"So where exactly does Thorin think we are at the moment?"
"I have left a note to say we are visiting a few old friends, Bilbo and I, and of course, young Kili has kindly agreed to drive us. And you caught a lift to see Mel, your seamstress, since you have this upcoming family wedding to attend. And of course she will be making you a rather fetching dress my dear." Gandalf smiled, placing his unlit pipe in his mouth, enjoying the comfort of it, rather than the pleasure of smoking. "You know, I rather miss being able to smoke in a pub. This place serves excellent ale."
"And what if he goes to find Mel?" Shobha probed.
"Oh, Mel is fully prepped on the matter and will let him know you have been measured and that you have left with us." Gandalf patted her hand reassuringly, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "She is most complicit – feels she owes you. Surely you are not worried about what he might think, are you?"
"No… although I might end up giving him an aneurysm if I keep going like this." She bit her lip to hold off a naughty chuckle at the expense of the dark, brooding lord of Erebor.
"That is quite true! Oh my! You should have seen the look on his face this morning!" Bilbo jumped in from where he sat, sandwiching her between himself and Gandalf. He too stifled a laugh behind pursed lips. "I would say there is some repressed tension there – but I think the man is dead below the waist."
She fiddled with her watch to avoid looking at Bilbo in that very moment, fighting the urge to recall when she had felt how very much alive he was, below the belt!
"Whoever we are meeting is late; By twenty minutes actually." She checked her watch and scanned the pub. It was not the one she had visited before, to meet her fathers colleagues. This one was a lot scarier, named 'The Stake and Crucifix'. It was dark inside, with lots of gothic type carvings adorning the wooden coving around the room. Even the patrons looked like goths, but much, much scarier! "I don't really like this place much…"
"Nothing to worry about, my dear. You're safe with us." Kili replied as he arrived with three tankards of ale and a small glass of ginger beer for her. He set them all down and sat across from the other two men who flanked her. "Are you sure you don't want to try the ale?"
"Oh no… I'm good thanks." She nodded, before looking around again for any sign of someone who might be heading their way.
"Thank you, Kili. Stop being so twitchy, Shobha." Gandalf took a sip of his ale, nodding with satisfaction. "He will be here soon enough."
"So, is it true that you are going home for a wedding?" Bilbo inquired, nursing his own tankard. "I mean – you have accepted the invitation then?"
"Is your former betrothed set to be there then?" Kili inquired, searching her face intently.
"Yeah." She sighed only barely glancing from Bilbo to Kili, and returning back to stare at her own drink. This was not a conversation she wished to discuss openly, even if Bilbo and Kili lacked all sense of boundaries when it came to personal matters like this. "Probably…"
"Oh Mahal! Then you mustn't go. The fool might fight to have you back!" Kili genuinely looked worried at the prospect. His eyes flashed over to Gandalf, as though making a silent plea to stop her. "This would be terrible! You must take someone… myself or my brother. Someone who would keep you safe from the advances of such a cur!"
"Now, young Kili, there is no need to get too excited… I think Shobha feels she has little choice in accepting the invitation now," Gandalf explained sympathetically. "In the end, we must do what our hearts demand of us. Everything always happens for a reason; even if we do not see that at the moment."
Having kept her eyes firmly focussed on her non alcoholic ginger beer, she couldn't help but look up at his wise words. It was almost as if he could read her mind. Her decision to accept Ria's request hadn't been openly discussed with anyone. So how could he know so much?
"Never were such wise words spoken." A dark hooded stranger joined them at their table, appearing almost as if out of thin air. "Mithrandir."
Gandalf stood up, reached across the table and gave a friendly pat on the shoulder to the impossibly tall man, as he took a seat. He was dressed in all black leather, with a long leather coat and hood.
"My friend! It has been too long!"
The man pushed his hood back, revealing a pale face, and strange pale eyes. His chiselled features framed by his long silky platinum hair were unmissable, even if she had only seen him a few times in partial darkness before; it was her champion from Mirkwood, Legolas!
He looked around him, his frame showing some tension, as though ready for an attack any moment, when another tall hooded figure, this time wearing a deep oxblood leather trench coat and hood, came to stand behind him and nodded. At this point he seemed to visibly relax a little more.
"Who's your little body guard friend here…?" Kili hissed through gritted teeth. "I don't like way he lurks behind us like that."
"Then perhaps SHE will join you!" Legolas' companion replied sharply, as she took a seat next to Kili, lowering her hood concurrently to reveal similar alabaster skin, strange pale green eyes and long fiery red hair, that had been pulled back with two narrow braids. She moved with a strange feline fluidity that was alluring and scary all at the same time.
"You're… a… female…?" Kili observed the woman with his eyes as wide as saucers. His face was openly filled with a mix of intrigue and something else, a strange half smirk playing on his lips.
