A/N: So incredibly sorry for the delay in posting the next chapter! I subbed all week at my youngest's preschool and just didn't have time to work on the chapter (I do a lot of my writing in the carpool line!). To make up for it this chapter is longer than usual. I hope you like it! I looked into the meanings of various Viking and Old Norse symbols for the discussion of Thorin's tattoos (I know you see nothing of the sort in the movies or mentioned in the book but he just seems too much of a bada- that I can easily picture him with some that hold significant meaning!). I also tried to weave in more of the book's description of events while the Company were in Mirkwood. I'm already working on the next chapter so posting should be back on schedule on Fridays.

Just4Me: Thank you for the review! I just thought those vows sounded so...right. :)

My Petal Heart: I'm so glad you found my story! Thank you for your kind words. I hope it will continue being enjoyable!

All credit goes to Tolkien and PJ. I'm just an ardent admirer.

The room was still shrouded in darkness though there was the hint of morning in the sky outside the window when Thorin opened his eyes. It took a second for him to realize that the warmth next to him in the bed was Rhae and it was okay for her to be there because she was now his wife. She was nestled against him, her head on his shoulder, her hand resting on his chest. He tightened his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. A feeling of contentment washed over him. For once there was no guilt for feeling so. He knew what was still ahead of them and this brief moment in time would do much for his state of mind in the days and weeks ahead. There was no immediate danger facing them, no pressing decisions to be made, for once he felt relaxed, and he let his mind wander to the night that was now fading. His bride might have been unsure when she came to his bed but she was a quick and eager learner. Since he had first known her Rhae had always been so calm and in control of herself - except when she was angry at him - that he had been surprised at the passion she had kept hidden up until now. Thinking on it he wasn't sure why he was surprised, he'd seen the fire in her eyes when she was in the heat of a fight. He should have known she would share that much passion to who she loved. However, it was gratifying that it was all focused on him and for him alone to enjoy. Even now the thought of her soft moans, the way she'd called out his name, and how she'd arched against him caused a spark of heat to shoot through him. The temptation to wake Rhae and have her again was strong but he took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. He wanted to let her rest longer; it felt wonderful to have her curled up next to him. Pulling the warm blankets over them further he closed his eyes again.

He laid there drifting in and out of sleep as the room slowly brightened with the morning sun. Running his hand up her arm he paused when his fingers brushed the bandage above her elbow. That pulled him from the doze he was in. Thorin had no idea what Rhae may have gone through during her years as a Ranger but she had endured so much on this quest, silently suffered through several injuries in her determination to help him. He knew the gash Oin had stitched closed on her arm would leave a scar. The cut across her forehead probably would as well. Though unseen the one above her ear would also scar. How many others would she have before this quest ended?

Rhae was awake. The gentle motion of Thorin's hands as they roamed her body had drawn her from sleep, though she remained still, enjoying the intimacy of awakening in the same bed with him. Memories from the night before filled her mind and she tried hard not to tremble as she recalled all that had happened between them. She'd had no idea it could be like that; there had been such ecstasy in surrendering herself completely to him, never imagining such sensations were possible. Thorin had been so gentle with her in the beginning as she overcame her uncertainty and shyness, though it hadn't taken long before her pleas encouraged him to intensify his motions. In the heat of passion he had uttered many things in Khuzdul and while she didn't know what the words meant, their meaning had been quite clear. At the thought she could feel warmth spreading through her belly and she wanted nothing more right then than for him to be covering her body with his, pressing himself against her. She became aware that his hands had stilled and she finally stretched, loving the feel of his body against hers. He propped himself up on the pillows, making sure to keep her locked to his side. Looking at him she saw the frown under his beard.

"You look so serious." Rhae's soft voice held a note of teasing in it.

He smiled down at her. "I was just thinking."

"That could be dangerous." He smirked and Rhae saw the devious twinkle in his eyes. She sat up quickly to avoid his hands as he tried to tickle her, well aware that after their first night together he knew where her sensitive spots were. However when she looked back over her shoulder at him there was no hint of amusement on his face. He was staring at her intently, the usual furrow between his brows.

"Thorin?"

"Your back. The cuts and bruises. I had no idea..."

Reacting as most would, she tried to twist around to see what he was talking about before she realized the futileness of the action. "You'll have to explain what you mean as I can't quite see what you're looking at." She shivered when his fingers grazed her skin as he brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"Here," he said, running the palm of his hand in a line, slightly angled, from her right shoulder almost to her waist. "Its a wide bruise that crosses your back. Where in the world did you get that?"

