"You have arrived at a wonderful time, your highness," Ecthelion smiled from his place at the head of the table, where everyone was seated for a grand dinner. "We are preparing for grand spring festival...and it will be a fine event for our young Princes to witness. After all you are also children of men as much as dwarf."

Arun and Thrain, who sat together between their mother and Thorongil looked up and beamed at their host. A festival was exactly what they wished for after all those weeks of stifling travel!

"Although I know you are not of Gondor, I have heard that you are also neither or the East...?" Ecthelion finally raised the question he had been wanting to ask her from the time that she arrived. "And yet you do not look from the Harad either...?"

"I...am from an island...far off to the west. My land is a place of very different customs, Lord Ecthelion," this was a fairly well rehearsed reply now. "I was in fact hoping to find a ship that would take us back home, so that I can visit my parents. They have never seen our children."

"And your King...? Does he approve of this?" Ecthelion raised an eyebrow before softening his words. "I know it has been some years since my wife passed away, and she was a most willful lady, but this is quite a journey you plan to embark upon..."

"He approves, given I have Lord Thorongil and Lord Dwalin, Captain of his guard with us," she glanced at them in thanks.

"And of course, the two bravest young warriors you can have right beside you." Ecthelion smiled again at the two young Princes, who returned his smile with toothy grins in between mouthfuls of roast meat. "I have heard of their bravery from Prince Theoden during the attack on Edoras recently...and that of yours, my lady..."

"It was what any would do if faced with the same to help a generous host... Of course, there is every chance that we may have to turn back from our journey and return..." She sighed, trying to hide her worry over this true possibility. "But as we have travelled this far, we are grateful to see your wonderful kingdom."

"And we are glad for the same. After all it is not every day that we have the chance to meet a lady that has slain a dragon!"

"Even I did not know this!" Thorongil raised his brows looking across the table.

"Oh very much so, Lord Thorongil! We hear all word from our neighbouring kingdoms, and Lord Bard of Dale, had given a most thorough account to Prince Theoden, on his travels," Ecthelion took a sip of his wine from his goblet leaning towards Thorongil. "It is not every day that a woman, offered as tribute to a drake ends up slaying the beast."

"I'm afraid, I can't take complete credit for this, after all Fili pulled me out of the water, or I would be at the bottom of the lake with Smaug right now," she replied quietly. But the truth was, Ulmo had saved her that day, and she owed him her life. But that was apparently also when she had come to conceive his child.

"Och the lass is being modest. I will regale ye with how it all took place!" Dwalin added as he downed the last of his tankard of ale and set it back on the table. "And it was not with swords and shields that she felled it - but with this..."

He pointed at his head.

"Will you tell us too Uncle Dwalin?" The boys called out together.

"That is certainly a tale you must know of, my young Princes," Ecthelion nodded.

"We will need to journey to Dol Amroth, my Lord Ecthelion..." Thorongil began carefully. "I thought I would take the route through Ithilien..."

"But that is quite the detour?" He seemed to sit up curiously at first.

"I would like to show our young Princes, Osgiliath, our final bastion, and the borders of Mordor -"

"But there is no movement in Mordor! Even the orcs have abandoned their masters havens now!" Ecthelion boomed with laughter, as though it was a victory by his men.

"But we must never forget the darker days, and as future Crown Princes of Erebor, they must understand the importance of defence planning," Thorongil added quietening down thereafter. "Besides, I fear travel too close to the path of the Andiun will be more dangerous given how things have been..."

Ecthelion seemed to shoot him a sharp look in that moment, but remained silent before he returned to eating once more.

She glanced briefly at Thorongil, who seemed to still be watching Ecthelion intently.

It seemed that following Thorongil's comment, there was no further discussion of any matters of significance. Rather Ecthelion spent much of his evening relating old tales to the children.

Finally they had made their way to their rooms.

"What was that about?" She asked Thorongil quietly, when she felt sure they were out of earshot. "What happens along the Anduin?"

Thorongil glanced over his shoulders at the guards that stood, looking like statues in their strange armour along the corridor, before ushering her quickly into her rooms and following behind and shutting the door.

Lola and the children had already walked in to get ready for bed, while Dwalin had peeled off into his own room next door.

