Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, i don't own anything belonging to Tolkien or his estate, nor do I own the phrase "twitterpated" from Disney's Bambi. I did try to make this one significantly longer than the others to make up for the delay. I am already half way through 6. This chapter was a bit more difficult because I just couldn't deside where I wanted it to go. At any rate I hope you enjoy some more Thorin running hot and cold, and Devina feeling torn between telling all and managing new friendships.

Lament

Chapter V

Complications

She awoke with a start. "A dream" she thought to herself trying to slow her breathing and settle the pounding of her heart which seemed determined to escape her chest. Relieved to be back with the waking world and not the nightmare of her mind, she looked slowly around the room.

The fire next to her bed had died to glowing embers that occasionally popped and fizzled. The room still dark, she could only just make out the forms of her companions deep in sleep in the dim light.

Getting out of bed, she quietly made her way to the window and peeked through the tattered curtains. The world outside did not stir apart from the glowing fires in the smithies as their keepers lit the flames to heat their forges for the day. Sighing softly she moved to the washing jug and bowl next to her. "Might as well wash up, there is no way I'll be able to sleep now. I can feed and water the horses before the others get up." She decided, coming up with the first thing she could to occupy her mind so it would not linger on the haunting images of the not yet dead. She poured water into the large ceramic bowl, and then returned to her bed. She made it neatly before emptying out her bag. Taking proper care she unwrapped her new clothes and folded them neatly. She laid out a pair of her new black pants, the pretty navy tunic. She hesitated over the binding she was to use in place of her modern bra. She really wanted to wear her bra but could only wrinkle her nose at how dirty it had become after a weekend of camping, sweat from hiking, and then soaking during her escapade in a thunder storm and not having a chance to air out as it dried. And that was all before she arrived in Middle-Earth!

With a defeated groan she set the roll next to her new clothes. She'd have to wear it at least until she could wash her own undergarments. Lastly she retrieved the soft towel, brush, and soap Thorin had given her. She smiled to herself when she came across the little silver hand mirror. He had put a great deal of thought into these items and she was again touched by his thoughtfulness. She set the mirror and dug into the bag for the bundle of ribbons. She didn't want to appear ungrateful and figured she could put a little effort into her appearance. After all she probably wouldn't get many opportunities to do so on the road. Not until they reached Rivendell at any rate and who knew how long that would actually take. It didn't seem long in the book but she remembered they would be dangerously low on food when they did. Then she looked around.

"Damnit, I can't just change in the open. Anyone of them could wake up at the most inopportune moment ever." Her mind complained. Relief relaxed her shoulders though when she noticed a screen folded in the corner of the fire place mantel. It had been invisible to them in the shadows of the room last night. Hurrying over she pulled it out and positioned it in front of the fire. At least she wouldn't freeze while she washed. Going back to the window she lifted the little side table and brought it along with its bowl of water to the fire and placed her things on the chair beside everything. Glancing once more to ensure the others were still asleep, she stepped behind the screen and removed her stiff and dirty clothes. Wetting the soap in the water she began to scrub herself clean.

It took forever with not having a steady stream of water, or a rag but she managed to clean her body and face. It was with great flexibility and stability that she normally did not possess that she was able to lean over the bowl and wash her hair and not knock the whole thing over.

Once dried she hung the towel over the fire screen to dry and she stood humming quietly to herself as she worked out the tangles with the brush.

He awoke to the sound of someone humming. He laid there unmoving for a moment longer, unsure of where it was coming from while his mind was clouded with sleep. Sitting up he realized it was Devina. He looked at the window to see if it were light out and was a little surprised to see the sky was only just lightening to a cobalt color. The sun hadn't even reached them.

That had been the best nights sleep he'd had in months. He was sorry for it to come to an end and again endure the restless nights on the road. Stretching his arms above his head he looked at her bed to see it made and her things already packed. He took in the screen beside her bed in front of the dying fire and was taken aback when he realized there was still just enough light coming from the hearth to frame her changing silhouette against the screen. He watched silently as her figure bound her chest, and pulled on what could only be tight fitting trousers.

Thorin knew he should give her some sort of warning that he was awake but he simply sat there as her top slipped over her head, covering the rest of her. This was silly, he couldn't actually see her, just her shadow. So why did he feel like he was spying on her.

He made to stand as she came around the screen. She stopped short, holding the bowl in her hands, and smiled at him.

