Chapter 52
This chapter starts to get rather dark and grim. It does have some gratuitous naked Thorin though.
Thorin let his body sink into the warm water. It was one of his deepest pleasures to soak his worn, battle scarred form. Erebor had naturally hot springs. Some of which was diverted to the king's private chambers back in the age of Thror. His grandfather would allow other members of the royal family to partake of the heated waters. It was one of the true luxuries of his former youth he had missed the most.
He allowed himself to sink under for a few precious seconds. The water flowing in his thick dark hair. Then he sat up and spit out the water, pushing back his now sodden locks. Leaning back against the marble edges of the tub, he willed his body to relax. His arms were criss crossed with a score of scars, most from battle some from the forge. His legs faired only slightly better. Unlike Dwalin, he only had a few tattoos. His body was marked with his failures, not with his few victories. He bore the names of his lost loved ones on one arm. Often he would stare at their names and pray no more joined them. In the lovely heat of the calm waters, tense muscles began to unwind.
His mind was a far different matter. Tomorrow, Dain would leave and so would he. Thorin had understood Balin's objections. They had just fought politically tooth and nail to keep the mountain under the rule of Durin. Now, he was going to abandon it to ride out after his nephews and Bilbo. He told himself repeatedly that wasn't what he was doing.
The threat of the witches remained. Two more were out there, plotting the death of the Durin line. If naught else, Thorin believed they would follow him from Erebor. Because he'd make certain he was proper bait. Instinctively, Thorin knew he was the biggest target, the stag they desired to take down the fiercest. Thorin would reel them into his own trap. He would find a way to end their wicked lives. They would threaten his boys no more. Thorin understood he failed them repeatedly on the quest. In this, he would not accept defeat. Never again would he see either Kili or Fili on their funeral slabs. This was an oath he swore to their Maker.
Then was going after Erebor's true rulers, Fili and Kili. He had not shared this decision with either Balin or Dwalin. However, Thorin knew he was no longer worthy to rule the Longbeard clan. Fili, his lion, had never succumbed to the gold lust for even one second. His soul was pure from the Durin curse of lust for wealth. Fili was the one who brokered for peace with humans and elves alike. It was because of Fili's great heart and humble words the company and their very foolish uncle survived Azog's attack. Erebor would thrive under his nephew's rule.
Kili, his little bird, would be right there beside his brother. Only a fool ever tried to part the brothers. By banishing Fili, Thorin had become the greatest idiot in all of Middle Earth. But, in one corner of his mind, he was proud for the most unique member of the Durin clan. Because in his brief rule, Kili had shined spectacularly. Fili was always a precious gem, but Kili's worth was always covered and hidden away. Or maybe it was just Thorin who couldn't see it, because Fili always claimed it was there. It didn't matter anymore. Neither child had nothing to prove, not to the world and certainly not to their dishonored uncle.
He rubbed his tired blue eyes. Images of Fili and Kili dancing in his vision. He'd seen them both born. Watched as they took their first steps. It was by his hand they were guided from babes to teens to the young dwarrows they were. Thorin shrugged, wondering for the thousandth time, how they managed to turn out so well. Despite him possibly being the worst possible person to raise the boys, Fili and Kili had proven themselves to be noble dwarrow. Far better than their old uncle. Thorin would spend the rest of his days in shame, knowing how poorly he had treated them.
Kili was still furious with him. Thorin would never forget the images of Kili shouting at him with such anger, such a sense of betrayal. Even now his heart clenched at the memory. Bilbo's words rang in his head. Bilbo's finger pointing in his chest sharper than any blade. "You have managed what trolls, orcs, goblin and dragon's could not. You have separated Fili and Kili."
Damn his soul. He'd had not listened to a word of his hobbit. "Mahal, had he really tried to kill him?" Would he have shaken the life out of the gentle soul from his greed? Although much of the gold lust was a fevered dream, Thorin remembered Bilbo's wounded expression in the healing tent. Before his eyes, the king could see Bilbo lose all respect for him, all affection, as Thorin managed to fail his friend once last time.
Thorin understood if the boys did not forgive him, but he would make certain the crown was Fili's. His boys would finally have the heritage of Erebor as theirs. It was truly all he'd ever desired. A mountain over their head, no more living as scavengers. Fili and Kili would have the home they truly deserved. Then he would leave, not allowing his taint to spread over their rule.
He would travel to the Shire.
