Hobbit 1. No More Shadows

**Hello All! I am once again trying my hand at fanfiction writing. We will see how well I can do with this story! Obviously I don't own any rights to this besides my OC character. Besides that. Not much else to say. Hope you enjoy this story!**

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No one expected her to tag along. No one noticed her missing either. Little Svelta had snug out after the departing party, unable to see her best friends Kili and Fili leave her behind. Following them just off the trail had proved hazardous. But she had done her best and now sat just outside hobbit home, peering in through a window, watching them laugh and talk with the others dwarves, ones who didn't even know she existed.

Svelta was unusual for a dwarf. She was smaller than the average dwarf, even for one as young as she. She was 20 years Kili's minor, and a foot and some shorter than him to top it off as well. This added to the fact that she was invisible. No one noticed she was there. No one noticed she wasn't there. Abandoned by a young age by her family due to her extremity of smallness, she hadn't gotten to know them very much. Some questioned whether she was really dwarf at all or if she was something else, human maybe. She didn't have a beard as all dwarves did, and her hands and feet were considerably smaller than that of her dwarf companions. Still, she had survived on her own, and when not many people acknowledge her existence, she knew she wouldn't be missed.

She was lucky to have such amazing friends as Fili and Kili who did notice her and had always been kind to her, even though they were to be the future kings and she was but a lowly commoner.

Crinkling her nose, she peered through the window again. The two young princes always made her feel safe as who she was, not blending into the shadows and forgotten as an outcast of her race. Her head whirling, she heard chuckling down the road. Slinking down she saw Dori, Ori, and Nori approach up the pathway, knock, introduce themselves to the nice hobbit host, and enter. With a sigh of relief of going once again unnoticed, she returned to watching her friends inside. If anyone knew she had come, she would be sent back to a place that didn't want her. Even if she had to continue to just tail her friends the whole way, at least she would be among people who wanted her.

She didn't hear the next stranger approach, and jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder. Turning, she saw the great wizard she had heard so much lore about.

"Svelta, why are you here and not back among the safety of the others?"

Her silenced caused Gandalf to sigh and shake his head.

"Fine, fine then. We will just have to see about adding you to the company then my dear. Oh no, it's quite alright don't make a fuss about it. I won't hear it any other way. You will either join the company and come with us or you will be sent right back to the hills do you hear me?"

Mutely, Svelta nodded, her eyes huge with fear of being caught before Gandalf sighed again and smiled down at her. "My dear there is nothing to fear here. I know these people will keep you safe. And above all, I will ensure your safety as best as I can. As long as no one knows of your heritage, all will remain safe."

He received a confused glance at that to which he merely shook his head and chuckled. "All in good time my dear. You will learn all in good time. Now, no more dilly-dallying! Let us commence joining the party! I'm sure Mr. Baggins would love two more guests at his place tonight."

* * *

Bilbo became greatly irritated when another knock sounded at his door. Opening it, he started the charade that had become almost natural with all the parties showing up previous to this. "You have the wrong place, there is not party here, please to leave."

Looking up though, he saw Gandalf, the start of all of his troubles, the cause of all of this. And my did he have a word or two he needed to tell Gandalf for starting this whole catastrophe. "Now you listen here Mr. Gandalf! I will not have any of these people in my house! What are they doing here?"

"Ah! Mr. Bilbo Baggins. May I introduce myself and my guest here?"

"You may not. You are not welcome here. None of you are. None of them are. All of you must leave this instant. You have the wrong house. You are looking for one over the hill or around the corner. Thank you very much!"

"Not welcome?" screeched a voice from the kitchens.

"Wrong place?" called another equally as familiar as the first.

Fili and Kili walked into view of the front door to see what sort of commotion Bilbo was causing, only to see the great wizard Gandalf and none other than the friend, who they had thought they had left safely behind when they set out on this journey, Svelta.

"Svelta?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Why are you here?"

"Not that we don't want you here of course!"

At this point all she could do was smile and blush at the two princes' questions. It mattered a lot to her just the fact that they cared enough to ask and not demand to send her back. Waving a hand at them casually, she glanced at the ground. She hadn't thought she would make contact with them when she had originally set out to follow them. So to do so now had caught her off guards and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"No matter."

"No matter"

"We don't mind"

"No not at all!"

"Come sit with us and have some food!"

"Come make yourself right at home!" the two lads chorused.

"No, no, definitely not! You will not make yourself at home. None of you will. You all need to leave!" Bilbo said, trying to jut his input back into the conversation again, focusing it back on the matter on hand of everyone in his house.

"Come now Bilbo, be hospitable. It won't hurt you to spend one night feeding some hungry and weary travelers now would it?"

Bilbo sighed before marching off to stop someone from doing something to one of his valuables. Smiling at this, Gandalf motioned Svelta to go and join Fili and Kili who each greeted her with a hug now that she had stepped inside the doorway. Turning about, Gandalf counted the dwarves, before concluding that everyone besides Thorin had arrived. Glancing at the back corner of the table where the twins had settled down with Svelta, he began to worry about the dear girl, and what she had gotten herself into now that she had left the safety of her home and the safety spells he had put in place there as well.

But he shook himself of his stupor when a hard knock came to the door. Silence fell over the hobbit hole and Gandalf whispered to Bilbo. "He's here."

* * *

When the knock came, Svelta shrunk back further into the corner. Back home Thorin had rarely noticed her. Would he now? Could she get away with just blending into her backgrounds as she always had and disappearing so no one could notice her? But no, she had to ask him as Gandalf had told her to whether or not she could join his company. No more sneaking in the shadows for the moment for her.

So it was then, when Thorin entered, sat himself at the table and began to eat and talk with his closest friend and adviser Balin that she un-shrank herself and, to the astonishment of Fili and Kili who were used to her hiding around others and not being seen by anyone besides them, she sat up straight in her chair, reaching forward to grab her mug. But the movement didn't catch Thorin's eye. It was only when later, after Bilbo had feinted that Gandalf mentioned her to Thorin, bringing her to his attention, even when she had for once in her life that she could remember, been trying to be seen.

Turning and glaring at her, he scowled, "Why are you here?"

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**What did you think? Reviews are helpful but not demanded. I hate when other authors demand reviews or say if they don't get any they will stop writing because they are only writing for the reviews. Write to write! Don't write just to be praised by others. Anyway. I will try and post another chapter here soon. So if you liked this, look for that. I hope you enjoyed this! Thanks!**


	2. Part of the Company

**Well! Here is another chapter! I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I am! Although rather exciting I must admit I am a little rusty on the story, so unlike other stories, there will not be as many direct quotes in this one. I will do my best with what I can recall, and will probably deviate from the book and the movie somewhat in my attempt to include Sveta's story. As always, I do not own anything in this story besides Svelta and her story, everything else belongs to a writer far above my expertise level. Hope you enjoy reading!**

**P.S. The lines are supposed to split not necessarily points of view but the main focused character of that section so that it isn't so confusing.**

**P.P.S. I included the last bit from the previous chapter so you don't get lost!**

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_It was only when later, after Bilbo had fainted that Gandalf mentioned her to Thorin, bringing her to his attention, even when she had for once in her life that she could remember, been trying to be seen._

_Turning and glaring at her, he scowled, "Why are you here?"_

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Svelta faltered in her confidence as she came to combat the stern glare of the not so happy dwarf king to be. Before she could try and explain herself, her two closest friends jumped in to save her.

"Uncle just let her stay!"

"She is doing no harm as she is just let her be!"

"She followed us here to be with us. Why cant you just be nice to her and let her join us?"

"Yeah! Let her join the company! Im sure no one else here would object to that!"

At that though, the others turned and gazed from around the table at her, as though seeing her for the first time, which they were. Gazing back at all their hard, inquiring stares, Svelta's smile began to falter as she realized that she wasn't wanted here. She wasn't wanted in yet another place in her life. Would she ever belong anywhere? Swallowing hard, she began to shrink back into the shadows. Or tried to at least, when a steady hand on her back prevented her from doing so. Turning to her left, she looked up into Kili's eyes, seeing the reassurance there she would need to try and stay in the light.

Gandalf was answering Thorin's questions as she tried her best to sit up straight and tall and look as much dwarf as she believed herself to be. Why couldn't the others just accept her for who she was, who she is? Why must she always be an outcast no matter where she went?

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Kili looked down at the scared eyes of his friend. He wished others could see her the way he did. One of his closest friends, he would do anything for her just to see her smile. Turning from her to gaze around the table, he met the eyes of the other dwarves, some were fearful, some cautious, none were inviting and open as Kili expected. Why weren't these people open to a fellow dwarf joining their company? Especially since Dain and the dwarves of the Iron Hills had denied joining them on this great adventure! Turning back, Kili suddenly got the urge to draw Svelta to him and hold her tightly, anything to comfort her. Blushing hard, he looked instead at Fili, who has staring hard at their uncle. Hoping no one else saw his burning cheeks, he wondered where the impulse had come from. It was unnatural feeling and strange, yet somehow it had felt right. Swallowing hard he continued to stare at Fili until he gained further control of his emotions to rejoin the conversation.

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Fili was outraged. How could Thorin not welcome another dwarf into the group? It was bad enough they were going to be joined by an untrained, unskilled, so called burglar hobbit, but seriously not letting another dwarf join when they need all the dwarves they can get?

Frustrated, he swung an arm around Svelta to show she had their support, only to find his brother's arm already there. Good, she knew we both support her.

Fuming he waited until the right point in time to interject at give his uncle a piece of his mind and let him know exactly what he thought about how mean he was being to the young dwarf.

Seeing Thorin huff and turn from Gandalf, Fili thought he had his chance.

"Uncle! How dare you! After seeing both myself and Kili fight to be part of this company and join you in the glory of reclaiming our home. After finally realizing we are up to the fight and letting not just me, but both of us go, why now do you stutter in the face of another when she is just as talented as us. Why now do you let your ego and your pride stamp down another willing to dedicate themselves to your cause, to our cause. Why now uncle, after everything that you know will come to pass us, to you put aside a chance to have another join our company. I can tell you that Kili and I have trained her in combat with a sword and knives and even with a bow and I can tell you that she is more than qualified. I can tell you uncle -"

"You can tell me nothing when you don't even know who this girl is. Do you Fili? Do you Kili? Do you know who this girl is? What she really is?"

Kili looked affronted at the question, and bolstered out a "but of course we do, she is a dwarf like the rest of us!"

But Thorin merely rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You see? You know nothing. Nothing."

"Who is she then, if she is not a dwarf?" Kili was now enraged that his uncle would dare make remarks like this to her, in front of her and the entire company. It was discrediting and humiliating, and he would not stand for it to go on longer than it was.

"Enough!" Gandalf roared. "All of you stop bickering like old women. Now, it does not matter who she is or what she is, she is coming with us. And don't question me Thorin, you cannot make her stay behind and the Blue Hills are no longer safe for her. What is safest for her now is traveling with this company whether all of you like it or not." With a harumpf, he sat, glowering at everyone over the rim of his pipe, ready to lash out at any who crossed him.

Thorin was equally displeased but agreed to the matter, turning to Svelta, "Girl, if you are to come with us, you need to sign a contract then, to be officially part of the company." Motioning with a hand to Balin, who extended a contract towards her, he cleared his throat and continued. "You will not get in the way, you will not hold us back, you will not be a liability, you will not be seen when unnecessary."

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Svelta swallowed hard, holding onto the thickly folded paper in her not quite large enough to be dwarf hand. What was she if she wasn't a dwarf? Muddling it over in the back of her mind, she blindly nodded to Thorin's statements, knowing she would need to be careful not to cross him at any point in time throughout the journey. She was just here to be with friends. Glancing quickly through the contract, she looked to Ori to see if she could borrow his quill to sign it. Upon getting his attention, she mimed writing, and glanced him a smile when he understood.

How she hated not be able to talk! For as long as she could remember she hadn't been able to talk. No sound whatsoever escaped her lips. Not a word, not a laugh, not a scream, no sound at all. At times it was nice, it helped with her blending in. At other times it hurt, knowing she couldn't join in on the conversation.

With a flourish of her hand, she signed her name at the bottom of the contract. Pleased with herself, she handed it back to Balin with a sweet smile, returning the quill to Ori in the same manner. Arranging herself on the bench between the twins, she turned and gazed at Gandalf in the eye. After returning her look, her rose, muttering about checking on the hobbit in the other room. Wanting to be away from Thorin for awhile, Svelta rose, choosing to join the wizard and hobbit in the other room instead. Little did she know, Kili forlornly watched her go.

Entering into the room she came upon Gandalf talking about Bilbo's grandfather big enough to ride a horse and how he did, into battle once back during the great goblin wards. "At one point he found himself opposite the Goblin King himself and do you know what he did then Bilbo? He swung that club in his hand so hard, he knocked the goblin king's head clean off and it sailed through the air and landed in a rabbit hole on the edge of the fighting grounds. Thus the war was won and the game of golf was invented at the same time!"

"I don't believe you"

"Mr Baggins, you are the son of Belladonna Took. Surely there is a part of you yearning for adventure? Where is the little hobbit I used to know that loved my stories of grandeur and far away places?"

"He grew up Gandalf. I am a Baggins of Bag End and there will be no adventures had here today." Bilbo then noticed the young dwarf standing there. "Oh hello there." Turning to Gandalf again he motioned at her, "See? Why cant she go in my place. Obviously neither of us are wanted on this adventure, but she at least wants to go. What's the fun in going anyway?"

"You'll have a tale or two to tell when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?"

"No, and if you do, you will not be the same."

Bilbo swallowed, before rising, excusing himself from their company and retiring to his room.

Svelta turned to Gandalf, motioning at herself, questions in her eyes. But all Gandalf replied was "All in good time my dear, all in good time."

Turning, she noticed the other dwarves starting to trickle into the room. And before long, Thorin started to sing. Gandlaf stood to the side, taking in the song, wondering how the two newest members would fare on this journey. Bilbo heard the song from his room, and sat awake, listening, trying to decipher whether the pull he felt from the song was that of wanting to join them in their adventure or spurn them and their adventure and get them out of his house. And as for Svelta. She gazed around her, sitting between the twins, wishing she could have joined them in the song of her people. Or at least what she felt like was the song of her people.

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**Hope you enjoyed it! As it is Thanksgiving Break this week I will be posting a chapter a day I believe. Have a wonderful rest of your day!**


	3. And So It Begins

**Another chapter! Sorry that I missed posting yesterday, I will do my best to post two chapters tomorrow to make up for the fact! Hope you are all enjoying the story with me! It has definitely taken a different turn already that I had originally thought, but that is okay because it will be an adventure for all of us! Also, this chapter is by far the longest by an extra 600 words! Holy crap! do your best to contain your excitement, it will be okay!**

**I want to do a special thank you to lilithnija, AprilDaniel, and machine hearts for favoriting and following the story! It means so much! Thank you! hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much!**

**As always, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!**

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_Turning, she noticed the other dwarves starting to trickle into the room. And before long, Thorin started to sing. Gandlaf stood to the side, taking in the song, wondering how the two newest members would fare on this journey. Bilbo heard the song from his room, and sat awake, listening, trying to decipher whether the pull he felt from the song was that of wanting to join them in their adventure or spurn them and their adventure and get them out of his house. And as for Svelta. She gazed around her, sitting between the twins, wishing she could have joined them in the song of her people. Or at least what she felt like was the song of her people._

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Svelta felt herself shaken awake not soon after. Grimacing, she opened her eyes to find two curious brown ones gazing back at her. Jumping back, she realizing it was morning. Oh Joy. Another day. Pinching her lips together, she jumped to her feet, before proceeding to gather her things together into a pack. Turning once more to the young prince, she motioned towards the door, to which he smiled at her, calling "Breakfast is ready" as he left. Turning back towards the window, she gazed blearily out as the sun began to rise. Something in the back of her head muttered "leave at first light" so she figured she should hurry up with breakfast so she didn't make the group late.

Upon entering Bilbo's little dining area, she was promptly directed and seated back to where she had been the night before, between the two princes. Served a plate of food, she tried to remember the last time she had been treated so kindly by so many others. It brought a smile to her face, and while she wolfed down the food, she stayed to listen in while the others chatted around her just to continue the feeling of being part of this group.

"Is Uncle mad?"

"About Bilbo? Probably?"

"I was thinking frustrated. Here Gandalf drags us all the way out here for a burglar and then we don't get one!"

"Ah, aye. I see what you mean."

"Laddies, what are you talking about, of course we gained a burglar!" motioned Bofur from where he sat a couple chairs down from Fili. Smiling at Svelta, he motioned with his hand, further explaining himself to the twins. "Aye she may not be a hobbit, but if a dwarf is crafty enough to become unseen, that's a necessary trait of a burglar. And didn't you say she followed you all the way out here yet for not one moment did either of you realize you were being tracked? Obviously she is a smacking good one for a burglar! And there is the issue that she is silent as the night! I haven't heard a peep out of her since she arrived!"

At this, Svelta blushed furiously, causing Bofur to smile wider. But at the glance at the matching glowers on the princes' faces, he realized he had overstepped a line. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean harm by my statement. I was merely stating a fact!"

"We accept your explanation on why she is a burglar."

"But do not mock her silence again."

"Unless you wish to join her in eternal silence that is."

"Yes, we would be glad to grant you that one way ticket opportunity."

"Unfortunately it isn't something recoverable"

"So it would be wise to keep your own voice while you still can 'laddie'" Fili finished with a sneer and a nod in Bofur's direction.

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Balin came in to see the bout going on and asked what was all this to do. Glancing from face to face, he saw an embarrassed and abashed Bofur, a riled Fili, a glowering Kili, and a shamed and cowering Svelta. Confused, Balin looked from one dwarf to the next before landing on Kili. "Explain this!" he barked out. "Or do I need to get Dwalin in here to make you?"

"No need."

"Bofur merely criticized Svelta's speech."

"I did not!"

"Silence!" replied Balin, taking in each of the male dwarf's voiced thoughts. Turning his gaze to Svelta he asked. "And what speech would this be?"

"Her lack of speech" all three of them said at once.

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At this, Svelta raised her head. She could not have been more embarrassed. People hadn't complimented her on her lack of noise before and it was a weird feeling to know someone appreciated the fact that she didn't and hadn't yet made a sound. Gazing at the stern yet curious gaze of Balin, she felt tears prick her eyes. Great, just what she needed. To get emotional. That was a living creature's greatest weakness, be they dwarf or man or elf, according to Svelta. To show emotion is to be weak. To be stoic and brave no matter what one faced is to be strong. Lowering her head, abashed at the tears, she felt both brothers sling a protective arm around her. Faintly she heard Bofur offer up "Lass I'm sorry I didn't know. I didn't realize that it would be an offensive thing. I swear I meant it as a compliment!"

All she could do was nod in return.

Hearing a gruff voice in the hall, she straightened again, blinking away the tears, and with them, emotion that could be taken for weakness. Turning slightly, she gazed into clear brown eyes, and mustered a smile, before gazing back towards the room's threshold, waiting for Thorin to enter. And that he did.

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This sorry lot won't get anywhere if they do not learn how it is to be done in a timely matter with whatever is assigned to be done. Gazing around the kitchen and dining area, he realized that without him basically holding their hands, there was no way they would be leaving anytime soon. Grimacing as he saw his two nephews sitting doing nothing in the corner with the she-dwarf, Thorin wondered if this had indeed been a good decision. But with a sigh he realized that there was no backing out now no matter what he really thought. She had signed a contract, but the paper one for Balin and a verbal one for him. Gazing at her now, he wondered who she really was. Gandalf and her were protecting her identity, but eventually he would hear the end of this and know who she was. Until then though.

"Get up you lazies and go and pack and prepare the ponies!"

Kili, Fili, and unfortunately the she-dwarf all quickly nodded and got up to head outside to the ponies. Why out of all the dwarves did she feel the need to cling to his nephews? Why out of all of them? Snarling, Thorin turned to Balin to ask if everything was accounted for and what the company was going to do in terms of the hobbit and in terms of a burglar.

"Don't worry Thorin. The hobbit does not seem inclined to come. And Svelta, the she-dwarf" he added at Thorin's confused look, "will act as our burglar."

Pondering this for a moment, Thorin realized he didn't have much of a choice and he had to accept this. Gritting his teeth, he nodded to Balin. "Fine, as long as she stays in line she will do just fine."

At this Balin smiled, glad that Thorin was being reasonable with the girl. She seemed like a nice enough dwarf, and he quite enjoyed her and her presence she brought to any room, lighting it up like a candle in the dark. She would be a welcome join to the group.

Thorin's gaze darkened though, as he wondered what additional troubles she would bring to the group. He didn't know her or who she was. The journey would already be complicated and perilous without additional influence in the bad luck factor. Hopefully he could save his company, especially his nephews, from her grasp if it got to that point before it was too late.

* * *

Svelta tied her pack onto a pony smiling happily as she patted it. Nice horse, nice horse she kept thinking, trying to hide her actual fear of the creature, and hoping it wouldn't notice her fear of it. Turning, she gazed at the twins talking, heads bowed together, a few yards off. Smiling greater, she gazed at the nice dark hair, the movement of his lips when he talked the merriment in those eyes that one could drown in. What? Her mind screamed as she pulled herself back together. Staring blindly at the horse hide before her, her cheeks redder than dwarfly possible, she swallowed hard, trying to collect herself. How had she gotten distracted with how he looked? She never had given either brother a second thought in that matter before. Why now?

A hand on her shoulder nearly startled her to the point her heart might stop, but turning around, it was Gandalf, not Kili or Fili. Smiling nervously up at the great wizard, she listened as he bent into her ear, whispering something not meant for prying eyes. Or ears.

"Do you know who you are?"

Pulling back a couple inches, he gazed deep into her eyes. Shaking her head, she watched him frown concerned. Thinking, nodding to himself, Gandalf's eyes took on a distant look to them. Finally, leaning forward again, he muttered, "I will tell you soon. But for now, protect yourself."

Pulling back again, he placed a hand on her shoulder before turning in a swoosh of cloak and walking off to his own horse. Turning, she watched Thorin exit Bilbo's house. And anxiety hit her right then and there as his head turned and their eyes locked. Knowing that Gandalf's meaning had to have meant involving Thorin, she turned and busied herself again in her pony.

* * *

Finally Thorin gave the order. Everyone mounted their ponies. Ori closed the door to the hobbit's home after he and his two brothers had done a final check through and make sure everything was in order.

And so, they rode out.

Soon bets began to be placed on whether the hobbit would show up or not. As she had no money to bet, Svelta kept out of it, but enjoyed watching who bet who and who thought what. Personally she didn't think the hobbit would survive if he did come. And if he did indeed come. He would need a lot of help, a lot of training, and probably someone would still need to start looking out for him.

When his voice did come, all Svelta did was shake her head and smile. If she had a voice she would have laughed. Merely for the fact that the hobbit was stupid enough to still come and show up and join them. But oh well. Here he was. And off they would go, now with a hobbit in tow as well.

Except for one problem. Thorin ordered he be given a pony to ride, to which of course Bilbo promptly refused. But Svelta had taken the empty pony. Knowing this was part of her verbal contract with Thorin, Svelta quickly dismounted, before watching the twins hoist a struggling Bilbo onto her just vacated seat. Smiling at Bilbo, she gave him a reassuring pat on the knee, before turning to begin walking beside the company. Just as she had on the way out to the hobbit's home. Except when hands grabbed her as well, and suddenly she found herself sitting behind Kili on his horse. Her cheeks began greatly enflamed as she sat there.

Turning slightly, an equally blushing Kili murmured to her under his breath as so Fili wouldn't hear, "you might want to hand on there lass"

Nodding sheepishly, she loosely wrapped her arms around his waist, ever conscious of what of her was in contact with him. If this was the new arrangement, it was going to be a long ride to the Lonely Mountain, fancy handkerchiefs or not!

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**Yay! I'm so excited for this story now! I've got the next several chapters planned out already and will start writing them in tomorrow! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as the last! Until the next chapter, Goodbye!**

**Which reminds me! if you haven't gotten a chance, go to youtube and look up The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies Offical Song and one of the actor hobbits from Lord of the Rings is singing the closing song for the final movie and it is amazing. It is called something like Last Goodbye or something similar, but it is incredible. I can't wait!**

**Enjoy, hobbit readers!**


	4. Orcs in the Night

**I would like to thank everyone for supporting my fanfic, especially OFBLOODANDROSES and Silhouettes of Starlight for following and favoriting my piece! It means a lot! Hope you all enjoy this newest addition and for those of you in the United States I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy this newest edition!**

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_Except for one problem. Thorin ordered he be given a pony to ride, to which of course Bilbo promptly refused. But Svelta had taken the empty pony. Knowing this was part of her verbal contract with Thorin, Svelta quickly dismounted, before watching the twins hoist a struggling Bilbo onto her just vacated seat. Smiling at Bilbo, she gave him a reassuring pat on the knee, before turning to begin walking beside the company. Just as she had on the way out to the hobbit's home. Except when hands grabbed her as well, and suddenly she found herself sitting behind Kili on his horse. Her cheeks began greatly enflamed as she sat there._

_Turning slightly, an equally blushing Kili murmured to her under his breath as so Fili wouldn't hear, "you might want to hand on there lass"_

_Nodding sheepishly, she loosely wrapped her arms around his waist, ever conscious of what of her was in contact with him. If this was the new arrangement, it was going to be a long ride to the Lonely Mountain, fancy handkerchiefs or not!_

* * *

Stopping for the night, Svelta gingerly slid off of the horse. She was sore in places she didn't know she could be sore. Gingerly walking away from the horse, she heard a laugh, and turned to see FIli and Kili watching her. Sticking her tongue out at them, she turned bag and almost waddled to the nearest tree before sliding down.

"Lass you want to ride a horse again tomorrow?"

"Cause you'll have to!"

Laughing the twins watched as she just shook her head. There was no way that she would ever get back on one of those creatures. Glancing over, she watched Bilbo experiencing the same issue and that fact made her smile.

"Alright you lot. Let's get set for the night!" called out Balin.

Thorin turned and began assigning everyone their jobs for the night. "Bombur, you got dinner going. Nori help him if you can. Oin and Gloin, you two get firewood. Fili, Kili the ponies, and then you two will have the first watch. Ori, Dori second watch. Bofur, Bifur last watch. Everyone else, start setting up camp. Tomorrow we will switch it up." Everyone nodded at the decree and set about to work.

Clumsily getting to her feet, Svelta made off towards the edge of the woods while everyone else began to dig a pit in the middle and set sleeping pads around it. Sighing she turned, gazing around the cave they were camping in. Looking for a place where she could sit out of the way from everyone, she searched for a spot preferably maybe slightly away from everyone too, for while she did enjoy the company of her friends, she still felt safest alone.

* * *

So it was there on a ledge high above camp, nestled between a couple of trees, able to see in all directions, that Kili found her. Dinner have been called, but she had not appeared, so Fili and Kili had searched for her. It wasn't until they started looking outside the direct vicinity of the camp that their eyes stumbled upon the small form of the she-dwarf sitting gazing out over the ravine they were camping beside. Fili had then nudged Kili, handing him a bowl of food and nodding towards her form, before Kili approached her with food.

She looked up, confusion showing slightly as he called her name, calling her out of her mind. Handing her the bowl of food, Kili sat, determined to keep her company for even just her meal.

"Why are you up here alone?"

There was a rumbling in her bag until she produced a journal, quill, and ink. It was only then that Kili had realized his mistake, as he had so many times before growing up with her. It was hard to remember she was mute sometimes when it was hard enough to realize she was there. Only through being around her so much did Kili learn to recognize her, before then she blended in even for him. Gazing at her as she scribbled furiously, he was distracted when she tried to show him the page.

Safe

"What do you mean safe? You are safe with the company. Down in our company. You don't need to hide up here away from us."

I do. I don't know or don't remember why. But I am safest alone. I know this with the deepest part of me. My essence yearns to be safe and the only way for me to be safe is to be alone. Only then can I protect not only myself but everyone.

"What are you talking about?"

I told you. I don't know. Hopefully the elves can tell me.

"Elves? What makes you think we will be seeing elves?"

Gandalf.