"I didn't wake you did I?" she asked quietly so as not to disturb the others.

"No, I just woke up. You're up early, couldn't sleep?" He asked, hoping the guilty feeling in his chest wasn't showing on his face.

"I slept fine, if a little restlessly, probably just being in an unfamiliar place" he suspected that wasn't entirely the truth, but he accepted her answer. Who was he to cast stones when he wasn't being entirely truthful himself?

He watched her as she dumped the water she'd used out the window and refilled the bowl with fresh.

"If you want to wash, I'm finished." she said as she went to sit on her bed, brushing out her hair and plaiting it into an interesting braid, securing it with one of the navy ribbons he'd given her, which draped over her shoulder nicely. Once she had finished she repacked the few things she has been using and refolded the partition she has changed behind. Devina puttered around putting things away in her bag, returning the small washing table back to the window Once finished she gathered her things and headed for the door.

"I'll get out of you way, I wanted to feed and water the horses before the others got up. I want to try being useful," she explained, sounding shy.

Shaking his head Thorin berated himself. He was just standing there like a dolt, while she cleaned. Stop acting a fool his mind grumbled. Clearing his throat he finally stopped watching her and opened his mouth.

"Don't bother with the horses, we paid a stable hand last night to have them fed and readied by sun up. We'll be leaving after breakfast. Take the time to relax and eat before then. There will be few moments to do so on the road," He wanted to stop her as she made for the door. To ask about the poem she'd written about him reclaiming Erebor. Gandalf was convinced she knew how this quest ended. Did the poem mean he was to succeed, or wishful thinking? He wanted to believe that it was the latter. His stubbornness, however, would not allow him to speak the words. Nodding her head, she offered him a nervous smile before leaving him alone.

The dining hall was mostly deserted when Devina arrived. There were two older men sitting at the bar speaking in hushed voices as they ate helpings of greasy looking sausage and bread. The tables that had been pushed together to accommodate their large group the night before had been separated and spread across the large room. Ordering a bowl of porridge with the barmaid, she chose a cushioned seat near a window. While she awaited the others she thought of the events she would be facing in the near future.

They had at least today and tomorrow through near constant rain before they encountered the trolls. She wondered if she would be able to stop Gandalf from leaving and together raid the troll cave. She would be so relieved if they could avoid encountering at least one danger without altering necessary events.

Devina stared at the notched and scarred wooden table top, various schemes rolling around in her ming, each as unlikely as the next. Her train of thought was interrupted when her breakfast arrived, followed shortly after by the entire company. She was grateful for the interruption from her darkening, stressed mood. She wanted to laugh a little at how they always seemed to go from place to place at the same time. Joining her Dwalin and Gloin pulled two tables together near her corner booth so they all could sit together, much to the dismay of the barmaid.

Sitting down at the table with her was Dwalin and Balin, both of which pulled faces once they saw her breakfast. "Wheres all the meat and potatoes?" The burly tattooed covered dwarf asked, eyeing her bowl of porridge as if it were a personal insult to his culinary taste buds.

"looks more like something the birds left behind." he added, waving the barmaid over to the table.

"Oh come on! Did you really need to give me such a visual?" Devina cried in disgust, she definitely didn't enjoy her meal being compared to pigeon excrement. Dwalin and Balin both laughed at her.

"Whats so funny? Bilbo asked, coming over beside her as the two brothers ordered ale, sausages, boiled bacon, fried tomatoes with fried potatoes. She noticed Bilbo also had a bowl of porridge along with a large orange. Thinking that sounded wonderful, she asked the barmaid to bring her and orange as well.

"Dwalin is only being disgusting, and I suspect trying to turn himself into a pot bellied pig. Judging by the amount of pork he is consuming." Dwalin only laughed at her joke good naturally.

"Aye, if that were the case, will you be turning into a bird then?" And with that Dwalin would only call her Pigeon.

Morning found Devina once again riding with the surly dwarf king. They were on the road before the sun had fully risen into the sky, not that they would have been able to tell if it had or not. Clouds were gathering again. Fortunately for now the sky remained a gloomy grey, and not yet dark and heavy with rain.

