Thank you to Likarain once again for your comment! It means a lot to me that you take the time to actually tell me your opinion on my work so thank you VERY much!

Reply to unknown reviews

Piper: Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoy the story and I'm glad you like Lian. I actually was a little cautious about how I was gonna go about her and Thorin's relationship. I knew that they had to have some sort of moment alone to find that connection and also with Thorin thinking she was dead if made him look at her in a different light cause he sort of took her for granted before. But I'm glad that my constant brainstorming paid off and that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit or it's characters, I do however own my own and the art work I put into the series.

Chapter Twelve: The Glimmer In The Void.

Lian's eyes fluttered open, a deep throbbing pain in her head as she felt her limp form being dragged over leaves and rather jagged rocks. She remained motionless; a fog covering her mind as she sluggishly tried to process what was happening. Her body felt like lead and she faintly noticed the feeling of something around her ankles.

Her head rolled limply to the side; clicking sounds reach her ears in a rather annoying manner as she noticed Kili being dragged not far behind her. It was then that she saw what had captured her, fear slicing through the fog of her mind.

Spiders. Large spiders drug them through the forest, their fangs clicking together as they communicated with one another. She hated spiders, ever since she was a little girl she'd stomp on any that she saw; they just unsettled her with their alien-like appearance.

Of all the things that could be in this forest, it had to be damn spiders!

The eight-legged creatures clambered up a tree trunk, swinging her upside down as their disgusting legs held her in place so she wouldn't fall. She felt her heart sputter as a huge lump formed in her throat. Spiders and height; wonderful combination.

Suddenly the spider stopped, clicking something and she took her chance by pulling out her axe, shoving it forward to embedding it's self into the spider's underbelly. It let out a high pitched squeal; dropping her in the process of falling to the ground below in a spastic fit before dying.

Lian quickly scrambled to snatch several hanging vines, her heart pounding as she began climbing, hordes of spiders dropping down and trying to corner her as she reached a sturdy branch covered in webs. Quickly she leaped up to grab a hanging tree branch, slamming her foot into an approaching spider's eye socket; the tissue giving way to her heel. She felt her leg submerged it's self mid-shin in the spider's skull and Lian resisted the urge to gag at the disgusting warmth against her leg.

She yanked her foot back as the spider fell over dead; pulling herself up to scramble to her feet upon the branch and sprint towards the huddle of dwarves bundled up in thick web. They were only a few feet higher than where she was in the trees so she made quick work of climbing up the tree like some sort of monkey.

She let out a surprised cry when she felt something tackle her from behind; slamming her into the thick tree trunk with clicking reaching the sensitive drums of her ears. She turned her head, eyes widening when she looked straight into the creatures mouth, fangs and saliva dripping closer to her face.

The spider suddenly let out a squeal, falling off her and to the forest floor below; looking up Lian saw brave Bilbo with his sword drawn, spider blood staining the elvish blade.

"Bilbo." She cried in relief, taking the young hobbit into a quick hug as she's momentarily overjoyed by his appearance. "The dwarves are over here." She ushered him to the thickest of the webs, trying to keep the spiders at bay as Bilbo sliced through the thick webs.

Dwarves fell to the ground below, releasing them from their prison as they instantly begin to break free from the webs; crying out in surprise sounding from below. Lian quickly grabbed Bilbo before he can react, jumping from the tree just as the small platform of branches was overrun with spiders and landing by the dwarves. She grunted, regretting not just climbing down as sharp pain shot up her calves in an attempt to absorb the shock.

"Hurry, before they surround us!" Bilbo called, quickly recovering from their sudden dive from the trees to hurry the stumbling dwarves to their feet; drawing their weapons.

Lian hastily shook her numbing legs out, hobbling alongside the company as they ran through the forest, not sure where they were going but knowing that anywhere was better than with flesh-eating spiders.

She slammed the blunt end of her axe into a spider's skull, the bone giving in to the force without resistance. She's thankful that Beorn had healed her now, she can't even fathom trying to do this with broken ribs.

"They're coming in from above! We need to take cover!" Lian bellowed, casting her eyes down as another spider tried to snap her head off.

Suddenly an arrow pierced the spider right between the eyes, startling her and she turned to look at Kili; he had not shot the arrow though.

Elves lept down from the thick canopy of trees, swinging from their hanging webs to land on the creatures back. They obviously held experience with the spiders for they were easily dispatched in the blink of an eye. The elves did not however ignore the company as they surrounded them in a tight circle, arrows notched to fire at anyone who may decide to do something unwise.

"Do not think I won't kill you, Dwarf. It would bring me great pleasure." A pale headed elf warned, arrow pointed mere inches from Thorin's face and said dwarf glared heatedly at the elf.

Kili's cry pierced the tension, drawing the attention of the dwarves. "Kili!" Fili cried, looking around frantically for his missing younger brother. He must have fell behind trying to fight off spiders and the said dwarf is quickly shoved back into the company by a she-elf; Fili quickly doing a once over to see if he was harmed.

