Hello all,
Since it is almost Christmas I figured here's a X-mas pressy, Chapter 12! Enjoy.
"This stuff stinks!" Gloin complained.
"It is not meant to smell of daisies and roses, Gloin. It is a healing poultice." Veirra replied shaking her head.
"It still stinks like Bombur's feet!" Bofur said.
"Hey!" Bombur replied taking offence. They had just made it down to the woods from the peaks the Eagles had left them on and were resting after what they had been put through. Bilbo offered to help and so Veirra sent him, Fili, and Kili after some roots and herbs that were good for injuries. Some of said roots were already being boiled to be used. Thorin was told to go bathe and clean the wounds he had received from the warg. While Gandalf had revived him, and healed the broken bones that the warg had broken; the cuts and scrapes were not healed. She had Dwalin make sure of it while the others set about making camp.
Gandalf rested to the side thinking to himself about all that had happened as he smoked his pipe. Balin had told him Veirra had yelled something at Azog in the black speech and this concerned him. Thus he paid little attention to the bickering dwarves. "Gandalf please do something. They are giving me a headache and I can not walk away too well."
Finally it was Bilbo who gave a loud whistle that got everybody's attention, then cleared his throat. "Enough alright, we have all had a long night and an even longer day so stop complaining. Yes the herbs stink but they are needed. Veirra has a sprained ankle, and Thorin was chewed on by a warg. I think we can handle the smell."
The grumbling dwarves quieted down and Bilbo turned back to Veirra. "Thank you Bilbo."
"No problem, now what do I do with this?" Bilbo asked holding up a root he had dug up at Veirra's instruction.
"Ah this root you skin, now just to let you know it has a potent numbing agent in it. So be careful because as you skin it your fingers will temporarily lose feeling. And if you say 'accidentally' drop it into the stew tonight numbing the tongues of the dwarves, I will pledge my undying love for you master Baggins." Veirra smiled getting them both to laugh.
"Well you do that and I think Thorin will want to kill me." Bilbo replied.
"Why is that?" Veirra asked.
"It was the way he protected you, and how scared you got for him. You and he well..." Bilbo said turning the root over in his hands, rather then she see him flush a lovely red colour. Bilbo was reminded of what Ori had said before about Thorin liking Veirra, but being unable to express it. The youngest member of their company certainly called it. As they spoke they did not notice the wizard watching them and hearing them.
"I was just concerned, he nearly got killed by that warg." Veirra tried to downplay her concern for the dwarf lord. Everything had felt so rushed and intense, one moment they could not stand one another. However throw them into a deadly situation and the pair quickly changed their tunes. Ever since escaping the orcs, Veirra was shaken by how their attitudes towards one another had changed. It was no longer a matter of tolerating each other, no it was obvious when the Goblin king wanted to give her to Azog that something changed. Veirra bit her bottom lip as she replayed every intense look and touch from Thorin, the incident on the bridge replayed most of all. The memory of him being pressed against her, how possessive he had been not really wanting to release her, and most of all the intense look in his eyes. Oh she knew if not for the goblins and their companions so close by Thorin would not have released her. However what was she to do now? That was the question plaguing her thoughts. How was she to react to the dwarf lord when those intense looks he gave turned her stomach into a tight knot?
"What was it you said to Azog?" Gandalf asked interrupting her thoughts.
"What?" Veirra asked.
"Balin heard you speak in the black speech to Azog. What did you say to him?" Gandalf watched her carefully. Veirra had to stop and think, had anyone else asked she would have claimed most rangers learned some of the black speech. That excuse would not work on Gandalf, the truth was she had been able to speak and understand it since she was a little girl. However who taught or how she learned it was beyond her. Swallowing hard her cheeks reddened even more. "I told Azog I would do whatever he wanted if he didn't hurt Thorin."
The grey wizard visibly relaxed at what she said, while Bilbo looked between the two. Finally Gandalf sighed, "Never speak that foul language again, Veirra. Azog would never have granted your wish. Do you understand?"
"Yes Gandalf." Veirra replied softly. That was when Bofur came forward holding a small bowl. "The paste has congealed as you instructed now what?"
"Now go apply it to Thorin's injuries to prevent infection." Veirra instructed.
"Huh? You mean me?" Bofur asked. "Because a dwarf touching another..."
"You have got to be joking." Veirra replied while Gandalf took extra puffs from his pipe and pretended to look elsewhere. Looking about the camp, Bilbo suddenly decided to skin the root he had, and every other dwarf was suddenly busy. "Fili?"
Fili quickly turned away, "Hey Kili wait up!"
"Balin?" Veirra pleaded. Who yawned loudly.
"I think I need a nap, lass."
"Oin?"
"Sorry lass lost my trumpet." Oin said, hiding his ear piece behind him.
"Bofur please." Quickly Bofur set the poultice by her. "I uhhhh got to go cook supper."
"Bombur?"
"I'm helping Bofur..."Bombur replied. Veirra glared at the grey wizard that had originally dragged her into this quest. Whatever happened to merely shadowing the company of Thorin Oakenshield? When had she been drafted into the company? She had not even signed the stupid contract!
