I made it back to the cave before nightfall, praying the entire time that I was heading the right way. But as long as the sun remained uncovered by clouds, I knew I was going to find it. Jürgen, at least, had taught me that much.

"Being adept with needle and thread is one thing, child," he told me once when I had failed to tell him what direction we were facing as we stood in the midst of the forest. "But there's more to life than just sewing beautiful dresses for little girls or mending shirts for Lialam. I can never abide a woman who cannot tell where her north is to her south, just as she can never tell where the sun rises or where it sets."

"That's a bit harsh, isn't it?" I teased. "Surely everyone knows where the sun rises and sets."

"Not when they can't tell their east from their west, they can't. Or north and south," Jürgen retorted. "Yes, there are those who can't - like Lialam's wives, for example."

To that, I had nothing to say for Jürgen was right, which made me more determined to learn everything he taught me.

Ever since Bernd and I lost Tadd and Jerrel, Jürgen had taken me under his wing, teaching me the very things he would have taught his own son if he had survived that goblin raid along the Old Forest Road. So he taught me how to hunt by building snares hidden in the ground, how to use a slingshot and how to wield the sword he made just for me, as all the swords he made for the warriors were all too long for me to hold. He taught me how to recognize edible berries in the forest, though it was Inge would taught me how to tell one herb from another.

But as I hurried towards the waterfall, I missed Jürgen and his wise counsel now. I could not help but worry about him sitting in the dungeon because of me.

My spirits sank when I discovered that someone had been in the cave while I was gone. While the things I had stored beneath the ground were undisturbed, the footprints on the ground were unmistakable.

I cursed under my breath and quickly unearthed the sack of food that Dwalin had brought with him the day before, hoping that the other cave behind the waterfall had not yet been discovered. If it had, then I would have no choice but to return to town and to do that, I would risk traveling at night.

But Mahal was on my side, for the second cave was undisturbed and after leaving the sack of food inside it, I ran back to the main cave to retrieve the blankets and the rest of the supplies that Jürgen had packed in the saddle bags. I covered the cold storage area with the branches and leaves before erasing any sign of my own prints with a tree branch.

The second cave was not the ideal place to stay for the night for it was much smaller. And with the water cascading down the front opening, it was cold and damp. But I could not afford to be choosy about my lodgings, for night had fallen and this would have to do. I gathered all my belongings and stored them in the driest part of the cave, in a small alcove that was too small for me to slip through. Though I could not light a fire, I had enough blankets to keep myself warm.

