Hi again! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Leave a comment on what you think of my story so far. It would make my day:)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit. Only my co's and the Verdari race
'Thinking'
"Normal"
"Elvish"
"Black speech"
"Khuzdul"
"Verrian"
Chapter 8
Thorin awoke with a start, covered in sweat. He looked around disoriented, panting heavily and as he gazed into the sky, he was met by the bright glow of the moon. He realised that it was night and he looked around to see the company all sleeping, probably exhausted. A sharp pain shot through his body, forcing him to lay still . He sighed.
"How are you feeling?" he turned to see familiar grey eyes, watching him.
"Tired," he mumbled.
"That's good. Your body is resting." He could almost hear her smiling. Silence crept back between them, but it was soon broken by her.
"You must have had a nightmare," she noted.
Uneasiness took a hold of him. Had he spoken in his sleep? Truth be told, he had. Although Malakai was not about to comment on what had been said.
"You have no need to worry. The medicine causes people to hallucinate when they fall asleep and what they see is usually negative," she explained.
He gazed up into the sky. He didn't understand that dream. In the dream, he was King but somehow, he had not felt happy. Who was the woman in the dream? Why had he followed her? When she disappeared, it felt like his heart had been torn out of his chest. He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard fabric move next to him.
"I need to check your wound. Have to make sure the infection has gone down," she told him as she pulled down the blanket.
He watched as she peeled off the old bandages to clean the wound as gently as she could. She wrapped it up in new, clean cloth that would act as bandages until they found better.
"Rest for now," she muttered.
She reached behind her and placed a cold damp piece of cloth on his burning forehead. Then she saw something that she had never seen before. He was smiling. A beautiful smile directed at her. He also chuckled, making her cheeks tint slightly pink. She turned away, trying to hide her face.
"Why do you hide away from us? What is it you fear?" Thorin asked. "None of us will harm you. We are honourable."
Malakai tensed, not sure how to respond. Her silence told him enough. She would talk to him sooner or later. He never liked it when someone kept secrets that might jeopardize this quest or the safety of the company. He felt his consciousness failing him and he took a deep breath. His hand searched for something and when finally reached something to hold, he held on. Malakai's eyes snapped at him, since it was her sleeve he had grabbed.
"Don't go," he whispered. "Please, stay."
"You're impossible." Malakai rolled her eyes. Another smile. He turned his head to gaze at her, sitting cross legged next to him. Her long curly hair fell over her left shoulder as she shifted her weight. Her long lashes, her storm grey eyes underneath. The scarlet tattoos under her eyes. Her thin neck and small frame. On closer inspection, he noticed that she looked much more frail than he had previously thought. Had it not been for her fierce personality, he would have taken her for any other woman he'd encountered.
"You are beautiful," he mumbled.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," she answered. "The medicine is making you delusional."
"Despite that, you're not taking it as a compliment?" he seemed hurt.
The medicine really messing with him. His stern expression was gone and replaced with a calm and peaceful exterior. The weight of the quest was momentarily forgotten. Deep down she was happy to see him like this. It was easier to talk to him when he was in this state. Malakai sniggered a little. Maybe she should drug his drink so he'd be more like this. His big fingers still grasped her shirt sleeve. He started to twirl it between his fingers.
"Don't do that, please," she mumbled.
"What shouldn't I do?" he asked, a strange twinkle in his eyes. Again, his hand touched her skin but this time, deliberately and for longer. Malakai only glared in response, unsure of what to say.
"You skin is so soft," he mumbled as he stroked the palm of her hand.
"Stop it," she raised her voice a little, but was still quiet not to wake the others. "Please, sleep."
He still looked at her with wondering eyes. She sighed and placed her hand on his eyes.
"Sleep."
