Wow, the reviews for the last chapter were quite...emphatic. Ya'll weren't really pleased with its events, I can see. While I have always striven to take your feelings and opinions into account, certain things in the story must be. I promise Dain's douchebaggery serves a purpose, as does Talaitha's behavior, which a couple of you have denounced as cowardly and/or unworthy of Thorin. Perhaps it is. But consider what you'd do in her position. *shrugs*

Another thing I want to mention is the type of meddling Dain's doing is rampant among royalty and nobility throughout history. And they've gotten away with it nearly every time (the most notable example that comes to my mind right now is Richard II and Bolingbroke). So I did try for realism?

Though I cannot say all of the reviews were encouraging, lol, I nevertheless appreciate your criticisms as well as your praises. The former are just a bit more difficult to swallow. ;)

An Echo In Time: Fuck Dain, indeed. Although on second thought, don't. Kill him.

anna pantelarou: You give me a good idea... Don't worry about Nifha.

superhyperjan: Lol, thank you! And I rather enjoyed the explicit description of Dain. XD

girl43: Thank you! *hugs* Yes, Thranduil nearly stole the show in DoS, even for me. :)

wolfsdottir13: Dain will get what's coming to him...eventually.

Guest: Thank you. :)

Skatingfaery: You flatter me, dear. *hugs*

Just4Me: I almost dread your reaction to this chapter, then.

dakota peeling: Thanks!

Queen of Erebor: *keeps mouth shut*

BeatofHisHeart: No comment.

Sesshomaru's Babydoll: Nifha's a good girl, and she'll stand up to her father. Last chapter was definitely unpopular, but as I've said many times in the past, Talaitha and Thorin have one last, big hurdle to overcome. Thank you, as always, for your constructive reviews. *hugs*

BlackBaccaraRose: I suspect your opinion of Talaitha will plummet after this chapter, then, lol.

JackieJr: Soap opera. I was a bit offended at first.

Ammaviel: I'm sorry?

kaia: Dain doesn't want to kill Thorin, because they're still cousins, but he will kill him (and Fili and Kili, I suppose) if he has no other choice. He'd rather Thorin marry his daughter, as that kills two birds with one stone. As for the pregnancy: The way I see it is that long-lived species (like elves, fairies, and dwarves) reproduce less frequently in comparison to species with shorter lifespans (like humans and hobbits), simply because there is more risk of overpopulation for them, as the elderly don't die at all (elves) or die much later (fairies, dwarves). Somewhere I read Tolkien's own thoughts on elvish reproduction, and he stated basically the same thing. Plus, if you look at the animals that live a long time (whales, turtles, elephants) in comparison to those that live a shorter time (mice, rabbits), they have fewer offspring total and reproduce less often. So that's why Talaitha hasn't gotten pregnant yet. Her race lives on an island, greatly increasing the risk of overpopulation.

ladymoonscar: Let it out, lol.

LianaDare8: Talaitha may disappoint.

Nicci1234: Things will work out in the end. :)

xxxMadameMysteryxxx: Updated!

BlueRiverSteel: Lol, I've nothing useful to say in response to your review, otherwise I'd give away this chapter.

draegon-fire: Dain's certainly underestimated Thorin's affection for Talaitha, as you'll see soon. Mistake or not, Talaitha acts.

Disclaimer: You know who's mine and who isn't. Also, there's a difference between constructive, opinionated comments and insulting ones. Please try to remember that.

For what it's worth, I am sorry. But nothing I do is without purpose.


Morning comes slow today;

Memories and force of will sustain.

Where will I be tomorrow?

What will be left to show?

Stay, I need you here for a new day to break.

Stay, I want you near, like a shadow in my wake.

Stay with me, until the day is over.

-"Stay," Poets of the Fall

Chapter 49: Act

A new day dawned, but yesterday's troubles accompanied it. No matter how much Talaitha tried, she could not shake them long enough to calm her mind. They clung to her, like burrs cling to one's clothes, keeping sleep at bay and tormenting her with what-ifs. What if she told Balin of Dain's schemes? What if she told Thorin? What if she stood up to Dain and refused to leave? Countless times throughout the night, she'd nearly leapt out of bed to do all three, but the same, persistent thought always sobered her. Even if her actions did not result in Thorin's death, she was not a dwarf. That fact wouldn't matter as much if she were courting any other dwarf besides Thorin. But for the king-from the Line of Durin, no less-to marry outside his race would result in either a barren union or the muddying of the royal family. Dwarves already reproduced so rarely and with such difficulty that if there was a chance for Thorin to produce pure heirs, who would sustain the Line of Durin, she had to step aside.

Dain's plan was self-serving, but ultimately, it would help the dwarves survive as a race. It was simple evolutionary theory, yet the ramifications were life-changing.

Thorin's lips on her forehead pulled Talaitha from her thoughts.

"Good morning, my fairy." His sleep-tinged voiced rumbled against the hand she'd placed on his chest.

"Good morning," she replied, heart constricting at the familiar endearment. "Did you sleep well?"

"Aye, very well," he said, tilting up her chin with a finger. When he saw the dark circles under her eyes, he frowned. "But you did not."

Talaitha tried to duck her head, fearful that she would blurt everything under his concerned gaze, but Thorin's grip on her chin was firm.

