Chapter 10

It had seemed like the right thing to do until the moment the mithril handcuff snapped shut against my wrist. Var and I were chained together now.

In all my fighting, brawling, warlike life I've never seen anyone so mad. Fury rolled off her in heat waves. Her accusing glare incinerated me as she realized exactly what I'd done.

Seriously, I couldn't let her just run out on me. Her pursuers would have killed her before she'd even had a chance to find a new place to hide, and we didn't even know why. Well, I didn't know why—but it didn't seem like she really understood why they were after her either.

She needed me. I'd sworn to protect her, and I had every intention of doing so if she would just cooperate. But she wasn't, so to keep her here—to keep her safe—I'd handcuffed the two of us together. While we were alone in our room at a nameless inn. Half-dressed. On a bed. I was beginning to have second thoughts about the wisdom of this move.

She hauled her free arm back, ready to smack my face. I caught her wrist and dragged it behind her, securing both her hands with one of mine. That brought us close together, so close my breath stirred her golden hair.

We stared into one another's eyes for a moment, then she snarled and bared her teeth. To keep her from biting, I dug my free hand into the back of her elaborate hairstyle and held her away from me. A shower of hairpins fell onto the bedspread.

Her voice was soft and dangerous. "How dare you?"

"You are not running away." I tightened my grip on her hair, feeling my nails scrape against her scalp. "I won't let you rush out and get yourself killed. You can't do it all alone. You've got me, now."

She blinked, and some of the angry heat faded from her eyes. "All right. Let me go."

Slowly, I loosened my hold on her and sat back. Cold air rushed in, chilling the places where our heated bodies had touched. I had no right, no right at all, to hold her against her will. I'd promised to protect her, but there were some lines you didn't cross. Perhaps she would have preferred to be stuck here with somebody else—some heroic young dwarf who would treat her gently and respectfully. But she'd gotten me instead.

She'd just have to deal with it.

"Maybe things haven't worked out the way we expected them to, but we're here now," I said. "You're in trouble. You need help, so let me help you."

I spoke calmly and reasonably, hoping she could tell that I had noble intentions—despite what it might look like.

She stared at me for a long time, seriously and searchingly. I don't know what she wanted from me, or what she thought she might find if she looked hard enough into my face. The moment stretched out as I waited for her response.

Suddenly she flung herself at me, wrapping her free arm around my neck and yanking our joined hands up to my shoulder. Her mouth landed on mine, her teeth grinding against my lips, her tongue warm and wet. I was stunned. My brain went blank and my mouth opened automatically to hers. A liquid heat filled my veins, relaxing and exciting at the same time.

She pulled her mouth from mine and began kissing my cheeks and under my jaw, biting and tonguing through my beard to the soft flesh of my throat beneath. I groaned as a geyser of sparks shot up my spine.

Our beards cover some of the tenderest skin on our bodies. The neck and throat is such a vulnerable area—and on dwarves, it is exquisitely sensitive.

As my surprise faded and my desire leaped, I gathered her in tight, pressing all her softness into me as much as I could. I kissed her temple, licking my way to her ear. She shivered and turned to offer herself to me. I cradled her head in one hand, exposing her sweet neck to my mouth. Then I felt her quiver in my arms as I kissed and sucked eagerly enough to mark her porcelain skin.

We were kneeling on the bed, breast to breast, belly to belly, barely separated by the thin fabric of her shift. The sparks had turned to a roaring furnace. I pulled away from her, gathered the shift in one hand, and lifted it up to her shoulders as I laid her on her back, exposing her body from shoulders down to the tops of her thigh-high stockings.

I drank in the sight of her, lying before me, naked and willing. "You are beautiful."

She reached for the laces on the front of my trousers. We undid them together, clumsy with haste. Neither of us were in the mood to dally.

"Come to me," she said, holding her arms out. I leaned over her, hooked my free arm under one of her knees and lowered myself down to cover her. In one motion I thrust inside her. She cried out and arched her back, but before I could retreat she'd wrapped her legs around my waist, holding me tight. Her free hand was on my back, nails digging into my skin, pulling me down to her.

