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Ch 12 To Dale

Thorin had almost gotten caught the next morning coming back, he had stayed too long with Lapis and most of the castle was awake and moving when he emerged from his tunnel. Once again, his father was the one to find and question him. This time, why he was in the armory. He talked his way out of trouble, citing he wanted some arena time to practice the sword and went to look at the weapons. Thrain had given him an odd look but nodded and now Thorin was scheduled in the training arena the next day.

He was soundly beaten by the Captain and had almost immediately regretted his quick decision on what to tell his father. That night, there was no going to see his dragon as he had fallen asleep at dinner and was more or less carried to his room by Frerin. His terrible performance in the ring had incited his father to demand more training with the guards and less with him, leaning the ways of the throne. It was unimaginable for a dwarf not to know how to wield a weapon. So now, almost everyday for at least half a day, Thorin was reporting to the Captain and having his butt handed to him in different forms of battle; from grappling to sword. He was allowed one day a week off to do as he pleased and Thorin was determined to find Lapis since he hadn't seen her in a week and it was affecting his concentration. Even Frerin had mention it to him two nights prior when Thorin had flopped on his bed.

The morning of his day off, Thorin woke well before the sun and dressed quickly, adamant about getting to his dragon before anyone woke and hopefully convincing her to go to Dale with him. It was still cold enough to wear a hooded cloak that he was shoving into a bag in hopes no one would bother him at the market place. Peering out his door, Thorin saw no trace of the guards who were randomly walking the halls and silently slipped out his room and ran. Down stairs and through hallways, skidding into rooms to avoid the few guards who were on duty, and finally reaching the armory. Carefully and cautiously, he moved the shields away and back again with little noise and ducked under the curtain, skidding down the tunnel to her nest.

There was no light when he tripped into the large cavern but laying there, he heard nothing. The darkness swallowed him and Thorin could see nothing in turn making him very uncomfortable. He felt around the ground for the torch he had left before and scraped off the remnants of the burnt, oiled rag. From his bag, he produced a new one from a smaller leather satchel and wound it around the tip before digging out the flints to light it. It occurred to him then, this was probably the most prepared he had ever been in his life. For anything.

Once the torch was lit, Thorin looked around and saw he was by himself, something he had almost guessed. The question now was, did he go look for her or wait. The market wouldn't be open for a time and it was no use heading over there now, but it might take that long to convince Lapis to accompany him. As if his thoughts had summoned her, he heard rocks skidding over one another and looked to the tunnel that led outside. Soon, she entered and blinked at him in surprise.

"You are here."

Thorin smiled at her tone, "You don't seem happy."

"It has been a few days, I thought you would have been here before now."

Ah, so she had missed him. "I'm sorry, I've been too busy to come at night. But I'm here now, and I want to take you to Dale today."

She stopped walking towards him and eyed him thoughtfully. "I don't want to wear clothes."

"It isn't so terrible," Thorin tried to assure her. "The dress I bought you is very light."

"I don't want to wear foot coverings."

Wha…oh, slippers. Well, her feet wouldn't get hurt and the dress was long…maybe she could go without them. Besides, how often does someone look at another's feet. "Okay, just wear the dress."

She regarded him carefully. "Why do you want me to go out with you so terribly?"

"Because, I want to show you my world. Something that you could be a part of, if you wanted." Mahal, how he hoped she would. It would wreak havoc on his life if he could get her accepted by his father, and grandfather. "Please?"

Go, see the townsfolk. Learn.

Lapis shook her head at the voice, wondering what it meant. She looked at Thorin's face and could understand the plea on his face and huffed at him. "Fine, just the dress."

A small victory won, but there was another. "Can I fix your hair?"

"My hair?" She looked doubly confused and looked around.

"Yes, hair." He walked over and tugged on the strands that were in her face.

Recognition showed on her face, "Oh. You mean put it like yours?"

"In a sense, yes."

"Will it hurt?"

"No, of course not!" Thorin was taken by surprise and had to remember, she didn't know or understand what the braids were for with dwarves. "Come, sit down and I will put the braids in your hair like mine." He went to the box where the jewelry he had given her was sitting and pulled out a necklace along with two ornaments, one to hold back her hair and the other to drape across her forehead.

She sat down and Thorin stood behind her, gathering her long locks back and examined them. With her hair being so long, he wasn't going to tie it up like some of the dwarrow since it might hurt her head and he promised it wouldn't. Holding her hair back, he pulled out random sections before picking up the clasp and hooking it around the volume loosely. Thorin deftly braided the twenty-some locks of hair, tucking half of them into clasp, closing it the rest of the way, and looping the half braided strands so they wouldn't come loose. Picking up the hair chain, he lined up the metal triangle in the middle of her forehead, below the hairline, and laid the delicate, jeweled chains on either side of her head like a crown.