"Has he made other plans for us besides going to the Lonely Mountain?"

I know not, only that at some point we will see elves, elves Gandalf believes can lift my memory block.

"Memory block? What like you don't have a couple memories?"

Basically. I remember nothing earlier than that day in the Blue Hills that I first met you and Fili.

"But that was only 10 years ago."

I know. I remember nothing before then. It is as though one day I showed up in your village and just seemed to be, like magic. One moment I wasn't there, the next I was, no intermit time to grow up, be born, have a childhood. Nothing. There is nothing in my mind before the day I first met you two. It is merely a blank slate.

"That is so strange!"

It scares me.

"It would scare me too don't worry about that!"

But what scares me more. What scares me more is what Gandalf said. It matters not who I am, just that I'm safest with the company and the spell over the village is broken. Part of me wonders if Gandalf is the one that took my memories and is too guilty to give them back so he has developed this ruse to make it seem like other magic put it in place.

Kili sat, thinking about this. He realized then that all the time that Fili and himself had known her, they had never asked about her childhood, about her past, as they merely hadn't cared. All they had wanted was her friendship, untainted as it was from the need to serve the two princes, untainted as it was from the social caste system separating the two princes from everyone else. Looking at her curiously, he asked, "Who are your parents?"

I don't know.

"But surely you were living with someone for the last 10 years?" he asked amazed.

Her silence as she gazed over the ravine was her only response.

"Oh."

* * *

Kili joined Fili for the watch, bringing down her empty bowl as he did. He had left her with parting words assuring her she would be safe with his brother and himself if she ever wished to sleep closer but that while he and Fili were on watch they would make sure she was also safe up there on the ledge. She had nodded her thank and gone back to staring. It bothered him but he needed to return to start his watch so he could not dwell on it further. Turning to his brother, he brought up what she had said before concluding, "Do you remember anything strange about her when we first met her?"

"No I don't believe so"

"Me neither"

"And you said she is just staring across the ravine now?"

"yeah, always returned to that state."

"Weird"

"I know"

Each brother lapsed into silence as they continued to look around, trying to see if there was something across the ravine, reflecting on their strange friend, and thinking of the days to come. Their thoughts though were interrupted by a howl rising out of the east.

"What was that?" Bilbo was awake.

Nudging Kili with a smile, Fili responded "Oh just an orc."

"An orc?"

"Yeah bloodthirsty creatures. The forest is probably crawling with them." Kili muttered with a laugh

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is funny?" Thorin was apparently awake too.

"No, we didn't mean any harm." Fili muttered.

"We didn't know." Added Kili

"Of course you don't know. You are too young, too inexperienced. You don't know nothing."

The brothers hung their heads in shame, only raising them upon Balin's comment.

"It's alright laddies, Thorin just has more reason than most to hate orcs."

And with that he launched into the story of Thorin and Azog and the battle at the Mines of Moria.

* * *

Svelta sat, out of the notice of all the dwarves up on her ledge, listening. She was intrigued with the story. She had been watching a lone warg pace across the ravine but had thought nothing of it now that they were in orc territory. Only now, with this story did she realize really who she was traveling with, who these people were, and what out there might want them dead. This journey would definitely be an interesting one at that.

Balin concluded his story with "and I knew, that was a king. That was one I could follow."

Thorin turned, facing the company, knowing that in that moment he had the support of every member, now awake and watching him, and knew that he could count on every single one for their support in his cause. Gazing at his nephews, he nodded at them once before returning to his sleeping pad, causing all the others besides the twins on watch to silently fallow suit. Finally it was just them two and Svelta up on her ledge awake.

Returning her gaze across the ravine she noticed the lone warg was gone and knew trouble was close at hand. Hopefully they would be gone soon enough in the morning before the orc pack found their way to them across the ravine. Glancing down at her two closest friends, she hoped in the end, she could protect them from the dangers of the world. For, for some reason she didn't know, she felt the ability to defend them against any enemy, and hoped this would come to help in the end but wouldn't be needed. Yet her gut was clenched already at the disappearance of the warg, telling her she would need to protect her friends if any hoped to survive.

* * *

**Sorry I didn't feel like writing out the entire speech by Balin at 3 am, but on the flip side I already have the first half of the next chapter written! Will hopefully post that soon. Until then, have fun in life my readers, you are all amazing people. Hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Becoming Troll Soup

**Hello readers! So sorry that I have been away for awhile, the end of the semester was a stressful one and I needed to concentrate on my grades and my AP classes. But it is winter break again and I will do my best to update as much as I can! I have not forgotten about this story yet! Never fear readers!**

**Special thank you to all who have favorited, followed, and reviewed my story so far! I appreciated it!**

**ro781727 - Thank you for the correction! and I hope you enjoy her as much as I am!  
**

* * *

_Returning her gaze across the ravine she noticed the lone warg was gone and knew trouble was close at hand. Hopefully they would be gone soon enough in the morning before the orc pack found their way to them across the ravine. Glancing down at her two closest friends, she hoped in the end, she could protect them from the dangers of the world. For, for some reason she didn't know, she felt the ability to defend them against any enemy, and hoped this would come to help in the end but wouldn't be needed. Yet her gut was clenched already at the disappearance of the warg, telling her she would need to protect her friends if any hoped to survive._

* * *

They camped again after several more days travel. The rain had everyone in a sour mood and as everyone clambered off their horses, they were merely glad it had stopped. After getting in a fight with Thorin, Gandalf stormed off, looking for only the company of himself thank you very much Mr. Baggins. Thorin once again assigned everyone what they would do. Most people got the same assignment. Bombur and Nori were still cooking. Fili and Kili were still in charge of the ponies. Svelta and Bilbo were given last watch that night. Knowing she should camp early so she could still get sleep in before her watch, Svelta looked for a good place to go to sleep and not be disturbed. Laying her pad just outside the first row of trees surrounding the clearing Thorin had chosen, she set herself to get comfortable right where she was, only to get stepped on as Kili and Fili came crashing through the underbrush. She hadn't realized she had laid herself in the path between the clearing and the ponies.

* * *

When Kili fell with a cry on their way to the horses, Fili was shocked. To embarrass one's self right in front of the whole camp for merely tripping on underbrush was not a good way to start the journey and definitely not a good way to stay on Thorin's good side.

"Kili? You okay?"

"Yeah, just tripped on something soft and that moved." Kili visibly shuddered.

Wanting to make sure he was safe, Fili drew two of his knives and crouched beside him, inching the plants away from where he had tripped. It was not an exaggeration to say both brothers were clearly shocked to see the mortified face of their she-dwarf friend staring back at them through the ferns.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! Did I step on you?"

"For the gods' sakes Kili, did you really step on her?"

"I didn't see her! I didn't mean to!"

"Are you okay lass?"

Svelta merely nodded, her cheeks still aflame as her gaze jumped quickly back and forth between the two.

"What's the trouble boys? Having an issue finding the ponies?" called Balin. A laugh erupted from those sitting close by as they gaze where the two boys sat talking quietly in the bush. Thorin rose to go have a look, remembering Kili's call from earlier and worrying the boy had already injured himself.

Svelta saw him approaching and her eyes widened before she flipped over and wormed her way into the forest, disappearing moments before Thorin reached the two princes.

"And what is the meaning of this?" he glowered from one nephew to the other. When neither refused to answer, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Get to the ponies. And if any of them are missing because you two are tramping through the underbrush instead of watching them, we will find a nice town to drop you two in and you won't be accompanying us to the mountain. Clear?" with satisfactory nods from both, he turned grumbling and strode back to camp.

The princes quickly rose and hurried off to the ponies. There they found Svelta standing, looking as though she was impatient.

* * *

She couldn't see what had taken them so long. She had run to the ponies as soon as she could and had expected them to follow. When they hadn't she had then turned to watching after the ponies until they did. That is when she noticed they were missing two of the ponies. She wished she could have called to them to hurry. Gazing at an overturned tree she wondered what possibly could have taken the ponies. Swallowing hard, she became determined to watch over the rest until she was able to get the princes to help her get back the missing ponies.

Finally they burst through the trees and she turned to gaze at them. As they gazed at her, she motioned, first to the horses, then to the tree. She watched them visibly swallow as they counted the ponies, once, then twice, and coming to the same conclusion she had.

* * *

Just then, at the moment of their greatest distress, Bilbo came marching over, holding two bowls of food. Upon seeing Svelta there he swallowed hard. "I'm sorry my dear but I didn't realize that you would be here too or I would have brought another bowl." But Svelta waved him away, being the only one to seem to notice him. Realizing the others were taking their bowls, Bilbo asked what was wrong.

"Well, we had 16 horses."

"And now we have 14"

"Aye, we seem to be missing two."

"Misplaced them somewhere."

"Should we tell Thorin?" Bilbo asked hesitantly.

"No."

"Definitely not."

"He would be mad if we did."

"Mad? He would skin the two of us alive."

Bilbo hesitated when he saw the twins glance at each other, a grin starting to form on both of their faces.

"Good thing we have a burglar."

"Yeah, this is the perfect job for a burglar to be doing."

"Now, burglar Baggins"

"Go and burglar back our two lost ponies."

Bilbo swallowed hard. Following the two brothers and Svelta over past the fallen trees, he held tight to the food bowls, feeling that was the only thing grounding him still in this bizarre nightmare he had to be having. The foursome came up upon the edge of the mountain troll camp. "Lovely" was all Bilbo could mutter.

Turning to him, Kili smiled and took the bowls from him, while Fili whispered in his ear. "Good. Now remember if you need help hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a swallow, and thrice like an African dove."

"A what?" Bilbo exclaimed but turning, they were gone. Sighing he turned forward again ready to face the trolls.

* * *

Little to Bilbo's knowledge, while the twins had indeed gone back to get Thorin and the rest of the company, Svelta had stayed and was currently sitting, hidden in the brush, watching him. Reaching into the hidden pocket of her dwarf tunic, she pulled out two daggers she always kept with her. She had had them as long as she remembered, which unfortunately was only 10 years, but through watching Fili train on his double swords and then practicing on her daggers the same way, she now felt able to defend Bilbo if he needed it, which she felt he would indeed need it. Svelta kneeled behind the tree, watching as the hobbit crawled over towards the horses, the trolls distracted by one of them sneezing in the pot. It wasn't until one went to grab their handkerchief as Bilbo was trying to get their knife to cut the rope binding the ponies. Watching the troll sneeze on him before the three then decided to interrogate him, Svelta snuck forward, wishing she had her bow and arrow she had learned how to use after watching Kili trained. As they were going to tear him apart, she darted forward, daggers swinging, until she realized the lacerations that she would normally have inflicted on the hay stacks back home. Or at least the place she had called home for 10 years. Spinning and swirling between their legs, she danced around, daggers swinging. But they did nothing for the trolls, who glanced down distracted to see what they deemed another one like Bilbo.

But at that moment the rest of the company came through, axes swinging. Thankful for the help, the she-dwarf danced to the side, helping Bilbo up from where he had fallen. Together they got over to the ponies and with her daggers were able to set them free. Svelta then continued back into the battle, working to help the dwarves by acting as a distraction for the trolls while they attacked.

One time she was twirling about when she went past the twins, allowing Kili to fire a shot at one troll's arm while Fili slashed at its leg, actually cutting it unlike Svelta's daggers. Kili got distracted then, caught up in watching her twirl between the trolls' legs distracting them and trying to give the dwarves a chance. It was only Fili pushing him out of the way from being stepped on that he snapped out of it. With a glare from Fili, they both rejoined the fray, seeing two of the trolls holding Bilbo, each of his limbs being held. Only the twins and Bofur noticed the third one holding Svelta, a swirling mass writhing in the troll's hands. But as the first two trolls threatened Bilbo's life, Thorin angrily threw down his sword, the other dwarves following suit.

The trolls made quick work of the company, laughing boisterously at having a nice juicy dwarf dinner that night rather than their usual ponies they had been having for the past several months. Loading half of the dwarfs on to the spit to slowly roast, the rest they bound in burlap sacks and threw in a pile, along with the hobbit. The third troll had taken quite a liking to the she-dwarf though and had held on to her, keeping her hidden from the other two in a bag tied to his loincloth.

Biblo did his best to distract the trolls until sunrise so the dwarves could escape whole and uneaten.

"Do you, do you know the secret to cooking dwarves?"

"No. Tell us. What is the secret to cooking dwarves?" taunted the chef troll.

As Bilbo hesitated the second troll snarled, "we don't need a secret to cooking, let's just eat them."

"The secret to cooking dwarves is." Bilbo paused, "is to…. To skin them first!"

Lifting Bombur to his mouth he rebuked with "I like them raw and juicy. We don't need to skin them."

"Oh I wouldn't want to eat that one though!" Bilbo called out. "He's infected!"

"Infected?"

"Yes he's got parasites. In fact they all do!"

An uproar behind them showed that the dwarves weren't cooperating with him. With a sigh Biblo turned to the pile beside him, rolling his eyes. Thorin was watching the hobbit, and catching his drift, kicked Kili in the back. "Oh I've got loads of parasites!" shouted Kili. And the other dwarves followed suit.

Smiling to himself, Bilbo turned back to the trolls. "What would you have us do with them then? Let them go?" sneered one.

"He's trying to steal our dinner!" exclaimed the other in indignation.

The third troll smiled as he patted the bag at his side, knowing even if the fleurgalburhobbit stole their dinner he would have his. Pulling it from his belt, he turned, reaching, and set the bag behind a clump of trees not far off before sitting upright and reentering the conversation, glad his dinner was safe.

"Posh! We will eat these dwarves for supper. We got them, we claim them, you can't take them!" cried the chef troll

"The dawn will take you all!" the sound of Gandalf brought hope into the hearts of all the dwarves and fear to the hearts of the trolls as Gandalf broke the rock beneath him and flooded the clearing with sunlight. As it hit, burning their skin, the trolls began to turn to stone to the amazement of the dwarves and hobbit sitting there.

Soon after every one was freed and stern words were said by Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin. Glaring at Bilbo and his nephews, Thorin turned to talk to Gandalf.

"These are mountain trolls. I wonder why they have come down so far from the mountains?" Gandalf pondered.

"Where did you go?" Thorin asked, not interested in the trolls.

"Looking ahead."

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind."

The two stood, staring at each other for awhile before Gandalf again broke the silence. "They must have had some place to stay out of the sun nearby. Let's go take a look."

And so off the company went, until they found the place that smelled strongly of troll and entered into a dark, smelly cave. Digging through, the company started to find little treasures such as weapons and gold they could use on the journey ahead.

"Fili look at this!" Kili called, holding aloft a small sword. Not as big as his and Fili's swords, but a sword all the same, "This would suit Svelta perfectly! Much more effective than her daggers."

"Yes! She would love that! She..." And Fili paused, realizing that they couldn't bring it home to her as she had come with them, and after glancing around the company, realized she no longer was with them. Fully embarrassed that they had forgotten about her, he nudged Kili, and the two of them slipped out, followed by Dwalin as he watched them suspiciously go.

* * *

Svelta lay unconscious in the troll's bag, the smell and the troll hitting the bag into the trees had knocked her out. Her daggers lay forgotten at the campsite. Even if she had been awake, she would have been unable to free herself. Luckily she was not though, otherwise, she might have moved at the wrong time as a warg scout came trotting by the bag, looking for a company of dwarves.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be up soon!**


	6. Wargs and Rabbits

**Hello again readers! Hope you enjoyed the last one! I would like to thank Luna von Rae, Sarudoshi, and achildoflight for favoriting and following! It means a lot! I tried something new in this chapter, added a character's viewpoint I haven't done before. Hope everyone likes it! For those of you that celebrate, Merry Christmas! and for the rest of you Happy Holidays! Enjoy!**

* * *

_Svelta lay unconscious in the troll's bag, the smell and the troll hitting the bag into the trees had knocked her out. Her daggers lay forgotten at the campsite. Even if she had been awake, she would have been unable to free herself. Luckily she was not though, otherwise, she might have moved at the wrong time as a warg scout came trotting by the bag, looking for a company of dwarves._

* * *

Fili and Kili arrived at the scene of the crime, glancing around for any sign of their friend. Splitting up, they began to scour the scene, looking for their fallen companion.

"Too bad we can't just call out to her and have her call back" lamented Kili.

"Kili look!" Fili called.

Concerned with the tone of his brother's voice, Kili ran from where he had been looking. Arriving at his brother's side, he found him kneeling on the ground next to a pair of familiar twin daggers. While she had never trained with the boys, late at night they would sneak out after she did and watch her train. Watching for anything wrong in her training they would then proceed to drop the hints the following day at breakfast in front of her such as Fili reminding Kili to keep his back arm lower and Kili reminding Fili to keep his feet farther apart. They noticed that the following night she would take these things into practice and that she was improving as much as she could do alone.

Gazing up at Kili, Fili grimaced "She must have dropped these, which means she doesn't have any weapons on her. These are all she carries."

Both brothers felt a weight pressing down on them as they realized their little friend might have outdone herself this time, believing she was stronger than she was all due to secret training against stacks of hay bales. They redoubled their search efforts.

* * *

Fili could not believe they had lost her. She was like a younger sister to him, one he had never gotten the chance to have. He had treated her like one, protected her when other dwarves had teased her, either for her lack of a beard she struggled to grow or for hanging out with dwarven royalty when she was nothing but "scum off the street". No, Fili had been that protective older brother she had gone to for comfort, for support, for love. Even over just the past 10 years, it still was as though she needed that in her life.

Grimacing, he began to expand outward from the campsite, searching behind the first row of trees for his little sister dwarf.

* * *

Kili snarled to himself. Fili was his best friend. But so was Svelta. Yes she was younger. But there were some pranks, especially those on Fili, where having a right hand prankster was helpful. He enjoyed having her around. It was the first time he had had a girl dwarf look at him and not shrivel away, not accuse him of not having a beard, not tease him that he would never be the dwarf his brother was. No, she hadn't ever compared the two, instead befriending them equally. She had even spent an afternoon laughing with him about their beards, or lack thereof.

But something else was paining him too, he felt more from the loss of her than he would have had any other member of the company been missing, save Fili and Thorin. It almost felt like he was missing his Da again. Swallowing hard, he wondered what this meant about his relationship with Svelta.

Kili's head swung up as he heard a cry from his brother. Jumping over a nearby rock, he started towards where he had heard the cry from, hoping beyond hope that Fili had found her. And had found her alive.

* * *

Fili saw the bag before too long and, with a cry to Kili, rushed over to it, fear filling his heart when he noticed there was no squirming in it. Fearing the worst, he began to hack the top of it with his swords. Before long, Kili was at his side and doing the same with his own sword.

With extraneous effort, the hacked off the top of the back, and tipping it sidewise, were able to tip their little friend out of it. Both ended up hugging her fiercely between them. She had become part of their twosome, making the tightly knit twosome a threesome.

* * *

Svelta came to to the smell of something familiar and to the tight, constricting feeling of warmth. As she began to self breathe again and become aware of her surroundings, she realized she was enveloped in a hug between her two closest friends. It brought a slight smile to her lips, and slowly she raised her arms to hug them back, causing cheers to echo round her ears as the brothers realized that she had woken up.

"Are you okay?"

"How are you feeling?"

"These are for you!"

"And we found this for you too in the troll hoard."

"Yeah! We thought you would like it!"

"Dwalin or someone could definitely train you in it."

"It is small enough you could excel with it."

"You could actually change for once."

Svelta just smiled, knowing that these two cared for her so much. Accepting her daggers, she tugged them back into their sheaths inside her boots. Then taking the sword, she smiled bigger, latched it to her belt, then leaned forward and gave the brothers a big hug again.

* * *

Thorin watched as the three entered into their site. He had just experienced Gandalf giving the hobbit a miniature sword, a letter opener. Like he could actually use it in combat to defend himself. Snarling to himself at the inadequancy of their so called burglar who couldn't even steal back their missing ponies, he turned from the sight of his two nephews and the mystery girl. He didn't know what she was, nor who she was. Gandalf seemed to, but didn't seem inclined to share. The girl had no clue, and as he saw her now with them, it fueled his dislike towards her. She wasn't dwarf, she couldn't defend herself, and now she was frolicking with the heirs of Erebor. Unless she proved herself, he would need to intervene. Somehow.

Thorin spun, as did the rest of the company, at the sound of someone approaching. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl hesitantly draw a sword that looked uncomfortable in her hand while his nephews stood on either side of her, ready to defend her against the approaching danger. Rolling his eyes, Thorin focused back on the approaching danger, Dwalin at his side, ready to defend his king.

Suddenly the rustling broke free to reveal a brown cloaked little man on a sled pulled by rabbits emerge into the clearing yelling "Fire! Murder! Death!"

Gandalf paused, before smiling openly. "Radagast? Radagast the Brown!"

And with that the two wizards went off to talk while the rest of the dwarves calmed down. Thorin turned to once again glare at his nephews and the girl, to notice they had gone. Casting his eyes over the clearing, he found them, coming out from the woods, her pack now on her back as they went to collect the brothers' things. Grimacing, he turned back to the two wizards, watching first as Gandalf drew a stick bug out of the other's mouth, then to see them exchange a sword, which Gandalf quickly wrapped up. Interesting, noted Thorin, before a howl came out of the woods nearby. Immediately all of the dwarves were back on edge.

"What was that? Are there wolves in these woods?" asked a very timid Bilbo.

"No, no wolves, that would be a warg." Growled Dwalin from Thorin's side.

Suddenly out of the trees jumped a warg, but soon it was dead with an arrow between its eyes and Dwalin's hammer finishing it off.

"A warg scout!" Gloin called out.

The two wizards came hurrying back over, Gandalf swiftly approaching Thorin, "Who did you tell about your quest save your kin?"

"No one!"

"Who did you tell!"

"No one! Gandalf what is going on?"

"You are being hunted. Quickly we must go."

"We can't!" came a cry from behind him. Thorin turned to see Ori pointing back towards their camp, "the ponies, they've fled!"

"I can draw them off," commented the new wizard.

"These are Gundabog wargs, they will outrun you and kill you!" Gandalf commented harshly.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits. I'd like to see them try." The wizard said slyly before Gandalf nodded. The brown wizard boarded his sled and was off in one direction while Gandalf led the company running in another one.

* * *

Off they went. Svelta struggled, her head still a bit groggy, to keep up, but the twins made sure she was with them, urging her to go faster so that the three of them stayed in the middle of the pack of dwarves. On and on they ran, bouncing from outcrop to outcrop, hiding behind rocks as Radagast ran past with the orcs on his tail before running to the next one to repeat the process.

Svelta had trouble getting her breath as she ran, but push on she did, adrenaline coursing through her veins driving her onward, knowing if she stopped, she would die.

At the next outcrop she overheard Thorin hiss to Gandalf "you are heading somewhere specifically. Where are you taking us?"

But Gandalf ignored him, instead he started running again, and the company followed. Every time they stopped it was not enough to catch their breath but enough to get a new spurt of energy as they continued onward, heading somewhere only Gandalf knew.

At the next outcrop they stopped. Thorin grabbed Nori as he almost ran out into the open. One of the orcs had separated from the pack, stopped chasing Radagast, and instead was standing on the rocks above them. Heavily breathing, Thorin looked and signaled Kili, who nodded. Turning to his brother, his gaze slid to Svelta before quickly diving outward, shooting an arrow up, killing the warg above them. The dead warg fell, taking the orc with it, which Gloin and Dwalin quickly killed once it hit the ground.

But its cries had been heard. It had not been silenced soon enough. The company took off running, but soon they were surrounded. What had happened to Radagast they did not know. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Where is Gandalf?" called out Gloin.

"He has abandoned us!" replied Dori

"Hold them back!" shouted Thorin amid the din of the oncoming orcs.

Kili started shooting off arrows. Any that got too close to him, Fili took care of. At one point Svelta tried to help Fili, only to be pushed behind him.

"Stay behind me." Fili called. "I will protect you."

Kili every few moments glanced over at her. With her unable to make a sound, it worried him that something might happen, and no one would know because she could not cry out to them. Shooting off another arrow, he heard Thorin call out for everyone to come to him.

* * *

Slowly dwarves began backing towards the rock Thorin stood by, and one by one he shoved them down into the cave that stood there. Thorin glanced up as the last four dwarves stood out there. Dwalin, his nephews, and the girl. Snarling, he called again. "Fili, Kili, run!" knowing that he need not summon Dwalin, that Dwalin was only out there to protect Thorin's kin.

Thorin watched as Fili turned, grabbing the girl's hand, and running towards the entrance where Thorin stood. Dwalin followed shortly, keeping Kili between him and Thorin. Kili fired off one more arrow before running as fast as he could, seeing Fili and Svelta in front of him. Dwalin stayed at his heels the whole way.

Fili and Svelta made it to the opening, but as they were about to slide down, a warg jumped out from above the cave opening. Landing ontop of the two. The ugly thing reared its head, before bringing it down onto the two of them, aiming for Fili's head. Svelta say this, and threw her arm in the way. She felt the pain and then the warm feeling of her blood running down her arm as the warg bit down hard into it instead, breaking the bone like a twig. Her body arched, her mouth open in silent scream, but she remained there, between the warg and Fili as Thorin brought down his sword upon it, killing it.

* * *

Fili watched as the face stood inches from his own, watched the light leave its eyes, then watch as Thorin and Dwalin retracted the head from Svelta's arm, throwing the beast to the side, then with Kili's help the five slid down into the cave.

Svelta was shaking badly. She was going into shock. Turning to Kili, Fili silently asked for his help, and between the two of them, Fili ended up with Svelta carefully in his arms, her broken one cradled carefully to her. Swallowing hard, Fili and Kili walked with the rest of the company, following Dwalin and Bofur as they lead them through a tunnel and into a wide open area, hoping whatever was at the other end could save their friend.

Coming out into a broad expanse, the group stopped.

"The hidden valley" Gandalf smiled.

"Rivendell" smiled Bilbo.

* * *

**Hope you like this! I will try and update two more times before New Year's! Hope you all enjoyed this and have a wonderful time! Until the next update!**


	7. The Start of it All

**_Hello lovely readers! My Christmas party today was cancelled so instead I went ahead and wrote the next chapter! I would like to thank Dizzie123321 for following! This chapter is a little different, it has less action and more emotions. Hope you all enjoy!_**

* * *

_Svelta was shaking badly. She was going into shock. Turning to Kili, Fili silently asked for his help, and between the two of them, Fili ended up with Svelta carefully in his arms, her broken one cradled carefully to her. Swallowing hard, Fili and Kili walked with the rest of the company, following Dwalin and Bofur as they lead them through a tunnel and into a wide open area hoping whatever was at the other end could save their friend._

_Coming out into a broad expanse, the group stopped._

"_The hidden valley" Gandalf smiled._

"_Rivendell" smiled Bilbo._

* * *

The dwarves and wizard quickly descended the mountain staircase before crossing the bridge to stand in the front most courtyard of this marvelous place called Rivendell. An elf slowly descended the stairwell towards them as the company stood. Gandalf stepped forward and began to speak with the elf, who addressed him in a name unknown to the company. Most of the dwarves seemed shifty and testy, Thorin stood his ground glaring profusely at the poor elf messenger, and the brothers stood nervously, Fili holding Svelta tight while Kili stood beside him, trying in vain to gently staunch the bleeding without further injuring her broken bone. Svelta herself had lapsed into unconsciousness on the journey down into the valley. Gandalf began to bargain with the elf.

"Lindir could we speak to Lord Elrond please?"

"Lord Elrond is not here right now."

"Oh, and where is he?"

"He left quite recently out on a hunt."

At that, as if waiting for the cue of those words, an Elven hunting horn was blown as a group of riders came careening across the bridge, immediately encircling the dwarves. Normally ones on the outside, Kili and Fili found it strange once again to be on the inside, knowing that it was because they were defenseless at the current moment but still feeling once again like small children all the same. Out of one of the horses, Lord Elrond dismounted and materialized from the rush and clatter. Coming forward, he began to speak in Elvish to Gandalf. The dwarves watched warily as the two conversed.

At one point the two ancient beings switched back to English, whether for the account of the guest audience or because Lord Elrond felt there was gain from it.

