THORIN AND THE SILVER RINGS
PT I
The five days it took Thorin and Tauriel to travel to Thranduil's palace in Mirkwood were the happiest days of his life. Every morning as he roused from sleep, he experienced a tortured moment when he thought that her return to him had all been a dream; but then he felt her warm body pressed firmly against his own and he would joyfully realise that her presence was miraculously real.
On their first night together, they exchanged silver rings as a sign of their betrothal and hung them on chains around each other's necks. It was an elven tradition and, if, within a year, either of them changed their mind, then the rings would be melted down and they would part. If they got married, it would be for life. Thorin fingered Tauriel's delicate ring at his throat and luxuriated in the amazing thought of being married to Tauriel forever.
They were headed for his hall in Ered Luin but would have to visit Thranduil on the way. Thorin had intended to meet with the elven king anyway with his personal account of how he had given up his throne and with a great gift; for Thranduil had saved his life on the battlefield. Tauriel had the far more difficult task of asking the king to free her from her post as captain of the guard and to reveal that she intended to be the wife of a dwarven smith.
They had camped overnight by the side of the river down which, only a short time ago, Thorin and his companions had travelled in barrels in their daring escape from Thranduil's dungeons. At dawn, he slipped quietly out from under the elven cloak so as not to wake her and strode naked down to the shallows of the river to bathe.
His splashing roused her and Tauriel leaned smiling on her elbow to watch him. Her fingers already knew every contour of his body but this was the first time she had had the opportunity to study him properly in the broad light of day. He became conscious of her stare and emerged from the water grinning, walking boldly up the bank towards her without any sign of embarrassment.
Thorin threw back his long, wet hair and a spray of droplets glittered and fell about him in the morning sun. The water glistened on his body, emphasising his muscled form, and her heart beat faster. He bent over her and she reached up to pull him to her but he tugged the cloak away and, scooping her up from the ground, carried her as if she were a leaf back down to the river. She laughingly pleaded with him to let her go and, as he stood waist-deep in the river, he slowly set her down until they stood, kissing, breast to breast in the water. They stood like this for a long time until the cold drove them back to the bank and to their clothes.
They arrived at the great cave complex that made up Thranduil's palace by mid-day. Their ride had become progressively quieter as they drew nearer and they were forced seriously to ponder what the outcome of their audience with the elf-lord might be. At the gate, the soldiers on duty greeted them with cheers which seemed to acknowledge both the return of their captain and the coming of the King under the Mountain who had rallied them so effectively in their battle against the goblins and wargs. Thorin and Tauriel felt warmed by this greeting and began to be more optimistic about Thranduil's response.
When they entered his hall, the courtiers met them with a smattering of polite applause and Thranduil smiled graciously from his golden throne. He was a lithe, handsome man of indeterminate years with long, blond hair like Tauriel's and a crown of curiously twisted mithril upon his head. He gestured them both forward and Thorin bowed low before him. Thranduil looked slightly puzzled and said: "The King under the Mountain has no need to bow before the King of Mirkwood."
"That is true, sire, but it is an expected courtesy from a simple smith of Ered Luin."
There was a rustle from the crowd and they all listened intently as Thorin explained that Dain was now king and that he was returning home to the Blue Mountains. They nodded in approval as he gave his reasons and Thranduil also nodded his understanding.
"We did not know that your sister-sons were killed in the battle. That was a great loss and we mourn their sacrifice."
This is going quite well so far, thought Thorin. He took a step forward and, bending on one knee, held out a beautifully carved wooden case that he had been holding. He swung open the lid and the crowd let out a loud gasp of wonder whilst Thranduil half-rose in amazement from his throne.
"Behold, the emerald necklace of Girion, last lord of Dale, who was slain by the dragon, Smaug. As part of my share of the hoard, I give it to you for saving my life on the battle-field!" It was a legendary piece, made of five hundred stones, as green as grass, such as the elves loved. Thranduil sat down again, stunned, and Thorin placed the gift into his hands.
Then Thranduil drew out the sword, Orcrist, and handed it to Thorin. "It is an elven blade of great strength and power but we give it back into your care," he said.
After many gracious words of thanks had been spoken on both sides, Tauriel stepped forward and asked the king for a private audience. His courtiers bowed and left the room as did Thorin who reluctantly went to wait outside the door.
When all were gone, Thranduil looked curiously at her. "Is all well, Tauriel?" he asked.
"My king," she replied, kneeling before him, "I have served you faithfully for countless years and I now ask that you release me from my service to you so that I may leave Mirkwood."
Thranduil stepped down from his throne and, taking both her hands in his, he raised her to her feet.
"Tauriel", he said, "it is true you have served me well down the long years of our lives on Middle-earth. And during that time, much have we endured and seen together and much love has passed between us. I release you from your captaincy, if that is your wish, but first you must tell me why you wish to leave and where on Middle-earth you wish to pass your days." He gave her a troubled look and still clasped her hands.
She gently withdrew them from his grasp and said: "I wish to spend my life in Ered Luin with the dwarf, Thorin."
There was a long, stunned silence. Thranduil was having difficulty comprehending her words. His mind refused to accept the implications of what she was saying and he tried to explain it both to her and to himself. "Has Thorin not recovered? Has he a lasting wound? Surely another nurse could be found for him?"
"Thorin has fully recovered," she replied, "but I wish to go to Ered Luin with him as his wife. We are betrothed and have exchanged rings."
Thranduil took a step back from her and, as her full meaning sank in, his lips twisted with a grimace of disgust. "You wish to MARRY him?" The question exploded from his lips as he failed to control himself. She nodded slightly and he turned from her so that she could not see the horror on his face. Men and elves were the children of the creator of all things, Eru Iluvatar; the dwarf was a thing apart. They were different beings, created in secret by Aule and should have been destroyed when these creatures were first discovered. He pushed away the images that began to flood his mind of the slim, delicate elf in the arms of the powerful and sinewy dwarf. The thought of their intimacy made the gorge rise in the back of his throat. Their relationship was an abhorrence.
At last he turned back to her. "How did this happen, Tauriel?" he asked in exasperated tones.
