So I thought that I posted my chapter, but apparently I didn't. My apologies :)

I was, in one's way, my own hideaway in the lake. I always came here, every time. It was a cave in the walls of the lake, far away from the palace activity. I could be alone and without worry here.

I swam in, putting a hand onto the stone wall. Same old smooth, same old, same old…. Peace rested on my shoulders and I leaned against the wall, fingering a stone. Just had to get it together before heading to the barge. And then I felt a presence behind me. I jerked up, a knife in my hand.

Josh was in the doorway. His blue and green tail glinted in the water. It really was pretty. A lot of the girl nymphs agreed on that. But something told me to stay away, and I agreed to that. And yet, I guess I wanted comfort at the same time. Which is why he wasn't bleeding when he came next to me.

He broke the silence first. "I'm sorry she does that. Every time."

"I'm used to it." I stated flatly, still rolling the rock in my hand.

"You really are a nice nymph, you know? You don't deserve to be treated that way, you should be royalty."

I scoffed. "yeah. I'm a lowly nymph, even you know that, belonging to a river, yes, but to close to the elves. At least, that's what Naida told me once. She's right, I am too close to the elves, but I don't care."

Josh traced one of the scars on my face. I shivered. "How did you get these?"

"The orc, Bolg. He wanted information I was unwilling to give."

"Why not just give it? It would've sparred you the pain."

I hissed. "No, because the guilt would rest on my shoulders for years. You don't understand, I just wanted to be left alone, and then those dwarves, stupid –"

Josh cut me off. "Dwarves?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

He stared at me for a long second, and then it happened. I didn't have the time to reach for a knife, or even react, for that manner. He took my by the chin and turned my face and kissed me, full on the lips.

My thoughts? Holy mother, get away from my you lecherous creep! Huh, he is way better than the elves by far. Oh god, what would the dwarves think? And Spite? If she were alive? I hate this guy, he's tried to…you know, before this.

And I got it all together when he reached a hand up the mithril chainmail and my shirt.

I screeched, throwing myself away. I have to get out of here. I swam out as fast as I could, but my tail, while ornamental, wasn't as good for swimming fast as Josh was. He caught up to me, catching me around my waist.

My hands flew to the dagger I took from Fili, all that time ago. I just barely nicked his hands before he drew away, screaming dramatically, "You've killed me! You've killed me!"

My anger burned. "Not yet!" I hissed, flashing my fangs. I lunged at his throat with the dagger. He, as I mentioned before, was quick, and though he was unsuspecting and melodramatic, still dodged and got an arm around me again.

This time, I didn't hold back. I dug at his face with my fingernails, digging open wounds that slashed across his face. He snarled in frustration, letting go long enough to let me swim to the surface and change back. The barge was just a bit to my left.

I swam over, gasping for air. I pulled myself up. Bard looked up in alarm. "What happened?"

"Go! Just go!" I cried, and that was all I got out before Josh launched himself from the lake and pulled me over the edge of the boat, forcing me back into my nymph form.

That. Was. It.

Screaming for all to hear, I dug my claws into Josh's shoulders. He hissed, digging at my arms, but I was too quick. I snapped at his throat with my fangs, and I waited until my vision was clouded with blood.

Unfortunately, the encounter hadn't gone unnoticed. Calypso and Naida swam towards us, looking at the sinking body of Josh. Naida shrieked, "What have you done?"

In short, I wasn't sure. Because when a nymph dies, the body will disappear so it can be used to make the next one, kind of like remolding clay.

His did not.

Calypso gave me a once over. She didn't say a word, just staring deep into my soul.

The other nymph muttered in discontent. Josh was well and truly dead. It was a bad omen, for all of us. I had killed him, with no idea as to how.

There would be no nymph for the lake anymore.

When I pulled myself up onto the barge for the second time, Bard was at my side in an instant. "Lorelei? Are you okay? You're bleeding. What happened? Naida came up to say –"

"Nothing." I replied wearily. Fili gave me a look, like he knew what was wrong. I shook my head, mouthing, later. "Just get out of here before Naida and Calypso try to kill us."

Bard nodded, going back to his place. The other dwarves watched me, some warily, others with pity and curiosity and wonder and….nothing. Kili was staring off into space, lost deep in his own thoughts.

I pulled myself to my creaking bones and walked over. "Hey, you okay?"

" 'm fine." He said, looking away. Oh, I knew it then, I knew it, he was so wrong. Something was off.

I looked up to Fili, and an understanding passed between. Something was wrong. We would talk later.

The hobbit, Bilbo, came over to the three of us, and seemed to know that we were all lost in dark thoughts. "A-are you alright?" He asked, eyes darting from Fili to Kili to me. I wasn't sure who he meant it to.

"We're fine." I said, although it wasn't true.

"That thing back there. It was – "

"Naida. She's the nymph of the River Running, part of the council. I'm surprised she didn't kill any of you."

That seemed to shake him up a bit, which wasn't my intention. I was going to apologize but he cut me off with another question. "Do you look like her? I mean, with the tail and the claws?"

I smiled. "We all do. We can be something closer to a human or that of what we really look like."

"What do you look like?" Kili asked. I looked over to see his eyes shining brightly. That was the most life I'd seen out of him in a while. But I hated my true form desperately. It drew those awful creatures to me if they caught a glimpse of me.

But before I said no, I looked over Kili to Fili, whose eyes burned with the same question.

Sighing, I stepped to the side and plunged back in.

I hoped they don't hate me.