"You cannot speak so freely here, my lady," he chastised her. "Any conversations such as this, we must have in our rooms...Ecthelion has already agreed to offer Orthanc to Saruman, there will be changes in his court soon. Then the court of Rohan will soon change too, I imagine. They have been fearful of the wild men and their attacks. I think the last one helped to distract Thengel, and coerced Ecthelion that the watchful protection of Saruman would now be most beneficial."

"So the pieces are slowly moving into place," she rubbed her forehead thoughtfully.

"Just as you warned me..." Thorongils face betrayed him as a brief moment of worry crossed his rugged features. Then he suddenly moved to grasp her arms. "How certain are you that Sauron will return?"

Until she had met Thorin, she was sure that this was all fiction, and apparently her mere presence in Middle Earth was already making changes to how events came to pass. So she couldn't tell him with utmost certainty that this was true. But it would be worse to be unprepared.

"As long the ring is out there...he will be back." She did the best she could to be honest. "But what is going on with Gondor...?"

She thought for a moment, and then suddenly remembered it herself.

"The Corsairs...!" She gasped. Perhaps this was what Manwe and Ulmo meant about she was still destined to do.

"Then it is true..." He let her go, watching her carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"Your foresight and what comes to pass..." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Ecthelion has hidden all evidence of the few attacks the Corsairs have made on the fishing vessels along the Anduin and the villages close to the estuary...but I had warned him when we last met some moons ago, when the attacks first began that these attacks would gather speed."

"Umbar bears a hatred towards Gondor..."

"Yes, my lady...but given all this, is your place still not here? Could you not be able to offer assistance for the future...? Perhaps that is why the Valar brought you here?" Thorongil asked again thoughtfully.

"Honestly, I came here with Thorin, to try and save him and his nephews from being killed. I would not have foretold of marrying him or having his children..." She sighed again. Certainly she would not have imagined that she would have a baby with a Vala, let alone develop feelings for him. "Somewhere in the last few years we have stopped talking to each other. Our actions have already affected the events to come I guess...but believe me, you don't need my guidance to help you in the future. Trust in yourself and become who you were born to be Aragorn."

He listened in silence, standing before her for a few moments, when a knock on the door alerted their attention towards it.

"Who is it...?"

"Princess, tis me!" Dwalin spoke quietly, clearly a little self conscious.

She opened the door to find him standing there in a rather fancy looking jacket made of a rich wine colour. It actually made him look like a wealthy noble dwarf, except for it being slightly long in the sleeves and length.

Thorongil whistled.

"Very nice...I am guessing then that we are preparing for the Gondorian Festival?" She smiled approvingly.

"Aye, Princess. We must keep up our appearances eh, isn't that right laddie?" Dwalin looked over at Thorongil.

"That's right, my Lord Dwalin." Thorongil smiled.

"I thought we could skip away on that day..." She asked hopefully. The festivities would have made for the perfect distraction.

"Oh no, my lady. You will be his guest of honour!" He laughed. "We have already aroused enough suspicion. We will be delayed by a few days but that is no matter. By the time you pack your things -"

"We should pack light for the rest of the journey." She suggested, still unable to bring herself to speak of leaving properly.

"Well, we have sufficient time. The new moon will not be for two days following the festival, and lasts another two days before the waxing moon once more," Thorongil turned back to her again. He was not so happy about her returning, but for now he would keep his ideas to himself, until he had another chance to speak with her alone. If indeed the Dark Lord was gathering strength, then her place was here in Middle Earth. "This means, we must all have clothes prepared for the day, suits for the young Princes and dresses for the ladies..."

...

His fist landed square against the man's jaw. It was a heavy blow that left the man in receipt seeing stars. In his moment of daze, Thorin grabbed him and swung him with ease, despite the fellows significantly large stature, throwing him head on at the other assailant, now making a charge at him. Both men found their skulls bashed together, landing in a tangled heap.

He stood over them for a moment, but was quite satisfied that neither would rouse anytime soon. Then finally he turned back towards Balin who stood there with the two women they had found being attacked by these drunken oafs!