She tried to be honest and said: "I think I first began to have feelings for him when I met him at his forge in Ered Luin. He was so grumpy," and she smiled as she remembered, "but he was kind to me, in his way." She paused for a moment. "But, in return, I was thankless and unfair because I thought that no dwarf could be trusted. And then," she continued, "I became his gaoler and my feelings for him grew. When he escaped, I was so angry, but part of that was because I had this fear that I might never see him again." She walked to a window cut through the rock and gazed at the view it gave her of the river. She laughed. "I chased after him because I wanted him but I couldn't admit that to myself. And then I found he was a KING! The night before the dwarves set out for the Mountain, I went to his house. I was quite brazen, I suppose." She smiled apologetically as Thranduil came to the window and stood beside her. "I slept with him that night" – a slight tremor ran through the elf-lord – "and I knew that he was mine and I was his. I thank you for all eternity because you saved his life."
"If I had known he was your lover," said the king grimly, "perhaps I wouldn't have tried so hard."
He paced across the room, spun on his heel and came back to her. He felt angry and frustrated with the turn of events. "Woman!" he shouted. "You are a fool and you are destroying your life. You will be an outcast. Both races will turn from you because they will feel the same disgust that now I feel!"
She felt deeply hurt by his reaction and was also afraid that what he was saying would prove to be true. She reached out to touch him. "Thranduil," she said, "for any love that you may bear me, please help me now. Don't let us part in anger like this."
He gazed at the floor and, finally lifting his eyes to hers, he took her face between his hands and, kissing her gently on the lips, he let out a sigh and whispered, "I release you." She smiled with relief and, placing her own hand warmly against his cheek, she murmured, "Thank you, my friend."
.o00o.
Thorin had been pacing restlessly outside the room. What were they saying to each other? How were things going? He wondered if it were time to rejoin her. Would his presence be a help or a hindrance? Probably better to stay out of things. But then he heard Thranduil raise his voice angrily and he couldn't hold back any longer. Thorin stepped into the room in time to see Thranduil cup his beloved's face in his hands and kiss her on the mouth. And then she touched his cheek and they whispered lovingly together.
Thorin wanted to stride across the room and punch Thranduil on the nose. He felt bewildered and the room spun slightly. But then he stepped back out into the corridor and sat in a daze wondering what he had just witnessed. Suddenly she was by his side. "Time to head out for Ered Luin," she smiled. "All is well with Thranduil." He stumbled after her as they returned to the gate. Then they mounted their horses and rode away.
That night, they camped on the protected elf-road that cut through Mirkwood where they knew they would be safe from the giant spiders that lurked there. Tauriel chattered about the journey that still lay before them, about Thorin's hall and how they could enlarge and improve upon it, about Dis and how best to break to her the dreadful news that both her sons were dead.
She chattered on as they ate their food not seeming to notice that most of his replies were monosyllabic. But, she could no longer deny that there was a problem when she slipped beneath the cloak on the ground and, running her hands over his chest, she held up her mouth for a kiss. Thorin turned away from her and mumbled that he was too tired for anything other than sleep.
They both lay on their backs in the dark, staring at the stars that glittered through the trees. Tauriel wondered in exasperation what it was she had done now, whilst Thorin tormented himself with thoughts of her and Thranduil together. He was equally tormented by Tauriel's warm body touching his own. She sighed in her sleep and rolled over so that her breasts were pressed up against his arm. His biceps twitched and, Tauriel, smiling to herself, sighed again and slid her hand up his thigh to rest on his taut belly. His whole body twitched then and she nearly let out a snort of laughter.
Thorin thought about things for a bit and decided that this spasm of jealous behaviour meant he was perhaps only punishing himself. He didn't take long to come to this conclusion and then, with a grunt of relief that he had made a sensible decision, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him.
Later that night, when Thorin had fallen into an exhausted sleep, Tauriel still gazed at the night sky. There was something wrong, she knew it. He had made love to her passionately but he had buried his face in her neck and hadn't kissed her once.
.o00o.
Over the next few days, things almost seemed to return to normal and Tauriel hoped that, whatever it was that had upset him, it had all blown over. Having crossed Mirkwood, they stayed for a few nights with Beorn and the great bear of a man welcomed them warmly and congratulated them on their betrothal. He seemed to have no problem with any combination of a loving relationship, whether it involved dwarf or man or elf.
It was a hard trek across the Misty Mountains but, with their sure-footed horses and good weather favouring them, they were finally over and travelling down the other side. They avoided the house of Elrond because Tauriel didn't feel like explaining herself to another elf-lord but they found comfortable lodgings – although in separate rooms – at the Prancing Pony in Bree. The locals were slightly curious to see an elf in the company of a dwarf but they saw many strange things in this crossroads of a town and were keener to hear of news from Erebor.
At last, they entered the Shire and found a warm welcome with Bilbo at Bag End. Nothing surprised the hobbit and so it had seemed likely to him, knowing how the two of them had knocked sparks off each other in the Mirkwood dungeon and how tenderly Tauriel had nursed Thorin through his injuries, that the two of them should now be in love. Tauriel looked for signs of disgust on his face but, to her relief, found none.
Thorin went to bed early that night but Tauriel sat up late and talked with Bilbo. The hobbit was a great expert on elven lore and he was very excited at the thought of their union. "You will find in history and legend that there are a number of instances where an elf and a human have married – Elrond, for instance, is descended from both races – but I know of no examples where there has been a marriage between an elf and a dwarf."
She looked worried. "And this is my concern," she said. "Thranduil warned me that it will not be accepted and that we shall be shunned and cast out."
"Well," said Bilbo, "I shan't cast you out. You will always be welcome here. What does Thorin say?"
She looked uncomfortable and admitted that she hadn't discussed it with him yet. "I haven't told him what Thranduil said because I don't want to upset him. I don't think that it's crossed his mind that some might find our relationship repugnant. He was more concerned that Thranduil would not release me from my captaincy or would find it inappropriate for me to marry a blacksmith."
Bilbo patted her kindly and said it would all work out in the end. And the next day, Thorin had a chat with him as they smoked their pipes together. "There's something I need to ask you," said Thorin. "I've hesitated to ask Tauriel, but, how old do you think she is?"
Bilbo considered for a while. "Oh, at least a thousand years, I should think. And how old are you?"
Thorin grimaced. "Not yet two hundred," he said.
"Come, come," remonstrated Bilbo, seeing the worry in his friend's eyes. "You may be younger, but you're a man of the world. You have experienced much and suffered much, whereas I can imagine that she has spent a goodly amount of her life shut up in that palace with Thranduil."