It took her a moment to sift through the possible situations that could have given her such an injury. "Judging by the position I would guess that it is from when Gandalf's blast in Goblin Town threw me into a railing post." He winced a bit at the thought, remembering how they had all been thrown, literally, at the wizard's timely arrival. He also remembered that it had been the first time she'd stood over him defending him from attackers.

"And the rest of the bruises? And all these cuts?" She closed her eyes with a sigh, thoroughly enjoying the feel of his fingers on her bare back.

"The fall from that cave and the ropes and chains the goblins used to beat us claim that honor. The orcs weren't able to get many hits on me beyond my arm. Most of those caught my jerkin." She shivered again when he ran one of his hands along her left hip.

"There's a dark bruise here."

"Are you sure its not from your fingers?" she teased, remembering how he had gripped her there during the night. He gave a low growl in answer, pulling her back against him. She surrendered without thought of a struggle, her next words coming out in between gasps as his lips began traveling over her shoulders. "I was thrown once during that fight on the cliff. An orc caught me with a mace and I landed on some rock. It hasn't really bothered me much."

"I am sorry," he murmured, his lips pressed against the back of her neck.

"Do not apologize to me, Thorin. None is needed. I did what had to be done. I've suffered many injures over the years. These are no different and will heal."

"I will protect you, Rhae."

The deep velvet of his voice, the feel of his hands, they all did such marvelous things to her. She turned around, settling herself in his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist, thrilling at the way his eyes darkened. He sucked in a deep breath; there was no stopping his arousal now.

"I know you will." She leaned in and kissed him deeply. "Just as I will protect you." With another kiss she pressed herself against him, her wishes clear. That was all it took. Thorin wrapped his arms around her and in one fluid motion had her pinned underneath him.

"Do you know what you do to me?"

"How about you show me."

"What do your tattoos represent?" Rhae was watching as he dressed himself. The black markings on his arms and back had caught her attention the night before but she'd been rather too occupied at the time to ask about them. Now she walked over to him and began tracing the shapes with her finger. "This first one?" On his left bicep was what looked vaguely like a wheel, the end of each of the spindles resembling a 3 pronged pitchfork.

"It is the Helm of Awe. It is a symbol of protection and is believed to make one invincible in battle."

"And this one?" she asked, tracing the strange circle on his other bicep. It seemed like it had some kind of geometric pattern inside, almost like a cross shape that dissected the circle into four separate sections.

"The Shield Knot. It is also a symbol of protection and to help ward off evil spirits." She nodded. The more protection he had the happier she would be. Her fingers moved to the small runes on his lower back just above his trousers. She heard his sharp intake of breath as she traced them. "They say I'm a warrior." His voice wasn't completely steady.

Rhae moved to the largest of the tattoos, a stylized bird with wings spread that stretched from shoulder to shoulder across his upper back. It was truly a marvelous piece of art. "What about this?"

"It is a raven, a symbol of Erebor. The King's crown is known as 'The Raven Crown of Erebor'." She traced it one last time and then wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his back. The numerous scars on his body, these tattoos, they all proclaimed not only what Thorin had been through but what was dear to him. Once she released him she returned to dressing for the day.

"You will have to show me how to do these braids." He paused as he was pulling his tunic over his head, looking over at where she was running her fingers through her hair, his eyebrow raised questioningly. "I expect you may not always be nearby when I need them rebraided."

"I hope to always be with you in the mornings."

"I certainly hope you will be but I am not completely naive in the way of politics and kingdoms. I am aware that once the mountain is reclaimed and you are king there will be things requiring your presence at anytime of day." He considered her words and then nodded. Once he was dressed Rhae was before him, his belt in her hands. He didn't say anything, merely raised his arms so she could wrap it around his waist. She let her fingers linger at his waist after she'd fastened the buckle.

"I look forward to the day when you are beside me in the halls of Erebor, crowned as Queen Under the Mountain."

"I hope to prove worthy of the title and the honor you have bestowed on me."

"You will always have my support, amrâlimê."

When the two finally made their way downstairs a little while later, Rhae laughed as she spotted her woolly friend standing at the bottom of the stairs. She could've sworn there was a disapproving frown on the animal's face.

"Is that sheep waiting for us?" Thorin asked.

She nodded, a smile still on her face. "I believe so. Beorn told me a day or so ago that she had taken it upon herself to keep an eye on me. I guess she isn't happy about the change in my sleeping arrangements." Thorin looked at the animal skeptically. It tossed its head towards the table in the kitchen before walking off. There was milk, bread, honey, clotted cream, and dried fruit set out for their meal. Rhae discovered she was starving and dove in enthusiastically. They enjoyed a few more moments of time alone before heading out to the yard to find the company.