"Oh thank you Master dwarves!" The older woman spoke. She was dressed simply, but neat and clean, with her blond hair swept up into a bun. She had tears in her grey eyes and her cheek was bruised from where she had fallen. "How can we repay you?"

"Aye, Sir, we thought all the coin we earned from the market would be gone," the other younger woman sniffed. She was unhurt, but her paler face was blotchy from her tears. "Perhaps you would like supper? Or a place to stay for the night?"

"We have fresh bread and cheese and eggs?" The other woman added looking from Thorin to Balin.

But much to Balins disappointment at the possibility of a decent supper in a few days, Thorin shook his head.

"Thank you ladies, but we must carry on," Thorin tilted his head. "We are simply glad to have been of assistance."

"Then, at least let us pack you some food to take a long. We even have some cured sausage," the older woman replied. She looked a lot like, what Thorin imagined was her daughter. But her chestnut hair was streaked with silver, rather like his own. "It is no trouble, and we live not far from here..."

"Aye, lass. I would appreciate that. I haven't had a decent meal on our travels for some days now," Balin smiled gently.

The two women need any further agreement, they began walking down the dirt road.

"Come now, Mister Balin...we are not far from here," the younger woman called out.

"It has been some days since we last had a proper meal," Balin concluded quietly, observing Thorins dour look. "Besides, I thought you were giving up being pummelled by men for sport...?"

"I did the pummelling didn't I?" Thorin grumbled pulling his coat back on. "In any case, this was not for sport. Those women were in trouble. It was the decent thing to do."

"Perhaps it was the decent thing to do - but there is no disguising the fact that you enjoyed yourself laddie..." Balin rolled his eyes. "You almost have the same spring in your step that I have observed after you used to get visited by the lass in your study..."

Thorin didn't respond to that. He knew exactly what Balin spoke of. While he often behaved in an obtuse manner, as though entirely impervious to gossip, he heard all the rumors. He even heard the jokes his guards made in private amongst themselves about how he got miserable if more than three nights passed without her.

It made him smile at the memory of a time when things were simple. When he had finished buckling his belt again, he found Balin watching him quietly, as they followed the two women back.

"When did things become so complicated?" He sighed.

Balin brushed his fluffy beard. He did that every time he got lost in thought.

"It was always complicated laddie..."

"How so?" He felt stupid, because he knew the answer.

"She was unhappy for a long time. Not with you...or us...but rather missing home..." Balin gave him a sympathetic look. "I think she tried to explain herself...but women are rarely listened to. And it is easy for us all to hide behind our work to avoid talking...talking is messy, and can even be painful..."

Thorin felt numb hearing the truth. It was not as though he had not known any of this. She had always been torn between her worlds. Perhaps it was not her rejection of him - but rather his rejection of her that made her leave in the end.

"We male folk don't wish for such mess. It is simpler for us to make love than speak of it," Balin sighed.

"The worst thing is that, I had some inclination of her bond to Lord Ulmo, when I saw the marking on her skin...it's just that...I..."

"It is easier to ignore these things. I understand." Balin patted him on the back.

"Then I have failed her?"

"I do not think we are so late that all is lost." Balin spoke reassuringly. "She has silently struggled on for a long time because of her love for you."

"I hope so..." Thorin spoke as they turned the corner to spot the small shabby house.

"Come on in Mr Balin..." The young woman beckoned, entering the house.

Balin seemed to happily keep walking, when Thorin halted him for a moment.

"These women barely know us...and they are inviting us for supper...?" Thorin asked suddenly a little suspicious.

"You said it yourself laddie; you rescued the lasses and they wish to thank us. I am not interested in bedding them...even if they were to offer," Balin shrugged. "But anything that is not old biscuit and dried sausage, from some horrid little village, well...I would gladly welcome. Wouldn't you?"

Thorin looked back at the rickety old house. It stood in a small clearing, but was very much alone. There was a dark and gloomy look to the house. Even the village seemed much further away suddenly, as he looked back, and their ponies were tied up even further away hidden in a copse of small trees for protection. They would not find their way back to their ponies now in a hurry, for even dusk seemed to be descending faster suddenly.

"I really would rather carry on..."

"We stopped in the village for food - we are getting food." Balin gestured. "Let's be quick. No need to sit and eat, we can collect our food and head back?"

