The water lapped at my boots as I reached down to help an elderly woman to shore. Her hand was icy cold and gripped my wrist in a strangle hold. She fell to her knees with a sob, trembling. "Everything is gone."

A floating barrel bumped against my leg as I reached for the next person and the next. Smaug was dead. Not long after reaching the edge of the lake Tauriel, Legolas and I watched the dragon plummet from the sky shot down by Bard's black arrow.

I'm the reason the elves weren't there before Smaug's attack. Did Bard's children die because Legolas and Tauriel weren't there to save them from the Orcs? What of Kili who needed Tauriel's elven healing magic to recover from his poisoned wound? These were just a few of the questions that circled around in my head as more and more people stumbled onto the shore.

The sun broke over the eastern ridge, the bright rays striking against the surface of the water. Ducking my head, I squinted and searched the floating debris for anyone else in need of help. I averted my gaze when a body drifted closer.

Nothing I did here would truly erase my mistake, but I had to try. I wish Gandalf were here. I'd even welcome some of his annoying riddles.

A woman passed me a blanket from a stack. I wrapped it around the shoulders of a shivering woman, ignoring the chill that bit at my bare face and rippled down my spine. 

I hissed, my broken wrist throbbing.  Gritting my teeth, I pressed my arm closer to my side. Maybe I was overdoing it but I couldn't stand by and do nothing.

Women were weeping. Children were screaming. People lay on the ground injured. Everywhere I looked tragedy stared back. Guilt twisted my stomach. These poor people.

"The children are hungry." A woman murmured.

"What should we do? We don't have a tally of our supplies." Her companion muttered, wringing her hands.

A small child wailed and soon others took up an ear-piercing chorus.

There wasn't much I could do for them but...I fumbled in my pocket, pulling out a wrapped piece of Lembas Legolas had given me.

Grabbing the sleeve of one of the mothers, I offered her the bread. "This is elvish waybread. It only takes a small bite and they'll be full."

The woman eyed the bread with suspicion before nodding grudgingly. "My thanks."

"Shaft Killer?" A familiar voice said behind me.

I spun around to find a part of the company staggering onto land. The dwarves were a bedraggled lot, their long hair and beards streaming water. Fili and Oin held Kili between them. His face was a sickly gray.

Fili adjusted his hold on his brother's waist. "Adelaide, how came you to be here?" His blue eyes were puzzled. "We believed you safe in the Elf King's halls."

I shook myself free of my stupor. "Forget about it for now. Let's help your brother. Tauriel!" I shouted in the direction of the she-elf.

Her super hearing caught my voice over the din. Tauriel loped across the grass and knelt beside Kili. Sitting her bow aside she, pushed up her sleeves. "I need athelas." Her eyes lifted to me. "Hurry, Adelaide."

Hearing the urgent note in her voice I sprinted toward the woods grabbing Legolas' arm along the way and hauled the elf prince after me. "I don't know what athelas looks like. I need your help to find it."

Legolas pulled free, his expression cold. "Why would I help a dwarf?"

"Argh!" I wanted to strangle him. This Pre-LOTR Legolas was such a pain. "Get rid of the stick up your ass and help me! I'm not in the mood for your racism! A person needs help and that should be enough for you!"

Shocked, Legolas stared at me. He'd probably never had anyone talk back to him before. "You are a strange mortal." He looked back through the trees to where Tauriel sat beside Kili and held his hand. "Perhaps...I shall aid you."

I planted my fist on my hip. "Good. I'm glad I got through to you."

Legolas found the athelas quickly and cut a cluster with a knife from his boot. He pressed the plant into my hands and stepped back. "The party of Orcs that followed the dwarves will have made for Gundabad." A breeze ruffled his pale blond hair. "I cannot delay long."

"There's no point in going to Gundabad." I told him.

Legolas rounded on me pinning me with an intense look. "Explain yourself."

What the hell? I'd already fucked up the Laketown plot point. Telling him what I knew wouldn't make things worse. Curling my fingers around the athelas, I inhaled deeply. "The Orcs you refer to are going to summon their army. They will be heading toward the Lonely Mountain. Will you stay to help the refugees or will you return to Mirkwood?"

"The king said you had the gift of foresight." He folded his arms across his chest. "I will reserve my judgment on the matter."

"So are you going to help the humans or not?" I pressed.

Legolas didn't answer. He was quiet on the way back to the Company but since he was always quiet, I didn't think anything of it.

Tauriel grabbed the athelas with desperate hope, holding the bundle to her breast for a moment. "Thank the Valar." She crushed the herb in her hands and then mixed it into a bowl Oin pulled out from somewhere.

"Can you save him?" Fili asked urgently.

"I will try. Hold him down." Tauriel pressed the mashed herbs into Kili's injured leg and began whispering in Elvish.

Kili roared in agony and flailed. Grunting, I pinned his left shoulder with my knee and Fili got the other side.

A corona of white light encircled Tauriel, growing brighter and brighter with every second. I had to close my eyes or risk being blinded by her elvish aura.

"Bless my beard, what a marvel." Oin whispered reverently.

Bofur leaned harder against Kili's other leg, nearly getting a kick to the head. The young dwarf panted, his muscles easing as the healing took hold.

The light around Tauriel faded gradually until her spell came to a close. Breathing shakily, the she-elf bowed her head, pressing her lips to Kili's knuckles.

