Thorin inspected the final crates of weapons with Dwalin as they were loaded onto the second caravan, by the light of the torches held up by several guards.

Night had already fallen, and Thorin had been grateful for the distraction of seeing off the goods to Rohan.

He had not seen her since their argument in his study that afternoon, and he now regretted having been so harshly judgemental at the time.

It was hard to admit that in the heat of the moment he had been too quick to accept Aida's story. But his great aunt had been weeping, with a large gash on her forehead, her skin bruised and bloodied too, which had made him pity her. He felt ashamed now thinking of it.

What made it all worse, was that she had seemed more and more distant of late. But today, when they had argued, she seemed to have given up too easily.

And that had made him angrier still!

"King Thorin, I thank you for your hospitality and generosity." Thorongil bowed as the final crates were nailed shut and loaded in.

"You are always welcome," Thorin bowed his head. He would have been lying if he claimed he was not entirely glad to see this handsome young stranger gone. He had not entirely enjoyed just how much his wife had grown close to this man, and was happy that he would be leaving tonight. "My wife and sons will be particularly sorry to hear of your urgent departure. They are very fond of you..."

It awoke a jealousy in him that was not entirely founded. And he certainly would have hated to see them here tonight fawning over this man.

"And I am very fond of them also. You are indeed most fortunate to be blessed with such a beautiful family, and surrounded by so much love." Thorongil placed his hand over his chest and bowed with a sincerity that none could deny was anything but wholehearted. "Please convey my sincerest apologies for such a sudden departure. I know Lady Shobha has been recovering, and so I have not wished to disturb her or the young Princes..."

"Aye, I shall let them know." Thorin replied.

"Och laddie, I am sure this is not the last time we will see ye again!" Dwalin patted the man on his back fondly.

"Master Dwalin." Thorongil bowed his head again before grasping his shoulder in reciprocation.

And with that the tall man parted to join the first caravan, climbing into the back.

Thorin, Dwalin and the rest of the group stepped away from the Caravans which slowly began to move.

He stood watching in the dark as the wagons pulled on. Somehow he did not relish returning to their apartment.

He didn't know what to say to her. He had been wrong to be so harsh, but he was not ready to back down either. It was irrational and perhaps filled with foolish pride, for he was King under the Mountain afterall.

"Donnae fret, Thorin. They will be there in no time," Dwalin reassured, clearly noting his uneasiness. "They won't stop until daylight for a rest - and they'll cross into Rohan sooner than ye expect."

Thorin nodded, patting his friend on the back.

"Oh come on laddie! I can see yer troubled?" Dwalin frowned. "Are ye thinking of Aida? I told ya the Princess would never do such a thing! Tell ye what - lets go have a drink and a smoke to unwind ye head eh?"

Thorin didn't need to be asked again on the matter. He immediately nodded, turning back to enter the Mountain with Dwalin.

...

It was almost midnight, when Thorin opened the door to their bedroom.

The apartment was quiet. He imagined they were all asleep. In some ways he was relieved not to face her as she was of late - all distant and melancholic. He planned to slip away again early in the morning before she was awake, and would talk to her when he was ready.

Quietly he slipped off his boots by the door and laid his jacket on a chair, before undressing down to his tunic and walking over to the their bed.

It was large enough that he would not wake her up when he got in.

But when he reached for the blankets and sheets, they felt utterly cold. So he moved silently to the fireplace where the fire had almost died away and laid a few more logs on.

Then he quietly moved back to the bed. But in the soft glow of the fireplace, he was surprised to see the bed looked unslept in!

It hadnt quite registered in his fuzzy head prior to this. He was tired, the hour was much too late, and he had consumed one too many goblets of Ale with Dwalin.

He no longer cared if he woke her up.

So he reached out with his hands to feel her side of the bed, but the covers were neatly tucked in.

Feeling very much alert now, he hurried to the side table, using a flint to light a couple of candles.

But with exception of her absence, there was no sign of anything different!