The dwarves were in a circle, watching Dori and Dwalin spar. All had weapons out and many already looked as if they'd had time in that makeshift ring. Even Bilbo was standing to the side, his small blade in hand, sweating as if he had been taking some swings with someone. When Thorin and Rhae were spotted there were a few cheers and whistles.

"Look who decided to join us today." Rhae colored slightly at Nori's words though Thorin laughed. Thankfully that was the only comment made, at least in her hearing. She had been a bit nervous as to how the company would see her and treat her now that she was no longer 'just a Ranger" amongst them. She was glad that it seemed nothing would change, at least for now. Once Erebor was reclaimed and Thorin was officially crowned Rhae was very aware that many things would change. She could only hope the friendships she had formed on the quest would never fade as they meant the world to her now.

The remaining days passed quickly as the company rested and recouped their strength. Rhae spent time with Bilbo, helping him learn how to use his sword; she wasn't going to have him entering Mirkwood unprepared. He wasn't nearly as skittish about it as he had been when Gandalf originally gave him the blade. Daylight hours were spent in sparring sessions and repairing weapons and armor. Rhae threw herself into the sessions with renewed vigor, wanting to make sure her skills were still razor sharp. Her matches with Thorin allowed them to further learn each other until they began anticipating the other's moves. She knew that knowledge of how your companions fight was important in any battle; you had to know what to expect from the comrades by your side.

All too quickly the morning of their departure was upon them. True to his word, Beorn provided them with everything they needed to continue their journey. There were ponies for each of them and horses for Gandalf and Rhae. He filled their packs with enough food to last them for weeks - nuts, flour, sealed jars of dried fruits, small pots of honey, and twice baked cakes. He gave the two archers of the group more arrows and provided them with extra skins for water, warning them to fill them full before they entered the forest.

"There is one stream there, I know, black and strong which crosses the path. That you should neither drink of nor bathe in; for I have heard that it carries enchantment and a great drowsiness and forgetfulness. And in the dim shadows of that place I don't think you will shoot anything, wholesome or unwholesome, without straying from the path. That you much not do for any reason." The dwarves all nodded as they adjusted the packs on the backs of their ponies. "That is all the advice I can give you. Beyond the edge of the forest I cannot help you much; you must depend on your luck and your courage and the food I send with you. At the gate of the forest I must ask you to send back my horses and my ponies. But I wish you all speed, and my house is open to you, if ever you come back this way again." He said something quietly to Gandalf and the two began to walk away from the group. Gandalf motioned for Rhae to join him as he and Beorn stepped into the edge of the forest. Thorin frowned but she placed a hand on his arm, silently telling him not to worry. Still, she could feel his eyes on her as she followed the wizard and skin-changer into the trees.

"You will leave my ponies before you enter the forest," Beorn instructed.

"You have my word," Gandalf told him. There was a loud squawk from some bird, causing the wizard to frown. "We're being watched."

Beorn nodded, never looking at the two standing with him, his eyes constantly scanning the trees around them. "Yes. The orcs will not give up. They will hunt the dwarves until they see them destroyed." Rhae shivered at his words. It had been relatively easy to forget the dangers outside Beorn's walls for the past several days but they would soon be back at the mercy of the wild.

"Why now? What has made the Defiler crawl from his hole?" she asked. The dwarves were her kin now, their safety was her utmost concern.

"There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the sorcerer of Dol Guldur."

Her eyes snapped to Gandalf to gauge his reaction. "Are you sure of this?"

"Packs have been seen gathering there. Each day more and more come."

"What do you know of this sorcerer? The one they call the Necromancer."

Beorn glanced at the wizard. "I know he is not what he seems. Fell things are drawn to his power. Azog pays homage to him."

Gandalf was silent for several moments, considering what Beorn had just told them.

"We need to be on our way," Thorin called from where the dwarves were waiting. Gandalf nodded at Rhae and they turned to go but Beorn stopped them.

"There is more. Not long past word had spread that the dead had been seen walking near the high fells of Rhudaur." Rhae couldn't stop her sharp intake of breath. She well knew what was buried in those tombs. The air suddenly felt very cold around her and she felt very exposed.

"The dead?" Even the wizard now seemed a bit concerned.

"Is it true? Are there tombs in those mountains?"

