members of the company to mount their steeds she saw Bilbo whisper something in Bofur's ear.
"What did he say to you?" she asked as she helped Bofur onto his horse.
Bofur grinned. "He was casting his bet. He's going for a year past the quest, just like you."
Amelia snickered and went to mount her own horse.
Kili joined Amelia that night when she took first watch, settling happily beside her by the fire. Both sat with their bows in hand, back to back so that they could watch both ends of the camp. Amelia found she quite liked the feel of Kili's warm form pressed against her back, as well as the musky scent that clung to him.
"What do you think of Uncle and Bilbo getting together?" Kili asked suddenly.
Amelia frowned. "I hadn't realized you had reservations."
Kili shrugged. "Dwarvish tradition runs deep. I don't recall a time when one of our own has married a non-dwarf."
"There's more," Amelia prompted.
"Well," said Kili. "Bilbo is so… unexpected. The exact opposite of what I would expect for my uncle."
"Because he's male?"
"Because he's afraid of his own shadow. Thorin respects power. He barely tolerates those without courage."
"Bilbo Baggins has far more courage than you know," Amelia said sternly. "Far more than he himself realizes."
"Really?" asked Kili.
"Mmm-hmm."
They were silent for a moment.
"Have you ever been in love?" asked Kili.
Amelia tensed, surprised.
"Why do you ask?" she questioned warily.
She could feel Kili shrug against her back. "I was curious," he said. "You're one of those people who is very likeable once known, but somehow I can't see you settling down. But you've lived so long; surely you must have loved before."
Amelia sighed. "Once or twice," she admitted.
"What happened?"
"It ended," Amelia stated. "Either I moved on to another world or I watched those I cared for wither and die. There's no happy-ever-after for me, Kili. It's best for me to stay on my own."
She didn't need to turn around to know that Kili was frowning. "Not everyone could die on you," he objected. "That can't be possible."
Amelia closed her eyes, taking her time to answer. "There is such a thing," she said slowly, "as living too long. Eventually everything fades; the earth, the stars, even time itself. I've stood by and watched whole universes pass into oblivion; I've marked their ends in solitude before moving on. Yes Kili, it is very possible for everyone to die and leave me alone. It has happened many times before."
She broke off. Why was she being so forthcoming? She never discussed herself, not in any great detail. Why was she sharing these things with Kili?
"I'm sorry." Kili turned so that he could see Amelia, and by glancing out of the corner of her eye she saw that his were wide. "It sounds like a lonely life you lead."
She shrugged. "I manage. Don't get me wrong, it's not all bad. It's sad when a world ends, yes, but they're beautiful while they last."
"Do you reckon you'll be around to see the end of this world?"
"I don't know," Amelia said. "Probably not."
Kili sighed and settled back into place. The two leaned against each other, and despite Kili's shorter status, they propped each other up perfectly.
"Would you tell me a story?" Kili asked.
Amelia frowned. "About what?"
She felt Kili shrug behind her. "Tell me of the stars. You've said before that you've seen them up close. What are they like?"
Amelia tilted her head to the side as she thought. "They- they are beyond imagination," she murmured. "Bright and hot, a burning mass of light in the dark nothingness of space. Sometimes they clump together, their light mixing and spreading outward until all the darkness is chased away."
Amelia sighed softly and leaned her head back, ignoring Kili's indignant "hey!" as she rested her head on his. "I've walked on worlds where there is no night, where there are so many suns surrounding it that the light never fades. There are also worlds where the sun never shines, dark planets where no life grows."
Behind her Kili shivered. "Why would anyone ever go to such a place?"
Amelia laughed, lifting her head again. "I never said it was by choice. I was stranded on such a world once. It's a long story."
"We have all night," reminded Kili.
"Until Dwalin takes over watch."
"Meh. Let Dwalin sleep. He's in a much finer mood when he gets more of it."
Amelia laughed. "True," she admitted. "Ok, so first, you must understand that in some worlds, they have what are called space ships. They're used to travel through space."
Kili nodded. He listened in rapt attention as the Phoenix detailed a daring space battle between the crews of several such ships. The odds had been rather stacked; three against the one ship Amelia had been on, as they had shot back and forth at each other. It had ended with her and several friends stranded on a lifeless planet, relying solely on the life-support system of their ship- whatever that meant- to keep them alive in the unhospitable environment.
