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"Have you noticed anything odd about Thorin?" Alenia asked Fili and Kili.

"Yeah." Kili answered softly, trying to be quiet so no one else heard. "He's been very... harsh. Like he's made out of stone, and the only emotions he can show is anger."

"It's this place. You know that Thror had something similar happen to him. I just didn't think that it would affect him this quickly, if at all. He's always seemed so-"

"Strong." Alenia finished quietly. The courtyard was quiet, despite the fact that the entire Company was out in the fresh air before they would have to go back to searching for the Arkenstone.

Or it was, until Dwalin raced down the steps from the fortified wall, heading for Thorin.

"Thorin, survivors...from Laketown. They are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them."

Alenia watched as a rare smile that had been on his face from talking to Bilbo disappeared in a flash.

"Call everyone to the gate." Thorin said, walking towards the gaping hole in the protective wall that guarded Erebor. "TO THE GATE! NOW!"

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"Kili." Alenia said, grabbing ahold of his arm, as he went to pick up another piece of stone to add to the growing pile standing in as a gate into the mountain. "You know this isn't right."

"I know, love." Kili responded, tearing a hand through his hair. "But he's my uncle, as well as my king, and that means I must obey him."

"Even if he's wrong?" She asked, letting go of his arm.

"Even if he's wrong." He agreed, frowning, before he stooped to heave another chunk of rock to the gate.

"I want this fortress made safe by sunup." Thorin said. "This mountain was hard won - I will not see it taken again."

"The people of Laketown have nothing." Alenia called up to the king, causing him to jump down from where he stood, and stalk over to her. "They came to us in need. They have lost everything."

"Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragonfire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for."

"If you know of their hardship, then why leave them to it?" Alenia protested. "If you do, then you're no better than the elves of Mirkwood-"

Thorin's hand was moving towards her in a flash, and Alenia just barely managed to block it. But she didn't see his other hand coming, clenched into a fist, until it collided with her face.

The other dwarves stopped what they were doing and stared in horror, as Alenia rubbed her cheek and spat a glob of blood onto the ground.

"Do not lecture me on the doings of your people, half breed." Thorin growled.

Kili leaped down from where he was working to rush over to her, but Alenia sent him a warning glare, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Really, Thorin?" Alenia asked. "After all I've done for you and this Company, this is the kind of shit you pull? After I've nearly died several times, and saved not only your life, but your nephew's as well?"

"I owe you nothing." Thorin snarled. "I don't know why I ever thought that it would be a good thing to have you along. I see now that that was a mistake."

"I know that this isn't you Thorin." Alenia said softly. "And that's the only reason I'm not bashing your head in for what you've just said, and what you've done. But dragon sickness or not, I thought you were better than this. Stronger than this. And I feel sorry for you, now that I realize that you're not."

His voice dropped to a growling whisper so only the half-elf could hear, his eyes flaring dangerously. "You know what was an even bigger mistake? My pretending to be okay with whatever is going on with you and Kili. He is a dwarven prince of Erebor, and you are just a filthy half breed. A disgraced princess of her kingdom, who was too weak to protect herself. Who caused her family to die for her. To die for nothing, because you are nothing. You weren't worthy of their sacrifice, and you will never be worthy of Kili."

Alenia stiffened, her fists clenching, before she turned and ran into Erebor, leaving Thorin shouting for more stone to be brought to the gate.

Footsteps pounded after her, as the tears started to fall down her face.

"Alenia, wait!"

Kili's voice cause Alenia to run even faster, taking twists and turns before she ducked around a corner and into an open door. She slammed it shut, and slid down the back of it, her body wracked with sobs, as her head dropped to her knees.

Filthy half breed.

Kili was pounding on the door.

Too weak to protect herself. Too weak to protect her family.

"Alenia, c'mon. Open this door."

Unworthy. Unworthy.

"Love, please." Kili was begging now.

"Go. Away. K-kili." Alenia choked out in between sobs.

"Never." He replied softly. "Never, Alenia. We're in this together. That's what love is; caring enough about someone to always be by their side. Please let me in, so I can do that."

Unworthy. Unworthy.

Even as she stood and moved away from the door.

Unworthy. Unworthy.

Even as Kili rushed into the room.

Unworthy. Unworthy.

Even as he took her face in his hand, wiped the tears away, even though they were still flowing.

Unworthy. Unworthy.

Even as he kissed her, fast and fiercely. Even as he held her against his chest as she sobbed. Even as he whispered how much he loved her.

Unworthy. Unworthy.

"I don't deserve you." she whispered.

"You don't deserve me?" He asked incredulously. "Love, I don't deserve you."

"You're this fucking handsome dwarvish prince. Who's kind and funny and always knows what to say regardless of the situation." Alenia protested. "And I'm-"

"What?" Kili asked, wiping her tears away. "What are you that makes you think you don't deserve me?"

"I'm this half-breed disgraced princess who has grandfather issues out the wazoo. Someone who wasn't strong enough to protect her family-"

"Did Thorin tell you this?" Kili asked, stroking her back.

"Yes, but-" Alenia said, and the dwarf interrupted, "Let me tell you who you are, okay? Because I've think you've forgotten."

"Kee-" Alenia started, her head dropping, and Kili shushed her. He lifted her chin to look into her eyes before he said, "You are one of the kindest people in all of Middle Earth." He kissed her right cheek, taking the tears with him.

"You are a powerful warrior, who not only beat the most evil Orc ever, but was also willing to spare his life." He kissed her left cheek, taking those tears away as well.

"You are smarter than every person I've ever met in my life, and are still so fucking humble, I sometimes don't understand it." He kissed her forehead, rubbing away the crease marks.

"And you are the love of my life, regardless of whatever ridiculous notions my insane uncle may have put in your head." He kissed her. "I love you more than there are stars in the sky. And I will continue to do so until the day I die. "

Alenia flung her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly, the tears drying up. They kissed again, the half-elf's breathing slowing down to normal, and the horrible words Thorin had spat her way fading from her mind, never to appear again.

They broke apart, and as she fell asleep in his arms, she heard him murmur into her hair, "You are Alenia Damenor, and I love you more than you could ever know."

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a/n:

wow. shit just went down. and thorin's a real bitch rn.

next chapter will be out on friday :))

- ash xx