Well, guys, looks as if I got to upload, even if I didn't expect to! I think I should thank Labbestussa on deviantART for making me upload, otherwise you would have to wait two weeks. Anyway, here you go. I hope you'll like it, and next chapter may turn out a bit different than you expect...

Chapter 3

"Bravo!" Balin shouted from his place in the door which led to the public-house. Just a second later the rest appeared. They rode on ponies, and each pony had all kinds of luggages, bundles, packs, and other equipments. There were also two small ponies which were probably meant for me and Bilbo. I, however, had still the pain burning in my chest. It was so strong that it nearly made everything look grey and misty.

"Rosie?" one of the dwarves asked surprised. Maybe Nori. "I didn't thought you would-"

"Rosie?" someone else asked. Through the grey mist I spotted two ponies coming toward me, and sitting on them Kili and Fili were sitting. "Rosie!" A small, trembling smile appeared on my lips. The two dwarves got off their ponies and I ran toward them. They both caught me and I closed my eyes. Safe and sound. When I again slowly opened my eyes, the grey mist was gone, and the pain slowly faded away. I sighed and closed my eyes again. "We thought you would leave us", Kili muttered.

"I'm not going to deny that I first thought about it, but then... I can't leave my two brothers", I replied. We laughed and pulled away from each other.

"'Brothers'?" Dwalin asked and glanced curiously over at Thorin who looked confused at me, Fili and Kili. "How... what..."

"Siblings in everything but blood", Kili replied and grinned. I smiled. The other dwarves began to laugh.

"You know", Dwalin said when he stopped laughing. "A second there I wondered if Dís-" He stopped, but we had understood. I guessed Dís was mother of Kili and Fili, and even if I didn't remember my parents, I was quite sure my mother wasn't a dwarf. I would've known it if that was the case.

"Get on the ponies, all of you", Thorin commanded.

"I'm so sorry", Bilbo suddenly said, "but I've forgotten my hat, I don't have monies, and I forgot my handkerchief. I didn't find the message before 10.45, to be exact." I sighed and nearly wanted to slap him. Why did he always have to be so exact about everything? And besides, he hadn't been awake before then.

"Forget about being exact", Dwalin grunted. "Don't think about it. You'll get used to be without handkerchiefs and a lot other things before this journey ends. And about that hat, I have an extra cloak which you can borrow." I smiled, and then I frowned when I glanced at the pony.

"I've never-" I stopped and a small gasp escaped me when Kili easily lifted me up on the pony, before mounting his own.

So we began our journey. We rode away from the Shire that early morning in the end of April, with fully loaded ponies. Bilbo got to borrow a dark green cloak from Dwalin, and I got a dark brown cloak from Kili, together with a belt and a dagger. Both cloaks were too big for me and Bilbo, and I could only think about what Bilbo's father, Bungo would've said if he spotted him then.

We hadn't been riding for long, before Gandalf appeared on a white horse, and what more was, he brought with a lot of handkerchiefs, he had Bilbo's hat, and to me he had taken with an extra dress, something I hadn't thought about at all, but was very thankful to. After that, we continued and everything seemed much lighter. Balin told stories, and the dwarves often sang. Like that we went on many days, of course with stops to eat.

It was one of those stops – I had no idea of what day, 'cause I had lost the count – and in south I could see heavy rain clouds. I glanced over at Bilbo. Balin was telling a story about Kili and Fili when they were younger. The old dwarf had told at least fifteen such stories, and I wondered if all what he said really had happened.

"...and when he opened the door, he found her there, half naked!" All the dwarves, except Kili laughed. The story was about something Kili had done when he was younger, and I felt really sorry for him when I saw how deeply he blushed.

"I didn't know she was changing", he muttered without looking at any of us. It had to be really embarrassing. I rose from my place. At first any of the others didn't notice, but then Bilbo spotted me from the other side of the fire.

"Where are you going?" he asked in a strict tone. I sighed.

"Not further than the small river between the trees", I replied as I began walking away from them. "I need some cold water and maybe a bit silence."

"Could I come with?" Kili quickly asked, and I glanced at him over my shoulder. I smiled. Of course he didn't want to be there when such embarrassing stories were told. I nodded and he rose. Fili didn't ask to follow us, but he didn't need to either. The two followed after me out of the clearing where the small camp was, and to the small river. The water was clear, the dark grey stones at the bottom were round, and when I sat down and picked up one of them, they were smooth and reflected the sun which shone at the opposite side of the dark clouds.