The promise of more rain had brought with it a subdued hush over the group, leaving them to whisper amongst their neighbors. Thorin rode silently which was fine for her because the atmosphere was making her drowsy and all she wanted to do was lean back and fall asleep. Devina was no longer quite as terrified of riding the pony, at least not with a partner, and not as long as someone else was controlling the animal. Behind them the town of Bree grew ever smaller until it was no longer to be seen. Trees were giving way to a deserted sort of plain scattered with brambles and brush, the only sights to break up the dull scenery were a few rocky hilltops ahead of them. They looked ominous against the dreary skyline, t would take hours to get there and she didn't look forward to camping there for the night.

The next thing she knew, she was being shook softly by someone's hand on her shoulder. It took her a minute, confused and cloudy with sleep to realize it was the dour dwarf king sitting behind her on the pony. They'd come to a stop in a rocky hill top. "Did I really fall asleep the entire day?" She wondered, taking note of the now darkened sky.

Thorin cleared his throat loudly, impatiently, in an attempt to get her attention which caused several among them to laugh. The most noticeable of the bunch being Dwalin.

"The wee Pigeon's gone and found herself in a haze." he said, voice deep and gruff with amusement, unlike the one that followed close to her ear.

"Well the pigeon needs to hurry up or she'll find herself thrust out of the nest all too soon." Thorin grumbled.

Blushing she spouted apology after apology and shifted so she could swing her leg over once he'd climbed down. She felt even sillier when he stalked off the moment her feet were steady on the ground. She always felt uncomfortable being the center of attention, good or bad. Everyone was setting up camp, so Devina busied herself by removing her bag from the back of their pony, Bongo, and went in search of a spot apart from the others but not too far from the warming flames reach.

The alcove they had made their camp in wasn't very large, so her options were limited but the closest she could get would be next to suited her fine since she still needed to talk to him about what they faced the next day and didn't want him to disappear before then. Before she could so much as say hello she was told to help Bombur prepare and serve dinner.

Signing with thinly veiled agitation she abandoned her still packed belongings and joined Bombur at the fire. She would just have to try and speak with Gamdalf once everyone else was asleep she thought to herself and set about chopping the herbs he handed her while he skinned a couple of rabbits someone had shot with an arrow. She suspected their culinary delight was the courtesy of the youngest Durin.

Once she finished, Bombur handed her one of the now skinned and gutted hares. Feeling a little green, Devina sat there staring at it as though if would jump up and run up the path they had come.

"Whats the matter, lass? Is there something the matter with it?" The large fiery dwarf asked, concerned something had spoiled the meal.

She shook her head and laughed, trying to cover her queasy feeling. "I-its well there is nothing wrong with them. I've just never had dinner staring at me before" She explained a bit breathlessly. There were several murmurs from the dwarves, calling her a soft sort and wondering how a woman wasn't used to preparing beasts for meals.

Chuckling Bomber took ahold of the back legs of the hair he'd passed to her. "Is that all? Here." and with that last word he lopped the head clean off with what looked like a meat cleaver before slapping it back onto the slab of wood she had used for chopping again.

This was perhaps a bit much for her modern mind to cope with, and with a yelp she scrambled back and rushed into the bushes to relieve her stomach of its unwelcome content. Embarrassed beyond reason she sank down and stayed behind the bush, out of sight, as the camp erupted into a chorus of laugher and a few called apologies begging her pardon from Bombur. There was a harsh sound of someone telling them to stop and silence once more filled the camp, broken only by the occasional sound of hushed conversation.

Heaving a shaky breath Devina pulled her legs to her chest and buried her head in her folded arms. "Who am I kidding?!" She thought bitterly. Here she was trying to change the events of a bloody and brutal battle but she couldn't even tolerate the sight of a rabbit being butchered. Devina was just about to call it all off and tell them all everything she knew, when she heard footsteps approaching her hiding spot.

"My lady?" It was Bilbo. He'd come over with a tin cup in his hands. When she looked up at him he hesitated but then steeling his shoulders he walked the last couple of steps to her side and sat down beside her. "I wouldn't fret, my lady," he began, offering her the cup, which she took absent mindedly and stared into it. As though all the answers she needed would be in there.

It took her a moment to tune back into the Hobbit who was still talking to her, reassuring her. "And when my grand pappi came back home he had two beautiful pheasants. Mind you I was a very young hobbit, as far as I knew all manner of creatures looked like animals, we cooked then and the looked like food. I had not understanding of what happened in the middle." Bilbo continued on winding up for a story, she couldn't help but smile. Here was this gentle and kind little hobbit whose greatest adventure until recent events had been chasing fairies amongst the fireflies as a little boy, and he was comforting her. As she listened she thought about his harrowing and the dangers that lay ahead of him. Here was this hobbit telling her how he had once hidden in fright under his mother Belladonna's bed, covered in pheasant feathers, on a real adventure.