"There was an orc pack near our borders. They do not usually come so close."

"I'm afraid we may have drawn them here. They are hunting us."

An arched eyebrow and silence as Lord Elrond turned and surveyed the group. His eyes drifted, resting longer on Svelta but still moving on. Turning to both Gandalf and Lindir he remarked in Elvish.

Having had enough of elves for one moment, and wound up tight enough with tension, Glion stepped forward snarling "Does he offer us insult?"

Gandalf half smiled in return, "No master dwarf, he offers you food."

Gloin turned to Thorin, as did the rest. Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin put their heads together before finally turning back and Balin commenting, "Very well, lead on then."

* * *

Lindir led the way, the dwarves following behind, filing between Gandalf and Elrond to get to the food. Fili and Kili hung back, being the last to walk up the steps. Dwalin had stayed back to make sure they were safe, but upon seeing them standing with Gandalf and the injured girl, knew they would not leave her side for a while and Dwalin rejoined the rest of the company for some food.

Slowly the brothers walked forward before they stood before Elrond, side by side with Gandalf at their back.

"Sir" Kili said tentatively.

Elrond nodded at them.

"Can you heal her?" Fili asked softly. But Lord Elrond's elf ears caught every word of it and he took in the girl in Fili's arms. Surprised at what he saw, he glanced up at Gandalf, eyebrows raised in surprise and question. But Gandalf merely shook his head, unknown to the two that stood before him.

"Sir please, she has been a life long friend of ours and we don't want to lose her. She has already lost a lot of blood." Kili begged.

Fili gazed up pleadingly at the elf, who returned his stare unnervingly. Finally with a brief nod, Elrond turned motioning with a hand for them all to follow.

* * *

Walking down corridors and winding passage ways, Fili hoped they would be able to find Svelta again in this mess. There was no way Thorin could leave her here. Though FIli felt in his gut that he would try to. But Fili wasn't leaving his little sister. The elderly elf lord issued them into a vast room with doors lining the walls.

"This is the healing wing." The elf lord said softly. Fili wished he had caught his name when Gandalf had said it. "We will put her in this one here and assign two elves to care for her. You may leave her there and go and rejoin your company for supper, she will not be around for a while."

Fili and Kili made to protest, but felt a large hand on each of their shoulders as Gandalf gazed down at them. "It will do you two no good to sit here wallowing in sorrow waiting for her to get better. You can eat, sleep, and train until she is fit enough to rejoin you." Finding it no use to argue against a wizard, the brothers nodded glumly.

The elf lord opened the door and the four filed in. FIli gently laid Svelta on the bed. Immediately two elves came in and began to prep to care for her. Fili kissed her forehead, wishing there was more he could do for her. Stepping back he watched as Kili made his way forward to gently as he could embrace her. Holding her to him, his hand supporting the back of her head against his chest, Kili breathed in the scent of her hair, wishing that she was better, wishing to see her smile again. It took the two elves and Fili to finally pry him off of her. Gently she was laid back on the bed, and the two dwarves turned to leave.

Gandalf caught them at the doorway. "Stay just out here. I need to converse with Lord Elrond; then I will lead you both back to the company." The two nodded and went and sat on a bench across the hallway.

* * *

Meanwhile Elrond pulled Gandalf back into the room, over into the corner so as not to be overheard by the two starting to heal the girl. The two stared at the girl awhile before turning to each other.

"How long have you been traveling with her?" hissed Elrond.

"Around ten years or so, she was safely hidden amid Durin's folk where none would think to look for her."

"You put her there?"

"Yes."

"Where did you find her?"

"Wandering the Misty Mountains."

"How did you find her?"

"Traveling. I came through a town at the base of the Misty Mountains and heard rumors of a strange girl wandering the woods up in the mountains. Took it upon myself to go see this strange girl and found her. I tried to return her to her people, but all they did was put a memory lock on her and send her away. So I delivered her into the hands of the people I knew would care for her. She kept to herself except for those two sitting in the hallway. Even Thorin didn't know about her until there was a face to face meeting when he picked up our hobbit in the Shire. She knows how to keep to herself and stay invisible. Her inability to speak only adds to the matter. We, she and I that is, were hoping you could help her gain her speech back. And she is hoping for the memory block to be lifted."

"Speech back?"

"She supposedly had it before the attack. She had already lost it when I came across her, all but a whisper left. She mourned its loss as he traveled to meet her father."

"I see. And the memory block. She really wants it gone?"

"People keep making comments on the fact that she isn't a dwarf when she has believed all of her life, or that is all that she can remember being the last ten years with the dwarves, that she is a dwarf. To be told she isn't only makes her question memories, which led to memories not being there."

"It will be painful for her. When the memories come back she will slowly have to relive each one as they return to her. Both the good, and the bad."

Gandalf paused, thinking before giving a nod, "We will pose the question to her. It is her choice ultimately whether or not she wants these memories back. Thank you for helping us Lord Elrond."

The elf lord nodded and gazed over at the young girl as she lay prone in the bed.

"Are you going to tell her what she really is?" Elrond asked.

"Without memories? No. It will only cause her to further recede into herself. She either will get the whole truth or nothing of it, not only just bits and pieces."

Elrond nodded again. "I will ask her then, when she awakes and is feeling recovered, what she desires."

"I cannot thank you enough for your help and your hospitality."

* * *

Fili and Kili sat out on the bench, waiting for the two ancient people to stop talking so Gandalf would take them away. Turning to his brother, Fili asked quietly, "Do you think Thorin will leave her here?"

Kili glanced up sharply at the question, his eyes burning fiercely. "If he even tries to he will have to leave me behind too!" he snarled.

Holding up his hands in defense Fili replied, "I wasn't saying he is going to, just wondering if you thought that he would." Turning to stare again at the blank, brick wall before them Fili continued, "I think of her as our little sister. There is no way I could leave her behind. I just feel stupid that I couldn't have protected her. I should have. Big brothers are supposed to be there. I am there for you! Why couldn't I have been there for her?" A few tears trickled down Fili's face, which he quickly hid in his hands.

"Fili. Fili it's alright. I feel the same. I think."

"You think?"

"When, when we couldn't find her after the trolls attacked us," Kili stammered, "There was this feeling that overtook me. And, and it overwhelmed me. I couldn't focus. I couldn't, I couldn't do anything FIli." Kili drew a ragged breath and Fili reached an arm around him as he continued. "I just was overwhelmed with this feeling. It was like I couldn't live without her, that, that, I couldn't, exist. And, and then when you called, and we, we found her. I was just overwhelmed with relief and I couldn't stop holding her." Swallowing hard, Kili finished with, "I don't know what I would do if I lose her Fili. I don't think this is just love for a friend or for a younger sister, which is what she is to us, but I think, I think it was more Fili."

Fili merely nodded, "I understand Kili. You are closer to her in age, you guys were definitely closer with pranks and such. Everything I didn't have time to do with you because I was training with Thorin on how to be king, you did with her. You, Kili, I understand."

"You, you do? What is this Fili?"

"A word we dwarves rarely use Kili."

Kili's breath hitched, "No, you don't mean. No Fili, she is like a younger sister to us. She is one of my two closest friends. You and her, Fili. The three of us, we are family. Fili."

Kili was interrupted by the door opening and Gandalf and the elf lord exiting the room the brothers had left their little sister in. With a nod the two departed each other and Gandalf approached. With a nod to each brother, he started down the hallway. Fili and Kili rose and silently followed, Kili drying his tears and Fili evening his posture as they got closer and closer to the company. As they entered into a large expansive room, the company stood up from where they had been around the table. Putting on smiles, the brothers went and joined their company, sitting down to a meal made of entirely green food.

* * *

Thorin watched his nephews come and sit down, nodding as they smiled and joined the company. Turning to Gandalf as he approached, he waited until he was seated before leaning over and asking how the girl was.

Gandalf murmered in response, "She will live. Their healers will fix the wound, she will be well within the week."

"We don't have that long to wait."

"You will have to, several of this company will refuse to leave her behind."

Thorin groaned, but turned away, wondering how long this girl would hold them up.

* * *

Svelta woke to discover herself in a room when last she remembered herself to be outside. Suddenly a familiar face appeared above her. "You have awoken child. Welcome to Rivendell."

Smiling up at him, she nodded once.

"We have healed up your arm, and can restore your voice if you desire."

Svelta's face lit up. To be able to communicate with her friends would be amazing, a dream come true.

"There is one catch my child. We have linked your voice loss to the memory block."

Svelta froze.

"I can remove the block, but there is no telling what memories it is hiding."

Thinking hard, Svelta looked away. But after a moment she looked back at the elf lord, her face serious.

"You want me to remove the block?"

A nod.

"Are you sure, this is a permanent thing, cannot be undone once done."

A nod again.

"I warn you, the pain may be enormous as you relive the memories that may return to you."

A pause, then another nod.

"Then I wish you the best of luck my child."

With that, Elrond reached forward and placed his hand on her forehead, his thumb between her eyes. A blinding light overcame her. And with it was pain. Pain so excruciating it dimmed that of the warg bite. A pain like no other, but she knew she had felt it before.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter! I will post again sometime before New Year's. I'd love your guys' thoughts if you have a moment, if not that is okay too! Until next time my readers!**


	8. Dreams of Memories Part 1

**So I wanted to do the bulk of Svelta's memories that she will be encountering while in Rivendell together in one chapter, but it ended up being the length of two chapters, so I split it up but are posting the two of them together for all you lovely readers! I would like to thank meow333333, Maddell, CamillaLangdon, Tomnomlinson, and UltimateOne for following and favoriting! It means a lot to me thank you! As for these next two chapters, be forewarned there is Svelta's back story that I alluded to before, I didn't feel like adding any whump! though so I left out some things. Also, any italicized besides the beginning portion is when Svelta is dreaming! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_With that, Elrond reached forward and placed his hand on her forehead, his thumb between her eyes. A blinding light overcame her. And with it was pain. Pain so excruciating it dimmed that of the warg bite. A pain like no other, but she knew she had felt it before._

* * *

Svelta finally woke, hot and sweaty and ready to get up and moving around. Her arm ached and she decided best not to move it too much. Glancing around the room, she saw the elf lord standing in the corner with Gandalf discussing something. Slowly sitting up, she hoped not to draw their attention yet so she could sit and think. But it was alas to no avail. But as the two started walking towards her, blackness fell over her sight. Clutching her head, Svelta sat watching images dance behind her eyes.

* * *

_Svelta was running, but she was not alone running. There were guards on all sides of her, six in all. They were running through a forest of sorts. She heard a howl behind her and turned, but one of the guards grabbed her arm and kept going._

"_My lady, we cannot stop, if we cross the bridge you will be safe!" he called to her._

_But she knew what she had seen. She knew the horrors that lay behind them, chasing them. Orcs and wargs were following them. A warg that got close enough to the farthest back guard jumped him, and Svelta shuddered as she heard the guard scream, knowing it was because of her that he was loss. She was spilling Elvish blood, this was all her fault. Father would surely kill her for this. She would never be allowed to wander out into the woods again._

_Another scream, another elf gone._

_Suddenly, the guard with a grip on her arm began to run even faster. "The bridge is in view my lady, we will make it at last!"_

_Hope rose in Svelta, until an orc arrow imbedded itself in the throat of the guard pulling her along. Through her screaming, she barely registered another guard grabbing her and pulling her along after him. But he too was brought down by arrow. It was Svelta and one other guard._

"_Help us!" she called desperately to the bridge. The gates were open, awaiting her return. But there was only the singular guard standing before it. They didn't know her life had been threatened._

_They got into the clearing, they were less than 50 steps from the bridge. The guard noticed and called for backup, realizing that she was in danger. Her brother appeared at the gate, the horror of the moment showing clearly on his face._

_Svelta ran, her brother ran. The orcs got to her first, slaying the guard and grabbing hold of her. An arrow to her brother's shoulder stopped his progression, and before more guards could come, she was thrown on the back of a warg and they were off, the sight of her home, of safety, of her brother diminishing from view._

* * *

"Svelta!"

Svelta was shaken awake with calls of her name to open her eyes to see Gandalf and the elf lord standing above her.

"My dear are you quite alright?" Gandalf said, the worry clear in his voice as well as his eyes.

The elf lord was more stoic, hiding his emotions better as he addressed the young girl. "What did you see?"

Gazing back and forth between the two of them, Svelta decided to answer the first question first. But upon opening her mouth, no noise came out. With a gentle pat on the shoulder, the elf lord answered her silent question gently, "It will not come back right away, you may need to get through the memories first, it may be one of the memories is detaining your ability to speak rather than the memory block itself.

Svelta nodded, knowing it was only a matter of time and finally she would be able to speak again.

"We woke you because you were thrashing about in your sleep. Are the memories starting to come back?" Gandalf pushed, hoping beyond hope that all of them returned before Thorin decided to set out, as he knew she would not be left behind, but if she was still remembering on the road, it would be a long journey ahead for all of them.

Svelta nodded.

"Here." The elf lord pressed a journal into her hands, similar to that the dwarf scribe kept. Swallowing, she opened it to filter through the blank pages. Handed a quill and ink next, the elf lord smiled gently down at her. "It might help to keep track of your memories just as your young dwarf friend is keeping track of your journey. Write down each memory as it returns to you. This will help you deal with the memories and may earn you back your voice as well as help you get over whatever traumatic event occurred in the past."

Nodding again, Svelta uncorked the bottle of ink, and set to work. Gandalf and the elf lord retreated back to the corner to discuss again. When she had finished with her memory, Svelta set aside the the journal, quill, and bottle of ink. This caught the attention of the two ancient beings who turned to her then. "Go back to sleep young one." Intoned the elf lord. "It will be easier for you to remember if you are sleeping, the memories will come to you easier. Do not be afraid. Allow them to come. If you need help dealing with them your friends and I are here to help. Go to sleep little one. We will guard your resting form."

Svelta closed her eyes, exhausted from the last memory. Part of her dreaded the one to come.

* * *

_Svelta sat, bound and gagged against a rock. Struggling did little use, the bindings were tights, the knots well done. Looking hurridly around, she realized she was in some sort of abandoned castle. She did not know this place, but could feel dark magic emanating from every brick, every crevice, every part of the adandoned place. There were orc guards standing around at various intervals around the spacias area she was residing in. Directly ahead of her, turned away and talking to a couple others, was a pale orc. Taller than the rest, he was obviously the one in charge. As though sensing her eyes on him, the pale orc turned with a sneer, muttering something in the foul dark language of the orcs._

_Svelta sat as slowly the pale orc walked toward her. Just as he reached her, a disembodied voice spoke, "Child, what is your lineage?"_

_The pale orc ripped the gag out of her mouth. Just as she reared herself to scream, Svelta felt something hot near her face, turning her head ever so slightly, she saw a red hot iron. Swallowing instead she answered, "I am an elf."_

"_Child, I repeat, tell the whole truth this time. What is your lineage?"_

"_I am an elf! Nothing more!"_

_Svelta's words dissolved into a scream as the iron placed itself above the collar bone and she could smell burning flesh._

"_Stop, stop please!" the pain subsided briefly. "I am adopted by my father I do not know my lineage. I was abandoned in the mirkwood forest and a scout brought me in. My father took pity on me and adopted me. If he knows my lineage different to that of an elf, he has declined to share it with me. Please, just don't hurt me again!"_

"_You do not lie this time. Good." The voice drew out the last word, causing Svelta to whimper. She had prided herself before on being a strong person, but when faced with a challenge, a situation where she would actually have her strength tested, she realized she was not as strong as she thought she was. The voice spoke again. "You are part elf and part dwarf. You will do well to remember that. You do not fit in anywhere. Obviously your so called father does not realize your heritage or he would not have taken you in. You do not fit in. You do not belong. You do not deserve a place in society."_

"_My father loves me!"_

"_Silence!" Svelta felt the iron draw near again and help back her retort. "We offer you a place to stay. Join me, along with your fellow brethren, and you will have a place to belong. Together, together we will bring down the society that has cast you out and that has banished you from its ranks."_

"_I do belong though! I was not cast out, these orcs captured and kidnapped me! I do belong! These orcs are not my brethren, my family is. My family" and again she dissolved into a scream as the iron pierced her skin, this time upon her exposed stomach as the orcs had torn and tattered her clothing when binding her._

"_You fool of a girl. You will join the others like you."_

_And with that she was hauled to her feet and dragged by two orcs out of the area, down a hallway, down a flight of stairs, and into a room where others sat chained, bound, and desolate. Shoved against the wall, the orcs attached a chain cuff to her neck, then to the wall. She was going nowhere._

_Looking around, Svelta asked worriedly, "Who are you all?"_

"_We are hybrids." Came a voice._

"_Half-breeds." Called another._

"_Decedents of both dwarves and elves." Replied a third._

_A small, older voice from the other side of the room responded, "We are the ones that refused to join his army."_

"_What happens to us when we refuse?" Svelta's voice got smaller with the question._

"_Torture. Experiments. The likes of which do not reach the light of day."_

* * *

Svelta woke in a hot sweat to find the brothers standing on either side of her.

"You're awake!"

"We were so worried!"

Svelta weakly smiled. She could not tell them the events that had preceded her waking. Reaching past Fili to her journal she held up one finger, and quickly began to record her dream, filling the next pages in her memory journal with the memory of meeting the pale orc. As she reread her writing, her stomach flipped. Was this the same orc she had heard Balin recount Thorin challenging all those nights ago? Swallowing, she set aside the journal, instead smiling at the brothers beside her. When she opened her mouth and no noise came out, Kili handed her her other journal, the one she had written in so many times before to communicate with people. The one she had written in that same night as learning about Thorin's encounter with the pale orc. Swallowing again, she opened it, avoiding Kili's saddened eyes. Scribbling madly, she wrote, How are you two? I haven't seen you two since we got here. How long have we been here?

"We are doing just fine! Worrying about you though, but now that we see that you're moving fine, we feel better." Fili said smiling nervously, trying to cheer the mood in the room, but falling short.

"We've been here only a couple days. Thorin is considering leaving soon though." Kili added

How are you two enjoying the company of the elves?

"It is different than that of yours. We would prefer yours to theirs." Snarled Kili

Fili laughed before adding, "You would enjoy a tour here. Their way of life reminds me of you sometimes and I wish you could enjoy this place alongside us."

At the mention of the elves reminding Fili of Svelta though, her eyes fell, realizing she was living a lie among her friends. While with them, she had believed she was merely a dwarf that was missing some of the dwarf qualities like bigger hands and feet than what she had, and a beard. For the last ten years she had believed herself a dwarf whereas in the beginning she had believed herself an elf. Really she was both, living a lie in both worlds.

"Was it something I said?" Fili asked hurriedly, the worry showing in his voice. "Svelta I'm sorry if I offended you. I meant nothing by it if that hurt you! I meant it as a compliment!"

Svelta merely shook her head, the tears starting to fall.

Fili leaned forward to hug her, to hold her to him, to try and protect her from whatever was tearing her apart. But as he leaned forward, his jaw collided with Kili's fist as Kili became angered, enraged that someone had sent Svelta to tears, and had blindly swung out at the one to hurt his love. The two brothers pulled away, in shock. Swallowing, Svelta glanced from one brother to the other before pointing with her finger towards the door. She could not handle dealing with these two while trying to deal with her past. They were like brothers to her, watching out for her the last ten years. She could not stand to deal with them fighting when she had her own demons to handle.

"Svelta we're sorry!" Kili cried as Fili propelled the two of them out the door. But upon the threshold Fili looked back, "I'm sorry little sister. I wanted to protect you. I have failed you instead." And he hung his head and left before Svelta could call him back.

Grimacing, Svelta settled in for another memory to find its way back into existence as she shut her eyes and her ears to the troubles of her waking world.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! On to Part II!**


	9. Dreams of Memories Part 2

**As in the last chapter, this is a continuation of Svelta slowly learning her past through her newly unblocked memory. Also as before I left out a lot of long-winded injury scenes to keep this nice and short and not fifty chapters long, only including what I deemed important. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Swallowing, Svelta glanced from one brother to the other before pointing with her finger towards the door. She could not handle dealing with these two while trying to deal with her past. They were like brothers to her, watching out for her the last ten years. She could not stand to deal with them fighting when she had her own demons to handle._

"_Svelta we're sorry!" Kili cried as Fili propelled the two of them out the door. But upon the threshold Fili looked back, "I'm sorry little sister. I wanted to protect you. I have failed you instead." And he hung his head and left before Svelta could call him back._

_Grimacing, Svelta settled in for another memory to find its way back into existence as she shut her eyes and her ears to the troubles of her waking world._

* * *

Svelta spent the next several hours coming in and out of sleep, writing down each of her turmoils as she returned to the waking world. With each fitful sleep she relived how each of the scars that adorned her body came to be. When she had come to be with the dwarves ten years prior, she had been confused why her body had been covered in little white marks. But upon seeing Fili and Kili without their tunics on one time when going swimming and seeing the two boys' chests devoid of the marks on her body, she had realized the marks were unnatural and had covered them up. No one besides her had ever seen them, no one knew they were there. Sure the brothers had asked her to go swimming with them over the years, they had noticed that she never shed clothes in the prescense of others, they had noticed that she was never devoid of clothing covering her from head to toe. But they hadn't questioned it. They had respected her choices. No one knew the better. Until now.

At one point, Svelta began to sob, unable to control the hurricane of emotions within her. A knock at the door interrupted her sobbing. Svelta glanced up as it opened to see Fili. His eyes shown with fear as he asked gently, "Do you want me to hold you? Like I did those years ago? When I chased away the nightmares and the bad dreams and all your fears?"

Svelta nodded, and Fili, her big brother in all ways except blood, came and held her, laying in the bed next to her, cradling him to her. He began to sing a dwarven lullaby, and Svelta fell asleep again, this time dreaming of far happier memories.

* * *

_Svelta stood with her big brother in a glen, the two of them sweaty and laughing in the hot air. Her brother raised his sword once more. "Again!"_

"_But we have spared all day! I am sore and surely after training for years, I must be good enough now for your liking!"_

"_We spare again!" he replied with a laugh. He had trained her, trained her in using a sword, in using twin dagger blades to fight, and in using a bow and arrow. For years the two spared and trained, competing to see if she could ever surpass him. They trained long and hard, their play time and bonding time was all training. One day she would be captain of the guard, her brother had promised that when he was king he would make her his captain, and she needed to be fit enough to be a captain. Snarling Svelta lunged forward and another spare was struck up._

_At the end of it, the two were laughing and her brother suggested they go for a swim. On the walk over Svelta turned to him asking, "Will I really need to train like this for the next several thousand years?"_

_Her brother replied with a chuckle, "If we engrain it in you enough, it will be second hand memory, and you will be able to do it without even remembering how to do it. Even if you were to not spare for the next thousand years, not train in the least bit, some parts you would remember and without retraining would be able to do again in combat. We train until you get to the point where you remember everything, not just some things, after forgetting everything, because it is engrained in your muscle. Then, and only then, can you stop training."_

_Svelta nodded pleasantly. "I will be a good captian of the guard for you brother, I will make you proud." They smiled at each other before she added, "Until then though, as merely your sister and you being not the king, I can still beat you to the river!" And with that she took off running._

* * *

Svelta smiled, realizing now why she hadn't had too much trouble picking up on things from Kili and Fili when training. But before she could fully wake up to record the good memory, she was pulled further into it, just as things got hairy.

* * *

_There was an orc waiting at the river. Snarling, Svelta's brother jumped in front of her, shielding her from the creature._

"_So it's true!" the orc crowed. "There is a half breed here. And under the king's protection no less! She is not safe for long little prince."_

_Svelta could not understand the black tongue of the orcs, but her older brother could he snarled back in their foul language, "Do not lay a finger on her, or you and your companions won't have fingers to lay, or heads for that matter."_

_The orc laughed and left, and Svelta and her brother didn't go swimming that day._

* * *

Svelta woke shaking, only to realize she was being held and she took comfort from it. Crying, she curled up into his strong arms, knowing that at least one older brother was there to protect her.

* * *

As she sat up and began to record the memory in her memory journal, Kili crept back into the room. Upon putting down the journal, she realized he was there and held out her arms for him, accepting his hug and apology for earlier, glad that he was with her. Without thinking, she kissed him on the cheek. And then she was thinking, and embarrassed. Swallowing, she hid her blushing face by casting her eyes downward, Kili doing the same before boldly lifting up her face and returning the favor, on the mouth. Shocked, Svelta jumped backwards, only to double over with the pain it brought from jostling her bad arm. The elves had done wonders and the pain was next to nothing, barely perceptible except when she jarred the arm as she just had. Grimacing she remembered the elves saying the muscle she would have to exercise but that besides that the bone was good as new and she could start retraining once she was ready to do so.

Kili's voice stuttered as he spoke, "We, we will just, go get some dinner, I think, right, right Fili? We will, we will bring some back for you, wait, wait here." And with a nod he was gone, Fili sheepishly grinning as he followed.

Svelta sat down again. Utterly surprised at what she had done and what the response had been. She had acted boldly, she had acted out of turn, she had acted wrongly. Swallowing thickly, she glanced at the door, wondering if she had more feelings for the dwarf, more than that of brotherly love. She wondered if she would have even considered this had he not kissed her back. Her kiss could have been taken merely as something of care and sibling affection. But it wasn't, it was taken for more. Did she want more? She didn't know and thought to consider it. Then something darker gripped her heart, and she wondered if Kili would feel the same for her once he knew her lineage, once he knew the dwarf he thought he loved wasn't quite dwarf after all.

Wondering if her thoughts would let her stew on this or if they would conjure up another memory, she laid back on the bed, steeping her fingers, and closed her eyes.

* * *

_The pale orc realized she wasn't reacting like she should anymore to his tortures and his experiments weren't giving the results he wanted. Finally he grinned, knowing she carried for some of the younger subjects they had taken over the couple of months she had been here. He had watched her care for them when the returned from being tortured. So the pale orc tried something new. A new experiment he thought. He would bring Svelta out, bind her to a pillar, and then slowly torture one of the halfbreeds she cared about in front of her. But this didn't work, so he started killing them in front of her. Any that she had shown sympathy, empathy, had condoled, any that had received any emotion from her, were slowly tortured and killed before her. But she did not beg, she did not scream, she merely cried and held strong, knowing that eventually her pain would be over._

* * *

_An orc entered the room again, pointing his finger at Svelta, "Again?" she whispered, but not loud enough for even the person next to her to hear. She had gotten a knack of being quite so as not to be noticed, but recently she had been experimented and tortured more and more. The orc unchained her and she followed it out to find the pale orc standing beside a couple of goblins._

_One goblin screeched, "This is the wench you wish to give the great goblin king? She would not last a day!"_

_The pale orc replied, causing the goblin to smile, "You withstand torture dearie? You can keep coming back for more? The great goblin king does love torturing. My does he love the screams."_

* * *

Svelta woke, breathing hard, but unable to stay awake once again returned to that of the nightmare world her memories came from. Mustering to escape them as she did, it was not enough and darkness of impeding memories sucked her back in.

* * *

"_Sire, this is the pale orc's new gift to you. He apologized that the others keep dying so fast but hope this one suits your fancy. He promises that she can withstand torture and so will last longer."_

_The goblin king laughed from atop his throne. "Put her to the test"_

* * *

Svelta dreamt of many a torture from the goblin king. Breaking of bones, whipped into submission, had knives and the likes stuck into her, anything the goblin king could think of. But through the torture of the pale orc, Svelta had learned not to scream. But not screaming made the pain and torture worse and more frequent. The great goblin king enjoyed screaming. He enjoyed hearing the sound of pain from hopeless humans fallen beyond misery and despair. But Svelta, she did not scream.

