But if you close your eyes,
does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all.
And if you close your eyes
does it almost feel like you've been here before.
Pompeii - Bastille
Thorin stared at the girl with widened eyes, thoughts ran through his mind like wild horses at the girls words. A smile grew on the girls face as she looked at the bewildered King, and soon a musical laugh began to echoed through the stone chamber.
"From your reaction I guess that you are not familiar with that name, I did not expect you to be" Eerika's laughter ceased and her face grew somber. Her head tilted to the side as she closed her eyes and laughed again, "Though to be honest I had hoped that Thror may have spoken of me. How is your grandfather? I have not been able to reach him in many years."
Thorin's body tensed at the mention of his grandfather and an emotion close to rage began to build in chest. Eerika had spoken of Thror too casually for her to have known him outside of friendship and yet his grandfather had never made any mention of the girl that now stood before him. Never had he seen her in the King's court or even inside Erebor before. Thorin's rage grew as he thought more about how she seemed to know he and his kin while he had no knowledge of her. Spy! His mind screamed as he looked at Eerika eagerly awaiting his response, his expression changed to match his emotions and turned to scowl at the girl.
"If you are so acquainted with my kin and I then you would know that the king fell in battle 150 years ago before the gates of Moria by the hand of Azog the defiler" Thorin growled as images of his grandfathers severed head flooded his mind.
Eerika gasped and both of her hands flew to cover her mouth, she watched Thorin scowl deepen as tears began to fill her eyes. Unable to look upon his face, as it strongly resembled the Dwarven King, she threw her head to the side in an attempt to hide her grief. Her hair fell to curtain her face as she spoke, "I had known that he would of been close to death or already passed due to age but never would I have thought that he would meet such a horrid fate" Her words came in heart broken whispers.
"Do not disgrace his memory with your false despair, spy" Unable to control his emotions he lunged forward taking Eerika by the shoulders and pinning her to the back of the stone throne. His grip so tight that the skin around his fingers grew even paler. "You will tell me how you know so much of my family and what your purpose you have here! You will tell me how you know that I am seeking something! Are you the spy working for Azog? Were you the one to tell him of our quest?!" Thorin shouted, demanding answers as the girl in his hands whimpered beneath his tone.
Tears streamed down her face as her features grew more pained, from the words or his grip Thorin could not tell nor did he care. This woman had put he and his company is harms way too many times for him to care if he hurt her. Shaking her and slamming Eerika into the stone once again, "TELL ME!"
Eerika could not gather her thoughts enough to speak. Seeing the rage in Thorin's eyes only cemented the fact that he did not know who she was and Thror had not spoken of her. A small sense of betrayal ran through her, why wouldn't her closest friend speak of her, even to his kin. She knew the dwarven prince would not react well to her, but she could never have imagine this rage. Her own anger building, she grabbed Thorin's arms and pushed them down, causing him to release his hold on her.
"I am no spy Thorin Durin son! And forgive me if I am to mourn a dear friend as any person should be allowed, I was close to your grandfather for many years and held him close to my heart" Unable to hold herself together any longer, she turned and ran down the path that led to the balcony that overlooked the front gate of Erebor.
Eerika stopped running as she reached the overlook, her hands gripped the carved railing, supporting her weight as she bowed her head and allowed her tears to fall freely. Moments passed and she continued to cry until she felt Thorin's presence draw nearer. Lifting her head, her gaze drifted over the night cloaked landscape that lay before the mountain kingdom.
"It's just how I remember it, how it was... The trees, the river everything...like nothing has changed. It's not true of course everything has changed" Her voice was small and meek as she spoke. "I don't think if we were really here I would recognize any of this." She gestured to the moonlight scenery below.
Thorin stood back and looked at Eerika puzzled by the small woman before him. He had hope that confronting her the way he had she would have revealed herself to him however all it achieved was further confusion for the dwarven prince. He moved his gaze to the horizon, the sun began light the east, signally the arrival of a new day.
"You have many questions Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. I will give you the answers you seek, but day break is upon us and you must return to your company." Her eyes rested on his face and she gave him a small reassuring smile. "I cannot say how much time will pass before we meet again, my Prince, but I will find you again at my earliest convenience."
The sky began to lighten as the sun began to rise, Eerika took cautious steps towards Thorin bowing before him.
