Hey, everyone, sorry this took a while to get up. I've seriously had a really rough past couple of weeks. A couple weekends ago, we found out my dog, whom my family has had for over 10 years, had kidney failure and we had to put her to sleep...and then the next day, my great-grandma passed away. We were more prepared for her passing, cuz she'd been going downhill for a while, but what happened with my dog just suddenly happened and came and hit us like a brick wall, it happened so fast. I'm doing better now, but I'm also still getting used to not having her around...she was my baby...I love her and I miss her. But I know both she and my great-grandma are both better and happier in heaven and I'll see them again someday :)

My deepest thanks to mrsmiawallace88 and ZabuzasGirl for your love and support through these last couple weeks! I love you both and appreciate you being there for me! :)

Moving on from all that...this one's just a filler chapter before they get to Mirkwood, just kinda blah, blah, blah...! xD I wanted the company to have a couple more good moments before everything in the journey goes south! I'm somewhat satisfied with this...but I'll let all my wonderful readers judge!

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Over vast green hills, the company rode fast for a little while until Thorin ordered them all to slow down and let the ponies rest a little bit. So now they were just slowly trotting along the way on their way to Mirkwood.

Aira still had a hold around Kili's waist and had her cheek resting against his back, deep in her own thoughts.

She knew that the Lonely Mountain stood just beyond Mirkwood. It was only a matter of time until they would be there, if they managed to get through the forest without any problems. She could only imagine just how wondrous it would be to be inside the mountain for the first time; to behold the splendor of the great kingdom she had heard many tales about as a child, mainly from Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. How she longed to see the halls of her ancestors; the halls in which Thorin and her birth father, Rimedur, had both dwelt for a time. Aira wondered what life would be like for her living there.

"What are you thinking about, love?"

The sound of her fiancée's voice interrupted her thoughts and she sat up from against his back to find him looking back at her curiously with a cheeky grin on his face, like always. She also noticed Fili was riding close beside them and was looking over at her, too.

She chuckled and replied, "I was just thinking about Erebor…"

"Oh?" said Fili, tilting his head curiously.

"…and what things will be like for all of us when we get the mountain back and can live there."

"I'll wager things will be quite different," said Kili.

As she thought about it a little more, Aira then added, "I mean, not only will it just be a new, different home for us…it also means our lifestyles will change as well."

"What do you mean?" Kili asked her.

"Well, in Ered Luin, I know we were always recognized as royalty, but we never actually lived like most royals do. In Erebor, Father will officially be King, you two will be Princes and I will be a Princess."

"We already are Princes and you, a Princess."

"Officially, we will be, I said."

"Oh, right…!" Kili shook his head at himself.

"We will really live like royalty, which also means we will most likely have more responsibilities," Aira added.

"Not as many as Uncle will have," Fili commented.

Both Aira and Kili nodded in agreement with that.

"Fili, you are the next in line for the throne after your uncle," Aira pointed out. "What do you think it will be like to be King?"

"Certainly no fun!" said Kili jokingly before his brother could answer. "Princes like me don't have as many responsibilities, so I'd get to have all the fun while he has to work all the time!"

Both Aira and Fili snickered.

But then Fili's expression grew a little dismal. "I honestly try to not think about it," he responded in a low voice, "because that would mean that Thorin would no longer be here…and I don't want to think like that…not yet."

To try and lift his spirits a bit, Kili then asked him, "Well, even though that may be a long ways away, when you are King…will you make Maori your Queen?"

When they had been in Rivendell, the company had met Maori Irondelver; a half-Dwarf woman who was actually Aira's best friend and just happened to be living in Rivendell and had arrived there from travelling shortly after the company had made it there. For Fili and Maori, it had basically been love at first sight and, during the company's stay in the Elven city, they had grown closer and did indeed fall in love. Upon departing, they had confessed their feelings and Fili promised he would return for her after the quest was over. Maori had also promised him that she would wait for him, giving him her mother's ring as a reminder.

Instinctively, Fili lifted a hand and felt her ring that laid against his chest underneath his shirt. "Of course…I wouldn't want anyone else to rule at my side. I would have no one else as my Queen," he answered, his voice strong with resolve.