* * *

_The goblin king must have complained to the pale orc that while he could torture his new gift endlessly, she did not scream. The orc supplied several new playthings for the goblin. The goblin king tried using them to make her scream, once she got close to one, once she was attached and felt something for he tried to use them to make her scream as he had been promised she had the most delightful scream. But nothing worked, the great goblin king didn't get his scream._

* * *

_Svelta was panting from the last bout of torture, not having screamed or made any noise, when the goblin king decreed, "Send her away, she does not scream, she is of little use to me. Release her into the mountains, see how long this one lasts."_

_And so the goblins had taken her, shoving harshly, until she was unceremoniously dumped outside the goblin tunnel entrance, to wander the mountains alone, injured and without food or water. Svelta broke down then, crying in a heap, trying to get over having spent the better half of the year in the goblin kings possession._

_A man, tall and old, arrived, dressed in robes and walking with a long pointy hat on his head. "My dear, I am Gandalf, may I be of any assistance?"_

_Svelta hissed, the barely audible sound all that she could make anymore, having shut down her ability to make any other noise to keep herself safe._

_But Gandalf figured out who she was and murmured to her, "My dear, I will get you home safe, do not worry. I will get you back to a place where you belong."_

* * *

Svelta woke, heart racing to find Balin at the end of the bed. "Lassie, get up. We are leaving, and as ill as you may be, the group won't leave you behind, so get packed quick and we will be on our way."

* * *

**A lot of dividing lines in there, I realize, maybe I didn't need them all. Sorry! Now that all of that is out of the way, the story can progress more and the company can leave Rivendell! We follow their adventure in the next chapter. Would love to hear your thoughts! Hope the KilixOC isn't too slow for anyone, I felt like it was pretty even flowing, not to rushed all the sudden they are in love like some stories, but it is still in there. Thank you again to all who followed and favorited! Enjoy your last few days of 2014 and I will see all of you beautiful readers in 2015!**


	10. Battle on the Rocks

**Happy New Year! It is now 2015 my lovely readers and we have a wonderful year ahead of us! Hope you all celebrated accordingly, and safely as well! As for the story! We are done for the most part with Svelta recalling memories, although a couple more will pop up throughout the rest of the story. The bulk of them though were in those two previous chapters. Our brave company is now back on the path for the Lonely Mountain and we shall see what adventure awaits them on their quest. Thank you to sophiealison1998, sentarstage, and Scotland-Lassie for following and favoriting. Now, enjoy the next chapter in the tale!**

* * *

_Svelta woke, heart racing to find Balin at the end of the bed. "Lassie, get up. We are leaving, and as ill as you may be, the group won't leave you behind, so get packed quick and we will be on our way."_

* * *

Svelta tugged against Balin, but his grip was tight against her wrist. He wound the two of them through a course of hallways, heading to the room where the rest of the company aside from Gandalf was waiting for them. She struggled fiercely until finally, stopping outside the entrance to the room as to not alert the other dwarves to her struggle, Balin turned, his voice soft and concern in his eyes, "What is it lassie? Why do you fight me so?"

Pulling out her journal, relieved that Balin finally stopped, Svelta wrote, I am a danger to the company. I cannot join you farther on this journey. I was wrong to come in the first place. Please leave me behind.

Glancing at the journal, Balin's eyes returned to hers, "We are not leaving you behind. You are to come with us. Even if one of us did want to leave you behind, we couldn't. Gandalf has forbade it."

Madly, Svelta scribbled, You have to. Otherwise I put all your lives at risk. I can't bring myself to endanger the entire company. Please leave me.

Balin merely shook his head, causing Svelta to furrow before scribbling more, I have a lot of my memories back Balin. The elf lord residing here unlocked them. I have been remembering, and none of it is good things. I can't, I won't tell you what resides in my memory now, but please trust me when I say it is safer for me and for everyone else if I am alone.

Balin heaved a sigh, "I'm sorry lassie. I believe you don't worry," he added at the fear in her eyes, "but we can't leave you here. Orders are orders. If you want, I would be happy to help you through dealing with your memories, but for now, we need to go, together, as a company."

Svelta nodded, defeated, before straightening and losing all signs of emotion. Nodding once to Balin, she trailed him in, to be bombarded by two brothers hugging her, and once they let go, more of the company came. A hug, a pat on the back, a smile and nod, all of the dwarves finding some way to show their support for her. Finally Thorin stepped forward with a smile and nod, "Are you packed and ready?"

Svelta nodded.

Thorin smiled again and clapped her on the back, "Then we leave. Every one fall in line we set out at once."

And so they did.

* * *

Climbing the path away from Rivendell further into the mountains caused Svelta to start to shake. Gazing into the mountains around her brought back her memories as she realized that deep in these mountains lived the goblins the pale orc had traded her to. Kili and Fili noticed her shaking, but acknowledged it as cold due to possible illness from the orc attack rather than returned memories haunting her. They didn't know how dreadful their little sister's memories were, did not realize the magnitude of them. She was their closest friend besides each other and all they wanted was for her to be safe and happy.

Svelta felt a cloak wrap around her and looked up surprised to see Kili placing it firmly around her shoulders.

"You won't get cold on our watch, I promise," the younger brother said in a low voice with a small smile.

"We'll keep watch over you still little sister." promised Fili, nodded in agreement with his brother. Svelta smiled at both of them, unable to tell them that she wasn't cold nor that the shivering had not stopped, although it was no longer visible so the brothers felt they had done good and continued walking on either side of her.

"The path narrows up ahead. Form a single file line." Thorin's voice called from the front. Svelta felt the brothers move from either side of her one way to either side of her the other way. Kili ahead and Fili behind.

* * *

Rain began to fall, and the path through the mountains only got slipperier as they went, but the company was set to continue on, Thorin wanting to put as much distance behind them as he could before they bunked down for the night.

At one point Svelta heard a commotion behind her, and turned just in time to see Bofur preventing young Bilbo from falling off of the path, down the steep incline below them. A fall like that was certain death. Swallowing hard, Svelta turned back around, half shielding her eyes from the rain and began to pay even more close attention to where she was going, miming Kili's steps exactly as to not slip and meet her own tragic demise.

Lightning and thunder crackled and rolled overhead, as the company trudged onward. At one point though, someone up ahead shouted, "Look out!" and the whole company ducked as a large boulder made contact and splintered against the rock wall overhead of them.

"Blimey," came another voice closer to Svelta, "the stories are true. There is such thing as rock giants!" The company froze, instead gazing through the rain trying to pick out what whoever had said it had seen.

Sure enough, there they were, two rock giants fighting, grabbing parts of the mountains around them and flinging them around at each other. Svelta was shaken, amazed at the sight. She had no memories of encountering these fearsome beasts when she had been here those years ago and was in awe of the power with which these creatures stood and fought. It wasn't until the ground began to shake under her feet that she was brought out of her reverence.

Each brother grabbed one of her hands and the three backed against the wall, but this wasn't enough to escape. The ground began to split underneath Svelta's feet. As her feet got farther and farther apart, Kili gave a last wrench on her arm, causing her to step his way, Fili letting go just in time not to be dragged down into the widening chasm between them.

"Fili!" Kili cried.

"Kili! Svelta!" responded Fili.

* * *

But the rock quickly moved away now that it was free from the mountain. Kili held Svelta close, realizing that they were on the leg of one of the rock giants. Kili's grip tightened around Svelta with one hand as the other gripped the cliff so as not to fall off. Gazing at the others in the half of the company on his side, he realized that Thorin was not among them. Hadn't he been at the front? Fearing the worse and hoping for the best, Kili tried his best to shelter Svelta and himself from falling debris came raining down. The original two stone giants didn't like this one joining in and were gagging up. Kili felt his stomach drop as the leg they were standing on seemed to fall. Kili couldn't see well in the dark and the rain. But he did see, rushing out of the darkness, a wall, a stone wall, the side of the mountain. They were to meet their doom.

* * *

Fili watched from where he and the rest of the company had been left. Swallowing thickly he watched as the stone giant carrying his friends and his loved ones went sailing through the air. He watched the giants battle, frozen in place like Thorin standing beside him. They watched as fear gripped their hearts and stole their breath away. They watched as the stone giant fell and as it crashed into the wall.

"This way!" Thorin called, finding a new path around.

If they could make it up to the collision sight maybe they could save the bodies for a proper burial, Fili thought dimly, trying to get over the fact that his little brother and his little sister were dead. They deserved a proper burial, his thoughts continued down a dark path as he followed behind Thorin on their new trail.

* * *

Svelta gazed as the stone giant they had leaped off of slid down into the unknown and unending valley below. Swallowing hard, she glanced up at Kili, her hands and arms still ensnared in his own. He had picked her up and jumped across with her when they had found the ledge they could jump to. He had kept her safe from harm. In that moment, Svelta wondered if maybe it was okay to be around others. She was safe with them. She was safe with Kili.

Her cheeks warmed at the thought. Even with some of the memories that had returned to her of her old brother, she knew she had felt safe with him to. Just the same as the safety she felt with Fili. But this here with Kili was different this.

"Kili! Svelta!"

"Kili!"

Fili and Thorin's voices echoed off the rock walls, causing Svelta's thoughts to come to a halt. Smiling, she turned from Kili, finally loosening herself from him, their grasps diminishing to nothing, as Fili and Thorin enveloped the young dwarf of Durin in a bear hug worthy of bears. After a moment, Fili released himself and pulled her into her own bear hug. She felt a rush of joy run through her in having people that loved her, cared about her, wanted her.

The last thought ran through her and she shuddered, not knowing which memory would be drug up with that thought, but for now, she was okay. She was safe in one of her older brother's arms and there was no way any harm could come to her.

Bofur's voice broke her happiness.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?"

Everyone withdrew from each other, searching. Finally, someone called, "There." And the next thing Svelta realizing Fili and Bofur were hanging over the edge of the cliff reaching out for Bilbo.

"Come on Bilbo! Grab my hand!" Fili called.

But Bilbo couldn't. It took Thorin hanging off the ledge beside him to hoist him up. But then it took Dwalin to hoist up Thorin.

"I thought we had lost our hobbit" Bofur breathed with a sigh.

"We did." Thorin snarled. "He's been lost ever since he walked out his front door."

Svelta glanced over at Bilbo to watch his face fall, and knew he had already had doubts about belonging in this company and on this journey. Thorin had just handed him the final key to convincing himself that the best place for him was home, not on this journey, not with this company.

Thorin marched to the head of the group, passing by with only a glance at each nephew. Fili was standing tall beside Bilbo, returning his uncle's gaze. Kili was standing with an arm around the she dwarf, holding her close to him. Snarling, Thorin called out to the company, "Move out!"

"Thorin!" Balin responded. "Thorin, we need shelter. We need to find some place to spend the night!"

* * *

No one was sure that the leader of their company had heard Balin's request until an hour later he entered a large cave, "This looks big enough. Check all the way to the back. Mountain caves are seldom empty."

But Dwalin looked. And found nothing.

Nodding, Thorin issued the company inside noting, "everyone get some rest, we set out again in the morning. Try and dry off some of your things too."

"I can't wait to get a fire going!" cried Bombur.

"No. No fire." Thorin turned. His temper was more in attention but he was still stiff with his words, causing Bombur to flinch slightly. "We don't want to attract any unwanted attention. We will have no fire tonight. Bofur, you have first watch. The rest of you try and get some sleep."

* * *

Fili glanced around for his brother to establish their spot together when he noticed him not beside him but rather standing just inside the threshold, Svelta standing just opposite outside the threshold. As Fili walked closer to see what the hubbub was about, he overheard part of the conflict.

"Come in. It's safe! Dwalin checked."

Svelta shook her head, spraying raindrops all over Kili and the newly arrived Fili as she still stood out in the rain.

"What's better? Being in the rain or in here nice and safe and dry?"

Svelta's eyes widened but she merely shook her head again.

"You are so aggravating!" Kili finally gave up, turning to his newly arrived brother. "Maybe you can help Fili."

Fili merely raised his eyebrows at his younger sister. After a silent spell he asked simply, "Do you have new old memories of this place?"

She grimaced in return

"Should we warn the others? Do we need to leave?"

A smaller shake of the head this time.

"Then let's replace your old memories with better newer ones. Step in from the rain little sister. All will be safe."

The fear blazed anew in her eyes.

Fili merely held out his hand and waited.

Another silent spell then a hand slipped into his, and Fili led Svelta inside. The three crossed the hall and camped out along one side of the wall, opposite where Thorin lay. Whether he was asleep or not was a different question entirely.

The three laid out their wet bed rolls and all three settled down, Svelta in between her older brothers.

Once they figured she was asleep, as both had been watching her to make sure she was okay once the shaking subsided, Kili muttered softly, "Why could you convince her but I couldn't?"

"Sometimes an older brother is all someone needs to see a different side of things."

"But I'm her older brother too."

"Yes but you are more than that. Not quite like the feeling you feel towards her yet. But you are her best friend. You are the joy and the laughter, where as I have been the older brother to run to with the tears and the pain and the nightmares to scare away. We have each played different roles in her life thus far, and if her old memories are affecting her at all, I'm going to say she will respond to each of the two of us differently."

Kili nodded. "Thanks brother."

"What's going on over there?" Fili asked, his face screwed up in confusion. Kili, whose back had been to the entrance, turned to see Bofur and Bilbo fighting. But just as they watched Bilbo turn to go, his letter opener as Balin called it lit up blue. A sound of sand falling accompanied the glow of the blade. Thorin sat up quick, calling out, "Get up! Quick!"

But there was no time.

No one had time to grab things.

No one had time to be prepared.

Soon everyone was falling.

Svelta woke with a start to the experience of falling. Her mouth shaped in an O of a silent scream.

She was falling into her nightmares.

She was falling into her worst memories.

She was falling into Goblin Town.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed lovely readers! Longest chapter yet that I have posted! I promise they won't get too long though! I go back to school on Tuesday, but hope to update one more time before then. After that I will try to start making more reliable updates on a weekly status, probably on Saturday or Sunday each week. Until next time fair readers!**


	11. Down in the Deep of Goblin Town

**Hello wonderful readers! Special thank yous go to achildoflight, pirategirl339, TheMusicIsMyLife06, sal0006, and for following and favoriting! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the story so far. This is definitely the most difficult one to write in determining how far to take things. Hopefully I did a good job! Enjoy the next installment!**

* * *

"_What's going on over there?" Fili asked, his face screwed up in confusion. Kili, whose back had been to the entrance, turned to see Bofur and Bilbo fighting. But just as they watched Bilbo turn to go, his letter opener as Balin called it lit up blue. A sound of sand falling accompanied the glow of the blade. Thorin sat up quick, calling out, "Get up! Quick!"_

_But there was no time._

_No one had time to grab things._

_No one had time to be prepared._

_Soon everyone was falling._

_Svelta woke with a start to the experience of falling. Her mouth shaped in an O of a silent scream._

_She was falling into her nightmares._

_She was falling into her worst memories._

_She was falling into Goblin Town._

* * *

The dwarves fell, and Svelta knew she would have screamed if she had had a voice to do so with. At the end of a longer tunnel, the dwarves were unceremoniously dropped into a net of sorts. Again, Thorin tried to call them to arms. "Everyone. Get up! Quick! Gather your weapons!" for soon all heard the roar of something drawing nearer. Everyone tried to get up, to get ready, to be able to fight. Fili and Kili stood on either side of Svelta, ready to help defend her to the last. But as the roar rounded the corner the company discovered a hoard of goblins was what they were facing. And the hoard was too many, with the vast number allowing it to outnumber and take down the dwarves, three goblins to a single dwarf. Fili and Kili couldn't fight them all off. Once Svelta was taken they lost concentration and they too were forced into submission.

The goblins led them all through the underground passage ways, through platforms and over bridges. It was soon that most of the dwarves felt hopelessly lost, not being able to track from which way they had come. But Svelta stared straight ahead, fear in her heart for the dwarves if the Goblin King would come to recognize her.

Soon they made it to the great throne platform, if that were to be what it was called for there were no rooms in the place. The dwarves were all grouped together, and the company made sure the three of the line of Durin, the scribe, and the she dwarf were all in the middle, hiding them from view, protecting them. The Goblin king descended from his throne, laughing, singing some merry tune of his own creation. Leaning forward now he asked, "Who dares enter my domain? Thieves? Assassins?"

"Dwarves, your Malevolence," replied one of the lead goblins, "We found them on the front porch."

The Goblin King turned to the company then, "Well, why are dwarves sleeping on my porch. What is your purpose here?"

The company, besides Thorin and Svelta glared back. Those two had their heads ducked, so as not to be recognized and called out. Thorin, who knew Svelta's memories had been unblocked and started to have returned to her, wondered what unfortunate business she had with the Goblin King that she did not want to be recognized.

"Well? If they won't talk, make them squawk! Bring out the Bonecrusher!" all around him the goblins began to screech with delight. "We'll start with the youngest."

"Wait!" screeched a goblin as a mass of them descended on the group, "Your Malevolence, there is a female among the group. A female we know well."

At these words, Svelta tensed beside Thorin, and he realized that whatever had happened in her past, at least part of it had dealt with these goblins, in these halls. Suddenly he remembered last night registering her being reluctant to enter the cave. Gritting his teeth, he realized that Svelta had known it would come to this and had been reluctant to recreate old memories. But Thorin had forced her. Whatever she was, she still deserved a happier life that one involving the current moment twice.

"Bring the girl forward." Cried the Great Goblin King.

Svelta snarled, baring her teeth as the goblins began to try and fight through the dwarves to get to her. One goblin did get close but a punch to the face sent it whirling backwards into others. But there was too many, and try and fight them off as the company did, Svelta soon felt their tight grip on her body, whirling her head, she gazed at Thorin as they dragged her out from the middle of the group. His head still bowed slightly, he glanced up at her face, ready to look down again once she was gone.

"Not a word from anyone. Don't try to save me." She mouthed.

Thorin stared in return.

"Not a word or we all die." She mouthed again. But Svelta didn't know if he got that last bit as she was finally wrenched free of the company and brought before the Goblin King.

The Goblin King stared, unsure how to come to turns with the fact that he had released someone and they had survived, not only survived but had returned to him none the less. Smiling and leaning forward, he asked, "Have you come back for more, half breed? Have you missed the taste of iron, the feel of the whips and chains, the nails under your skin? Have you missed them, my silent pet?" His smile deepened, but he was so focused on her he didn't realize the dwarves whispering, as each passed along her message, making sure no one moved or said a word. But some had paid attention as well to what the Goblin King said. Thorin knew himself and his nephew, and Balin and Dwalin had all heard the Goblin King. Thorin knew they would need to know the girl's past once they were out of this mess. And finally he would get to know what she really was if the Goblin's comment meant anything.

Svelta stared at the wretched goblin, knowing that as long as she was indifferent her friends and the company were safe. Baring her teeth as she was forced into a kneel, her back to the company, she heard their collective gasp as her tunic was cut open. She didn't know if this was due to the loss of clothing or the fact that all of her scars were now exposed. Grimacing Svelta raised her head to the Goblin King and sneared.

He laughed in her face. "You won't find mercy for your friends here. Did you think that I would take you and release the rest of them? Did you think after what happened when you were last here, that you could save these people? No. you thought wrong." The Goblin King gave a hearty laugh, glancing around the company then back down at her. "No, no they will watch you suffer, and then you will go through what you did the last time. You will watch them suffer just like those before. Do you remember that boy, the one that promised it was going to be okay? That you would be safe once all this is over? He broke his promise. And do you remember the twins? Those two little sweet girls. Oh it was so much fun to see them ripped apart before your eyes and you fight to not scream." The goblin king threw back his head and laughed heartily. Leaning close again, he gazed in her eyes, "Now, shall we begin?"

Svelta spat in his eye in return.

For she had seen what he had brought back to her memory. She remembered, she knew the horrors that he had spoken of. The memories had brought angry tears to her eyes, but there was no way for her to fight him, to fight back.

Svelta kept her eyes trained on the Goblin King. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a goblin leader move with something shiny, and braced herself. Although her back was crisscrossed with the lines of the chain whip and it had hardened her back to a leathery shell, she still felt pain and some discomfort at the first blow. By the fourth her back was arched against the falling whip. She had kept her eyes on the king, knowing if she closed them that would be defeat and if she saw the company she would not have the courage to keep on. Swallowing hard she glared at the king.

This was not something she had wished to return to, this is not something that she would endure again. This, this would be the time that she fought back. She no longer was the timid half breed sent over because she had lost her worth for one experiment and passed on to the next one. She was a fighter. She was going to fight back. And as the fifth stroke fell, Svelta drew her blade and spun, decapitating the goblin with the whip. Turning to the Goblin King, she backed up until Dwarven hands were at her back and she knew she was at the company again.

Breathing deep, Svelta sneered at the once fearsome Goblin King.

"I am no longer your plaything!"

The screech filled the hall. A screech never heard before. A screech of a voice, unused for years upon years on end.

The Goblin King and the dwarves alike were taken aback, but the hands never left her back and she knew she still had their support.

"I am no longer your slave to treat as you desire. Let my company go. Or death shall clean out this foul hall and yours will be the first!" Svelta was seething, breathing deeply, her shoulders shaking from the effort needed to use her voice. The goblin king gazed quietly at her, silence filling the hall, and then he began to laugh. The other goblins joined him in laughing.

"Chain her hands, hang her from the rafters. She will watch her so called company die. And search them! What have you been waiting for, remove all of their pretty weapons. And you." The Goblin King turned to the small goblin hanging in a bucket beside him, "Send a note to a certain pale orc, let him know the half breed he was looking for is here."

The weasel of a goblin recorded the note, laughing all the while, before pulling a lever and descending the rope that held his bucket, swinging off into the unending darkness.

* * *

Amid the shrieks of the dwarves, Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin heard the Goblin King turn to Svelta and say, "The pale orc heard you were traveling with a certain dwarf that he wants the head of, only the head mind you. He is much pleased in you for tracking down this missing dwarf. Maybe he will reward you by keeping your head on your own body."

Thorin watched though as Svelta spat in his face and snarled in that ragged voice of hers, "You and the pale orc aren't touching any of these dwarves. If either of you lay a finger on their heads, I will see to it personally that the both of you die painfully deaths."

"Oh, it is lovely to finally hear your voice. You know when you were first promised to me from the pale orc, he said you were a screamer and that you had just a lovely scream, but no matter what I did to you, you did not scream. Mind, you didn't make any noise. It was as though you had trained yourself not to. And from the surprise I saw on your so called company's faces when you spoke this time around in my domain, I know this is the first you've spoken in a long while. Tell me though, now that you have a voice, do you scream as well?"

Thorin watched horrified, as the Great Goblin King turned to the goblins holding her chains, for a chain wound around each wrist and was pulled taunt. "Hang her in the rafters."

Thorin watched them lift her up, watched them secure her, and watched as the goblin king lifted the whip and sent it sailing through the air.

* * *

Svelta gazed down at the putrid goblin, knowing he would only stop if she uttered a sound. But years of training kept her from making sound as the whip fell, blazing her body, causing pain, and starting to draw blood again. But her voice was spent. She was used it too much. After so long of not talking it now hurt to talk. But she knew that the worse was over. From now on she would go over her memories with someone, and slowly come to realize all that happened to her. And soon she would be able to talk again.

She came to this realization as the whip fell upon her, drawing lines through her legs and chest, though she showed no fear. Glancing at the dwarves, Svelta couldn't help but smile as she noticed the dwarves fighting back the goblins, preventing them from getting to Thorin or her brothers.

The smile must have pissed off the Goblin King though because the next whip landed, and the sting was something that she had never felt before. The pain overwhelmed her and the scream came, a low, guttural scream that made every one freeze below her. Svelta could feel the sting from where the whip had laced her face. That was one rule the Goblin King had had the time before when she was here, her face was never to be touched, it had been pretty to him and he wanted to preserve it. He had broken that rule though.

At her scream the Goblin King laughed, "Excellent, the wench half breed screams at last!"

At her scream the dwarves froze in their fighting, gazing up at their companion and feeling the tight knot in their guts as each one tried to figure out how to save her.

At her scream the goblins paused in their searching ot laugh with their king before diving a new into the fray to search each dwarf. Some were being protected from the goblins, but with the help of the scream, the goblins got to those last few dwarves.

At her scream, Svelta knew she had lost, she had been defeated. She hung her head in shame, knowing that there was no way back now. All was lost.

* * *

**I know this chapter is a little strange, not as much KilixOC as the others, and I tried to focus on Svelta as much as I could. Let me know your guy's thoughts! I'm starting school again tomorrow so updates will now be on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, and will be once a weekend. Enjoy the end of your break and have fun with school! Until next time lovely readers!**


	12. Escape from Goblin Town

**Hello Lovely Readers! I apologize deeply for nodding being able to upload one last week! I make up for the fact with an extra 1,000 words this week! Hopefully that is alright!**

**I appreciate and thank every one for following and favoriting: SneakyTurtle, briannahlopes, clairdelunenoir, madfinn654321, Gingah18, IcePhoenix12360, zZhell-butterflyZz, Gray Opal, and smilin steph.**

**Also thank you to smilin steph for the review! I'm glad that you are enjoying this story! Hope you like this newest addition!**

**Enjoy the second part to Goblin Town my dearest readers!**

* * *

_At her scream the Goblin King laughed, "Excellent, the wench half breed screams at last!"_

_At her scream the dwarves froze in their fighting, gazing up at their companion and feeling the tight knot in their guts as each one tried to figure out how to save her._

_At her scream the goblins paused in their searching to laugh with their king before diving a new into the fray to search each dwarf. Some were being protected from the goblins, but with the help of the scream, the goblins got to those last few dwarves._

_At her scream, Svelta knew she had lost, she had been defeated. She hung her head in shame, knowing that there was no way back now. All was lost._

* * *

The Goblin King let out a cry of delight. "She screams! She screams at last. And that scream was more beautiful than the one the pale orc promised me."

Below the dwarves struggled against the goblins, but came out the short end of the deal and ended up being searched, every last one. Thorin grimaced as the goblins delved into his coat, rummaging and retracting his sword, but after the tussle with the goblin, it came away with only the sword. Thorin stood seething before the goblin, holding the scabbard. The goblin snarled before lifting the sword to use it to decapitate Thorin, but instead he dropped it with a shriek. He had seen the inscription on the sword. He knew the sword from previous battles.

The Goblin King turned as he was distracted from Svelta at the alarm of his goblins. Upon seeing the dropped sword, he recoiled, clutching at his throne, "I know that sword! It is the Goblin Cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced a thousand necks! Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off their heads!"

The goblins snarled anew, and attacked with a fierceness the dwarves struggled to counter. Fili ended up countering many hits heading towards Kili as well as himself as Kili was all together distracted and unable to fight.

Fili glanced at his brother, "If you want to save her, go! There are too many goblins for all of us, but maybe you can slip away and get her!"

Kili nodded just as two goblins jumped his brother. He watched Fili fight, twisting and punching to fight off the two, and knew he had to get away.

* * *

Turning, Kili ran, every part of his body yearning to tear apart the Goblin King and every other goblin that had laid hands upon his friend, upon his sister, upon someone he just possibly loved. She was his, and no one was going to hurt her. Kili snarled as he tried to get to her. But every goblin he cut down in his path, three more sprung up. He could not reach her. He was failing. Pain erupted in his chest at the prospect that he would not reach her, that he could not save her, that he couldn't keep her safe, that he had failed.

As the goblins pinned him down, a knife at his throat, Kili glanced up at Svelta, and saw her, hanging by her wrists, her head, usually thrust up defiantly, lowered, either in pain or in a loss of pride Kili did not know. Gazing at her, at the blood slowly dripping from her hanging body, Kili lost it again and a surge of power, of need over took his body. He fought, until he felt a warmth against his neck and realized his own blood was dripping down his neck. He realized he had strained against the knife at his neck and it had now cut him. Snarling, he glared at the goblin with the knife, but was unable to fight the other five off of him to get to the one endangering decapitation of his own head.

Glancing around, Kili realized many of the rest of the company was barely hanging on. Most were near the end of fighting. Dwalin had gotten weary and was now struggling to hold the goblins off. Fili was pushed up against the edge of the platform, trying to hold back four goblins. Thorin, where was Thorin? Kili tried to crane to find his uncle, but felt more warmth and stopped straining his neck. Hopefully he was okay. He glared instead at the Goblin King who had returned to standing near Svelta right as he raised the whip again.

"NO!"

