Oh my goodness, I am so so sorry for the lateness of this chapter! I've not been in the best mental state to do much of anything all last week. I'm not a hundred percent better, but I'm better enough to get this uploaded, along with the next chapter to reward you for your patience.
Review response;
juliebigjewlzbrowning – Thank you! I'm g;ad you're enjoying it! x
Guest Palacegirl. - Thank you! I'm sorry for this chapter being late, hope I made it up by posting the next chapter too!
Chapter 16
For the first couple of days, all we do is rest, either by sleeping or just dozing in the garden. Well, most of us are resting. Aiden however, thanks to his high energy, is currently running around the garden, his wounds now healed for him to do so. Fili and Kili are only too happy to keep him occupied as they chase him. This causes me to smile as I watch him. We might not have come here by choice, but I am so happy that the Valar – I think that's what Gandalf called them - had answered my prayers and brought us here.
In the past few years, I have never seen Aiden so happy before, so carefree. . .just being able to be a child. . .it's not happened before. He's had to grow up so quick, even just being a toddler he was mature for his age, always comforting me when I was upset about something. . .which happened more times than I could count.
"He seems to be settling in well." Thorin says as he sits next to me, pipe in hand as he watches the three boys.
I smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking the same. He's never had the chance to be just a child at home, living in fear most of the time. I'm just relieved that he's taken to all of you."
He just smiles as we continuing watching the trio, Bofur, Bifur, Nori and Ori soon joining in on their fun.
Later that night, once we have supper and Aiden is asleep, I am relaxing with the others, sewing a hole in Aiden's pants.
"Sophia, Aiden said something strange earlier." Kili says tentatively.
I look to him, wondering what Aiden could have said. "What did he say?"
He and Fili look at each other for a moment, before Fili is the one to answer. "He said that, at home, he would never have been able to run around like he did. . .that his father would hurt him."
This causes everyone to go silent as they look to Fili and then to me.
"Is it true lass? Has his father ever hurt him?" Gloin asks me, a look of horror on his face.
I sigh as I put my sewing down. "Yes. . .it's true. His father was not a nice man, he used to be, when we were first together. . .but it all changed a couple of years after Aiden was born. He became violent and dependent on alcohol, which wasn't a good combination. He would strike out at both of us. The first and only time he hit Aiden, I stopped him, using myself as a shield for my son. He would also keep us both locked up in the house so we couldn't go out."
"He never had the chance to be just a child. . .that's what you said this afternoon." Thorin brings up.
I nod. "I would let him play, but only when his father wasn't around, so we had some good times, just the pair of us. But other than that, Aiden has had to grow up really quickly."
"That is why he is afraid of adult males? Ones he doesn't know at least." Balin works out, tears in his eyes at the thought of where his fears came from.
"Yes. We managed to get away from him, around five months before we came here. When his father had found us, we had to run again. We ran through the streets before coming to a dead end, I stood up to him to protect Aiden, but he struck my face, sending me to the ground. That's when a bright light surrounded us both and brought us here."
"Then, that bruise on your face. . .that was caused by his father, not the bandits?" Bofur asks in horror and disgust.
I nod again.
"How can someone do such a vile thing?" Dori asks in anger. "Women and children should be treated with respect, not beaten around as such."
"Things are different where I come from. It's not so unusual for women and children to be treated like that there. I've read countless stories about women and children that have been beaten to death. . .I count myself lucky that never happened to Aiden."
"And yourself. Surely you wouldn't wanted to have anything like that happen to you, also." Dwalin says.
I just smile. "I don't care what would have happened to me. As long as my son was safe. . .that's all that mattered."
This causes the others to go quiet, at which point I decide to go to bed. Picking up my sewing, I go to the spare room where Aiden is fast asleep in bed. I slip in beside Aiden, smiling as he instantly snuggles up to me. Holding him close, I watch him sleep while running a hand over his head.
"I promise, my love. I will never allow anything to harm you again."
Placing a kiss to his forehead, I settle down and sleep.
Over the next few days, things seem to have changed within the dynamic of our group. The dwarves appear to be more protective over the both of us, Aiden always having someone to play with. I just smile, knowing this has come from my tale and know they are allowing Aiden this chance to live as a normal child. Even Gloin has been seen playing with him, which I am guessing will come from his own instincts of being a father himself. Bilbo had even taken the time to either tell him stories or play with him and Gandalf, who had also heard what had happened to us, would use his magic to create butterflies and sparks for him to chase.