Thorin's brows blackened. "That's what worries me," he said.
.o00o.
PT II
They stayed some time with the hospitable hobbit and Bilbo managed to have a few more words with Tauriel. "Thorin's worried about the age difference," he told her as they were out walking around Hobbiton one day. "I think you manage to make him feel insecure in more ways than one and all your extra years of experience are of concern to him."
"Oh, Bilbo," she sighed, "there is nothing I can do about my age. If I had really felt the need to marry a two thousand year old elf, don't you think I would have done that a long time ago? Thorin is everything I want and no-one else I've met in all this time measures up to him. I just love being with him and I love the way he is. When I look at him, I see a beautiful man, more fair than any elven lord. His age upsets me but only because I know his time will come to an end before my own. But, I love him and I must face that day when it dawns."
Bilbo pulled her arm through the crook of his own and he patted her hand as they strolled under the trees. "Just remember what I'm telling you, Tauriel. And I suggest that you talk to him about Thranduil, too."
Yes, Thranduil, she thought. Bilbo meant that they should discuss the elf king's contempt for their betrothal but there was more to discuss about Thranduil than just that. Perhaps she should, but she wasn't yet willing to take the chance. Thorin didn't fully understand elven ways. Soon they would be in Ered Luin, a long way from Mirkwood, and there was a good chance that they would never see Thranduil again. There they would build a life together in a place so far removed from her past life that she would only need to look to their future together and her past, before they met each other, could remain an undiscovered country for Thorin – at least as far as Thranduil was concerned.
.o00o.
They set out the following day, feeling replete after second breakfast, and, as they rode, they discussed Dis. There was no way they could soften the blow and, when they finally saw the Blue Mountains of Ered Luin rise in the distance, Thorin's face became grim and set. The road they were on led down to the Grey Havens and the sea, but they turned aside and took a by-way to the dwarven halls in the mountains where Dis and a large group of other exiled dwarves had made their home.
They had found some caves like those that housed Thranduil's palace and which they considered suitable for their needs, but, unlike the elves who had left the palace in its natural state, they had dug and carved and extended until they had a magnificent place to live. Men had also made their homes nearby and, as in Lake Town, they cooperated well, the men farming and milling and hunting and keeping cattle, thus providing the dwarves with food, whilst the dwarves mined and smelted and worked metal. They were also good carpenters and masons, building houses and farms in wood and stone for them.
As they approached the settlement, many dwarves and men began to recognise Thorin, running beside his horse and shouting out enquiries about the outcome of his quest. Very little news had filtered back to them yet. But Thorin sat stern and silent on his horse and the crowd began to fall silent too, fearing the worst. They both dismounted when they reached his sister's home, elegantly carved out of the rock face. "Let me go in first," he said, leaving Tauriel to deal with the growing crowd who were now anxious and eager for news.
As he entered the house, Dis came hurrying across the room and threw her arms about him, glad of his return. They were of a similar age and had grown up together. Her sons had been as close to him as children of his own and the brothers, from an early age, had followed their uncle around with wide, admiring eyes, proud that this famous warrior was as a father to them and trying to imitate him in all things. She was dark-haired and strapping like her brother but, now, she drew back from him and trembled.
"My sons?" she whispered. But she had already guessed the truth of things and clutched his arm for support.
"They died valiantly in a great battle against the goblins," he said quietly. And she bowed her head in grief.
Outside, Tauriel was telling the crowd of the success of Thorin's quest. The dragon was dead, his hoard recovered and their great halls in the Lonely Mountain restored to them. They cheered and talked excitedly, some already planning their return to Erebor.
At first, they gave little thought to who Tauriel might be but, suddenly, a sharp-eyed dwarf woman noticed the heavy silver ring hanging from her neck. Her eyes narrowed. "Is that a betrothal ring?" she asked, for many such rings were worn on chains. Tauriel could not deny it and, suddenly, all of them were staring her way. "Looks like a dwarven ring to me," the woman continued. "Much too big to belong to an elf lord."
The crowd were silent now, drawing some unwelcome conclusions. "It cannot be Thorin's!" another dwarf exclaimed in a disbelieving voice. Tauriel held up her head proudly.
"We shall be married within the year and we are returning to his forge at the crossroads. Dain is now King under the Mountain."
The crowd murmured and she could hear an angry undertone. "An elf and a dwarf?" sneered the woman who had first spoken. "That pairing has never been heard of in all the history of Middle-earth!" She looked Tauriel's slender form up and down and drew up her own broad figure to its full height. "No dwarf would want a skinny morsel like you in his bed. He would swallow you in one bite!"
"He would squash her if he turned over in his sleep!" laughed another maliciously.
"Well, at least we shan't be bothered with her brats. It's reckoned that elves and dwarves can't breed!" shouted one of the men.
"She must have cast an elven spell on him!" yelled another. "He wouldn't want her for any other reason."
"A spell! A spell!" the crowd began to chant and suddenly they were advancing on her in a threatening manner.
Tauriel had backed up the path to the door of the house when, suddenly, the door was flung open and Thorin was standing by her side. The dwarves and men fell silent and his eyes swept them with contempt.
"Allow me to introduce Tauriel, my betrothed, lately captain of the guard at the palace of King Thranduil, and heroic veteran of the Battle of the Five Armies."
They looked at her more closely and noticed that, although she was slender, she was lithe and supple and carried a pair of killing knives on her back. The crowd decided to retreat down the path a little and now stood there looking at her with a bit more respect.
Thorin put his arm about her and drew her into his sister's home. And, there they sat with Dis all afternoon trying to comfort her. "Tell me how they died," she said.
And so they told how how Thorin and Fili and Kili had driven a wedge through the goblin hordes by their courage and bravery and how the two brothers had fought and laughed in the face of the enemy, doing their duty by their king and protecting him with their bodies and their shields.
Dis' face shone as she listened to their vivid description of her sons' final hours for she had borne a sword in her youth and understood their valour and their sacrifice. At last, she sighed, and, taking Tauriel's hand in her own, she held it to her cheek and said, "I am glad that the two of us will soon be three and that perhaps there will be four or more after that. It will be a comfort to have children in the family once more and perhaps my brother's sons will remind me of the ones I have lost."
And Tauriel smiled and nodded but kept to herself the nasty remark that had been thrown out by the man in the crowd. How true was it, she wondered? And if a pairing of an elf and a dwarf had never been heard of in Middle-earth, how could the man – or anyone - be sure?