She was questioning her ability, and yet here was Bilbo. She knew he longed for home, and had no great skill as a fighter, but he was such a large reason for them surviving at all. Feeling her confidence renewed, she contented herself in the knowledge that the troll encounter would work itself out just as it were meant to and she should only fret over the events towards the end of the journey.

"What I mean to say. Oh I'm sure I've gone and made a mess. What I was trying to say is that you shouldn't let it upset you. Everyone starts out at the beginning, weak stomachs and all. It's only natural, and eventually you wont even bat an eye lash as your covered in feathers!" Bilbo hastened to explain, mistaking her silence. Devina laughed and leaned over to hug him.

"You are absolutely right Bilbo!" she said, kissing his cheek. "We can't allow ourselves to falter just because we encounter something new and trying. There is bound to be plenty of that along the way!" Bilbo squeaked in surprise. It wasn't exactly what he hd meant at all! He'd been talking about food! She laughed again and waited for him to join her. "Come, let's go have some supper. You're made of stronger stuff than anyone gives you credit for Bilbo Baggins!" At her compliment Bilbo blushed but puffed out his chest a little and followed her back to the fire where the rabbits were slowly turning on a spit.

Dinner passed pleasantly. Devina had apologized to Bombur and promised to be a bigger help the next time and they all talked quietly and told a few stories about their crafts where there wanderings had taken them, and their plans once Erebor was restored. Devina felt herself trrasuring the moment, listening to them and their dreams. All too soon the stories faded and they were all hunkered down on their bed rolls, an orchestra of snores could be heard throughout.

Having slept the day away, Devina retrieved her pack and chose to move to the empty space next to the Durin heirs. She decided she'd stay up with Fili and Kili during the first watch, which was rather easy given their position. Their camp was pretty well gauged on three sides since they were in a rock formation in the side of a large hill. If it could be called a hill, since it was so large, but far too small to be confused with a mountain. It was just a sudden peak of stone and dirt, scattered with brush and trees. At some point while she slept, the flat plains had given way to slopping rocking hills. It sort of gave her the impression that the earth has expectations of creating mountains here but never finished. One side was completely blocked by a massive rock wall, and the other two by a sudden cliff edge. They were high up enough that they were out of sight, and the side was steep enough that no one could climb it without making a great deal of noise from tools and giving them pleanty of advance warning. The fourth and only unprotected side was the path they came from, if it could be called that. It wasn't marked, they had forced their way through brush and the occasional tree limbs. The 'path' came to a dead end here. She was surprised she'd slept through it.

So they sat on their bedrolls against the rock wall, facing the path on the other side, and the two bothers told her more stories of their childhood and jokes. A few of which were very flirtatious and she had to control her self she she wouldn't roll her eyes. She loved their light spirits and easy laughter. They always seemed to find enjoyment wherever they went. Kili being the youngest and not directly in line to the throne, that position and responsibility fell to his brother Fili, was far quicker to joke and get into mischief. This was probably because Fili frequently was away with his uncle, or having some lesson or another that Kili would not have to attend unless he chose to, which judging by some of his stories; he did not choose to often.

Her favorite so far was one where they both had plans to learn how to fish. Fili had forgotten he had lessons with Thorin, and so the next day did not go with Kili. He'd surprisingly had been angry with Fili and so went on without him. He hadn't a hope in the world of catching anything. He didn't know then but he didn't have any bait! So he'd gone to a near by market and purchased two trout, planning to claim them as his catch and make Fili jealous. However when he'd returned he'd thought of an even better trick to get back at his brother and set them up on string over his door in a bit of old netting. His plan had been for Fili to be covered in fish slim the moment he came back to their shared room. This didn't work out in the slightest.

"Apparently Fili already felt awful for having forgotten about his lessons and breaking his promise to me and got Uncle to agree to take us himself!" Kili continued animatedly, grinning for all the world as if he new the secret to happiness. And in all honesty, even if he didn't, he was pretty close to it. The brothers where contagious. Fili reclined back against the rock wall behind them, eyes closed, probably remembering this day as he listened with an equally large smirk on his face. Devina had a hand over her mouth to stifle any laughter, she just knew this story would end badly, and hilariously.