"Search them." The pale haired elf ordered, words in Elvish quickly exchanged as they pat down the company. Lian waved the forceful hands of a male elf away, willing placing her axe into the male elf's hand, puzzling him with her willingness to comply.

Quickly she brought her fist up, slamming the back of it into the elf's jaw, successfully getting in a cheap shot as she kicked his legs out from under him. To hell with making things easy, she rather go down fighting.

She's not given the chance to do anymore harm though as several hands force her to the ground roughly, shoving her face into the forest floor as she struggled.

"What is a woman of Forchel doing with dwarves?" The pale haired dwarf asked, the elf was obviously well educated in Middle-Earths many cultures for he noticed her leather and fur attire. The animal hides being much thicker in the Northeren lands than anywhere else.

"Why don't ya take that question and shove it up yer-." The elf cut her off, gesturing for her to be gagged as she thrashes violently. Eventually though she was bound and gagged like a wild hog; leering at the pale haired dwarf as he unsheathes Thorin's sword.

"Where did you get this?" The pale haired elf asks Thorin, holding the dwarfs sword away for better examination. "It was given to me." Thorin scowled.

The elf points the end of the sword towards Thorin's throat with a hard glare. "Not only a thief but a liar as well." He accused their leader before barking an order to the elves.

The elf she had back handed roughly pushed her forward after effectively searching her, obviously not taking any chances with her again.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur suddenly hisses to Thorin as they're led away, causing the dwarf to look around quickly for the hobbit.

Lian too couldn't find the hobbit; she knew she had jumped down with the fellow though, had he been caught by the spiders?

The elves lead them through the forest and soon enough they cross a bridge leading inside an elvish city and once they entered Lian couldn't help but marvel at the kingdom. Sun streams down through vast windows, illuminating the dark kingdom in pale sunlight, it was almost like it was underground.

Trees were hallowed out, twisting and weaving throughout the kingdom in a spiral of branches mixed with stone carved buildings layered like steps throughout the city.

They traveled along twisting branches, the wooden path guiding them through the kingdom, rising higher and higher, almost like they were climbing a tree to the very top. Beautiful but troubling for Lian as she resists the urge to look over down and throw oil on the fire that was her fear.

Towards the very top they shove Thorin away from the group, sending the rest of the company in an opposite direction sloping downwards towards stone steps. Lian's eyes briefly lock with Thorin's, worry creeping into her expression before their gaze is broken and they're lead apart.

They herd them down several flights of stairs until they reached a cavern; a waterfall cascading down towards the winding river that snaked through the city. Half of the cavern was occupied by stairs and small platforms though, iron bars covering the cells lining the stone walls.

One by one they're shoved into cells, small and dark with only the faint glow of torches from outside and the reflection of light off the dancing water.

Lian immediately begins pacing her cell; anxious as to if Thorin was well or being possibly tortured. Her imagination ran wild at this, tormenting her with horrible visions of what could be happening to the dwarf that very moment.

Only time can tell, please let him be alright, she prays, willing for Thorin to round the corner of the flight of stair any moment but to no avail. She ends up sitting in the back of her cell, waiting for what seemed like forever but probably wasn't hardly half an hour.

Nearly an hour passes before she suddenly hears the echoing steps on the stairs, taking her attention away from drawing random objects on the floor with a stray rock.

Thorin and an Elf pass by her cell, the dwarf looking exactly like he did before and she lets out a breath of relief. The elf shoves Thorin into the cell beside her before quickly striding away, leaving the company to themselves. "Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asks from his cell.

"He did…and I told him that he could go 'Ish kakhfêai'd dur rugnu!'–him and all his kin!" Thorin yelled out, resounding throughout the cavern.

"Well that's it. A deal was our only hope in making it out of here." Balin's voice held no hope as he slumps against his the stone walls of his cell.

"Not our only hope." Lian heard Thorin breath to his self, even at the most direst of moment did the dwarf hold on to hope. His commitment was truly something to marvel and she knew that the company probably would have given up by now if not for his stubbornness. He was indeed the most rock headed person, not to mention dwarf, she'd ever met.

The dwarves sat in silence for a while; eventually snores began to sound, indicating that they were taking the little amount of sleep they could while they could. Lian could not however; her thoughts were elsewhere, thinking of troubles that seemed to be so frivolous now.

"Ya know, I used to think that I would one day be my father's main captain. It was I guess ya could say; my goal in life." Lian says to Thorin, knowing he was awake; he always stayed awake til the late eve of the night.

"I remember when I was young I'd try and steal my father's sword away to threaten the local stable boys with. I wanted to be just like him, a leader. I was so mad when he told me I wasn't allowed to fight. I felt cheated and like I was somehow deemed not good enough to him." She chuckles lightly.

