Sorry about the slight delay in this chapter I caught the dreaded flu and couldn't get what was in my head to come together. Anyway I said there would be more action in this chapter and there is but most of if will end up being in the next chapter. But, there is some cute Thorin/Abigail moments if anyone likes that?

The market was a fury of activity, there had to be hundreds of people there today. The street vendors screamed a proclamation to everyone who pasted that their wears were the best to be had in Dale and if one walked too close a shop the vendor would shove their wears in your face. It seemed to Thorin that everything anyone could imagine could be found here, from silks to fish, he even found several vendors that sold some of his peoples own work. Just being there for a few minutes made Thorin feel more closed in than the deepest cavern in Erebor. As his eye's wildly roamed the streets he failed to see that Abigail had stopped moving. He bumped into her softly but she didn't seem to notice.

"Have you ever had chocolate?" Abigail asked over the roaring crowd.

"Chocolate?" he said slowly "What is that?"

Instead of answering his question Abigail disappeared into a shop, returning a few minutes later with two small parcels. She led him down an unmarked ally way which opened up to the docks. It was a nice change of pace, the docks were almost deserted. Abigail sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the water and motioned for him to do the same. Secretly he was thankful for the reprieve from the busy market streets, he wondered if she had noticed his unease.

"This," she handed him a parcel "is chocolate."

Carefully he opened it to reveal a small brown colored square.

"And…you're supposed to eat this?" He asked suspiciously.

"You make it sound as if I have plans to poison you. What's the matter Balin? Are you afraid?" Abigail taunted him playfully.

Although the words were meant as a jest it struck at his pride just as she no doubt knew it would. So, without further hesitation he placed the square in his mouth and chewed. It was sweet, very sweet, it would have been too much if not for the slight bitterness that followed. Thorin noticed that Abigail watched with something akin to anxiousness, as if his decision as to whether or not he liked it meant a lot to her.

"I don't know," he said skeptically "dwarf's don't usually do sweet things. We prefer a more hearty diet."

"So, you don't like it." She said disappointed.

"No," He paused cruelly for a moment then added "I did."

Abigail scowled at him for his trick, Thorin couldn't help but smirk back at her. Then she suddenly moved on to a different topic of conversation.

"So why do you have to be back at Erebor by tonight?" She asked curiously "Is there something interesting going on?"

"Nothing so interesting," he grimaced "it's the time my father set for me to be back at home."

"I thought dwarves were supposed to be independent and stubborn."

"Oh, we are, but trust me when I say my father is not a man you want to disobey." He said remembering the few time's that he had tried to disobey, it hadn't worked out very well for him.

"Sounds like my father," She said with a smile "he had this look, a look that would make even you quake in your boots."

"Had?" Thorin questioned in a soft tone.

"He died some years back in a scouting trip far south of here." Abigail's eyes went distant for a minute in remembrance.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag out painful memories." Thorin averted his eyes in guilt.

He felt a light touch on his knee and looked up to meet her brown eyes.

"It's alright," she smiled wistfully "it is good to remember the ones you've loved."

Thorin remained silent for a moment for Abigail to regain her thoughts. Suddenly she stood up and offered her hand to him.

"I've still got a lot I would like to show you if you're up for it."

"Of course I am."

But suddenly, before he could take her hand, a figure came barreling out of the ally way, heading straight at Abigail.

Abigail heard the man before she saw him, acting off instinct she dove out of the way. When she saw him she was surprised to find it was another dwarf, this one looked much older than Balin. She was even more surprised when he turned to face her brandishing a nasty looking sword, and he was coming after her with it.

"You will not hurt the prince Thorin!" he yelled savagely, charging forward.

Just before the dwarf could reach her Balin, who she had not noticed before, came to stand in front of her.

"Harond, stop this." Balin's voice had changed to one of thunder and ice.

"But prince," the dwarf said looking confused "she was attacking you."

"She was doing no such thing. This woman has been a friend of mine and I will have you treat her with respect." He said.

Abigail stood rooted in spot, her mind reeling with thoughts.

"Balin, what's going on?" she asked, her voice tight with adrenaline.

"My prince there is something I must tell you." Harond said urgently, ignoring her question.

"Wait." Balin ordered the dwarf then turned to Abigail with a pained expression.

"Why does he call you prince Thorin?" She questioned slowly

"Because, my name is Thorin. Not Balin as I have told you."

"So…you lied to me." She said taking a step back from him.

"I supplied you with a false name yes, but that is all I swear it." The dwarf said raising his palms to the air in a sign of peace.

"Prince Thorin there was an ambush." At this Thorin turned to face Harond "Garim is dead."

"Who did this?"

"Orc's sir, at the top of the pass, I managed to break away but they followed me for a good long while. I have no doubt that they are waiting for you somewhere close by. We must get you back to the mountain." He said.

"Well, you obviously can't go back the same way you came." Abigail piped up after a moment.

Both dwarves turned to look at her with surprise.

"But that is the fastest way back to Erebor." The guard said.

"Perhaps so, but it won't matter if you don't make it back to Erebor in one piece." She said sarcastically.

"We don't know the land well enough for that." Harond argued.

"I could show you." volunteered Abigail impulsively.

Thorin stared at her as if she had two head instead of one. In fact now that the words were out she wasn't sure why she'd said them. She was still angry that he had lied to her wasn't she? Of course she was but looking at him now she knew that it was a good possibility that the two of them would never make it back to Erebor without her help. Abigail was angry at him, but that didn't mean she wanted him to die.

"No, absolutely not. It's too dangerous." Thorin said

"It could be our best chance." The guard pointed out

"No, I will not ask her to do that."

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to ask." as she said this it felt much different from the first time.

The dwarf prince must have seen something in her eye's because as much as he looked like he wanted to protest he remain silent.

"We can take the back road out of city, I doubt they'd be expecting that. Then we can circle around and take a path I know of." She was already walking as she talking leaving the two dwarves to follow her.

Thorin and Harond follow silently behind the elf, Thorin felt awful for lying to her all this time. He really had been enjoying his time with her up until his guard had tried to kill her. Thorin tried to reason with himself that, at the time, it was the best thing for everyone, and perhaps it was but he doubted she would ever see it that way. The look in her eye's had been of hurt and even betrayal, although he wasn't sure why she was taking it quite so personal. It was just a name after all. Either way he had been surprised by the fact she had volunteered to show them a safer way to the mountain. He wondered what would happen then, if he would ever get to see her again or if they would simply part ways. Thorin was also a bit more than anxious to see his father and grandfather's reaction to the whole situation.

"My prince?" Harond said bringing him out of his thoughts "If I may be as bold to ask what happened after we left you?"

Although it was a rather embarrassing story he decided to tell the guard everything. After he was finished Harond looked at him then ahead to Abigail, who was still ignoring them completely.

"It seems like Durin is smiling down on you." He said finally

"What in the world make you say that?"

"Because if you hadn't fallen when you did you might be dead, and if you hadn't found her...well I don't know, but it seems to me fate was at work." He said.

Thorin glanced up to the figure they were following.

"Fate works in strange ways." Thorin said at last.

"That it does."

What the two dwarves couldn't have known was that even though they had been talking in hushed tones, her overly sensitive ears had picked up every word of their conversation.

Hope you guys liked the chapter! I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed, those really make my day and everyone who followed/alerted, those are great too. Next chapter promises to be an interesting one! Leave me a review and tell me what you thing so far please :)