Hey guys, I am so sorry for getting this out so late. I've been going through quite a bit mentally these past couple of months. I don't know how often I'm going to be replying from here on as I'm still suffering a bit, but I'll try my best. I'm sorry again and thank you for your patience, I really appreciate it xx

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Chapter 11

After getting a couple hours sleep, I see it is still dark out. Getting out of bed, I change into my traveling attire before making sure I have everything in my pack. I then take my old knife from the wall and after looking it over, leave it on the bed along with a note to Gilrean, asking her to give this to Estel for me and I will soon return.

I then go to the stables and walk over to Vanya's stall, who perks up when she sees me. I smile as I reach up and pet her snout, giggling a little as she nibbles on my hair. Laying my head against hers, I gently pet her.

"Vanya, I am going to be going away for a long time and I cannot take you with me this time. I need you to stay here and be good for Lord Elrond. He will look after you until we meet again."

She senses my distress as she wraps her head around my shoulders, pulling me into her. I just smile as I hold her close.

"Hopefully, all this will be over soon and we can live in our new home peacefully."

After spending some time with her, I am finally able to kiss her snout and leave after saying goodbye. Standing by the stable doors, I take a few deep breaths and brush the tears from my face before I go on with what I need to do. I then spend the next hour or so to get extra supplies we will need; food, blankets and such, then go to the terrace the dwarves are staying to find everyone but Dwalin asleep.

He looks to me in surprise. "You're up early, lass."

I just smile as I begin sorting everything into separate piles. "I did not need too much sleep. You on guard duty tonight?"

He nods as he watches what I'm doing. "Aye. I have to say, I'm really glad you're back and are coming with us."

I grin at him. "I am glad to be with you all too. I really have missed you."

He grins back before coming over to help me. As we work together, I look him over and have to finally ask something that's been on my mind since seeing him in the Shire.

"I have to ask, what happened to your hair?"

He chuckles as he reaches up and pats his bald head. "Shaved it after Azanulbizar."

I smile sadly at him. "It looks good. Love the tattoos, too."

He grins again before we continue on with packing. I wake the others up just before sunrise.

As everyone is getting ready, I call Bilbo over.

"Here, I finished this yesterday." I say as I hold out his new cloak.

He smiles as he takes it. "Thank you, Caladwen. It was really nice of you to do this."

I just smile. "It was my pleasure to do it. Try it on."

He does so and I am pleased I got the length right. It is still too wide for him, however, it could keep him warmer in the cold. He thanks me again before we return to getting ready. Once we have had a speedy breakfast and are ready to leave, Thorin allows me to lead everyone out of Rivendell, following the path by the secret entrance.

"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Caladwen, Balin, you two know these paths; lead on." Thorin orders.

"Aye." Balin replies as he joins me at the front.

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up."

I glance back to see Bilbo looking back at Rivendell once more before filing in behind Oin and walking along. Balin and I lead everyone away from the elven city and we soon leave the boundaries of Rivendell behind and walk out into the wild.

We spend the next few days traveling along the wilderness and the plains, Thorin pushes us through the day as much as we can before taking rest during the night. Kili and I go hunting when we do rest. We eat and spend the time talking and telling stories before one by one falling asleep. Since I don't need as much sleep, I spend a few nights keeping watch, allowing the dwarves and Bilbo to get as much rest as they can.

A week after we've left Rivendell, we stop for the night not far from the path into the Misty Mountain. From here, I can see Mount Gundabad, my elven sight catching the top of the settlement I had spent almost three years of my life as a prisoner.

I turn to Thorin as the others are setting up camp. "Can we not move on and find somewhere else to rest?"

Thorin looks to me, an empathetic expression on his face as he walks over to me, taking my hands into his.

"I know your fear, amralime, and I understand how you must be feeling. But, we cannot move on now. It will be dark soon."

Looking to the sky, I see he is right. The sun is just beginning its decent behind the mountain. I turn back to Thorin as he squeezes my hands, seeing him give me a comforting expression.

"Everything will be fine, meleth nin. You are not alone this time. We are together. I will keep you safe."

I feel a rush of pleasure go through my body at hearing him speaking in my native tongue, the elven words just rolling off his tongue. I had known his father had him learning the language, as a way to understand their neighbours. Although, I do feel it being a way to tell if the elves are being deceitful towards them. But, either way, to hear him speak it so softly and gently to me. . .it warms my heart.

We join the others are camp has been set up. After setting my pack down, I take Bilbo aside to continue our training, however, with me being distracted by the surrounding area, I ask Fili if he could take over for me, which he agrees to. After dropping my blade off with my belongings, I sit on the edge of camp where I begin my meditation, hoping I can calm myself down before watch that night.

"She-elf! Get up!"

I groan and bite my lip hard to stop from crying out in pain as I feel a whip lash out onto my bare back, waking me from my restless sleep. The Orc that woke me up roughly grabs the collar of my shirt and yanks me onto my feet, shoving me out of my cell.

