Hello friends!

It's Thursday already and you know what that means! Another installment in Brili's adventures.

As usual, a HUGE thank you to my beta, RivvyElf, for proofreading this chapter. Their support is such a lifesaver! And thank you, my dear friends, for following along on this journey! Should the spirit move you to share your thoughts then feel free to leave a comment or review below. I love hearing from you guys!

Just as a side note, I'll be skipping the next regular update this month. I'm in the middle of moving out of my apartment and my partner is celebrating his birthday this month as well! I don't want the external stuff to impact the quality of my writing so I will be taking a short break. I plan to resume updates again on March 7th.

Be well and thank you for reading!

Kim

Thunder rumbled; its growl trembled the ground beneath Brili's feet. In the distance, a streak of lightning lit up the sky. She might have seen it if not for the torrential downpour blurring her vision. The jagged path they were traveling was… How to put this diplomatically?

Hazardous.

The trek through these mountains would have been dangerous enough even if the weather hadn't turned on them. Bilbo had already almost fallen once. No, make that twice. It was only a matter of time before one of them was lost to the slippery stone beneath their feet. Bitterly, Brili thought she could have found a safer passage if Thorin had pulled his head out of his ass long enough to realize that he should have sent someone to scout ahead.

Still, she said nothing. She was determined to keep her head down, mouth shut, and stay out of trouble for now. A lesson she'd learned as a young girl: save the trouble for when it counted.

Ahead of where she was sandwiched between her two brothers, she could hear her uncle bellowing orders, warnings, and who knew what else. Eventually, the information she didn't listen to would be made clear, especially the warnings about where not to step. What else was said was not important enough for her to pay attention to.

That is, until Dwalin loudly bellowed, "LOOK OUT!"

Brili's head snapped to attention instinctively. Despite how she felt about him or the rest of the company, Dwalin was a seasoned warrior. If he issued a warning, she knew it would be in her best interest to heed it. The cause for his alarm became apparent in moments as a massive boulder appeared from seemingly nowhere and smashed into the rock bed over them with enough force to shatter above their heads. Debris began to rain down, leaving the company desperately leaning against the wall to avoid being crushed by some of the larger chunks.

She frowned in the direction that the boulder had come from. Just what exactly had happened?

Balin's voice was barely audible over the pelting rain. "This is no thunderstorm! It's a thunder-battle! Look!"

His statement made little sense until Brili noticed the mass of rock adjacent to them was moving. In slow and jerky movements, the mountain stood on two legs and ripped off another chunk of rock from the cliff bed beside it.

Well, fuck me…

"Well, bless me… The legends are true!" Bofur could be heard exclaiming. "Giants! Stone giants!"

Another boulder went soaring through the air in a long arc over the company. Very briefly, Brili wondered if any precious metals might be hiding in that boulder. Still, that thought vanished as the boulder collided with another giant. The lightning crackled momentarily to reveal a spray of rock from the impact. And then, a moment later, Brili was thrown against the cliff face by one of her brothers. She could see bits of rock smashing into the path from the corner of her eye, making it even narrower than before.

And then there was movement.

Not the same kind of movement she'd become accustomed to during this storm. That movement was a low, consistent, trembling hum beneath her feet. This movement was jarring like the very foundation she stood upon was suddenly unstable. Brili watched with an eerie feeling of calm as the stone path before her began to crack and then split.

Kili was calling out for Fili.

She watched her eldest brother pull away from Kili's outstretched hand. His other arm stretched back protectively towards her as the space between Fili and Kili grew further apart.

We are all going to die… Why is the mountain moving?

From her vantage point, she could not see the severity of their situation. Still, she was able to notice that there was another rock wall headed straight for them. With another deafening crash high above them, it connected. The cliff face they were on swayed, and Brili could make out two gaps in the path, one where she and Fili stood and one where Thorin and Kili stood. Were they legs? Were they unwelcome passengers on a battling giant?

She had no time to think as she gripped the first body she could wrap her arms around for support. They were moving too quickly and with too much force for her to do more than close her eyes and hold on to something. When it felt like they were finally descending, Brili braved a glance only to be greeted by the unwelcome sight of more stone.

They were going to crash. There was nothing that she could do but brace for the impact.

