(Elena)

It has been years since I've ridden on a horse. However, it's just like I remember it. The saddles are uncomfortable and the thought of just walking along the trail isn't far from mind. As the sun begins setting Thorin motions forward pointing just ahead to an overlook. Just as we reach the open space of the overlook we stop.

"Set up camp. We'll continue in the morning." Thorin commands and the dwarves mumble in agreement. Quickly I get off of my horse and slide to the ground groaning form the soreness in my rear. Seeing none of the others are paying me much attention I give it a slight rub and stretch out any discomfort.

"It gets easier."

Jumping at the sound of his voice behind me I turn facing Thorin. For a split second his brooding and cross looking face seems to be amused. I know he saw me rubbing my ass and the embarrassment spreads across my burning cheeks.

"What gets easier?" I squeak out causing the Dwarf to smirk "The ride. I know the saddle can be uncomfortable at first, but once you get used to it the pain will dull."

Without another word Thorin puts a small feather filled pillow in my hand and walks off. Graciously I take it and awkwardly call out "Thank you!" bringing attention from the others to myself. Sheepishly I get my pack down from my horses' side and begin making my own set up trying not to overthink Thorin's simple, yet unexpected act of kindness.

As the night falls the air grows cooler send most of the Company into the safety of their sleeping bags. Unable to sleep I sit around the warm fire with the two young brothers, Fili and Kili, whilst they converse and toss sticks into the crackling furnace. Besides the natural sounds of the night and fire, the dwarf's snores fill up the noise around us. Bilbo pops his head up from his sleeping place clearly annoyed. Getting up he stretches and makes his way to the pony's secretly slipping his own an apple. A loud crack from the fire catches my attention making me jump. Kili smirks "Jumpy, are we?"

Folding my arms and tucking them to my chest I furrow my brows "No...just startled me is all."

As Fili puffs on his pipe Kili throws another stick into the flame. I believe I've earned more silence until the younger brother breaks it unable to contain himself "Is your family dead?"

"Kili!" his brother snaps punching his shoulder.

The younger brother shrugs "What? Obviously, something happened to them. Explains why she's here and they are not."

Shaking my head, I scoot closer to the fire "No, they're alive. I was-I was taken from them. Orc's tried kidnapping me when I was on my way to school. That's when I met Gandalf. He saved me, but it cost me leaving my family behind."

An ear-piercing shriek rings out in the night. Bilbo looks just as frightened as me as he hurries over to the fire. Thorin who had been asleep leaned against a rock sits up wide eyed looking around our campsite.

"What was that?" I ask looking to the brothers. Both of them look stone cold serious as their eyes look to the night sky.

"Orcs." Kili says darkly sending shivers down my spine.

"Orcs?" Bilbo questions.

Fili nods "Throat cutters. There will be dozens of them out there crawling in the lowlands."

"Do they know were here?" I stammer trying to keep my composer.

Kili nods "They always know. They attack in wee small hours of the night while everyone's asleep. Real quiet, no screams, just lots of blood."

Once more the screech comes again and I'm on my feet. Looking out over the lookout I scan to see if there is any sign of the monsters. My mind reels back replaying the chase in the woods before my coming to Middle Earth. Trembling I think of what might have happened if they had caught me then and I dread thinking of what would happen now.

"They're after me..." I whimper under my breath but all emotions of fear fade as I hear the two brothers chuckling. Looking back, they snicker and laugh at my reaction humored by the fear instilled in me. Feeling just as embarrassed as I am angry my cheeks burn, and I shake my head "That's not funny."

"No, it's not." Thorin says gruffly standing by my side. Staring down the two brothers he narrows his fierce eyes "You think a night raid from Orcs is a joke? Did you find pleasure in playing off the fear and experience of others?"

As Thorin motions to me both brother eyes meet mine. For an instant I see their look of regret and they avert their eyes. Kili tosses another stick in the fire "We didn't mean anything by it."

Growling under his breath Thorin hisses "No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world...!"

We all watch as Thorin storms off away from the others. He walks over to the overlooks edge crossing his arms and looking out and to the night sky. Perhaps Thorin was defending me, but perhaps it was his own experiences he was speaking of.

Balin joins us speaking to the boys "Don't mind him laddy. Thorin has more reason than most to hate Orcs."

Furrowing my brow, I look from Thorin to Balin "What do you mean? What happened to him?"

Balin scratches his beard looking at the campfire. He looks as if he shares the same painful memories as Thorin. Resting his arm against the rock he begins telling us the painful tale "After the dragon had stolen the lonely mountain King Thror tried to go and reclaim our ancient Dwarf Kingdom of Moria, but our enemy had gotten there first. It was legions of Orcs led by the vilest of their race. The pale Orc, Azog. He had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin, and he began by beheading the King."

Hesitantly Balin stops as if he's afraid to tell the tale or maybe because the memories are too painful. Either way, I wouldn't blame him if he stopped now, but that didn't seem to be the Dwarves style.

"Thorin's father, Thrain, was driven mad with grief. He had been captured or killed...we didn't know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him. A young Dwarf Prince facing down the Pale Orc. Wielding nothing but an Oaken branch as a shield Thorin stood alone against this terrible foe! Azog the defiler learned that day that the line of Durin wouldn't be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and pushed the Orcs back! Our enemy had been defeated.... but there was no feast or song. Our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then there is one I can follow. There is one who I can call King."