* * *

Svelta's head snapped up hearing Kili yell, and the end of the whip cracked at her shoulder, where her face had been moments before. Gazing at the Goblin King, Svelta wondered what it would be like to kill him. Baring her teeth, she anticipated the next whip's placement and was ready when the pain raced through her as it lashed through her neck instead of her face again due to her swinging backwards using her body weight on the chains. The movement made her want to hiss in pain as the wounds on her back protested her moving those muscles. But she had to, she had to in order to survive.

The next whip wasn't a whip though as the Goblin King instead reached forward, grabbing Svelta in his hand and pulling her, against the protest of her wrists and chains, closer to his face. Breathing in her scent, the Goblin King smiled, "Your friend may bear the Goblin Cleaver, but my goblins have made fine work of him and the rest of your company. They are no more. Soon it will be just you and me again. Soon, you will once again be mine. This time, this time you will scream for me. And this time I will not let you go. Oh how I love your scream. Shall we hear it again?"

Svelta watched, horror in her mind, inwardly screaming as he released her and bent down, plucking up Kili in one hand and thrusting him before her. Something inside her registered Kili yelling about the Goblin King keeping his hands off of her, but she was more concentrating on how to make sure Kili wasn't tortured like the other children had been, those years ago, that he wasn't destroyed just to hear her scream. She couldn't let that happen. Not to someone who actually meant so much to her. No, not this time. This time, she would be in charge.

But right as the Goblin King reached to do who knows what to Kili, a bright light expanded from the platform, white and pure, engulfing anything and everything, blinding in its brilliance. Gandalf had arrived.

The light faded and Gandalf stood, sword in hand, calling the dwarves to arms. At the sight of the sword, the Goblin King turned to the grey wizard, crying out, "He wields the Foe-Hammer! The Beater! Bright as daylight!" Around their feet, the dwarves sprang to life and started fighting back, and winning too. Outraged, the Goblin King swung back around and glared at the young half breed girl. "Your friends may escape, but you will not leave here again alive."

Svelta screamed, not because she experienced any physical pain but because she experienced emotional pain. She watched, as did everyone else who had heard her scream, as the Goblin King took Kili, still in his hands, and tossed him, somewhere into the expanse of Goblin Town. The dwarves roared in protest; Svelta herself had screamed hoping it would stop the Great Goblin King, but it hadn't. The company watched Kili sail.

Gandalf immediately turned to the remaining dwarves, "Quick, run, follow me!"

* * *

Everyone started to go after him, believing Gandalf was leading them to Kili and out of this wretched place. Only Fili paused, turning instead to look up at Svelta, still hanging from the rafters. But she was not watching them leave, she was glaring at the Goblin King. Fili heard her use her wretched voice. "Let them go, and I will not fight."

"No!" called Fili, and the two turned to him, as did Dwalin who had been at the back of the dwarves. He came and stood at Fili's side, gazing up at the two beings as well.

The Goblin King turned his attention back to Svelta, "If they can escape Goblin Town before my goblins detain them, I will not allow my goblins to chase them further. Once your friends escape, from then on you can't struggle."

Fili saw Svelta gaze at the grotesque giant as though considering the deal. Turning to Dwalin, he said shakily, "She can't, can she? She can't accept. That would mean she would have to stay here."

But Dwalin had kept his eyes on the lass and knew she was going to accept the deal, knew that there was no way out of here for her. As Svelta nodded her head, croaking out an "I accept", Dwalin took FIli's arm and dragged him from the scene, hoping to catch up with the others soon.

Fili cried out as Dwalin took him, but he was not strong enough to fight against the other dwarf. He instead watched the retreating scene, the Goblin King looking smug and Svelta hanging, her head down, and Fili realized he had lost his little sister. Kili would kill him for sure.

* * *

Svelta watched them go through the gaps in her hair. There was no way around it, the deal had to be done, it had to be struck. Hopefully they would all realize this and not hold it against her. But she had fulfilled one debt today. The two brothers were always protecting her, always looking out for her. But for once she was able to return the favor, and knowing that she was able to save them, or at least Fili, made her feel somewhat better.

Once the two were out of sight, the Goblin King turned back to her, "Now you are stuck her, down in the deep of Goblin Town, and all your friends have left you behind. You were special to them, but now they are gone, which makes you," he paused for effect, "Nobody really." And with that, the Great Goblin King threw his head back and laughed, but no one laughed with him for they had followed the dwarves and this seemed to upset the Goblin King, that he was all alone, down in the deep of Goblin Town. And upon realizing that he was alone, he became angry and took it out on Svelta as she hung there before him. The whips hurt, the chains hurt, the rope burned, but what really did her in was the fire. Svelta restrained herself from screaming throughout the whole of the ordeal. She did not cry out when the whip shredded her skin into ribbons. She did not cry out when the chains bruised her body and she started to lose feeling in her hands from the ones wrapped around her wrists. She did not cry out when rope was wrapped around places and pulled, around an ankle and pulling her leg almost out of socket, around her waist and straining on her wrists and shoulders, around her neck and cutting off air flow until the rope was loosened again. And she did not cry out when fire was produced. She stared instead at the Goblin King's eyes, matching his stare, never looking away for a moment. He sneered at her, his anger fueled by her defiance to do as she was told and scream.

"We will see how you feel after you are no longer the pretty wench you used to be." The Goblin King snarled. He gazed at her face, the chain cut from earlier still stretching across one side of her face. He leaned back, as though contemplating, before announcing, "We wouldn't want you completely unbeautiful my precious half breed, yes, we shall only further taint the side already broken." And with that, he held a torch to the side of her face that was already going to scar due to the whip.

She did not scream. Svelta would not give him that satisfaction. She held her breathe, tried to withstand the pain, and eventually, passed out.

* * *

Fili was at a loss. His brother was somewhere in this forsaken place. His sister was left behind in the clutches of the one holding them all prisoner. Fili felt despair creeping in. Dwalin was pulling his along, the rest of the company was ahead of them, and cleaning off the goblins that came at them.

"Fili keep up" Dwalin growled.

Fili swallowed and engaged himself more. At least there was hope that he would find one of his siblings. Kili was somewhere out there, and Fili was going to find him.

* * *

The company ran through the passages of Goblin Town. They fought goblins wherever they went and took vast measures to wipe them out. The company felt hope as they followed Gandalf, believing he would find Kili and then lead the company out.

Finally, turning one last way, they spotted a crumpled heap ahead of them. The goblins were descending swiftly, but Gandalf urged the company forward and soon they had surrounded the broken prince. Fili and Oin knelt next to Kili while the rest of the company formed a protective circle around them.

"Kili?" Fili reached out and gently shook his brother, who only moaned in pain. Fili glanced up at Oin, "Is he going to survive?"

Oin didn't pay attention and Fili repeated the question, realizing the old dwarf no longer had his trumpet to be able to hear.

Oin remained silent, quickly frisking the dwarf for broken bones or other damages. He returned Fili's glance after a moment.

"Two or three broken ribs, broken arm, and there is a shaft of wood protruding from his leg. He won't be able to fight, much less walk, in here. Someone will have to carry him."

Gloin immediately turned and knelt beside his brother. "I'll do it." He commented loudly, before gently lifting the dwarf prince and nodding to Gandalf. The company turned to run and was stopped as the Great Goblin King came smashing through the wood in front of them. "You think you can escape me?"

There was a collective gasp as the company realized that one of his hands held chains attached to the wrists of their companion she swayed unconsciously beside him.

Fili pushed forward, yelling, "Let her go!" for both his and Kili's sake.

"Let her go?" The Goblin King asked. With a shrug he commented, "Alright then." And released the chains. The company watched in horror as both the chains and the girl attached fell into the depths below them. Gandalf pushed forward to the head of the company, glaring at the grotesque figure.

"What are you going to do now wizard?" sneered the Great Goblin King.

Gandalf did not answer, but stabbed him in the eye with his staff then sliced open his stomach. The Goblin King collapsed forward, muttering "That will do it" before Gandalf completed the kill by slicing his throat.

But timing is everything and at that exact moment, the passage beneath the company and the Goblin King, which was not supported by a wall but was crossing the chasm their friend had fallen into, and in that moment, the passage gave out, deciding it could not bear the atrocious weight anymore.

The company fell. Clinging to the remains they stood on, they hoped not to die when the fall ended. And they did not, to which Bofur commented, "Well, that could have been worse!"

And then the Goblin King fell on them and everyone groaned.

Dwalin saw the goblins first pointing them out to Gandalf, who replied, "Only one thing will save us now, daylight! Run!" Gloin got up, still gently holding Kili, and was one of the first to follow Thorin out. Fili glanced around though, hoping beyond hope. And it worked.

Relief washed through him as he saw his companion, his little sister, laying not far away. Rushing to her side, he picked her up, gently and turned, to see Dwalin there. Fili nodded at him, before handing her over to the stronger dwarf, Fili instead wrapping up the chains so they didn't get caught on anything as they followed the others out of the horror of Goblin Town.

* * *

As they ran past Gandalf, they heard him count them each. "We are all accounted for!" he replied grinning sadly.

"Where's Biblo?" asked Bofur.

Thorin replied, but Fili was no longer paying attention. Dwalin and Gloin had laid the two injured down side by side and Oin was glancing from one to the other not sure what to do.

Kili was awake but in pain; Svelta was unconscious. Seeing this, Kili leaned up on one elbow, facing her. FIli was immediately beside him to help him as he swayed.

"Fee, I love her. Is she okay? I cant live without her."

And without an answer, he leaned forward and kissed her. Not on the lips, for that would be improper and Kili had been raised to be a proper dwarf. But on the forehead. Something a loving friend or brother would do. But both Fili and Kili knew it meant so much more than that. He could not kiss her mouth without her consent, but he could kiss her in the next way possible.

A howl was heard in the distance, causing the brothers to look to the skies. But the howl had been followed by a gasp, causing them to return their eyes to the one each brother loved in their own way. Svelta stared at the sky, and the brothers gasped at her eyes. One remained the same, the vivid green it always had been. The other, the one awash with flame and the scar of the whip. That one was white. But it didn't seem to bother her she was blind in one eye. Nor did it seem to bother her how broken and beat up she was. If not for the anger and adrenaline pumping through her veins she would still be out cold, but those two things were not only keeping her alive, but they were fueling her to push her limits. And so she rose, standing before the brothers, glaring at the sky.

Somewhere nearby, Fili heard Thorin mutter, "Out of the frying pan"

Gandalf responded sadly, "And into the fire. Run." Turning to the rest of the dwarves he yelled, "RUN!"

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Until next week, farewell!**


	13. Fire in the Night

**So, I have not posted since January 19th, and I sincerely apologize for it. The end of senior year of high school was completely crazy! College has started out really well though, so now I'm here updating for all of you!**

**Thank you to all of you the read, reviewed, followed, and favorited since I was gone! I appreciate that you guys still enjoy this story! And I appreciate all you readers! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

_A howl was heard in the distance, causing the brothers to look to the skies. But the howl had been followed by a gasp, causing them to return their eyes to the one each brother loved in their own way. Svelta stared at the sky, and the brothers gasped at her eyes. One remained the same, the vivid green it always had been. The other, the one awash with flame and the scar of the whip. That one was white. But it didn't seem to bother her she was blind in one eye. Nor did it seem to bother her how broken and beat up she was. If not for the anger and adrenaline pumping through her veins she would still be out cold, but those two things were not only keeping her alive, but they were fueling her to push her limits. And so she rose, standing before the brothers, glaring at the sky._

_Somewhere nearby, Fili heard Thorin mutter, "Out of the frying pan"_

_Gandalf responded sadly, "And into the fire. Run." Turning to the rest of the dwarves he yelled, "RUN!"_

* * *

Svelta was running purely on adrenaline, to the point where it might kill her if it got to that point. But for now, she was running, crashing through trees, following the company. Someone had gotten Kili and was following close behind. She didn't know, and that current second she didn't care. There was so much rage and pain coursing through her body that nothing registered for her that normally would have.

The dwarves ran. They ran as hard and fast as they could, until they reached the end of the road. Turning, Svelta snarled angrily, the sounds of the orcs following behind them growing louder.

"Quick! Into the trees!" Gandalf yelled.

The dwarves began to scurry up into the trees, hoisting and pulling each other up into the higher branches. The wargs were starting to spill into clearing at the far end. Bilbo was helped into the nearest tree and he scampered up along with the rest of them. The only one still in the clearing was Svelta, as she crouched, readying herself to take on the massive beasts. The beasts drew closer and she faltered to a knee, quickly raising it up again, trying to remain upright on two feet. She didn't hear Dwalin drop behind her, and it wasn't until his arm was around her waist that she knew of his presence. She began to thrash, her eyes glued to the oncoming wargs, taunting them with her eyes to come closer and fight her.

Thorin dropped down a couple branches to help Dwalin lift her into the trees, he would not risk the life of a valuable member of the company for a she-dwarf, even if she had saved Fili and Kili's lives. She had proven a more valuable asset than originally thought, but at this second, none of that was showing. Conscience of her wounds, he lifted her up onto the branch beside him turning to help up Dwalin but he was already beside him. Turning back, Thorin realized she was already half way down the branch.

"No!" Thorin called out, unable to prevent himself from doing so.

The wargs had reached the trees.

Quickly Svelta scurried upward, followed closely by Dwalin and Thorin. Thorin was glancing around, trying to locate his nephews. He was having issues while trying to take care of this stupid girl. Grant it, she had saved the company back in Goblin Town, but now she was acting stupid. He was actually surprised that she had made it this far with the injuries she had sustained.

The wargs charged the trees and the dwarves climbed higher, starting to tip over the trees. Gandalf got an idea to start lighting the pinecones on fire and sending them crashing down on the wargs to try and scare them off. This was ineffective and only caused the trees to light up in fiery flames. Soon the wargs began tipping over the trees, sending dwarves crashing into other dwarves and slowly, ever slowly. Thorin grabbed Svelta's arm and hauled her upward and then jumping to the next tree. Dwalin kept up, landing on the adjacent branch.

"There are the boys." He called over the roar of the wargs, the men, and the crackling flames. Pointing, Thorin followed his finger, unable to focus until the tree began to shake once again. "Jump!"

All of them were on the last tree. Gandalf at the top and the rest of the dwarves, hobbit, and Svelta all the way down. The tree began to sway as the wargs bounded off the trunk. With a CRACK the tree began to sway as one by one, the roots began to pull themselves out of the ground. The tree swayed more and more. Again and again the wargs bounded against it, try as they might to knock it down. Each time they hit the trunk it reverberated up the tree. Again, and again, and again, they pounded on it, until finally, with a groan, the tree started to tip completely sidewise.

It was at this moment that a pale orc astride a white warg arrived. It was at this moment that Thorin froze. He could not believe that he was here. But it was the growl beside him from Svelta that caused him to start.

* * *

Svelta felt rage begin to boil up inside of her, and before she realized it, she had let out a growl. Her eyes were on one thing and one thing only, the monster before her. He was the reason behind all her pain. Images began to dance in her head, flashbacks from all the times he had injured her, all the times that she had endured this pathetic creature's taunts and verbal lashes. Her mind whirled until she focused again when she heard that wretched laughter that had always made her cringe.

Breathing hard, she rose. The outcries of the company members fell on deaf ears. She only had one focus on her mind, slaying this creature that was nothing more than a menacing shrub that needed to be pruned.

She started to run, charging down the trunk of the tree and gaining speed as her feet made contact with the dirt. She stopped just short of the white warg, gazing up at its rider in disgust.

"So this is what has become of my pet, oh how I have missed you pet."

She spat in his face. "I am no one's pet." She growled in the foul black language of the orcs. They had only spoken that when she had been with them, allowing her to pick it up over the years of torture. It held its advantages, such as now. But she repeated her words again, louder this time, in the common tongue, "I am no one's pet!" and with that slogan she charged the white warg, a defiant scream echoing from her.

The warg snarled but before she could attack it turned slightly and the pale orc's claw closed around her throat lifting her in the air. Her sword fell uselessly to the ground with a clatter.

"Thank you for coming closer, I wanted a better look my pet." His hand reached up and trailed down her injured cheek before she batted it away.

"Don't touch me" she spat, her voice weaker than before. If she wasn't careful she would once again lose it, this time for sure.

Her words only caused the pale orc to throw back his head and laugh before drawing his face ever closer to hers. "You have always been my pretty pet, I was sad to see you go. But now that you are no longer pretty by others standards you can be my pet again. And don't worry, by my standards I think you are even prettier. The white looks amazing."

Svelta's one good eye flashed dangerously, but she was running out of oxygen and didn't have strength left to speak. But there was one thing she could do, drawing her knives, she threw them at his face, causing him to tilt his claw in a way that he dropped her. She fell in a heap, only to be lifted by two other orcs that had been nearby.

"Strap her to an orc, she will return with us, the ungrateful pet she is." Snarled the pale orc, enraged that she had stabbed him thus as he gazed at the knives sticking out of his shoulder and stomach. Svelta herself would have been happy with her work, but the adrenaline was starting to fade and the lack of oxygen had started to go to her head, and so as the two orcs began to carry her off she slumped in their arms, unconscious.

"NO!"

The pale orc whipped his head around to see who dared defy him, only to see Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain, standing on the trunk of the same tree his pet had returned to him by. The pale orc was amazed. When the Goblin King had told him that both of his bounties that he was hunting were in his town, he hadn't believed it, but here they both were, willingly giving themselves up to him.

* * *

Thorin watched the orcs sling Svelta's body over the back of a warg, causing him to sneer in disgust. That in it of itself caused his rage in his body to boil, and soon he was charging down the trunk, heading straight for the disgusting pale orc. The girl, whoever she be, whatever she be, had proven herself as a loyal companion of the company and he was not going to give her up that easily to this foul breathed, wretched creature.

Thorin swung his sword with all his might, aiming to decapitate the white warg. This proved unsuccessful, and only managed to anger the thing. Growling, it spun, leaping for Thorin, at which all he had to block was a nearby tree branch not yet on fire. This did little good against the warg, whose teeth crushed the thing without a second thought. Thorin fell from the effort of this, hitting his head on a rock, and soon he too was out for the count.

* * *

Kili was frozen. He couldn't move. Watching first the girl he was starting to fall for and then his uncle go down from taking on this orc sent his body into paralysis. He was shocked. He couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. Suddenly he realized Bilbo too was scurrying into the mess and soon he watched Bilbo's letter opener take on the pale orc's claw as Bilbo, not Fili and Kili, stood above Thorin, protecting him from harm. Kili was frozen. He couldn't move. There was nothing he could do to save the ones he loved.

* * *

Fili felt like his body was on fire with all the rage welling in him. He was so angry watching the events occur. But there was nothing he could do. He was helpless. He couldn't move. He was so angry that his muscles had frozen, tensed on this branch. All he could do was watch, helplessly, angrily.

* * *

Biblo stood, trying to hold off the pale orc as it roared with laughter at the puny thing before it. He trembled as it gazed curiously down at the little hobbit. But when Bilbo slammed his sword into the white warg's snout, the scene seemed to unfreeze itself. The pale orc called out in anger as his warg reared. Snarling, he bade all his orcs attack.

Bilbo was filled with a frenzy like no other as he began to swish his sword back and forth, trying all his might to keep the creatures at bay. He was filled with a loathing as he had never experienced before. These creatures had attacked his friends and they had caused them harm. Bilbo felt the need to exact vengeance for these monsters' misdeeds.

His vengeance was cut short however as a cry rung out over the clearing. Something large swooped by at high speed, picking up a warg as it passed, and flinging it over the edge. Sensing that finally the company of Thorin Oakenshield had an advantage in this fight, Bilbo let out a battle cry and continued to fight with renewed strength.

* * *

Hearing the battle cry roused the dwarves in the tree, and two by two they all mustered their way up on to the trunk and charged into the clearing to join the fight. Bofur quickly joined his hobbit friend and together the two started whirling swords any which way to take down their foes. Fili and Kili reached their uncle shortly after. Kili bent down as Fili stood guard, making sure his uncle was still with them. Upon hearing a groan from his uncle, Kili smiled and stood, not waiting long before his sword found its way into the head of an oncoming warg.

"Where is Svelta?" Fili called above the din of the battle.

Kili looked for her or the warg carrying her but was unable to find either. His face set in a grim expression, he called back to his brother, "I can't find her."

"Someone will, don't worry." Fili said, trying to be reassuring, but Kili could hear the stress in his voice, even over the din of the battle. "Look!" Fili called, pointing towards the center of the battle between beheading an orc and stabbing another.

That's when they saw Dwalin, battle the pale orc.

* * *

Dwalin had seen the pale orc pick up the limp girl, placing her astride his white warg. Something in his had clicked, and before he knew it, he was charging through the orcs he had been fighting towards the pale orc. His only thought was for the girl. Something large flew past him fast, picking up two orcs in his path and flinging them over the edge, clearing his way. Dwalin charged, ready for the first blow before his sword make contact. Unfortunately it was blocked by the orc's metal claw, but Dwalin didn't give up. He kept coming, attacking at new angles. The fight around the two seemed to fall away as each became only engrossed in the battle between them. It was only when one of the flying things came dangerously close to taking out the pale orc that he got distracted, allowing Dwalin a stab to his leg and the time needed to seize the girl, turn, and run. He heard the pale orc screech furiously from behind him, but nothing mattered besides that the girl was safe.

* * *

Kili and Fili watched Dwalin charge from the mess of creatures, trying to get out. Calling out to him, they saw him turn, see them, and change directions.

It was to Fili and Kili's horror and to Dwalin's surprise when large talons wrapped around him and soon he and the lass seemed to be flying in the air.

Kili called out, "NO!" but his voice was weak from the smoke and screaming in the tunnels Soon other claws wrapped around Ori and Nori, and the brothers watched the two be carried out. It wasn't long before claws wrapped themselves around Fili and Kili as well, and it was only then that Kili realized what the large things were. Giant eagles. There was no explanation for it though. FIli craned his head around, just barely able to confirm seeing his uncle lifted up by another eagle.

Azog roared in anger as he watched his prey escape, unable to follow. He had lost his pet, and he had lost Thorin's head. He was so close and now he was back at square one.

* * *

The eagles dropped off the company on the Carrock. The leader exchanged a short word with Gandalf before the flock took off. The company ran to their fallen leader. Thorin had been laid down gently at the end of the rock. Svelta had been laid down nearby. Kili stood, leaning against Fili as his strength had finally started to begin sapping. Dwalin knelt down between the two fallen dwarves, hoping beyond hope that both of them would return to the company. Balin sat near his leader, watching the chest lightly rise and fall.

Gandalf knelt down, placing a hand on each dwarf's forehead, and began to mutter to himself. Soon a moan escaped Thorin and he forced himself up into a sitting position, immediately held in place by Balin and Dwalin. After a few deep breathes he asked for the hobbit. Bilbo stepped forward, nervous as to what Thorin had to say this time. With a wince, Thorin rose to a standing position, towering slightly over the hobbit.

"Did I not say that you did not belong with us? That you would be a burden?" Silence echoed through the dwarves. "I have never been so wrong." With a large effort he gripped the hobbit tight, bringing him into a bear hug. Whispering into his ear so that no one else heard, he whispered "Thank you Bilbo."

Thorin released him to turn to look for the she-dwarf. Seeing her still lying there, his eyes sought out his nephews. Kili was sitting down, leaning against Fili's leg. Thorin met Kili's eyes first, then Fili's, nodding to each in turn. The girl had proven herself to him and he realized he needed he needed to apologize to the three of them. She deserved his respect, and she had earned it now. He realized that she should have had it months ago, when she had first signed the contract. His eyes returned to her again before his glance continued on to the burly dwarf still kneeling beside her. Dwalin met his gaze and Thorin saw something new in his gaze. He saw that his friend cared for the young dwarf girl. Thorin nodded at him as well.

Turning slightly, he looked at Gandalf, "Will she wake again?"

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed! I thought this one actually turned out pretty well! Please review if you feel the urge. I don't have a lot of credits this semester so I should be able to start a pretty repetitive weekly update. Until next time!**


	14. The Aftermath on a Cliff

**This is sort of a short, filler chapter, transitioning us from the first movie to the second. While not a lot happens here, this chapter is still important to get the characters to where they need to be to continue the story. This chapter will mainly focus around Thorin and Dwalin just to get a change of caption and expand on some themes. Sorry ahead of time, but thank you for reading!**

**Also shout out to those that have favorited and followed since the last update. I appreciate all of your guys' support as I continue through this adventure!**

* * *

_"__Did I not say that you did not belong with us? That you would be a burden?" Silence echoed through the dwarves. "I have never been so wrong." With a large effort he gripped the hobbit tight, bringing him into a bear hug. Whispering into his ear so that no one else heard, he whispered "Thank you Bilbo."_

_Thorin released him to turn to look for the she-dwarf. Seeing her still lying there, his eyes sought out his nephews. Kili was sitting down, leaning against Fili's leg. Thorin met Kili's eyes first, then Fili's, nodding to each in turn. The girl had proven herself to him and he realized he needed to apologize to the three of them. She deserved his respect, and she had earned it now. He realized that she should have had it months ago, when she had first signed the contract. His eyes returned to her again before his glance continued on to the burly dwarf still kneeling beside her. Dwalin met his gaze and Thorin saw something new in his gaze. He saw that his friend cared for the young dwarf girl. Thorin nodded at him as well._

_Turning slightly, he looked at Gandalf, "Will she wake again?"_

* * *

Gandalf let out a sigh, turning his attention to the dwarf lord. "She will when she is ready. Right now she is too weak, and the extent of injuries of the Goblin Town plus that of battle elicited to this state. When her body is ready, and her mind is at peace, she will wake. Until then, let her rest, she is finally at peace."

Thorin nodded, once, twice, then turned and approached his nephews. Placing a hand on Fili's shoulder, he gave a slight squeeze, eyebrows raised in question. Fili shook his head, he had not been injured. Thorin nodded before kneeling down near his other nephew.

"Kili?"

Kili's eyes remained focused on the she-dwarf, unresponsive to his uncle's voice.

"Kili?"

Nervous, Thorin reached forward and clasped Kili's arm gently. Still nothing. With a sigh, Thorin sat himself down in the dirt directly in front of Kili, causing him to look him in the eye finally. Thorin tried again to communicate with his nephew.

"Kili?"

Dull eyes stared back at him.

"Kili are you hurt?"

No response was given.

"Kili, she is going to live. Gandalf has healed what he can. The rest is up to her, but you know that she will come back to us. You know this isn't the end."

Kili's eyes started to water, and while one arm remained wrapped around his brother's leg, the other reached forward and embraced Thorin as Thorin reached to draw him in. He held his nephew close, wishing beyond anything he had left the poor boy, his brother, and the girl at home, where they would still be safe and no one would have gotten harmed. Pulling back slightly, Thorin grabbed Kili's face, looking into his eyes, "Are you hurt?"

Kili licked his lips, looking away, but did not reply.

"Kili it does her no good if you are hurt and do not heal. Do not waste away while you worry over something that does need your full effort of worrying."

Kili glanced back up into his uncle's eyes. Nodding slowly, he let out a breath.

Breathing through his nose heavily, Thorin gave a nod. "Where?"

Kili kept his arm around Fili's leg, instead motioning with the other arm towards his ribs, cringing as he did so. Thorin's keen eyes watched his every move, analyzing what all was injured, even the parts Kili didn't seem to know about. Nodding to his nephew, he gave a weak smile before calling over Oin, asking him to try and help the lad. Rising, his gazed returned to that of Fili's

"Your thoughts have changed." It was a simple statement, without malice or anger. Said in a dead tone, stated as a fact. And yet, all the same, Thorin felt as though he had physically hit him. Fili had always spoken to the elder with respect and kindness, but his tone now showed indifference. And Thorin knew why. Fili was hurting inside. He had seen how the lad cared for the girl. Even back home, he had noticed. He had watched the two young lads play with her by their side. He had watched her accompany Kili on playing his pranks of Fili. He had watched one night as Fili had comforted her as she had become frightened during a storm one of the nights she had slept over with the two lads. He had seen Fili with her, and knew that she was his sister and that it was internally killing him to see her in this condition. She was Fili's sister, whether the two knew of it or not.