"You are a bunch of scared little girls." Veirra grumbled as she picked up the poultice, and slowly got to her feet careful to go easy on her ankle. Moving off she soon was met by Dwalin. "Hey Dwalin here is the poultice just apply it to Thorin's injuries and-"
"Woah! Woah, wait a minute! I will take a blade for Thorin, but applying that to him.." Dwalin replied refusing to take it.
"Oh come now, I am not even suppose to be in this company! Now you all want me to-" Veirra started, but Dwalin simply patted her shoulder.
"Good luck!" He called and quickly escaped back to camp.
"Hey! I was not finished!" She called after him. Sighing she turned back and headed down towards the stream Thorin was suppose to be bathing in. 'I can not believe this! Damn cowards, how did I get into this mess? Why am I-' Veirra's thoughts cut short as she saw Thorin. He must have just come from the stream and had pulled on his trousers and boots. Still to see him without his tunic, armour, or fur coat left her speechless as she stared at him. It was just like before at the fountain. 'No, no, NO! Do not think of the fountain and Thorin completely naked!' Veirra thought but it was too late her mind already recalled him completely bare in front of her. She tried to shake the image and looked at Thorin in the present moment. Again she saw he was well muscled from a hard life as a blacksmith, with broad shoulders and a flat stomach. For a few moments she just watched him unable to move or avert her eyes. 'Wow! He is... damn it! Avert your eyes woman before he catches you staring at him!' He must have heard her for he turned and looked at her. 'Too late!'
"You are not suppose to be walking on that ankle." He said, closing her eyes a moment she felt her cheeks flush pink. Then came forward remembering why she was there.
"Tell that to the rest of them, they are the ones too afraid to apply this poultice." Veirra replied coming to sit on a flat boulder. Setting down the poultice beside her, Thorin sat down next to her. She tried to keep focused on what she was suppose to be doing. "Move your hair please, and face away so I can tend to the injuries on your back."
Thorin for the first time listened and did not argue the point with her. "Now this stuff will sting, but that just means it is disinfecting. Wargs mouths are not the cleanest."
Sure enough she heard a distinct hiss as she dabbed her finger in the poultice then ran that finger over one of the many cuts he had. For a few minutes an awkward silence filled the air, until Thorin finally broke it. "What did you scream?"
The question made her jolt as she lost focus. "What?"
"I heard you scream. You were never scared before, not even in the face of that Goblin king." Thorin pointed out. Again she tried to refocus on what she was suppose to be doing as she tried to think.
"I was not scared, just worried like everyone else." Veirra lied.
"And yet your cry was loudest." Thorin again pointed out. Unable to form a response Veirra instead focused on tending to the injuries on Thorin's back. "How is your ankle?"
"It is fine, I will bind it later." Veirra replied.
"You should have already bound it." Thorin replied a little annoyed.
"A sprained ankle is nothing compared to being a chew bone to a warg, Thorin. My ankle can endure." Veirra replied, as she finished applying the poultice to his back, "Face me please."
Instead Thorin rose from his spot and turned to stand in front of her, then knelt down in front of her. Taking up her injured ankle he removed her boot and ran his hands over her injured ankle. "Thorin what are you doing?" She asked trying to keep her voice calm as her breath caught.
He was surprisingly gentle as he examined her ankle, even slightly swollen her ankle appeared small in Thorin's hands. "Nothing is broken at least. Which is surprising."
"Why is that surprising to you?" Veirra asked unsure if she should be offended, and Thorin looked up locking his gaze with hers.
"Because you have such small delicate ankles." Thorin said, his voice so soft as he caressed her ankle. Then he grinned at her. "And if you do not bind it soon you will have to be carried."
Veirra's eyes widened at what he was suggesting and an image of Thorin carrying her popped into her mind. They would be so close and touching-No! Veirra shook her head to dislodge the thought as Thorin chuckled and put her boot back on before returning to sit next to her. If she was not shaken before, then she was now and Thorin seemed to know it.
Taking a deep breath she was intending to keep her eyes lowered as she started applying the poultice to his broad chest. With luck he would not notice her trembling. Never before would she have gotten so close to a half naked man, dwarf or elf. She knew he watched her intently so he must have known the effect he had on her, and that she was nervous about being this close to him. She was half way done with the cuts on his chest when she bit her bottom lip, then said. "We may need to apply a second coat, these cuts are deep and you do not want infection to-"
Veirra had made the mistake of looking up at Thorin, that was when he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her to him. In the next second he pressed his lips to hers hard making her gasp softly. She was shocked to find the dwarf lord kissing her, it was not a harsh or a painful kiss like she expected. Instead his lips were firm and the kiss was full of need. She felt a shiver run through her. His other large hand caught her hip and pulled her to him so that soon she was pressed against him. Like in the dream she knew she should be scared, but in this moment she couldn't move. The kiss only grew more intense and passionate with each passing moment. Veirra felt helpless to stop him as his lips crushed against her and grew demanding. Soon her lips submitted and parted to him. His kiss grew in intensity as his tongue delved inside her mouth tasting her and making her moan softly.