By the time the sun dawned the two were still talking quietly, and at some point their hands had joined gently together. As Bifur woke Amelia pulled her hand from Kili's, her cheeks reddening. Kili scrambled back to his bedroll and pretended to be asleep, so that the rest of the company wouldn't know they had been up all night.
Bifur sent Amelia a wink, and she scowled.
Later that day Kili fell back so that he was riding side by side with Bifur. The dwarf had fallen into a foul mood some hours ago, and had pulled to the rear of the group to grumble on his own. He was silent at this point, yet it was with trepidation that Kili approached.
"What do you want?" Bifur demanded in Khuzdul.
Kili grimaced. "I want to speak to you about this morning." He too replied in Khuzdul, his voice hardly above a whisper. He slowed his horse so that they fell slightly behind the others, and Bifur did the same.
"What about it?" asked Bifur.
Kili bit his lip. How would he go about this?
"I would appreciate it if you didn't tell the others what you saw," he said. "The Phoenix wishes for our conversations to remain private."
"I didn't hear anything of what you were saying," Bifur grumbled.
Kili dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Still, the fact that we sat together all night might imply a sort of intimacy. For this very reason the Phoenix doesn't want our chats divulged."
"So you've done this before then?"
Kili turned away and cussed quietly under his breath. He didn't notice the quick grin Bifur flashed at the sight of the floundering young prince, and by the time he turned back Bifur's scowl was back in place.
"We have," he admitted. "We find solace in the other's company. Is that so wrong?"
"It is not," Bifur admitted. "But to keep it from the king…"
Kili sighed. "My uncle wouldn't understand. He has grown somewhat more trusting of the Phoenix since the orc attack before Rivendell, but that trust is a fragile thing. I wouldn't endanger it if I could help it."
Bifur nodded. "Very well. I'll keep my silence."
Kili breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He clapped Bifur on the back, then moved quickly to the front of the group, ignoring how the Phoenix was watching him warily.
Bifur avoided speaking to Kili for the rest of the day, though he was surprisingly subtle about it. Still, Kili was glad that the dwarf hadn't divulged his knowledge. He settled down happily to sleep, unaware that as Bifur took watch the Phoenix joined him. In the quiet of the camp Bifur told Amelia what had transpired that day, the old dwarf laughing quietly at his deception of Kili.
He cares for you, he signed in Iglishmëk. It's rather sweet.
Amelia sighed. She was becoming increasingly aware of the fact, despite all her intentions to keep the dwarf prince from developing any feelings for her.
I know, she signed back.
You look upset by it.
Amelia shrugged, and Bifur patted her back understandingly. For some time they sat quietly together, watching the stars travel through the heavens.
Two days later the company reached the foothills of the Misty Mountains. They paused their horses, gazing up at the monstrous peaks.
"Tomorrow we cross," Thorin declared.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Did Gandalf not say to wait for him?"
Thorin scowled. "The wizard should travel faster."
Amelia had to duck her head to the side to hide her smile.
"Is there anything I should know now?"
Amelia sighed. "The events of our crossing are not known to me. We've moved faster than we were supposed to. I am hoping this allows us to circumvent several issues we would encounter otherwise."
Thorin frowned. "You are changing fate?"
Amelia nodded. "Aye. If all goes to plan, you shall be the better off for it."
Thorin frowned, but didn't ask what that meant. "So there is nothing I should be aware of?" he asked.
Amelia sighed. "There are goblins within the mountains, but this you likely knew already. If things were going according to the script, we would first be caught in the crosshairs of a thunder battle between two rock giants. Then we would take shelter for the night in a small cave on the high pass, where we would be captured by the goblins within the mountain. Gandalf would arrive just in time to rescue us, and we would make our escape."
"This will not happen now?" Thorin asked.
"I can't say for sure," Amelia admitted. "Hopefully not. But Thorin, there is something you must know. There is an enemy of yours who you believe dead but isn't. We would have encountered him during our escape from the mountains if all had gone according to the original plan, with nearly dire consequences for you."
Thorin's face paled ever so slightly. Behind him the company fidgeted nervously.
"Who do you mean?" he asked dangerously.
Amelia could see Balin from the corner of her eye, and going by the look on his face, it was clear he had guessed who she meant. She was fairly certain Thorin was guessing too, but the dwarf clearly didn't want to admit it.
"Azog," said Amelia. "He's alive."