So, quietly he moved to the doors that connected their room with the large nursery where all their children slept.

He had on occasion found her sleeping on the large couch there, so perhaps she had decided to spend the night with the children again.

But when he opened the doors and peered in, the room was unusually dark.

They always had several small soft lamps, which kept the room illuminated through the night.

Now, quite taken aback he hurried to their room once more, picking up a candle that was lit and taking it through to the nursery.

Again he lit the lamps there, but found no sign of the children or Lola.

Rushing out into the corridor, he questioned the guards next, but they were just as surprised.

Immediately he stomped over to Dis's apartments, standing outside banging on the door several times.

She opened the door after a while, half pulling on a dressing robe, frowning.

"What on earth is going on?" She blinked sleepily, only to begin panicking, as soon as she saw the worried look on her brothers rarely unsettled face. "What has happened, Thorin?!"

But without answering he barged past her and into her apartments.

"Where is she Dis?"

"She? What?! Who - what are you talking about?" Dis followed him in a panic.

"My wife! Is my wife staying with you?!" Thorin looked around her room before turning to her.

"No! What are you talking about?!" Dis snapped back now. "What have you done, Thorin?"

"They are not at home..." He paused to settle the panic in his own head before calmly trying to think.

"They are...what?! You are not making sense Thorin..."

"They are not in their beds... They are gone..."

"Do you think they have been kidnapped? Held to ransom?" She stepped towards him panicking further herself.

But he seemed to remain thinking silently.

"No." He began to pace a short distance within her room, still trying to think through his Ale-soaked, fuzzy head. "Maybe."

"Where have YOU been, brother?" She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips angrily now. "Why would she leave like that? What did you do?"

"I had a drink with Dwalin -"

"No, I mean about Aida?" Dis interrupted. "You didn't truly believe that Shobha hurt Aida do you?"

Thorin stopped pacing to look at his sister. Of course he didn't believe his wife was capable of hurting her.

"No. But I have told her to stop interfering with others business -"

"Aida was hitting that poor servant girl, in public Thorin!"

"Aida is a frail old woman, Dis, I doubt she can beat a servant. And besides she is from a different generation -"

"Stop making excuses for her Thorin. Amad never beat her servants! EVER!" Suddenly Dis found herself pacing. "Why were you shutting her out all this time, Thorin? What is truly behind this treatment of her?"

He stood there stony faced, looking at her, but none of his posturing seemed to make her back down. She was after all his sister and quite used to his moods.

"Well...?"

He stood silently now, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Don't treat me like a fool! That poor woman comes with you from Mahal knows where - faces goodness knows what sort of horrors on your foolish wizards quest, bears your bloody children...keeps you bloody happy in the sack - and that can't be bloody easy, given what a morose dwarf you are! And then you push her away because apparently one of YOUR children you believe is also the child of a Great One?!"

She laughed bitterly.

"How on earth did a Great One, bed your WIFE? They live in Valinor don't they?!" She shook her head, looking at him as though he were utterly mad!

Thorin frowned at her, as he thought through what she said.

"Perhaps the Lord of the Waters has blessed your child, or perhaps it is true about Arun. But it certainly does not sound like it was the fault of that poor woman!" She paced a short distance again. "And that woman - who has NO ONE here, had to put up with your mad behaviour all this time, and kept all her pain to herself...that is truly what breaks my heart now. And I too shunned her yesterday..."

Thorin thought back to all the things he had said to her. And then he thought of the first time he saw her.

"And now she's gone Thorin." Dis finally fell into a large armchair heavily holding her head in her hands. "And she's taken the children."

Tears slowly began to fall from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks before she quickly wiped them away, only to have more tears fall into their place.

"Do you like her at least?"

When he looked at her blankly, Dis growled in frustration.

"Lana, you fool! Thats what this is truly about isn't it? You fancy a bonk with her right?" She beat her fists on the arm rest of the chair angrily, before gripping them tightly. "So do it now. Because Shobha is not in your way any more! And nor are those beautiful children!"