"Yes, there are tombs there," Rhae whispered, almost afraid to utter the words.

Beorn looked hard at Gandalf. "I remember a time when a great evil ruled these lands, one powerful enough to raise the dead. If that enemy has returned to Middle Earth I would have you tell me."

"Saruman the White says its not possible. The enemy was destroyed and will never return."

"And what does Gandalf the Grey say?"

There was no answer from the wizard but that was answer enough for the skin-changer.

The trio walked back to the where the company were sitting on the ponies. Beorn watched at Gandalf and Rhae mounted and took their reins.

"Go now while you still have the light," the man told them, his eyes once again scanning the land around them. "Your hunters are not far behind."

They traveled for three days, keeping a close watch for the orcs. Bilbo was sure he caught sight, at a distance, of Beorn in bear form several times. He mentioned it to Rhae but she told him not to worry, he was only keeping an eye on his ponies and a watch out for the orcs. At night they all stayed close to the camp fire, not wanting to stray beyond its flickering light. Thorin kept Rhae tucked next to him when they were not on watch, the two sharing the blankets. She had noticed his protectiveness reasserting itself now that they had left the safety of Beorn's house. It didn't bother her too much.

Afternoon of the third day saw them, at last, staring into the darkness of Mirkwood. Rhae shivered despite the sun. It was so quiet. No birds were singing, there was no sign of deer or rabbits. Within the shadow of the forest huge, gnarled tree trunks supported twisted branches, their leaves dark and long. Ivy grew on them and trailed along the ground.

"Well, here is Mirkwood!" Gandalf announced. Rhae simply rolled her eyes. Kíli saw her and tried to contain a snort of wizard dismounted and walked to the edge of the forest, stepping through an ancient archway. "Here lies our path," he called back to them.

"No sign of the orcs. We have luck on our side," Dwalin said as he climbed from his pony. Rhae knew it probably had more to do with Beorn's presence than their luck, which didn't have a stellar record thus far.

Gandalf seemed to see something in the distance behind them. "Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."

The company dismounted and began removing their supplies. Bilbo edged closer to the forest to stand next to the wizard.

"This forest feels...sick, as if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north or twice that distance south." Gandalf again walked into the forest, leaving the hobbit standing alone with his hands in his pockets.

Rhae readjusted the straps on her pack, making sure everything was secure, before hefting it on her back. She then slung her quiver and bow across her shoulder and patted the horse on its neck.

"Hurry back to Beorn, my friend. Thank you for your assistance." The animal nudged her hand before galloping off in the direction they'd come. She watched him run for a moment.

"What is wrong?"

She turned to her husband. "There is a darkness here that seeks to overtake everything. I do not like this forest. I do not want to think about what has caused so drastic a change. I'm sure you remember what the Greenwood used to be." He stared at the trees in front of them with a frown on his face.

"We will make it through," he promised, running his hands up and down her arms. She simply pressed her lips together, clearly uneasy.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf suddenly yelled, emerging from the forest. Nori had been removing the saddle when the wizard's words stopped him, looking at him just as puzzled as the rest of the company.

"You're not leaving us?" The worry was clear in Bilbo's voice.

"I would not do this unless I had to." He caught Rhae's eye and she sighed, knowing this sudden change had everything to do with the Necromancer and the darkness she'd felt. She only hoped whatever the wizard was planning on doing would be successful. Crossing Mirkwood and fighting a dragon were enough to deal with; the thought that He had returned was an additional burden she did not need. The company stood in uneasy silence as Gandalf and Bilbo talked quietly for a moment. Finally the wizard strode towards his horse, pausing to look hard at Thorin.

"Rhae, you must help them through. This is not the Greenwood of old. There is a stream in the woods that carries a dark enchantment. Do not touch the water. Cross only by the stone bridge. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" No one answered the hobbit. As they watched Gandalf mount his horse it began to rain, almost as if the heavens themselves were depressed at the wizard's departure. Rhae hoped it wasn't an omen of things to come.

"You must stay on the path. Do not leave it. If you do you will never find it again." He pulled on the reins, wheeling his horse away from the forest. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!" His words echoed behind him. They watched as he galloped away, his grey robes flapping around him, until he disappeared over the horizon. Rhae suddenly felt very small and alone.

"Come on," Thorin ordered, marching into the trees. "We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day."

"Durin's Day. Let's go!" Dwalin huffed. The company fell into a line as they passed beneath the archway, Thorin in the lead and Rhae at the rear. She had insisted; she didn't want anything sneaking up on them from behind. It was the last time the company breathed fresh air or saw the sun for many, many days.