That was when it happened, long buried memories resurfaced again. Memories she buried, tried to ignore, and had told many including Elrond that she was 'fine' over. The same memories Elrond said she needed time to heal psychologically. Immediately she froze against Thorin and for a moment she relived her worst memories all over again. Remembering that she was being kissed she panicked as she pushed away from Thorin. 'Just a memory, it's okay. I am fine now. I will be fine I always am.' Veirra told herself as she caught her ragged breathing. All the while Thorin was confused gently he reached up and touched her cheek. Finally she asked in a shocked trembling voice. "Why did you do that?"
"You did not want me to kiss you?" Thorin asked as she noticed the hurt look in his eyes.
"No no...I mean yes. Maybe. Ummm I mean I-you are going to be a king soon, and I'm a ranger." Veirra said trying to work through her jumbled thoughts. Thorin raised a brow as if this mattered to him little and she had to think. "So won't you have to choose a female dwarf as your queen?"
"And what if I do not want a dwarf maiden?" Thorin challenged, her breathe caught in her throat.
"Thorin," Veirra started as she closed her eyes. She had to come clean now she knew it, but it hurt too. Swallowing hard she opened her eyes and looked into his eyes, needless to say Thorin was surprised to see her so vulnerable with tears wanting to escape. "You will want an untainted queen."
"Untainted?" Thorin was afraid to ask, but could not help it. For a moment Veirra looked down biting her bottom lip, she felt shame and found meeting Thorin's gaze to be too much.
"You know of my friend back in Rivendell, Atrice." Veirra pointed out, "She and I were with eight other rangers. We patrolled the wilds west of Gondor, that was three years ago. We heard of a group of raiders attacking traveller's and small towns and so we began tracking them. None of us expected what came next, we were ambushed. Several of my companions were slaughtered, they kept the women alive. Atrice, another, and myself for entertainment." Veirra almost choked on the last word and had to swallow a few times before continuing.
"We were kept for three whole days and often we suffered. On the third night, our third companion died and I preyed that we would soon follow. All I wanted was for our suffering to stop, for them to stop. Next I can barely explain how or why it happened, I thought I was going insane by then. I heard a voice inside my head ask: 'Do you want them to stop?' Unthinkingly I said yes and then everything went black, and when next I woke, it was three days later, the bandits were tied to the trees and had been tortured to death, and Atrice's mind had snapped. I was told Gandalf found us shortly after and took us to Rivendell where we were tended to, but some wounds never heal. What was done to me is irreversible."
Veirra peeked up at Thorin, he stared straight ahead in shock of what had happened to her. As soon as he would snap out of it she knew she would be unwanted there. An image of a young human man with dark hair came to mind, as he walked away unable to accept what happened to her. It would be the same as before. As it would dawn on Thorin, Veirra knew how he would be disgusted with her and it would break her heart more. "I am sorry." She whispered.
Quickly she pulled from his grip and got up, she ignored the painful throb as she stood too fast. None of it mattered as she felt numb and quickly left, she did not realise she moved in the wrong direction. However in this case she wanted to be alone anyway, soon she came to the edge of the stream and stood alone. Elrond had been right she bottled the psychological pain and memories away, eventually the ragged sobs reached her ears and she covered her mouth.
Author's Notes:
First off Merry Christmas and Happy 2015!
As one might guess this is set between the 1st Hobbit film and the second, a reprieve. In this chapter I figured it would be a good chance for Veirra to open up some. Also I know many are going to notice this and say: 'Wait a minute, that is a plot hole.' In the very first chapter Gandalf supposedly 'met' Veirra in Rivendell. Allow me to clarify, Gandalf found her and Atrice in the woods and got them to Rivendell, but official introductions were not given until Rivendell because Veirra was unconscious, so there you go. Technically Gandalf first saw her in the woods, but 'met' her in Rivendell. Besides I did not want to go into detail of how Gandalf knew Veirra in the first chapters, so it was kept vague for a reason. So not a plot hole it was done on purpose.
The information about Veirra is also meant to clear some things up, like her desire to be on her own. Again referring to the first couple of chapters, Veirra was highly reluctant to be anywhere near Thorin or any of his companions and even after first meeting them tried to keep a fair distance. All throughout the first couple of chapters there were hints that indicated that she was nervous and wary of her companions. Now that being said some might argue that her history alone would make her more wary. I had considered this when first making the OC and would ask readers to bear in mind Veirra will never let on that she is afraid of Thorin or his companions. She is the type to put up a strong front and say she is fine regardless.
Lastly I wanted to mention I have seen the Battle of Five Armies in Theatres, and would like your opinion, but I do not want to potentially spoil it for those that have not watched the movie yet. So for those that have NOT seen The Hobbit Battle of Five Armies or read the Hobbit book, DO not read!
POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT!
Okay for all those that have read the book or seen the latest movie we all know how it turns out. Lots of crying and screaming 'NOOOO! They killed all the hot looking dwarves!' That being said I have ideas for a good ending that diverges from the movie and a type of keeping true to the book/movie sad ending. My question is this which ending would you all like? Or do you think I should write out both endings? Plus both endings have the potential for a second story, so any thoughts and suggestions are also welcome too.
Thanks,
Lesliezin