"Very well." Thorin nodded. It was often difficult to argue with Balins logic. He was after all Thorins cleverest advisor for a reason.

Sighing as he trailed behind, Thorin carried on walking.

...

She stepped into the house. The wood under her feet creaked and she was overcome with what she could only describe as a feeling of utter hopelessness. It was the hopelessness that one felt in ones worst hour of need; when all felt lost. Feeling in the dark, she seemed to find a lamp and a flint. Finally she was able to get the wick alight.

But the house was so dark.

Even the lamp did not light up the house.

The sound of rustling, made her spin around fast briefly before she stood still trying to localize the noise.

Stepping further, she could make out the shape of her husband!

She stepped in further, but even in the bleak darkness of this creaky old house, she could recognize her husband!

"Thorin...?" She called out stepping in further, only to find that he seemed to be standing with a woman. Her shape was darker, and she seemed to have something around his neck. "Thorin!"

She screamed but she couldn't move any further.

"Nooooo! Thorin!" Screaming again she tried with all her will to move forward, but something has grabbed her too.

Losing her balance, she fell backwards, only to suddenly find herself on something soft and now instead of the utter dark, she found herself blinking against the blinding light!

Scurrying onto her feet, she found herself before the large throne room of Manwe, with the Vala himself observing her with a mixture of curiosity and irritation.

"That was Thorin! He is in trouble! You have to do something!"

"He is fine. You were simply dreaming," the fair haired god dismissed her, with a disdainful curl of his lip. "And did you not leave anyway? You no longer have any control over his fate."

"No it was more than a dream - we...we were connected again..." She took a step back uncertain now.

"You are a lot of trouble. And quite incapable of listening to instructions." Manwe sighed as if talking to a child. "My brother must be very lonely if he enjoys the drama and chaos you seem to attract.

"Well what about you...! You...are a user! Using poor people like me to do your dirty work!" She felt annoyed at his smug look, where he sat on his giant throne looking down on her. Judging her as less than him, when he clearly did not lift a finger to actively change things. "And I don't believe you! If you want me to do anything to help you then you had better help Thorin!"

That seemed to stir him from his seat. He stood tall and proud, with his muscular dressed in the strange golden armour that looked like metallic feathers.

Standing up he walked over to her and stooped down to have a better look. His shoulder length blond hair framed his chiseled face well and she would have said he was handsome if not for the arrogant look on his face.

"So...you still have feelings for your husband then?" He laughed at first, but seemed to stop when he remembered that his brother too held feelings for this mortal and insignificant woman. "But you are also in love with my brother...well, I suppose you are pretty in an unusual way..."

She could feel her face heating up at his revelation and wondered how much he knew about her feelings.

"Oh yes, I know everything and more...I don't usually like spying but watching you and him was quite enjoyable...although we each lost our wager on whether you would lay with him... We also imagined that he would have bed you in his form as a shark in the water...but maybe that would have been...strange..." Manwe sighed sounding bored again. "Being undressed when you find yourself before your Valar Guardians is considered normal...it's just that Ulmo and Yavanna have agreed on an exception for you."

"You're all just as petty fools as us mortals. No wonder you are not very good at being Guardians!" She felt disgusted at the idea that he had spied on her private moment with Ulmo. "And first base with an orgasm is pretty darn sensational if you ask me...probably a heck of a lot better than what you could do!"

"What you do not realise is that, if a Vala touches you, then you will experience a climax...would you like me to demonstrate...?" He offered smugly.

"Do you not understand that this is such an invasion of privacy?!" She cried out, seeming to shock the large god. "How would you like it if I watched you in your intimate moments and took wagers on how short your penis was?! Oh yes we all lost because it turns out that it is really much smaller than any of us could imagine?!"

He seemed to stiffen up again, apparently uncertain of how to answer this.

"Look I merely called you to say that Ulmo is a most powerful one. It is said that water is the purest form that flows closest to Eru Iluvatar...and the truth is that he is the most attuned Eru himself - even more than me. And Ulmo chose you himself as the mother to carry his child. I do not understand why he would choose a mortal woman..." A disdainful expression crossed his face again. "But he did, nonetheless. So we all have our roles to play. Whether we like it or not..."