"But stay," he mumbled under his breath as he suddenly fell asleep. The grip on her shirt loosened but Malakai became curious. His hands were so big and strong, she wanted to know what they feel like. She lightly placed her fingers into his palm. His skin was rough, which did not surprise her. Those were the hands of a labourer, not of a King. She started to wonder how his life must have been, after the dragon stole his homeland. Did he wandered aimlessly for all those years? Curiosity began to swell up inside her. She wanted to wake him, ask him about his life. Deep in thought, she unconsciously stroked his palm when his fingers gripped her hand. She looked at his sleeping face which was relaxed to which she smiled. Her eyes soon became heavy but she stayed where she was, sitting next to the sleeping Thorin with her hand in his.
An hour before the sun came up, Thorin awoke as the first. He gazed around and saw Malakai, sleeping beside him. Her face intrigue him, despite the medicine having worn off during the night. He realised that her hand was resting in his. Quickly he pulled his hand away, causing her to wake up.
"I fell asleep, didn't I?" she mumbled to herself, rubbing her eyes. "You're awake?"
She leaned over him and pulled down the blanket to check the wound.
"It's healing well," she smiled to herself. "I won't have to change the bandage, but it will need cleaning again. Can you sit up?"
Thorin did as he was asked to, stretching to take off his tunic. When that bare chest was revealed to her, she had to try hard to withhold a gasp. His torso was very wide and scarred. It was clear that he'd seen great, terrible battles. Thin dark hair spread across his chest and trailed down eyond the brim of his breeches. Her mind wandered further, wondering what he was hiding beneath the fabric but she coughed her mind back on track. Malakai was careful not to touch his skin as she unwrapped the bandage. When she was done she prepared a new dressing and gently pressed it against the wound.
"Can you hold that for a moment?" she asked him and as she reached for the discarded bandage, their hands briefly touched as he took the dressing. Carefully, she wrapped it around his waist.
"There, done. You should rest for another day and then you should be fit for travel," she told him. He just nodded stiffly and put his tunic back on.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked weakly, although he was trying hard not to sound like that.
Malakai didn't know what to say. Because Gandalf would scold her otherwise? Because he was her mate? Many possible answers shot through her mind, one sounding worse than the other.
"I prefer killing you with my own hands," she smirked mischievously to which she heard him swallow. She turned her attention back to her pouch when she saw how Thorin rubbed his hands, deep in thought.
"Tell me, why do you have such hands?" she asked him. He looked up at her. "You have the hands of a labourer. Why is that?"
"It's none of your concern," he mumbled.
"Well, there is something I wish to ask. Do you remember what you said before you fell asleep?" Again, he just looked at her. "You said I was beautiful." She couldn't help but smile. He turned away but she crawled after him. "How adorable." She grinned. "You are blushing."
"You are childish," he grumbled.
"You should smile more. It makes you more approachable. A lot more," she nodded.
"I don't have need for such useless things."
"That's nice," she said sarcastically. "You'll die lonely without an heir, your Highness," she purred into his ear.
"Are you trying to imply on something?" He had Fili and Kili as rightful heirs, but what she was implying was having children of his own. Something he never thought about.
"Of course not," she shifted her weight. "I just think you deserve a lovely wife, that's all. I'll make sure that you live long enough to find her."
Thorin looked deep into her eyes but he find any dishonesty in them. A lovely wife, she said. He couldn't imagine himself with a wife or with children. Then he remembered the dream he had. A woman and a child whose faces he couldn't see. No, it was an impossible thought. He gazed Malakai in the eyes.
"Are you still on this quest?" he asked her after a while.
"If you don't send me away, I will do all I can to help," she said, bowing her head again. "And you can count yourself lucky. I'm not going to let you die," she smirked. Thorin gazed at her, not knowing what to say. Then he sighed with a smile, eyes downcast.
"I guess I can live with that," he looked at her only to be greeted with a bright smile and a chuckle.
"So, I'm a part of the company now?" she asked.
"I accept your presence and help," he replied.
"Mutual friendship?" she offered her hand.