The woman looked down at herself sarcastically before returning his gaze, with a more mischievous one.
"Well, I'll be damned! I AM female!" She pursed her lips to hold back a grin. "I hope you didn't hurt your pretty little head figuring that one out."
Legolas shot a stern look at her, which she returned with a relaxed smile.
"I don't like this place. He smells like dog, and those two… well her in particular… I can see why Lord Thranduil had to keep her locked up." The woman grumbled. "So please. We must hurry."
The young blond man quickly looked from Shobha to Gandalf.
"Tauriel is not wrong, we can't be seen too openly here. Bard has been clear about it. There have been some recent issues with livestock in the area being attacked and killed. But it's not the doings of any of our people. Just made to look that way." He leant in speaking quietly. "I believed this woman when she said she had been abducted."
"Hmmm… it would be helpful if we could guess who might have taken you that night." Gandalf turned to Shobha thoughtfully. Then he looked back to Legolas. "Would you smell the wolves on her?"
"The scent of her blood is particularly strong…" Legolas leant in once more, and finished his sentence in a hushed voice. "Quite… delicious actually. I can see why those with less control would have difficulty staying away… it was no wonder the undead that live feral on the borders, would be drawn to her. It would simply overpower any other scent on her. But my father found something…"
"What do you mean by the 'undead'?" Shobha interrupted, frowning.
"Those that become like us, end up two ways; some seem to preserve their humanity – their self control and desire for… a… 'richer'… life." The redhead joined in this time, explaining in a hushed but hurried way. "Others end up like… animals… with some minor understanding of simple rules – we call these poor souls, the undead. Because they can sometimes be nothing more than zombies."
"So… um… How do you know it wasn't these 'undead' that are killing the livestock locally?" Bilbo's eyes darted from Legolas to the other.
"The ones who are so far gone, are not permitted to carry on." The woman replied, almost matter or factly."
"They are, as your people would say; 'put down'." Legolas clarified further. He too wore a neutral expression.
Shobha cast her eyes down thoughtfully at her drink. She wondered where those creatures that attacked her lay on that scale.
"What did Thranduil find of interest?" Gandalf pushed on.
"This." He carefully slid a tiny key. It's head was covered in a black plastic coating and it was attached to a tiny silver tag.
As soon as it appeared on the table, Kili, who had been paying close attention to the flame haired woman with amusement, immediately turned towards it with great interest.
"That's our crest…" he reached out and drew the tag nearer to him, inspecting it. "But that's slightly different to OUR Durin crest –"
"Are you sure?" Legolas seemed disappointed.
Kili picked it up and inspected it closely.
"Yes, I'm certain this is not exactly our crest. See;" he ran his thumbnail across a the lower half. "This says TSOT. Our one says TSOTSOT."
They all looked towards Gandalf, who had a knowing look on his face but remained silent.
"You know… that looks like a locker key…" Bilbo lowered his voice to a loud whisper.
"It has other markings." Legolas reached his thin, spidery pale fingers over and turned the tag to reveal further engravings; a mixture of capital letters and numbers 'EC1N'.
"Wait! That could be part of a postcode!" Shobha jumped in with restrained excitement at having cracked part of a clue.
"Keep your voice down, sweetheart." Legolas smirked, watching her from across the table, looking like he was suddenly quite parched. He looked over his shoulder again, but it appeared most of the crowd in the pub had not heard or were not interested in their conversation.
"Actually that is the jewellery sector… oh God… um…" Shobha waved her hand in a circular movement, shutting her eyes trying to recall something. It was so familiar. "They do engagement rings and jewellery repairs and stuff… really famous place in London –"
"Ah! You mean Hatton Gardens?" Bilbo tapped her arm, with the suggestion.
"Yes! Yes!" She clasped his hand in triumph. Mike had given her his grandmothers engagement ring, as she had asked of him. But because it was loose on her fingers, it had required adjustment. And then he had an exact copy made, for wear everyday, in case Shobha had lost the heirloom with a large emerald encircled with so many diamonds. "That was the post code on the ring box – well at least the first half of the post code."
"Might I keep this?" Gandalf finally spoke. "I have someone that can look into this."
The tall blond man simply nodded and silently slid the tiny key across the table.
"My father also thinks there may be those among our council who wish to take power from him. Possibly those working with others from outside Mirkwood; maybe collaborating with vampires or the military men." He paused at first, briefly studying the young councilman with suspicious eyes. Kili of course, was still watching the flame haired woman seated next to him, with quite some interest.
"And do you have proof? Or is that just paranoia?" Shobha quipped, only to receive a sharp look from the pale man.
"I might have asked the same thing when you spoke to me of your suspicions." Legolas reiterated, a tinge of anger filtering into his tone. "If not for me, Thorin might not have walked out of there alive."
