I have finally managed to come up with the first chapter for this book. Buckle your seatbelts! This book will be rocky on top of enjoyable! I re-edited the book and added more. I hope you enjoy reading my book as much as I am enjoying writing it.

This is my first book revolving around romance of Dwalin and Selena that will take place later in the book. Hope you enjoy!

Tylene

Ch One Circus

Selena sat on the floor of the circus cage car. Attached to the wood floor, metal chains with shackles had been shackled to her wrists and ankles to keep her movements restricted so she remained rooted to the spot where she sat. Center of the cage car.

Selena glanced to her right and through the bars of the cage car, she took in the sight of The Blue Mountains painting the horizon in the distance; overlooking the vast village below with many pine trees outlining the edge of the village. Ered Luin, Selena recalled correctly. Oh how Selena longed for the freedom Ered Luin provided for the people living there. What would it be like to feel the grass under her feet? What would it be like to smell the freedom of the pine forest in her nose? What would it be like to go swimming in the sea that lay just behind the camp and hike along the mountains to get a good view of the beautiful blue sky above and vast village below? And what would it be like to live among the people while building a life of simplicity for herself?

"Bring 'er around!" called the Circus Master, bringing Selena back to reality: she was a prisoner of the Circus Master, and she could only be freed if the Circus Master granted her freedom with a parchment declaring her as such. And Selena knew better than to dream of that sort of life since the day she became a slave to the Circus Master all because he had grown furious when she had once told him she wanted a life that was more than being part of a circus.

With a heavy heart, Selena turned her face from Ered Luin and silently wept as the Circus Master ordered everyone to set up the tents and get ready for their first show.

Later that night, while everyone got ready for their first show, Selena stood outside the center ring at the far end of the tent while watching people beginning to make their way into the tent to find seats in the multiple rows of benches overlooking the ring. Letting out a huff, Selena felt her stomach twist while she went to go get ready for her performance.

"I still can't believe I let you talk me into this," Thorin grumble to Dwalin

"We both need a break." Dwalin led the way into the tent with a very displeased Thorin behind him.

Thorin continued his grumbling. "You know very well I don't care for the circus."

Dwalin shot back, "I don't either, but if I'm going to enjoy something before we leave for The Shire, I'm going to drag you with me so you can enjoy something for a change. Plus I'm also getting tired of hearing your fussing about needing a break."

"Yeah, a break, as in hiking along The Blue Mountains, or swimming in the sea, or going to Bree. Not attending a circus just to watch a show that costs an arm to attend." Thorin countered, "and I'm not fussing." He gave Dwalin a glare when his best friend barked out a laugh.

"Could have fooled me." Dwalin turned just in time to see the glare on Thorin's face grow even more, and ignored it. "This time we're taking a break by attending an even we can just sit and watch and not do anything."

"Fine." Thorin silently followed Dwalin into the tent and up two steps of stairs and along the second row of seats. Dwalin found a couple empty seats in the middle of the row not far from the tent's center ring.

While Thorin and Dwalin made it so no attention would be brought their way, both friends had come armed. Dwalin still wore his knuckle dusters while Thorin kept hidden daggers.

Selena stood off to the side while watching the seats being filled. She had decided to stand to the side because of the line that had already been formed by her fellow circus members.

A strong hand clasped around Selena's arm and she looked up into the cold eyes of the Circus Master and listened to him say, "tonight is a big night." The Circus Master squeezed Selena's arm a bit more and Selena clenched her jaw to keep from wincing. "We have a very important guest here to watch the show. So be a good girl and don't ruin the show." The Circus Master moved his face so the tip of his nose almost touched hers. In a venomous tone, the Circus Master hissed, "because there will be severe punishment if you do, and I know your back still isn't one hundred percent healed. And you don't want your back to become worse?"

Selena shook her head no. "No, sir," she confirmed.

"Good. I won't bother mentioning your outfit since there isn't time for you to change. That's why I'm making clear the importance of tonight's show."

Selena bowed her head in submission and forced herself to keep the tears back while the Circus Master walked into the ring and stood in the center to begin the show.

Selena's deep brown eyes shifted from the Circus Master to take in the entire throng of people filling all of the seats. Selena felt her stomach twist and she sucked in a deep breath. The cool metal of the shackles seemed to feel like ice that bit into her skin. Selena silently prayed to Mahal's that the Circus Master won't put her in the spot light when the time comes for her to carry out her performance.

Dwalin happened to glance to the far end of the ring and spot a woman leaning against the edge of the ring while she watched the circus members move into the ring when it was their turn to begin their performance. Dwalin watched the woman's face turn pale when the Circus Master told her something before leaving the ring. Dwalin realized he did not like the man because there was something about him that put Dwalin on edge. Upon closer inspection, Dwalin caught sight of shackles being removed from the woman's wrists. That angered Dwalin. Then with whatever last words the woman heard the Circus Master utter, she turned her attention back to the ring after the Circus Master moved to stand beside her.

Dwalin had to admit he couldn't begin to understand what could cause such a beautiful woman to express such horror on her face - despite how hard the woman tried to hide it, her beautiful face twisted with horror from whatever the Circus Master had said to her. Dwalin tried paying attention to the circus performers so he wouldn't have to listen to Thorin grump at him, and because both he and Thorin had been in need of a break, but Dwalin found himself shifting his eyes to the woman every five minutes. Anyone in their right mind would - man or Dwarf, it made no difference? Why? Well because of the beautiful woman with the beautiful complexion.

Dwalin had to guess the woman was about 5'4" with a toned, petite body, fair olive skin covered by a loose cotton shirt and dark trousers that ended above her knees - defining her strong, toned thighs. The woman's face was round with broad cheekbones and full cheeks. Dark brown eyebrows and long eyelashes framed a pair of very delicious brown eyes above a cute button nose that was the perfect accent to the woman's full lips. The woman's looks were very feminine and very beautiful, but those brown eyes were full of pain and horror. And Dwalin couldn't stand the idea of the beautiful woman being hurt by a man.

"What are you looking at?" Thorin's question brought Dwalin back to the circus before him.

Returning his attention to the current circus performer, Dwalin whispered, "far end corner of the ring on your right." Dwalin saw Thorin's head slightly shift out the corner of his eye.

"The woman?" Thorin asked in a whisper after a silent minute.

"Yes."

"I thought you wanted to come to the circus to watch the actual circus?" Thorin questioned.

"And to drag your grumpy arse with me - and I am watching," Dwaling confirmed, ignoring Thorin's grunt at the reminder of practically being dragged to the show. "The woman just happens to be part of the circus."

Still keeping his voice low, Thorin, still a bit annoyed, hissed. "Fine!" After letting out a huff, Thorin asked, "what is it about the woman that is causing you to keep looking her way every five minutes?"

"Besides the woman's beauty, her eyes and face were full of horror from whatever it was the Circus Master said to her, because her beautiful face also seemed pale."

Thorin gave a single nod. He knew that Dwalin was the kind of Dwarf to carefully weigh and assess a situation before he made his final judgment. Thorin locked his piercing blue eyes onto the woman again and both he and Dwalin furrowed their eyebrows and frowned displeasingly when the Circus Master suddenly grabbed the woman's upper arm and said something that caused the woman's face to pale even more before walking to stand in the center of the ring after the current circus performer exited through the opposite end.

While the previous circus members began setting up for the next performance, the Circus Master cleared his throat and addressed the audience.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the moment you all have been waiting for - our final performance! May I introduce Selena - a very rare beauty who is half human and half Dwarf!"