Breathing heavily, Thorin tried to reason with his eldest nephew. "I'm sorry. I know now what I did not before. She is part of this company. That she has proven time and time, between the battle with the orcs before Rivendell and saving your life and the battle in the Goblin Town and risking her life for all of ours and then back there in the clearing, taking on Azog. She is a mighty warrior and worthy companion. She deserves to be here."

Fili nodded at these words, content with what his uncle was saying.

"While she is not a dwarf, she still has my respect and -"

Fili cut him off in a rage. "Blood still matters to you? What she is outweighs what she has done? You yourself just offered up several reasons why she belongs with this company, why she is by every right a member as much as any of the rest of us. She should have earned your respect when she signed the contract, when she offered to accompany us, when she tried to help Bilbo burglar back our missing ponies, when she sacrified herself for us in the Goblin Town all the while thinking that that was the end of her life, and if anything, she should have earned your respect when she took on Azog alone, by herself and head on." Fili's voice rose in volume with each example of his friend's brave deeds. By the end he was breathing heavily, glaring at his uncle. Kili's latch on his leg had slightly tightened, either due to Fili's argument or to Oin trying to fix him up a bit, not that Fili noticed. Thorin was his sole attention focus and seething as he was, he was in control enough not to smack him.

Thorin bowed his head in shame. He knew from his nephew's words that he had spoken poorly, even though his words had been the truth of the matter. Turning slightly, he glanced back at the unconscious girl. Settling his breath, he turned back to Fili, preparing a retort, but nothing came to mind. He was speechless.

Fili's hard gaze continued to hold his. Returning the gaze for a while longer, Thorin finally had to glance away. Thorin was proud, and would no longer subject himself to this treatment from a minor, even his own nephew. Turning back to address the company as a whole, away from the glare of his nephew, Thorin raised his voice to call out. "We are leaving now. Those that are injured, find Oin during the course of the travel and allow him to bandage you. Those of you that are not, assist those that are injured. Move!"

Oin stood, helping Kili to his feet, where he continued to lean into Fili's strong arms. Fili nodded at Oin in thanks, quoting that he would help Kili climb down off the cliff. Oin nodded before moving away towards his brother. Fili shot one more glare towards his uncle before slowly turning and walking with Kili, beginning the descent.

Thorin wondered how long his nephew could hold a grudge. If Fili was anything like him, then it would be for life. Hopefully he could make up for it before then.

* * *

Dwalin, at Thorin's words had stood, the young girl held tight in his arms. Fili had caught sight of her safely in his arms and had nodded to him before beginning to help Kili down off the cliff. Gandalf had glanced his way as well, nodding at seeing the girl snuggled tightly in his arms. She would be safe and would be at peace there. Thorin spared but a look, and that was all.

Dwalin had heard his king's words and had experienced a spike of anger, glad for Fili's retort. There was no need for the cruel phrase his king had used to describe the girl. As he began his own descent down the mountain, Balin at his side, Dwalin glanced down at the girl in his arms. At some point during the battle a possessiveness had overtaken him and suddenly he couldn't bear to see her injured any longer. She had gone through enough and she didn't deserve any more pain and sorrow.

"You always wanted a daughter."

Balin's comment came out of the blue, startling the bald dwarf. Waiting until they had successfully scaled down the next step, Dwalin responded, "How?"

"The look in your eyes brother. You always spoke fondly of children but never found the right female to bear you some. Therefore, something caused you to consider this young girl as your own. You have claimed her as your child now, just as the young lad Fili has as his younger sister. Though how she may take to you being a father figure I am not sure." Balin commented with a sparkle in his eye.

Dwalin couldn't help but let out a laugh at that, causing him to stumble slightly on the way down the next step. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the small girl and dipped one shoulder lower, ready to roll over it if he tripped completely so as to not injure her. This only caused Balin to laugh as well, watching Dwalin's face as realization came over him.

Dwalin turned slightly to his brother, shocked, "I do brother. I do care for her. I love her as though she was my own." A blush starting to bloom on his normally stoic face, he swallowed hard. Turning his gaze down to the girl again, he nodded, knowing now that his brother was right. This girl was now his, and he would defend her until the end.

* * *

Gandalf watched the group carefully. They had descended all of the stairs and were now slowly making their way across a field. He knew the orcs were slowly following and that they needed to get going. The home he wanted to get them to was swiftly approaching. Nodding once to himself, he motioned Bilbo onwards from where he had stopped to rest. They needed to keep going, before the orcs caught up, or something else, something bear-ish.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this! Next chapter we will return to Svelta and will contain some more flashbacks! Until next weekend! Enjoy lovely readers!**


	15. Horrors of the Past

**Hello again dear friends! I know this is a day late, but it is by far the longest chapter yet so hopefully that makes up for the fact. Thank you to any one that read, followed, and favorited since our last encounter!**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

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_Gandalf watched the group carefully. They had descended all of the stairs and were now slowly making their way across a field. He knew the orcs were slowly following and that they needed to get going. The home he wanted to get them to was swiftly approaching. Nodding once to himself, he motioned Bilbo onwards from where he had stopped to rest. They needed to keep going, before the orcs caught up, or something else, something bear-ish._

* * *

Svelta awoke, unable to recognize her surroundings. Anxiety filling her she tried to sit up, only to realize she was sitting in a really squishy bed. Confused, she pushed off, trying to reach an edge but only sliding deeper into the depths of the bed. Heart starting to race she wondered if she would escape or if this was the end. She imagined the others hearing of her death, smothered by pillows and bed linens. What a tragedy that would be.

Squirm as she might, she was unable to worm to the edge of the bed. But she immediately stopped squirming at the sound of a muffled laugh coming from somewhere close by. Freezing, she tried to locate the sound, and then tried to struggle towards it. Onwards she tried, would she make it? The laughing got closer, and suddenly arms reached through the piles of bedding and pulled. Svelta let out a silent shriek as she felt herself lifted up and out. Gently set down on her feet, Svelta lifted her head to see her savior to only come face to face with Kili. Or at least what she thought was Kili. It was hard to tell in 2D. She must be losing her sight as well as her mind. Did she try to trade her sight for her voice? Svelta felt the pain of silence was not too great a burden to bear for the fact of being able to see.

Breathing hard, she pulled away, falling into the giant bed once more. Kili had seen the terror flame up in her eyes. Taking a tentative step forward, he reached out for her hands again. Frantically she shook her head, scrambling backwards, gripping the linens tight. She tried to back away, struggling against the entrapping sheets.

Withdrawing his hand, Kili's face was set in confusion and pain. With a last glance towards her, he retreated from her field of vision, supposedly from the room. Tears began to run down Svelta's face, but she couldn't face him. Not only was she part of a race that he and his family disgraces, but she had been lying to him all these years. Sure she hadn't known, hadn't remembered any of it. But now it was present in her mind and there was no way that it was leaving any time soon.

Sobbing heavily into the comforter, she didn't hear the approaching footsteps, and so visibly flinched as she felt a hand gently lay itself on her arm. She tried to draw away, but the hand remained, gently but insistent. Turning to tell Kili to just leave her alone, she was surprised to see Fili instead. Gazing up at the young dwarf, her good eye red and puffy, the milky white eye seeming unable to shed tears, she snuffled slightly before turning towards him, reaching. Immediately Fili recognized her need and drew her towards him, shifting himself farther onto the bed before placing her in his lap, head nustled against his chest. Somewhere in the back of Svelta's mind she thought she should shy away from Fili as she did Kili. She was unable to resist the comfort he offered though, and so couldn't bring herself to turn him away quite yet. Just a little longer.

Fili held her in his arms tightly, protectively. He sat in silence as she sobbed into his tunic, hands clutching tightly at the edges. She was breaking, broken to the ends of her world, and needed help being put back together again. Hopefully he could be that for her.

They sat in silence for some time, even after Svelta had stopped shaking and crying. Finally she pulled back slightly, nodding a bit to herself. Glancing up at Fili, she smiled sadly, before pulling back all the way, scooting off his lap. Swallowing nervously, Fili gave her a single nod. Sliding off the bed, he offered her a hand, but at her shake of the head, he nodded again and turned and left.

Svelta felt conflicted. All of her memories had returned, and while she had known this before setting out from Rivendell with the dwarves, after getting them in more trouble with the Goblin King, she felt like it was probably best if she left the company behind. Knowing her past now, she felt conflicted about her future. Some parts were still blurry but she felt there couldn't be anything possibly worse to come up in her memories than what had already.

With a sigh of determination, she scooted towards the edge of the bed, managing to disentangle herself enough to get out of it. It was hard to walk with the world in 2D instead of 3D. She really needed her other eye to be able to walk straight. Leaning heavily on first the bed and then the wall, only falling once, she made her way across the room. Reaching the doorway, she leaned against the frame, hidden from view before walking through. The dwarves were close by on the other side, she could hear their chatter. Wanting to get this over with before she lost hope, Svelta turned and entered the next room.

An immediate silence overtook the expanse. And it was indeed an expanse for it was a fairly large room. Giving herself a moment to take it all in, Svelta craned her head back just to get a glimpse of the ceiling.

But turning her head back to face the table of dwarves again she was surprised to see a large man sitting at its head. Inclining her head to him, she heard Gandalf's voice rumble from the far side of the table, "Svelta, we are glad you are able to join us at last. This is Beorn, our host. And this, is the final member of our company who you have so graciously leant a bed to all these nights."

This caused Svelta to stall. Gandalf had said all of these nights, inferring multiple, but all she remembered is battling Azog and then, nothing. Darkness once more loomed high in her memory. Blanching slightly, she wasn't given more time to think about it before the large man addressed her.

"I am sorry for your loss of sight young one."

Svelta furrowed, confused that other's already knew she was losing her sight. How could they have known? She hadn't told anyone.

"You smell of the dwarves, but you also smell of more than that."

Swallowing hard, Svelta was pulled from her mind and could do nothing more than merely nodded back.

"There is much mystery clouding your existence young one. From the looks on your friend's faces, they don't know that you are not quite all dwarf."

Svelta stood stock still, not daring to move. She didn't allow her eyes to wander either, keeping them locked on the large man, knowing that if she was to look at any of her fellow company members, her resolve would break and who knows what would happen then. She had been planning on telling Thorin that she didn't feel safe with the company and no longer wished to travel any further with them. There had been no intent on revealing her half breed status to the people she actually trusted. For Svelta believed if she did, none of them would trust her again.

"I am curious of you strange one." The large man concluded, then returned to speaking with Gandalf.

Svelta felt she could breathe a little easier without his intent gaze piercing through her soul. Licking her lips once, then again, she prepared to address the company.

Deep breath.

"May I speak?"

The air flowed from between her lips but nothing but a whisper came out. Her vocal chords had been so stressed, between not talking for 10 years and then yelling in the Goblin Town, that now they seemed beyond repair. At least a little sound had come out, she was not silent any more.

Luckily though the dwarves and the hobbit had all been silent and so the ones closest were able to hear. Dwalin nodded, beckoning her forward to the bench beside him muttering as he did, "I'll be your voice lass."

Nodding silently, Svelta walked forward, faltering only slightly, allowing Dwalin's large arms to help her up onto the bench next to him. Looking around at all the dwarves, she noticed Fili's knowing eyes and Kili's hurt ones. Unable to keep their gaze any longer, she shifted onwards, only to meet Thorin's who held suspicion and confusion. Swallowing hard she instead turned to Dwalin. He gave her a supportive nod, and a smile to boot. Only then was Svelta able to once again turn to face Thorin directly and started.

"Company of Thorin Oakenshield and Thorin Oakenshield himself."

It came out as a whisper, but she didn't push it, as long as Dwalin could hear, that was all that mattered. Pausing, she allowed him to restate her phrase to the company before continuing, making sure to pause at the end of phrases so that Dwalin could get it repeated correctly.

"As many of you know I have my memories back. And as many of you now know, some of them deal with the Goblin King down in the depths of Goblin Town. And as you all have probably figured out, I have memories relating to Azog the pale orc as well."

Hearing the burly dwarf beside her repeat those words caused her to shudder, making the truth impact her all the more. Keeping her resolve, she conclude,

"I have seen the horrors of my past. You all have now experienced the horrors of my present with me. Please. Allow me to leave before I drag each of you in to experiencing the horrors of my future as well."

At this Dwalin stumbled over the words in shock, but remained strong enough to finish the sentence for all the others to hear still.

There was a shocked silence throughout the table at the last of her words.

"But lassie, you signed the contract! You can't leave!" Balin tried to reason.

"Lass," Dwalin muttered, turning to her, "You are part of this company, we will go through whatever troubles with you that you need us to for your sake. We won't give up on you."

Murmured agreement echoed around the table from one dwarf to the rest. Svelta finally got her eyes up to meet the two boys she had called brothers for ten years, to discover the pain in both their faces.

"Why?" Kili's voice broke, somehow carrying over the others' words and kind remarks.

Svelta's resolve finally broke. Tears threatened to spill and she bent her head to hide them but was unsuccessful. "I am safest when I am alone. I told you that from the beginning. I am not safe in a group because all in the group are threatened."

Dwalin repeated the statement and Svelta heard Fili's hard voice answer, "Then we will stand with you and protect you. Others may have been a burden by your side but we are not! Do not fear our safety because of the last events of the past. We will stand by your side sister."

The tears did spill now as Svelta merely shook her head, unable to respond.

Rising from his bench, Thorin called to her, "Svelta, a private word if I may."

With the help of Dwalin once more, Svelta rose from the bench and turned to follow the company leader. Slowly, she was able to follow him, stumbling only slightly, both from the issue of seeing and that of many of her muscles starting to protest movement. They entered a different room than the one that Svelta had been sleeping in, but before stopping there, they continued on, exiting through a back door. Svelta fell to her knees in the long grass, Thorin himself stood a few feet away. Turning back to her once it was positive that no one else was near, his face was no longer set in hard stone.

"I want you to know before anything else that you have gone beyond my expectations and have twice over earned my respect. I also want you to know that I am sorry for doubting you from the beginning. That was wrong of me and I shouldn't have. I apologize."

With a deep breathe he turned, gazing out over the valley around them. Turning back to her, Svelta saw a lost look in his eyes.

"I don't think the company can survive without you. You have brought hope and strength to several of my members and I must ask you to reconsider your request to leave us."

Svelta could only shake her head, her throat closing over as she realized what this meant for Thorin to not only have apologized to her but to ask her to stay when all those weeks ago in Bilbo's hole in the ground he had asked her to not come or if she did to stay out of his way. The tables had turned, but Svelta was no longer sure if that was for the better or for the worse.

"Why?" Thorin asked in response to her silence, kneeling down next to her now and watching the tears begin to fall again down her face. "Why don't you trust us to help you?"

"It is not that" Svelta murmured. "It is that I don't trust myself to keep you all safe. You don't know the horrors of my past. And you don't want your company to experience them in the future."

"I am willing to bet that my company, our company would be willing to help out a fellow company member." Thorin replied in a fierce low tone. "But if you are so keen on holding onto the horrors of your past, please do share so that we all may know. "

Svelta gazed with trepidation into Thorin's eyes. She found trust there and realized that maybe she could get help from these people. Maybe they were strong enough for her.

"I was taken from my home because Azog wanted me to join his army. Please, don't ask why," she added upon seeing Thorin already ready to interrupt and not wanting to share her half breed status with him. "If you accept then he places you in the army and trains you to fight for him. If you decline." Here Svelta took a staggering breathe. "If you decline he tortures you, taking out any anger or performing any experiments that pass through his mind. The better you scream the more he likes you."

Svelta's breathing became shallower and quicker. "The torture was bad enough. The whips, the sword cuts, Azog's claw ripping into your flesh. The flames were worst of all, singeing skin and maiming body parts. He always refused to maim my face and arms though, claiming they were of perfection and would buy me a higher bid whenever someone came wanting a servant from the pale orc. That is how I ended up with the Goblin King." The tears fell harder, but she pushed through, barely a whisper now.

"It wasn't always constant, just anytime he would be angered or in need of amusement and would call one of us out to the platform and then he would use any form of torture necessary to appease himself. Sometimes, sometimes he used us." Svelta shuddered, glad to see Thorin's face fill with horror and himself shudder as well. At least he knew how bad this was to occur.

"The experiments. The experiments." She faltered, dragging a ragged breathe.

"We are here for you lass. All of us are." Thorin said, reaching out and giving her arm a good grip, his gaze sliding behind her slightly before focusing back on her.

Startled, Svelta turned to see the rest of the dwarves, dear Bilbo, Gandalf, and the large man that resembled a bear standing crowded in the doorway. At some point they had all gathered to hear her tales.

Smiling at them, she drew a breath before continuing. "The experiments." Again she faltered, trying hard just to breathe, the smile long since having sluid back off her face. Thorin could see the horror of the experience creeping up behind Svelta's one good eye.

"He tried to figure out if we could withstand pain in high levels, to see just how far we could go. There were different ways to test this, breaking bones, pulling off nails from their beds, hot irons pressed into the soles of our feet. Sleep deprivation was another thing, sometimes it lasted for days before he would allow us to sleep again." Svelta's voice was but a whisp now, and each dwarf bent forward to more clearly hear her words. Gloin was murmuring them louder to his brother to allow him to experience the tale as well.

"We were the ones that had said no to joining his army, so he tested how far his new army would go, their limits, on those of us that declined joining. We were little else use to him. But when he discovered that we weren't as good as his orcs, the next round of experiments came." Svelta visibly shuddered, hugging herself tightly before continuing, her face turned towards the sun to ward off the cold feeling inside of her.

"They tried to attach new limbs to us, they tried to make us better than they were. But you were not the lucky one if you were given new limbs or had them taken from you. Some gained extra arms or legs, one person an extra hand on each wrist. At one point Azog tried giving one of us two heads." Holding up her hands so that Thorin could see, Svelta continued, "I had two extra fingers sewn onto each hand. When they didn't move at all and were dysfunctional they cut them right back off. But for whichever other lost four of their fingers for this cause I mourned for them. For while I had gotten back my normal hands, they never would."

Licking her lips, Svelta took a few calming breathes before continuing. "The worse of them that I experienced was the transfusions. Blood transfusions that is. We weren't strong enough to match his orc army, so he began administering orc blood transfusions at varying rates into each of us there. The pain, the burning sensation of the dark magic in the orc blood fighting your own. Some people started to change slightly, meaning that they had had enough orc blood to start manipulating their physical features. We started to receive higher doses. Luckily by then I had been promised to the Goblin King, and he wanted my pretty face. But every time we pass evil my blood curls in want to draw nearer to it. When Azog arrived on that cliff top I felt it because the orc blood in my body wanted nothing more than to run to his side and fight alongside the evil he possesses."

Svelta spat, tears running down her face. "I am tainted, and I have the blood of many on my hands." Swallowing hard she continued, "I caused so many deaths both under Azog's control and the Goblin King's. They loved my scream, and used any means necessary to achieve hearing it. When I started refusing to scream for the Goblin King, he would torture the young ones that I cared for during our time trapped together to hear me scream. But when I still refused he killed them, all of them. Just to hear me scream. And I didn't, until now."

The dwarves were silent. This was incredible. It answered Thorin's question about what their host had smelled on her. It was orc, because now she was part orc. He remembered his words back in Bilbo's house, saying how they didn't even know what she was. He regretted those words, as he realized that she was an honest dwarf that had experienced so much evil in the world and it wasn't her fault if she was a little different.

Svelta sank her head into her lap rather than meet the gazes of the dwarves around her. There was only the sound of her sobbing until one by one each dwarf pressed a hand on her somewhere, be it head, arm, or back, and made an oath to protect her that each would uphold.

Sitting down on either side of her was Kili and Fili and when she finally felt stable enough in her emotions, she lifted her head to see them.

"Is this why you pushed us away? Because you were worried what would happen when we found out about your orc blood?" Kili asked, pain in his eyes, though whether it was his own or in empathy for hers Svelta wasn't sure. All she could do was nod, knowing it was half the truth.

Both brothers draped an arm around her back and they held her close. She was their sister, and they would never let her go. No harm would come to her again and taint her poor life, as long as they were alive.

* * *

**Oh dramatic ending! ****Hope you all enjoyed! I know there wasn't much shipping in this chapter, but right now I am not as much focused on that as I am just the Hobbit story with Svelta. I really enjoy her character so I do apologize to any of you that came here solely for the shipping. Enjoy your weekends and the week ahead! Until Friday!**


	16. Nightmares of Love

**Hello again lovely readers! Sorry this is late again, I think I will now be updating just sometime during the weekend rather than Friday. For those of you not in college, Friday is when all of the student activities and fun things happen. Thank you to all that read, followed, and favorited since the last update. I love getting the emails that so and so is now following me. It is really uplifting that people actually are enjoying this as much as I am. This chapter was kind of a shock, but see what you think about it. Enjoy!**

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_Svelta sank her head into her lap rather than meet the gazes of the dwarves around her. There was only the sound of her sobbing until one by one each dwarf pressed a hand on her somewhere, be it head, arm, or back, and made an oath to protect her that each would uphold._

_Sitting down on either side of her was Kili and Fili and when she finally felt stable enough in her emotions, she lifted her head to see them._

"_Is this why you pushed us away? Because you were worried what would happen when we found out about your orc blood?" Kili asked, pain in his eyes, though whether it was his own or in empathy for hers Svelta wasn't sure. All she could do was nod, knowing it was half the truth._

_Both brothers draped an arm around her back and they held her close. She was their sister, and they would never let her go. No harm would come to her again and taint her poor life, as long as they were alive._

* * *

The dwarves stayed in the safety of the shape shifter's house for a while yet. Thorin deemed they would only leave once Svelta was healed, swearing up and down that once they got on the road they could travel faster if needed to in order to reach the mountain by the last light on Durin's Day. None of the dwarves vetoed this decision, instead taking the time to practice and train up again, knowing now that the orcs were on their trail and soon would be there to battle once more. The shape shifter himself patrolled the area around his home, watching for the orcs to appear so he could warn the noble company.

Svelta stayed in bed most the time, asleep and healing the extensive wounds she had gained throughout the battles against the goblins and the orcs. It was only towards the end of the company's stay did she finally rise and join the company, both for meals and for training, yet still preferring the bed to sleep in, enjoying the safety of being alone at her most vulnerable state of being.

It was one of these times of her being alone, trying to fall asleep but being unable to that Beorn approached her, giving her lea way to send him from the room if that is what she also desired. But with a nod from her, he came close, sitting on the edge of the bed, reaching out, and enveloped one of her hands in both of his.

"You are a strange one, with the blood of many, and the traits of many within you, young one." His deep voice rumbled, filling the room.

Shaking her head, Svelta felt blood rush to her cheeks, embarrassed at how forward he had been at her handicap. Unable to speak, as even the whisper had faded away to nothing from over using it, she merely ducked her head and waited for him to continue with whatever he had entered the room to tell her.

"Do not hide yourself in fear young one" the bear man continued, reaching a hand to grasp her chin and raise it so her eyes met his. "There is nothing to fear in the presence of your company. You may not have told them all of the blood in your veins. But these dwarves have the hearts of lions, and they will not disappoint you when the time comes for battle. Do yourself good and feed that trust you have built up in each of these members. There are some that would call you family as it is now. Give them reason not to go back on their word and their love when the time comes in the nearer future."

Puzzlement took hold of the features of Svelta's face. She didn't know what he meant by future, and she didn't think anything could arise that would make the dwarves question their loyalty and ties to her. Unless. Dread filled Svelta as she realized that the path Gandalf planned to take them on to get to the Lonely Mountain took them directly past two places, one she dreaded to be near due to the memories of her torture and pain, and the other, fear filled her heart at the thought of the elves of Greenwood once again discovering her after all these years astray, hiding among the dwarves for protection, even travelling with a large company of them freely.

Svelta felt her face drain of all color. Another voice from the door dragged her attention away from the shape shifter.

"I did not mean to have us travel this way."

Gandalf's face seemed weary and he seemed quite a bit older than he had been before.

"The Goblin Tunnels and every part past then have taken us from the originally intended path." Gandalf's kind eyes sought out Svelta's, begging her to accept his apology. "I knew once you had your memories you wouldn't have wanted the conflict that will surely come and I did my best to prevent it. I am sorry I failed in my duties. The only hope now is when you enter Mirkwood, everyone stays on the path all the way through."

Svelta raised her eyebrows at the mention of the new name for the forest she had called home.

Gandalf grimaced before continuing, "Greenwood became Mirkwood, with all the evil brewing at Dol Gul Dor, it seeped down into the forest and the King didn't do much to keep it out, rather recalling all the elves to the small plot of land of his castle and containing the goodness the forest used to be only in that small area."

Svelta shuddered, thinking of the memories she had of the forest, now tainted by the evil done upon her and many others in that wretched place that stood so close and yet, and yet. Svelta's thoughts paused as the tears began to come. No one had ever come for her, no one had ever tried to get her out of that cursed place. Her brother, her father. They had done nothing, they had left her there to die, to succumb to pain and torture and to rot until there was nothing left of her. It was there fault she was where she was now. If they had truly loved her they would have come for her. If they had truly loved her they wouldn't have stopped until they had found her. If they had truly loved her they wouldn't have stopped looking for her. If they had truly loved her. If they had truly loved her.

Did they love her?

Anger swept in a surge through the girl and she let out a scream, tearing newly healed wounds on her vocal cords and she let out all her pain and rage through her voice, launching herself off the bed and throwing a hand through the wall.

Had they truly loved her? Or was she a pity being, loved because of being forced to. She had been forced into their lives through being left on the king's doorstep. He had been forced to take her in or kill her. He had shown mercy. But did he truly love her?

Again a punch went through the wall as her scream began to dwindle. Gandalf and the shape shifter looked on sadly, watching the young girl.

She had grown up with her big brother, spent hours by his side competing and laughing, training and yet having fun at the same time. Was it all for naught? Had she just been a friend, an amusement for him to use? Even after so much time by his side, even after working so hard to one day become his captain of the guard and to fight willingly with him. Did he ever truly love her?

Svelta's voice ran out and she sank to the floor, curling up in a ball, she began to cry.

Had she been thrown away so easily? Had she been tossed out as though she was nothing? Had they not cared that she was gone, happy for the memories but already moving on into the next phases of their lives, ever changing and yet not. For elves, elves they live forever and those that are not elves, even ones like her that are not fully elves, well, they don't live forever. They are not one and the same they are not equals. She hadn't really belonged with her father and brother. They had made her feel like she belonged with them, she had felt as though she had a family and a place to call home. Had she been wrong? Did they truly love her? Had they truly loved her? Did they ever really love her?

The pain soon overtook the anger and soon Svelta was a blubbering mess. The dwarves had heard the commotion, even having been outside training. They had come as soon as possible. Their friend, their family, she was in need and they had come to her aid such as loving family does. Of them all, Dwalin pushed through the dwarves and rushed to her side. Kili felt a rage well up in him that something had caused her pain and wished to comfort her, but Thorin and Fili held him back. Anger overtook Kili but he could not fight them off. Relenting, he gazed at Thorin, who merely nodded his head at Dwalin. Dwalin sat, holding the curled ball of the she dwarf in his arms and rocked her slightly, his chin resting on her head. Every thought in Kili's mind screamed to him that that should be him, but still he was held back. Soon the dwarves began to sing, starting with Balin and carrying through the rest. Only then did he back off.

* * *

Dwalin held the poor girl, feeling like his heart was breaking for her. He knew not what evil she had experienced, but he would be here for her to hold her the whole way. He felt as though someone had done his daughter injustice. The scream he had heard had broken his heart and sent him into a rage at the same time. He cared so much for this mighty tiny thing and could not bear for her to experience another ounce of pain. And as her shaking seemed to subside, he began to sing a dwarven song. The others swiftly took it up. Soon the room echoed with the deep bass sound. She would be safe for now.