When not playing with or watching Aiden, I spend my time training with the dwarves, Fili and Kili really pushing me, since thanks to the goblins and Azog, we have been lax with our training the past few days. As well as continuing with our archery lessons, Kili also teaches me how to make and fletch arrows, something I am excited about and eager to learn. I even spar with Thorin on a few times, which I lose spectacularly at each and every time. But I just grin every time he helps me up, ignoring the tingles I feel each time I take his offered hand. Fili and Kili also continue their training with Aiden, something which I have seen Thorin often joining in on, which warms my heart, especially when I see Aiden going to him to ask him to train.
Each night after supper, we relax in front of the fire either telling stories, one night, talk tuns to family, in which I learnt a lot more about Fili and Kili's mother, Dis, who sounds like a formidable dam, someone you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side. I wish I could meet her. I also learnt about Bombur's wife, Aris, and four children, Bruni, Samur, Dina, and little Vinar, as well as Gloin's wife, Freja, and his son Gimli. I also told them about my parents and older sister, who all died when I was five months pregnant with Aiden, so he was unfortunately unable to met any of them, but know of them. The others look sad at this and give me looks of sympathy. Glancing at Thorin, I can see a look of understanding on his face and can suddenly empathise with him, as he has also lost his parents and a sibling.
To pick up the mood, Aiden, Bilbo and I listen to the others as they sing songs and play their instruments. It surprises me when Thorin pulls out a small harp from his pack and begins playing it. For someone as strong as he, it really does surprise me that he plays such a delicate instrument and is so gently as he holds the harp in his hands. But it also sends a thrill through me, seeing someone so strong being so gentle. As I listen to him play and sing, I can barely take my eyes from him, his voice blending so well with the others and the music.
On one of these musical nights, Bofur turns to me.
"So lass, what are the songs like where you are from?"
I pause for a moment, not knowing how to explain this one. "Well, they are VERY different. Different types and talk about different topics. There are also some that I would rather not talk about."
"Why?" Kili asks curiously.
I blush slightly as I look down. "Because they're. . .quite provocative."
There's a mixture of reactions from this. Some are grinning madly while others are looking in disgust.
"Let's hear one!" Nori exclaims, causing Dori to cuff him on the back of the head.
"Definitely not!" I bark, knowing Aiden is in the room.
"Well, can you sing one of your songs for us?" Fili asks.
"What would you like to hear?" I hold up a finger to Nori. "And not the kind you're thinking about."
This causes some of the others to chuckle before Ori speaks up.
"What about a love song?"
I smile at this. "A love song? Let me think. . ."
I think for a few moments before I think of one of my favourite love songs and begin to sing.
"I'll be your dream,
I'll be your wish,
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope,
I'll be your love,
Be everything that you need.
I'll love you more with every breath,
Truly, madly, deeply do.
I will be strong,
I will be faithful.
'Cause I'm counting on,
A new beginning.
A reason for living,
A deeper meaning, yeah.
I wanna stand with you on a mountain.
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.
I wanna lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me.
And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky,
I'll make a wish, send it to heaven then make you want to cry.
The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty,
That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of the highest powers.
In lonely hours,
The tears devour you.
I wanna stand with you on a mountain,
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.
I wanna lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me.
Oh, can you see it, baby?
You don't have to close your eyes,
'Cause it's standing right before you.
All that you need will surely come.
I'll be your dream,
I'll be your wish,
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope,
I'll be your love,
Be everything that you need.
I'll love you more with every breath,
Truly, madly, deeply do.
I wanna stand with you on a mountain,
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.
I wanna lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me.
I wanna stand with you on a mountain,
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.
I want to live like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me."
There's silence for a while after, and I look up to see the others having a different range of emotions on their faces running from sadness to love. As I look to Thorin, I falter slightly as I see a look on him I have never seen before as he looks to me; fondness, longing, confliction and. . .was that love?
"Thank you for that lass, that was beautiful." Balin says.
I smile as the others, apart from Thorin, agree and thank me.
"What's 'heaven'?" Dori asks.
"It's a place on our world where the spirits of our dead are said to go, there they will be able to join their loved ones who have died before."
He nods in understanding, putting our heaven with their Mahal's Halls that Balin told me about a few weeks or so ago.
Not long after, I declare it's time for bed, taking Aiden up to our room and lay down with him cuddled up to me. The last thing that goes through my mind as I sleep, is the look on Thorin's face when I finished singing. Is that something I need to watch out for?
There we have it. Nice relaxing moments with the company, apart from the cat being let out of the bag about the abuse Sophia and Aiden went through, although they don't know everything, they certainly know enough to be horrified.
The song in this chapter is Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden. If you haven't heard it yet, I wold highly recommend you do as it's a lovely song, and one of my faves!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!