"The first dream was one I had experienced many times before: my mother's death. Except that this time, as she died, a faded form of her stood at my shoulder, flying alongside me as my bother cradled me in his arms.

'Do not fear, dearest,' she said softly. 'Your time will come.' She looked me in the eyes. 'Thorin needs you. Kili and Fili need you; all the Company needs you. If you give into the darkness, Erebor will fall.'

'Erebor has already fallen, Mother,' I told her. My voice was small and frail, that of a child. I gripped my brother's shoulders tighter as he urged the horse to fly faster. 'Thorin is taken.'

'Then find him and bring him back.'

Before I could respond, the dream changed.

I stood upon the field of battle before the gates of Erebor. I was fighting for my life with Kili at my right hand and Fili at my left. We surrounded Thorin in a protective triangle of sorts, guarding one another's backs. He was on his knees, breathing heavily. He was covered in blood, just as we all were, and the light in his eyes was fading. 'Thorin, wake up!' I screamed, parrying an orc blade.

Suddenly I was in his head. I saw myself and Fili and Kili fighting to defend Thorin—me? Was I Thorin? I felt the sickness in my mind recede, and I tried to stand as Aeyera faltered, her armor pierced by an orc blade.

Aeyera. I have to defend her. Kili loves her.

Am I not she? What is going on?

Time froze except for Thorin and me. I stood in my own body, facing the dwarf king. His eyes locked on mine. I could feel someone's presence nearby, but I couldn't turn to look at them. Thorin's alarmed blue eyes were bright with confusion and fear.

'How is this possible?' he whispered.

'You're in my head,' I ground out, finally able to distinguish the presence near me. It was Thorin's consciousness in my mind. 'Why?'

He looked around as the scene about us fell away. 'I do not know.'

All around us, walls of stone were forming. I shuddered as my eyes rolled back in my head. My heartbeat slowed as I fell to my knees, and suddenly I was wearing barely anything: just trousers and cloth wrapped tightly around my chest. Time sped up, and I was being dragged forward and forced to my knees. One of my father's soldiers chained my wrists behind my back and to a ring in the floor.

'Are you ready to serve me?' Thranduil growled.

I snarled at him, yanking against the chains fruitlessly. 'Never.'

He nodded at the soldier behind me, and the elf grabbed my hair, yanking my head back as the king strode forward. I gritted my teeth as tears of pain formed in my eyes. I then noticed Thorin standing behind my father, staring at me with horrified eyes. Why was he still here?

'What is going on?' The king struck me across the face, and Thorin jerked awkwardly, trying and failing to move. My head snapped to one side, and I took a deep breath against the pain that crackled down my spine. 'Aeyera, why can't I move? Where are we?'

The darkness roared in my mind, and I understood. This memory took place before my healing. The darkness was still alive here and it filled the room, delighting in my captivity now that I was trapped inside my own head. It stayed away from Thorin and I, but I could sense its pleasure. He hit me again, and I whimpered, pulling away.

'Betray him,' he hissed, grabbing my jaw in his iron grip and forcing me to look at him. 'Bring my jewels to me.'

'No,' I gasped, tears running down my face. He threw me back and stood, moving to another part of the room.

'Hold her down,' he said. The guard pulled me backwards and forced my shoulders against the stone, overpowering me easily. I cried out as I struggled fruitlessly against him. My arms burned, twisting unnaturally beneath me. It was here that I realized that this was not the same memory anymore. The darkness had spun it into something else, something darker, combining it with another memory.

Instead of my father returning, it was Azog who reentered my line of sight. An orc held me down and leered down at me with a bloody grin, and the walls changed from the smooth stone of the Greenwood to the rough, black stuff of Dol Guldur. I screamed and thrashed as Azog approached and straddled me, pinning me to the floor. His weight on my hips held me down, and his claws dug into my shoulder. He held me down with one hand; the other held something I could not see.

My heart sped up. I was so, so afraid. Only a few things terrified me more that Agog and my father did. Death, surprisingly, was not one of them. Endurance was one. I could not bear to live forever in this hell. The other was… was being forcibly taken by a man. I feared that would I experience both in the time I was prisoner in Dol Guldur. I recognized this memory as one of the last: fortunately, somehow neither Azog nor the Necromancer though of torturing me in the one true way I feared, and Eru and the Valar are responsible for this blessing.