Thorin would attempt to spend the rest of his life trying to make amends to Bilbo. The selfish part of his soul told him the hobbit would eventually forgive him. Bilbo was truly an amazing being with depths of courage and understanding that Thorin did not possess. Maybe with enough time, with honest words and deeds, Thorin could find a way to get back a tenth of the lost respect in Bilbo's heart. He had to try.
Thorin rubbed out the water in his beard with a sigh. "How do you fix the biggest mistake of your life?" Words seemed too ineffectual. But it was all he had left. A thousand apologies and more he would make to the three of them.
/
Spin awoke to the place of his nightmares. As his eyes fluttered opened, the pain could not conceal the horrible. He was back in the witch's lair. The same darkened, smelly hole. Only this time he was bound by both hand and foot. His hat long gone.
The Hag had her back turned to him. For a minute, all the child could do was shudder in fear. He tried to not make a sound. Noises came from the dark figure, words he could not make out. The sounds of bottles clinking, liquid boiling. She was engrossed in her work.
Maybe she would forget him.
He blinked as his tear stained face tried to see a way out of this old dark tent. Spin had left before, he could do it again. He just had too.
The boy started to squirm toward the edge of the tent. Progress was slow. Spin did not want to make any sound. The floor of the tent was covered in various rugs and great deal of debris. As time passed the young dwarf grew bolder. He wiggled closer to the edge. Spin thought he could hear the sound of people passing outside. His heartbeat rang in his ears as a rat ran over his bound hands. It ran up his arm, its claws digging into the boy as it scurried over the boy's body. Spin stopped his shriek of alarm. He bit down on his lip instead drawing blood.
Spin squirmed trying to rock the vermin off his shoulder. It finally fell without biting him. Spin turned back to the edge of the tent.
The hag was in front of him. Suddenly, she filled up the entirety of his sight, her wrinkled flaps of skin draping down from hollow checks. Grabbing the boy by his neck, she single handedly lifted the child off his feet.
Spin gagged as his breath was instantly cut off. His blue eyes bulged with fear.
"Your blood. It smells...good. You would make a tasty meal." She continued to hold him close as if she was inspecting a rare jewel.
Spin tried to squirm, wiggle his rapidly weakening body from the witch's hand. Nothing worked.
His eyes began to roll to the back of his head. Blackness was swallowing him whole. The boy wanted to cry out, strike back, anything. But it was useless.
She tossed him across the room. The boy crumbled into some old wood boxes, a broken chair. He tried to gulp in air as she strode across to him. Spin tried to squirm away but his body betrayed him. He was too weak.
Once more the hag lifted him up off the floor, but this time it was by his greasy red hair. She once more held the child close. Spin gasped in agony, but his throat was burning from the earlier strangling.
Her right eye twitched uncontrollably. Then her dark gray tongue lashed out, like that of a great reptile. "Sweet meat." She muttered.
Spin glared back at her. He couldn't strike back, couldn't even scream. But he'd meet his end with his eyes open, just like his father had told him all brave dwarrow warriors did. Yet, Spin didn't feel brave, he didn't want to die.
"You have other uses this night. There are others who will fit my need." She dropped him. He fell once more like stone.
The hag walked back to black wooden table lit by long yellow tallow candles. Spin wanted to curl up into a tight ball. Hold the world back by shutting his eyes. Instead, he shakily tried to get to his feet.
"The Lizard favors you. Noble name for a stupid dwarrow. He is no lizard. Just a male. Another dumb piece of meat." The witch rummages around her belongings for a brief second. She selects an item and turns back to the young thief.
She grabs him by his face, one clawed hand digging into his freckled flesh. "Now you are in my service. You have something which I seek. I know how hard you have avoided me. My treats. You keep your little precious family from my sight, but not from my knowledge."
Spin's head jerks up and her words.
She jiggles a black velvet bag in her hand the size of a loaf of bread. "You will do my bidding. If you fail me, I think I'll start with, oh wait, what is his name? The youngest babe. Jagger. Fresh, sweat meat with tasty fat. He'll be very, very good."
Spin's vision turned into a red haze. Never before had the boy been so angry, not when his mother died, not when his father fell in battle. This time he did scream with a primal shout of pure hatred.
Sorry, short chapter update. Finished my tests, then got ill. Uggh, on a holiday weekend too. Yea for antibiotics! I think I'll have time to post another chapter before school sucks my brain in again.
Oh, the story will continue to have more horror elements once more. Our guys are up against some evil forces.