"and so there I was, sitting on the floor, restringing my bow, and there's this god awful roar from the door!" He paused for dramatic effect completely oblivious to the rhyme he made. "Uncle had sent Fili to wait for us and he'd come he get me, believing I'd just stayed in all day disappointed! Boy was he angry! He chased me around the halls for what felt like an hour, threatening to tan my hide!" He laughed, slapping his thigh.

Devina giggled uncontrollably trying to imagine Thorin with his face and hair covered in fish scales and goop.

"You three make retched look outs" interrupted an amused voice. Balin was standing up and stretching from his place on the ground not too far from their place. "Go on tell your stories, I'll take over. It's good to hear of happier times as often as we can," he said, reassuring the two younger dwarves when he has their ashen faces. Smiling he made his way with his pipe and a small bag, probably tobacco, toward where Gandalf was awake and smoking his own pipe near the path. Sitting down he took residence where she had originally planned on staying.

They both sat a little quietly for a moment, unsure if they should continue on or act more mature like the others. Nudging Kili with her shoulder she grinned up at him. "Did he ever catch you then?"

That was all the encouragement Kili needed and his manic grin was back in place. "Oh he caught me alright. But he was laughing as hard as either of us when he did. He still took us fishing, though he had no idea what he was doing either." He laughed but then grew quiet and he looked wistful as his eyes found their uncle sitting up against the wall near by fast asleep.

Fili, noticing his brothers sudden and uncharacteristic melancholy picked up the story with a teasing edge, giving his a hard playful punch to the shoulder.

"He at least had the sense to dig for a few worms in the ground." He remarked, he grinned at Devina, flinging his arm over his brothers shoulder. "By night fall we caught five fish between the three of us, and we only managed to loose four and end up soaking wet and covered in pond scum for the trouble!" Even though they clearly made retched fishermen, there was pride in the achievement and the experience they had shared.

Devina smiled brightly at the picture they made. Kili recovered from his moment of thoughtfulness as he observed Thorin and protested Fili's jibe about having no sense. She reckoned he had been remembering the man he had been compared to the surly, taciturn one she'd met in Bag End. Even compared the the imposing dwarf that had a habit of making long important speeches from her book, The King Under The Mountain had a different side to him that he had locked away. If he had survived, would he have become that person again? Or would he have stayed obstinate in his bitterness and refused to help and be helped by the elves and the men of Lake Town?

Then she thought about what he must have gone through after losing Erebor, what so many must have gone through. Not for the first time that day, nor the last in the days to follow she wanted desperately to tell him everything she knew.

Devina was only half listening to the brothers discuss her training as she watched Bilbo get up and glower at Bomburs snoring. He was walking toward the ponies when there was a blood chilling screech ripping through the sky. They both jumped and he came hurrying over toward them.

"What was that?" He asked as the screeching continued. If was hard to tell where it was coming from or how many there might be. She looked at Kili, feeling dread. There weren't any creatures they encountered this early, surely they were safe! The stoney expression on both the heir's faces didn't ease her at all. Kili only made it worse by answering.

"Orcs," he informed them. She felt a little faint, there weren't any orcs in the part of the story!

"Orcs!?" She and Bilbo asked, voices filled with disbelief and tinged with fear.

"throat cutters, there'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." And of course Fili made of even better for Devina! At least Bofur wasn't the one talking!

The sudden jolting of metal and cloth made her jump and feel even more skittish as Kili added to the horror movie feeling that seeped into her. She breathed a sigh when she saw that it was only Thorin. Hearing the name of Orcs must have woken him, she strangely felt safer knowing he was alert to possible danger.

"-just lots of blood" Kili finished grimly. Bilbo was turning on the spot at if he expected the monsters to spring up from over the edge of the cliff. Devina herself gropped for her knives. She prayed to every God of this world and her own that they wouldn't be attacked.

The chuckling took her by surprise. She whipped her head to face them to see impish smirks marring their handsome faces. She felt heat rise to her cheeks but thankfully this time the embarrassment was tinged with anger and she held onto it so she'd stop shaking from the lingering traces of fear.

