Dori and Nori replaced Thorin and Dwalin, keeping watch on the Elf Guard just south of Dale.

"Get some sleep." Dori begged them. "It has been a long night and day, and no telling what new obstacles await us."

Thorin sighed, "That is why I cannot sleep, my friend."

As they walked back to their camp, Dwalin asked, "What are we going to do about that Elf?"

Thorin grimaced, "I do not want her with us a moment longer. I would give her back to her people now, if I trusted that she would not tell lies against Kili. I am weighing the risks for every turn."

"What turns do you not consider?"

"The same ones you would not consider. We both know we will not harm a child."

Thorin and Dwalin approached a jovial group of Dwarves, clustered around Bombur's stew pot and a hole in the ground at the edge of the street.

The group cheered as Bofur pulled out yet another enormous fish.

"They've gotten big in the last hundred years!"

Thorin smiled at them, glad to see that they were rested and finding supplies.

Rhavaniel and Kili were contentedly sharing a bench and a bowl of stew.

Thorin observed Kili's gaze on Rhavaniel, and his smile stopped. Thorin recognized the kind of glances he himself had passed in his younger days, when he was a Prince Under the Mountain and the future was bright. The burdens of responsibility has swept away those looks a long time ago.

Thorin strode up to Kili, said a curt, "I would speak with you now." and walked away.

Kili put down his food and followed his Uncle to a central square of the City, away from sight and hearing of the others.

Thorin began, "I want you to tell me everything that happened to you while you were separated from us."

Kili explained all - from being discovered by Rhavaniel - who miraculously had his bow - to the supplies she put together for him at the Elf Watchtower. He told of the necessity of setting the Watchtower on fire, and every encounter with this new tribe of Orcs that he and Rhavaniel had come to call the Birdclaws. He explained how he had saved Rhavaniel from Orcs and she had saved him in return. He told how they had spared the life of a Warg, and the beast returned the favor. He mentioned finding shelter under the hills, and having to flee underground to a mere. He explained the accident of the bell in the Tower, and how they had agonized on what do to next, and the fierce fighting they had done that very day to be reunited with the Company.

Kili left out only three details - that he could swim, that Rhavaniel could read Dwarf runes, and that the two of them had been intimate. The consequences of those three facts were of escalating seriousness. Kili hated keeping such secrets from his Uncle. He wanted his Uncle's advice more than anything, but he dared not ask. They had the Quest to think about. Kili could help, or he could be a burden to his Uncle by the decisions he made next.

Thorin thought long and hard about all that he heard. The information was valuable. The Orcs that Kili described were more of a threat to Thranduil's Kingdom than Azog. This could be what he needed to bargain with - a greater threat to keep the Elves away from Erebor.

Thorin made a decision, "We are not going to run before dark. We will stay for the parlay with the Elves. I want Thranduil to know that his people are being picked off and turned to Orcs, which is not surprising, the way he rules his Kingdom. I can remember when Mirkwood was still called Greenwood. The land was beautiful, bountiful, and safe. His lands have died a bit every day since his betrayal of my Grandfather and he still turns a blind eye. What do you expect of an Elf that sees an entire race of people destroyed and does nothing? It is his due, but his people pay the price."

There was only one other concern Thorin had to deal with. "And then, we give the girl back to her people."

Kili knew that was the likeliest outcome, but he still could not bear the thought of it, "It is not safe to give her back! I told you what happened the last time I tried!"

Thorin was unmoved, "She will be with a large group of Elves once the rest arrive. The alternative is that we leave her alone in a deserted city, waiting for a second Orcs attack because I can assure you, we are not taking an Elf into Erebor. This is for her own good."

"It may not be! I am afraid she will be punished just for consorting with Dwarves. She does not deserve that. If her people will not treat her kindly, she needs to stay with me - with us."

"I understand that you want to keep her." Thorin said pointedly, "All the more reason she needs to leave now."

Thorin turned to walk away.

Kili implored him, "Please do not ask this. There must be somewhere else she can go, or maybe hide her in the cliffs for a little while. If we just wait for Gandalf to join us, he can think of something. He asked us to wait for him!"

"No!" Thorin practically yelled at Kili, "She is not one of us. I would not have an Elf with us even if she was grown and able to make such decisions of her own. They are a corruption. None of them are to be trusted, especially those who are Thranduil's to command. They would have us remain deprived of our place in the world, without homeland, toiling in the poorest mines while they profit from our labors."

"Uncle, I know the story of every slight done to us, but you are describing the worst of her kind, and she is clearly the best of her kind."

Thorin was unmoved, "Slight does not begin to encompass the betrayal of her very tribe upon our family."

"Which happened long before she was born."

"And before you or Fili were born. Sometimes I envy you boys, that you never knew any better life. Your mother lived through that. She lived through being a Princess with luxury beyond the dreams of Rivendell and losing it all. She has worked hard her entire life to keep her children fed. You do not appreciate that. I will not allow you to disrespect her."

Kili was confused, "I am not disrespecting my mother."

"You most certainly are! I have never seen you look at a Dwarf girl the way you look at that Elfling. When did you come to agree with them, that there is no beauty but Elf beauty? You insult your own kind, especially your mother. If I have been remiss in teaching that to you, I will correct it now."