Here's Chapter 45!! :) I hope you like it! Please comment, vote and follow! And don't forget to check out the latest chapters of 'Dragon At Heart' and 'the Archer Princess'!! Thank you!! :D

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*Cassy's POV*

I followed the others through the huge doors leading into the mountain, Caspian was basically glued to my side. He obviously meant it when he said that he wasn't letting me out of his sight. We all sat in a deformed circle where I assumed the company had been sleeping considering bedrolls, blankets and bags were dotted around on the floor.

Balin took up the role of telling the story of what happened after they had left us in Laketown and what happened with Smaug before the dragon had stormed out of the mountain.

Fili then took it upon himself to tell the others about what happened to us in Laketown. He told them about how Bard had helped us when Kili's injury had worsened, about the group of very nasty orcs that attacked us in Bard's home and he then told them how I had saved Kili's life. It took a lot longer to explain everything that happened when Smaug attacked Laketown because Fili told them about what he and Kili had done and I told them about freeing Bard and about how we had thought Bofur was dead. Then Fili explained about how Bard had killed Smaug. Fili also told them that Bard would be coming to the mountain to claim the part of the treasure that once belonged to Dale and that he wanted to use to rebuild the town.

As it turned out, the others already knew that bit of the story.

"The ravens have told us already of their plans. He won't get single coin from me." Thorin growled once Fili was finished with his tale, causing not only the blond dwarf but also the rest of us to look at him in surprise.

"You cannot deny him this after all that he has done, uncle." Fili said, his voice unbelieving as he looked at Thorin. "He deserves it."

"He deserves nothing as long as he collaborates with these elves and their honourless king!" Thorin replied loudly, clenching his fist at his nephew who just raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Do not think I do not know what they are planning. We have ravens travelling back and forth, bringing news of these filthy elves and men. They think they can come marching on the mountain and claim gold as theirs that has always belonged to us dwarves. Thieves are they, nothing more!"

"Bard has helped us in our greatest need. He has killed the dragon after you awakened it." I said, catching Thorin's stormy gaze as he looked at me.

"If he expects to be rewarded for killing a dragon with the very gold that this worm stole from my people, he is gravely mistaken. I never asked him to slay Smaug." Thorin stated and it was Kili that now spoke up, his voice echoing loud and angry through the room.

"And he never asked for us to awaken that beast, and yet you have. And the dragon came down and buried Esgaroth deep beneath the surface of the lake. Had it not been for Bard, we would all be dead! But I guess it would not have been so bad for you." Kili added in a low growl. "For you got everything you wanted. Erebor is reclaimed, the gold is yours."

"Do not speak to me in such a tone, Kili." Thorin replied, just as angry himself and I shortly caught the others' worried gazes as both dwarfs got to their feet, facing each other. "What do you mean to say?"

"You left us behind because you didn't want to risk the fate of this quest. You do not care for anything but this quest, uncle! Did you send for us when you reached the mountain? Did you send one of your ravens for us after you knew what had happened to Smaug and Laketown? Did you care?!" Kili demanded, his voice full of hurt and anger, and I quickly got to my feet and stepped up to him at the same time Fili did. Of course Kili had a right to be angry, and he had a right to question Thorin. But considering we had only just all reunited, I didn't think that now was the time for fighting.

"Guard your words, boy." Thorin growled, his eyes sparking with anger at his youngest nephew who just huffed furiously in reply. For a moment, heavy silence hung over us all as Thorin and Kili just stared at each other darkly. I glanced away from Thorin, seeing that there was no reasoning with him at the moment.

"Kili, you need to calm down." I muttered, trying to calm him down as I put one hand on his arm. Kili looked at me at the same time that Thorin was about to say something, though the dwarf king stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on me when I sent him a fierce glare that meant, 'shut up'.

"We've just been reunited after we had thought each other dead!" I said, my voice raised as I sent each member of the company a stern look. "Can't we all just get along and not argue about stupid things!"

"This is not stupid, I will not give Bard any gold -" Thorin said as he folded his arm's across his chest but I quickly cut him off.

"No! It is stupid!" I yelled, turning to face the dwarf king properly. "You made a deal with the people of Laketown! They gave you food, shelter, supplies and safe passage to the mountain in return for a share in the wealth of the mountain! Just because you now have the gold doesn't mean you can act like this and not stay true to your word! Besides Bard deserves some of that gold, he did kill Smaug who you awoke! Esgaroth is now beneath the lake and the people of Laketown have nowhere to go! You have a duty as a king to help them by giving them some of the gold so that they can rebuild Esgaroth!"

I stood shaking slightly from anger as I glared at the dwarf king from my place in front of Kili. The rest of the company were all watching with nervous expressions, wondering how Thorin was going react to my words. I was surprised when he sighed and calmly walked from the huge hall.

"What just happened?..." Asked Gloin as he stared at where Thorin had been only moments ago with a confused expression that mirrored the others.

I coughed awkwardly and slowly sat down beside Caspian as Kili immediately sat down on my other side.

"So..." Bombur began as he shifted uncomfortably when we all remained in silence. "What happened after Smaug was killed?"

"Cassy punched the Master in the face and broke his nose." Bofur said suddenly with a chuckle from beside his brother.

I grinned at the memory as the others suddenly laughed and began congratulating me. "He was asking for it." I smiled as my brother laughed from beside me.

"Why did you punch him though?" Bilbo asked.

"He was blaming our group for the destruction of Laketown, he was also arguing about how he had but Bard in prison and then was praising him. And he had abandoned the town the first chance he got whilst stayed behind and fought. Then he called me a 'lowly archer' and said that I didn't know anything so I started yelling at him, I may have said something along the lines of him being greedy, selfish and that he lacks all honour. The Master then realised that I was 'the Archer Queen' and tried to grab my arm so Kili intervened and threatened him." I grinned at Kili as I entwined my fingers with his as I held his hand which didn't go unnoticed by the others. "And the thing that really made me punch him was when he said dwarfs were vicious and a hostile race."

"Yeah so then Cassy said 'You wanna see vicious?!' And she just punched him really hard. We could all hear his nose crack! It was brilliant!" Fili said excitedly from beside Kili who was also grinning.

"Yeah but it did hurt..." I mumbled as I looked down at my darkly bruised knuckles.

I smiled up at Kili when he carefully brushed his thumb over the bruised skin gently. "Was it worth it though?" Kili whispered with a small grin.

"Definitely." I whispered in reply as I placed a quick kiss to his lips which made his grin grow wider.

"Woah." Kili and I quickly looked over to Ori who was staring at us with a large smile. "Braids aye?"

I grinned realising that he had seen the braid that Kili had put in my hair and vise versa. "Yes, braids." Kili told him with a smile.

By now everyone else was looking at Kili and I, smiles on all of their faces when they saw we had made it official. "So you finally realised that Cassy is your One? It's about bloody time!" Gloin shouted jokingly causing us all to laugh before the others began to congratulate us and before I knew it the other dwarfs were all pulling Kili and I into hugs.

I couldn't help but feel relieved upon knowing that all the company were happy that Kili and I were officially a couple but I couldn't help but dread how one dwarf was going to react. Maybe I should go and find Thorin and tell him... I knew that I was going to regret it but nevertheless I decided to go and confront the dwarf king.

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I hope you liked it! Please comment, vote and follow! Thank you!!

And what do you think Thorin's reaction is going to be??!! ;)