She stood there watching him for a moment.

"If it will make you trust me," his face softened somewhat. "Allow me to show you that Thorin is well..."

He took a step closer, and she seemed to allow him this time. Carefully lifted his hands and hovered them over her eyes.

Suddenly her vision seemed to go completely dark, momentarily. The she saw her dwarven husband, standing in his study. At first she drew in a sharp breath seeing a cut on his face and a heavy bruise to his cheek. It looked as though he had been in a fight. He seemed to pull off his navy tunic and toss it into the corner. That made her smile, for he would do that on the occasions when they had made love in his study.

He had been looking over some parchment on his desk when he seemed to answer the door, and in stepped Lana. She was dressed in something that looked like a nightgown.

Her heart seemed to lurch in her chest as she watched Lana walk over to him, concerned. She seemed to inspect his wounds at first, but Shobha could see what was coming. The voluptuous dam leant up on his chest and kissed him.

Then just as soon as the images had appeared before her they vanished as the King of the Valar had seemingly taken his hands away from her eyes.

She stood in silence for a moment. Part of her felt heartbroken all over again, but equally she had no right to feel that way.

After all, she left. And she was sure that even he had now found her letter, permitting him to move on and find a more suitable wife to rule beside him. Apparently that is exactly what he had done.

It was obviously clear that she still loved him.

"So...the King under the Mountain is fine, as you see," Manwe shrugged attempting to keep it light. He needed her to pay attention and between her feelings for the dwarf and his brother Vala, she was distracted. "The question is...are you, child?"

She wanted to cry. But then again, she also felt stupid. All this time she had been so careful because she was worried that Thorin would have set out looking for her. He had once sworn that he would chase her to the ends of the earth if she attempted to run away. And so she had gone to so much trouble escaping, when she most likely could have rode away right in front of his eyes without being noticed!

"Do you wish to see more..?" Manwe asked for good measure.

She shrugged quietly and then shook her head.

"So...you clearly summoned me for a reason? And it was not to give me relationship advice," she crossed her arms and looked up at him questioningly. It was clear she didn't trust him, but apparently she had no choice in finding herself before the Vala.

"In fact, I did summon you for a reason; It was to remind you to stay away from my brother but, it seems neither he nor you have any care for the consequences," Manwe walked over to his throne, which looked as though it stood amongst the clouds.

"Well, it's a little hard, given that we have co-parenting responsibilities..." She countered.

"Co...parenting...?" Manwe scoffed, once again turning his nose up at her. "He is the God of waters! The giver and sustainer or life to do many! Waters which cleanse and purify! And the creator of so many marvellous creatures within its unfathomable depths! THOSE are his responsibilities! Not playing families with a mortal woman!"

"I think you will find he is capable of doing everything," she replied to that. "You just have to stop underestimating him!"

Her comment seemed to make him laugh again.

"You are such a silly little girl! You fearlessly approached my eagles - who could have killed you just as wholeheartedly as they came to love you! You also have come to learn that it was Ulmo who transported you and Thorin here, through the waters...so HE has the power to return you..." Manwe waved a hand as if performing a magic trick. "And so long as he continues to hold on to you, because YOU return his affections...he will NEVER return you home...even after death, he will keep you on his idyllic shores forever..."

She silently contemplated what he was saying.

"I don't know why you paint it like that? Being on Ulmos idyllic shores sounds like heaven to me..." She continued to think out loud, when suddenly it seemed to click in her mind. "So are you telling me that returning home is the right thing then? After all, I have helped Thorin, and now he is happy with Lana...and I have warned Aragorn...and if you want me to leave Ulmo alone..."

He narrowed his eyes at her, as if trying to figure out how to outwit her further.

"In truth, perhaps you are being hasty-"

"Oh so suddenly you don't want me gone?! And I am guessing there is some task of significance that a...pathetic mortal and silly girl like me has to carry out before I can go home, is that right?"

Manwe tilted his head, rather unamused by her comments, even though she was correct!

"Right then - you tell me about the Corsairs and what I have to do when it comes to them," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "I will get it all done. And then you had better send us all back safely to London..."

...