That night after Dis had shown them to a room, she lay in the big bed and tormented herself with the thought that perhaps they would never have children and that Thorin would regret marrying her after all. When they were alone, he had wept like a child for his sister and her dead sons and she had rocked him to sleep at her breast. Would she ever rock children of her own to sleep, she thought? Their love had seemed quite difficult even at the beginning but now it was getting even more complicated.
.o00o.
Next day, they gave Dis two small chests of gold as part of her sons' share of the hoard. Then they stocked up on supplies and set off for the forge. Thorin's hall and forge were much as he had left them, dusty perhaps, but with very little for them to do to set the place to rights.
They sat up to the table that evening discussing how, now that they had the wealth, they would employ the dwarven carpenters and masons immediately to enlarge the hall. There would be a large, main room with smaller rooms leading off like a kitchen, a bedroom "and a lady's bower," said Thorin.
"A bower?" laughed Tauriel.
"Yes, don't all ladies have bowers?"
"Well, I can't see when I would ever use it. Why would I want to sit in a room all on my own without you?" And she bent forward and kissed him.
But Thorin insisted that he would build her one anyway.
When the work started, they squashed into the forge and slept in the bed on the floor. It wasn't so bad – at least there was a fire to cook on and a water-pump in the corner. As they crawled into the bed on the first night, Tauriel giggled as she remembered hi-jacking him and chaining him to the pillar. But Thorin was cross at her amusement, remembering only his humiliation. "No," she said, snuggling up closer to him, "you must think of it as the first day on which I fell in love with you."
"Did I look particularly attractive in chains, then?" he asked sarcastically.
"Well, yes," she said, and he snorted with indignation. "But I couldn't help think what a fine figure of a dwarf you made sprawled out asleep on top of this bed. And, if you hadn't stolen that dagger, I think I might have stayed around a little longer."
Thorin sat up in bed with a look of exasperation on his face. "I did NOT steal the dagger! How many more times must I say it?"
She pulled him back down onto the pillow and rolled over to face him. "Ah, yes, but since I apologise so nicely after every time I make the accusation..." Thorin grinned at her seductive voice and swept her body beneath him.
.o00o.
The hall was finished in excellent time and the carpenters began to make beautiful items of furniture for it - solid chairs and benches and tables, but intricately carved with dwarven symbols. The bed was made to a special elven pattern, designed by Tauriel. From out of each corner grew sinuous posts, carved with delicate leaves and flowers whilst birds and butterflies could be found hidden in the foliage of the headboard.
Her enthusiasm and appreciation for their work pleased the dwarves and they apologised for the behaviour of the crowd on the day that she had arrived. And yet, although their manner was pleasant, Tauriel could still see some discomfort in their eyes when they glanced between her and Thorin.
When the hall was finished and they had sat down for a fine meal that Tauriel had made to celebrate their new home, Thorin began to discuss ways of making money from his work. He had plenty of raw gold and a selection of fine jewels and he planned to make jewellery with them.
"But, first, to find the customers," he said. He didn't feel that there would be many up in the dwarven halls of the Blue Mountains who could afford the fine work and expensive items he was keen to produce; his idea was to go to the coast, to the Grey Havens, where many elves dwelled and where ships traded. The elves had smiths of their own but had always been appreciative of dwarven skill and design. He wanted them both to stay there for a week so that he could talk to people and show them his ideas and, hopefully, take on commissions.
"And it should be pleasant for you, Tauriel, to be once again among your people," he added smilingly.
But Tauriel shrank from the thought. There had now been a bad reaction from the dwarves and it was odd that Thorin hadn't seemed to understand why they had been so unpleasant, putting it all down to the traditional dislike that existed between the two races. Now that they knew she was to be his wife, then he imagined that all would be well. He didn't appreciate that, actually, this was the problem. And the thought of facing a crowd of equally angry and disgusted elves made her anxious and reluctant to accompany him.
She tried to dance around the situation, not wanting Thorin to know how people really perceived them. She wasn't quite sure why she felt unable to discuss it with him but part of her was afraid that, if he realised that their marriage might prove to be a difficult one, then perhaps he might choose to end their betrothal.
"Don't you think I should stay here, Thorin?" she said in a sensible voice. "There is so much still to be done and you will be really busy all day talking with people and I shall only be in the way."
"Ah, yes," he said in his velvety voice, as he nuzzled her neck. "I shall be busy all day. But I feel that I may need you to keep me busy all night." And he laughed his deep, throaty laugh and carried her to their new bed to try out the feather mattress.
In the end, she ran out of excuses and on a fine, spring day, they set out for the Grey Havens.
.o00o.
It was very beautiful there. They hired a house overlooking the estuary and Tauriel spent much of the day sitting on a balcony looking out to sea, entranced by the cry of the gulls. Thorin was very happy. All day he talked with elves and men, discussing his designs. His presence in the town seemed to stir up a lot of excitement and he soon had a string of customers. We'll go home tomorrow," he said with satisfaction. "This has been a very successful trip."
He took her for a walk along the quay that afternoon and she was enjoying watching the elegant ships being loaded and unloaded and feeling relief that soon they would be on their way home without anything untoward happening.
Suddenly, an elf was standing in front of her, saluting. It was one of the elven guard from Mirkwood and she nodded warily in recognition.
He seemed uncertain how to address them but finally decided on: "Thorin Oakenshield...Sir...Ma'am... the king is on a mission here and, hearing of your presence, invites you both to a feast he is holding tonight."
"We...we are leaving early tomorrow," she stuttered. Then, looking hopefully for confirmation to Thorin: "Perhaps we should send our apologies?"
Thorin was tight-lipped. "No," he said. "Thank the king for his invitation." The soldier saluted again and marched off down the quay.
Tauriel was appalled. The thought of spending a whole evening with Thranduil and a group of elves who might make Thorin feel ashamed to be marrying her was the last thing she wanted but she would have to go through with it as best she could.
"I need a dress," she said.
"A dress?"
"Yes, you know, what women wear."
And then Thorin realised that he had only ever seen Tauriel in men's garb. He handed her a pouch and told her to buy what she wanted.
As she walked away from him, Thorin saw Thranduil touch Tauriel's face; he saw him kiss her lips; he saw them whispering together; he saw a red curtain of jealousy. Then he stalked down the quay and away from her as quickly as he could before he roared out his rage.