Aira had to smile at that. It made her happy to see Fili, who was a brother to her, fall in love, and it made her happier that it was with her best friend.

"Do either of you think, when Thorin is made King, he will find a Queen?" asked Kili.

Aira shrugged and answered, "I do not know."

Fili then said, "That's hard to say. Honestly, I've never quite seen him as the marrying type…but also, I think it would be nice to see Uncle find love; to see him find someone who will help rule Erebor by his side."

"We would at last have an aunt!" Kili added.

Fili nodded at his brother. "But I don't believe he'll have that sort of matter on his mind for a while. Perhaps after the mountain is restored, he will."

But then he looked at Aira and grinned at her, giving her a light pat on the arm. "However, you, Aira, are the one who has his heart for right now."

She tilted her head and glanced at him inquisitively.

Seeing she looked slightly confused, Fili explained, "Every young woman captures her father's heart in the deepest of ways; in a way that no other woman could romantically. We all know just how much and how deeply Thorin loves you. I'd be surprised if he could ever love a woman more than he does you!"

Aira shook her head and rolled her eyes, a small smirk etching upward on her lips. "Fili, you know that that kind of love is different than the love he has for me," she said to him.

"Obviously, I do," he replied. "I'm only saying that he's devoted so much of himself to you for over seventy years that, even if he does fall in love with someone one day, I don't think he will ever love anyone as deeply and truly as he loves you."

It really touched her heart to hear such words. "Thank you, Fili," Aira said sweetly. "While I know he loves me, I am quite sure he will be able to find someone someday that he will love even more and will occupy his heart more than me."

Fili simply grinned and shrugged.

"Besides," said Kili, "Thorin's not the only one whose heart Aira has captured." He twisted his neck to look back at her, giving her a happy smile.

Knowing exactly what he meant, Aira smiled back at him, tightened her arms around his waist and then lifted her head to kiss him gratefully on the cheek, making both him and Fili chuckle.

"That's another thing that will be different when we live in Erebor," Kili stated to Aira. "You and I will be married."

Aira went to say something back, but the sound of Fili letting out the sound of a half-laugh, half-groan distracted her and both she and Kili gave him a strange look.

"That's still something I never thought would happen: my little brother getting engaged before me!" Fili cried lightheartedly, reaching over and ruffling his brother's hair, making him laugh as he swatted his hand away.

"Oi, you could have proposed to Maori while we were in Rivendell!" Kili cried back.

"Believe me, I thought about it…," said Fili, "but I didn't even tell her I loved her until our last moments together before we all left. There was no way I could have proposed to her. I also know that, if I had…I don't think I could have brought myself to leave."

"Well, don't worry, brother! After we take back the mountain, you can bring Maori back from Rivendell and propose to her then! And then we can have a double wedding!"

Both Aira and Fili's eyes widened for a moment at that but then they all started laughing. There had been many jokes over the years that, because Fili and Kili did everything together, they would even get married at the same time. Now that it actually seemed like a possibility, they were all quite amused.

"Aye, we will see, Kee!" Fili replied. Then he looked to Kili and Aira and asked, "Are you two sure you're ready for marriage?"

Aira shrugged. "As ready as we'll ever be. But come on, who is ever really fully prepared for marriage at first?"

"I was!"

They turned their heads to see Gloin had come up beside them and was grinning from ear to ear.

"Not too long into the courtship with my wife, I knew I wanted to marry her and was ready," he proudly proclaimed. "The moment I was sure of that, I knew I was ready to marry her, provide for her and raise a family with her."

Chuckling and rolling her eyes amusedly at him, Aira commented, "Gloin, you always say things like that! Do you ever say any of that to your wife directly?"

"Yes, I do…." He leaned over closer to the young Dwarf-woman and told her quietly, "Only when I am in trouble."

She laughed in response. "And your son, Gimli; how is the dear lad? It's been quite some time since I've seen him."

"Ah, Gimli's doing well. He is improving in his weapons training. However, he is telling me that, when he is old enough to fight his own battles, he wants to keep count of how many enemies he kills. I tell him that will be no fun alone and he would need competition."

