The Dwarves were having a late-night party in their quarters. They roasted what little sausages they had left over a fire made by burning more Elvish furniture. This afternoon's dip in the fountain had refreshed them, if only to attract more glares from the Elves. Ruby had heard enough of Lord Elrond to bless her timing, as she had chosen to train with him that afternoon. She now sat on a small mountain of cushions by Kili, both enjoying their pipes. Kili was playing with one of her knives as she cleaned the others.
Bofur smelled at the sweet meat, oh, how he missed it. No wonder the Elves were so skinny, only eating rabbit-food. He heard a creak and looked up, seeing a heavy Bombur sitting on a bench and eating a large bowl of food. He looked at his sausage thoughtfully.
"Bombur!" he called.
As Bombur looked up, Bofur threw him the sausage. Bombur caught it, but the weight of the sausage was just too much for the bench, and it broke, sending a shrieking Bombur to the floor, along with all his food. The Dwarves laughed uproariously.
Thorin decided to join them after having overheard Gandalf and Lord Elrond on his way over. He sat with a sigh next to Ruby, who looked at him worriedly. Lord Elrond's words were heavy on his mind, and he vowed no not succumb to the same madness his ancestors had.
"You okay?" Ruby murmured quietly to him.
"I'm fine." He said gruffly, and immediately regretted it, as her face fell and she looked away. He sighed and took her hand. "Walk with me?" he stood and helped her up, both bidding good night to the company and walking back to her room. "I'm sorry, zabadinhuh, it's just so much to—"
"What does that mean?" she half-laughed.
"It means 'my lady'." He said as they entered her room and she started a fire with a flick of her wrist.
"I told you, Thorin, I'm not a Lady." She turned to him and stood akimbo. "Unless you want to carry me around on a perfumed cushion until we get to Erebor, I suggest yo—AHH!"
Thorin had grabbed one of the cushions on her bed and swooped it behind her, lifting her up with one strong arm. She expertly balanced herself.
"Like so?" he looked up at her. She was as light as grass to him, and he admired the way her body tilted to keep balance as he carried her to the bed. Setting her down, he rested his hands on her hips and looked her deep in the eyes, chestnut connecting with ice. "You are my Lady now." He said. "I wish I could court you the way I could in Erebor, shower you with trinkets, and festive dinners, show you the riches of my home." He sighed as he sat on his heels.
"I do not care for the riches of Erebor." Ruby took his face in her hands and made him look back at her. "A trinket, even though as beautiful as it is," she said, looking briefly at her wrist, "is just that. I would be honoured to know your home for its stories and memories, for I have no home of my own to share with you."
"I will take back Erebor, and it shall be your home as well as mine, this I swear to you." Thorin grasped her wrists softly and kissed her hands.
"Your burden is too heavy, Thorin." She said softly as she caressed his beard. "I fear for you."
"You give me even more reason to reclaim my home." He said. "Our home." He wiped a tear from her cheek.
"You are too good to me." Ruby whispered as she pulled the front of his shirt and pressed their lips together. Though Thorin tried to be gentle, it was his nature to be rough and gruff, and Ruby did not mind. "I am not a doll, Thorin." She said as he restrained himself for the third time. "I know you won't hurt me." She encouraged him. In one swift movement, her trousers lay on the floor, ripped at the seams, shortly followed by her shirt and his clothes. He reverently ran a calloused hand down her side, and at her shiver and soft whisper of his name flipped her over and in one swift thrust buried himself hilt-deep between her hot folds. He stilled himself with great difficulty, and kissed her shoulder.
"Zabadinhuh?" he pulled her hair away from her ear to see her flushed face.
"Thorin..." her expression puzzled him. He should have been more careful, and regretting his harsh actions, started to pull out, an apology barely slipping his lips when a hand snapped over her shoulder and grabbed the hair on the back of his head. "Don't you dare." She grinded harshly back onto his hips, making him hiss. He wrapped his arm around her middle, helping support her, while his other held them both up. They started a quick, strong pace, and soon, Ruby let go of his hair to hold the headboard. He slid his hand up to her breasts and pinched a nipple, her moans escalating and bringing shivers down his spine.