"Get to work, slave!"

Gritting my teeth from my new and almost healed wounds, I get on with the jobs I am ordered to do. Cleaning, cooking, feeding the Wargs and even providing 'entertainment' by fighting Orcs in my already weakened state. I do not complain, because if I did, I would be killed. After almost a year of enduring this, I am surprised I have not yet faded, but there's one thing, should I say person, that keeps me going. Thorin. The thought and dream of seeing my One once more keeps me fighting. . .he keeps me alive.

This day does not intend to be another good day for me. . .when do I ever get any good days stuck in this nightmare? As I am lifting a heavy pot of stew, one of the wounds on my arms tears open once more, blood pooling quickly. I bite my lip to keep from crying out and turn to take the pot to the waiting orcs. As I begin to walk over, however, my bleeding arm spasms suddenly and to my horror, the pot slips from my grasp to land on the floor with a clatter, stew covering the floor and splattering up onto me as well.

The Orcs see this and five of them instantly jump on me and whip, slash and cut me wherever they can.

"What is all this racket!?"A dark and evil voice shouts, causing the Orcs to stop.

I look up and inwardly cringe, Azog the Defiler is standing there, glaring down at me. As he sees what has happened, he chuckles evilly.

"Had another clumsy moment, she-elf?" he asks as he stalks over to me, lifting me up by my throat. I grab onto his arm as he squeezes, cutting off my air supply. "Boys, I think now is about time that we finally mark this one as our own, what do you say?"

My eyes instantly go wide as the Orcs cheer. Azog throws me back into a group of Orcs, who all drag me back and throw me onto a stone table. I scream and try to fight back against them, but they all pin me down, one of them pulling my left arm out, the underside facing up.

Azog walks over and runs a hand over my cheek, I have to hold back from shivering in disgust at his touch. "You will soon learn, that once you are mine, you will never be free."

He pulls away and one of his Orcs, Yazneg, walks over and, with an evil grin on his face, begins cutting into my skin, causing me to scream in agony. As blood drips from my new wounds and as the pain gets worse, everything begins to turn black. The last thing I hear before the dark claims me is the orcs' cruel laughter ringing in my ears.

As I come out of the meditation, I feel my whole body jolt violently, a small scream escaping my lips as I throw my hands out to steady me. My scream startles the company, Thorin rushing over to me as I am breathing heavily, trying to pull myself back into the real world. Feeling Thorin take my hands, I grip hold of them, using him to pull me back, to keep me grounded. Hearing him speaking soothing words in both Khuzdul and Sindarin helps a lot and soon enough, my breathing is back to normal and I am no longer in the throes of the vision.

"Thank you." I say breathlessly.

He gives a soft smile as he squeezes my hands. "Are you alright?"

I nod. "Yes. I am now."

He nods as he stands and goes back to the others, who instantly turn away from us, to give me some privacy, and they all retreat to their bed rolls for the night. Thorin returns with a bowl of stew for me.

"Here. Eat. You missed dinner."

I smile gratefully as I take it and eat quietly as he sits back next to me with his pipe.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Thorin asks once I have finished eating.

I sigh as I pull my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. "Not really. Just reliving them moment where. . ."

I turn my left arm over, my sleeve and vambrace covering the scar. He just nods as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him. I wrap my left arm around his waist as I lay my head on his shoulder.

"I am sorry to have caused you so much grief by us camping here. If we could have, I would have pushed us on further."

I smile. "I know you would have. I do not blame you. I know that time was of the essence and we do not even know if we would have found a suitable place further along. Tis only for one night. I will be fine. Do not worry."

He places a kiss on my head and the two of us stay awake the whole night, quietly talking as we keep watch.

We finally reach the mountain pass a few days later and walk along the trail, which soon becomes narrow and dangerous, the further up we go, a cliff face on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There is also fierce storm in the air, with thunder, lightning and rain all around us.

"Hold on!" I hear Thorin calling out from next to me.

I look back in time to see Bilbo as he walks the stone beneath his feet gives away, and he starts falling into the chasm; I breathe a sigh of relief as Dwalin and Bofur manage to pull him back in time.

I turn to Thorin. "Thorin! We must find shelter!"

He nods as he continues on.

"LOOK OUT!" Dwalin suddenly yells.

Looking up, I see a huge boulder hurtling through the air; it hits the mountainside above us, causing rocks to fall all around us as we press ourselves against the mountain, Thorin covering me to protect me.

"Look out, brother!" I hear Gloin call out from behind me.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin cries, pointing ahead.

I look up and my jaw drops as I see a stone giant rearing up from a nearby mountain; it rips off a massive boulder from the top of the mountain. In all my time coming over this mountain, I have never seen anything like that before!

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur shouts.