It wasn't long before the days and nights began to run together. The air was heavy and stale, musty and foul with the scent of decay. Everything was gray; there was no hint of color anywhere. The trees here did not stand straight and tall any more, they were bent, twisted as if whatever had infected the forest had been incredibly painful. It was also disturbingly quiet. Most troublesome to Rhae were the spider webs. Not just regular spider webs like you might see covered in dew in a garden first thing in the morning but large, thick webs. Webs that stretched in some cases from the ground to the leaves far over their heads. She truly hoped they would not encounter whatever beast had spun those. During what they believed to be daytime the sun could not penetrate the thick leaves overhead, leaving them in a dull, greenish light. Nights were worse. The forest was the deepest black any of them had ever seen and the gleam of eyes watching them were always visible. They never saw any creatures but they knew something was out there. After their campfire the first night had attracted bats they spent the long hours in utter darkness not wanting to draw any more undue attention to their presence. The foulness around them began working on their minds soon after they entered the trees. Rhae began having disturbing dreams - fire, bodies strewn on a battlefield, evil voices - and so took watch most nights. Those times when she did lay down Thorin was very aware of her nightmares. She twisted and turned in her sleep, sometimes uttering small cries, and he felt helpless as to how to help her. He would just pull her closer in to his body, hoping the warmth of his presence would somehow seep into her troubled mind. While she was tormented at night, the rest of the company suffered during the day. She felt groggy and a bit disoriented but the dwarves were far worse off after only a day or so under the dark trees. She was able to relax and clear her mind every so often so the affects of the forest weren't quite as debilitating to her. The dwarves, and even Bilbo somewhat, became more belligerent and disoriented as the days went by. Rhae learned soon enough that it was pointless to try and reason with them; she could only hope they wouldn't seriously injure each other when their arguments involved fists.

They finally came to the stream. It was indeed dark and there was a sinister feel about it. Thorin and Rhae both stood at the edge of the bridge, unknowingly mimicking each other with arms crossed on their chests, staring at the collapsed middle section.

"Is there another bridge?"

She shook her head. "I don't know but if there is it wouldn't be anywhere near. The forest road is much further south."

"We could swim across," Bofur spoke up from behind them.

"No. Remember what Beorn and Gandalf said: a dark enchantment lies upon this water."

"It doesn't look very enchanting to me," Bofur muttered and Rhae choked back a giggle.

Thorin continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "I don't want to find out what it can do. We must find another way across." Thorin turned back to Rhae and they stepped to the side.

"These vines look strong enough." Kíli suddenly leapt onto some that were thick and hanging low and began inching his way along them. Rhae quickly saw what the youngest Durin had spotted. The vines formed a rather rickety bridge over the stream. It would be risky but at this point she couldn't think of a better idea.

"Kíli! No!" Thorin commanded. His nephew paused, looking back over his shoulder. The expression on his uncle's face convinced him to return to the ground.

"There's no other way to cross," he pointed out when his boots hit the dirt.

"Perhaps but you will not cross first. These vines may not hold your weight." He turned to the hobbit. "Master Baggins will go first. He is the lightest amongst us."

Bilbo paled a bit but stepped up, cautiously taking a hold of the vines, a frown on his face. Rhae felt it would have been better if she or even Kíli had attempted the crossing. While perhaps not as light as Bilbo, though she suspected she might weigh less than the hobbit, she was no stranger to climbing through trees. However as she turned to call out to Bilbo she suddenly spotted something on the other side of the stream.

"Bilbo wait!" she called. "There's a boat on the other bank."

Thorin squinted in the direction she pointed. "Are you sure?"

"I see it now!" Bilbo cried in excitement. "Now why couldn't it have been this side?"

"How far away to you think it is?" Thorin still couldn't see much through the gloom.

"Not at all far. I shouldn't think above twelve yards," the hobbit guessed.

"Well a boat isn't much good if its on the other side of an enchanted stream we can't touch," Dori grumbled.

Rhae eyed the vines again, then turned to Fíli. "Give me those ropes." He looked at her in confusion but handed them over. She threw them over her shoulder and then walked over to the vines again, making sure her bow was secure on her back. "I will go across and secure the rope to the boat. Then we can pull it back and forth across the water." Without waiting for anyone else to speak she easily hoisted herself into the vines.

"Rhae! Stop!" she heard Thorin yell.

"I am the most qualified to do this. I'm quite used to being in trees." She never even paused as she yelled back at him, testing each vine before placing hand or foot.