In the morning, I would return to Greenbanü and try to reason with Bernd and Lialam. For I knew that as long as Jürgen sat in the dungeon, no one was about to come for me now.

~~~

But someone did come.

It was almost dawn when I first heard the snarling sounds above the din of the waterfall, and I knew right away what they were. My heart caught in my throat as I stifled the scream from my lips. My other hand reached for the sword next to me, willing myself to calmly secure leather strap that held the scabbard across my torso.

The light of the gibbous moon reflected itself upon the vines that concealed the entrance to the cave and as they rustled, I got up from my place on the ground. My heart was beating loudly, my pulse hammering between my ears, and though I wanted to withdraw into the darkness of the cavern wall, it was too close to the entrance.

Besides, I knew the creature would be able to see in the dark.

I hurried towards the mouth of the cave that led straight to the waterfall itself. The vines that concealed it were as thick as my arm and strong enough to hold my weight. As the leaves along the narrow entrance rustled again, I grabbed hold of the vines and hanging on to them, carefully walked along the edge of the rock wall. The spray from the water drenched me immediately, soaking through my woolen cloak and soon, through the layers of clothing that I wore. Now, they were not only wet, but the water had added to my overall weight.

The creature slipped through the opening, and from behind the shower of vines, I watched with bated breath as he sniffed the air around him. In the clearing below me, two of his companions moved silently through the brush, and I realized then that these three were the recent visitors to the cave.

Goblins.

Inside the cavern, the reflected light of the moon cast shadows upon the lone goblin's pockmarked and wrinkled skin. He had a bulbous head and high pointed ears, huge eyes and a snarling mouth that revealed rows of sharp teeth. His arms and legs were disproportionately longer than his torso, which was clad only in a loincloth and nothing else. His feet were much longer than any human or dwarf feet I'd ever seen. In his hand, he held a long, curved dagger.

I prayed that he would not smell the food I had tucked away in the alcove, hidden behind vines and a few rocks. But as the goblin turned away from the water to face the wall, sniffing the air as he did, I knew that he had indeed smelled the food. Not only that, but the blankets I had used to cover myself still lay on the floor. There was no mistaking that there was someone in here.

Had I chosen to hide in the darkness of the far wall, the goblin would have found me immediately, I thought, as I struggled to gain a better hold of the vines. The water had made my grip too slippery. But as I reached for a much sturdier rambler, my boot slipped and I grabbed hold of the nearest collection of roots hanging from the ledge above me, trying hard not to look down at the churning waters below.

But the gasp that came forth from my lips caught the goblin's attention and he abandoned his search for food along the far wall, turning towards the mouth of the cave instead. I was still concealed behind the leaves and part of the rock face. As I finally gained a firmer hold of the vines by wrapping my arm around surrounding ones and gripping one that was as thick as my wrist, I pulled out the sword halfway from its sheath with my other hand. I was shaking now, for the cold had soaked through my clothes.

The goblin brought his dagger in front of him, his mouth widening in a grimace as it caught my scent. Come, I wanted to scream. Come and get me.

As the goblin turned the corner of the cavern opening, his eyes widened when he saw me. He lunged at me with his dagger, but I was ready for him. I brought my sword down but missed him as he stepped out of the way. He brought his dagger towards me again, slicing blindly, his blade catching segments of the vine and its roots as I swung the sword again.

This time, the sword hit its mark, slicing him across the torso and the goblin shrieked, charging at me again. As I moved aside to avoid him, my arm still twined around the vines, I lost my foothold on the edge of the rock ledge as the goblin tackled me.

My body swung backwards, coming off the wall as the goblin wrapped its long arms around my waist. As my body slammed back against the rock face, the goblin's back softened the blow for me but was hard enough to knock the breath out of him as he slid down my leg, his arms still clinging to me. The combined weight of our bodies sent me slipping down the vine and for a moment I saw myself joining my mother too soon. But the smaller ramblers that I had wrapped around my arm wrenched me violently back, yanking my shoulder out of its socket just as the goblin sank his teeth into my leg. The pain shot through my arm and leg, bringing tears to my eyes but now was not a time to cry.

I swung my sword at the goblin again, slicing him in the face as my other leg kicked him off me. Red hot pain shot through my shoulder as I felt the goblin let go. But I did not look down as he fell, together with my precious sword, into the rocks below. Instead, my free hand grabbed hold of a collection of roots danging from the edge above me, though most of them were too weak to hold my weight. But as long as the vines I had wrapped around my other arm held, I was fine. But for how long?

Below me, the two goblins heard their companion's shriek and began to double-back towards the waterfall. This time, I kept myself flat against the rock face as the sun rose in the horizon, lighting up the sky with the color of my mother's eyes. I prayed that the vines would hold me as my booted feet sought purchase on any ledge it could find, relieving the vines of my full weight. Stars filled my vision as the pain in my shoulder continued to snake through my body, my arm growing numb as it remained in its awkward position.

My feet finally found a ledge to keep my body upright and I allowed myself to ease some of the pressure from my injured shoulder. I kept myself flat against the wall as the goblins, too sensitive to the growing sunlight, turned away and abandoned their companion. But still I waited, not wanting to be too eager to get back up into the cave, also knowing that I needed the time to catch my breath. Besides, the goblins could have gone around and were waiting to ambush me.