I never should have left home…

With a stomach-turning crunch, they landed. Brili was catapulted off the ledge, and her head was, unfortunately, the first thing to land. Not even moments later, she could hear Thorin shouting for Fili. Because, of course, it was Fili that he would worry over.

After what she had done? She didn't deserve Thorin's concern.

"Phew," Bofur announced, brushing his hat off, "that was a close one, eh, lads?"

Someone, presumably Fili, thumped her back with an open hand. Well, shit, they had survived that, after all… Talk about some good luck.

Fili's face shifted into her field of vision. "You're okay?"

"Mmm," she answered, letting out a sigh of relief. "You?"

His expression changed as he shook his head. "You're bleeding."

His fingers brushed just above her brow, and Brili sucked in a sharp breath when it stung. Funny, it hadn't hurt until he did that. She jerked her head away from him with a low growl before he tried it again. Another head injury was the lastthing she needed. Arwen would have her confined to the healing ward for Mahal only knew how long once she found out.

Oh, yeah… She's probably not going to find out about this one…

Before she could dwell too long on that thought, Bofur asked a poignant question. "Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?"

It took only a few moments to conclude that he was not on the path with them, which meant his remaining options were being splattered at the mountain's base or clinging desperately to the side of it. For his sake, Brili hoped it was the latter. Judging by the small group of dwarves that had massed by the edge of the cliff, Brili assumed that the hobbit was at least alive and in a position to be saved.

If the other dwarves could follow through on a simple rescue mission, she wouldn't have needed to intervene. But she sprung into action when Bilbo's hand slipped off the edge before Ori could grab it.

Why? Because she was sure that if she didn't, the hobbit's life would be lost forever. Without thinking the matter through, she threw her pack off her shoulders and crouched towards the edge, preparing to scale the mountain. She only managed to stablize her right foot before she was grabbed by her shoulders and, quite literally, thrown back onto the ledge. Dumbfounded, she watched as Thorin began to climb down in her stead. Not a moment later, Bilbo's head came into view, his normally bouncy curls plastered to his paled face. Thorin dropped as Bilbo was lifted over the ledge and would have been lost to the darkness if Dwalin had not been there to pull him to safety.

Brili was almost embarrassed to admit that she felt slightly relieved when he was pulled up.

"I thought we lost our burglar!" Dwalin quipped with a relieved grin. His casual posture belied the danger that they'd just faced.

"He's been lost ever since he left home," Thorin answered, his mood not lightened despite Dwalin's lighthearted statement. "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

Glaring at Thorin, Brili dropped a hand on Bilbo's shoulder and announced, "Out of everyone here, this one is the only one I find to be bearable."

It was a cruel thing to say, considering how Brili knew her family, Fili at least, were trying in some way to mend their broken past. Still, at that moment, she found Thorin's behavior callous. Having once been on the receiving end of Thorin's disapproval made her sympathetic towards the hobbit. Her words had their intended effect, and her uncle spun sharply to face her, a fury in his eye.

"And you," he seethed, his glare brooding and disapproving. "You nearly got yourself killed on this little halfling's behalf."

"That halfling is a member of your company," Brili answered coldly, blinking rapidly as blood dripped into her right eye. "And if you're not careful, he could leave. I've seen seasoned soldiers step down over less."

After that, she planned to do something to really drive her point home, like turn around and fuss over Bilbo. But before she could, Thorin reached out and gripped her shoulder hard. Something, presumably rainwater, was dripping down her chin. Part of her wondered how intimidating she could look soaking wet like this. She probably looked more like a drowned mouse than a warrior. Irritably, she swiped the back of her hand over her chin.

Her hand pulled back red.

Nervously, she ran her tongue over her bottom lip and all but groaned when she realized that she'd split it open in the fall. Now, her tally was a head injury and a split lip.

"You're bleeding," Thorin informed her.

"Yeah, no shit," she answered. "Fili said something about that."

"You knew you were wounded, and you still put yourself in harm's way for the hobbit." His eyes narrowed. "Have your brothers tend to that."

"I can tend to my own injuries, thank you," she answered harshly.

