Thorin opened his eyes. The fierce dawn burnt through the deeply shadowed eaves of an ancient wood. He paused, the sound of a nearby river echoed towards him. His boots sinking into the mossy earth thick with pine needles, he started to make his way through the spring wood. The chill of the dark night was starting to subside.
He felt like he had forgotten something. It was as though a passing dream lingered on the edges of his consciousness. He could remember the gleam of firelight, the sharp brightness of a girl's blue eyes and the haunting grief of dear friends whose names he could no longer recall. However, there was a realness to the sound of that river water. Above his head a thrush sang out as it flickered from budding branch to branch. It was a spring like none other he could remember.
There was a rustling before him. Thorin stood still his tracks as a figure appeared up from what he assumed to be a river bank. It was a girl, bare foot with her arms heavy with water buckets at her sides. She halted, a shard of sunlight revealing her face. The light caught the surprise in her wide green eyes, her mouth parting slightly. The image shot through his very being.
Not saying anything, he approached her where she stood unmoved. A breeze caught her hair, dusting it off her shoulder. He reached out and took one of the buckets from her hands. He could not remember who she was but he knew her. Without a word, she took his arm with a serene smile as they started towards home.
The clouds hung low over the Lonely Mountain when morning came a few hours later. Thistle stood outside the dwarf encampment, gazing at the ravaged field before the mountain. She clung to the blanket that Dwalin had given her. Staring out bleary eyed at the carnage, all she felt she was looking at was so much meat. Dust returning to the dust. A light rain misted her face as a heavy autumn fog rolled towards her.
Thorin had passed from this world as her mother had, leaving her feeling very much alone. Goldberry and Tom Bombadil in the west cared for her deeply but they had always been slightly disconnected from this world. Besides, her dwarvish blood was all Thistle now knew of her lineage. This was her legacy. Of course, she would never make a claim to the throne of Erebor. She had already heard that the man Bard the Bowman was destined for that title and she wished him well. However, she could not deny that there was something that spoke to her in the echoing and snow dusted passages of the mountain behind her.
"Lass, the rain will pick up soon enough." Dwalin was suddenly beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder protectively, "You'll be catching your death out here."
Thistle turned towards her protector, the dwarf her father had left with the honor of looking after the last of Durin's house. The corner of his bearded mouth lifted slightly in an attempted smile. However, his face was gaunt and weary. She knew she must look similar after the past several sleepless nights.
"You must rest." Dwalin pulled his hand away, nodding towards the tents, "I'll be sure you're not disturbed."
Thistle was too heart sick to argue. She conceded, walking with him towards a smaller tent beside the one where her father's body lay. Before entering, she paused. Putting a hand on the dwarf's arm where he already stood at attention by the cloth flap, he turned towards her.
"My father has left me in the care of a fine dwarf." She smiled gravely, "I am blessed to know you, Dwalin."
Dwalin looked down at the ground. She was shocked to see his eyes starting to brim with unshed tears. Such an admission of emotion was strange for a dwarf.
"I am the one that is blessed by you, my lady." He straightened, "There is no greater honor I could think of for a dwarf than the one your father had bestowed on me."
Thistle drew her hand away. With one last grateful glance, she disappeared inside and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Her protector faithfully stood at watch outside the tent till she awoke later that evening. He did not stir nor sleep the entire day.
Author's Note: Just an update, I have written a continuing fanfiction about Dwalin and Thistle called "Last of the House of Durin: The Blossom Amongst the Thorn". The link is on my profile (: I hope you enjoyed the story! Please check out the sequel, its been a fun one to write.