"Agreed," he shook her hand.
'Maybe he isn't so bad after all,' she thought to herself.
"Now, sleep and rest. I'll keep watch," she smiled.
Thorin found sleep quickly, feeling strangely at ease in her presence. All the while she hummed to herself, occasionally throwing a glance at Thorin's sleeping face and smiled each time. When the sun rose and the birds started to welcome it, the others started to squirm. Oin was the first to awaken.
"How is he?" he asked with a shaken voice.
"He is fine," she assured him. "He just needs a days rest."
A heavy sigh of relief escaped him and he spread the news to the rest as they awoke. Thorin slept until midday and was rather relaxed when he awoke. Oin gave him something to drink and eat and told him of the chores they had fulfilled for the journey.
Malakai had gathered enough food to last for another week and even washed and mended Thorin's clothes and that of the others. She grumbled about the fact that the dwarves couldn't do it but still did it with a lot of care. They all gave their thanks when they received their clothes. Thorin had to sit topless for a while, as Malakai mended the hole from the stinger. He watched her all the while since she sat next to him. She was quick with the needle and skillful. It was interesting to see her work as any normal female would, but he guessed that she had to learn many different skills to be able to survive on her own. When she was finished, there was no sign of any tear in the fabric and before he put the tunic back on, she checked his wound one last time.
The others spent their time resting, singing and dancing, telling stories and rumours. The ponies also made it clear that they were happy about the day's rest. Minty, the pony that Thorin chose to ride, was very fond of her dwarf and despite Thorin grunting with protest, she kept nudging him with her snout.
"She likes you," Malakai laughed but gently pushed the pony's head away.
Oin and Malakai stayed by Thorin's side to keep his condition in check. Checking his temperature and his pulse, the colour of his veins and the wound. Oin was highly impressed at the speed the wound was healing.
That night, Thorin couldn't sleep. Fili and Kili, who were on night watch duty, were quietly conversing by the fire, smoking their pipes. Malakai was still sitting next to Thorin, her back leaned against a boulder. All day, she hadn't left his side. She yawned quietly and shifted her weight, using her wolf's fur cape as a blanket. But she strained her eyes open.
"Sleep," Thorin whispered softly. Malakai looked down at him.
"You should sleep," she noted.
"I have slept enough," he reminded her.
A huff of defeat. She was too tired to argue with him. Quietly, she readjusted her position, this time lying down flat on the ground on her side. Her face was turned to him but her eyes closed, her breath steady. Thorin couldn't help but smile which she somehow noticed.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked. Their eyes met.
"You seem to trust me more."
"Don't flatter yourself," she mumbled with slightly tinted cheeks. Thorin raised an eyebrow.
"You seem to trust me more as well," she whispered after a while.
"It is only reasonable to trust the person who has saved my life."
Malakai smiled at him weakly. Fatigue crept up on her face as she closed her eyes again.
Despite the previous conversation, the company sensed no difference between Thorin and Malakai. They sat far away from each other and didn't give each other much notice. But deep down, they felt a difference. Trust had began to grow between them. The dwarves had thanked her for having saved their leader. Oin had come up to her, eager to learn of her medical techniques. She agreed with a smile and walked next to Oin's pony while they conversed. Gandalf rode next to Thorin, who was silent.
"Do you still regret taking her along?" the wizard asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No. You were right. Her skills are very useful." Thorin looked at him. Gandalf nodded, satisfied with the dwarf's answer. After a few hours, Malakai walked ahead to Thorin and Gandalf.
"Is it okay if I go to find some herbs? I can hunt for something as well," she asked. Thorin gazed down at her and nodded. She gave a small bow with her head and sprinted into the forest.
"Have I overlooked something?" Gandalf asked. "You seem to trust her more."
"She saved my life. I trust that she means no ill will in her absence," Thorin answered.
"That is good news," Gandalf chuckled, happy at the development.