Kili sat down beside me, and Fili sat at a trunk on the other side of me. I sighed and closed my eyes as the sun warmed my face. I ran my hand through my long, dark brown hair and sighed again, but this time of annoyance. "I should've brought with something to put up my hair with", I muttered to myself, still with my eyes closed. Suddenly a hand ran through my hair. My eyes flew open and I glanced at Kili.

"Sorry", he said with a small smile. I felt a bit confused. "I mean, if you were thinking about something important." Then I smiled. "But if you want, I can put up your hair." I felt my eyes lit up.

"Can you do it?" I asked. It was nothing but a whisper. At the other side of me, Fili laughed.

"If he can do it? He does it all the time. He's the one braiding my hair." Fili showed me one of his braids. "He's really good at it."

"Fili, please. I'm not that good", Kili argued.

"Yes, you are!" I said before they could start any argument, something which could happen between even the best of friends. "Could you put up my hair?" I asked nearly breathless. It was just then I remembered that I had nothing to put it up with. Kili grinned and took a small leather bag from his belt. He opened the bag. Inside I spotted small metal things, and I wondered what he was going to use them for. Then he pulled my hair back and I closed my eyes.

"Tell us about yourself", Fili said. "Would you?" I smiled, but didn't turn my head to look at him, 'cause it would probably ruin everything for Kili.

"There isn't that much to tell", I told them. "When I was twelve years old, Bilbo adopted me. I have no memories from my first years, even if some actions seems known when I do them, but then I can't remember why." For a few seconds I only stared into the forest at the other side of river. "Anyway. I grew up in the Shire, and lived in the Bag End with Bilbo. He learned me everything I needed to know, and even if I was, and still am, higher than most hobbits at my own age, the other in Bilbo's family accepted me. So there I lived. I tried to make friends with some of the girls, but even if I knew them, we never became really friends. There was only one I could call a friend." I smiled when I thought about the moment I and Merry had outside the gate. "Merry. He's a few years older than me, but he took care of me when Bilbo wasn't there, and we became really good friends." The silence lay upon us.

"That's an interesting story", Kili finally said. I laughed quietly.

"I guess it's nothing compared to a dwarf's life. Couldn't you tell me about your lives? Where you grew up and such things?"

"Fili can. He's good at that", Kili replied as he continued with my hair.

Fili chuckled. "There's not so much to tell. We grew up in the Blue Mountains further west, together with our mother, Dís, our father, Ferrin, and uncle Thorin. Uncle Thorin and dad were often away for longer periods, working to earn money for the family. You know, it was one of those times Kili was born. I was five years old, and I was also the first after mum to get to hold him. He was so cute and-"

"Would you just shut up and continue the story?" Kili asked, and I didn't need to see his face to know that he was blushing. Fili chuckled again.

"If you wish. When uncle Thorin and dad returned, dad had somehow gotten badly injured. It was just a few days later he died during the night." Both the boys became silent for a few seconds. Then Fili continued. "Of course, mum was totally broken, and for about a month it was most uncle Thorin who took care of me and Kili. Mum slowly became herself, and our lives continued. Our lives were quite boring until my beard began to grow." He laughed. "It was always so funny how Kili would look up to me and do nearly everything to-"

"Fili", Kili growled and Fili stopped.

"Fine. I'm not going to tell it if you don't want to. Anyway. We became really close as brothers, and did nearly everything together. It was then I began to go with uncle Thorin when he went to work. The first time I went, Kili was really sad. He even locked himself into his room and told us that he wouldn't come out before I said I wouldn't go, but stay there with him and mum." Fili smiled, and I had to smile to. I could nearly see it as a movie in my mind. Kili nearly crying, running into his own room, shutting the door and shouting that he wouldn't come out before his older brother said he wouldn't go. "Kili got used to me leaving with uncle Thorin, even if he wasn't allowed to follow us yet. Nothing special happened for five years, but then this journey came up. Of course, uncle Thorin didn't want to take us with, but after many days with pleading he finally said yes. You have no idea about how happy Kili became." Fili finished his story with a small laughter, just as Kili's fingers left my hair.

"Finished", he told me satisfied. I turned to look at him. He was smiling. My hand went up to my hair and I found that he had put it up in nearly the same way as both he and Fili had, only that I had four small, thin braids in it.

