It was not long after she awoke that Halien found the dwarves were gone. She looked at the gown Bard had given her and had a thought. She turned to Sigrid and Tilda. "Girls, may I ask you something?"

The two sisters looked at her. "What?" Sigrid asked.

"Your father gave me this gown. It was once your mother's?" Halien asked.

Tilda nodded. "Mama was so beautiful in it."

Halien smiled but felt a pain in her chest. "Is it alright with you that I wear it?"

The girls smiled. "It's alright, miss," Sigrid said. "It is yours now, so you may do with it as you choose."

Halien smiled and thanked the girls. They begged her to go and try it on, so Halien went to another part of the house, hidden from view, and changed into the gown. She had taken off her leggings, letting them dry by the fireplace, so she pulled on the gown and smoothed out the front, and smiled. She looked up when a loud bang came from the door.

"Da, I tried to stop them!" Bain said.

"How long have they been gone?" Bard asked.

Halien came around the corner, dressed in the gown that Bard had given Thorin for her. Bard looked up at her, his eyes widening. The gown he had handed to Thorin was a fur-lined wool gown dyed a brilliant blue- though it had faded with age- with a leather belt. Its long sleeves were cuffed with fur as was the collar and the hem. It reached her ankles and swirled around her boots. Halien looked up at him.

"What? Does it look weird?" she asked, pressing the gown against her sides.

"No," Bard said. "It looks beautiful on you."

Halien smiled. "It fits well and it's warm, so thank you, Bard."

Bard and his children looked at the elf maiden. She was beautiful and with her hair dry, it started to curl at its ends. She smoothed out the front of the gown and looked back up at Bard. She heard Thorin calling out to her with thought and knew something was wrong.

"Thorin…!"


Halien and Bard ran through the streets as the townsfolk gathered in front of the Master's estate. Halien saw the sleazy man, Alfrid, peek out the door, then slam it shut. Seconds later, the Master came barging out the door, demanding what was going on.

"Caught them trying to steal weapons from the armory, sire." The guardsman said.

'Oh, no…' Halien thought. She had not yet risen her shield, so Bard heard her.

"How is it that you can do that?" he asked. "How is it that I can hear you in my head?"

Halien looked at him. "I was born with an ancient elven magik that- according to the eldest of my people- has not been seen since the First Age. It grants me the ability to control the elements, speak to others with my mind, and I can speak to animals. I can heal with and without herbs and have been using my magik and abilities to aid my companions on our journey. I normally have a shield raised to block out the thoughts of my companions, as it got too overwhelming some months ago. I apologize if you felt that I invaded your mind in any way."

'Incredible.' He thought. He had heard of elven magik being wonderful, but this was something else. He shook his head and answered her. "It's alright, I've just never experienced anything like it."

Halien and Bard both looked towards the estate when they heard the Master speak.

"Enemies of the state, then?" the Master asked.

"Eh, just a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire," Alfrid said.

"Bard, I have to help them," Halien said and before he could stop her, Bard watched as she pushed her way through the crowd. Not sure what else to do, he followed her.

"Hold your tongue!" Dwalin said. "You do not know to whom you speak."

"Dwalin, don't!" Halien said as she reached them. "It is not the time."

"Lass, we are so close that it does not matter anymore," Dwalin said to her, then turned to speak to the Master. "This is no common criminal. This is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror."

The crowd gasped and Thorin stepped forward. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." He said. "We have come to reclaim our homeland."

Thorin looked around as the crowded townsfolk began to murmur amongst each other. "I remember this town, in the days of old. Fleets of boats lay at the harbor, filled with silks and gems. It was not some forsaken town on a lake. This was the center of trade in all the North! I would see those days return, I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches once more from the Halls of Erebor!"

Halien smiled as the townsfolk cheered. "Lord Master of Laketown," she began as she come to Thorin's side. "We have traveled from the farthest reach of the Shire through the Misty Mountains, into Goblin tunnels, and through the once great Greenwood of the Woodland Realm. We have faced many perils and have fought through each battle that came upon us so that we may reach the Lonely Mountain. It has been our quest for over a year to come this far and we ask for your aid in helping us to reclaim the once great dwarven stronghold of Erebor."

The Master looked at her. "Who are you, elf? And why do you speak for these dwarves?"