I looked away, the intimacy of the moment making me uncomfortable. Tauriel really loved him. They were virtual strangers and yet the bond between them was undeniable. I always thought love at first sight a fairytale.

Pain flashed across Legolas' face. Our eyes met briefly and he turned away, putting his back to the group. Should a prince really suffer from unrequited love? It was counter to every story I ever heard as a child.

Well, he was unmarried in the books so maybe he never got over Tauriel?

I sighed. Love was so confusing.

"That was a privilege to witness." Oin bowed his head respectfully to Tauriel.

She smiled, tears sliding down her cheeks. Even crying she was beautiful. Tauriel swiped at her cheeks. "He will survive."

"We should make for Erebor before the day grows too much longer." Fili gazed across the lake at the mountain looming on the horizon. "Thorin will need us."

Thorin. My stomach squirmed uncomfortably. The dragon was dead. There wasn't any reason to hang around. The Laketown villagers wouldn't welcome an outsider into their fold after the tragedy they'd suffered.

The whole point of escaping Thranduil's halls was to save Thorin and his nephews. I couldn't exactly do that if I weren't there.

Bofur and Fili pushed a rowboat into the water. They held it steady while Oin and I helped Kili into the boat.

"Will you join us?" Bofur asked Tauriel kindly.

She stared at Kili and then Legolas and pressed her lips together. I knew how she felt. Torn in a million directions. Tauriel bowed her head, looking defeated. "I cannot. I must remain."

The boat floated further into the lake, the distance rapidly growing between us and the shore. Rubbing a hand over my face I watched Erebor loom closer and closer.

OoO

After crossing the lake it took another day to reach our destination. The scent of brimstone lingered heavily in the air as we reached the blackened and charred entrance to Erebor. Carefully picking my way over rubble I stumbled into the gaping maw of the mountain, feeling like I was being swallowed hold as the blackness engulfed me.

"Where are they?" Kili whispered.

"They will likely be in the king's hall." Fili answered back in the same hushed tone.

There was something foreboding about the energy inside the dwarf kingdom. An air of neglect and malice. Shivering, I wrapped my arm around myself.

Up ahead torches lined the walls. Fili freed one from its sconce and took the lead. For someone who'd never been here, he had an instinctive sense of direction.

The remaining members of the company were sitting around in an alcove. They lurched into motion when they saw us, Bilbo sprinting ahead to greet our bedraggled party. "You made it!" He gripped Fili's shoulder in greeting then blinked rapidly when his gaze landed on me. "A-Adelaide? How?"

I shrugged sheepishly. "I, uh, escaped the elves."

A wide smile stole over the Hobbit's face. To my surprise he enveloped me in a hug, nearly bowling me over. "You are a sight for sore eyes, my friend."

I staggered and regained my balance, wrapping my good arm around him. A small glowing coal of warmth settled in my chest as I rested my cheek on his curly hair. "I missed you too, Bilbo."

It was true. In a year, the Hobbit had become my best friend. Seeing him safe and whole greatly relieved me.

"Where is Thorin?" Fili asked.

Tension filled the air at his question. Still gripping my shoulders, Bilbo pulled back, his wide smile sliding into a frown. "He's searching for the Arkenstone."

Dwalin and Balin both exchanged nervous glances.

Swallowing hard, I entered the chamber of golden light and my eyes almost fell out of my head. Mountains of gold, far as the eye could see stretched into oblivion. I had never seen anything like it.

"Impressive, isn't it lass?" Balin clapped me on the back. "The legacy of our people."

"Well...I've never seen anything like it." I agreed, the shock wearing off. I scanned the heaps of riches for my real target, landing on a kingly robed figure picking through a pile of egg-sized gems.

My heart raced. Thorin.

Thorin tossed a sapphire carelessly over his shoulder, muttering to himself.

Uh-oh.

"Has there really been no trace of the Arkenstone?" Fili stroked his beard, watching his uncle warily. "I wonder..."

The dwarf prince didn't finish his thought before Thorin noticed his audience. White teeth sparkled in his dark beard as he pressed a hand to his chest. "Welcome, my sister-sons, to the great treasure horde, of Thror." He ended on a deep note, filled with longing.

Fili and Kili gaped when Thorin tossed up a ruby to them.

Fili caught it reflexively, in numb fingers. "Erebor." He breathed in awe, gazing at the jewel in his hand.

"Come, my friends. There is much work to be done." Thorin said.

The Company descended a set of broken steps to reach the Dwarf King. I hung to the back of the group, my boots slipping and sliding on the coins. God, there was really too much gold here. More than anyone could spend in a hundred lifetimes.

The sight of all the treasure repulsed me.

"Adelaide has rejoined us. She escaped from the elves." Kili declared, drawing attention to me.

My stomach churned nervously when the Company parted leaving me face-to-face with Thorin. I stared at him silently, not knowing what to say.

He wore a beautiful black surcoat trimmed in light-brown fur. Upon his brow was a golden crown, which only highlighted his change in status. 

Curling my fingers against my chest, I lifted my chin. "Thorin."

His crystal blue gaze rove over me slowly, warming as they alighted on my face. "Welcome, my queen."

What the hell did he just call me?

A/N:I finally updated! Woot! I feel like crying in relief how close this story is to being done. Its been such a pain to write but I'm glad I did because people seem to enjoy it so much!