"You are my wife! You shouldn't be taking these risks!"

"Quit being absurd! Its been my job to help and guide this company and I will continue to do so. What good am I if I just stand aside now?"

"Rhae -"

"Oh hush, Thorin!" She took another cautious step. "I will secure a rope to one side of the boat and shoot it back to you. Divide up the remaining supplies and decide who is coming across together but please don't send the heaviest first. I won't be able to pull you." There were a few snorts of laughter from the company as they watched this exchange. Dwalin, though always fully supporting his friend and king, couldn't help but enjoy watching him deal with his spirited new wife. She certainly had courage and will power; she would make a good queen by Thorin's side. He also hoped, as his brother did, that she would be able to keep him from succumbing to the dragon sickness.

It didn't take her long to make it to the other side. Glancing around she shivered. Something just wasn't right. Rhae wanted to go back across the stream, tell the company that they needed to turn around and try a different way but she knew as soon as she thought it that it was a ridiculous notion. There was no other way. She quickly fastened the end of a rope to the boat and tied the other end to one of her arrows. Before sending it to the rest of the company she attached the second rope to the back of the boat.

"I'm ready. I can just barely see you. Step away from that large tree so I don't kill anyone," she called back across the water. Taking a deep breath she aimed the arrow, focusing on the tree for a second before releasing it. It hit the trunk with a thud and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright. Pull it to you. Let me know when you're ready for me to start bringing you back." She tied the end of her rope around a tree and waited for their signal. When it came she grabbed the rope and began walking backward, hoping the stream's current wouldn't hinder her efforts. Thankfully the boat moved across the water without much trouble. Thorin came first with Fíli, as she had expected, and she awaited the angry tirade that was sure to be released on her. Once they were on the ground, he told Fíli to take over pulling the company across, then he stormed over to her; she merely crossed her arms and waited.

"You should not do things like that."

"Why not? I am a Ranger, am I not? I was brought on this journey to help you wasn't I?"

"Yes you were but you are now my wife. As the soon to be Queen Under the Mountain you need to be more careful."

"I will be okay, Thorin. Would you like it if I suddenly changed into some weak female that relied on someone else for everything?"

"You do not understand the dangers -"

"I know the dangers we're facing better than anyone in this company. Have you forgotten that I've traveled all over this land, faced and killed many?"

He frowned and she saw the true worry in his eyes. "I only want to keep you safe. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

"I understand your concern, truly I do, but I cannot change now that I have wed you. What kind of queen would I make if I gave up jobs that were entrusted to me? You want to protect me, I know, but I promised to protect you as well." She placed a hand on his arm, stepping a bit closer. "I am your wife and I will be by your side, helping you through whatever we face. Please do not make others think I am some delicate flower and now unable to do my part." He clinched his teeth together in irritation but had to admit to himself that she had a point.

A rustling of leaves and snapping of branches caught their attention and the two turned, bows at the ready only to see a pure white stag standing just a little ways away from them. It just looked at them, its nose twitching a bit. Rhae heard an arrow being drawn back and turned to see Thorin aiming at the animal.

"What are you doing?" she whispered with a frown. He didn't answer, his eyes locked on the stag. She glanced back at the white animal. It seemed to be staring right back at the dwarf. Again she felt something was not right. Before she could speak Thorin had released his arrow. It missed and the stag bounded away into the trees in a flash of white.

"You shouldn't have done that. Its bad luck."

"I don't believe in luck. We make our own luck," Thorin growled. She peered at him, concerned at the hazy darkness that was in his eyes. Strong as he was the forest was even messing with his mind. A loud splash and panicked cries had them whipping around to see what was going on. Rhae groaned and rubbed a hand over her face. The boat had apparently shifted under his weight and Bombur had fallen face up in the stream, sound asleep and snoring. A few of the other dwarves grabbed his clothes and dragged him from the water. Once they were all sitting on the other side of the stream they stared at their sleeping companion. How in the world were they going to continue on now? After some consideration they made a quick litter to carry him on. Fíli and Bifur grabbed the front and Dwalin and Bofur grabbed the back with Kíli on one side keeping the whole thing from tilting too far.

"This will slow us down even further," Thorin complained under his breath as they started off down the path again.

"Well what's the alternative? Leaving him there?" She glared at him and stomped on ahead.

Day followed day and there was still no sign of the end of the forest. Beorn had provided them with enough food to last at least a couple of weeks and Rhae became alarmed when those supplies began to run low. Either they were eating more than they had rationed, which seemed unlikely at the moment considering Bombur was still asleep, or they had lost complete track of the days and they'd been in the forest much longer than expected.

