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The next morning, the weather did not cooperate, causing the entire company to be soaked to the bone. Water dripped from Alenia's hair, despite the coverage of her cloak.

She overheard Dori complain to Gandalf about the weather, before Kili rode up next to her, equally drenched.

"Hey. I'm sorry about last night," he said, searching her face.

She nodded, smiling weakly. "It's fine, don't worry about it." Not wanting to talk about it anymore, she kicked her heels into Livvy, galloping off to scout ahead.

Kili heard his brother come up next to him.

"You like her, don't you?" Fili asked, glancing at his younger brother.

"What?" Kili replied indignantly. "No! Of course not."

"Okay, if you say so," Fili said, glancing at him, unbelieving.

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The company stopped for the night at an old abandoned farmhouse.

"We'll camp here for the night," Thorin announced. "Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." 

"I don't like this. When I was scouting, this was the only form of 'shelter' I could find near here," Alenia murmured to Gandalf.

"A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf said, agreeing with her.

"Oin, Gloin, get a fire going," Thorin directed, moving towards the house, the wizard and half elf following.

"I think it would be wiser to move on," Gandalf advised. "We could make for the Hidden Valley."

"I have told you already, I will not go near that place," Thorin said bitterly.

"Why not? The elves could help us," Alenia pressed. "We could get food, rest, advice."

"I do not need their advice," Thorin said crossly, glaring at her. "Nor do I need yours."

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us," Gandalf said.

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves?" Thorin snarled. "Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them," Gandalf said, his patience wearing thin. "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep," Thorin retorted.

Gandalf groaned, and stomped out of the house's ruins.

"Those pointy-eared tree-huggers are the ones that abandoned you, not the Last Homely House. Lord Elrond and Rivendell are a kind and just people. They will help you," Alenia said, before turning to follow Gandalf, leaving Thorin Oakenshield behind.

Alenia caught up to the wizard just as he was mounting his horse.

"Stay with them," he told her. "They will need your help come nightfall." 

Alenia nodded, before he took off to scout a safer route.

"Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked Balin, who could only shrug.

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"Bilbo. Take these to the lads," Bofur said, handing two bowls of stew to the hobbits.

Alenia stood and walked with him. They entered the forest to see the brothers staring off into the darker parts of the woods.

"What's the matter?" Bilbo asked.

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies," Kili said, looking at his brother.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem," Fili said, glancing back at the two.

"We had sixteen." Kili said.

"Now there's fourteen." Fili finished.

The foursome examined the group of ponies.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili said.

"So is my horse!" Alenia said, moving forward.

"Well, that's not good. That is not good at all. Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo said nervously.

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it," Fili explained.

Bilbo looked around and joined Alenia at inspecting the uprooted trees.

"Well, uh...look, some--something big uprooted these trees," Bilbo said.

"That was our thinking," Kili agreed.

Alenia moved to see the scuffed dirt, inspecting the tracks.

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous," Bilbo declared nervously.

"Definitely dangerous. It's trolls," Alenia said, looking up from the tracks at the three males. She stood and drew her sword, as a precaution.

"Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down," Fili said suddenly.

The four rush quietly towards the light, ducking behind a log, as they hear the harsh laughter coming from the clearing up ahead.

The four edge closer to the clearing that the trolls are in. They duck behind a tree, as a third troll comes in with two more ponies.

"He's got Myrtle and Minty!" Bilbo exclaimed quietly. "I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

"Yes. You should," Kili said. "Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small."

"No!" Alenia said, as she tried to pull Bilbo away from the brothers and their suicidal plans.

"They'll never see you," Fili said, as he and his brother took hold of the hobbit and pulled him from the grasp of the half elf.

"It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you," Kili said brightly, pulling Alenia away, before she could react.

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl," Fili said, pushing Bilbo forward, before turning and running to catch up with Kili and their friend.

"You were supposed to stay with him!" Alenia cried, as Fili joined them. She turned to head back. "Go get Thorin and the others, quickly. Bilbo will need our help."

Alenia reached the edge of the clearing again, just in time to see Bilbo get sneezed on like a handkerchief in one of the brutes' hands.

"What is it?" Troll #1 asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" Troll #2 declared.

Troll #2 shook poor Bilbo, sending him to the ground.

The hobbit quickly stood up, to face the trolls.

"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?" Troll #1 asked.

"I'm a burglar-- uhh, Hobbit," Bilbo said shakily, catching himself.

"A Burgla-Hobbit?" Troll #2 asked, sure he had heard wrong.

"Can we cook 'im?" Troll #1 asked excitedly. The trolls grinned.