"How foolish I was to not realize that he only wanted to protect me. His only daughter and heir to the throne, I used to blame him for the way the boys treated me. I used to blame him for everything because I wished to be him." A lump forms in her throat as her chin trembles.

"I never knew my mother; she died giving birth to me. I never realized til now how lowly I've thought of her, as weak for dying simply from birthing a child. But know I realize that she was a warrior in her own way, she fought through the pain and endured so I could live." The tears had fallen, the taste of salt upon her tongue as she stares watches the reflection of the water dance along her cell wall.

"I truly am a child. Oblivious to what really matters, not seeing the full picture and only trying to understand how other people may have of felt when it doesn't count. Falian would tell me this often but I only thought of him as being senile." She lets out a bitter laugh.

"How much more the world is than what I thought, greater than I'd ever imagined yet so difficult." She whispered, leaning her cheek against the cold steel bars, closing her eyes.

"You're right and yet you are wrong." Thorin replied finally, his deep voice sending a warm feeling through her stomach.

"You think of only the regrets you have in life when you should think of the things you cherish, moments and people. Those are what drive us to live, to fight and to win. Do not speak as if you're on your death bed."

Lian felt a smile creep to her lips, feeling warmth spread through her despite the cold stone around her. "You really are a good leader." She hummed.

"A good leader is only driven to do great by the people he leads." Thorin reasoned and she couldn't help but laugh. "Aye, that is indeed true." She mused.

A comfortable silence falls upon them once more, not quite as horrid as the silence before and making her forget all her petty worries, somehow their situation had become a good way to clear her mind.

"Did you mean what you said in the forest? Did it really mean nothing?" Thorin suddenly breathed, so faint was it that she almost thought he had intended for her to miss it.

Her stomach tightens and for once she couldn't help but be completely honest with herself about her feelings for Thorin. She knew that something had happened, something had sparked between them that she wasn't sure of. She was scared of the unknown, convinced that the pleasant feelings she got around Thorin were but an illusion to coax her into certain disaster.

But somehow she knew that it wasn't like that anymore, the fear of the unknown had somehow become over shadowed by the fear of rejection, the 'what if's'.

'Dear child, you have nothing to fear. Life takes many directions and it's now your time to choice which path you take Follow your heart; it will not lead you astray." Gandalfs words flitted across her conscious and she takes a deep breath, knowing that her fear was something to overcome and now was the time to choose her path.

"No." She whispered, feeling rather breathless but she continues, else she'd lose her bout of courage. "No, I didn't mean it…I only knew that I was feeling things that I was afraid to admit, feeling things for ya that I've never felt before. It scared me so much. I know I'm just a child but-."

"Stop."

She shuts her mouth, pain searing through her like a heated knife as she begins to realize that she's the only one feeling this way. Rejection was like a stinging slap to her face, even more painful then she feared.

"Do no say it." He whispered, his voice stained with emotion. "Do not say it here. Such words will not be spoken in the Kingdom of Elves. Only when we have reclaimed Erebor do I want to hear you say those words."

A new feeling blossomed inside her, making her forget all about the sting of rejection as her cheeks heat up and her heart melts.

"Thorin." She breathes, feeling a bit light headed at the sudden feel of exhilaration. "At least tell me I'm not the only one who's some smitten pup." Thorin's lips can't help but quirk upwards at that.

"I feel…very attached to you." He mumbled, obviously embarrassed by having to outright say it out loud.

"That's a start." She chuckles, feeling aglow with happiness unlike any she'd felt in a long time, how dark the world had become around them and now she felt like she could face anything as long as this man was by her side.

"Reach your hand out of your cell."

"Why?" She askd, suspicious as to what he was planning.

"Just do it." She reached her arm in between the iron balls and reaching it out towards his cell, not being able to see a thing as she presses herself tightly into the stone wall.

Suddenly rough fingers slide along hers, startling her as their fingers intertwine, sending a shock of warmth straight to her chest. Thorin lets out a satisfied sigh, squeezing her hand firmly as they sit there in their own cells.

Lian lets out her own, feeling more at peace then she had in a long time. "I'm sorry about what I said before…about you and Bilbo." Thorin suddenly apologized.

"I was…not in the right state of mind and when I saw you two laughing together I assumed the worst." He mumbles, obviously ashamed of his rash accusation.

"Do I dare say that Thorin Oakenshield was jealous?" She mocked lightly, giving his hand a squeeze. He only huffs with his own squeeze to her hand; the feel of his callused palms against hers sending a pleasant shiver through her.

The two fall into a comfortable silence and soon enough Lian can't even begin to try and fight the sleep weighing down her eyelids. She knew then that she'd give her life for Thorin, so maybe this is what the bud of love felt like, she muses. It was there she fells asleep with her smaller hand loosely griping Thorin's own.

Lian's feelings right now:

ಥ_ಥ

Please review, I'm aiming for 8 reviews until I update again so review if you want me to update!

ಥ_ಥ