.o00o.
PT III
Thorin walked along the estuary for a time until the images that kept pouring into his brain were under some control. On their journey back to the Blue Mountains, he had tried hard to put what he had seen in Thranduil's palace to the back of his mind and he had, more or less, succeeded, convincing himself that he had misunderstood the situation and that the beautiful elf loved him and him alone. She was going to be his wife. She would never see Thranduil again...and then, suddenly, there was the elven king right on his doorstep. It seemed to him that her reaction to the invitation was one of guilt. Why would she avoid Thranduil? Why didn't she want to be with her own kind? He didn't know, but they would go to the feast tonight and he would observe them together.
It was late when he felt calm enough and returned to the house. Tauriel was ready and waiting for him. He stood on the threshold of the room and felt stunned. She was wearing an elven styled dress made of some floaty, silvery material and her hair was looped up elegantly on her head. He didn't recognise her and, for a moment, he could see her as Thranduil's queen. And he felt sure that all this beauty was not intended for him but for the elven king.
She spun in a silvery drift. "Lovely, isn't it? Thank you," she said and she wrapped him in a feminine and perfumed embrace that made him wish that they had stayed home after all.
Thranduil's mansion in the Grey Havens was a magnificent place and, that evening, it was thronged with guests, mainly elves from the town but also many of his courtiers from Mirkwood. He was there to discuss with local elf-lords some trouble that was brewing in the North but, tonight, he was playing the gracious host. Nodding to Thorin in greeting, he then took Tauriel's hand and, bending over it gracefully, he kissed it – much too lingeringly, Thorin thought, as he watched the king's well-formed lips press softly on Tauriel's white skin. He wanted to snatch her hand away but, with admirable self-control, he bowed to Thranduil instead. The elf smiled into Tauriel's eyes: "So beautiful," he murmured. "I had almost forgotten what it was like to see my captain out of uniform." And his eyes gleamed as if they were sharing a private joke.
Out of uniform? Thorin glowered and wondered how he would get through the evening.
As the feast wore on, things became more of a struggle for him. He was the only dwarf there; the elves stared across the table at him in their usual superior manner and Tauriel's attention always seemed to be elsewhere. She was seated on Thranduil's right and she was frequently wrapped in conversation with the king, their heads close together, their voices low and intimate. Thorin was left to his dark thoughts and his cup of wine.
Thranduil was, in fact, talking about Thorin. He wanted to know if Tauriel was happy with him at the forge and if she had regretted her decision. She smiled with such a look of love in her eyes that Thranduil wished he could take back the cruel words he had spoken to her in Mirkwood. He placed his hand solicitously over hers and said softly: "You know how much this relationship disturbs me and I would wish it otherwise; but I am glad for you and can only wish you happiness." She squeezed his hand gently in return. They had been friends for such a long time and it was very important to her that he accepted Thorin.
"He will make a very wonderful husband and, even among the elves, I could not have found better."
Thranduil grimaced and laughed. "I think you have made that plain, Tauriel. I am feeling quite rejected."
"Oh, you're too fine for me, my lord," she twinkled back. "Perhaps if I had been more like my lady over there," and she looked across the table at a sophisticated and beautiful elven woman who was the centre of a small coterie of admirers, "I would have made a suitable queen. As it is, this rough soldier you see before you deals better with a rough, dwarven smith."
"Ah, then, sadly it is my loss," he teased but also with real regret. And he lifted her hand again and kissed it long and tenderly once more. "I think I'd better mingle with my other guests," he added with a wink, "before your infatuated swain decides to run me through."
He rose to his feet and all his guests with him; then they withdrew to another room to sip wine and enjoy each other's company.
Thorin sat alone in a corner, stewing in his own angry and jealous imaginings. He had noticed every look, every glance, every touch and he was at a point where he seriously wondered why Tauriel was marrying him. Perhaps she really had only wanted a king. She had almost got one but he was king no longer. And so... He studied Thranduil, laughing and talking with his guests on the far side of the room. He was a very good-looking man, intelligent and with a charming manner. Thorin knew the king's wife had died some years ago and he had been left alone with a young son. Why hadn't he married again? Perhaps he just needed a bit of a push. He and Tauriel seemed very close. Perhaps Tauriel was using him as bait to make Thranduil jealous...and perhaps it was working. Their flirtatious intimacy tonight was driving him mad.
Tauriel was standing in the middle of the room surrounded by a group of handsome elf-lords. She was flirting with them, too, he was sure – doubtless part of her plan. He saw Thranduil glancing constantly towards the group and so she appeared to be making progress. Thorin glowered harder and drank deeper.
But, in fact, Tauriel, far from flirting, was desperately fighting a rear-guard action in an attempt to keep the elves away from Thorin. They were not being as blunt as the dwarves back in Ered Luin, but their manner and their tone were such that she was finding it even more difficult to cope with.
"So, is that your betrothed?" asked one, flicking an eye in Thorin's direction. "One has to wonder, doesn't one, about dwarves?"
"Does one?" responded Tauriel with a raised eyebrow. "In what way?" And then she could have kicked herself for giving him a lead-in to his next remark.
"Yes, well," the elf-lord drawled, "one does actually wonder, y'know, looking at him, what it is that he's got that I, for instance, haven't. It's not particularly apparent to me from here – but I'm sure that you, as his intended bride, must be aware of, hmmm - things – that the rest of us can't possibly know about." And he gave her a suggestive leer.
Tauriel held her head up and replied coldly: "I have discovered that there are indeed many ways in which a dwarf – outperforms – an elf. Thorin Oakenshield is a great warrior, for instance. Perhaps you'd like to meet him in a test of skills." As she expected, the elf drew back with a fluttering of hands. "Oh, no, lady, I do not doubt his skills – in many things."
His companion looked curiously at her and asked, his eyes lazily scanning her from under half-closed lids, "The attraction between the two of you absolutely fascinates me. I wonder, Tauriel, how you have managed to conquer the dislike that has existed beween our two races for so long? How did you manage to overcome your repugnance?" He shivered delicately. "He has got such BIG arms, wouldn't you say? He is so – so – how can I put it? – unrefined. So exciting for you, my dear."