Still, despite her verbal protests, Fili was behind her within seconds to steer her towards a boulder. Privately, she was relieved he was there to steady her as her limbs began to buzz with adrenaline. She watched from the corner of her eye as her uncle and Dwalin disappeared into the recesses of a cavern.

I hope they stumble upon a goblin's nest. That would teach them.

"Don't touch it," she warned haughtily, her brooding interrupted by Fili moving towards her face with what she presumed was a clean rag.

"I'm just going to look at it," he said, his voice suspiciously neutral.

"It's fine," she insisted. "Think this is the first time I've ever—OUCH!"

Fili had ignored her warning and begun dabbing the damp cloth over her wound. He pulled away with a smirk before she could swat at his wrist. Immediately, a heavy ache built in her chest. How many times in her youth had he shared that expression with her? That one expression conjured up so many unwanted memories…

Even more painful, she could clearly remember when he stopped sharing that look with her…

His brows shifted, his easy grin falling as he watched her. "Are you all right? You've gone pale…I can go get Oin."

She snatched the rag from his loose grip and scowled. "Leave me be. I wouldn't allow that old fart within arm's reach of my face."

~o~

Brili didn't like this cave, chiefly because she hadn't been the one to inspect it.

Not for nothing, but her uncle and Dwalin could very easily overlook something. The weather had been unfavorable, and they had just narrowly avoided danger. After the incident with the stone giants, Brili was sure they would have chosen anywhere resembling shelter to bunk down in. At least they had the common sense not to start a fire.

Though, she wouldn't have minded the warmth at their expense.

Boots scuffed in the darkness before standing firmly in front of her. Funny, she was sure she'd been exuding enough ill-tempered hostility to keep the rest of the company at bay. Before she could begin placing the boots to their owner, Kili's face dropped into view as he crouched before her with an expectant hand held out.

"Still bleeding?" he asked, his eyes on the rag she was holding above her eye.

Oin probably sent him over to assess the damage. Nice try.

"What's it to you?"

"You want me to call Oin over to stitch you up or not?" Involuntarily, Brili winced at the threat. "That's what I thought. Give that here. He's never going to let you off the hook if you're covered in blood like that."

Reluctantly, Brili allowed him to pluck the rag from her hand. The two siblings avoided eye contact as Kili wiped the blood from various parts of Brili's face. He frowned as he passed the rag gently over the gash on her bottom lip, and occasionally, his eyes would flit back to where her head was still throbbing.

"That's better," he noted, tossing the rag carelessly aside and sitting cross-legged beside her. "It's stopped bleeding but only just. Don't sleep on that side. I won't be able to stop the old goose if you open that wound up again."

Why is he sitting here?

He looked at her as if he were waiting for her to respond. When she kept her eyes firmly on the ground, he chuckled. "Gotta say, that was definitely a first for us."

"What was?"

"Don't tell me you've seen something like that before. Humongous rock monsters doing battle and all?"

She shook her head. "No, I've never seen it before. Read about it in the library back home."

And pretty sure those were giants… Not monsters…

"What book did you find something like that in? I don't recall reading about anything like that! Was it part of our studies?"

Brili felt a familiar surge of anger as she corrected him. "I was talking about Rivendell. Not where you came from."

Undeterred by her statement, Kili carried on. "You know, Mum's really expanded the library in the past couple of years. You're gonna love the collection she's added about—"

"Ahem."

Thorin's approach cut Kili off before he could tell Brili what she might find in the library back in the Blue Mountains. Briefly, Brili glanced up to acknowledge Thorin, focusing on the wrinkles that had made a permanent mark between his brow rather than making eye contact. A flash of lightning momentarily lit up one side of his face and revealed an uncomfortable expression.

"I would like to apologize for how I spoke with you," he said after a deafening thunderclap. "I was… concerned for your safety and find your recklessness to be vexing."

That's a first…

No, it wasn't really. In the past, Thorin had apologized for all sorts of things: not returning with candy from the markets, for spilling beer all over one of her dresses, and, on occasion, for losing his patience. Those were sweeter, happier times, though. She preferred not to remember them; they were bitter now.

The Thorin she remembered, the one so eager to wed her to a stranger, had not apologized.