It was like being in the heart of a furnace, all pressure and searing heat, binding us into one as we came apart and crashed together. And each time I drove myself into her, I said under my breath, "Mine. You are mine. Mine. All mine." The fire between us became an inferno, turning all thought to ash, until nothing mattered but reaching the burning peak.

"Mine," I roared as I came, and she trembled and bucked beneath me in her own release.

"And you are mine, Dwalin," she whispered as we lay twined together, panting. "You are mine."

I nodded. I was hers.

I still get a tingle when I think about that night. All that night. And again that morning, too. Being with Var was about as close as I'd ever come to bliss, and I figured it was about time. I deserved something good.

But then around breakfast time, Nori came knocking on the door. How he'd found us, I didn't know. I refused to ask. We made him wait outside until we were dressed.

He tried not to look at us. He tried not to smile, too. "Lady Nott's been asking for you. Says to come back to the Pony. Couple of bandits across the street. Coast is clear now, though."

I looked at Var. "You'll be safe with us. You know that, right?"

She nodded.

I looked at Nori. "Okay, we're coming back with you to the Pony. Var will place herself under Aunt Nott's protection."

He nodded, still not looking at me. "Shall I," he said, and paused. For some reason, he was biting his lips. "Shall I unlock you?"

"That would be nice, Nori," Var said briskly. He pulled out his lockpick and had us un-handcuffed in a trice. She gave him a level look. "And I don't think you have any tales to tell the others. Do you?"

"No ma'am," Nori said solemnly.

We went back to the Prancing Pony Inn. Var went up to Aunt Nott's room, and I went to get something to eat.

The other dwarves were eating, so I went to join them. Bombur looked up at me, and a big smile spread across his face. He hurried over to clap me on the back. "Congratulations, my friend. I wish you very well. Very well indeed."

I shook my head. "Why?"

He looked so happy, I thought he was going to cry. "You're a very lucky man," Bombur said. "She's a lovely lady."

"Oho!" Bofur nodded wisely. "So Dwalin's a married man now. Bombur can always tell."

"I'm not married," I said.

"In our neck of the woods, you would be," Bofur said. "We do things differently in the South. In your case, laddie, it's all over but the cryin'."

Bombur was nodding enthusiastically. I was feeling a little weak.

It wasn't that I had any real objection to being married. Actually, in light of last night, marriage had quite a bit to recommend it. It was just…marriage to Var that I wasn't sure about. Well, not that, exactly. Var—she was the only woman I had ever wanted. And I didn't want her marrying anyone else, either. My brain hurt.

"I need some food," I said, and sat down.

"Don't worry about it," Bombur was saying. "For some men, it takes a little getting used to. But it's up to the woman to choose her man. Var's a good woman, and I think you'll be very happy together."

Luckily, the food arrived. As I ate, I started to feel better. Marriage to Var…when we'd shared duties on the road, we'd managed quite well. And the escape from the Pony had been exciting. Overall, we made a pretty good team. And at night…well, maybe marriage to Var wouldn't be so bad after all. I had cheered up considerably by the time I got up from the table.

"So there you are, Dwalin," boomed a well-known voice. I looked up to see Thorin coming toward me, an uncharacteristic smile on his face. It was good to see him so happy, but still—how was it that everyone knew what was going on in my life almost before I did?

Nevertheless, I braced myself for his congratulations. "Thorin—"

He grabbed me in a rough bear hug. "Good news, my friend!" He stood back, holding me by the shoulders at arm's length, searching my face. He nodded. "Many have been lost to me over the years, many have forsaken me, but I know I will always be able to count on you."

"Yes. Always," I said, a little confused.

"I know we shall be successful, if Dwalin stands at our side," Thorin went on. His eyes were shining.

"I have spoken at length to the wizard Gandalf, and he has brought me new hope, new information. Now at last, the time has come—and my heart's burning desire is about to become reality. Dwalin, my oldest, most loyal friend! Tell me you will be by my side as I begin the quest to take back Erebor."

I stood frozen, staring at Thorin. My comrade in arms, the healer of my wounds, my closest friend. My King.

Thorin's smile faded just a little, and he gave me a curious look. "Dwalin?"

"Always, my liege," I said hoarsely.