Thorin had no words to say. His sister's words had landed like a slap to his face! He had never even thought of Lana! Frankly, he had seen enough dams offering themselves up to him over his lifetime, even now, so many years after he was married, that none of it even registered any longer.

All he could truly feel was his anger towards Shobha, for having carried the child of another male. And there was the jealousy he felt, over her relationship with Ulmo, or the thought of even one of the Valar touching her.

"I will send a few messengers to Dale and Greenwood... She could not have travelled far. She has the children -"

"She would not have left without leaving you a message..." Dis suddenly nodded.

He thought back to when he had looked around. He hadn't searched the room thoroughly.

And so without a further a word he turned and began to stomp back. But Dis interrupted him.

"But I do not think she would simply go to Dale or Greenwood, Thorin..."

Thorin paused at the door to look back at his sister, who was still holding back her sobs as she wiped away her tears.

He felt his heart sinking. It was a feeling that had grown unfamiliar since the day he met her. And now it hit him like a punch in his chest.

"If not then where..?"

"I think she will wish to go home now..."

...

He shut the door on the guard that had brought him back a message from Dale. It was to confirm what his sister had guessed. Shobha and their children were not in Dale.

Thorin rubbed his forehead again tidying away the parchment scattered on his desk into a pile. He would not bother sending a messenger to Greenwood. All he would receive from Thranduil would be the elf's contempt.

What bothered him the most was that he had not yet found a message or note from her. Her wardrobe was almost entirely untouched, there were more clothes taken for the children, and some of their favourite toys, but otherwise, it was almost as though they had all simply vanished without a trace.

He could not even work out how she had left, besides guessing that it had occured sometime during the evening. But there had been many coaches and carriages that had left for various destinations and she could have been on any of them.

At least Lola had left with them, which was of little comfort to him, given that she was not a male.

It was hard not to fear for their safety, but without knowing where they had left to, he could not go after them either.

To make matters worse, Dis no longer spoke to him either.

There was a knock at the door again.

He was in no mood to answer. But when the knocking came again, he begrudgingly responded.

"It's me...my King."

It was Lana. And she was yet another female he had been avoiding of late.

Slowly he got up and moved to the door, opening it to find her standing there.

"My Lord, Lady Aida was hoping you would take her out for some fresh air, in her moving chair," she spoke gently. For the first time, he noticed that this dam, was dressed quite grandly. She wore a deep blue velvet dress, with a tightly fitted corset that made him wonder whether such a plump dam could even breathe in it, and it pushed her rather ample and quite exposed bosom up such that it was hard not to look at her and feel like one was ogling her cleavage. "Your guards mentioned that you were very busy these days, but she has been stuck in the infirmary for some time now and was hoping for some fresh air. And she does see you as a son..."

Lana smiled hopefully, her cheeks blushing as she looked up at him.

Nori and Dwalin had been making secret enquiries into Shobhas whereabouts, but until then, they had asked that Thorin kept up the impression that all was well at home.

"I..." He hesitated finding himself in an uncomfortable position.

"I realise that your consort and family have been unwell, my Lord, but I was hoping that this would give you a break too..." She batted her eyelashes, smiling invitingly. "And Eli has missed you this week, Sire..."

"Very well, my lady." He tilted his head resigned to the matter. "Allow me one hour please, and I will join you all in the infirmary."

She nodded, dropping into a curtsey, which frankly made him worry that her breasts would fall out altogether from the action, before turning to leave.

Quickly he shut the door, realising that he had not searched as thoroughly as he had originally thought! And then he opened the connecting door that led from his study to their apartment, where he went over to her desk that stood in the corner of the living room.

Her bureau was small, but neat, with a basket for parchment rolls on the floor and several baskets below her desk. And several shallow baskets beneath to help store spare items. But once again, nothing looked out of place.

Then he spotted two books placed on the chair. They were soft books, but bound with covers that had pictures on them. They clearly stood out of place.

The books were from her land!

He moved them carefully onto the bureau and spotted a parchment protruding from them.