"I pity the poor sod who ends up competing against Gimli in battle for the highest number of kills!"

"At least, that will help remind him to stay alert in a fight."

Aira snickered in return.

Then she heard Dori call out to the front of the line, "So, Mister Gandalf, what's the plan for when we reach the forest?"

"We simply must try and make our way through without raising any alarms to the Wood-Elves," Gandalf cried, turning and looking over his shoulder.

"And how do you propose we do that?" asked Dwalin. "The Elves are everywhere in Mirkwood."

"We will move cautiously and carefully," Gandalf answered him.

"So the Elves in Mirkwood really aren't like the Elves in Rivendell?" asked Bilbo as Aira and Kili came up beside him.

Aira answered him, "Unfortunately, no, they are not, Bilbo. They are less wise, as Beorn said, and they are not nearly as open and welcoming to Dwarves."

"It was those very Elves that abandoned the Dwarves of Erebor when the dragon came," added Fili.

Bilbo nodded in understanding. "That's a shame. I always believed that all Elves were alike."

Aira then said, "Well, Father and most of the other Dwarves believe they are all the same, but not in a good way."

"I knew of that, yes."

"As long as we're careful, like Gandalf said, we should be able to get through the forest without running into them."

"Well, that would require us to actually reach the forest first," said Nori, who was riding a little faster and moving past them.

Bofur followed up right behind him, grinning as usual. He looked mischievously over at Kili and Aira and asked, "Anyone fancy a little race to the forest?"

After exchanging looks with Aira and Fili, Kili responded haughtily, "You're on, Bofur!" and then snapped the reins hard and gave his pony a nudge, making it jolt forward. Fili then followed suit and trotted off after them.

With that, Aira, Kili, Fili, Bofur and Nori began to race each other to Mirkwood, with the rest of the company riding behind them to catch up.

Unfortunately, once the company got to the edge of the forest, Gandalf was the one to get there first. Out of the five who started who originally raced, however, Nori was the first one to get there after Gandalf, which made everyone else roll their eyes at him as he shortly boasted about it.

They all remained on their ponies while the wizard dismounted his horse and went to take a look at the entrance.

Aira's arms tightened around Kili's waist and she pulled herself closer to his back as she looked up at the trees. "I really don't like the look of this," she said in a low voice. "Something about this forest doesn't feel right, even just looking at it."

He placed one hand over both of hers that were on top of his stomach. "Don't be afraid, love," he said calmly. "Everything will be all right."

"I certainly hope so," she replied.

Just then, they heard Gandalf call, "Here lies our path through Mirkwood!"

"No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side," Dwalin commented, getting off his pony.

Aira slightly shook her head as she and Kili dismounted. "Don't speak too soon, Dwalin…!" she thought. "That will only bring us bad luck."

"Set the ponies loose! Let them return to their master!" Gandalf ordered them. A couple of the Dwarves obeyed and started to undo the saddles on their ponies.

Bilbo took a few steps closer to the entrance and muttered, "This forest feels…sick. As if a disease lies upon it."

Aira stepped up by him and he gave her a look of concern. "I agree," she told him. "Nothing about this feels right." She looked ahead to where Gandalf stood. "Gandalf, is there no way around?" she asked him.

As he turned around back to the trees, he answered her, "Not unless we go two hundred miles north or twice that distance south." With that being said, he began to slowly wander into the forest to take a closer look inside.

Instinctively, Aira lifted a hand up to her chest and clasped the key that laid underneath her shirt. Thorin thought it would be safer with her in Mirkwood…but she still couldn't help but worry.

"I will do everything I can to keep it safe…but oh, gods, I hope it'll be enough…!" she thought worriedly to herself.

Aira and Bilbo shared one more hesitant glance and then Aira walked away, going over to where Fili, Kili and Bofur stood.

Seeing her approaching, Bofur beamed at her and said, "Aira, I meant to tell you this back at the house: I think what you did for Beorn all those years ago was very brave! You had to have a lot of courage for that; that was very admirable."

"Thank you, Bofur!" Aira exclaimed. "I appreciate that very much."