They were treating her with so little respect that Tauriel was beginning to feel very much on the defensive but, before she could answer, a third elf-lord put in: "I have wondered for many years, Tauriel, why you remained unmarried – such a beautiful girl, too. I had heard rumours that you had a – thing – for Thranduil." He gave a sneering laugh. "Not on the rebound, are you? Although this" – he nodded towards Thorin – "looks like a pretty big rebound, don't you think?"
They all laughed unpleasantly but suddenly stopped as their king stepped into the circle. He took Tauriel's hand and, bowing over it, said smilingly: "She wouldn't have me, I'm afraid, lordlings. I pursued her for a long time but now she seems to have chosen the better man. Alas, my heart is broken but she has no pity."
Tauriel had been on the verge of tears and felt a huge wave of gratitude that Thranduil had noticed what was going on and had stepped forward to break up the nasty little attack on her and Thorin. The elf-lords looked uncomfortable and, bowing, drifted away.
Thorin glowered from his corner. Well, her ploy had worked and her bait had drawn the big fish. Time to take her home, he thought. He had seen enough – and more than enough, too.
But, at that moment, a graceful young elf approached him and sat down next to him. "This is a beautiful place, don't you think?" he said. "I expect you recognise the dwarven skill that helped to build it? I'm such an admirer of your masons – none better."
Thorin relaxed against his seat. For the first time that evening, here was a friendly face. "My name is Lostwithiel and I'm a part of Thranduil's court. I saw you when you presented the necklace of Girion to our king. What a remarkable piece!"
They chatted amiably for some minutes but, all the time, Thorin cast anxious glances towards Tauriel and Thranduil who were still talking together.
"Ah, yes," the elf smiled, seeing the direction of his glances. "We are all in love with Tauriel, the king especially. What a sad day it was for him when he lost his captain to the legendary Thorin Oakenshield. And what a triumph for you! How did you do it? I think we would all like to know your secret."
He had guessed right! He knew there was something between the two of them. He turned back to Lostwithiel with eager questions. "So, they were in love?"
"Were – are. Who knows? Oh, yes, everyone was aware of it. He pursued her relentlessly and we thought she would be our next queen."
"But, then?"
"But, then they had a lovers' tiff – something and nothing, I believe. Soon after, she went running off after you when you escaped and, well, you know the rest."
But, did he know the rest, thought Thorin? All he knew was that his betrothed was holding hands with Thranduil again and that they were gazing into each other's eyes. He had had enough. Getting abruptly to his feet, he bowed to the elf-lord and then strode across the room to take Tauriel home.
Lostwithiel sat watching the little scenario of Thorin rather rudely saying his good byes to Thranduil and then hurrying Tauriel out of the room. He smiled rather smugly to himself.
The elf who had first been unpleasant to Tauriel sat down next to him. "Well," said Lostwithiel, "that was very clever of me, even though I say so myself. I think that will cause a bit of trouble in the love-nest." And the two of them laughed maliciously together.
.o00o.
Tauriel's heart sank at Thorin's cold, abrupt manner as he escorted her home. He must have had a hard evening. She had done her best to protect him and she wondered which of the elves had been offensive to him and what it was they had said. She wanted to talk to him about it, to reassure him, but he had a face like thunder and she decided that it definitely wasn't the best time.
When they got into bed and he made no move to take her in his arms, it was not unexpected. She decided to let him alone and perhaps talk about things the following day.
Thorin lay there feeling angry and anguished. She made no move to touch him. Perhaps after seeing Thranduil, she couldn't bear to do so. Perhaps she preferred to sleep and dream about her elven prince. Well, let her, he thought. And grabbing the bedcovers to his shoulder, he turned his back on her and tried to get some sleep himself.
.o00o.
As they had planned, they got up early the next morning so that they could ride with a mixed party of travellers who intended to get as far as the Mountain Eagle Inn in Ered Luin by nightfall, passing Thorin's forge on the way. They had little opportunity to talk to each other privately, but they reached the forge by late afternoon. As he waved farewell to their travelling companions, Thorin remembered that first night when Tauriel had been too afraid to ride on in the dark. He wished he had never met her.
Tauriel had entered the hall to prepare some food but Thorin went to his forge and lit the furnace. Some time later, she could hear the steady beat of metal on metal. She smiled wanly. Perhaps it was a good idea for him to get things off his chest.
When the food was ready and he had made no appearance, she got ready a tray and carried it to the forge. Thorin worked in the fierce, red glow of the furnace. He was stripped to the waist and the sweat poured down his face and chest. She stood for a moment in the doorway and thought how magnificent he looked, his powerful body burnished and slick in the dancing flames. She set down the tray and he paused. She looked at him and said quietly; "Are you ready to talk about it yet?"
"No," he said, to her dismay, and he put down his tools. Then, to her confusion, he walked towards her, scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed in the corner. He made love to her in silence but very slowly, very gently and very tenderly. Tauriel sighed and, wrapping her slender arms around him, she held him to her and thought how deeply she loved him.
When he had finished, he raised himself on one arm and looked down at her. Oh, but she was beautiful with that wonderful hair spread out over the pillow and those great eyes staring so innocently back into his own. He fingered his silver betrothal ring at her breast – and then he grasped it and wrenched it from its chain. She gasped, crying out and reaching for it. But he stood, pulled off her ring that hung around his neck and then strode to the furnace and cast them both into the flames.
She sat there, wide-eyed and, at first, could not speak.
"But – but – you just made love to me," she cried.
"That was one to remember me by," he said cruelly as he got dressed.
"I-I don't understand, Thorin," she managed to stutter out.
"Go to your lover, Tauriel. It's over."
"What lover?" she gasped.
"Oh, so there's more than one?" he said bitterly. "Well, I would think that Thranduil is your best bet."
He threw the door open and disappeared out into the night. A few moments later, she heard his horse galloping away. She sat up until dawn, hoping for his return. By morning, the furnace had gone out and she gazed sadly at the dirty puddle of silver that had once been tokens of their love. She got ready her pack and saddled her horse; but then she heard the tinkle of elven bells and Thranduil came riding down the lane, his entourage behind him, heading back to Mirkwood.
Thorin watched from the shadow of the woods as Tauriel rode away with the elven company. He would go back to his forge, he thought, and life would return to what it had been before she came.
.o00o.
PT IV
Months passed and, to all appearances, life did go on just the same. Thorin worked in his forge, travelled to the Grey Havens in search of customers and visited his sister. Dis was upset when she heard that the betrothal had been broken. She would always be grateful to Tauriel for the kindness she had shown her after her sons had died.