"Thank you!" I said with a huge smile. Kili smiled back as he closed the leatherbag and bound it to the belt again. Then he moved to the river, dipped his hands into the cold water and washed his face.

"It's warm", he told me and Fili when we glanced at him. I giggled, but it turned to gasping when Kili splashed water at me. I jumped to my feet.

"Kili!" I yelled. He laughed and I looked down at myself. The water was dripping of my hair and the dress was nearly soaked. "You little bastard!" I quickly splashed water back at him. He stopped laughing and stared at me with wide eyes. Then a grin appeared on his face as he got to his feet, grabbed my wrist and pushed me into the water. I yelped, but held on to his arm so he too fell into it. For a while we only splashed water at each other. Fili was still sitting on the trunk, laughing. I exchanged looks with Kili. "Let's give him a bath", I mouthed. His grin became even bigger.

"Good idea. On three." I nodded. "One, two..."

"You don't dare to-" Fili began, but he didn't get to finish, because both I and Kili grabbed him and dragged him into the water together with us. "You rascals!" Fili laughed as he splashed water at first Kili, then me. The force was so great that my foot slipped and I fell. The water wasn't deep, but deep enough for me to disappear under the surface. For a few seconds everything was nothing but bubbles and unclear shapes, then I sat up. "You okay?" Fili asked, as I coughed. Then I laughed.

"Not at all." I got to my feet and pushed Fili out of balance. Kili laughed and I turned to him. His eyes widened.

"Rosie-" Before he could finish, his head disappeared under the surface for a few seconds. I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled with a mean edge in it.

"There you have it, laddies", someone said behind us. Kili and Fili, still sitting in the river, glanced up to the trees, while I turned to look the same way. Most of the company was standing there, smiling and shaking heads. "Never underestimate a young lady", Bofur finished, still smiling.

"Exactly what happened here?" Thorin asked as he appeared between the trees. His eyes first landed on me, then Kili, and like the last, Fili. I watched as those blue eyes darkened. "Fili, you're the last I thought would do something like this." Fili quickly rose, followed by Kili. None of them said anything. They only bowed their heads in shame. I felt a sudden anger rise inside me. An anger toward Thorin and the way he treated the two siblings.

I went up from the river and squeezed the water out of my hair and skirt. Then I stared up at Thorin with narrowed eyes. "Thorin Oakenshield", I said, and it really surprised me when I saw how the dwarves who weren't used to me being angry, flinched. "Why don't you allow Fili to have any fun? And don't tell me it's because he's the second heir to the throne." Thorin looked totally perplex, and I was sure he hadn't expected that kind of react. He didn't say anything. "If you can't come up with anything else, then you should just shut up and let both Fili and Kili have at least a bit of fun! It's possible that your own father and grandfather didn't allow you to have fun, but you really shouldn't treat Fili and Kili the same way!" As I talked, I had approached him until I stood right in front of him, pointing my finger at him. "If that's how you treat them, then you're maybe one of the worst things which could've happened to them!"

As soon as I had said it, I regretted it. How could I be so cruel and mean? I had no right to talk to Thorin like that. I took a few trembling steps backwards. Somewhere to my right I heard Bilbo mutter: "There she go again." Then I spun around and ran. It was always like that. Anger, regret and sadness went hand in hand. That was the way it was for me. I suppressed a small sob as I followed the river. Soon I was out of sight and earshot of the others. I sank down with closed eyes, sobbing uncontrolled and with tears streaming down my cheeks.

After a while I opened my eyes. It surprised me when I spotted my own reflection in the surface of the river. Eyes light red from crying, stripes down my cheeks, wet, still dripping hair. I wanted to do something. Something drastically. Whatever, just to get rid of that bad feeling. The tears welled up into my eyes again, together with the pain. I closed my eyes and put my arms around myself to try and get some comfort. Of course it didn't work.

Behind me I heard a small cough, as if someone cleared his throat. I didn't look at the person standing behind me. It didn't matter. They had all seen me totally losing my control. "I didn't mean to say all those things", I whispered. "I had no right to say it." For a while everything was silent, and I wondered if I was alone, but then the one behind me spoke, and I froze.

