Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything you recognize belongs to either the genius of J.R.R. Tolkien, or to Peter Jackson or to the singers/bands whose songs titles are quoted in this story.
This title's chapter and, exceptionally the lyrics, belong to Françoise Hardy.
Genre : Romance
Rating: M (to be safe)
Pairing: OC/Thorin
Notes: I can't believe the amazing feedback on the last chapter ! This story has now 67 reviews, 115 followers and 63 favourites ! This is just awesome and thank you so much to all the readers :)
Guest : I listened to "Sleepsong" by Bastille and I thought that the lyrics fitted the story as well. Thank you for the suggestion and for the review :)
So here's the chapter you've been waiting for. I tried to update as quickly as I could (sorry about the cliffhanger). Just so you know, about this story, I started to imagine the plot and Dwia's character thanks to this song "Message personnel" by Françoise Hardy whose lyrics are really powerful and true, in my opinion.
Exceptionally, I just put a few lyrics of the song (with their translation in English) at the beginning of this chapter, as they fit with the state of mind I was in when I wrote it.
Chapter 21 : Message personnel
Je suis seule à crever, et je sais où vous êtes (I'm so lonesome I could die and I know where you are)
J'arrive, attendez-moi, nous allons nous connaître (I'm coming, wait for me, I know you, you know me)
Préparez votre temps, pour vous j'ai tout le mien (Will you spare me some time 'cause I'll give you all mine)
J'ai peur que tu sois sourd (I'm afraid you'll be deaf)
J'ai peur que tu sois lâche (I'm afraid you'll escape)
J'ai peur d'être indiscrète (afraid I'm too forward)
Je ne peux pas vous dire que je t'aime peut-être (and I never shall say that I've fallen for you)
The Great Hall was a long room with a high carved ceiling. There were two fireplaces at each end of the room, casting soft lights on the red tiling.
Chairs, armchairs and stools were scattered around the room, and people were talking in small groups. The Hall was very noisy with the dozen of dwarves talking loudly and toasting to celebrate everything and nothing, as usual.
Dwarves never needed a reason for drinking anyway.
Dwia was gripping Dislin's arm, heating her friend's skin with her sweaty hand.
She had the feeling that all her life had been leading to this moment.
After finding her father, there was another main thread to her existence she had to follow: her dreams of Erebor and its Exiled King.
It was as if she was about step into one of her visions.
Was she thrilled or terrified? She did not know. She just kept on walking like a puppet.
Dislin stopped in front of the first group of dwarves composed of Bofur, Bifur, Bombur and Gloin. Bofur smiled at her and she relaxed a little. She let go of Dislin's arm and walked to his side.
He smiled at her and put an arm on her shoulders. The warmth was comforting and she leaned in his embrace. She felt safe with her father, so safe.
"Gloin, this is Dwia, my daughter" said Bofur proudly.
"Aye. I saw you in Balin's house a few days ago" said Gloin, raising his tankard to her "At your service, my lady."
Dwia smiled and nodded shyly at him.
Another dwarf came by Gloin's side, his hair was grey and he was holding a hearing horn. Gloin introduced the elder dwarf, Oin was his name. Oin gave her another "At your service, my lady."
He then winked at Bofur, and said, teasing:
"I understand now why you kept her hidden all these years... such a beauty in a mountain full of dwarves."
Dwia blushed at the compliment and they all laughed. Bofur then told Oin the story of their reunion. He was talking so merrily, with such enthusiasm, retelling the happiest moment of his life. Dwia was looking at him as he spoke, and it calmed her down. She was slowly realizing how much she had come to love her father for the last few weeks.
She let her head rest on his shoulder absent mindedly, and took deep breaths.
Thorin was in the room.
She could feel him.
Maybe, he was near the other fireplace. She did not know if she was imagining it, but she could swear the she heard faintly the low and rich tones of his voice.
Bofur snatched her from her reverie, as he tightened his hold on her arm:
"Come on, let's introduce you to the Princes" he said happily.
Her heart started to beat hard again. He led her to Dis who was talking with two young dwarves in one corner of the Hall.
"Dwia" said Dis smiling at her "Come, meet my boys."
The princes could not be more different from each other. One had golden hair, a braided beard and clear blue eyes. His smile was gentle, but there was also a regal countenance about the way he stood. That one was still young, but could be serious, she thought.
The second prince had dark black hair and a happy face. His brown eyes were shining, his features young and full of life. He had almost no beard, just a faint shadow on his chin.
"Fili and Kili" said Dis, pointing at her sons.
"At your service" they answered at the same time.
"Dwia, at yours" she answered.
"So, we finally get to see your daughter, Bofur" said Fili, raising an eyebrow.
"Aye, it's not like you were supposed to introduce her, like … weeks ago!" added Kili, smiling.
"We've missed already so many years together, that I wanted to keep her to myself a bit longer" confessed Bofur.
Dwia smiled at him, and tightened her hold on her father's hand. She was glad as well of those weeks they had spent together, just talking, living together, and enjoying each other's company. And she was grateful, for the sake of her innate shyness, that he had delayed introducing her to everyone.
Dislin interrupted them and started telling everyone about Dwia's smith skills and their journey from Rohan to Ered Luin. She was giving an embellished tale of their last night in Moria, where as she was stressing "Dwia had stolen not only the eyes, but the hearts of every dwarf."
"Of course, she had been admired" said Dis smiling "Such a pretty face"
"Please, my lady, you embarrass me" said Dwia lowering her eyes and blushing "All dwarf ladies at this feast were very elegant and beautiful" she added.