"I hate this place," she grumbled and was surprised to hear Thorin chuckle behind her.

"I thought Rangers were supposed to have a love of nature."

"This isn't nature. I don't even know what this is." It was becoming harder for her to keep her mind clear the longer they lingered and the hungrier she became. She could feel the forest trying to worm its way into her thoughts and it was exhausting trying to keep it out. Watching the dwarves as they plodded along reminded her of watching drunks. They were unsteady on their feet and slurred in their speech. Her head was spinning as if she was tipsy as well. She pinched her arm hard to try and shake the fog.

"We need to take a rest," someone cried. They didn't even bother sitting down. They just stopped where they were, panting hard. Rhae felt a bit sorry for the dwarves who were having to carry Bombur.

"There's voices. Can you hear them?" Bilbo stuttered from where he was sitting on a tree root.

Thorin shook his head slightly. "I hear nothing."

"Air. I need air," Bofur cried from beside her.

Oin fisted his hands in his hair. "My head, its spinning."

Thorin signaled for them to continue on. Rhae put a hand on the litter carrying Bombur, opposite Kíli, trying to help them with the burden. Anything to move them along. Suddenly the dwarves in front of them stopped. Hadn't they just started moving? Or had she lost track of time again?

"What's happening?" Oin asked, not even bothering to put his trumpet to his ear.

"Keep moving," Thorin ordered. "Nori, why have we stopped?"

The dwarf at the head of the line pointed in front of him. "The path! It's disappeared!" She pushed her way to the front of the line and saw to her dismay that the path was indeed gone. They were standing at the edge of a cliff. How in the world had they ended up on another blasted cliff?

"What's going on?"

"We've lost the path," Oin answered Dwalin's question.

Thorin's voice was angry but panicked. "Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!"

"Don't get separated!" she called anxiously. Her words seemed to sink in and they all froze.

"What hour is it?" She couldn't believe how low and slurred Thorin's voice was. It was like he had been drugged.

"I don't know. I don't even know what day it is," Dwalin answered, his voice just as low as Thorin's.

"This is taking too long. Is there no end to this accursed forest?" Hearing the desperation in his voice Rhae wanted to comfort her husband but knew that anything she said wouldn't be welcome at the moment. The darkness of Mirkwood seemed to have seeped into him and he didn't seem like the same dwarf. His eyes appeared to focus on something off to their right and he mumbled something she couldn't understand. Forcing his way through the company, almost knocking Ori over in the process, he headed in the direction he'd been staring.

"This way. Do as I say. Follow me." She wanted to call after him, tell him that the direction he was going in didn't seem right but there was no point. She didn't know where the path was either. They all turned wordlessly to follow after their leader.

More time passed as they wandered. Rhae wasn't even sure how much. It might have been hours. It might have been days. At least Bombur had finally woken. They had stopped to rest for a moment and he had sat up suddenly, scratching his head, and had forgotten everything that had happened to them since they'd begun their journey. The last thing he remembered was dinner at Bilbo's house. They had a hard time in getting him to believe their tale of the many adventures they had been through. It took some prodding and tugging but they got him on his feet so they could continue on.

"I don't remember this place. None of its familiar," Balin said in an exhausted voice.

Ori bent down, seeing something on the ground. "Look."

"A tobacco pouch. There's dwarves in these woods," Dori said, picking up the object.

Bofur took it from him. "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains no less. This is exactly the same as mine." Rhae was too tired to tell him that it was his.

"Because it is yours," Bilbo said exasperated. "You understand. We're going around in circles. We're lost."

Dwalin shook his head. "We're not lost. We keep heading east."

"But which way is east? We've lost the sun," Oin pointed out. For whatever reason, in fact there probably wasn't even a reason, the dwarves began bickering with each other. Rhae just sat on the ground and stared at them; she was in no mood to join this argument. Bilbo muttered something next to her but she couldn't hear him over the dwarves. She did hear Thorin.

"What's that?" He was looking around them, turning in a circle trying to spot whatever it was he seemed to have heard. "Enough! Quiet! All of you!" he yelled. The company froze and looked at him. "We're being watched." Rhae sprang from her spot and quickly notched an arrow, peering into the trees. The dwarves pulled out their weapons and glanced around uneasily. They needed to get out of this forest.