The giant throws a boulder far in the air; following it, I see another stone giant, which appears from behind us, and it is hit in the head by the boulder.

"Take cover you fool!" Thorin calls back to Bofur, who is soon pulled back.

We yell at each other to brace and hold on, and the rocks beneath our feet begin to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. I grab onto the mountain to keep myself steady as the ground between some of the other members split; part of the group is on one side, and part on the other.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki..." I hear Fili shout.

Looking up, I see him, Bilbo, Dwalin, Bofur, Bombur and Ori on one side of the mountain. I look on in horror as the part of the mountain we are on is another stone giant and we are standing on one of its legs!

We manage to jump off the leg and onto the mountain, ducking every so often as bits of rock and rubble fall on top of us. We watch helplessly as the other leg moves past us and hurtles into the mountain as the giant falls into the chasm. I put a hand over my mouth, my eyes wide in horror at the thought of them being crushed and dart around Thorin to run over.

"No! No! Fili!" Thorin yells in anguish as he follows.

As we round the corner, we breath a sigh of relief as I see the others are safe.

"They're all right! They're alive!" I hear Gloin shout back as Thorin goes to his nephew.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" I hear Bofur ask.

I whip around and notice he is not with us.

"There!" Ori yells.

I look over and see him hanging onto the cliff side.

"Get him!" Dwalin calls out as Bofur and Ori lay on the ground to get him.

As they are trying to reach him, Bilbo slips and falls another few feet before he catches another handhold. As the dwarves try to pull him up unsuccessfully, ignoring Thorin calls, I swing down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boost him up, where the others pull him to safety. I then cry out as I lose my grip.

"Caladwen!" Thorin calls out as Dwalin throw himself down and grabs onto my arm.

Thorin drops next to him to grab my other arm and the both of them pull me back up onto the ledge. Getting onto my feet, Thorin pulls me away from the edge slightly, his hands gripping my upper arms gently as he looks at me.

"Are you alright, Caladwen?" he asks, worry evident in his voice.

I smile as I nod. "I am fine, thank you."

He smiles as he presses his forehead against mine in a sign of affection.

"Thank you also, Dwalin." I say as I turn to the bald dwarf.

He grins and gives me a wink as he stands. "I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place among us."

I look to Thorin as he turns away, disappointment clear on my face at this. How could he say such a thing like that? Has he truly changed so much?

"Dwalin!"

Dwalin follows him as they go inside a cave.

As Bilbo walks past me, I place a comforting hand on his shoulder. He gives me a small, tight, smile before we walk on into the cave.

"It looks safe enough." Dwalin states.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Thorin orders.

Dwalin searches the cave with a lantern.

"There's nothing here."

Gloin drops a bundle of wood on the floor, when we are all inside, and rubs his hands.

"Right then! Let's get a fire started."

"No, No fires, not in this place." Thorin says as he walks past him. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."

Balin turns to him. "We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan."

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch."

The dwarf in question nods as the rest of us settle down for the night. Thorin has me set my bedroll down beside him, and even though I'm still unhappy with what he said about Bilbo before, I gladly do so, not wanting to be away from him, especially since I know what lies within these mountains.

I am woken up by someone moving about, thinking it's Bofur coming off watch, I just try to relax and go back to sleep, when I hear his voice.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to Rivendell."

Glancing up at Bilbo's voice, I see Bofur standing in front of the hobbit who is all packed and ready to leave.

"No, no, you can't turn back now, you're part of the Company. You're one of us."

"I'm not though, am I? Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking. I should never have run out my door."

Looking at Thorin, I see him also awake and give him a look as if to say; "See what you've done?" he at least has the decency to look shameful at this.

"You're homesick; I understand."

"No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do - you're dwarves. You're used to - to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere."

I look down at this. That had to hurt for the two dwarves to hear. I do not really have much of a home, unless you count Rivendell, and I was even hurt by that. Looking up, I see Thorin looking saddened by this. Reaching up, I run my fingers over his cheek, to give him some comfort. He gives me a small smile of gratitude and places a kiss on my hand as we hear Bilbo sigh.

"I am sorry, I didn't. . ."

"No, you're right." he looks to the others. "We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do."

Bofur smiles and places his hand on Bilbo's shoulder, Bilbo smiles back before turning to leave.

"What's that?" Bofur suddenly asks.

Looking up at this, I see Bilbo pull his sword partway out of its sheath and sees that it is glowing bright blue. Just as I realise what that mean, a noise stops my thoughts. Thorin also looks up as he hears the same thing I do, some strange machinery noise. As we sit up, not far from us we see cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.

"Wake up. Wake up!" Thorin roars.

Everyone is immediately up, but before anything more can be done, the floor opens up and we all fall through.

...

Well there we go, into Goblin Town we go. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I apologise again for the lateness of it. Please leave me your reviews, I love to hear from you all xx

Translations;

amralime - My love

meleth nin - My love