For some time I stood there, the throbbing in my temples slowing down as I focused only on the sound of the raging waters behind me. I knew I had to keep moving, to let the adrenaline continue to push. I knew that the arm that was wrapped around the vines that saved me from falling to my death was useless, though it remained my insurance from falling - but only as long as the vines held my weight. With my good arm and my feet seeking sturdy support wherever it could find it, I made my way up the rock face and back to the cave, inch by inch.

By the time I made it back to the cave safely, the sun had risen. It illuminated the cave with a soft ethereal glow though I could barely appreciate it. My body ached, my left shoulder throbbed and my right leg stung where the goblin bit me. I was covered with the goblin's blood mixed with my own, and my body shook from the cold that had now made its way into my bones.

I pulled myself up to a sitting position, leaning my back against the wall as I unclasped my cloak and tried to push it off my shoulders. Though my cloak was made of wool and would have maintained my body's warmth, my clothes were not. They were soaked through the skin, and I knew that I had to peel them off me to stay warm.

But my ordeal with the goblin and having to climb up the ledge had robbed me of whatever strength I had left. No amount of Jürgen's training had prepared me for the violence that had awaited me inside the cave and I found myself wishing I were back in my little house in Greenbanü and that I had never come across Thorin, the prince of Erebor.

This time I allowed myself to sob openly, realizing that I had not had the chance to cry since my mother took her final breath in my arms just hours earlier. There was no shame now in my tears, I thought, for I was alone and no one would ever see it.

I tugged at the fastenings of my tunic, my movements too slow to match the ferocity of the tremors that claimed me, and my teeth began to chatter. But even taking off my clothes proved to be too taxing for me, and I crawled towards the center of the cave where the sun's reflection upon the water caused the light to dance on the floor.

Though I hoped it would be warm, it wasn't, for the morning was still too young and the rock had not had enough time to store the sun's precious heat. Still clothed in my soaked clothes, I pulled the woolen cloak around me and curled myself into a ball, shivering.

I shut my eyes and willed myself to dream of home.

But dreams of home flitted from one vision to another, the great halls of Erebor and my mother's soft laughter replaced by the tinkling of toys swinging to and fro inside a toymaker's wagon. It was the same wagon that took me out of Erebor one summer afternoon, for I'd wandered too far from my mother in the grand marketplace of Dale. I dreamt of Jerrel, much younger then, who had enticed me with a doll that looked just like me, wearing something that I had worn the day before when I'd gone to the marketplace with the nurse-maid, seeking a toy that would make feel much better after having seen myself with my new scar for the first time that day.

But then I dreamt of a prince with hypnotic blue eyes, his deep voice calling my name again and again. And even above the roar of the water crashing upon the rocks below, I heard him.

"Frigga!"

I awoke with a start, my teeth chattering. The sunlight streamed through the curtain of leaves and water, casting its warm glow where I lay. But even though the cave was now warm, I shivered.

"Frigga!" The voice called out again from below. "In Durin's name, where are you?"

"I'm here," I whispered between chattering teeth, but I knew no one would hear me. Besides, I was still dreaming.

And in my dream, Thorin appeared by my side. He knelt over me and turned my face to look at him. I tried to say his name, asking him to seek out Inge who could heal me, rambling about how he would find her little cottage just outside the town, but I was shivering too much to be coherent. Stupid dream, I wanted to say, but Thorin took off his cloak and spread it on the ground next to me.

"Hush, don't speak," he said as he began to undress me, peeling the soaked clothes from my skin till I was naked and shivering before him, my good arm weakly trying to cover myself. His face darkened when he saw the awkward angle of my left shoulder, and tears sprung from my eyes when he tried to move it.

"This is going to hurt," he whispered, his fingers wrapping around my arm just below the joint. And before I could utter a word, Thorin yanked my arm and I heard the sound of my scream echo in the cavern. A sickening pop followed as stars exploded in front of my eyes and darkness claimed me.

But in my dream, the pain subsided, replaced by the warmth of his woolen cloak wrapped around me, his hands briskly rubbing against my limbs as my body continued to shiver, till the trembling ceased and I felt warmth coarse through my numb fingers and toes.

"I like this dream," I whispered as I turned to look at him, tears still clinging to my lashes. I must have looked like a bloodied mess but in my dream I was flawless.

A ragged chuckle escaped his lips and Thorin smiled. He was lying next to me now, his body warm and reassuring. My head was cradled in his arm, his fingers playing with my hair loosened from their braids in the struggle with the goblin.

In my dream I studied the contours of his face, the way his thick long lashes framed his blue eyes, the proud angle of his nose and the soft lips above his trimmed beard. I brought my hand to Thorin's face and caressed it, feeling his expression soften at my boldness, the sigh that escaped his lips brushing softly against the skin of my palm as my fingers ran lightly along his lips.

In my dream he responded to my exploration, his fingers tracing the outline of my own lips before his head dipped lower, our breaths mingling before he kissed me. His lips gently touched mine as his beard tickled my chin, taking my breath away and making the butterflies in my belly flutter their wings in a symphony all their own. His hand cradled my face and drew me closer as his kiss deepened, his tongue gently parting my lips to explore the sweetness that lay within.

And in my dream Thorin did it all because he wanted to.