"Someone must climb a tree and see if he can get his head above the roof line and have a look around," Thorin ordered. When Rhae moved to a large tree next to them his arm shot out to stop her. "Not you this time. Bilbo will go." The hobbit didn't seem surprised by this and they hoisted him into the lowest branches, watching as he made his way up the trunk. She kept an eye on him as he went higher and higher.

"Did you hear that?" Kíli whispered. "It came from over -"

"Rhae behind you!" Bofur yelled but before she could react there was a stinging pain in her back and everything went black.

As the fog in her mind cleared she began to realize she couldn't move. It seemed her arms were pressed against her body, wrapped tightly in something fairly sticky. Opening her eyes she couldn't see much, just vague dark shapes beyond the whiteness in front of her. Taking a few deep breaths to push back the claustrophobia that tried to overtake her, she began shifting her arms a bit in the hopes to loosen whatever it was holding her in so she could reach the daggers in her bracers. There was clicking and hissing beyond the field of white and she became aware of branches and leaves rustling. And was that - singing? Rhae strained to confirm what she'd heard and finally recognized Bilbo's voice.

Old fat spider spinning in a tree!

Old fat spider can't see me!

Attercop! Attercop!

Won't you stop,

Stop your spinning and look for me?

Old Tomnoddy, all big body,

Old Tomnoddy can't spy me!

Attercop! Attercop!

Down you drop!

You'll never catch me up your tree!

Rhae couldn't make any sense of what Bilbo was singing about. There was more noise and then it seemed quiet. She wanted to call out but, besides feeling incredibly weak and sick, she didn't want to draw attention to herself since she had no idea what had captured her in the first place.

"Hang on, Rhae." Bilbo's voice suddenly seemed right next to her. "There will be a little bit of a drop but the ground is soft with leaves."

"Bilbo what -" She didn't finish her sentence before she felt herself falling and sucked in a breath to keep from shrieking. She didn't hit the ground as hard as she expected and began wiggling back and forth, trying to grasp one of her daggers. There was grumbling and cursing all around her that sounded like the dwarves and she wondered if they were in a similar situation.

"Rhae!" A familiar voice said above her and she could feel the bonds around her loosening as someone jerked them away. It took a few moments but she finally saw Fíli's concerned face peering down at her. "Are you alright?" he asked, grabbing her arms and pulling her free. Her head spun horribly and he had to keep a grip on her so she wouldn't fall back to the ground.

"I think so. Just incredibly dizzy."

The rest of the company was around her, all freeing themselves from ... spider webs? She picked at the white clinging to her clothes and discovered to her horror that it was indeed spider webs. Her fears about all the webs she'd been seeing had been proven valid. The dizziness and sickness she was feeling made sense now. They'd been poisoned and captured for dinner. As the dwarves scrambled to their feet there was a loud rustling all around them and a vision from a nightmare, giant spiders, appeared before them. They lunged at the company. The dwarves seemed to have shaken off the fog that had been plaguing them for days and the spiders' poison appeared to have left no lasting affects on them. Rhae however was having a hard time staying on her feet and focusing on what was going on around her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so sick. Never the less, sword in hand she plunged into the fight, slicing away at bodies and legs. As she fought some of her lethargy faded.

"Grab a leg!" someone yelled and she turned to see Bombur writhing underneath a spider, fighting to keep it from biting him. She joined the group surrounding the creature and tugged backwards on one leg with what strength remained in her body. With a sickening pop and spray of something disgusting the dismembered spider collapsed on the rotund dwarf. He scrambled to his feet, staring at the dead thing before him.

"Let's move! Hurry!" Thorin bellowed once the attacking spiders were lying dead on the ground. They began running through the trees with no thought of where they were going, only hoping to escape their eight-legged attackers. Rhae glanced over her shoulder to see more spiders gaining ground quickly. More suddenly dropped down in front of them. They were surrounded. Thorin grabbed her arm and pulled her into the middle of the group. She glared at him. It wasn't going to matter who she was standing behind. The creatures hissed at them and she gripped her sword tighter. She wouldn't go down without taking some of them with her.

A noise above them and to their left caught her attention and she looked up to see a quick moving blur of green. Someone was sliding down the strands of webbing. Squinting she followed the figure with her eyes for a second before groaning inwardly when she finally noticed the blonde hair. This situation was about to go from bad to worse. The blonde in green landed on a spider, killing it quickly, before leaping from its dead back and sliding under the spider advancing on Thorin, slicing it in half. He came up with an arrow already nocked and aimed at the dwarf king. Several other figures appeared around them, all with arrows pointing at the group.

"Do not think I will not kill you dwarf. It will be my pleasure."

Revised/Edited April 2016