"We can try!" Troll #2 said, reaching to grab Bilbo. The hobbit ducks under the hand, only to become cornered by Troll #3.

"He wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when he's skinned and boned!" Troll #3 said, poking Bilbo with his spoon.

"Perhaps there's more Burgla-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie," Troll #1 said.

Alenia suppressed a gasp, hoping they didn't go to look for more morsels to supplement their pastry.

"Grab him!" Troll #3 cried.

"It's too quick!" Troll #2 complained.

After an immense amount of ducking and dodging, Bilbo was grabbed by Troll #1.

"Come here, you little... Gotcha! Are there any more of you little fellas 'iding where you shouldn't?" Troll #1 asked, shaking the poor hobbit.

"Nope." Bilbo said, trying to squirm free.

"He's lying." Troll #2 said, squinting at their prisoner.

"No I'm not." Bilbo said desperately.

"Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal." Troll #2 cried in sadistic delight.

With the danger to Bilbo having suddenly increased, Alenia couldn't wait any longer for the dwarves' backup. She jumped from the bushes, slashing Troll #2's leg. "Drop him!"

"You what?" Troll #1 asked.

"I said, drop him," Alenia said, narrowing her eyes, giving her sword a twirl, before settling the hilt in her palm once more.

Troll #1 threw Bilbo at Alenia, causing them both to fall to the ground in a heap, as the dwarves came bursting out of the bushes and began fighting the trolls.

Bilbo slipped away and tried to cut the ropes surrounding Livvy and the other ponies, but was grabbed by Troll #1.

The dwarves and Alenia stopped fighting, as they see Bilbo's position.

"Bilbo!" Kili cried, as Thorin shouted, "No!"

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off," Troll #1 said.

Thorin looked at Bilbo in frustration, before tossing his sword on the ground. The other dwarves followed suit, and in the commotion, Alenia, who was already near the back of the group, slipped backwards into the treeline.

She grabbed a large rock from the ground, before scrambling up a tree to peer down into the clearing.

Dwalin, Ori, Nori, Dori and Bofur were now tied up and were being roasted slowly on a spit. The rest of the dwarves, and Bilbo, were tied up in sacks, ready to be roasted.

Troll #1 looked at the dwarves frowning. Alenia reached for her bow and an arrow, setting the rock down for the moment.

"Wait a second, where's the female?" Troll #1 cried, causing Fili and Kili to exchange grins. Troll #1 had barely gotten the words out, when an ebony arrow entered his skull, knocking him to the ground, dead.

The other two trolls roared in outrage. Alenia smirked, before grabbing her rock and throwing it far into the forest, away from the clearing. The large cracks could easily be heard as the rock hit the ground far off.

Alenia threw her voice behind her, making it sound father away then it actually was -- a trick she had picked up from a man she'd met in Rohan a few years ago. "Come and get me, assholes!"

The last two trolls roared and charged into the forest after her. Alenia leaped out of the tree silently, rolling on the dirt before rushing to cut the dwarves free.

The dwarves cheered. Loudly. "Shut up, you idiots!" Alenia whisper-shouted. She had just reached the dwarves in the sacks, when she felt a giant hand grab her ankle and lift her upside down.

"Shit," she muttered, twisting so she could face the ugly troll. "Well, hi there." She yanked her sword out of her scabbard and whipped it across the chest of the troll holding her, causing the beast to drop her. She landed hard, but bounced up quickly.

She slashed the troll's leg, causing him to fall to the ground. She leaped, slicing into the troll's neck, killing it.

No sooner had she killed the troll, when the other one crashed back into the clearing and seized her waist, squeezing tightly, causing her to drop her sword.

She gasped in pain, as she struggled to breathe. The dwarves shouted at the beast to let her go.

"Alenia!" Fili and Kili yelled, when their friend dropped backwards limply, dangling from the troll's hand.

Only Bilbo noticed the half elf's movement, as she struggled to pull a dagger from her boot. He smiled, when her hand wrapped around the small hilt and pulled it out.

Alenia brought the dagger up and slammed it into the troll's hand, opening it up and dropping her to the floor. She grabbed her sword, and wheezed at suddenly being able to breathe.

Alenia slowly rose to her feet. She glared up at the troll, as the dwarves cheered her on. She lifted her sword to strike, but was stopped, when the troll suddenly pulled her dagger from his hand and threw it at her stomach.

It stuck, and Alenia staggered back, falling to the ground, chest heaving.

"Alenia!" Kili roared, his eyes going wide, as the troll stalked towards the fallen woman. "Get away from her, filth!"

