The others slowly trickled into the kitchen one by one. Thorin joined me before the others did. I wondered if he had heard the conversation. He took my hand and merely led me far away from the man. I guess he had.

I ignored most of the conversation that followed. I couldn't stop thinking about our next stop. Mirkwood. We had to cross through. I was surprised a part of me even wanted to stop in the elven fortress. I knew it would be nothing like Rivendell, but it was calling to me. I wanted to meet my father. My brother. I wondered if Thranduil would recognize me.

I finished my breakfast in silence and figured I'd ask before it was too late. The dwarves didn't seem too keen on entering the elf-infested forest, but...they could go on through and I'd meet them down river when I was finished. After all, it made more sense that way.

I looked at Thorin and took his hand and whispered, "I...I want to meet my father. You all can go ahead- I know how you feel about elves, but I want to meet them. Before I never get the chance to."

He looked at me and his features softened. "You want to meet your father?"

I nodded.

"Good. Because I wanted to meet your father." He says simply and kissed my forehead. I smiled and just turned and hugged him tightly around the neck.

"Thank you." I whispered, then pulled away and finished my breakfast.

Beorn- the giant man bear that insulted me earlier- was speaking with Gandalf about something, both of their expressions grave.

I tried to ignore them, my mind wandering to the night before.

"Beorn has agreed to let us take his horses to Mirkwood." Gandalf suddenly spoke up. He will hold back the orcs and goblins while you all make your way into Mirkwood Forest."

"Aren't you coming with us?" Bilbo asks with a frown.

"I'm afraid I cannot. I have received urgent news. I must attend to it immediately, I'm afraid."

I was a bit nervous about Gandalf not coming with us, but knew it probably needed to happen. After all, he was a wizard. And I wanted to introduce myself to Thranduil.

There were only fourteen ponies, so I walked over to the steed Thorin was on and swung up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He kicked the pony onward and we made our way across the plain and I rested my head on his back.

The plains and trees blurred together in a mass of green and brown, and I didn't lift my head from Thorin's back until we made it to the forest.

Thorin dismounted first, then reached up and helped me down from the saddle. I smiled in thanks and then turned and began to unlace my bag from the saddle.

Thorin rested a hand on my back. "Are you alright, Freya? You've been silent the whole trip."

"I know, I just...what if this detour to get to Thranduil makes us late for Durin's Day? And we miss our chance?"

He rubbed my back. "I'm sure we could think of something to fix it. Don't worry, Freya. It'll be fine." He says and kissed my forehead. "Besides, we don't need to be wary of the front gate any longer. We have you."

I smiled softly. "That's true." I mumbled.

Thorin nodded and pulled his pack onto his back. I unlaced mine and pulled it onto my shoulders and walked with Thorin, taking his hand, as we walked into the deep, dark forest.

It felt like hours before the dwarves around me began to start talking nonsense.

Bofur stooped to pick up a tobacco pouch with dwarvish runes. "There are dwarves in these woods." He mumbled.

"That looks exactly like mine!" Gloin said.

"That because it is yours." Bilbo said exasperatedly. "We've lost the trail, and we've been going in circles for hours!"

I blinked, the slight haze I had been feeling clearing. Where had that come from, why did it stop affecting me? I reached for Thorin's arm. "He's right, Thorin."

He looked at me blankly and blinked. "I...Are we, Freya? I could have sworn..." he looked out somewhere past me and I lifted my hands to his cheeks.

"Hey. Look at me. You all stay put. Bilbo and I are going to climb up there and find out where we are." I kissed him and he seemed to barely register it and reached for my arm, holding onto my jacket sleeve for a moment, then I turned to Bilbo and nodded towards the tree.

I turned to the nearest tree and pulled myself up onto the nearest branch. I pulled myself up into the branches and reached down and helped Bilbo up behind me.

When we broke free from the leaves, I breathed in the fresh air, a smile touching my lips. I turned north and there, just on the horizon past the lake, was Erebor. The Lonely Mountain. Home.

"Bilbo, look!" I said, pointing, a smile brightening my face. For the first time, I was eager for the return. Because this time, I had a plan, I had Thorin, and I had hope.

Bilbo appeared next to me and gasped. "Is that it? The Lonely Mountain?" He asked, staring off at it in wonder.

"Yes it is." I said. I turned serious and looked at him. "And you and I have a job inside once we get there."

He swallowed hard. "Yes. We do, indeed." He paused. "I don't hear the others down there anymore. Do you?"

I froze and climbed back down into the branches and froze stiff. Thick white webs stretched across the trees.

And that's when I saw them, massive spiders the size of horses. When I was distracted by a spider coming right for me, Bilbo suddenly disappeared. I panicked and drew my sword but the spider knocked it from my hand with a hiss and I felt a sharp pain as a spider behind me stabbed me in the back.

I stumbled forward, eyes going heavy, and I knew no more.

*******

I woke up to Thorin holding me in his arms securely, the dwarves gathered around us. Everyone was covered in dirt, dust, spider guts, and web.

I coughed a bit, wincing, and sat up with a groan, Thorin guiding me. "H-Help me up." I managed.