* * *

Svelta dreamt of the day she was taken, reliving the horrifying memory. She remembered the running, the guards slowly being picked off one by one. Closer and closer she got. So close, almost to the gate. Father would have her punished after this but right then she had to get to the gate. Faster, faster, more guards dying, more elvish blood spilled. Her fault, all her fault. This was all her fault. If only she hadn't wanted to explore further into the woods that day and find the enchanted river that makes people fall asleep. It was in their journey that they had come across the orc pack. One of them had been one she had seen at the river a couple days before. Svelta tried to call for help form the gate, but she wasn't soon enough, not close enough. Her brother, so close, yet so far. She was going as fast as her legs would carry her. The guard next to her was killed, she was alone. No one left, all of them dead. Her fault. Her fault. All of this was her fault, she was to blame. The orcs caught up somehow. She had been going as fast as she could. She was never as fast as the other elves, but her brother had merely mocked it up to her shorter than normal stature. She was normal, just not fast enough as normal. The orc hauled her over the back of his warg as an arrow pierced her brother's shoulder. He fell, the pain of the poison tipped arrow overwhelming him immediately. He fell, guards running to his aide. But Svelta couldn't see any more after that, for the warg she was on had taken off and she was departing into the dreary unknown.

Svelta woke, tears running down her face. Looking up, expecting Fili's strong arms, she found herself in a sleeping Dwalin's encircled grasp. Feeling safe with him, she rested her head on his chest, and soon succumbed to the pain and memories afresh in her mind once again.

"_I am an elf"_

"_Child, I repeat, tell the whole truth this time. What is your lineage?"_

"_I am an elf! Nothing more!"_

_Svelta screamed as the pain overwhelmed her, the red hot iron poker had imbedded itself above her collar bone and she could feel and smell her flesh burning. The pain was immense, and lasted long after the poker was gone. This was just the first of many scars her body would endure._

"_Stop, stop please! I am adopted by my father I do not know my lineage. I was abandoned in the Greenwood forest and a scout brought me in. My father took pity on me and adopted me. If he knows my lineage different to that of an elf, he has declined to share it with me. Please, just don't hurt me again." Svelta knew her brother would be disappointed in her for begging when she should be strong if she ever wanted to be a captain of the guard. But all of her strength had left her and all she wanted was to get away from all that was causing the pain._

"_You do not lie this time. Good. You are part elf and part dwarf. You will do well to remember that. You do not fit in anywhere. Obviously your so called father does not realize your heritage or he would not have taken you in. You do not fit in. You do not belong. You do not deserve a place in society."_

"_My father loves me!"_

"_Silence!"_

_More pain until the orc finally had her thrown in the cave with the rest of them. She was not a hybrid. She was not a half-breed. She couldn't be. She was a proud elf. She was wanted, she belonged, she had a place in society. She was loved._

_She was loved, wasn't she?"_

* * *

Svelta let out a whimper in her sleep, causing the now awake Dwalin to tighten his arms further around her. His gaze fell on her creased forehead and haunted face, and knew as soon as she woke that this girl was in need of some tough love because she obviously wasn't fighting through whatever memories were returning to her successfully. She already lived them once, Dwalin hated that she had to do it again. Glancing up, he met Kili's eyes from where he sat on the bed.

"Kili I know you love her. But I feel like she is my very own daughter, and so I am going to keep her here until she wakes and is no longer in pain. Go find a place to lay down and get some sleep. You will have plenty of time with the lass once she wakes."

Kili nodded reluctantly before rising to leave. Dwalin watched him go before returning his gaze to the lass. There is nothing he wouldn't do for her, and while he had seen the way Kili's gaze had followed her since Rivendell, he knew that she was just as important to him, and that she needed him, whether she knew it or not, to help her out every step of the way.

* * *

In a different part of the dark house, Thorin and Gandalf sat curled close together around a lamp.

"Thorin, in a day's time we will ride out for Mirkwood." Thorin raised his hand in argument but Gandalf spoke over him. "There is no dispute here. Svelta's memories are brought on by her anxiety of the forest. The sooner through, the better off for her health and the sake of the entire company we are."

Thorin nodded grimly. Hopefully it wasn't a mistake to follow the wizard's advice.

"Our host has kindly granted we take some of his horses to get us across the plains to the forest edge. His one withdraw is that he let them loose to come home once we get to the edge."

Thorin nodded, easy enough deal.

"In Mirkwood, and I will remind you again when we get there. It is important, don't interrupt me, it is important you stay on the path. It just very well be the death of the dear girl if you stray from it. Stick to the path and you will make it through the woods safely. From there you merely journey on swiftly to the Lonely Mountain and arrive by the last light on Durin's Day. Now,"

But Thorin interrupted. "You're not coming with us into the forest?"

Gandalf sighed heavily. "I can't, otherwise I would. I have other business to attend to but I will meet up with you as soon as I can. Now, as I was saying, make sure you take great care of the girl. There is more to her than meets the eye."

Thorin furrowed. It was too late in the night for riddles such as Gandalf spoke. "What do you mean more to her."

"I mean it would do you well to keep her in your good graces and look after her well."

Thorin shrugged, easy enough task.

"I hope that she remains safe as long as possible. I fear trouble is afoot in her future," Gandalf stated, and with that, he snuffed out the lamp.

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**Yay! Another chapter come and gone. A lot more happened in this one than I planned on, so sorry those that I had told we would get into the forest this chapter. Definitely next chapter we will! Until then, let me know your thoughts on Father Dwalin v Lover Kili v Brother Fili. Is there an equal balance of all three, too much of one, not enough of the other? I will take any comment into consideration.**

**Unfortunately, there will not be an update next weekend, I have two midterms to study for and a 15+ page chemistry lab report to write next weekend so will be unable to spare two hours to type out an adventure for our company. Until Halloween, enjoy yourselves!**


	17. Dwarf-sized Spider Snacks

**Hello Wonderful readers! Sorry I am super late, but I am not dead yet! Thank you so much to all that read, followed, and favorited. The emails bring a smile to my face every time I get one saying someone else besides me is enjoying the story. Hopefully you guys have had a great two weeks and sorry again I didn't have time last week! Hopefully this chapter comes accepted as it is the longest yet! Enjoy this newest rendition of our story!**

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"_In Mirkwood, and I will remind you again when we get there. It is important, don't interrupt me, it is important you stay on the path. It just very well be the death of the dear girl if you stray from it. Stick to the path and you will make it through the woods safely. From there you merely journey on swiftly to the Lonely Mountain and arrive by the last light on Durin's Day. Now,"_

_But Thorin interrupted. "You're not coming with us into the forest?"_

_Gandalf sighed heavily. "I can't, otherwise I would. I have other business to attend to but I will meet up with you as soon as I can. Now, as I was saying, make sure you take great care of the girl. There is more to her than meets the eye."_

_Thorin furrowed. It was too late in the night for riddles such as Gandalf spoke. "What do you mean more to her."_

"_I mean it would do you well to keep her in your good graces and look after her well."_

_Thorin shrugged, easy enough task._

"_I hope that she remains safe as long as possible. I fear trouble is afoot in her future," Gandalf stated, and with that, he snuffed out the lamp._

* * *

Dwalin helped Svelta up onto her horse, as she had been unable to do so. While her strength was back, getting used to the loss of sight in her eye was still taking some getting used to. Gandalf had shown her a mirror and she had seen her face for the first time the previous night. She had grieved over the loss of her pretty features, realizing that she would never be worthy of a man. Her father, her elf father that is, had always told her that her beauty would gain her a worthy man to spend her life with. Now she would ever be alone. But then she straightened her head and swallowed her tears, realizing she already had lost this choice when she learned of her blood status. Gandalf, having seen this and figured she had come to terms with her face, apologized that he could not return her sight to her. She had merely grimaced at him and thanked him for his efforts.

Kili and Fili rode up on either side of Svelta, smiling at her and quietly asking if she was alright. Nodding and sharing a smile with each, Svelta softly replied, "I am ready; let us be off."

Thorin and his company rode, wandering up hill and down valley, pushing the speed of the horses ever a bit faster, always feeling as though the orcs were right behind them the whole time, always ready to bear down on them. Svelta rode in the middle of the pack, being unable to quite navigate as well as she had before, and trusting her horse to merely follow the rest of its fellow beings.

As they approached the forest, the company began to feel dread burn deep in their stomachs. This was a sick forest, and it was not one they wanted to join. "Are you sure there isn't any other way around?" Bilbo called out from his spot towards the back of the line, his gaze held by the massive forest beside him.

Gandalf gazed forlornly at the forest before turning to Bilbo, "No, it is a week's ride to the north and twice that much to the south. And time is not on our side. The only way to the mountain in time is to go through the forest. And through it you must go."

"You, you aren't coming with us?" Bilbo stammered, his head turning sharply towards the wizard.

Gandalf shook his head regretfully, his eyes catching Thorin's, then Svelta's, before finally returning to Bilbo. "I have other business to attend to. I must take my leave. I will meet you again at the mountain side. Do not enter the mountain before I get there!" This last phrase was thrown Thorin's way, but the dwarf was no longer paying attention, instead consulting with Balin. The rest of the company, having caught on to the fact that Gandalf was leaving them and that he wouldn't be journeying with them the rest of the way, suddenly sent up an uproar in disbelief.

Gandalf called above the crowd, needing to leave but needing to be heard before he did. "Stay together in the woods. You will be fine without me. You have plenty of food and plenty of water. Stay together and most importantly stay on the path! If you lose it you will never find it again and it is a mighty big place in the woods. There is no hope for you ever to survive if you wander off the path. Stay on it. Do not eat or drink anything you find in the forest and stay on the path!" his voice got quieter as he went, slowly diminishing into the sunset as he rode back the way the company had come, taking all of the shape shifter's ponies with him.

* * *

Thorin turned back with a huff. Staring at his company before him, he nodded a couple times, deep in thought. With a final huff and a thorough nod, he turned to his heirs and the girl. "You three! I want you in the middle of the group. We will walk single or double a breast in the woods depending on how wide the path is. I want you three always near the middle of the group. If anything is to attack us in the woods, you defend yourselves only if it gets through the rest of us first do you hear? You and Ori." Thorin's eyes roamed over to the other dwarf. "You four are too young to be going on dangerous voyages such as this, and as we have been shown there is danger here. I want you four safe." Nodding to himself again, he turned to Dwalin, "You may stay near her or me, whichever you feel the need for."

And so, with that, Thorin turned and entered the forest of Mirkwood.

He was quickly followed by Balin, Oin, and Gloin. Dwalin, Svelta, Kili, and Fili brought up the middle, following reluctantly behind their leader. Ori, Nori, Dori, and Bilbo followed after, with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur bringing up the rear. And so, slowly, somberly, the company entered the forest.

* * *

They wandered day and night through the woods. Svelta had gotten quite used to walking with one eye. Depth perception was still off but she was mostly able to figure out where she was going and get there with some time. She talked with Dwalin about his home life and earlier years. She talked with Fili and Kili about their childhood adventures. She even spoke with Bilbo and learned about what life as a hobbit was like. Anything to keep her mind off of the forest around them. The company stayed on the path, even sleeping and eating in their ones and twos so that no one got lost. Thorin was taking no risk; they needed to get through to make it by Durin's day. There was no excuse for tardiness.

Eventually, the forest did become too much. Slowly the chatter turned to arguments and stories turned to fights. Svelta found herself straying further and further from Kili and Fili's sides. The two of them always fought, but if she tried to intervene, Kili turned his anger on her.

"Why did you come? All you have done is injure yourself and cause the company a loss of time. You are burden. Nothing more."

His words dug deep. He had been the closest thing she had ever had to love, and now he tore her down to nothing. So she left his side, favoring Dwalin and sometimes Balin if she could get behind him. Other times she would drop back and talk to Bofur, he tried to remember good jokes, but the forest was starting to sap his humor as well. Whenever she got close enough to Thorin he would grumble at her for not staying in the middle of the pack. But as the days wore on, his temper towards her got worse and worse, soon he lashed out as well, and Svelta began to retreat inside herself even more, not talking to anyone or focusing on anything.

It was then that they lost the path. One point they were on it, and the next moment they were not. Svelta felt herself fill with dread at this notion, but try as they might, they could not find it. Somehow someone had become distracted and they hadn't paid attention to their feet, instead marching along to oblivion. Swallowing hard, Svelta felt a weariness drape itself over her that she hadn't felt before, as the forest began to pull her in all directions, and she felt the darkness in her blood begin to call the darkness hiding in the shadows.

The company, in its attempt to continue on through the forest, began walking again, choosing a direction and sticking to it until they ran out of options. At one point Svelta was standing next to Bilbo, and he tried to engage her in conversation. But she had given up talking all together at this point and would not even look at him. Hearing one of the company talking about finding a tobacco pouch that looked just like theirs, Bilbo snapped.

"Can't you all see that we are going in circles?"

Everyone froze. They had never heard the hobbit yell before and it was quite an interesting experience. With a twitch of his nose, Bilbo gave a huff and began climbing the nearest tree, "We are walking in circles. I am going to find out where we are and where we need to go." And with that, he disappeared into the upper branches, out of sight of the company.

The dwarves began to argue amongst themselves, unsatisfied with the way Bilbo had treated them and the meaning his words carried. Dwalin turned, as he had throughout the entirety of the trip, to cast a glance back at the young girl he thought of as his own. Recently, in her dour mood, he hadn't seen much of her face, just the top of her head. He missed her smile, or at least some part of the back of his mind unaffected by the forest remembered that she had the most uplifting, perfect smile that was incredibly contagious. He was lucky that he turned when he did though, because he saw the young girl gasp and collapse. Dashing forward he barely caught her before her limp body hit the ground.

* * *

Svelta had felt the darkness pulling on her and her to it stronger and stronger. Bilbo disappeared up into the trees when the darkness reached a peak. Giving a gasp she collapsed, her blood finally calling the darkness to her, and her resistance causing her to lose consciousness as it arrived.

* * *

All the dwarves turned when they heard scurrying in the forest around them. The noise was unnerving and they were wary of large predators. They were not prepared for the attackers that did come. Kili and Fili were soon by Dwalin's side, and as he laid her down gently, they stood at the ready to defend her to the last. All thoughts and words of before had disappeared from his mind, and Kili wanted to make sure nothing touched her, no matter what.

The spiders charged out of the underbrush and down from the trees. Enormous beasts, the creatures twitched their legs and scurried this way and that through the company. They tried to fight back, but soon one by one they began to fall as they succumbed to the stings of the spiders. The spiders began to wrap the company up as though they were silken mummies and slowly carry them off.

Dwalin, Kili, and Fili fought valiantly, but each to their last, soon all of them were claimed as well, being unable to withstand so many spiders at once. Soon the three were carried off and Svelta's limp body remained. The spiders were unsure what to do, because she looked like their pray but her darkness called to them. Finally, they decided to wrap her up like the rest, and carry her back to their nest. When she was responsive again they would ask her what her bidding was.

* * *

Bilbo clambered back down into the forest after his amazing experience with butterflies. He had seen something moving towards him, and receiving no word from the company, decided he might as well take a look. Thus Bilbo encountered some rather ferocious spiders that had hung around looking for more prey. Fighting back, using the trusty sword granted to him by Gandalf, he was just barely able to defend himself. Fighting off a couple spiders he slipped on the ring and continued his adventure.

* * *

Svelta came to, only to discover herself woven into a cocoon. Sitting very still, she tried her best to discover her whereabouts in order to deem the next step of action. She could hear the shadows moving around her, but was unsure of their true form. She could hear them hissing but was unable to detect the exact creature that was making the noise.

* * *

Bilbo freed the dwarves one by one. Having named his sword Sting after a spider commenting on the fact that the metal inside of it stung a bit, he seemed much more confident than before. Steadily moving, he cut the dwarves open and then loosed the ropes until they fell to the forest floor. The dwarves there gathered themselves and each other, taking up arms against the foul beasts of the night. Thorin glanced through as Bilbo cut them down, counting as they came, making sure everyone in his company was present and accounted for. As they stood in a circle and fought off the approaching spiders when Bilbo's voice filtered down through the trees.

"I can't get to Svelta! They are protecting her too well."

Thorin's head snapped up to search for the source of the hobbit's voice. Several others had frozen as well. She was part of their company, and they needed to get her out of here just as much as the dwarf on either side of each of them. The spiders were too much though. They couldn't hold them off long enough to go help the hobbit above. They had all sworn an oath back at Beorn's house to protect her and this was a situation exactly for that.

Bofur had just managed to get to the nearest tree and begin to climb when arrows came whizzing into the courtyard. Thorin's head whipped around, only to find elves rushing into the clearing. Cursing under his breath, he returned to his task of taking out the spiders nearby. Soon they were gone, but the dwarves were still surrounded, this time with elves and drawn bows. Kili hadn't quite made it the circle, and was currently under attack by three spiders. An elf maiden came to his rescue, killing them and then pointing her dagger at him.

With a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows, Kili darted to get away, to the nearest tree, but the she-elf was quicker and prevented him from climbing.

Kili's grin faded immediately. "Please, we have one more member up there."

The she-elf looked confused but glanced up, just as two more spiders dropped from above. Immediately they were dead from the arrows shot by the elves, but the she-elf looked more convinced. "They should have all been scared off from the attack." Nodding to the dwarf before her she realized he was right, there was one more stuck in their web. Calling out in Elvish, herself and three others scaled the trees while Kili was dragged by another back to the company.

"Are ye mad?" Dwalin hissed. "She was free of these wretched creatures."

"She wouldn't have lived if we hadn't freed her from those wretched creatures." Kili muttered back, motioning with his head towards the spider carcasses nearby.

Dwalin could only glare in response. Before he got a word out in retort, the she-elf above them gasped and called down. The blonde elf before them huffed before scaling the tree back up to see what she needed him for.

* * *

Legolas got up to where Tauriel and a couple other elves stood. A couple spiders fled from the scene, but what caught his eye was the cocoon struck open that Tauriel stood next to. This was the final company member then. Approaching next to her, he realized what the big deal was.

Bringing her body back down to the forest level, Legolas couldn't quite wrap his head around the thought that his sister had appeared from the passage of time to be travelling with these dwarves through their forest and to be kidnapped by a giant spider. None of it made any sense to him, and he couldn't quite put all the pieces together. He had the rest of the dwarves searched for weapons then proceeded to lead the new prisoners back towards home. One of the dwarves had boldly stepped forward and offered to take her, but Legolas firmly declined and insisted on carrying her. The rest of the elven guard had bowed as he had descended the tree and each recognized the girl as their princess come home again. What was their father going to think though? He had gone into mourning for so long, and soon sorrow had turned to anger and he had withdrew their lives to their small kingdom, abandoning the forest they used to call home.

* * *

Svelta was awake when Legolas found her, but closed her eyes for the voyage, not wishing to be disturbed by the all too familiar sights and sounds. It was only when the gasps from the elven soldiers patrolling the gates were heard that Svelta opened her eyes and looked again upon the last sight she saw of her home before she was taken so long ago.

Noticing she was awake, Legolas spoke to her in Elvish, trying to understand before she reached their father. "Are you alright sister? Can you stand?"

The dwarves' looks darkened, thinking that he was insulting their companion to her face, but when she turned her head and replied in Elvish, their darkened looks turned to those of surprise.

"Brother I am well enough to stand, just an arm to lean on across the bridges."

Legolas put her down on her feet just inside the gate. Turning to face her now that she was fully awake. Gasping, he proclaimed. "What happened to your eye!" Legolas was so surprised he spoke in the common tongue and the dwarves understood him.

"Brother, calm. A lot has happened since I saw you last." Svelta returned switching to the common tongue knowing that it would do no good to hide her final secret any longer.

The dwarves were shocked. She called that elvish filth brother and she had known him from before? Thorin's thoughts darkened as he realized he never should have trusted this good for nothing girl. He had known right along she was no dwarf. He should have trusted himself in all of this mayhem. She had blinded them all and this revelation took several a back more than they had expected. Dwalin was beside himself, feeling like he was losing his daughter to a remedy such as death and Kili and Fili felt as though someone had stabbed them each several times and left them to die.

Svelta saw the looks of the company out of the corner of her good eye and knew that they felt hurt. Swallowing hard, she focused on just Legolas in front of her instead of the family beside her that she had just lost.

Legolas put a hand on her shoulder and she watched all the dwarves stiffen. Thorin's face was filled with disgust. "Father is not the same man he was when you lived here."

"He would still be the same man if he had come rescue me." Svelta's voice came out cold. Legolas redrew his hand as though burned, and the company now had a mix of angered and shocked faces. "He had no right to blame his change on me when he did nothing to get me back."

"You don't know that." Legolas hissed, angered now as well. "He did plenty to get you back."

"Well he didn't try hard enough. And neither did you."

And with that, she turned and marched into the castle. Legolas had no choice but to follow, leading the dwarves and his men after him through the caverns of their kingdom, ever watching his sister to make sure she didn't fall down one side or the other with her depth perception problems, but she seemed confident in herself.

Svelta was confident in herself. A hard look set in her face, her feet knew where to go from so many years trekking the same path. She could get herself to the throne room blindfolded if need be. Walking into the room, her brother of one race and her family of the other close behind, she stepped forward and bowed low. Rising, she snarled at the man on the throne before her.

"Hello Father."

* * *

**Ta-Da! Fantastic! Sorry this chapter took so long to write, I really didn't have motivation for writing the forest or the spider scene, but I have been much anticipating this next scene since I started the story so be prepared! As much as this is three weeks late, it is the middle of November and I am attempting to do NaNoWriMo (good luck to all of you also on this mission), so weekly updates are no longer a guarantee until we get to December, and then we start getting into finals, so bear with me for the next update! Hopefully it comes soon because I am so excited to write this battle between Svelta and her two families. It will go down. That is all I can promise. Until next time my lovely readers!**


	18. Hello Father

**Sorry for the wait! I am done with my first college semester and joyfully celebrated a couple days of no stress here at home before starting on this chapter. Didn't turn out how I was originally thinking a month and a half ago, but all the same I have a new idea where this is heading. Thank you so so so much to everyone that followed and favorited since I posted the last chapter! I really appreciate it.**

**animexchick – thank you so much! I am glad that you are enjoying this story. Hopefully this chapter is up to your expectations!**

* * *

_Svelta was confident in herself. A hard look set in her face, her feet knew where to go from so many years trekking the same path. She could get herself to the throne room blindfolded if need be. Walking into the room, her brother of one race and her family of the other close behind, she stepped forward and bowed low. Rising, she snarled at the man on the throne before her._

_"__Hello Father."_

* * *

Thranduil sat back in his throne as he heard approaching footsteps. Assuming it was the guards coming back to report once again that he should really deal with the spiders as they were becoming quite the problem, he made himself comfortable. It was only just as the footsteps were reaching him that he realized some of them were louder than normal elven footsteps.

Watching as a girl walked into his throne room, the Elven King felt his heart stop. His thoughts raced as he tried to figure out if the girl before him was the one he lost so long ago. She swept low into a bow as Legolas, Tauriel, and a mass of others filed into the back of the room. Standing, he saw the piercing green eyes he had once loved, but one now was white and a scar ran down the side of the girl's face. Thandruil assumed this wasn't the girl he had raised and loved. That is, he assumed as much until she spoke.

"Hello Father."

* * *

Thorin watched the Elven King drop his smug attitude and sit up straighter in shock. It almost brought a smug smile to his lips, until he heard what the supposed she-dwarf address the other king.

"Hello Father."

Rage coursed through Thorin. He might have said he accepted her and that she was a respected member of the family, but that was before he knew that she was a lying traitor just as bad as the stinking elf she called father. He had suspected as much from the beginning and now everything had been confirmed. Something nagged at the back of his mind, something that Gandalf had said. "It just very well be the death of the dear girl if you stray from the path." This began to nag at Thorin, but his rage consumed him and the nagging vanished from his thoughts.

* * *

Svelta glared up at the man she had once called Father and he sat forward, gazing hard at her.

"Is it, is it really you?"

Svelta stayed silent, glaring at the elf sitting high and mighty on his throne. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the company standing, some of them looking shocked and the others defeated. Thorin stood out of them, glaring hard and looking rather murderous. Making a mental note of that, Svelta knew she had lost yet another home. The dwarves, especially Thorin, would not take her in after this. There was nothing to say though. What happened happened and what has come to past is done.

Abruptly Thranduil rose and began to descend his throne. His face betrayed emotion, the first Legolas had seen since he had hardened himself upon accepting the loss of his beloved daughter. The joy on his face was contagious and Legolas couldn't help but smile. But, upon seeing his beloved sister's face, he saw no hint of that joy he had expected to see in her.

Svelta glared at the man she had called father. The man that had left her. Abandoned her to the mercy of the beasts. She was a plaything for him. He didn't really love her except when she was physically there to remind him of her presence.

Thranduil descended from his throne and rushed forward to embrace his long lost daughter, who he was now sure was the girl before him. But when he reached her she took a step back, snarling and raising her hands before her. Thranduil froze. Unsure what was wrong he took a tentative step forward, only to have a dagger appear in one of her hands and his daughter to start lunging towards him.

The guards surged forward, restraining her the best that they could, preventing her from moving forward, but still fighting to fully apprehend her. Thranduil took a step back, hand flying to his throat as he gazed astonished at the being that stood before him. Breathing hard, he gasped out, "What are you?"

A cackle echoed through the hall, startling all standing within it. Svelta smiled, her eyes crazed, as she spat at the feet of the man before her.

"What am I? What am I?" A second cackle echoed round, this time the dwarves and Legolas were at least prepared for it. "What am I? I am your daughter. Or at least, I was your daughter while you remembered me. But then I got kidnapped and was taken off your hands wasn't I? You no longer had to care for the Halfling that the guards brought in from the forest and dropped at your feet. You cared for me as was demanded of you as a king, but as soon as the orcs took me and I was out of the picture that was it. I was out of the picture and I no longer mattered to you! You never actually loved me! I was a plaything for you, a toy to entertain you until you got bored with me and found something else."

Svelta was breathing hard, her thoughts finally spoken a loud. The silence around the room filled her ears and she suddenly couldn't bear to look at anyone.

"You abandoned me. You didn't come save me. I was tortured for who I was. You didn't care. You never came. I, I" Svelta began to choke up. The tears began to fall and finally she looked up to her elven father's eyes. "You left me. You gave up on me. I was still there, I waited for you. Even when the orcs got bored of me and so traded me to the goblins, I believed you would come. But you never came. You never showed up. I was never really a part of this family. It was your kingly duty to take me in when the guards brought me in, and so you did. And now, now I had found myself a new family. But now they know I am part elf and they won't take me either. So thanks to you, I have no family once again. I am once again lost. I am ship alone in an endless sea with no place to land. You have destroyed my future, my happiness, my chance at life. You should have just left me in the woods, should have just told the guards to return me to where they picked me up, returned me to where I had been abandoned." Svelta glanced once at the company, each member in turn, then to Legolas, before finally to her elven father. "Let me go. I don't belong here, I never did and I never will. Return me to the woods like you should have done so long ago."

Svelta stopped struggling and instead glared at the floor. Everyone remained frozen for a moment, as though the entire world had stilled. Finally Thranduil swept forward and enveloped her in a hug. But just as fast she removed herself, cutting his arm as she retreated.

Thranduil pulled himself up to his full height then, his emotions once again in check behind a stoic mask. Motioning to the guards, he glanced over the company of dwarves as he stated, "If she wishes to be a part of this company rather than my daughter, then let her. Take her and the rest of the dwarves down to the dungeons. A separate cell for each." Turning away, back towards his throne, he waved a hand. "Leave King Thorin here. I wish to hear from this so called king under the mountain."

Svelta wilted, no longer powered by her rage. Legolas came forward, grabbing her arm as he led her and the other dwarves down into the depths of Thranduil's kingdom.

* * *

Svelta stepped into her cell, and stood facing the back even after she heard it close and lock into place. Legolas oversaw the rest of the dwarves being locked away in the cells spiraling along down the staircase. After the other guards returned to the throne room or their previous assigned spots, Legolas sat down on the stair outside of his sister's cell, head in his hands.

Silence ensued as he sat, waiting for her to turn and acknowledge him. He knew that she knew that he was there, and yet she had no turned to face him. At one point, a shuffle at the top of the stairs drew his attention and he turned to see Thorin being led down the stairs. He watched the dwarf speak to one of the other ones in the first couple cells before the guard leading him pushed him further down. Thorin ended up being put in a cell two down from his sister's. Legolas waited for the guard to leave before finally addressing his sister.

"Svelta, why are you pushing Father and me away?"