With a strong pull, he brought her flush against his chest as he knelt on the bed, making her legs spread wide to accommodate his broad hips as she rode him, the sweat on her back mingling with the beads running down his chest. His left hand guided her hips as her pace faltered, he knew she was close to release. His right hand slid over the lean muscles on her stomach and over the soft downy shadow between her legs, searching for that pert nub. When a thick, calloused finger finally found its mark, she jolted, almost making him slip out of her.
"Easy, zabadinhuh." He rumbled in her ear, making her whimper and turn her head to capture his lips in a sloppy kiss. He continued his ministrations, and soon, she screamed hoarsely in that strange language he heard her speak before, and spasmed on his lap, milking his seed from him and going limp, her head thrown back over his shoulder, her body a white arch in the moonlight. Thorin felt himself go limp inside her, but still did not move, his fingers coated in both their juices gave him an idea. He pressed down on the still sensitive nub, his left hand rising from her hip to hold her body against his as she snapped forward with a moan. He repeated the action and felt her contract painfully around him, but did not stop. Her body jolted and quivered as whispers in that strange tongue reached his ears, his name thrown in a few times. He finally made her convulse again, her limbs heavy after a second orgasm, a lazy smile on her face.
Thorin slipped out of her, chuckling at her weak whine at the loss, and coaxed her under the covers. He made to rise to grab the cloth in the wash basin, but Ruby pulled him to her. He saw a stream of water float to the fireplace, swirling over the flames a few seconds, before it disappeared under the covers. He felt the warm water softly clean away his sweat and their combined juices, then leaving his skin to be thrown by Ruby's invisible force out the window. He was left clean, dry and amazed.
"You are amazing." He voiced. She merely chuckled and snuggled to his chest.
"You're not so bad yourself. Hi wahl dii kopraan tahmus wah hi ol trin nukaas dreh niil in."
"What is that strange language that you speak?" he asked, tracing a scar on her back, remembering her speaking with the little boy in the library.
"I'm not sure." She shivered at his touch and he pulled her closer against him, lifting the covers higher. "I've always known it. Does it bother you?" she rested her chin on his shoulder and looked at him.
"No, I was just curious." He kissed her softly and settled on the pillow. "Sleep, zabadinhuh, tomorrow the day starts early."
"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths; lead on." Thorin stood to the side as Balin took the front. "Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." He scolded the Halfling lagging behind. Ruby went back for him under Thorin's watchful eye.
She had bid farewell in secret to Aragorn, and he had held back tears at her swift departure, but after a promise of returning with gifts and stories, they had left before the Elves could notice.
They had covered an impressive amount of the way in their haste and eagerness to put as much distance between themselves and Rivendell, until the trail became narrow and dangerous, with a cliff on one side and a sheer drop on the other. With a fierce storm in the air, lightning and rain all around, they went on slower than expected.
"Hold on!" Drenched to the bone, Thorin tried to keep his eyes on the path and on every member of his company, which was proving to be difficult. "We must find shelter!" his throat caught as he saw Dwalin pull Bilbo back from the edge.
The Dwarves looked up and saw a massive boulder hurtling through the air hitting the mountainside above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they pressed themselves against the mountain.
"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin pointed.
A stone giant reared up from a nearby mountain, ripping off a boulder from the top and throwing it at another.
"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants; Stone Giants!" Bofur yelled.
"Take cover: you'll fall!" Thorin shouted.
"What's happening?" Kili looked wildly around, his wet hair falling in his eyes.
"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki—" Fili reached to his brother as they were separated, Ruby pulling Kili back as Thorin held on to Fili. They lost sight of one another.
"No! No! Kili! Ruby!" Thorin called. He did not notice the tears on his already wet face as he ran to where the other half of the company had been crushed. He visibly sagged in relief as they saw them in a heap, groaning and cursing.
"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin called.
"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur was counting heads.
"There!" Ori pointed.
"Get him!" Dwalin lay on his stomach and reached to the Hobbit hanging onto the edge of the cliff. He slipped and fell a few more feet before his hands found something to grasp on to. Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boosted him up, where the others pulled him to safety. Dwalin tried to lift Thorin back up too, but he lost his grip and began falling too, until a small hand grasped his sleeve. He looked up to see Ruby clinging on to the fabric on his arm, her knuckles white, her legs around a red faced Dwalin's neck. They pulled each other up with much effort, and Ruby clung onto Trorin's neck as he caught his breath, wrapping her in his arms.
