My Prince under the Mountain // Filli //

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"We must find shelter." He carried on along the cliff edge for a few paces before clambering towards an opening. He called for Dwalin to accompany him.
"It looks safe." We heard Dwalin admit and Thorin ordered him to search to the back also as "caves in the mountain are seldom unoccupied."
I stayed at the back of the group with the hobbit and smiled at him kindly.
"It's nice to meet you Bilbo Baggins."
He started as I said his name.
"I've been following you since you left Rivendell," I explained with a light chuckle.
"The whole way?" Kili asked with surprise.
I nodded in response.
"You appear to know our names but what is yours?" The blonde, Fili spoke up, stepping closer to stand in front of me. I wanted to shy away at the calculating gaze that swept over me.
"My name is Ellothrien. Lord Elrond is my uncle." I lied. The truth was hidden for a reason and even if I didn't understand it truly yet I would honour my father's wishes if only to protect him.
"A beautiful name." Fili responded before turning at the sound of Thorin calling for his men to enter the cave. I lifted my hood again to hide the blush that crept up my cheeks and warmed my ears it was so intense.
The other dwarves grinned at me before turning to follow Fili.
"Right then, let's get a fire started." I heard one of the dwarves say. I frowned. Surely that wouldn't be a good plan.
"No, no fires. Not in this place." I let out a sigh of relief at Thorin's comment. "Now get some sleep. We leave at first light."
I looked around awkwardly at the dwarves before heading towards the gentle hobbit.
"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf reached us."Balin countered. "That was the plan."
"Plans change. Bofur take the first watch."
I slumped down by the wall near Bilbo and the dwarf Ori who turned to look at me with a smile filled with curiosity. I returned the smile and settled down on the ground, huddling my cloak around me for warmth.
Just as I'd begun to get comfy I heard a quiet cough from behind me. I bit my lip to hold back the smile and turned expectantly.
"Are you okay?" I asked gently.
"Oh yes. Well..." he stuttered slightly and I felt a great sense of empathy towards the dwarf.
"What did you say your name was again?" He asked quietly, clearly trying not to disturb the rest of the company.
"I am Ellothrien of Rivendell."
"That's a very... Elfy name." He nodded proudly at the adjective. I chuckled quietly.
"My father named me. My mother was human you see while my father was an elf. I'm half of both."
Ori's eyes widened.
"I've never met a half human, half elf before. You saved Thorin so you're not as bad as the other full elves I suppose. My names Ori, by the way."
"It's very nice to meet you, Ori. I'm grateful that you think so." I smiled at him and started to turn over again to sleep when he began to speak once more.
"How does that work? The half thing?"
I paused for a moment, wondering how much I could reveal to the sweet dwarf.
"My father was an elf, and my mother a human. Both fell in love despite the opposition against the two of them being together. They had me and decided then that they wanted to hide no longer but... before they could reveal their love she... my mother." I stopped as memories filled my mind. With the discovery of Lord Elrond being my aforementioned father I could only imagine the pain of losing his lover. Especially in such a cruel way.
"She was murdered by orcs. I swore to have my revenge and one day I shall. My whole life I've been training to fight with one such goal in mind."
By the end of my whispered speech I noticed that the deep breathing of the company had transcended into the shallower breathing of dwarves who are trying to pretend to sleep. I rolled over in order to conceal my chuckles.
"Goodnight Ori."

*. *. *.