Svelta's back straightened, but she didn't turn to face him as she responded, instead still facing the wall at the back of her cell. "Did you not hear anything I said? Or does my blood status bring me to a lower status than you that you could not understand my lowly speech?"

"Svelta."

Legolas's voice was one of barely masked pain. Finally, with a sigh she turned to face him, sitting just the other side of the bars from him.

"Why didn't you come for me?"

"We didn't know where they took you. We looked as much and as far as we could. Finally Father gave up and ordered me to stay here. He closed off the borders and withdrew into himself. He mourned you for a while. And then his sorrow turned to the man he is now. He has no emotion except the cold rage he has now. He has allowed the darkness that took you to come close to our borders, instead keeping all of us within the kingdom. We tried, believe me, and when we finally figured we had lost you we mourned you. It has changed all of us. Please, I know you are mad we gave up on you but we didn't know where to look for you."

Svelta was quiet for some time. Her rage was slowly turning into sorrow as she felt the pain that she had so long ago when she had accepted that she would never see her family again and that they were gone.

"I thought, I had figured that you had only loved me because you had to."

"Oh, my little one, my dearest sister." Legolas and Svelta both began to cry, lacing fingers through the bars. "I loved you more than anything. I felt lost in this place when you were gone. Losing you, those final moments when they took you haunted me for years."

Silence enveloped the two, both reliving that moment from so long ago.

"Why didn't you tell me? That I was part dwarf I mean."

The question surprised Legolas, but he swallowed and answered truthfully. "You were my sister. I didn't see why a different blood status should have mattered so I never mentioned it. Once the others started teasing you, Father told me not to tell you but rather to just teach you to be strong in the face of the insults. I did everything for you, and I never saw you different than my sister."

Svelta smiled through the new tears, "You always did care for me. Thanks for being my big brother."

"Can you forgive me for not saving you?"

Svelta nodded slowly, "I can. Father is another story, but you I can."

"Tell me what happened, from the afternoon the orcs took you."

The company in the nearest cells listened in as the girl retold everything. Several hours past as Svelta's story wove itself through the air, describing in detail the adventures she went through, even getting up through the Company's journey so far until being overtaken by the spiders. Legolas endured most of it without interruption, smiling as she mentioned her potential feelings for Kili and frowning as she described when the doubts of the love from her elven family set in. He was stoic throughout the entire beginning as she described both Azog's treatment of her and the Goblin King's.

After she was done, Legolas and Svelta talked quietly until a guard came to retrieve him. Turning to Svelta, Legolas asked, "Do you want another chance with Father?"

She merely shook her head silently. Legolas nodded, bid her goodbye, and turned to follow the guard out of the dungeons.

* * *

Balin sat in his cell. He had heard the dear lass's story and was having a hard time digesting it. That she had survived so much and yet had stayed on with the Company. Grant it, they had kind of forced her to, but all the same. She was brave, and Balin couldn't find fault in her being. He had been sad at first to discover that she was the daughter of Thranduil, but after hearing her talk with the blonde elf, he realized they couldn't fault her for being raised by the first people to take her in. It could have turned out just the same had dwarves discover her rather than the elves. They couldn't fault her for things outside her control, just as they couldn't fault her for the orc blood within her.

* * *

Thorin sat in his cell, pondering what he had heard the girl say. As much as he had felt rage towards her, he couldn't block off her voice and was forced to listen to her story, only to realize that Gandalf had been right. They shouldn't have brought her here. This was a horror house for her, bringing back memories and people that she didn't want. Listening to her disavow her father figure and claim no love for him when he abandoned her calmed Thorin's raging emotions. He wasn't the only person the pointy chicken had abandoned. Thorin felt bad once again for how he treated the girl. She was a part of this company and a part of this family if she wanted. She would be accepted if she chose them. Thorin figured he would discover some way to get over her elvish blood.

* * *

Dwalin sat in his cell, wishing he had become a better father figure for her. She felt he despised her, and yet he still loved her and cared for her. If only he could tell her as much, but he doubted that would be as easy as that. She would have to somehow be brought to see that he still wanted her as his own, and would take her as his own if she desired a new father. Or even a second father. While sharing with the Elf King was a despicable thought, getting a share at least of the beautiful girl was worth it. Dwalin resolved to find a way to save the girl he cared for from the hole she had plunged head first into and dug herself even deeper. She thought they would hate her for her elven blood, but Dwalin would always care for her.

* * *

Kili was in despair as he sat in his cell. She loved him. Svelta had flat out said that to the blonde elf that she called brother. At least he was not her lover. She loved Kili. But she also thought Kili hated her. Because she had blood of the elves in her. Just as she had thought they would hate her for having the blood of the orcs in her. His heart hurt, mourning for the loss of his love as Kili figured Svelta would never return his love again but would spurn him on the assumption that he would spurn her. A depressed state soon sank in.

* * *

Fili had listened to her tale all the way through and couldn't get his mind around the fact that she felt they would deem her unworthy of their presence because of something she couldn't change about herself. Fili's head sank back against the wall. She was worthy, in more ways than possible. She would always be his little sister. But seeing her confess all to her elvish brother, Fili realized there was a chance she might leave them all. He couldn't lose her, but if she wanted to leave, he couldn't stop her. It was her choice, but he at least would be there with open arms. Fili closed his eyes as he tried to figure out how to convince the rest of the company to accept her even with her elvish blood.

* * *

Svelta sat in her cell. Having revealed all to one of her brothers, she felt some relief. Something that had been building inside her for so long had finally been released and it felt good. She forgave him because their father had ordered him to stop looking for her. He couldn't help not finding her. Her father on the other hand, forgiving him was a different option. He gave up on her. He was the reason she endured what she was forced to. And then there was the issue of the other dwarves, of the company. She had seen Thorin's face. She had seen the rage and the fury in his face, unconcealed and very obvious. She was most likely kicked out. Most likely wasn't welcome. Dwalin, a father to her. Fili, a brother. Kili, a potential lover. All of them most likely hate her and wouldn't take her back into their made up family.

Turning, she curled into a ball in the back corner of her cell, her sobs muffled, but not completely obscured as the rest of the company listened in. The girl that had touched all their lives was once again broken. It was then that Bilbo made his appearance.

"Hello again all!"

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading. I will post again next weekend! Until then!**


	19. Prisoners of the Mind

**My dearest readers! I want to profusely apologize for being unavailable to write for the past 8 months. The second half of spring semester has very hectic and this summer was even worse. Luckily it is looking like I am having a pretty decent fall semester, so we should be on the right track for more frequent updates. I promise more is coming (eventually at the most) as I am excited for the climax at the battle once we get there. To substitute for my lack of postings, here is my longest chapter by far.**

**To KilalaInara, thank you for your review. I thought it was a good description and I am happy to hear others liked it as well!**

**To L'Oubliee, thank you for your review as well. I am glad the joy I get from writing has been able to transfer into others enjoying reading my writing! Hopefully you like this chapter as well!**

**To all of you that recently favorited or followed since my last chapter, thank you for joining the story. For everyone that has stuck around, thank you for staying with me. Without further ado, here is chapter 19.**

* * *

_Turning, she curled into a ball in the back corner of her cell, her sobs muffled, but not completely obscured as the rest of the company listened in. The girl that had touched all their lives was once again broken. It was then that Bilbo made his appearance._

_"Hello again all!"_

* * *

Svelta didn't move, figuring if Bilbo could get the rest of them out then all the better for the company. They would make it to the mountain before Durin's Day and she wouldn't be a hinder any longer. Somewhere below her, she could hear Thorin conversing with the hobbit energetically.

It wasn't until Bilbo was standing directly outside of her cage that Svelta realized the two had been trying to get her attention.

"Svelta, there is a feast happening tomorrow night, do you know anything about it? Can you tell us if all the guards will be preoccupied or if there is a chance some will stay behind? I think I know a way to get you all out of here, but it would be better if there was no chance of interference."

"I don't know what day it is Bilbo, so I cannot tell you which feast they are having." Her voice was small and drawn out, with no inflection of emotion. She had withdrawn herself inwards and was offering up the bare minimum that she had to.

Bilbo didn't notice the change in her manner though, instead immersed in thought trying to calculate the day. "I don't know exactly. One of the guards that passed me mentioned something of stars."

"If what you heard was indeed related to the feast, then it is called the Feast of Starlight. It is the grandest feast, held halfway between midsummer's eve and the first day of autumn. It celebrates all that is good in the world and the light that is so dear to us. The stars are the connection of the older elves that have passed on to those still here alive. Everyone will be there to connect with the life force of the elves."

Bilbo nodded once, twice, then turned towards the stairway leading down, supposedly towards Thorin. "Then that solves it, we will leave here tomorrow night when everyone is gone at the feast."

"Good work Master Hobbit." Rang out the company leader's voice. Bilbo smiled, quite proud of himself. Footsteps were heard from above and Bilbo's face changed quite dramatically. "I will return in a day's time, be ready for me when I do."

And with that, he turned and began running down the stairs, away from the approaching footsteps. As Bilbo raced out of view, the owner of the footsteps came into view and was revealed to be none other than Legolas. Quickly, he made rounds to ensure all of the dwarves were still in their cells before returning and kneeling before Svelta's cell.

"Do you want to come sleep in my, or, our room?" He asked, quickly amending his statement as he realized he had gotten used to the fact that she was no longer a co-owner of the room.

Svelta looked up again from the back of her cage, eyes fixed on those of her brother's. "No."

"You wouldn't have to see Father at all. I would make sure of that." He tried to coax, but Svelta merely shook her head. Legolas sighed, head in a hand, before standing carefully. "I'll be here in the morning to check on you. I love you little sister."

Svelta didn't respond, instead closing her eyes, she listed to the resigned footsteps that led her brother away.

Azog stood, leering over her. Looking down at her own body, she realized she was now mostly that of an orc, the physical transformation nearly complete. Looking back up, she caught her reflection in a shield. Except it didn't look like her. Her reflection looked more like Bolg. Svelta screamed.

The darkness seemed to take her, but only momentarily as it cleared to show Goblin King close at hand, looming over her in the semi-lit room. One by one the Goblin King marched children past, mutilating and beheading each of them in turn before her. But soon the children turning into Bilbo, and then Ori, and then Bofur, who no longer had that little spark of joy in his eyes. When Fili and Kili came out next, chained and broken, Svelta screamed. But that didn't stop the Goblin King, who laughed at her instead. He kept torturing the two boys, no matter how much she screamed. Finally the darkness took her.

Only this time when it opened it was Thranduil sitting in his throne, smirking down at her while members of the company stood at his feet hurtling insults at her.

"Liar"

"Traitor"

"Half breed"

"Mongrel"

"Traitor"

"Bad Blood"

"Failure"

"Traitor"

Over the calls of the dwarves, her elven father's voice reached her. "Who could love someone like you? Who could love something like you? What even are you?"

Svelta's eyes made contact with each of the members. Dwalin, Balin, Fili and Kili, Bofur, Bombur, Bifor. Even Dori, Ori, Nori, Gloin, and Oin, who she hadn't really made any connections with were there to tear her down. Thorin stood in the midst of it all, laughing at her. Thranduil soon joined in. Svelta sank down in the middle of the throne room, covering her ears and began to scream. No sound she made though could block out the calls of the people she thought had loved her. And her father's voice continued to echo in her mind. It was only when hands began to lay upon her, beating her, that the darkness came.

Svelta woke to find her face damp and herself breathing heavy, faced with Legolas holding her in his arms, the cage door open over his shoulder, and his face adorned with fear. Seeing that she was awake, he withdrew his hand slightly from her head where it had been resting, eyes never leaving her own. Swallowing harshly against her dry throat and trying to calm her breathing, she raised her eyebrows at her brother's look.

"You were screaming. In your sleep. Are you okay?" Legolas spoke slowly, trying to determine what exactly had caused the issue. Svelta merely nodded back at him, her dream flashing behind her eyes. When he didn't speak again, she sighed and said hoarsely, "I had a nightmare. All of the horrors of my past back to haunt me once more."

Legolas tried to pull her in closer, to hug her tight in an effort to comfort her, but Svelta was not the same half breed that left the palace. Feeling no urge to duck under her brother's chin and cry as she would have those years ago, she gently pushed him away and sat on the cell floor beside him instead. Her face was stoic, but no tears threatened to spill over at the slightest crack. She had learned to deal in a new way, and all of her tears had been shed the night before. Now she sat, staring at the wall, her brother staring at her, allowing the silence to fill the open cell.

Finally Legolas was able to compose himself enough that he cleared his throat and stood up. Offering a hand, he helped his sister up before saying in the voice of one addressing a rank below them, "You have a meeting with Father this evening. Please try and be calm when you go. I am warning you ahead of time so you can prepare and compose yourself." Svelta nodded at him, their eyes lingering until he looked away. "That will be all. Unless," his voice changed to pleading as he gazed back at her one last time.

"That will be all." Legolas nodded sadly and stepped out, closing the door behind him. Turning to lock it, hands snuck between the bars and wrapped over his. "Thank you brother. Sorry for disturbing you with my sleep."

Legolas smiled slightly, lifting a hand to cup her chin before turning and slowly walking up the stairs back to the throne room.

The day passed slowly, as Svelta sat in the back of the cell, ignoring the company as they tried to get her attention. No one was successful. Svelta drew into herself, the memories that had surfaced in her dreams replaying slowly over and over again. Every once in a while she would whimper, unable to tell between memory and reality, stuck in a stage in between the two. In an ever state of fear, she tried to survive the day until Legolas once again came for her.

Legolas came for his sister later that day, only to be stopped by the first dwarf he came to pass. The white haired dwarf begged him come close. Legolas stopped, curious what a dwarf would beg from him. "What is it?"

"Laddie, try and help her. We cannot from our positions. She has shut us out since we got here so maybe you can get through to her. All day she has been reliving her nightmares and we can't get through to her to wake her. She is in a stupor or something and frankly laddie, you might be the only one that she will listen to for reason. She has decided we hate her and won't acknowledge us. Do what you can, if anything get her out of her, take her back to the memories of her childhood before everything bad happened. Recreate happiness for her, because she won't let us no matter how much we try."

Legolas pressed his lips into a thin line, angered that she was shutting out her family when obviously they still cared for her. Nodding once, he lowered his voice in response, "We have a little time before we head back. Which dwarf is the one she cared for, his name was Kili."

The old dwarf visibly relaxed as he motioned to a couple cages after the poor girl. "He is one of the youngest ones and has dark hair." Legolas turned to leave when the wizened dwarf called, "Thank you laddie. From all of us. Anything to help her." Legolas nodded before moving on. He paused outside his sister's cell, watching her for a moment. She sat curled up in the back corner, occasionally twitching, mumbling something.

"Svelta?"

She fell silent. Her eyes roamed until they found him, only to stare at him a bit blankly before moving on until eventually settling back on the wall opposite her. The mumbling started again.

Nodding, Legolas hurried down, glancing in each cell he passed until he reached the dwarf matching the description the old one had given him. Stopping, he hissed at the dwarf, "Are you Kili?"

The dwarf one cell down came to the door and asked angrily, "Who wants to know?"

Legolas tried not to get angered as he replied, "I wish to bring the dwarf Kili to my sister's cell to try and help her."

The dwarf was silent for a moment, shock evident on his features, before nodding at the cell before Legolas, "My brother is in there. If what you say is true, please allow him to go to her."

Legolas nodded, turning back to the cell before him. The dwarf was now watching him warily. "I speak the truth, I only want to help my sister. I was told by one of your elders that Kili could help her." The dwarf nodded and came forward.

"I am Kili."

Legolas nodded, unlocking the door and grabbing his arm. When the dwarf tried to shrug him off, Legolas muttered, "it is just for show, in the chance other guards come." And the dwarf complied more easily.

They got back up to Svelta's cell, and Legolas let the dwarf in, locking it behind him. "I will return in a short while, you don't have much time, but I will give as much as I can spare."

"Thank you." The dwarf said, before turning away. Legolas could only sigh and retrace his steps out of the dungeons.

* * *

Svelta felt arms wrap around her, and immediately she stiffened. A voice whispered near her ear, "Come back to me. Stop fighting the orcs and goblins and come back to me." Slowly the arms felt less trying to strangler her and more trying to comfort her, until her mind realized she was not in the traps of her memory and instead inside a cell.

As she came to, she came to recognize the man holding her, Kili, not Legolas, but Kili, the dwarf she loved who surely didn't love her and even if he did could not possibly be in her cell because he was in his own cell. Immediately she began to struggle, confused who this new perpetrator was and what they wanted from her.

But the voice came again, shushing her before speaking soothingly, "It is me, don't stress. Your, your brother let me here to be with you." His voice only faltered once, but immediately Svelta knew, this was her Kili. But she was taken a back as he continued to whisper reassuring nothings into her ear. All that ran through her mind as her memories slung away was wonderment as he continued to hold her. Why had he not shrunk away in disgust? Svelta tried to pull away, again suspecting a trap.

Kili held his love at arm's length, attempting to look her in the eye. "Svelta I need to talk to you and I need you to listen. I am sure Fili and Dwalin also want to talk to you too, but right now I want you to listen, I need you to listen to what I have to say."

Kili paused, watching the girl, waiting. Finally, when her eyes met his, he continued.

"I love you. I want to make sure you know that. You mean more to me than almost anyone here. Maybe only Fili stands above you. But I love you. I don't care how much blood of yours is dwarven and how much isn't. It doesn't matter to me that you have elven blood and orc blood swimming in your veins. Nothing can sway me from loving you. Sure, we may all have been taken by surprise by the fact that you grew up in these halls and that you call that pointy eared chicken of a king father, but you are still Svelta. Your blood doesn't change who you are. Your past may haunt you, but it doesn't define who you are. Only you can do that, and I love you for you, not for the fact that you have dwarven blood."

There was a silence that echoed through the hallways. Kili's words resounded into each nearby cell, reverberating in each dwarf's mind. Each one held the girl in high regards. She was part of their company and they treasured her, in a similar way as to Kili's words, as they do each other.

The silence stretched on. Kili was content though as he wrapped his arms around Svelta, knowing that she had heard him and when she wanted to respond she would.

A shadow fell across the couple as Legolas stood in the doorway to the cell. His elven footsteps had rendered him unheard as he had made his way back down to the dungeons. Kili glanced up, meeting his gaze, knowing that his time was up. Nodding at the elf, he stood, helping the weary half breed up as he did. Leading her over to the door, Kili couldn't help but notice that she perked up a bit upon noticing her brother. He couldn't help but feel a little jealousy over this matter, but reeled it in knowing that she only felt for the elf as a sibling and not a potential lover.

Legolas opened the door and let the both of them out. Leaving his sister on the platform outside her cell, he escorted Kili back down to his cell. Upon entering, Kili turned and grabbed the bars of the door, leaning to catch the elf's attention before he retreated.

"Thank you."

Legolas merely nodded.

"I don't know how much I helped, but I think I did a bit."

Again a nod.

"It was great just to see her. To be able to at least attempt to ease her pain, her guilt."

The elf just held his gaze until Kili sighed and hung his head, leaning his forehead against the cool bars.

"One day, she will understand there are people that would do anything for her, that love her and cherish her. Until then, all we can do is hope we are doing enough to help her make it out of the darkness that is buried inside her head."

A hand rested on his, and Kili glanced up to once again meet the elf's gaze.

"You did what you could for my sister. While it doesn't physically seemed to have helped, there are chances that what you did helped her mentality. We all must carry hope with us. I will take good care of her. And return her to you when the time comes. That is a promise."

Kili nodded and Legolas withdrew his hand. Kili watched him climb back up to the platform where Svelta stood waiting; watched him gently take her hands in his and speak in soft words to her in the elvish tongue; watched him turn and lead her up and away, without another backwards glance.

* * *

Svelta stood before the throne, Legolas at her side reassuringly. Her father tried to speak to her, asking questions, inquiring about her health and the treatment she received at the hands of the dwarves. She did not deign him worth a response and stood unanswering, her good eye focused somewhere over his shoulder instead. A heavy silence filled the air before Thranduil finally spoke again, his voice no longer gentle and caring but just as stoic and even as his daughter's face.

"Rumor has spread among the people. According to it, our long lost princess has returned to us."

A long, heavy pause drew out between the three. The King sat forward, steepling his fingers when Svelta gave no sign of emotion. "While I have tried to repress this rumor and prevent its further spread, there are some still on the lookout for you in these halls. Whether or not you wish to be part of this family anymore, you are still our people's princess, and with that role comes some responsibility."

Again he waited. With a dramatic sigh, he sat back again, crossing one leg over the other. "You may no longer stay in the dungeons. Your people know you are here, you need to now represent the status you are associated with. You will stay in your old room. You will dress and look the part. You will attend the Feast tonight, where we will reveal you to all of our people as our long lost princess. DO NOT INTERRUPT ME LEGOLAS."

Fuming, Legolas retreated back to stand by Svelta's side. He had noticed Svelta's balled hands and had approached, trying to get a word in on her behalf.

Inhaling, Thranduil calmed himself and continued. "Your room has been prepared.

* * *

Svelta sat in the white high-backed chair at a long white table, awaiting the King's presence. She couldn't bring herself to think of him as her father, the memories and nightmares that had haunted her all day still fresh in her mind. Sometime in the last several hours she had left her cell, been pronounced princess again, been bathed, and had been dressed in a regal gown pulled out form a chest somewhere. She had never seen it before, but it was obviously a dress that was only fit to be worn by someone of very high status. She felt out of place sitting at the high table in her dress, but it was now her duty. She sat alone at the head table, having requested some time alone to think. Eventually the King and her brother would join her at the high table and then all the rest of the elves would file in.

Looking about the room she had only experienced one time before, Svelta couldn't help but compare this feast room to other feast rooms, flashbacks of the Goblin King entering her mind. Would she ever be free of the reoccurring memories? Would she ever not feel the pull of the darkness swimming in her blood? It was stronger now, here in Mirkwood, than it was at any point else on the quest. Having been ignited from seeing Azog atop the hill that fiery night, her pull to the darkness seemed to be growing. A shiver passed through her at the thought and a nearby elf, her escort to keep an eye on her at all times, came forward to ask if she was alright. Nodding and waving them off, Svelta sat a little straighter, trying to look the part she was called to represent.

* * *

The dungeons were quiet when Bilbo appeared again. Keys in hand he began unlocking the first of the cells holding the dwarves. Balin was first, greeting him with a smile and a clap on the shoulder. Bilbo went down the line from there, unlocking each door as he got to it. Thorin smiled at him. "Good work Master Baggins" he said gruffly before pushing past to check on the other members of the company. After going through all the doors, Bilbo called out to the group saying there wasn't much time but he had the way out. The company began to following him except for one.

"Wait!" everyone turned to look at Kili. "Where is Svelta?" This caused the rest of the company to look and try and locate the girl in their midst. When they couldn't, Kili spoke up again. "She must still be up with the elves! We cant leave without her. We need to go get her!"

Barely heard above the growing uproar from the rest of the company was Bilbo's squeaky voice. "She won't be coming."

A pause, silence filled the space so recently occupied by noise.

"She's what?" said Kili very slowly. A couple members nearest him backed away a step. But Kili didn't notice, only having eyes for the hobbit before him speaking treachery.

"She created a diversion so that I could get you out of here and gave me instructions to a secret tunnel that is located near the river. We just have to follow the river out of Mirkwood and we will be safe."

"What do ye mean laddie? Created a diversion?" Dwalin piped up from the back.

Bilbo sighed, knowing they were wasting time. "Her fa- ahem her elven father decided that it be best to give the people back their princess at the Feast tonight. A couple elves recognized her on her way in with us and rumor has taken its course. Now that the elves knew, she couldn't be found in the dungeons or there would be an uproar. So she was fixed up this evening and will be represented to her people at the Feast. In return for agreeing, she asked that every single elf be there at that moment for her presentation, so that she may address all of her people. She didn't make an exception for guards or kitchen staff or anyone of elven blood. I was able to obtain the keys and get you out since there was no guard on duty. But please we must be continuing before the guard returns to duty. Now she said we must go this way." And with that, Bilbo turned and attempted to continue on down the stairs.

"Wait." Kili said gruffly, moving forward and grabbing Bilbo's arm, once again halting forward progression. "When, when did you see her to learn all this."

Bilbo blushed slightly, stammering how she had left the door to her room open a bit and when he had found her, waiting to be escorted to the feast, she had proposed the plan, not even giving him a second to say hello and ask how she was or why she wasn't in a cell. She had explained the plan and had only briefly answered questions after, before shooing him away lest he be caught by the escort.

Kili's shoulders fell. While all would agree that she was doing this for the good of the company, he felt deep down that she still felt like she no longer was part of it or was wanted in it and that was why she elected this plan. Before another one could be thought up that would enable to her leave with them. He released Bilbo's sleeve and the hobbit gave him a nod before continuing on, leading the company to the secret passage.

Gandalf's words came back to Thorin again, and he wondered, like Kili, if this was really the right course of action. But he didn't question it. If she had decided it, and it got the rest of his company on the road again, he would respect her wishes. Giving his nephew a little shove to get him going, Thorin followed the hobbit as he led them out into the night.

* * *

"My people. I give you, with the greatest joy in my heart, your long lost princess, newly found!" Thranduil's voice barely conveyed emotion. Not like it used to once upon a time ago. But the polite applause of the elves was all that followed before Svelta stood, eye unfocused as the sea of faces, some familiar most not, swam before her.

"Thank you. Thank you all for still supporting me after everything that has happened. Well," Svelta's smirk rose slowly to her lips as she spoke before finally transforming into a sneer. "Not many of you actually like me. Many of you know I am a half breed. You taunted me the first years I was here about my status, my blood status. It didn't matter to any of you that I was the King's daughter because I was a half breed and that qualified you to make fun of me. My blood status gave you supposed right to stand over me and hold it against me. Well after being kidnapped all those years ago by the orcs, I tell you I have returned even more wretched than you saw me before. I have been hurt, I have scars, I lost an eye. And while this man beside me uses a glamour to cover his scars I will wear mine freely shown with pride. Because I have gone through something that not many people go through and live to tell about it. Some of you may still look down on me for this statement. Some of you may claim you have the same experiences as war affects everyone, war leaves scars and wounds deeper than the skin. But you cannot claim you are the same until you experience the torture I went through for years on end. Until you have become a slave and are only barely alive because you still please the one you bought you. And you cannot claim that you are above me or that you have the same experiences as me until you endure experiments performed upon you by Azog the Defiler and until you experience the pain of orc blood running through your veins. They say the orcs are elves that fell when Sauron rose the first time. So are they are cousin? Have I been slandered by receiving blood from one of theirs? Some of you may call me monster. Most of you will still look at me with disgust. But know this. I have endured more in this world than you, even though I have seen less time on this earth than most of you. So while you may call me dirty, know that I have done my fair share to recompense for my supposed crimes. I have done no wrong and I have paid the price for other's wrong doing."

Svelta took a deep breathe. The silence was deafening as all eyes were focused on her. She had asked for all the elves to come. So she could make this next request. Inhaling she spoke, shifting her good eye to try and make contact with as many as she could. "I ask but one request from all of you. That you treat me kindly. That you treat me as you would another elf. Not as a half breed or as one tainted by her past, but as one that is among family here. You don't have to always do it. And I wont be alive forever so that shouldn't be a fear. All I ask is that while in my presence, if you could treat me like a friend. I know it would seem fake at first, but maybe after a few times, we could become friends. I could use some of those in my cursed life." Nodding to herself, Svelta forced a smile to her lips. "Thank you."

The silence ensuing slowly filled with chatter and while none of the elves attending even glanced her way the rest of the night, they at least did not throw snide glares and harsh words either. The festivities began. Soon cheering and dancing and drinking took up the chatter in the hall and the laughter was almost infectious. It was only when a guard approached the table, informing the high King that the prisoners had escaped while no guards were in the dungeons that Svelta finally smiled easily, feeling a weight drop off her shoulders. Her dwarven family had escaped. The plan had worked, and she had set in motion a plan to make the rest of her life trapped in this place of memories just a little bit more bearable.


End file.

Hobbit, Adventure, Romance