Just as the troll reached her, Gandalf, pointy hat and all, stood atop a large boulder blocking the sun.

"The dawn will take you!" The wizard cried, smashing his staff against the top of the rock, letting the light into the clearing, and turning the last troll to stone.

Gandalf leaped down from the rock, racing to Alenia's side.

"Get them out," she gasped, nodding to the dwarves, five of whom were still roasting on the spit.

Gandalf clasped her hand, before rushing to take down the spit and freeing the slightly roasted dwarves. The freed dwarves then aided the wizard in freeing the others from the sacks.

Oin, Fili and Kili rushed to Alenia's side.

"Pull it out," Oin said, gesturing to the knife. Fili and Kili exchanged a look, before Fili reached for the hilt of the small blade, and Kili moved to press Alenia's shoulders to the ground. Fili pulled the blade out, and Alenia yelled, moving upwards against Kili's hands, causing the Company to look over in concern.

"Shit," she breathed, as blood pours out of the wound, wetting the shirt. "That was my favorite tunic."

Kili looked down at her, and smiled weakly. Oin reached for her tunic, and rolled it upwards, revealing the actual wound. Oin pressed bandages, soaking up most of the blood, before turning to grab a needle and thread.

"Take a deep breath," Oin said, glancing up at the young woman's sweating face. She nodded, taking a hold of Kili's hand.

Kili squeezed it in support, before Oin deftly stuck the needle in. Alenia squeezed Kili's hand so hard she was surprised it didn't break. As Oin stitched along the wound, the half elf let out a string of faint elvish and human curses that were enough to make the dwarves blush, as she clenched her teeth.

Oin finally finished, tying the thread shut, and helped her sit up slowly. Once she was in a sitting position, he wrapped cloth around her stomach, tying it tightly.

Fili and Kili helped her stand, and they slowly made their way back to the ponies. Gandalf, Bilbo and the other dwarves had emerged from the troll hoard that they had been investigating.

She rustled through her pack before pulling out a clean tunic. She turned to look at the others meaningfully, and they turned around so she could switch her tunic out. It was a slow process so she didn't pull her stitches, but worth it when she was no longer wearing clothing drenched in her own blood. She whistled, signalling the dwarves that they could turn around now, and slowly started to rearrange the saddlebags on her horse.

Gandalf walked up to her.

"You, kind sir, stole my kill," Alenia said, glaring at him jokingly.

"Well, young lady! When I said they would need your help, I did not mean for you to foolishly try to take on three trolls on your own," Gandalf replied sternly.

"Eh. I had it," she said, waving her hand.

"Up until you got stabbed," Kili called from his pony's side.

"Shut up, Kee!" The half elf yelled back at him, not even turning to look at him. The other dwarves chuckled at the pair.

"Anyways," Gandalf said, handing her an ornate dagger with a small ruby at the hilt. "I figured you might want to give this to Estel."

"Yes!" Alenia cried, taking the dagger. "He'll love it! This can be his payment for his bracelet that he made me."

Kili frowned when he heard the pair talking about this 'Estel'.

"Is someone jealous?" Fili teased, leading his pony up to Kili's, before moving to stand beside him.

Kili glared at his older brother, before nodding slightly. "Maybe. All I know is that I couldn't stand it when she was hurt, and I couldn't help her." He admitted quietly.

"Not to mention the fact that you think she's one of the most beautiful, funniest, most amazing people you've ever met?" His brother joked.

"Aye. That too." Kili admitted, staring at the half elf.

"Sounds like love, brother." Fili said laughing. "Go ask her about this Estel fellow."

Kili moved to go and speak with Alenia, but Thorin yelled, "Something's coming."

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves!" Gandalf cried.

The whole company drew their weapons, before moving towards the crashing and snapping branches.

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a/n: 

not a big fan of how i ended the chapter. but badass alenia is starting to show herself! :))

i feel like i owe y'all an explanation as to why i didn't post on time. usually i'm pretty good with the deadlines, but my bf broke up with me. over text. and he was all, 'oh, let's just be friends,' which i was fine with, mind you, but then he just ignores me and doesn't talk to me. so, i've lost my bf and my closest friend in one blow. but yeah. i've been dealing with that, on top of schoolwork and i have my soccer season kicking into high gear now, which means longer practices. so yeah. sorry about that. 

i will make a promise to y'all  now, however. if i ever miss a day, i will upload the chapter at some point. i will never forget that i missed a day, and i will make it up at sometime in the near future.

anyway. vote/comment if you want.

have a great day y'all, and i hope y'all have a better week than i did.

- ash xx