"Well, I'm very sorry for that, Thorin, but there are many people here who will be pleased to hear the news. They gave her a rough time, you know, that day you visited."
"Yes, but once we were married, they would have accepted her," he replied with a shrug.
"I don't think you understand," said Dis, looking surprised. "Your marriage may have made it worse. There were many here repulsed at the idea of a union between you two and they certainly let Tauriel know it that day."
Thorin looked disturbed and searched his sister's face. "I never knew," he said. "She never told me."
"Did she have any trouble from the elves at the Grey Havens?" she continued. "I was surprised that you took her there. I can imagine that Thranduil gave her a piece of his mind and those elves are real ones for dishing out insults in an underhand manner."
"Yes, she was fine – or at least I think she was – I don't know – she didn't say." Thorin no longer knew what to think. "But, it doesn't matter any more, does it, since we're not getting married?"
"Well," sighed Dis, "perhaps it's just as well, particularly since you couldn't have had children."
Thorin gaped. "What do you mean, woman, no children?"
"Apparently, everyone knows that dwarves and elves can't reproduce – at least that's what my neighbour told me. I thought you loved her so much that it wasn't an obstacle."
"I did love her," he sighed, "and it wouldn't have been an obstacle – but, I didn't know. The question is, did Tauriel?"
"Oh, yes, she knew," said Dis, shaking her head in disgust. "The crowd threw it in her face."
Thorin thought about this conversation for a long time. He thought about it during the many nights on which he lay awake. He thought about it whilst he worked in his forge. He thought about it as he rode on the long journey down to the Grey Havens. And he thought about it whilst he thought about all the other things to do with Tauriel. He was exhausted with thinking about her and yet he couldn't stop.
And then, one day in spring, he had an unexpected visitor in the form of Bilbo Baggins. They greeted each other with sincere pleasure. Their great adventure together had made them very close and Thorin felt that he could talk to Bilbo in a way that he couldn't even talk to his sister.
Thorin made a hearty meal for them both and Bilbo examined the new hall with all its excellent fixtures and fittings, showing great pleasure in its beauty and design. Tauriel's name wasn't mentioned but hung unspoken between them.
Finally, as they sat outside, smoking their pipes, Bilbo said: "I've visited Elrond recently, you know."
Thorin responded with interest because he hadn't seen Elrond since he had stayed at The Last Homely House as he and Bilbo and all the dwarves had set out on their quest. It had been then that he had decided that some elves were not quite so bad after all.
Bilbo paused for a moment and then said: "Tauriel's there, you know."
There was a prolonged silence and then Thorin said, "No, I didn't know. I thought she had gone home to Mirkwood."
"I think that was her intention," Bilbo mused, "but when she arrived with Thranduil and his company, they all stayed several months; after which, she changed her mind and decided to remain behind when the others left. I don't know why – didn't ask. I think she just likes it there. I do too. Very civilised place."
He chatted on about the elven stronghold, reminiscing on its beauties, its fascinating library, its poets and singers. "They like my poetry there, you know. And I'm writing a book about our adventure. They're always very flattering. They make me feel so comfortable and I like visiting. I shall retire there when I get old."
Thorin wasn't listening; he was thinking about Tauriel. She wasn't with Thranduil! His pride wouldn't let him ask Bilbo any more questions about her but he hoped that the hobbit would volunteer some additional information. And, in due time, he did. "She's looking very beautiful, you know. She's got quite a few admirers. Don't know why that girl didn't get married long ago. Don't know why you didn't marry her."
There – it was said. And Thorin felt on the defensive.
"She didn't love me. She was in love with Thranduil – and so I broke the betrothal and told her to go back to Mirkwood."
"Oh, don't talk rubbish, Thorin," said the hobbit with blunt cheerfulness. "Where did you get a stupid idea like that from?"
"From the way they looked at each other; from the way they touched. I saw him kiss her on the lips," said Thorin angrily.
"Well, you see," said Bilbo, sitting back more comfortably in his chair, ready to give the uninitiated a little lecture on his favourite topic, "it all goes to show that you have a very limited understanding of the ways of elves." He tapped out his pipe, folded his hands across his stomach and continued: "I know it's difficult to grasp just how much older they are than us - and you SHOULD grasp it because we've had this conversation about Tauriel's age before – but she and Thranduil are very close because their friendship has lasted an unimaginable time. When his queen died, there was some talk about him getting married again because he had a young son. They discussed it, she tells me, but then they decided on the sensible course: they didn't love each other so they didn't get married." Bilbo finished his homily on a grand drum roll. "The only person in all of Middle-earth she has ever loved through all this time is you, Thorin Oakenshield."
Oh, how Thorin wanted to believe that! But he couldn't quite let go yet. "That can't be more than an optimistic guess, Bilbo."
The hobbit banged the arm of his chair in frustration. "It is NOT a guess, Thorin! It is the truth! And how do I know this? Because she told me!"
Thorin sat in silence. Bilbo felt as if he could tear his hair out.
"Look," he said in exasperated tones. "She wants to see you. What do you think I'm doing here?"
Thorin looked up with a gladness in his eyes. "She sent you?"
Bilbo looked uncomfortable. "Well, not exactly. She told me she wanted to see you, but I came here on my own initiative. Trying to sort things out between two stubborn people, you know."
Thorin paced up and down in front of his hall while Bilbo watched him. It was his pride that stopped him, Thorin knew. But pride had got him into a lot of trouble in the past and it was time to abandon it.
"All right," he said at last. "I'll go. When do we start?"
.o00o.
When at last Thorin and Bilbo rode down into the beautiful valley and crossed the stream that led to Elrond Half-elven's home in Rivendell, the little hobbit glanced up at the dwarf and said, "How're you feeling, Thorin? Getting a bit anxious?"
"Yes, just a bit" said Thorin with a wry grin. "I haven't seen her in such a long time."
"How long is it now, then? A year?" asked Bilbo curiously.
"Eleven months, two weeks and one day," Thorin replied.
Bilbo laughed. "My, that's a precise answer. Someone's keeping track." He was silent for a moment and then said, "She's changed a bit, you know."
Thorin's head snapped up. "Changed? What do you mean?"
"Oh...well...you'll know what I mean when you see her." And then they had arrived at the gate and there was no more time for conversation between them.