"All done."

Slowly, Lapis raised her hand and ran her fingers over the braids and silver chains adorning her hair. "Can I look?"

Thorin retrieved her mirror and held it in front of her while crouched down. Her expression was more than astonished and the strands were picked up carefully and looked at in her reflection.

"It is beautiful."

"Only because it is you."

Her eyes darted up to his and she smiled, "I like them." The braids were tugged gently and Thorin swelled with pride.

"I'm glad you approve, time to get the dress on."

The look of disgust thrown to the clothing laying innocently on a pile of jewels was almost too much for Thorin, but he held in his laughter. Helping her standing, he gathered the dress and showed her how to step into it and he laced up the back behind her. After smoothing down the material at her waist, lingering longer on her hips, Thorin walked around her to inspect the fit. Which was surprisingly well, considering it was a dwarf dress. He had left the petticoats behind along with the extra under dress and the ties in the back were tightened all the way together, if anything the waist was loose. The neckline was open and the sleeves started at her shoulders, puffed material coming out between bands of fabric, the bodice was fitted and opened beneath her bust. The dress was done in colors of white, gold and grey, suiting her quite well in his opinion.

"I don't like it."

Thorin had to stay a laugh again at her petulant expression. "Why not?"

"It is constricting, and completely unsuited for changing into a dragon."

"Something I hope to avoid while we are in Dale, they won't be as understanding about a dragon in their midst as I am, or my brother."

"Why? I haven't done anything."

He sighed and cupped her cheek with one hand, "I know. It is just something they believe. Can you stay like this, please, I'll do whatever you wish when we return."

Her eyes narrowed, "Is that a request?"

"A promise, I am yours to do with for one thing." He knew he should be careful, dragons were supposed to be skilled tricksters and though Lapis wasn't a traditional dragon, she still was one.

"Fine, I'll wear your…clothes and stay human until we return."

He really didn't want to push his luck, but "And a cloak until we reach Dale."

"No."

"Just for the walk over, once we are separated from my merchants."

"It's heavy."

The whine in her voice amused Thorin more than made him annoyed, he was asking a lot of her right now. "It will be just a bit longer than you wore mine to the baths, and this one isn't heavy."

A glare was leveled at him, but nothing was said and he took it as a sign to show her what it looked like. He pulled it out with his that was shoved into the bag and shook it out, the silk cloak could hardly be called protection but that wasn't his intention. Lapis held out her hand and he dropped it into her grasp. Thorin watched as she turned it over in her hands, looking between it and him thoughtfully.

"Fine." Remembering how he had put his on her long before, she looped her arms into the billowy sleeves and looked expectantly at him.

With a smile, Thorin came up and pulled the large hood over her head. The dark color only enhanced her golden eyes and he took a deep breath. "You are beautiful."

There was silence before she answered, "Do you prefer me like this?"

"No," the word was rushed out. "I love you how are, no matter how you appear."

She looked at him skeptically before looking away. "When do we leave?"

"Has the sun risen?"

Lapis looked up, "Your dwarves are wandering the halls. The sun came up not long ago."

They didn't have much time then and Thorin threw on his own cloak. "Yes, come. We need to fall in behind the group." He held his hand up for her, waiting for her to place her own on his. Once she did, he pulled her along, carefully, and they made their way through the tunnel quickly. Rocks were kicked away and Thorin crawled out, helping Lapis out because of her dress and dusted both of their clothes off. He paused a moment at the hem of her skirt, taking in the pale bare toes wiggling on the ground. Hopefully no one would notice. Taking her hand again, he hurried them around the mountain in time to see the merchants and traders pulling their wagons along the curve of the trail that bowed right.

"If you have any questions, wait until we are in the city. Okay?" At her nod, Thorin hurried them along to catch up with the tail of departing party and was relieved when no one noticed them.

Once inside the city gates, he broke them apart and led her up a different street that around the market square. From their vantage point, they could see the multitude of tents, tables, and people in one area and Thorin felt her tense.

"Nothing will happen, it isn't as terrible as you think."

"I've been alone my entire life until I met you, now you want me to go amongst dozens."

He paused and looked back at the merchants and townfolk mingling together. "We will stay to the edges, so you don't feel trapped. And only for a short time."

Her hesitation was plain as the sky above them but she didn't want to go back on her word, or anger the voice that was rumbling in her mind again. "Promise?"

"With my life, and I would never let anything happen to you."

She could hear the sincerity in his voice and hoped to all she knew that he would.

This chapter got away from me a bit, meant to have their day in Dale featured but I guess that will be the next one. plus some. hope everyone is enjoying themselves. Also, the dress she is wearing...go look up Ever After and the one Drew Berrymore is wearing when she rescues the old man from slavery.