Fili laid in his large bed panting, laid down beside him on either side were the elf twins, Laurel and Seraph. They had come back to his room with him after being dismissed by their mistress for the night, he hadn’t been expecting the ladies to accompany him but he was not disappointed. They had made the evenings entertainment very interesting.

He had not spent the night with a woman, let alone two, in quite sometime. These two elves had given him a night to remember and had even granted his confidence back to him.

He reached out in the bed and Seraph curled against his side her lips pressing small circles around his shoulder. When he reached out to Laurel he found her already fast asleep her back smooth under his rough hands. He chuckled gently turning back to her sister tilting her head up to him, kissing her lips softly as she hummed in delight. He turned his body as much as he could on his own to where his bare chest was pressed against the elf woman’s bare breasts.

She moaned against his mouth pressing her body firmer against his when suddenly a loud thud was heard aganst the door.

“Fili!” came his uncle’s yell from the other side.

Fili turned and both of the elves sat up in bed eyes wide in shock, before he could respond the door was flung open wide. He would’ve laughed under different circumstances. He pulled the blanket they laid under over the two women standing slowly with the help of his crutches.

“What is it uncle?” he asked grabbing his clothes off the stone floor.

Thorin’s eyes ran over the bed and his nephew before quickly hitting the floor coughing slightly “I need the aid of your…. bedfellows when you are all dressed.”

“What’s the matter?” Fili asked worry entering his voice.

“It is a trifle but I need them to bring their mistress out of her rooms, the guards won’t allow any men beyond a certain point. Councils orders till a bride is chosen.” Thorin said with a frown creasing his brow.

The room was silent for a moment then Thorin withdrew from the room closing the door as quietly behind him as he went. The three inside the room exchanged looks as they began to get dressed as quickly as possible.

“Does this mean he’s choosing Arnial?” Laurel asked looking hopefully at her sister.

“That does mean we’d be able to stay.” Seraph said with a smile looking fondly at Fili.

“I don’t know what it means. But it seemed important that he speak with her, get dressed quickly then go to her. We’ll meet you outside the brides quarters.” Fili said dressing as quickly as he could.

They nodded and as they pulled on their gowns making for the door to get to work soon. They disappeared but the door opened again quickly, this time it was the dwarves entering. He saw Dwalin and Thorin standing in the door with knowing grins on their faces as they looked at the younger dwarf.

“It’s nice to see your getting along with the ladies Fili.” Dwalin said with a smile.

“Yes it’s very helpful right now.” Thorin agreed. “Is this going to be serious like with Kili and Tauriel?”

Fili looked up to gauge the reaction he was fearing from his uncle but all he saw was good humor reflected in his eyes as he smiled gently at his nephew. He seemed very open about the next male in his family also marrying an elf if that was his choice.

“I don’t know they are sworn to the service of Arnial, they go where she goes.” Fili said softly.

“I see.” he said softly. “And if I asked Arnial to stay here in Erebor?”

Fili looked over at his uncle with a curious look in his eyes.

“Are you considering her as your bride seriously this time?” Fili asked softly.

“I would like to hear the answer to that as well since I’m running around this late in the night.” Dwalin grumbled.

Thorin smirked as they moved quickly towards the guest quarters, dwarven guards and the few elves that Thranduil brought with him moved to block their path. Thorin watched as the two elf women walked past the guards uninhibited by the guards going straight towards Arnial Stormblade’s room.

Thorin watched the two knock then wait for a moment before entering the room anyway.

As he waited he felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of seeing Arnial, he was eager to see the elf. He had questions for her and when it came down to it, after much thought, he was sure she was the best choice for his wife. They were both warriors and came from noble bloodlines the children would be high born.

As he paced the floor he heard the door slam open and saw Seraph running towards them.

“She’s gone! Lady Arnial is not in her room and her things are gone.” she said

Thorin let out a frustrated yell and turned pacing the floor his eyes narrowed in thought.

“Dwalin, Fili wake the others. I need you women to go wake your king.” Thorin said pointing to the elves. “Have them all meet me in the throne room.”