Halien stood straight and looked him right in the eye. "I am Halien Greenleaf, daughter of the Elven King, Thranduil. My father has traded with your town and has given you the wealth you now have. I was an ambassador of the elves for Erebor, Dale, and Laketown and since the days of old, I have traveled the lands, aiding those who fled from the burning lands. I have seen Erebor and I would give anything to help these dwarves reclaim it so that I can once more see the grand halls and gaze upon its beauty as I did in days of old. It is my quest to aid my husband and my kin here in reaching the end of the quest and I would gladly lay down my life for them."

"Your husband?" the Master asked.

Halien put a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "I am the wife of Thorin Oakenshield, the rightful King under the Mountain, and I carry his son. If you can help us succeed in our quest, Thorin and I can promise you that we will bring back the Laketown we knew of old. We will help rebuild the lost city of Dale and we will bring back the wealthy trade of the North and our kingdoms will be whole once more."

Thorin looked up at her and smiled.

"Death! That is what you bring upon us." Bard said as he came forward. "Dragon fire and ruin."

"Bard, please don't." Halien began.

"If you waken that beast," Bard said, looking from Halien to Thorin. "It will destroy us all."

"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this: if we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain," Thorin said. "You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

The townsfolk cheered and Halien smiled. Thorin was already proving to her that he was a great king.

"Why should we take you at your word?" Alfrid asked. "We know nothing about you. Who here can vouch for your character?"

"Me," Bilbo said. "I'll vouch for him."

Halien looked over at the Hobbit and smiled.

"I have traveled far with these Dwarves, through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he will keep it," Bilbo said.

"All of you, listen!" Bard said. "You must listen to me! Have you all forgotten what happened to Dale?"

The crowd grew quiet as they remembered the horrible fires that had taken Dale. Many of them had been there the day the dragon razed the city streets to the ground.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" Bard asked.

"Bard…" Halien tried to say.

"And for what purpose?" he asked again, ignoring her. "The blind ambition of a mountain king so driven by greed that he cannot see past his own desire!"

"That is enough, Bard!" Halien said. "You do not understand what Thorin has had to go through to get us to this point. You have not seen the strife he has dealt with to rebuild a home for his people. Thorin Oakenshield is as great of a king there ever was and he has earned the right to reclaim Erebor."

Bard and the townsfolk looked at her. "Halien, I…" he said, bewildered.

"Since the day that my father abandoned the dwarves of Erebor, I have fought to push through the damage that he caused. I helped those that I could, those who fled the fires of Erebor and Dale. I could hear all of those poor, helpless people crying and screaming inside my head. Women and children! Men, lying dead in the streets! I ran through the burning streets of Dale, trying to find any survivors, as I did with the plains before Erebor. I helped many people in those times and do you know what I was rewarded with? Exile from my homeland. Abandonment of my family. Outcasted by those I thought were my friends. I am no longer an elf of the Woodland Realm, no longer the daughter of King Thranduil, nor will I ever serve him again. I am the wife of Thorin, King under the Mountain, and the mother to the next Heir to the line of Durin. I battled alongside these brave dwarves through my obstacles and challenges, having to prove that I am worthy to be on this quest, and even through all of that, Thorin never once turned me aside. He hated my father, my people, and he probably hated me too, but he let me prove that I was not my father and after everything we have been through, that this company has been through, it has all led us here."

Halien stopped and looked around at all of the townsfolk and the dwarves. "Thorin Oakenshield is not a greedy man. He has sacrificed everything for his people and has faced many obstacles in this endeavor. When he makes a promise, he keeps it. If he swears to retake Erebor and fire up the ancient forges once more, then that is what he will do. With the skills that these dwarves, our young Hobbit friend, and myself have we will retake the Lonely Mountain, and we will defeat the firedrake, Smaug. Upon the ancestors of old and in the name of Durin, this I swear."

Bard looked at her and suddenly knew why she appeared to be so regal. She was a strong person, beautiful and powerful. She was gentle and kind, always looking after her companions before herself, but if they were in danger, she jumped to the rescue and defended them with all her might. She was a princess of elves who married a dwarf king and carried the son that would forever uphold their alliance and bond. She was going to be the Queen of Erebor and she knew that they could reclaim the mountain, rebuild Erebor, and even promise to rebuild Dale. Every bit of her- her personality, her tenacity, her bravery- made Bard's heart race.