All Dwarves were awake and on their feet. Some of them heard the tale and others had been a part of it. Dwalin being amongst the ones with the battle scars to prove so. They all stand triumphantly looking to Thorin who now faces us all. Looking from the Dwarves his eyes settle on me. He looks with utter surety that what Balin speaks is truth and all I can feel for the Dwarf Prince is as sense of pride and pity.

Bilbo raise the question I dare not ask "And the Pale Orc? What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole from whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago." Thorin hisses and disappears around the corner of the rock he once rested on. We wait for him to come back or say something else, but all there is left is silence. As I look at Balin he doesn't seem so convinced of Thorin's words and neither does Gandalf who looks more worried than I have seen him so far.

One by one the dwarves all fall back onto their sleeping bags and drift to sleep. Even Gandalf and Bilbo fall into a gentle slumber and I only remain. I poke at the fire to keep what little light we have up. Ever since the sound of Orc's screeching in the night and the tale of the battle of Moria sleep was an impossibility. Looking around I noticed that Thorin had yet to return and it had been well over two hours. No one was awake to come and help me go in search of him, but I couldn't just sit here doing nothing.

Getting up from the fire I shake out my jitters and head the way Thorin did earlier. The moon lights my path steering me away from the ledge. As I go around the rock, I see Thorin just a few feet ahead of me. Sitting on the ledge of the cliff he is looking out to the night sky and the magnificent view below. He seems so content and yet sad. I think he looks just as lonely as I feel at times.

"Are you going to join me or linger there staring?" he asks sharply.

Gasping I quickly step out into view "I-I'm sorry-I...I was just making sure you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asks in his usual agitated tone. Awkwardly I shuffle as he glares at me before turning his attention back to the view "I don't-No, your right I shouldn't have...I'm just gonna head back."

Before I leave, he lets out a heavy sigh "You sure you don't want to look for a bit?"

I turn back looking at the view and then to Thorin who glances back at me "It is quite spectacular."

Now he seems almost happy I'm here. Or at least like he's not bothered by my presence. It is difficult to read him and his moods and more precisely what he wants. Leaving seems like the more rational answer, but for some reason I find myself sitting next to the Prince. The overlook is spectacular with the dew of the trees glistening in the moonlight. Even more so is the mountain range the moon hovers above. Around us is silence and the butterflies in my stomach begin to flutter in my chest by being near Thorin. As much as he seems to despise me, I can't find it in myself to harbor the same feelings. No matter how snappish or crude he may be, I can't dislike him even a little. It's quite irritating.

Glancing over to Thorin I speak to him nervously "I'm sorry about your dad and your grandfather."

Caught off guard Thorin furrows his brows looking at me puzzled. For a moment I think he looks angry that I said anything about it at all, but his face relaxes, and he nods sadly "So am I."

I smirk and nod back to him before looking out again at the view. Deep down inside of me I think of Thorin's family. It's not too long before I think of my own. Biting my lip, I mumble "I lied to Kili earlier."

Thorin turns to me "What do you mean?"

Looking down at my hands to avoid his gaze I draw in a shaky breath "When he asked if my family was dead, I said no, but...I'm not so sure."

Thorin awaits silently for me to continue. He doesn't ask me to stop or press me with questions, but he gives his undivided attention as if what I am saying has high value. It's more than I've ever gotten from anyone, even my closest friends.

"I'm not from here. My world is so much different from yours. I was walking alone in the woods. I was trying to get to class when they saw me. There were a group of Orc's. They chased me and it was clear they intended to kill me. Gandalf showed up and helped me escape by bringing me here. When Gandalf and I escaped through the portal the Orc's didn't come with us. If they were after me what's to say they didn't go after my family as well?"

The more I spoke about what happened the more my mind thought of the possibilities. My guts twist in knots at the thought and an exasperated choke comes out of me. Tears brim in my eyes and I desperately fight to hold them back.

"What if-while I was running like a coward, they were tearing my family to pieces...?!"

All of the painful thoughts and images of my family being slaughtered haunts my thoughts. Like some horrific move the images reel through my mind uncontrollably. I can feel my body trembling and the tears fall from my eyes. Even the thought of Thorin seeing me like this didn't pull at me to get a grip on myself. Just as I feel like I'm going to fall apart I feel Thorin's strong warm hand grip my own. The trembling of my hands slowly but surely ceases being comforted by Thorin's grip. My cheeks burn and I look back to him as he leans closer to me "Surviving is not for the cowardly or weak of heart. Dying is easy, living is harder."

"And what if I go back and they're gone? I will be left with nothing. Ever here I'm all alone."

Giving my hand another squeeze Thorin looks down as if he's lost in thought. Looking back up he smirks "So am I."

Another screech rings out in the night instilling fear within me once more. Out of reaction I lean away from the noise and feel myself press up against Thorin. Shamefully I pull away and Thorin withdraws his hand from mine. Scanning the overlook, I look for any sign of the creatures lurking or coming after me. As the night stills again Thorin stands to his feet. Extending a hand, he motions for me "Let me show you something."