"I must take my leave, I am afraid I have been from my Master for too long already. Goodbye Thorin, travel safe" with her words she raised her head and leaned up to Thorin. Her small lips pressed a light kiss on his cheek. Eerika pulled back to look at his face, he was frozen in place, shock written all across his face.
Before he could react to the kiss, an audacious laugh left Eerika's lips as she began and his surroundings began to fade.
Thorin awoke to find himself back in his bedroll inside Beorn's house. Most of the company had already risen with the majority of the dwarves seated around the massive timber dining table. Thorin made his way to where his two nephews sat, he leaned against a post that supported the house's thatched roof. A huge man, which he assumed was their host, came into the room carrying a pitcher. One by one he filled the dwarves cups with fresh milk until he came to Fili. After filling Fili's cup like he had the rest, he turned his gaze to Thorin.
"So you are the one they call Oakenshield" Beorn stated as he turned his back to Thorin and taking a few steps. "Tell me, why Azog the defiler hunting you?" The giant man stopped and turn once more to look at Thorin.
Thorin kept his eyes straight, "How know of Azog?" His sight then shifted to look at Beorn. "How?"
"My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved" Beorn's grip on the pitcher he still carried tightened.
Thorin then noticed the remnant of manacles on Beorn's wrists, a pang of sympathy ran through his body. He could not comprehend the manner of torture their host must have endured at the hands of Azog.
"Not for work, you understand but for sport. Coging skin-changes and torturing them seemed to amuse him" Beorn continued to walk around the table until he stood behind Ori, noticing the dwarf's cup was empty he began to refill it.
"There are others like you?" asked Bilbo curiosity drenching his voice.
Beorn looked at the halfling, "Once, there were many."
Bilbo spoke again, "and now?"
"Now, there is one."
The company around the table stilled and everyone's eyes were upon Beorn, each dwarf showing a different emotion at the skin-changers words.
"You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn?" Asked Beorn as he placed the pitcher on the shelf and took a seat on great wooden chair in the corner of the room.
Gandalf was the one to answer Beorn's question, "Before Durin's Day falls, yes"
"You are running out of time" Beorn looked at the company, placing his hands on his knee, before looking to the wizard again.
"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Gandalf nodded
"A darkness lied upon that forest, Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldor. I would not venture there except in great need" As Beorn spoke, Thorin watched Gandalf's face grew somber.
His face lightening a little, Gandalf gave a small smile. "We will take the Eleven Road. That path is still safe." The wizard said reassuringly
"Safe? The wood elves are not like their kin. They are less wise and more dangerous." Beorn's voice deepened. "But it matters not"
Thorin spun to look at the skin-changer with a grave look on his face, "What do you mean?" His voice softer than usual.
"These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forrest alive.
Thorin drew back a little shocked by Beorn's words. His face hardened as the giant man rose from his chair to his feet, taking steps along the table towards where Gandalf was seated.
"I don't dwarves. They are greedy and blind, blind to lives of those they deem lesser than their own" Beorn picked up a mouse that Dwalin had flicked away, as if to prove the mans words.
"But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"
The dwarves had begun to pack their lent ponies with the provisions that Beorn had provided them with, when Thorin came to stand next to his grey haired adviser.
"Balin, a word please?" Asked Thorin as he motioned with his head that the pair should move to more private surroundings.
Balin followed after the dwarf prince, "Of Course, lad, what is it?"
Thorin turned to face Balin with a serious expression, Balin looked back at him slightly shocked to see his friend in such a grim mood.
"Do you ever recall a silver haired girl in my Grandfathers court?"
The elderly adviser contemplated Thorin's question before speaking, "I am sorry lad, I do not think so, but if I have come across her, it has left my memory."
Thorin put his hand on the dwarfs shoulder and gave a light squeeze, "Do not fret Balin, if you came across this girl you would have remembered her."
His words perplexed the adviser even further, "May I inquire as to why you are asking such strange questions?"
The heir of Durin gave no response, simply furrowed his brow before turning on his heel to return to the rest of the company.
A/N - Firstly, I apologize for the week long wait for only the third chapter! This chapter is not at all how I planned, but I wanted to introduce Eerika a little more and give you guys an insight into who she is.
I did steal a quote from Hermione Granger in this chapter, when I heard the line I thought it would fit well into a conversation with Thorin.
Thankyou to everyone who followed/favourited and to killthepain62 for their review.
Until next time Ciao!