Chapter 13– Questions part 2
The next night, as the rest of the group told stories by the fire, Chari finally had enough. If Thorin wasn't going to acknowledge the looks he gave her sister on his own, then by God, she'd force him to. Chari abruptly stood up, her friends giving her confused looks, before stalking over to said moody king.
"You, me, woods. Now." Chari growled, before stalking off into the tree line nearby.
Thorin had no choice but to follow, albeit bewilderedly and reluctantly. The two walked in silence for a while, until Chari spoke.
"I saw the look that you shot Avarielle the other day. No, listen."
Chari stopped the dwarf king from interrupting with a raised hand, pausing in her walking to look at him. His mouth had opened as if to rebut her statement, but closed with a snap as she held up her hand.
"I'm not saying that our loss is any worse than yours or anyone else's in the company. Everyone has lost someone. But, everyone grieves differently as well. Avarielle bottle's up her emotions, until she can't take it anymore. Then, her emotions explode in one way or another." Chari paused, as if in thought.
"The other night, was the first time that I've seen my sister cry in months. Usually, she explains what happened to Papa in a normal voice, showing practically no emotion. Being around you guys is good for her. Good for us." Chari adds, wringing her hands together as if she was nervous.
"Our mother is…. difficult to live with. It's nice to see a different emotion on my sister's face other than fear or worry." Chari continues, her eyes locking with Thorin's again from where they had been trained on her feet.
"Before you judge us, try to walk in our shoes. I know we haven't shared much, but we are honest. It will take us time to open up, Avarielle especially. She has trust issues. Hell, she's keeping stuff from me about what happened when we were kids. But, I know it's because she loves me, and is trying to protect me. Trust is a two-way street after all."
It is quiet for another few minutes, the two continuing to stroll among the trees, Thorin seemingly trying to digest all that was just thrown at him.
"So, you'd heard Erebor's tale before yesterday, then?" Thorin spoke up finally.
"The hobbit was onto something," he continued, speaking as he walked.
Chari listened quietly, trying to find out why this line of questioning had started.
"If there are no Dwarves in your… world, then you should have no knowledge of such events."
"Is it possible something happened to the dwarrow of your home? Before your time?" he speculated, clarifying certain things from the last time their home came up.
Chari shook her head.
"Not possible." Chari explained, shoving her hands in her coat pocket.
She glanced over to find his brow furrowed in frustration again. That seemed to be his favorite expression to wear.
He asked, "So you truly mean they just… never existed?"
Chari nodded. "correct."
Thorin continued that vein, asking, "The other races as well?"
Chari shook her head.
"Yep. Just a world filled with the races of Men. It's fantastic." Chari sarcastically replied.
The raised eyebrow on Thorin's face told Chari she probably shouldn't have been sarcastic.
"And you've only been here since the meeting at the Halfling's home?" he recalled.
Chari sighed, but nodded.
"Are we done stating the obvious?" She muttered to herself.
Though, Thorin heard it clear as day, seeing as it was only them two in the mini woods.
Thorin quietly continued to walk, heading back towards the camp with Chari a few steps behind. It appears he was trying to digest everything that Chari and Elle had told him. Chari could begin to feel his aggravation mounting, steam practically coming out of his ears. Chari tried to keep her cool, though she could feel some fear spike in her. To put distance between them, Chari began to gravitate closer to the edge of the trees, where she could see their little camp through the branches.
Thorin was still in that contemplative state, face reverting into the trademark scowl.
"I hope you're aware of how little sense this makes," he said, almost critically.
"You say there are no Dwarves in your land, though nevertheless have a basic understanding of dwarrow here."
Chari raised an eyebrow, confused.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, almost in an exasperated tone.
"Miss Fields, you and your sister kept the Halfling from saying anything further yesterday, clearly knowing how his opinion of Elves would be received. You both had knowledge of the map prior to arrival, and you both knew of not only the loss of Erebor, but also of our quest, yet claim that we're the first Dwarves you have met. I am supposed to believe you're from another world, but there is only one Erebor, and it is here – in Middle Earth," he enlightened her dryly.
"Unless Gandalf enlightened you in the short time you knew him before arriving at the Halflings home – which is doubtful," Thorin added, narrowing his eyes, "Then you've come across this information by other means."
Chari nervously bounced on her heels, knowing he was crossing into territory that she knew she couldn't answer. Thorin locked eyes with her, and she felt like a deer in headlights.
"Somehow you have this knowledge, just as you somehow saw that map. So, either you are lying, which is not recommended," Thorin cautioned, stare unyielding, "or there is something else at work that I cannot decipher."
Chari bit her lip, not sure how to answer.
Thorin stared at her head, as though he could see through her soul and into her brain, trying to pick apart the information locked inside. For another long moment, he looked like he was weighing something in his mind, before he began again.
"The runes themselves," Thorin started, with an edge to the tone.
"Do you know of what they speak?"
Chari let out a breath.
"Yes."
Her answer was short. She neglected to add that she couldn't recall what it said word for word, and that asking her what it said would be a bad idea.