"I did not snore too loudly, did I?" he asked, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly at her quiet laugh.

"No. I am pleased to say you do not snore," she replied. "I merely had a headache, which kept me awake. But I am fine now." She smiled up at him, hoping it was reassuring enough.

Thorin watched her for a few seconds, then kissed the tip of her nose. "You should sleep. I am sure Óin can manage without you for the morning."

"Yes, I think I will." She knew there would be no sleep for her, but she had no desire to interact with people. After the previous night, feigning normalcy in front of Dain's smug face was one of the last things she wanted to do.

Thorin kissed her, brushing his fingers through her tangled strands, before rolling out of bed and tucking her in. "I shall return at noon to check on you."

Despite her gloom, Talaitha giggled. "You speak and act as though I were a child."

"Not a child," he said, leaning down to stroke her cheek. "But precious none the less."

She was glad when Thorin left the room, for she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Burying her face into his pillow, she cried.

#

It was not yet noon when Thorin returned to his chambers, a folded piece of paper in his hand. Talaitha's name was scrawled upon it, along with a few words in a language he did not recognize. The elven messenger who'd brought it said it was urgent, which only piqued Thorin's curiosity further.

He entered quietly, but he needn't have, for Talaitha had heard his footsteps outside the door. When he saw she was awake, he sat on the bed beside her.

"Did I wake you?"

"Yes," she lied. "But I'm glad." Talaitha saw the letter in his hand. "What's that?"

"I don't know. It's addressed to you." He gave it to her and watched as she read it, the strange language obviously not so strange to her. Curiosity gave way to concern as her expression grew steadily more grim.

"It is from my mother," Talaitha said finally, letting the piece of paper fall into her lap. "My sister is gravely ill. She asks that I come home as soon as I can."

Thorin's hand wrapped around hers, and her heart twinged that she'd lied to him. "Of course. If we pack quickly, we can set off today."

Now Talaitha truly felt like a wretch, watching as he opened the wardrobe to collect their clothes. She got out of bed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm going alone, Thorin."

He turned to her, ready to argue, but she silenced his protests with a kiss.

"You've a kingdom to rule and treaties to make. The trade agreement with the Easterlings is far too important," she reasoned. "Besides," Talaitha smiled. "I am quite accustomed to traveling alone. Before your merry band of dwarves came along, I only had Szélvész."

"But Nemere is a world away," he said, clasping her hands between his. Talaitha saw her grief mirrored in his eyes.

"Almost," she agreed, with a sad smile. "But you will have plenty to keep you busy."

"Even so, my thoughts will always stray to you, and I shall count the days till you return."

Talaitha didn't reply, for she couldn't bear another lie. Instead, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and inhaled his scent for the last time. He held her for what seemed like hours, placing kisses on her cheek, temple, forehead, and hair, until he felt her pull away. He watched her dress in leather breeches, a blouse, and that familiar brown, leather corset, watched her pack a change of clothes and fill her tarsoly with medicines and plants.

When she withdrew Ezüstlélek from the drawer, he stepped up to her. "Let me."

Thorin looped the belt around her hips and attached her sword and daggers to it. He then moved behind her, twisting her hair into a simple braid that he draped over her shoulder, and fastened her bow and quiver of arrows onto the baldric.

Once finished, he faced her again, taking in her appearance. Bedecked for journey and battle, Talaitha stared back at him, her jaw tense and her lips set in a hard line. The expression looked wrong on her face.

"I will escort you down," he said, taking her hand. "Do you wish to say goodbye to the others?"

Talaitha nodded and allowed him to lead her into the entrance hall, where they met Nori and Bofur returning from a hunt. At Thorin's request, Bofur gathered the rest of the dwarves. All except Dain were reluctant to see her leave, though he played his part convincingly. She hugged Fili, Kili, and Ori and accepted Bofur's kiss upon her knuckles with a smile. Bombur packed her weeks' worth of food, and Óin gave her extra herbs. It was a subdued occasion, which was a rarity for these dwarves, and before long, she was ready to go.

Thorin went outside with her, waiting as she called Szélvész. The mare, perhaps sensing her mistress' mood, came without her usual pomp.

"Will you at least allow me to accompany you to Mirkwood?"

"To the border," she replied.

They walked along the path in silence, hands joined tightly, with Szélvész following behind. All too soon, the forest loomed before them. Talaitha stopped at the edge and faced Thorin.

"Rule wisely," she said, cupping his cheek. "And be happy."

Thorin's brows furrowed as he placed his hand atop hers. "You sound as though we shall never see each other again."

"The journey to Nemere takes many months," she replied, tears welling in her eyes. "I fear it will be a long time till next we meet."

He pulled her into his arms and rested his cheek on top of her head, running his hands comfortingly up and down her back.

"I will wait," he said. His voice rumbled against her ear, further soothing her. "Now that we have found each other, we have forever."

She didn't reply, for it would have been yet another lie. He held her for many minutes, and the instant she pulled away, she felt cold and unsteady. He helped her mount Szélvész, his hand lingering until the last moment.

He watched the horse walk slowly into Mirkwood, fighting against the urge to run after the fairy, his throne be damned. Talaitha was right; Erebor was in too precarious a position to leave it now. Yet when Talaitha looked back at him before the trees hid her from view, he felt as though a part of him had left the mountain anyway.