I then noticed how worried he looked. I frowned and lifted my arms to loop around his shoulders, my head still trying to clear as I laid it on his chest.

His strong arms moved around me and I held onto his fur coat as he slowly stood up and got my feet under me, feeling dizzy.

I looked up and that's when I saw him.

An elf with bond hair and eyes so blue it was like staring into the sky in spring. He seemed just as shocked to see me if not more. He turned to the elves around him and spoke some rushed phrases in Sindarin, then looked back at me.

"The Elvenking will want to see you."

I straightened as much as my spinning head allowed, and I realized with a start why I was so queasy. I must have hit my head on something when the spider injected me with its venom. I lifted my hand to my forehead and it came away sticky with blood. I flinched.

"Yes...he...he's my father." I murmured and looked up at the elf.

He clenched his jaw and held a hand out to me. I moved my arms from around Thorin and reached to take his hand. Thorin grabbed my other hand, squeezing tightly.

I smiled back at him. "It's ok. Don't fight with them."

I took the ellon's hand and looked up at him. "My name is Freya."

He raised an eyebrow. "Freya. My name is Legolas. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm your half brother."

He then turned to the other elves and gave a command in Sindarin once more and we moved as a group guided by the elves towards the center of the forest. The palace where my father undeniably was.

When we arrived, Legolas gave an order that the dwarves be taken to the dungeons, and I be sent to the guest chambers to have my head healed and get cleaned up.

I tensed at that, not wanting to be separated from them. And where was Bilbo? He had disappeared completely- turned invisible. I'd have to ask him about that later.

I looked back at Thorin, and he looked just as displeased with the situation, but nodded to me. "It's ok. I'll see you soon."

I clenched my jaw and turned and let Legolas led me farther into the palace. I looked around at everything in awe, eyes wide as I looked at the walls and floors, made of intertwining tree roots. This place was made by magic.

I found myself at the door to a room and Legolas merely muttered, "Go to the throne room within the hour." He then turned and left.

What was his problem?

I swallowed hard and looked up to see elleths gawking at me. I shifted uncomfortably and they ushered me inside. There was already a bath running.

Their hands began to undo laces on my jacket and clothes and corset, one sitting me down on a stool to take off my boots. One lifted her hands to my hair and began to undo my braids.

I stiffened and reached a hand up. "Don't take the bead out. Please."

"We must wash your hair, my Lady. We will braid it again with this head if you'd like."

I felt my face flush as I said, "I... appreciate it, but I'll have Thorin braid my hair. Leave it down."

"Why?" Another asked. "Why have a man do it?" She looked more curious than anything.

I folded my hands in my lap and held them tightly as she began to undo my braid. "In dwarvish custom, when two are to be married, the male will braid a handmade bead into the female's hair. It's a symbol of great importance, and braids mean different things. He should be the only one now that touches my hair other than me." I said softly.

"Shall we fetch him then when you are bathed and dressed?"

"Will he receive the same treatment as me and be allowed to bathe and change clothes?" I asked and stood from the stool and kicked off my boots and tossed my clothes to the floor and made my way towards the tub and climbed inside, not shy as they stared at me.

"It is different." One elleth said, her eyes flitting to the other two. "You are the king's daughter."

"And Thorin is my betrothed. Again I ask will he receive the same treatment, or will he have to rebraid my clean hair with dirty hands?" I snapped.

One elleth bowed her head and said, "I'll will go and find him and have him cleaned so he may braid your hair."

She then left the room and I let the other two bathe me, heal my head, and wash my hair, free of the braids. I kept the bead in my hand the entire time. I would not let it touch a table. That meant the same thing as it being discarded.

I knew they'd never understand the custom. Humans and elves used rings and it was not uncommon to remove them to perform tasks. But beads and braids were important.

I sat on a stool once more, clean and dry and in new clothes, a silver dress with wine red trim and a new pair of slippers. I found myself marveling at the elvish dress once again, and I turned to the elleth at the door and asked, "Could I have my old clothes washed and returned to me please?"

She nodded, a small smile touching her lips. "Yes, my lady. You look beautiful, my lady."

I smiled softly. "Thank you. And please, call me Freya."

There was a knock at the door and it opened to reveal a pair of guards with Thorin. He was cleaned and in new clothes and when he saw me with my hair down, his jaw clenched.

I stood and walked over to him and took his hand and placed the bead into his hand. "I didn't let them brush or braid my hair." I said softly and brought his hand up to kiss his knuckles.

He closed his hand over the bead and his other hand covered my hand and he leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

The maids left the room then, so we were alone.

I took his free hand and said softly, "I'm sorry that they took it out. They had to to get at my head and wash my hair." I felt tears sting my eyes. "I did not take it out myself, Thorin."

He let go of my hand and lifted a hand to my cheek and he guided my face back up to look at him.

"I know you did not. And I know you never would, not willingly. I love you, Freya." He said softly and kissed my forehead again and I smiled and stepped in and hugged him.

"Come. Let us put these braids back and go and meet your father." He says, and he looked just as nervous as I felt.