*******

Arnial had went back to her room after the arguement with Thorin and had found she was unable to calm herself enough to remain in Erebor. She thought about waking her uncle and cousin so they could leave, she didn’t want to ruin the rest of their stay. She remembered that Seraph, Laurel, and Fili had gotten close during their stay so far.

She could see how the twins had brought the male dwarf out of his shell. She didn’t want them to leave that behind for a life of service to her when she would marry an elven lord, he would give her all the servants she could ever need.

Arnial sat down on the large bed provided for her and lifted a blank scroll from the night table.

‘Laurel & Seraph,

‘Please remain here in Erbor if you so choose. Your services will no longer be required.

‘Arnial Stormblade’

She laid the note on the pillows of the bed and stood up going to the small travel bag she had carried with her from her barracks.

She opened the bag slowly then removed her armor she wore when she was in the field. She removed her dress quickly and shuddered at the chill from the stones. She laid the dress down on the bed and pulled on the armor so that she was in something warm again.

She paused to look in the nearby mirror that a dwarf craftsman had spent a few months perfecting.

The mirror showed her reflection in the bronzed armor, it had the curved pattern that all elves carved into the surface of the armor, the armor made her look fierce. She sighed looking at the reflection and then she began to braid her hair tightly against her head to where her hair was pulled away from her face, revealing the sharp curves of her face.

She lifted Orsmer and put the belt around her hip. She was proud of the sword on her hip, it had been her father’s passed down to her by Thranduil when she had first been old enough to weild a sword by herself.

Arnial added one more thing from her carried clothing, it was a dark green cloak that would allow her to blend with most shadows. She pulled the hood over her head and started out the door walking out into the barely lit hallway of the guests quarters.

Arnial slipped out of Erebor without many dwarves paying her mind though a few did look her way their eyes narrowed and satisfied smirks lighting their lips. The elf was giving up, they would not have an elven queen today and that was as it should be in their eyes. She didn’t much mind it though, she wasn’t a queen. She was a warrior.

When she arrived at the large gate she went and collected her horse. He was a large black stallion with eyes that were black as night, the horse came from a long line of horses where they started black and whitened by adulthood. Her horse had been the only one in the family line not to do so yet, she had hand selected him in a trade with another elf.

“Hello Shade.” she whispered gently placing her hand on his forehead.

The horse blew a hot rush of air through it’s lips as the only sound of greeting, it was one of the things she loved about her horse. He was quiet and had been an asset when stalking the orcs at the edge of the forest.

“We’re leaving my friend this is no place for us.” she said softly. “I’m going to need you to stand out of the stall and let me saddle you, silent as a ghost my friend.”

The stallion let her lead him out slowl with his head held high looking towards the open gate of the stables. It’s nostrils flared as it scented unfamiliar horses, the smoke smell from the furnaces below, and the damp air of the underground. Shade wasn’t used to this and Arnial could tell that he was nervous but he allowed her to soothe him as she placed the light leather saddle in the curve of his back.

Then she put the halter around his head.

Taking the reins in hand she slung herself over into the saddle, lightly settling on his back. She turned towards the open stable door and rode him out as the only sound was their breathing and the click of the hooves. There were very few other sounds in Erebor this late at night and as they approached the gate a half asleep dwarf came out to meet them.

He took one look at Arnial and Shade then turned with a grumble to open the gate enough for her horse to fit through.

“Don’t be waking me again tonight lass. Once your out there your out for the night, no getting scared of the dark and coming back here.” he growled as she rode by him.

“Trust me the dark doesn’t scare me.” she said softly.

Once they were past the gate Arnial leaned forward and tapped her heals into his side.

Shade let out a loud scream like neigh and leapt into a ful gallop, the dwarf yelled something she was sure was rude after them as they began to tear across the stone bridge to open ground.

Once they were off the bridge Shade started to naturally turn towards the mirkwood heading for home pastures that he was familiar with. Arnial hated to disappoint him but she pulled the reins to where she would be skirting slowly away from the wood before they were even close yet. She didn’t intend to go back to the woods, she would head to the border where they were fighting with the orcs.

She knew the packs grew bolder each day and were slowly trying to get a grip on the wood which would allow them to slowly spread to the city of Dale, they would also be able to lay seige to the mountain. Arnial didn’t want to return to the elves homeland so that she could marry an elf noble that had never seen combat, she wanted to return to the front where they kept the orcs at bay.