He really would not have even noticed them, if not for looking so closely, let alone the piece of parchment.

Removing the folded note he found his name on it. And opening it fully, he found it was a indeed a message:

Dear Thorin,

If you have been looking for this, then it means you have realised that we are gone.

I am sorry we did not say goodbye to you, but I am sure you were suitably occupied.

When I joined you on this quest, I had only known you for such a short time, but was madly in love with you.

So the idea of losing you made my life meaningless. That is why I realise I left my life, my family and everything that was me, to join you. I would have followed you over a cliff! (And I did on a few occasions during the quest!)

But our lives are no longer so simple.

I have made some mistakes, which I think may be unforgivable in your eyes. And life here has been difficult for me, such that I do not feel like I am living anymore, other than as a prisoner.

I now realise that neither our children, nor I, will truly ever be accepted. Particularly not unless we fit into what you expect of us. After all, we are not dwarves, nor do we understand the ways of your people - that is clear.

I believe there was no choice in what I was left to do, for I can no longer continue living like a ghost.

I am hoping that with us gone, you can pick a proper dwarven wife, who will support you better. I am sure your choices are plentiful, and you will be happier in the long run.

We found a way to make it to your world once - so I am certain there is a way back.

Therefore I plan to take my children and return home. I cannot bear to be parted from them. And I think they need me. I hope you understand.

I love you with all my heart - but maybe love isn't enough.

I hope you live out your days in peace. But I have left the books for you, so that you will be aware of the events to come as I know them.

(Please do not let Balin of Ori go to Moria)

My deepest regrets are that we could not say goodbye to all those who have been so kind to us, that we have loved so dearly.

But I imagine they will understand.

Yours always,

Shobha

He stood there reading and re-reading the note for quite some time, before falling onto a nearby chair.

She has saved him once, a long time ago. Not just his life. But she had saved him from his lifelessness.

Merely a few days ago, he had contemplated whether SHE had taken him for granted. But now, he felt terrible for it.

The despair he felt, was all-consuming.

...

Dwalin knocked on the stall door. It was still too early for the markets to open, but he knew Madam Ellor well.

She would be in her shop, preparing leather and finishing off her work before the start of the day. There were few other tailors that worked with leather to make strong travel clothing. And her demand had been high in both the Blue Mountains and now here!

"Who is it?! Come back later when I'm open!"

"It's me, Dwalin. I have an urgent matter to discuss!"

There was a lot of shuffling and some muffled swearing before the lock turned and the door swung open.

"Well, Dwalin, what do ya want?" She stood there angrily frowning. She was a tall dam, with a tanned complexion and a lean frame. In fact, if not for her braided sideburns, it would be hard to even imagine she was a dwarrowdam at all! "Because I am not bumping your order up unless you have plenty of money for it!"

"Och keep yer britches on! I am here to pick up some clothes for the Lady Shobha..." He didn't want to directly ask when she had readied her travel clothes. "It's a big order -"

"She collected them already! Lovely lady that one - eh!" She suddenly looked at him suspiciously pausing mid sentence. "Why are you here?! She was very particular about picking the order up herself..."

Suddenly Ellor was nervous about having even spoken about it to Dwalin.

"She had been under the weather, wanted me to pick em up...perhaps it's our mistake..." Dwalin tried to sound nonchalant. "When was the first order placed - I thought there were two lots? Big order for the young'uns as well...?"

Ellor paused for a moment, her face shifting from the previous nervous look to a neutral expression. She was sharper than the tools she used on her hides.

"It was not placed long ago...and collected recently." She moved her hand to the door slowly. "Theres nothing more I can remember..."

And with that she immediately tried to shut the door, but Dwalin was quick, placing a large boot in the way to block it.

"Now I can pay ya if that's what ye need to jog that good memory of yours..." He leant into the door. "And remember I am a good customer of yers..."

Ellor let out a puff of breath angrily.