It was then Ori came up behind her and joined in their little circle. "Beorn said there are dark things in this forest…," he mentioned apprehensively. "What does he mean exactly?"

"Believe me, I wish we knew, lad," said Bofur.

Ori's expression grew grim and he looked around at all of them nervously. They could tell that he was getting pretty scared thinking about what Beorn had warned them about.

"But we're fighters!" said Fili in a strong voice, hoping to help Ori find his courage again. "Whatever awaits us, we'll take them head on, because we Dwarves never back down from a fight!"

"That's right!" Kili added, catching on. He turned to Ori and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We all have fought Trolls, Goblins, Orcs and Wargs on the journey so far; many dangerous beasts, and we defeated every one of them. Whatever is in that forest won't be any different."

Ori gave him a tiny grin, but then lowered his gaze shyly to the ground. "I wish I was as brave as you…and Fili…Aira…Bofur…and everyone else…," he admitted sadly, fidgeting with his mittens, "…but I don't know how to use a sword or a bow or any weapon. I never really got to learn before this journey. I'm not one to charge fearlessly into a fight like all of you…."

Kili, Fili, Aira and Bofur all stared at Ori, astonished at what he was confessing to them, but he still kept his focus on the ground beneath him.

He went on, "I try to be brave…I'd like to think that I am…I try to be like my brothers and the rest of you, but I know deep down, I am not. I'm afraid all the time…and I just—"

"Ori, stop right now!" Kili commanded sternly, grabbing him by the shoulders and making him look him in the eye. "Don't speak about yourself like that! You are brave, Ori, my friend! You're not any different from the rest of us!"

"Aye, he speaks true!" Bofur chimed in, giving the younger lad an encouraging grin. "You may not be able to wield a sword, but I've seen you use Dwalin's war hammer…and there are times I think you handle a war hammer better than I do!"

The corners of Ori's mouth twitched slightly at Bofur's compliment. "Really…?" he asked.

Bofur nodded, his floppy hat bouncing up and down.

"And you have your slingshot!" Fili added. "Yes, there may be some who would ridicule such a simple weapon, but you saved your brother, Nori, from a Troll with that! Sometimes even the simplest weapon can be the best; better than even a sword or a bow." He then gave Ori a light, encouraging nudge in the arm.

They all could see that Ori was starting to smile and that their words were actually working and were making him feel better.

Finally, Aira went up to him and laid a gentle hand on Ori's shoulder. "I'm going to tell you something that Beorn actually said to me earlier before we left his house," she said to him.

He looked at her intently, waiting to hear what she had to say.

She smiled at him and said, "He told me that without fear, there could be no bravery or courage…for fear is the seed from which those things grow."

Ori's eyes began to beam gladly.

"If you honestly think that the rest of us charge into a fight without being afraid, then you are seriously mistaken, my dear friend. None of us are without fear and that is why we appear as brave as we are. We can't let our fear overcome us…and neither should you. You, Ori, are as brave and mighty a warrior as all of us…and don't let anyone tell you differently! And don't you, yourself, think any differently of that either!"

Then, Aira threw her arms around Ori's neck and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back gratefully.

Fili, Bofur and Kili all smiled cheerfully.

"Thank you, Aira," said Ori as they pulled apart. Then he looked to the other three. "All of you, thank you. Everything you said made me feel better, especially about myself. You all are great friends!"

"You're welcome," said Bofur.

"Anytime, Ori," said Kili, patting his arm.

Just then, Ori heard Nori calling for him to help with one of the pony's saddles that was giving him trouble. After thanking his friends one more time, Ori left them to go help his brother.

Aira grinned to herself as she watched Ori walk away. Almost like Fili, Ori was much like a brother to her and she loved him dearly. She adored his shyness and sensitivity as well as his courage and yearning to be like his brothers and his peers. He wanted to fit in with the rest of them, but Aira felt he already did in his own unique way. He may be older than she as well as Fili and Kili, but he was more innocent in ways of war and of the world and she didn't think that was a bad thing at all. Despite his innocence, Aira was very proud of Ori and believed that perhaps, after the journey, he would no longer believe he wasn't a brave fighter and would grow more in his ways.