"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin was still red in the face.
"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come." He reluctantly let go of Ruby after assuring her with his gaze that he was fine. "He has no place amongst us. Dwalin!" he called and went off to find a cave.
"It looks safe enough." Dwalin commented.
"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Thorin ordered, heading back to call the others.
"Thorin." Dwalin felt a need to apologise. Ruby had caught him by surprise, and he did not want the guilt of having her legs wrapped around his neck without an explanation. His King seemed to know what he was thinking.
"All is well, Dwalin." He assured the other Dwarf with a friendly clap on the shoulder. "As long as it doesn't happen in any condition different than this." He warned with a squeeze of his fingers.
Dwalin nodded and searched the cave with a lantern in relief. "There's nothing here."
"Right then! Let's get a fire started." Gloin dropped a bundle of wood on the floor and rubbed his hands.
"No, no fires, not in this place." Thorin held out his hand to Ruby, who stepped closer and accepted it, letting him pull her to him. "Can you dry us?" he asked. She nodded and concentrated for a moment before the water fled from their clothes and hair, disappearing out the cave entrance. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."
"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin overcame his awe first.
"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch." Thorin settled on his sleeping mat with Ruby by his side. She snuggled to his wolf pelt and splayed her hand on his chest, throwing her right leg over his.
"You scared me." She whispered as the others lay down.
"I'm sorry for scaring you, zabadinhuh." He threaded his fingers through her hair. "Though you were reckless, I thank you for your aid."
"Dwalin looked like a tomato." She sniggered into his neck. "You know that was just for support, right?" she whispered in his ear. "I would never betray you."
Thorin shivered slightly at her warm breath on his skin and willed his body to calm. Images of passed nights were still fresh on his memory.
"I trust you." He said lowly, looking in her eyes. "And Dwalin." She seemed satisfied with his answer and pecked him on the lips, settling down on his shoulder. Thorin liked the warmth she provided him with and willed himself to calm. After only two hours of rest, he gave up on sleeping that night. Ruby was constantly muttering in that strange tongue of hers, and gripping at his chest almost painfully. Even though he knew her to be having a nightmare, he battled with himself whether he should wake her or leave her to get the little rest she could. He saw Bilbo gather his things and try to sneak out. 'Good.' He thought. 'This quest is no place for him.' He couldn't hear the whispers from the end of the cave, but a soft murmur caught his attention.
"Zu'u fen ni lif hi." Ruby had a frown on her face, her hands clutched at his fur. "Dreh ni bo kolos Zu'u vis ni kiibok." Thorin rubbed her back, the obvious distress in her voice worrying him. He had never paid attention to her cursing, but he now wished to understand what burdened her so. "Thorin, nid! Dreh ni ofan ko! Krif!" At hearing his name, he lightly shook her.
"Ruby?" he watched her eyes snap open. He was alarmed at her movements as her hands blurred in their speed as she took her two preferred daggers and held them out above them. Protecting him. He lay very still. She seemed to calm and realize where she was and relaxed, though still a little shaky. "Did you have a bad dream, zabadinhuh?"
"I—Thorin!" she snapped out of her thoughts and let her daggers clatter noisily to the floor. She held his face. "You're fine." Tears brimmed on the corners of her eyes.
"Of course I'm fine." He took her hands. "Ruby, what is it?" he tried to make out any words that came out of her mouth, but her quick whispers were foreign to him.
"What's that?" Bofur interrupted them. Thorin raised his head from Ruby's grasp as he heard strange machinery noises and saw cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave.
"Wake up. Wake up!" the few Dwarves that were not roused by Ruby's incessant fretting over him jolted awake as the floor of the cave collapsed downwards. The entire Company fell down a chute, sliding through a tunnel, and landing in a giant wooden cage. As they struggled to get up, a horde of Goblins attacked them, dragging them all away. The combined shock and disorientation of the fall had them defenceless.
Transalations:
Hi wahl dii kopraan tahmus wah hi ol trin nukaas dreh niil in. - You make my body react to you as string puppet to its master.
Zu'u fen ni lif hi. - I won't leave you.
Dreh ni bo kolos Zu'u vis ni kiibok. - Do not go where I can not follow.
Thorin, nid! Dreh ni ofan ko! Krif! - Thorin, no! Do not give in! Fight!