"I know ye are a good customer, but my orders for each client are personal. And I don't share out the information -"

"Since bloody when?!" He scoffed, holding out a sizeable pouch of gold. "Even for this...? And she is my sister..."

"Then you should take better care of her!" Ellor growled out of frustration, looking at the money.

"I know ye could use this..." Dwalin dangled it out again. "Ye play too much at pony-shoes, and yer love for gambling is stronger than the skill of yer hand...word is ye lost a good commission recently..."

She growled again out of frustration before pushing the purse away.

"Keep yer filthy money!" She huffed angrily. "She kept it quiet when her ladyship came to see me. And if you're nosying around here offering me money, it probably means she didn't even want ye to know. So keep yer money. You and his Highnesses may be my best customers, but I like her more. So you won't get another word out of me for it - not even if the King takes me down to the dungeons himself!"

Dwalin grinned. While it was incredibly unhelpful, he always liked Ellor. And probably liked her more now!

"What if I looked in your books...?"

"Go ahead. I didnt put her order in my books..." She smirked at Dwalin triumphantly. "IF we are talking about our Queen possibly travelling - I am not such an idiot! I can imagine plenty of our 'ig-nobility' being very interested in such information..."

She crossed her arms over her chest and squared right up to him.

"Now, unless you wish to arrest and torture me..." She frowned at him. "Better take your tempting money out of my face and get out...I have actual business to get on with!"

Dwalin laughed at her clever thinking. If he hadnt liked Dis so much, he certainly would have loved to 'arrest and question' Ellor! Of course, he would have that very angry trapper-husband of hers to deal with.

"Here. You deserve it for keeping quiet." Dwalin tossed her the pouch anyway, watching the surprise on her face as she caught it.

"And don't send anymore goons asking after her - because I will deny any order ever being placed after this - you hear?"

"What goons? Did someone else come asking?"

"Aye - yer friend Master Nori..." She scowled. "Slimy one he is too... Far too charming for his own good."

Dwalin frowned. Thorin hadn't informed him that Nori and his spies had been tasked to help seek her out too. And now he was suspicious.

"I can send a guard to hang around this end of the markets, one of my trust worthy men, if that helps?"

"So long as it's inconspicuous. Don't want the customers being scared off," she then moved her jacket out to show him her waistcoat underneath which had a row of rather vicious looking daggers sheathed in a belt. "Mind you, I am quite capable of holding me own, if I need to."

Dwalin grinned again.

"Before I leave, tell me just between us, what was she like when she came to see you?" Dwalin leant in asking her quietly.

"Ah, her ladyship is quite guarded when it comes to talking about her life with the King. But I could see that she was not happy inside. It made me feel for the lady. I have heard the tales of her and the dragon. And I have heard Lord Dain himself talking about her during the great battle, for how she wished to protect the King. For such a weak looking thing she has some courage." Ellor spoke sadly. "And I hear how the highborn talk of her. I ain't deaf. But I could tell this time, she was sad. It was something personal. But she was still so dignified. Just said she needed new travelling clothes for when she and the boys go to Greenwood or take the ponies out... But a female can tell these things..."

Dwalin sighed. He knew things had not been well between Thorin and her. But he had no understanding of what Thorin might have taken offence over. In fact he had not particularly liked Thorin entertaining Aida, knowing just what her thoughts were about the Princess.

Ellor sighed disapprovingly as he listened in silence.

"So you didn't notice eh?" She pursed her lips.

"No. I'm sorry to say so. But I will look into it..."

"Well, she's a lovely lady - and ye tell her so, when ye next see her!" Ellor bowed her head before shutting the door on him.

He simply stood there, brushing his beard with his hand. She had obviously seen it all coming a long time ago. And he no longer believed that she had simply taken off out of the blue.

He felt like a fool for having suspected her homesickness as the cause, and believing her to be flighty for it!

Perhaps Ellor was right. It was time for him to step up and be the big brother that the Princess needed. Either way, she was not safe out there on her own with her young children...his nephews and niece.

...