"What a lad!" Bofur exclaimed optimistically. Then he leaned closer and whispered in Aira's ear, "And that is why your name is 'Goldenheart'!" Then he hummed and chuckled with amusement.

"Oh, stop, it wasn't just me!" Aira replied, noticing that Fili and Kili were beside her now, too. "You three helped him just as much. Give yourselves some credit, as well."

"If you insist," said Kili, taking her hand and grinning.

In response, she rolled her eyes, but still smiled. Then she heard the sound of hooves and turned her head to see all of the ponies riding away.

Nori was starting to unsaddle Gandalf's horse when suddenly Gandalf came trudging out of the forest entrance and cried out, "Not my horse! I need it!"

Everyone in the company all whirled around and looked to the wizard in surprise. What was going on?

"You're not leaving us…!" said Bilbo, unable to believe that Gandalf was going to leave them.

Gandalf looked down at him apologetically and replied, "I would not do this unless I had to."

In the back, Thorin looked less than unpleased about this sudden announcement. Why was it that Gandalf always seemed to leave them at the most inconvenient times? He was finding that rather irritating by now.

But then Gandalf turned and faced Bilbo. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire," he said to him, sounding proud and impressed.

Bilbo, who was starting to grow sadder in his expression, suddenly stated in an emotional voice, "I was going to tell you…!"

He paused for a moment and Gandalf patiently waited for him to go on.

"I…found something in the Goblin tunnels," he said.

"Found what?" the wizard asked.

For a moment, Bilbo hesitated in responding.

"What did you find?" Gandalf asked again curiously.

There was another pause before Bilbo finally choked out, "My courage!"

Pleased to hear that, Gandalf replied, "Good! Well, that's good!"

Bilbo simply grinned back at him.

"You'll need it," the wizard told him lastly before he turned and started walking towards his horse.

"I'll be waiting for you at the Overlook before the slopes of Erebor!" he said loudly so the rest of the company could hear him. Then he looked to Thorin and stated, "Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me."

Thorin wordlessly nodded in response.

Lastly, Gandalf turned to Aira. "Stay strong, Airaním," he told her, "and I expect you and Bilbo to keep the rest of these miscreants out of trouble." Then he gave her a witty wink.

While the rest of the Dwarves murmured to each other in regards to Gandalf calling them "miscreants", Aira simply snickered and replied, "Gandalf, they're Dwarf men! It would be impossible to keep them all out of trouble!"

"Oi!" a few of them cried out at her.

She just laughed and then said to the wizard, "But I'll do my best."

With that, he gave her a nod and then went to his horse.

Turning back to the company, he gave them a few last words of warning before he departed. "This is not the Greenwood of old," he said. "The very air in the forest is heavy…with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray."

"Lead us astray? What does that mean?" Bilbo asked to Dwalin standing next to him.

"You must stay on the path," Gandalf continued firmly. "Do not leave it. If you do, you'll never find it again." He nudged his horse and started to ride away. "No matter what may come, stay on the path!" he shouted over his shoulder and, with that, the wizard left.

Thorin began to make his way through the group towards the entrance. "Come on!" he ordered them as they all started to follow him. "We must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's Day!"

"Durin's Day!" Bilbo quietly exclaimed as he noticed Aira come up beside him with Kili.

"Let's go," said Dwalin to those behind them.

"It's our one chance to find the hidden door!" Thorin called out.

Aira stole a glance up at the trees. There was a deep feeling of dread starting to creep up in her heart. She feared for what they would come across in the forest, but hoped that perhaps they could get through unseen and unscathed. She could only hope and pray to Mahal for safety for the entire company.

Clutching tightly onto Kili's hand, Aira entered the forest after the rest of the company, ready to face whatever things they would encounter in the dark forest of Mirkwood.

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Dun dun DUN! xD

I will warn you now...things in Mirkwood are definitely going to be interesting... xD

I do hope the next chapter won't take too long, but i'm starting school again (last semester, YAY! :D) and i don't know how much time i'll have to write...but i'll do my best! :)

Reviews and PM's are welcome and appreciated! :D Thanks a bunch!