Dislin sighed loudly at Dwia's modesty and shyness.
Kili broke the tension and proposed a toast to celebrate Dwia's arrival amongst them. As he raised his glass, he said softly:
"The most handsome people are not always the ones with beards..." he winked at her.
She smiled at him and nodded, raising her glass to his. His words were very thoughtful and she was touched.
They started to talk about the upcoming journey to Erebor, and the mood immediately turned more serious. Bofur was talking about the necessary items to pack with Fili, as Dis and Dislin gave them advices of caution and worried looks.
Dwia heard Dwalin's voice behind her and she peeked behind her shoulder. He was standing with his back at her, talking to Thorin.
Dwia gasped and turned her head back quickly, closing her eyes for a minute trying to memorize all the details of the King's handsome features.
His long dark hair where thin threads of silver shined. His broad shoulders and straight figure. His serious blue eyes and thin lips through his dark short beard. His dark clothes, finely decorated with carved items of silver.
She opened her eyes again at the sound of her father's voice.
"Dwia? Everything's fine?" he asked, seeing her with closed eyes.
"Yes, just thinking that's all" she answered.
"We've got reasons to worry" grumbled Dislin "with your crazy expedition coming."
There was a silence, and then a deep low voice said calmly:
"Lady Dislin, still worried, I see" Thorin broke in, but his tone was not angry, it was lenient and gentle.
The King was standing at Bofur's side and could not see Dwia as she was standing in the shadow of her father's other side. Dwia's heart was beating madly in her chest, and the Hall felt too small all of a sudden.
"We're the ones staying behind, and left to worry, your Majesty." answered Dislin, courteous, but her tone still firm.
"Aye. That is true." he conceded, glancing once at his sister.
Dis smiled at him and stepped next to Dwia, taking her small shaking hand in hers. She led her in front of the King and said:
"Brother, may I introduce Lady Dwia, daughter of Bofur."
As Dwia raised her eyes, she could see the huge shock in Thorin's eyes, and imagined what he must feel in this moment. Her body felt so warm under his stare. She was even more attracted to him in real life then she had been in her dreams. The tension was so strong, as if the air was growing solid between their two bodies.
Thorin was staring at Dwia, blinking, not caring that the silence between them was lasting longer than was usual between two people who met for the first time.
She was so beautiful and she was real, just there, like in his dreams. Slightly smaller than him, green eyes and blond hair half braided and half falling on her shoulders. Her throat soft and white, her necklace with the Firebeard's symbol glittering.
It was so stunning and good to see her standing there.
It felt like falling in love over and over again.
All the others were looking at the two of them, growing surprised and intrigued as the silence lasted. It was Dis' voice that shook Thorin from his trance.
"Thorin?" she said, softly.
He averted his eyes from Dwia with difficulty, and bowed stiffly to her.
"My Lady, welcome to Ered Luin."
"Your majesty" Dwia curtsied back, her voice a whisper.
"Hey lass! " burst in Dwalin "Nice seeing you here. I hope Dislin did not persuade you of the rightfulness of her anti-Erebor crusade" he said joking.
Dislin glared at him, and the lively conversation started again.
Dwalin's entrance had diffused the tension created at Thorin and Dwia's strange first encounter.
The voices were dancing around them, but neither Dwia, nor Thorin cared. They were deeply troubled by each other's presence and dying to have the chance to speak in private.
But how could it be possible? It would be improper, and weird for two strangers to stand aside and start talking.
Thorin could not use his authority to ask an audience with her, not with her father there. Bofur was his friend and he respected him.
But he could not wait either. There were so many things to ask, to say, so much unfinished dreams and desires between them. So, while the others were still talking loudly, Thorin slipped silently next to her and addressed her in his low voice.
"Do you like it here, my Lady... in Ered Luin?"
"Very much" she answered, blushing under his stare "I've never been happier in my whole life" she confessed to him, and it was true.
"Aye. It's understandable. You have found your father here" he stated "How did you find Moria?" he asked again, his tone slightly pressing.
"Very impressive, but not as lively as Ered Luin" she answered sincerely, her eyes not leaving his for a second "There is less dwarves in Moria than here, but we were very finely settled during our stay. All was made for our comfort."
He smiled warmly at her, one of his true smiles, free of his daily worries. She returned his smile and instinctively took one step closer.
Dwia had never yearned for a man's touch so much in her life.
From the outside, it looked like they were having an innocent and quiet conversation. They still stood at a reasonable distance from each other.
"I'm glad you found the Moria guest's rooms to your taste "he added, in voice quieter. His gaze was searching for an understanding of his words in her eyes, and he found it.
Dwia's heart stopped for a second, and then she grew bold. She wanted so much to tell him that she remembered, that she saw him, that she hadn't stopped thinking about him since.
But she couldn't be so open. So she lowered her gaze and breathed, once, twice.
When she looked back at him, he was still staring at her expectantly.
"I had a wonderful dream in Moria" she whispered, only for him to hear.
It was his turn to blush slightly, and she saw the relief on his face. They had understood each other. Their dreams had been real for both of them.
They did not have the chance to talk again that night, as Thorin was needed when the men were eagerly discussing the Quest.
Later that night, Dwia came home with her father not caring where her feet were leading her.
Something warm had settled in her chest and belly, caressing her every thought with the deepness of his blue eyes.
So? I hope you liked their reunion. I wanted to keep their first (real) meeting both quiet and restrained so that Thorin would not be too much OOC.
Please review ! And have nice sunday :)