"My Lord Thorongil, may Mahal protect the rest of your journey," the dwarf bowed his head as he climbed into his pony.

"Where will you stop, master Grelin?"

"We will ride as far as we can before we stop for the night," the dwarf replied. "It is your leg of the journey back to Rohan that is harder."

"We will be fine, now with the Rohirrim guarding us." Thorongil looked back at the horsemen who were harnessing their large horses to the caravans. "They know these lands like the back of their hands."

"And your additional cargo, my Lord?" The young dwarf glanced back at the first caravan nervously.

"When we stop for lunch, we will send a rider ahead to announce them." Thorongil was satisfied that all the dwarves who happened to guard and move the caravans were loyal enough to look the other way. But he had some help just in case, from Grelin. "Here, in case they decide to grow a memory..."

Thorongil handed several pouches of coin to Grelin.

"Don't worry my lord, between this and my warning that anyone who claims to have assisted, will likely end up in our King's dungeons, will do the trick." Grelin turned to the other dwarves who had already started on their slow march back with the many ponies. "Lads! Catch!"

He threw the pouches at them, as they tossed them to one another, and waved in thanks without stopping.

And Grelin too set off with that while Thorongil watched on.

"My Lord, we are ready," one of the Rohirrim shouted, as they climbed onto the wagon, picking up the reins.

"I will take the first caravan," he called back, as he walked over. "We should stop to water the horses at lunch."

"Very well, Sir. But we must ride on for the next day. There have been sightings of wild men near the borders again." The same man called out. "We cannot risk these being taken. The men are armed and ready for anything. But we will be fine I expect so long as we don't stop for long."

Thorongil nodded climbing into the caravan feeling a little more nervous now.

He would take a rest during daylight for a couple of hours so that he could then keep watch overnight. He had sworn to guard her and that he would do until she was safely in Lorien.

Carefully he moved to the back of the wagon to pull back another large leather drape. The caravan slowly lurched forward before gently gathering a steady motion as the large horses got used to their load.

There huddled together seated on several large trunks were Shobha, Lola and the three children. Seraeya was sound asleep in her mother's arms while Arun and Thrain leant against Lola.

"Anyone feeling sick?" He asked.

"We seem to be travelling rather well for now." She replied looking at Lola, who nodded. Poor Lola had been the most travel sick of them all, but the ponies had been fairly gentle with their movement of the wagons. "What about Grelin and the others? Do you think they will tell Thorin?"

"No, my Lady. Grelin has scared the others and the money will keep them quiet," Thorongil took a seat next to Shobha. "Besides, I believe Master Grelin has grown quite fond of you."

Lola chuckled at that.

"Aye! I shall never forget seeing his face when you emerged from the caravan on the first morning," Lola stifled a louder giggle this time. "He looked as though all his dreams had come true!"

"And you are sure king Thengel will accept us?"

"That I am certain of. Prince Theoden had spoken very highly of you after he had returning from his journey to Dale," he nodded reassuringly. "I distinctly recall the King mentioning that the Queen wished to meet you herself..."

"Can I convince them to keep quiet until we reach Lorien?"

"That remains to be seen, my lady." Thorongil replied. "Perhaps you might subtly speak with the Queen. She is a strong woman and will admire your courage to travel back home."

She nodded, before glancing at Lola worried about their nanny. If they did manage to go home, how would Lola manage?

"My Lady, if you wish to travel back to your homeland, then I shall go with you..."

"Lola, it is a long way," she hesitated. "And very different land to Erebor, or anywhere...in these parts..."

Lola thought carefully again about what Shobha spoke of so cryptically. But her mind was made up and her loyalties were clear.

"I have made up my mind, my lady - you and the little ones are my family. I cannot bear to be parted."

Shobha looked from their nanny to Thorongil, as he settled next to her and shut his eyes.

They had a long journey ahead.

...

Dear All

yes - i am cruel… sorry…try to be a little kind if you leave a comment please

TikiKiki - for you…hope it wasnt too long a wait… wont lie i was anxious about posting this chapter too!