Everyone was asleep and the caves filled with snores when I suddenly awoke and I couldn't think why. Holding my breath I listened carefully and heard shuffling behind me. The hobbit perhaps?
"Where do you think you're going?" Bofur suddenly whispered.
So it was someone trying to leave.  I rolled over quietly so that I was facing the exit to the cave. Bilbo stood there looking back at Bofur who was trying to persuade him to stay.
"You're part of the company. You're one of us."
"I'm not though am I? I'm not a Took I'm a Baggins and I don't know what I was thinking."
On the other side of the cave I saw a hint of deep blue - Thorin's eyes were open slightly. I lowered my own so as to avoid him noticing me.
"You're homesick. I understand."
"No you don't. You don't understand. None of you do. There's only one other outsider here and she's already been threatened. But you're dwarves. You're used to this life, living on the roads, never settling in one place. Not belonging anywhere!"
There was a pregnant pause and I felt for the gentle dwarf Bofur.
"Oh I am sorry I didn't- " Bilbo cleared his throat awkwardly.
"No you're right. We don't belong anywhere." He looked back at us and scanned over his brothers with a mournful expression. The hopeless look only affirmed my need to help them reclaim their home.
"I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." I frowned at the thought of the hobbit leaving so soon. I would have liked to get to know him.
"What's that?" Bofur suddenly asked. My ears perked up as I assumed Bilbo would be leaving. Something had made him pause.
From my laying down position I couldn't see much but the blue glow I recognised as a characteristic of certain elven swordsmanship. Danger.
"Wake up! Wake up!" Thorin yelled to the dwarves.
Suddenly Bofur stumbled and the whole floor gave way beneath us. I had time to lunge for my bag and weapons before we were all falling into the pit below.
I groaned as I landed on something soft before recognising them as a dwarf. Before I could even apologise there was a tremendous roaring and a hoard of goblins raced at us, teeth bared and claws grabbing.
I saw a couple of goblins grab Kili before he could reach for his weapons and so I lunged at one in order to pry them off him when another grabbed me around the throat. I choked and fell to the floor only to be yanked and pulled in multiple directions by the other creatures.
"Filthy scum!"
"Get back!"
"You'll pay for this!"
"Get off me! Get your hands off me!"
The complaints and angry rises of the dwarves could barely be heard over the snarling of the goblins. I stumbled slightly into the back of the dwarf in front of me as I was shoved roughly from behind. I grunted as I face planted into the back of their shoulder.
Fili turned around to stop me falling to the ground. I nodded in appreciation before he was roughly pushed forwards and away from me.
As we neared what appeared to be the central situation of the caves a sense of dread washed over me like a bucket of ice water.
I had seen these caves before.
Lord Elrond had been reluctant to let me go on any missions by myself since the last one ended so dangerously. I had been sent to find a rare herb in the mountains two valleys over, hoping to seek out radagast the brown if I could. It didn't go to plan however and I ended up in the clutches of a goblin king who found great delight in torturing me.
Since then Elrond had been extremely cautious. This was the reason I was so desperate to follow the company. Perhaps it wasn't the best plan to come so unprepared.
I shuddered at the feeling of their slimy claws all over me and hissed in anger at them.
In the distance I could see a throne with a familiar figure seated in it.
"Oh god." I whispered as the goblin shoved us forwards.
The king looked down on us maliciously before stomping down from his throne, carelessly squashing the goblins beneath him.
"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?"
"Dwarves, your malevolence." One of his goblins responded.
"Dwarves?" He seemed appalled.
"Not just dwarves. We found this one too. An elf by the looks of it." I cursed under my breath and tried my hardest to step behind the other dwarves and become invisible but I was yanked to the front by slimy hands grabbing tightly at my wrists.
"Hmmm. I recognise this one don't I?"
I grimaced as I looked up at him, distaste written clearly on my features.
"Yes, the half elf from Rivendell. You brought friends this time I see." He sneered. "I wonder, do any of their screams sound better than yours."
I winced at the reminder of my time in this hell.
"Well don't just stand there, search them!" He ordered. "Bring your the wrangler, bring up the bone breaker. Start with the youngest. Or should we give our old friend here a reminder?"
"Wait!" Thorin yelled as he stepped forwards. His arm extended outwards ever so slightly in front of me and I took the hint to take a few steps back.
"Look who it is." The goblin king sneered, "Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain. Oh but I'm forgetting. You don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody really. I know someone should would pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head. Nothing attached. Perhaps you know of who I speak. And old enemy of yours. The pale Orc astride a white warg."
My head snapped up suddenly at the mention.
"Azog the défiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago." Thorin countered, his voice murderously quiet.
"So you think his defining days are done, do you? Send word to the pale Orc. Tell him I have found his prize."