"Why you- insufferable, insensitive children!" She hissed, hastily getting to her feet and storming off toward a fallen log near the cliff side and looked out at the hills. She could hear Thorin scolding them behind her before she heard footsteps approach. She assumed it would be one of the brothers coming to apologize or even Bilbo checking to make sure she was alright. So she didn't bother to look and see.

Tears threatened to blur her vision. Which only made her angrier at them for scaring her. She had always hated horror movies. Always afraid of the things that went bump in the night. That hid in dark places. She literally had to jump into her bed once the lights were out because she always felt like if she stood at the edge too long fingers would reach out and pull her under.

Balin was speaking now, reassuring the brothers that Thorin's reprimand wasn't meant as harshly as it had come. "So it must be Bilbo" she thought to herself.

"It was really unkind of them to scare us like that..." She began, patting the spot next to her, letting Bilbo know it was okay to sit with her. The next part she didn't mean to say out loud, but she wasn't thinking straight. "There aren't supposed to be Orcs yet. It's too soon.."

"What do you mean yet?" The person said, sitting down beside her. For what felt like the hundredth time Devina nearly jumped out of her skin, she did not expect it to have been Thorin standing behind her. She looked past him, scanning for Bilbo, but he was still standing near the others as Balin told them about the battle for Moria against Azog. Dread filler her stomach. She'd said that out loud. She sat there unsure how to answer. He watched her with such intensity that she felt even more nervous.

"Please, you can't ask me that." This was perhaps the wrong thing to say because she never felt so frightened by anything than the anger she saw in his eyes.

"You say we are to encounter Orcs, and I am not to know when or even why. And you expect me to trust you?" He spat the last. Before he could storm off or yell she reached out and grabbed his gloved hand just as she had under the tree above Bilbo's house. Thorin glared, waiting for her to say something.

"We will have to face them, yes. But please, I can't tell you, I told you why before. It was enough then, please let it still be enough for now." She implored. He sat there glowering at her for a little while longer before his expression softened finally.

"For now?" He asked

Nodding her shoulders relaxed, feeling relief that he was at least listening. "Am I seriously going to have to keep reassuring him every time something happens?" She wondered, if things weren't so serious she would mistake him for being similar to a teenager needing constant reassurance of her intentions and affections. Then again, maybe not.

She was made aware of her hands still holding his, that they were settles in his lap, which he shifted slightly to face her better. She blushed brightly, embarrassed and retracted her hands.

"I'm sorry" she offered softly

"Don't be," he answered, reaching his now free hand to brush her chestnut hair back from her forehead. At first she felt her stomach twisting at the small intimate gesture, before it dawned on her that he was inspecting the wouand there. "You'll have a scar there." He informed her before letting his hand fall again.

"Oh, well, okay." She said brightly. "A real genius with words I am.." Her mind snapped. Thorin only chuckled quietly and made to stand and leave but stopped when she called out his name. He came back and sat down and watched her expectantly, all traces of anger gone.

"I just wanted to thank you." Another brilliant start, Devina.

"I've done nothing to earn your thanks," he looked confused. "Of course he looks confused to twit, you wait what? Three? Four days to say something?!"

"You helped me, when you found me on the road. You carried me to Bag End, and made sure I was looked after." She explained. Feeling gratitude towards him. Her mind kept whispering a word at her.

"It was nothing. If I had left you, you could have been found by a beat, or a vile person. Or simply have awoken lost and alone." He said as if what he had done were normal.

"Exactly. Any number of things could have become of me if you hadn't helped me. So thank you," she said again. He began to shake his head and protest again but she cut him off.

"Will you please just accept my thanks and stop being so difficult" she laughed. He grunted and nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. She doubted he appreciated being called difficult. After a moment more he got up once more to go back to his bed roll. But he paused and looked back at her.

"You're welcome. I am glad I did it," he told her before briskly walking away.

Twitterpated her mind whispered again.

"I'm screwed," she turned back to the cliff and thought for most of the night. She thought about their Approaching encounter with the trolls, the fear that there were Orcs near by, how in the world would she learn to fight well enough to make a difference. But most frequently she thought about him.

It'd grown extremely late before she returned to her own pallet and tried to sleep before they left the next day. Before she finally fell asleep she repeated herself. This was to become a regular mantra for her that confused and amused several of the dwarves that would over hear her.

"I'm so totally screwed,"

A\N: Chapter 6 will be up later tonight! Hope you enjoyed and please review to let me know what you think!