"No, you had no right to say it, but you made me realize that I do treat them like my father and grandfather treated me." Slowly I turned to look at Thorin. He was standing there totally calm, showing no emotions. I swallowed and didn't say anything as he turned and walked back to the clearing. Had he... forgiven me?

I had no idea about how long I had been gone, only that my clothes were still wet, that it had began to blow a bit, and that I was cold. With my arms wrapped around myself, I came to the clearing where the others were. I could feel their eyes on me, and knew they were thinking about my monologue with Thorin earlier. I shivered slightly and kept my eyes on the ground until Bilbo called me. Slowly I lifted my head. He reached me the dry dress and the dry shirt.

"You have to get changed into some dry clothes", he told me with a concerned look. I only glanced away and didn't take the dress. For a few seconds everything was silent. Then warm hands were put on my shoulders. There was no need for me to look up to know who it was. I recognized the warmth and the way Kili held me. Carefully, as if I was fragile and something which could be easily broken.

The pain grew stronger. Don't let it out, I told myself. Don't let them hear! But there was nothing I could do. I couldn't control it. Fresh, salt tears ran down my cheeks and I fell.

"Rosie!" he exclaimed as he caught me in his arms. A few seconds later I laid close to the fire, tucked in between at least seven blankets. I didn't feel the warmth from the fire. My whole body was trembling and I gasped. My hands clenched one of the blankets. I didn't feel the tears running down my cheeks, and I barely heard the others talking around me.

"What's wrong with her? Is she sick?" Kili asked. I wanted to answer him. Wanted to tell him I would be all right in a few hours, but I couldn't gather myself enough to form any sentence. No. I couldn't give up. For God's sake, I couldn't give up.

"B-Bilbo", I finally managed to whisper, in between gasps. A nearly invisible shadow moved away from me.

"Bilbo, she's calling you." I could hear how concerned Dori sounded as he said it, but to me it didn't matter. Not when warm hands carefully took my small, pale hands. I gasped again. Why did it have to hurt so much? Bilbo held me close and gently rubbed my back.

"It hurts", I whispered. My hands clenched the fabric in his vest. Tears ran down my cheeks and made his vest and coat wet.

"Shhh, it'll be okay." He placed a kiss on the top of my head. For a few seconds I opened my eyes, but then I quickly closed them. A moan escaped me and Bilbo held me closer.

"Where's... Fili and... Kili?" I managed to ask, still in a whisper.

"We're here", Kili replied and a hand was gently placed on my shoulder. It was truly the worst time during my life that far. I felt the cry in my throat. I couldn't let it out. I couldn't... There was no way I could hold it back. I pulled away from Bilbo, and it felt as if the cry ripped up my throat. My hands scratched over my chest, but I had no idea of what I was doing. Vaguely I noticed someone taking my hands and holding them. Everything hurt. The pain was overwhelming. Finally I fainted and the darkness took me.

I blinked a few times before I slowly sat up. I was sitting close to Fili and Kili, who both were awake, even if it sky was dark and covered with stars and a friendly moon. When I glanced around again, I could see that most of the dwarves were awake, while a few were sleeping. There was a sparkling, warm fire between us, and it made everything look warmer and more comfortable. It didn't look as if any of the others had noticed that I was awake.

Suddenly I heard howling and I froze.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked from between the ponies at the other side of the fire.

"Orcs", Kili replied and my eyes darted to him.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked with a small whimper. Both he and I knew very well what and who orcs were.

"Throat-cutters", Fili said with a nearly dangerous expression. "There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep", Kili added. "Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood." My eyes widened and I stared into the darkness around us. However, my head snapped back to the two brothers who laughed quietly.

"You think that's funny?" a voice asked and I turned to Thorin. For a second I thought his eyes were on fire. "You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?"

"We didn't mean anything by it", Kili said, and I could tell he was ashamed.

"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin turned his back to us and walked out of the fire light, so we only could see his shadow standing there.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin have more cause than most, to hate orcs", Balin said. I felt my heart pounding fast in my chest. I could still hear the howls, and I didn't like how close they sounded.

I pulled the blanket closer around myself and covered my mouth with it, most because I didn't want them to hear the small whimper. However, Fili and Kili being the youngest of the company, easily heard it. Kili's dark brown chocolate eyes met mine and I knew he saw the fear in my eyes. He turned to Fili and nudged him in the side. Then he nodded toward me. Fili moved a bit so there became more space between the two of them. I rose, still with the blanket around myself, and moved over to the empty place between them.