Azog leered down at me and titled the object he carried: a stone cup. Its contents glowed, and he poured the molten metal over my chest and stomach. The screams that tore from my mouth were so horrible and guttural that they in themselves have given me nightmares in the time since. They continued on, echoing through the dungeons there for long after the first scream gave way to anguished sobs and shrieks.

'NO!'

A moment later the Defiler's head was severed from his body as Thorin found the strength to move. The dead fell to one side as the body slumped off me. Thorin heaved the rest of it off. As the orc's body fell to the side, however, I found that I could not make myself move. I was in too much agony. Thorin knelt beside me.

'Aeyera, what was that?' He asked, confused and afraid. The true Thorin stood before me now, cradling my broken, blistered body. 'I'm sorry, I couldn't move, I tried to—'

'Thorin, it is alright—' my lungs felt as though they were on fire. 'It is a dream, we will wake up soon—'

'A dream?' he echoed. 'What kind of nightmares—'

'Not nightmares. Memories.'

His once proud face fell, and I saw the king whom I had sworn to protect. 'Memories?' he echoed in a whisper. He glanced around, devastated. 'This… this was real?'

'Yes, this and much more. I have endured much for the sake of your people, Thorin. Never think for a moment that I would betray you.'

The pain faded, and the cooled metal disappeared. The bloody, blistered burns faded into scars. I sat up as the stone faded. The shackled binding my hands disappeared.

'How am I here?' Thorin asked. 'Am I in your head?'

'Yes. I do not know how, but yes. Do not forget my memories, Thorin.'

'Dark have been my dreams of late,' he whispered. 'A shadow has surrounded my mind.'

'I noticed.'

A sudden realization struck him, and his head jerked up as he stared at me, suddenly afraid. 'I tried to kill you,' he murmured, horror struck.

'Yes,' I answered softly.

'What will happen when I wake?' he asked, looking like a frightened child. I realized that I was seeing his innermost heart, his innermost fear, and my heart broke for him. 'Will… will I be free?'

'I do not know.'

'Will I remember this when I wake?' he asked.

'I do not know,' I answered, earnest.

'When you wake up, you must leave,' he commanded me suddenly, eyes widening. 'Take my nephews and go.'

'Thorin—'

'I am not myself,' he barked, sounding very much like himself in that moment. 'If I hurt any of you, I could not live with myself.'

'And I could not live with myself if I were to allow you to die or to suffer like this!' My words hung in the air between us. 'I swore to protect you, Thorin. I will not leave you to die or be claimed by the darkness.'

'I am already dead. I am already taken."

'No.'

'Go while you still can!' His voice took on a pleading tone, and I felt as though someone had thrown me into the Long Lake. I was shocked. Thorin was begging. He truly was trying to protect me. His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and my resolve nearly broke as one dripped down his cheek. 'Please.'

'If you try to hurt any of the company, I will take them to safety,' I told him, making up my mind. 'Then I will return for you.'

He shook his head, eyes filled with pain. 'Aeyera—'

'Trust me,' I whispered. 'I will save you. I promise.'

He gave me a slight smile even as the dream began to fade. 'My dear princess, do not make a promise you are unable to keep.'"

I gasped and shot up in bed, shaking and covered in sweat. A glance around the room revealed that Fili remained in his spot before the hearth and that Kili was asleep on the couch, his face covered by his hair. His courtship braid held a part of his hair back, and the sight of it soothed my mind, if only a little bit. Soft light filtered through a window in the corner.

Fili lifted his head and watched me with his calculating blue eyes. "Are you alright?"

I shook my head quickly, pushing back the covers. The bed was suddenly too hot. "Thorin, he—he was in my mind, he—"

Fili grunted as he pulled himself to his feet and woke Kili with a touch. The brothers joined me on the edge of the bed. "Start over," Kili commanded gently, taking my hand. His thumb rubbed designs over my skin. The dark circles beneath his eyes did not escape my notice; neither did the haunted look his brown eyes bore bore. "Please."
I nodded shakily and gripped his hand back. "I was fighting before the gates of Erebor with both of you by my side. We… we fought to protect Thorin; he was injured on the ground. Suddenly, time stopped for all but Thorin and I, and I—I was in his mind. I felt his thoughts."

"But you said—"

I shook my head quickly. "Let me finish. Just as soon, he was in mine. I could feel his presence in my head. A moment later the setting changed. We were in Thranduil's dungeons, and he—" I closed my eyes. "He was torturing me. After he got in a few hits, the dream changed to Dol Guldur, and Azog… Azog was torturing me. Thorin was unable to move until this point, but then he found the strength to resist the darkness. Thorin beheaded the dream version of Azog, and I was able to speak with him as soon as the wounds faded. He is still in there, fighting."