He crouched in front of her, one hand propped on his knee and the other reaching towards her face. For a moment, Brili flinched, thinking that he might strike her. That would have been a first; her uncle had never laid a hand on her once throughout that rosy past that she longed to forget. But Brili knew what he thought of her actions and wouldn't be surprised if he had grown harsher. Instead, cool fingertips brushed lightly over the wound on her brow.

Which, of course, promptly started to bleed again.

Thorin rounded on Kili, his tone full of disapproval. "Why have you not sent for Oin? This wound should have been stitched closed."

A familiar, guilty look overtook Kili's face. It might have amused her if Brili wasn't on edge around them. The pair had always covered for the other when they were younger. Hadn't Kili covered for her on her birthday that fateful morning? He was the one who gave her the key to that hidden door as well.

Swallowing back the lump growing in her throat, Brili answered, "I do not require assistance. I am trained in first aid."

That was quite an exaggeration, but she would roll with it. However, Thorin was not impressed with her statement. Rather, he whistled sharply. When the company jumped to attention, he beckoned for Oin with a curt wave. Brili glared from her seat between the cave wall and Thorin.

"Nonsense," he said. "There is a doctor within our company. Don't tell me you are still careless with your health?"

When Brili had been a young dwarfling of twenty, she had fallen down a tunnel near the mines. Of course, she should not have been near the mines; no one had expected her to be down there. After a long search overnight, someone, presumably a mine worker, had heard her squalling and sent for help. All in all, she was not too harmed, but she did have a deep cut that required disinfecting and stitches. Oin had also been the doctor to see her that day, and the whole experience left her quite scarred. After that event, getting Brili to see Oin for anything, even a mild cough, often required an armored escort. The armor was for the escort's benefit, as Brili was prone to biting.

She hated that Thorin seemed to remember that. She also hated the practiced calm expression on Oin's face as he scuttled closer to her. There was no way that Oin's medical skills could match that of the Elves of Rivendell. If he thought for a second that she would allow him near her face, he had another thing coming!

"She's hit her head," Thorin barked, tilting her chin so Oin could see.

"Mmm… I see," Oin said quietly. "Tell me, your grace, are ye injured anywhere else? Are ye feeling fatigued?"

Brili clenched her jaw, determined not to respond until Thorin kicked her boot firmly as a warning. Glaring petulantly at them, she finally grumbled, "No."

"The largest concern I can think of is a concussion," Oin stated plainly, and it was only to Thorin. His voice kept shifting like he was busy doing something else while he spoke. "She will need to be monitored overnight. She must not be allowed to fall asleep."

"Understood," Thorin answered, still irritatingly holding her chin in his fingers. "Bofur is on first watch. She can be under his supervision."

I'd sooner stab him before I let him even look at me…

"Brace yourself, Your Highness," the old doctor warned, "this salve has a bite to it at first."

Wait, what?

Before she was able to process his statement, a flash of white-hot pain flared above her brow. Hissing, she jerked backward, intending to pull away from the source. Her efforts were stopped by the doctor bracing the back of her head like the old coot had anticipated what she would do. Over the hiss that escaped from her clenched teeth, she could hear Oin chuckling at her expense. Not missing a beat, he began to wind a strip of cloth around her head.

"Do not fret, princess," he continued, "that salve may be unpleasant, but it will keep the wound from festering. A little discomfort now could save us the trouble of something much worse later. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Rather than allowing her to answer (not that she planned to) Kili thumped between her shoulder blades. "Hear that, Bri? You'll be right as rain now. And look, no stitches!"

"For now, I see no need for them. Now, my king, I had best take my leave before I am forced to face retribution from our dear princess. I'll apply more paste and a fresh bandage in the morning." His voice shifted as he turned to address Bofur. "She should rest, but do not allow her to sleep."

Thorin nodded, "You have my thanks. The both of you."

Brili watched sourly as Oin shuffled away with remarkable speed for the elder he posed as. Mahal, that had been highly unpleasant. She couldn't recall any of Rivendell's treatments being so awful. Well, besides that time that she dislocated her knee… But she supposed that couldn't have been avoided.

"That could have gone worse," Fili noted from across the cave.

Thorin nodded with a rare smile. "Aye, I was certain that she was going to attempt to bite him."

Brili wished they would stop talking about her like she wasn't even there… It made her miss home that much more.