Elrond was pleased and angry at the same time. "You took your time, Thorin. I expected you months ago. You're the most bloody-minded dwarf I know. Just like her horse. She named him after you, you know."
"Did she?" said Thorin with a grin.
"She's waiting for you," Elrond went on. "Bilbo can show you to her room."
Bilbo led him through the winding corridors and finally they came to her door. "I'll leave you to it," said the hobbit. "Just don't mess it up this time. You're getting a second chance."
Thorin tapped on the door and, when he heard her voice, he quietly entered, feeling more afraid than when he had charged out to join the Battle of the Five Armies. It was a lovely room and she was standing with her back to him on a wide balcony overlooking the valley. Somehow he had expected her to be wearing her captain's gear with her knives strapped to her back and her bow on her shoulder. Silly really, he thought. Instead, she was wearing a very similar gown to the one she had worn to Thranduil's feast. It floated from her white shoulders and pooled on the floor about her feet. His heart beat so hard with love for her that he thought it would burst from his breast. Oh, to fold her in his arms!
"Tauriel?" he said tentatively.
"Thorin?" she teased and turned smiling.
She was so beautiful that she took his breath away. He thought he could gaze at her face forever. But then his eyes drifted downwards – and he saw that she was heavily pregnant!
Thorin's mind reeled and he struggled to make sense of it all. He hadn't seen her for a year. The baby couldn't be his - it was someone else's – it must be Thranduil's - the timing would be right. He wanted to storm and shout at her. He wanted to rage around the room. But Bilbo's voice was still echoing in his ears: "Don't mess it up...you're getting a second chance."
She was watching his face warily, looking to see his response. "Are you pleased or angry?" she asked.
What kind of a question was that, he thought? Why would he be pleased about another man's child? And then he understood. She had known she could never have a child with him. But now she was pregnant and she must see it as some kind of wonderful twist of fate. They could have each other and they could have a child. She would have everything she wanted – and so would he.
With a huge effort, Thorin swallowed his pride. He walked swiftly across the room to her and took her in his arms. "Pleased, of course," he whispered.
She took his face between her hands and kissed him with such love and passion that his senses reeled. They kissed for a long time and he tried to put into his lips all the things that he felt for her and had ever felt for her. He gave a long sigh, ran his hand down her silken hair and then knelt before her. Taking her hands in his, he brought them to his face and she felt his tears upon them. "I'm so sorry, Tauriel," he said huskily.
"Don't cry, don't cry," she said and clumsily knelt down with him, cradling his head upon her breast. "It's all right," she said through her own tears. "We shall be happy now, my love. No more tears."
He fumbled in his pocket and brought out an exquisite little box. "For you," he said. And when she opened it, there lay a copy of the silver betrothal ring; and then he undid his shirt to show a copy of her ring about his neck. "When did you make these?" she asked in delight as he hung the ring about her throat again.
"A week after you left," he said and looked up at her guiltily through his long lashes.
She seized his plaits and said: "You stupid, STUPID dwarf. What took you so long to come?"
And then they kissed and laughed and kissed again.
When they found Bilbo some time later, the hobbit fussed around them both in delight. In a private moment with Thorin, he patted him on the back. "Well done," he said. "See you've taken the good news on the chin, like a man. Must have been a shock."
"You could have warned me," grumbled Thorin.
"Well, I did. Said she had changed. Not my place to tell you more than that."
Then he made Tauriel sit down: "Get the weight off those legs, y'know," and told Thorin that they couldn't go back to Ered Luin because the baby was due any time. "Stay here and enjoy your time together. Relax. Don't worry about a thing. Just do as you're told." And he waggled a stern finger.
They obeyed Bilbo and spent the next two weeks wandering through the beautiful valley together. The elves delighted in their love and wrote poetry and songs about it. There was no more talk about inappropriate unions between elf and dwarf and, in a quiet and beautiful ceremony, Elrond married them.
That night, he made love to her very gently and the world seemed to them a very wonderful place.
.o00o.
At last, the day of Tauriel's labour came. Thorin wondered if it would be a boy or a girl but hoped it would be a beautiful, golden-haired girl, just like her mother. But, although he cared less for the idea of a boy who looked just like Thranduil, he knew he would love any child of Tauriel's and that it would make their family complete.
Elrond used his skills and special herbs to help her through the pain, but Thorin sat with her and was tortured by the whole business as she groaned and clutched his hand.
"Phew!" said Bilbo at one moment when Tauriel was resting and Thorin had left her room for a break. "This childbirth thing is a bit of a performance, isn't it?" And Thorin fervently agreed.
Some hours later, the baby was finally born. "It's a boy!" exclaimed Elrond joyfully, but just for a moment, Thorin felt a little sad. "And he looks just like his father!" Elrond continued as he wrapped him up and held him over for Thorin's inspection.
Thorin was feeling confused again. Instead of a golden-haired child with pale, delicate features, there lay a strapping, grumpy-looking boy with jet-black hair and dazzling blue eyes. "He looks just like me!" he said.
"Well, of course he does," said Tauriel. She had been helped up into a sitting position on the bed and now she held out her arms for the baby and rocked him, smiling with delight, on her breast. "Oh, he's so beautiful," she sighed, "and I just know he will grow up to be as handsome as his father." Elrond smiled and crept out of the room, leaving the happy family together.
"But – but," said Thorin, "I don't understand."
"Well, you did say you were leaving me something to remember you by," she grinned.
"But that was a year ago. Can you explain how this child is mine? Help me, Tauriel. I really don't understand," he wailed.
Suddenly, a look of horror passed over her face. "Oh, my poor Thorin. You haven't been thinking for these past two weeks that you were going to be the father of another man's child?" He nodded dumbly. "And you were prepared to look after it and treat it as your own?" He nodded again. Tauriel reached out and stroked his cheek tenderly. "And do you wonder why I love you so much?" she asked.
"But you still haven't explained," he said.
"Well, you see, you lovely, lovely, STUPID dwarf, I thought you knew that an elven pregnancy lasts for twelve months and not nine!"
Thorin gaped at her for a good five seconds and then he said: "You're right, I'm really, really stupid." And then he leaned over and breathed in her ear, saying in a deep, throaty whisper, "But does the new father deserve a kiss now?"
And she answered: "Yes, I really, really think he does."
.o00o.