"What are you talking about? He is still in your head?" The brothers' gaze flickered to my hairline.

I groaned in frustration. "No! Thorin, Thorin Oakenshield, is fighting against the darkness within him. Somehow he was able to enter my mind, and I was able to speak to him, to show him my memories—"

"Aeyera, you were dreaming," Fili tried.

"No! It was real, I know it!"

"So if we went to Thorin, he would remember?" Fili asked. Kili stared at a small tear in the otherwise immaculate bedspread, a frown upon his face.

"I do not know." The elder sighed. "I am telling the truth, Fili!" I shouted, fisting the bedspread in my hands to keep from hitting the prince.

He glanced up at me, face expressionless. "I know, Aeyera. But it's hard to believe after what we saw and heard from him yesterday and last night."

I turned away, angry. He had a point, but I knew what had happened. I knew that Thorin was fighting, and that he had been in my head. I just had to find out how… As I resolved this, I noticed a set of doors in the corner I had not seen before. "Where do those lead?" I asked, suddenly distracted by a faint drumming noise from beyond the walls of my room.

"The balcony," Kili answered, looking relieved that I had calmed down. Without replying, I leapt off the bed and sped over to them. The stone was cold against my bare feet, but I did not care. I needed to be outside. I gripped the handles and pulled the doors open wide, gasping at the cold breeze that whipped my hair away from my face. For a brief moment the sun that rose ahead and to the left blinded me, but as I blinked, my eyes adjusted. I staggered forward and gripped the railing with shaking hands, unable to believe my eyes.

"Kili!"

My betrothed rushed outside, his brother on his heels. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"Oh, no," Fili whispered.

The people of Laketown could be seen streaming in from the South towards the city of Dale. The sound of their marching had awoken me despite how far away they were. They would reach Dale by nightfall, that was certain, and Thorin would hear about it by tomorrow morning. What alarmed me, however, was the knowledge that with the men would also come the elves, Thranduil at their head.

"If they attack, we cannot hold."

"They are peasants and farmers," Kili countered. So he did not know. He had not yet guessed what I already knew, that the Elvenking was coming for his jewels, and for my life.

"They are desperate," I shot back. "Desperation makes people dangerous, Kili. You should know this by now." He looked away.

"What do we do?" Fili asked, glaring down at the valley.

"We cannot tell Thorin. He will make it worse."

"I don't see how." I turned to the brothers questioningly, and they glanced at each other wearily before Kili answered. "Thorin has sent a raven to Dain asking for an army to defend Erebor against invaders."

"An army?" I whispered.

Fili did not meet my gaze, and Kili answered, looking regretful. "Aye."

"But there are women and children amongst the people of Laketown," I fought, horror bubbling up within me. "Surely Thorin would not kill children?"

The princes stared at me wordlessly, and I realized how little they could do. They didn't know what to do, for one. For another, even if they did, it would be suicide to fight against Thorin in this state. I glanced between them for a moment before my resolve hardened, and I stormed back inside.

"Where are you going?" Fili called after me, following me into my room.

I threw on a vest and boots over my tunic and trousers, scowling. I tossed him a knife and strapped my weapons on, shoving my armor into a knapsack as I did so. "You promised me a spar, Prince," I replied curtly, slinging the bag over my shoulders. "Let's go."

"What, now?" Fili asked, shocked at my sudden change in behavior. "Do you know what Thorin will do if he finds us?"

"You are a grown dwarf, Fili," I snapped angrily, standing up straight and looking him in the eye. "Stop worrying about what your uncle thinks of you and make your own decisions for once. Understand?"

He looked shocked for a moment, then a grin spread across his face. He tossed my knife back, and I caught it by the hilt. A smile grew on my lips as he pulled out his own dagger, and Kili laughed softly as he removed his sword. "My lady," Fili bowed. "I do believe you are quite ready to be a princess. Kída is sure to get along with you." He nodded at his brother. "Excellent job, little brother." He turned and headed for the door, leading Kili and I behind him.

Kili took my hand as he sheathed his sword. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, and then shook my head. "Yes? No… I don't know. I will be, I think."

"You do know that whatever happens, I am going to keep you safe," he whispered. "No matter what."

"Kili…" I was at a loss for words.

"And don't say that I need to protect my family first," he added as we rounded a corner. "You're a part of my family now."