"After the dragon took the lonely mountain", Balin began, and I understood a story was about to be told, "King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But the enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by a legion of orcs, led my the most violent of all their race. Azok the Defiler." Only the name made me shiver, and I tried not to think about how he looked. "The giant had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began... by beheading the king. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know." Balin took a short pause and eyed me, Fili and Kili. "We were leaderless, defeated and death were upon us. That was when I saw him." Balin's eyes turned to Thorin who was still standing there, watching the lowlands. "A young dwarf prince, facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone. His armour bent, wielding nothing but an old oaken branch as a shield." Again he paused, but this time it seemed as if he was trying to regain the memories. "Azok the Defiler learned that day, that the line of Durin wouldn't be so easily broken. Our forces rallied, and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated."

My eyes, still wide, turned to Thorin. When I thought about all he had seen, all the death he had experienced, it didn't surprise me that he hated orcs, and especially Azok. The Pale Orc.

"But there was no feast", Balin said, and I who had thought the story was ended, turned back to him. "No song that night, for our dead was beyond count and grief. We few had survived, and I thought to myself then: There is one who I could follow. There is one, who I could call King." Balin's eyes were fixed on Thorin as he turned back to the fire and us. His eyes met my eyes for a few seconds, and it was as if he said: That's why I am so strict with Fili and Kili. I didn't understand what he meant with it. It was nothing I could tell with words. It was a feeling. A feeling we shared for a few seconds.

"And the Pale Orc?" Bilbo asked, and I noticed he still looked scared. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole from where he came", Thorin replied as he made his way back to the camp fire. "That filth died of his wounds long ago." He sat down at the opposite side of the fire. For a while everything was silent, but then he spoke again. "Give the girl some food." At this, Kili jumped to his feet, and just a few seconds later a bowl with warm soup was handed me. I glanced up at Kili and smiled.

"Thanks", I whispered as I took it. I ate in silence, and nobody said anything. When I finished, I put the empty bowl at the ground, and then pulled the blanket closer around me. "I'm so cold", I muttered.

I didn't expect any of the others to do anything about it – it was, after all, nothing but a statement, but Kili took my hands in his rough, warm hands. He breathed at my hands and I felt myself blush. "Do you... like me?" I asked, totally perplex. He smiled.

"Maybe." Then he let go of my hands, took his own blanket and put it around us.

Some time later...

"Looks as if you finally grew up", Fili said with a smile as he send Kili and Rosie a considering look.

"What do you mean by that?" Kili asked and blushed. Fili chuckled.

"Who would ever thought that my baby brother would care for anyone else than himself?" Fili replied. Kili blushed even more, but it disappeared when he glanced down at Rosie who was laying there, so close to him, with her head on his arm, covered with the same blanket as he, sharing the warmth.

"Could you please tell me what you mean by that?"

"You fell in love", Fili replied with a relaxed smile as he leant his back against the cave-wall behind him. Kili's head snapped up, and he blushed again.

"That's not true! I'm not... I wouldn't..." He stuttered, and it looked as if he was trying to form some sentence, but then he glanced down at Rosie's sleeping face, and he relaxed a bit. Gently he stroke some of her brown hair behind her pointy ear. Her light brown skin was smooth under his fingers, and she seemed fragile. Maybe there was something in what Fili said. "You're right", he whispered, still with his eyes on Rosie's peaceful, sleeping face. Her long, black eyelashes, her thin, nicely curved eyebrows and her beautiful red lips. For a second he was tempted to lower his head and let his own lips meet her. Taste her lips, and find out what they tasted like. Then he pushed the idea away. "In a way, you're right. I think."

He lifted his gaze and met Fili's brown eyes. "It's confusing. In a way, I want to..." He stopped when his eyes widened in realization of what he nearly said.

"You want to..." Kili glanced away and blushed. "Come on. It can't be something that embarrassing that you can't tell me."

"In a way, I want to love her", Kili muttered. He slowly lifted his head until his eyes met Fili's. In his brother's face there was only space for two expression. Shock and disbelief.

So, what ya think? Hope you liked it, and please. Leave a review. I'd love to read what you think of my story.

Anyway, as I said in the beginning, next chapter might not turn out as you expect. I feel quite evil for making you wait for that, 'cause it isn't finished yet.

See you!