The King seemed both surprised and concerned by this new information. "So, you know how to read ancient Dwarvish?"
Chari shook her head.
"Sort of." She answered quietly, her fear spiking at the severity in his tone.
"You swear you encountered no other Dwarves before us?" he asked, firm, but light, like he realized scaring Chari would do him no good.
Chari froze, knowing what he was asking. She knew that he was asking purely to see if she'd met his father, hoping to have a way to find him. Though, he was no longer findable. Chari knew that Thorin didn't play around when it came to family, and if Chari or Elle may have a link to his father, he'd want to know.
Chari nodded slowly, biting her lip trying to refrain from spurting out what truly happened to his father.
Thorin exhaled quickly, looking around the trees in vexation, his thoughts scattered. When he finally locked gazes with Chari again, he was scowling once more.
"Why do you look so uncertain of your own answers?" he demanded with more conviction, slight frustration and anger leaking in his tone.
"What is it you're trying to hide?"
Chari bit her lip harder, causing blood, though she hardly noticed. She knew quite a bit, and knew that she couldn't answer his questions.
A few strides, and he was suddenly in front of Chari, using that looming posture he was so fond of. He stood tall for his height, trying to be intimidating. To Chari, it was almost laughable, what with her being almost a whole foot taller.
"Do not deceive me," Thorin uttered, his deep voice rumbling much too close. "You have no right to bear knowledge of that map, nor any right to keep secrets concerning it, and I will have the truth from you."
"As I said earlier, neither Avarielle nor myself have ever lied to you. Yes, we're keeping secrets, but as I said, it's to protect you. Maybe we don't have a right to 'bear your map', in any form, but you want to know why we learned everything about it we could?"
Chari's voice rose, fear replaced with anger, as she rose to her full height, making Thorin step back a bit in apprehension.
"Because we are proud of you. We're proud of what your about to do. We wanted to be able to tell everyone back home about how great you were, without sounding like unintelligent dorks. You think I'm lying, go ahead, look in my eyes. I wouldn't lie about this."
Chari then knelt on one knee so they were eye to eye. Cautiously, Thorin searched for any kind of deception in her eyes. After a moment of sifting through her many emotions on her face, he stepped back, giving Chari breathing room again.
"Though I do not know the weight of it, I would ask you to give your word," Thorin said in a resigned manner.
"About?" Chari asked, arching an eyebrow.
Thorin looked at Chari as if she was the stupidest girl on the planet, but she wanted to know what she was getting her and her sister into.
"Swear your answers are genuine – no tricks, no lies. That you have been, and will be, nothing but honest as this continues."
Chari huffed. She could see his point, but she hated being called a liar.
"Miss Fields, when you and your sister agreed to questioning, I had hoped it would not be necessary, but I call for an oath nonetheless. On your honor if need be," Thorin maintained, choosing to ignore her unconcealed annoyance.
Chari paused, knowing that she and her sister weren't one to make a promise all willy-nilly. When they committed, they committed. Then, she sighed. What about the questions like earlier, about why they were there, that sort of thing? Would not answering count as lying? She wasn't sure, but she knew that this was the only way to get Thorin to believe her and Elle.
Chari sighed. "Alright."
Chari held out her pinky to him. Seeing his confused expression, Chari nearly hit herself. She wasn't sure why she thought a Middle Earth resident would know what a pinky promise was. Fili and Kili didn't, so why would their uncle?
"What are you doing?" Thorin asked suspiciously, watching her hand.
"It's a pinky promise. Where Elle and I are from, it's the equivalent of giving your word. Elle and I take these very seriously."
Thorin raised an eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless.
Gradually, while keeping eye contact, Thorin brought a hand up to the same level. From his posture, he either expected her pull away, or turn into a werewolf and bite his entire arm off.
Neither happened, obviously.
Chari slowly moved her hand forward, incredibly wary not to make any sudden movements around this hardened warrior who didn't quite trust her or her sister yet. She waited until he got the hint and stuck out his own thick pinky finger, still looking extremely apprehensive about this entire thing.
Then, Chari closed the gap, latching her pinky with his. First contact with Thorin Oakenshield, and it was a pinky promise. Chari almost laughed.
Thorin's face was expectant and inquiring, like he wanted to say, 'Now what?' but didn't want to bother with such a casual remark.
Then, Chari released the finger, and waited until he did the same, there arms falling back to their sides.
"It doesn't seem a very dependable way to give one's word," Thorin observed, picking up on its simplicity with doubtfulness.
Chari shrugged.
"It works for us." Chari says.
She shifts nervously, before heading back toward the exit of the woods, Thorin joining her. Soon, the two had reached their campsite, and both dropped their piles down beside the fire.
"I'll send Elle over to do the same. When one of us makes a promise, we both have to make it." Chari said, turning to Thorin as she stuffs her hands in her coat pockets.
Eventually, Thorin said with finality, "Very well."
Chari nodded, before rejoining her friends near the fire, a small smile on her face.