I smiled softly at him as we descended down a crumbing staircase and allowed him to lean on me to avoid putting pressure on his injured leg. "I suppose I am."

"We're almost there," Fili breathed. He ran his fingers over the stone until they slipped into a deep crack. I glanced at Kili as a click sounded, and a section of the wall swung open silently. The brothers grinned at each other and slipped inside, pulling me along with them, then shut the door.

"Where are we?" I asked, unable to keep my voice from rising in pitch. I had never been fond of tight spaces, least of all tight spaces in the heart of a cursed mountain.

"A tunnel our mother told us about," Kili answered from beside me. His fingers remained intertwined with mine, which was a relief. "It leads directly to the armory and training grounds. There are underground training arenas here, apparently." He sounded thrilled about it. I could see absolutely nothing, and I was not pleased to be down here at all.

We walked in silence for a few minutes. The only sounds were the scuffling of boots against stone and our own breathing. I broke the silence. "Do you think there will be a war?" I asked, trying to keep my thoughts off the stone that pressed down on us from all sides.

Fili stopped so quickly that I ran into him and fell back into Kili, who caught me. "What makes you say that?" Fili asked, sounding amazed that I had suggested such an absurd notion.

"The people of Laketown are about to arrive in Dale," I said, pushing Fili forward to keep him moving. We continued on as I spoke. "The elves surely are not far behind. Azog still hunts us, and it is only a matter of time before he arrives at the mountain."

"I understand your concern with the elves," Fili answered, sounding exasperated. "But the men? They do not know what they are doing. The orcs do not have an army."

"That you know of."

I thought that maybe he nodded his head, resigned. That, at least, was what he normally did when I was infuriating. "That I know of, or maybe not at all. I agree we should be cautious, but we should not spread word of war when there is nothing to fear."

"That was not what she was suggesting," Kili interrupted. "I do not know," he replied to me. "But you do, don't you? It's why you want to train."

"I have my suspicions. Thranduil will not want to release his hold on his gems so quickly, nor his hold on me." I shuddered, and then took a deep breath. "The people of Laketown hold you responsible for the destruction of their home and want the money to begin again. As long as they are appeased and Thorin keeps his word, there is little to fear from them. However, Azog will not rest until Thorin and I are dead. If he finds out of your relation to Thorin or to me, you both will die as well." I thought for a moment. "If you are not careful, you will die anyway. Evil will do whatever possible to snuff out the light."

Fili held out a hand to stop me and I bumped into him. "That may be true," he answered, his gravelly voice echoing through the caves. "But even the darkest night passes quickly once the sun appears." The bright outline of a door appeared before us, and I caught the shine of light in the brothers' eyes as Fili opened the door.

It was not as bright there as the outline had initially led me to believe, being underground, but there were tunnels that filtered light down to the lower levels. There also were torches that lined the walls, although none were lit. The brothers quickly fixed this, and soon Fili and I circled one another in the center of the room, both armed for battle. Kili stood, arms crossed, outside the circle that we had drawn in the sand.

It had been decided that he would spar with the winner, and Fili and I had our favorite weapons in our hands. Fili had his twin swords while I had my long knives. We had decided since our first spar that it was unlikely that one would ever be evenly matched on the battlefield. Because of this, we each held the weapons we were most learned in and comfortable with.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Princess?" Fili taunted, eyes glinting. "You can still back out."

"Hold your tongue, Prince," I snapped, eyeing him closely. "Before I cut it off," I muttered.

Kili chuckled as Fili frowned. In that moment I saw my chance, and I took it. I lunged forward, ducking under his guard, and sliced at his thighs, only to leap away again a moment later. That was the problem with short-range weapons; you had to be quick, agile, and most important, lucky. He scowled at me and brandished one of his swords. His eyes darted to my feet, and as I glanced down, he sprang forward with a yell, intending to hack away at my midsection. I snarled at him as I flitted away, choosing to stay a good three sword lengths or so away from him.

Kili called from the sidelines, "Stop dancing and fight!"

"Be patient!" I called back. "You'll have your turn."

"With you or with him?"

As I glanced over at him, I caught sight of Thorin in the corner, glowering at the three of us. I froze, my guard failing. A moment later, Kili's panicked yell filled the chamber, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground on my back, gasping for breath, staring at the ceiling. Kili knelt beside me.

"Are you alright?"

"What happened?" I asked, shaking my head. For some reason, two Kilis floated above me, vying for my attention.

"Fee won."

"He did not, I was distracted!"

