"It was an accident."

"You have said none but those four words all night!" Tauriel pleaded with Rhavaniel, "Let us assume I believe you - and a mighty leap of faith that would be - tell me exactly what happened."

Rhavaniel sat with her knees up to her chin, making herself as small as she could. She took a deep breath to calm herself, and shakily spoke her story.

"My cousin Daeron wanted to deliver arrows to the West Tower, since none of the other smiths or apprentices had returned. They had all been gone a long time. Daeron was worried about them, is all. It was not his fault. He just wanted to do his part. He had only left me alone for a few minutes. I knocked over a lamp and that started the fire. I thought I could put it out myself, but the fire spread. When I did call for help, no one heard me because of all of the excitement. I kept calling and trying to put the fire out, but no one noticed until the fire became large and by then it was too late. It happened so fast... "

Tauriel look at the girl carefully as she spoke, "The smiths said the inside water pump was still working, and full. Why did you not try to use that?"

Rhavaniel shook her head, hoping it would hide the fact that the rest of her body was shaking at the memory, "I could not reach it."

"Why not?"

"The fire was between me and the pump."

"That begs the question of how you got out at all."

"I saw a break and leapt through the flames. It was too hot to stay in there, so I ran outside. I am sorry. It is no one's fault but mine, but it was an accident. That forge was my home. I would not have harmed that place."

Tauriel sighed in frustration. Rhavaniel's story was mostly credible, and her trauma and grief at the experience was palpable. But how could this child who had been practically invisible for her entire life suddenly be relevant to every aspect of this storm of adversity plaguing the Kingdom?

"You realize how this looks? You are a few days back from consorting with escaped Dwarves, and you burn an important defense asset just as we face threats unseen in the last sixty years."

Rhavaniel shook free of her haze long enough to become defensive. She had heard the Guards, and then her own family use the word 'cursed' when they thought she could not hear. She was not cursed. She trusted Kili more than she trusted them, and Kili had assured her that fate's plans for her were not her fault. "Do those who first came upon the fire confirm that I was trying to put it out with the outside pump?"

"Mostly, yes." Tauriel conceded, "But one says you ran out from the woods before you started to put out the fire. Was he lying?"

"No," Rhavaniel admitted, "He was not. I did run to the woods first. I thought I should run away because I was frightened I would be blamed. It was a brief moment of weakness. I came back. I had to try to put out the fire. Even after the fire was out, I stayed because you told me not to leave. Can anything be saved?"

"Your oldest brother and kin are still determining the damage. They are moving operations to the old west forge and not happy about it since that is small and they lost a great deal of supplies and some tools."

"Will I still be coming to Rúmenya Halya with you? I want to help look for Uncle Lithaldoren."

"No, you may not. The rise of Smaug has changed all priorities. No one is going to Rúmenya Halya." Tauriel could not hide her own disappointment, that there would be no search for their missing people , "I need to tend to things. I will be back in a few hours."

"May I go now?" Rhavaniel asked anxiously.

"NO!" Tauriel was not unsympathetic to Rhavaniel's stricken look and explained. "This is not punishment. This is for your own safety. I believe this was an accident, but I need you to be where no more accidents will happen. I promised Prince Kili that I would keep you close, and I have failed already. Be patient."

Tauriel left, locking Rhavaniel in a room of the Citadel.

'This is not the Keep.' Tauriel assured herself. But it was the same as a prison, locked and guarded.

(**********)

Tauriel visited the burned West forge, to further assess the damage and talk to Rhavaniel's family.

Máfortion spoke for them all, "I know the girl attracts trouble, but I swear she did not do this on purpose. She has not one ounce of meanness in her, and she loved that forge. I am ashamed to admit, because we promised our parents, but we cannot take Rhavaniel back. Our livelihood, our reputation, even our personal safety are in peril around her. I understand now why her own people gave her away. It is not her fault, but she is surely cursed."

Tauriel was incredulous, "What would you see done with her, after assuring me of her innocence?"

Máfortion was saddened but firm in his resolve. "I would ask that you make an Avari tribe take her. Are the other Cáno coming soon?"

Tauriel shook her head, "No chieftains are coming. They are all missing or refusing. That is how dangerous the outlying villages have become. The Great Darkening grows worse every day. Is exile still your recommendation?"

"I recommend a correction. Find another place for her - a more suitable place where her actions will not have such dire consequences."

Naechanion asked, "When do you leave to look for Lithaldoren and his family? There are at least two other villages where you could leave her on your way to Rúmenya Halya."

"There will be no search of Rúmenya Halya any time soon." Tauriel told them. "We cannot spare the troops, and I am here to order your family not to go looking for Lithaldoren on your own. I am very sorry, but the forest is not safe, and you are needed here. All of you."

(************)

Tauriel went to the woods, tracking Rhavaniel's steps from last night. She looked around and saw an old iron chain and manacle. The lock had been sprung. The chain was heavy and short, with the last link freshly broken, as if by a hammer and wedge.

(***********)

Tauriel returned to the old west forge, "May I speak to Daeron?"

Daeron quietly put down his tools and came forward.

Tauriel showed him the manacle and broken chain, "Do you know anything about this?"

Daeron looked down in shame. "I chained Rhavaniel in the forge last night. I am sorry. She never stays put, and I had to deliver supplies. I could not sit around and be a useless baby nurse while we were about to be attacked by a dragon."

Daeron was relieved to have the truth out.

The family was silent. His father put a hand on his shoulder, and spoke to Tauriel, "He should not have done that, and I will deal with him severely. But it was still the girl that caused the fire, not my son."

"Yes, but this explains why she could not reach the pump to put it out, does it not?"

Daeron nodded, "It does. I should have been here. She might have been killed. Can you please tell her I am sorry?"

"I think she already knows." Tauriel told him, "She lied to protect you."

Tauriel was struck by the silence. This turn of events still meant nothing to them. They had made up their minds about the girl. She was no longer one of them, if she ever truly had been. Tauriel turned to leave but paused. Rhavaniel's well of secrets seemed somehow deeper when they spoke.

Tauriel turned back to Daeron, "One more thing. How long were you gone, really?"

"For nearly the whole attack of Smaug on Lake-Town. I watched the skies with the Guards in the Willow Tower until the forge fire was discovered."

"Did anyone ask you where your cousin was last night?"

"Yes, when I delivered arrows to Guard Station Foxpaw."

"Which Guard asked you?"

"It wasn't a Guard."

(***********************)

Note: Fili is Old Norse word for file, and Kili is old Norse word for wedge.