********

Unseen in the treeline as Arnial rode onwards was a lone orc scout riding a warg.

The orc’s body was covered in scars and nasty boils that oozed black sldge from them, it’s eyes were a pasty grey color that looked to be filled with cataracts. The orc was six foot tall, one ear was missing from it’s head which was slightly egg shaped, it’s face was flat as if smooshed, and it’s skin color was dark almost black.

It leaned forward on it’s warg which growled slightly, he saw the moment the elf knew she wasn’t alone.

Her horse stopped suddenly jerking her in the saddle with a jolt as she was slung back into the saddle, her eyes turning to scan the treeline. The orc shifted on the warg’s back and leaned forwad his lips parting his thin tongue going over his lips.

Orcs were believed to be corrupted elves that had been taken from their homes, bodies and minds twisted by torture. They were evil creatures now that lived to inflict pain on others, like pain had been inflicted on their ancestors.

This orc was not sure he believed they were descended from elves but he was tired of the ill breed orc women from their homeland. Orc females were just as hideous as the males if not more so, with the constant use for them being only to breed new soldiers often bloodlines were mixed within the same family. Causing each imp born to be uglier, more deformed, and in some cases still born. These women barely could think for themselves beyond breeding and giving birth to the next pack of orcs.

It was uncommon for it to happen but sometimes the orcs could catch human or elf women unguarded by their males. In these cases they had taken them back to the homelands where they joined the breeding pack of females, the young from them were stronger and more ferocious in combat.

This elf was a warrior and he had seen her on many occassions out in the field leading a number or elves against them as they tried to get into the wood. He had never had the pleasure of coming up against her himself but he had seen many of the others fall at her hands. He watched her pull heer sword from her sheath, even from here it was glowing blue in the darkness.

She turned the horse at an angle and scanned the treeline slowly.

The warg shifted under him and took a step forward slowly it’s ear pulling back as it let out a snarl, the orc grabbed the scruff roughly stopping it from going further. But it had been enough for the elf to pinpoint where they were concealed in the foliage.

“I know you’re there orc.” A female voice boomed across the field to the trees.

“Golog dug.” he growled nudging his warg forward to stand visibly in the treeline. “Lat brishzel summon izish?”

Translation: Elf filth. You would summon me?

The warg let out a snarl and it’s lips pulled back to reveal long sharp fangs. The warg’s eyes were locked on the mount the elf rode and the eyes locked on the horse caused it to startle a little backing away from them.

Arnial pulled on the reins and regained control of the black horse. She lowered her hood and he could see the severe and angry look in her face, it made him smile.

A disturbing and toothy smile as he reached around back of where he sat on the warg’s back taking a long horn in his hand.

“No!” she yelled spurring her horse towards him but it was to late.

He put the horn to his lips and blew the call for his pack to join him.

********

Thorin was pacing the throne room waiting for the others to join him. It wasn’t long before he was joined by both his nephews, Dwalin,Balin, Bilbo,Gandalf,Legolas and Thranduil.

“What is the meaning of this?” Thranduil yelled his face twisted in anger.

“Where would Arnial go if she ran?” Thorin demanded.

“What do you mean if she ran?” Legolas asked then his eyes registered understanding. “What you said to her must have hurt her more then you thought King under the Mountain. If she has left without our knowing she never intends to marry another after you.”

“Why would she choose that? She could have any elf she wanted.” Bilbo said then blushed when the dwarves looked at him. “She is a beautiful elf from what I could see.”

“It is true she is beautiful even by elf standards.” Thranduil said with a sigh. “But she is a warrior, she would settle for no less then one she deems on equal ground with her.”

“She saw me as her equal?” Thorin asked softly.

“If we are to be honest with you she deemed you her better.”

Thorin’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth, he remained unable to speak.

“Your people took the mountain from the dragon, you faced four opposing armies without a worry, and then you took on the pale orc.” Thranduil said “Looking at your history in battle she believed you far out matched her in combat prowess.”

“If the horses are ready I am going to bring her back.” Thorin said. “She will be my choice of bride, if we can only bring her back safely.”

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