"Kili—"

"What do you think you are doing?" Thorin hissed, stalking over to where the three of us were huddled together.
"Training," Fili answered coolly, positioning himself above Kili and I.

"With an elf!?" Thorin roared. The crown upon his brow teetered, and for a moment I wished it would fall.

"Thorin Oakenshield," I called, struggling to roll over and climb to my feet. With Kili's help, I made it, and I looked the king in the eye. "How did you sleep last night?"

He blinked, and for the briefest of moments, confusion and recognition flashed across his face before being replaced by indifference. "Well enough."

"What do you remember?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked. He sounded afraid, and the darkness around him faded for a microsecond.

"Azog. Thranduil. Erebor. Mirkwood. Dol Guldur. You have seen my mind. Wake up!" My voice lifted higher and higher until it was a yell.

Thorin let out a bellow and swung his sword wildly. In a flash I lifted my arm above my head and caught the edge of the blade upon my knife. "Be silent, elf!" He howled, eyes wild.

"Uncle—"

"And you!" he pointed a shaking finger at his nephews. "Why have you allied yourselves with her? Can't you see—" his voice broke, and tears filled his eyes. "See what she's trying to do—She will bring about the downfall of Erebor!" He turned and stalked out of the room, robes billowing around him. "You will see!"

We stood frozen for nearly a minute, unsure of what to say. Finally it was Fili who broke the silence. "Kili's up next."

I blinked and turned back to him, indignant. "I did not lose!"

"Yes, you did. I beat you, now it's his turn."

"Thorin distracted me!"

"No excuses, Princess," Fili countered. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. He pointed his sword at the area beyond the circle. "Now sit."

I sighed and turned away, then grinned. The circle. He hadn't gotten me outside the circle; that was the deal. Either he got me out of the circle or I surrendered. Neither had happened.

With a yell, I swung around, and Fili barely caught my knives on his sword. He backed up. "You haven't gotten me out of the circle, Prince," I told him, panting. "And I don't plan on surrendering."

He grinned and lunged forward, batting one knife away. The two of us continued exchanging blows for a long time, but eventually I drove him outside the circle, winning the match.

Kili stepped forward now, a fresh young warrior ready for battle. After a moment of circling, we began. We exchanged blows and taunts, dancing around one another as our blades rang against one another. Unlike his brother, Kili had only one sword, but he still was an expert swordsman.

Sweat poured down my face, soaking my hair and armor and burning my eyes. My hands and arms shook, but still we fought. My arms grew numb with every stroke I gave. Finally I saw an opening in his defense of his right side. I lunged forward, but as I did I tripped in an indent in the sand and fell, releasing my hold on one of my knives as I threw out my hand to catch myself.

As I fell I saw the prince reach down and snatch up my knife. I rolled and came up on my knees in front of him. One knife remained in my hand, but it was useless. I had lost. Kili held his sword to my throat, my knife behind my neck. "Do you surrender?" he asked softly.

I stared up at him wordlessly, shaking. I could barely breathe, I was so angry and sad and ashamed. Kili sighed at my silence, but did not lower the weapons. He was testing me, I knew it: testing my pride. After a moment, I nodded, breaking. "Yes," I breathed. "I-I surrender." I looked away and put away the blade I still held in my clenched fist.

Kili sheathed his sword and dropped my other knife as he knelt down to face me, and Fili turned away to give us privacy. Kili touched my cheek lightly, and I looked up at him, silent. "It is not dishonorable to lose a fight, Aeyera," he admonished softly.

I reached up and grasped his hand tightly, weaving my fingers around his. "I know, but—" I took a shuddering breath. "If I cannot beat you in battle, how am I supposed to protect you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I swore to protect you, Kili. You and Fili and Thorin. Now you are my betrothed, and I—I have to keep you safe!"

Kili stared at me with wide eyes. He looked affronted, as if I had offended his honor. "Aeyera, it is my job to keep you safe, not the other way around. You have suffered more that I can ever expect to understand. You don't need to protect me, not anymore. Let me protect you. My darling," he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. "You don't have to be afraid. I am going to look after you, and we both are going to be fine. I am going to keep you safe always. Do you understand?"

I nodded, and a tear slipped down my face. "I do." I kissed him lightly as more tears ran down my cheeks. "I love you," I whispered.

He kissed my cheek, taking the tears away. "I love you, Aeyera." He kissed my forehead. I wrapped my arms around him, letting him fold his body around me as I snuggled into his chest. He kissed my hair. "More than life."