"What do you think the MOD are after then?"
"We have had some of our lesser folk disappear in the past. But we never know whether they have just moved on." The woman cut in, trying to hurry the conversation along. "I personally think, they are after new weapons. Or in this case a new type of soldier. Think about it; we possess speed, strength, excellent sense of smell, and night vision. I mean, Edward Cullen was right. We are the ultimate predator."
"Oh yes… don't forget sharp wit – oh and of course sharp teeth!" Bilbo sounded freshly agitated. It appeared that he had only just worked out who Gandalf's mystery guests were. Turning to the old man he carried on ranting. "Why on earth didn't you tell me we were meeting… meeting… them! I mean, I… what will Thorin say?!"
He tugged at his silk cravat, to cover his neck better and shuffled out of his seat, walking away, and then returning again momentarily.
"Shobha – Thorin risked his life to save you from these people! And Kili –"
"I assure you she is safe." Gandalf reassured. "It is important that we learn what is going on here, Master Baggins. If there is a threat against Erebor, then it must be stopped."
"Right well, I am going to the rest room and I expect to go home when I return." Bilbo wagged his finger at the whole group.
"By Mahal! How long are you going in there for? Ugh don't tell me –" Kili screwed up his face in disgust. "Are you going for a poo?!"
"No! I'm – I'm – Ugh! Never mind!" Bilbo huffed as he turned on his heels once again and disappeared into the crowd.
"Should I go?" Shobha asked Gandalf, only to be interrupted by Kili.
"Nah. Let him cool off. I'll go in a bit."
"The roads that continue beyond Erebor are deserted but belong to common land. It falls in neither clans territory. It would be easy for any to travel that land, wolf or vampire. The soldiers sometimes camp in their vans there. It's unadvisable, but they do it. If the Iron Hill wolves are involved that will be an easy route of movement, " Legolas pondered out loud, tracing an imaginary map line in the table with his pale, long fingers. "There are always those within our council who try for power. But never succeed. Certainly if the woman was abandoned as deep in Mirkwood as Tauriel found her, it would involve another vampire, not one of the lesser undead, but one of higher status and greater self control… like us."
"So my dear, what are your thoughts on the matter?" Kili turned to Tauriel this time, paying full attention to her again, flashing the softest smile, as she rolled her eyes.
"I think we'd better get going really…" Shobha checked the time on her phone, and looked around for Bilbo without any luck. "Right I'm going to get Bilbo… and meet you outside in five minutes?"
Gandalf looked over to Kili, who was still talking to the slightly amused Tauriel, and then back at Shobha giving her a nod.
Slipping out of her chair she too walked into the sparse crowd scattered around the Stake and Cricifix. Careful not to bump into any of the scarier looking clientele, she made her way in the general direction of the bar, until she spotted signs for the rest rooms.
They appeared to be located in a quieter and darker part of the pub. Even the lighting was poorer as she reached the little lobby in front of the toilets.
"What's a girl like you, doing in a place like this huh?"
She spun around, her stomach churning, to find a rather large, broad, man with dark spiked up hair, and several facial tattoos, staring at her.
"Um... I'm looking for my… boyfriend…" she looked around nervously for signs of anyone that might be in either loo, hoping Bilbo would walk out at any time.
"Well I don't see any boyfriend."
Slowly she began to back away towards the toilet doors, in the partial darkness, as the man stepped forward.
"Hi sweetheart, there you are."
She felt a hand wrap around her waist and pull her in to an embrace, from behind.
Before she knew it, she found herself against a tall, lean, cold, stony hard body, as Legolas dropped his head and without warning pressed his lips to hers. At first, she stiffened, caught utterly off guard, but despite the cold off his skin, and lips, his kiss was strangely tender, hands working up her body, from her waist, along her spine and to her neck. It was like receiving a relaxing massage.
Her mind fell blank, and her reaction was a purely visceral one, to allow him anything he wanted.
Eyes falling shut, and almost in a dreamlike state, goosebumps covered her skin, as though a hundred hands, brushed all over her body at once.
As her lips parted, she felt his tongue slip inside her mouth, tasting her. It was gentle. Her body went limp, and her neck arched back, compliantly, as though she were falling backwards, into his cold arms.
But just as abruptly as it all began, it stopped, the tall blond and his silky pale hair pulling away.
"Who's this darling? Is he a friend of yours? Am I being rude again?" He looked up at the man, who was now staring with his jaw dropped open.
"Um… no sorry… I…" he fumbled around for words and then soon giving up, turned and skulked off.
Shobha couldn't help it. It felt as though her body had been hit by some strange taser. It didn't hurt. Far from it; She felt almost paralysed in a strange pleasurable daze.
Slowly she opened her eyes as she felt a hand brush against her neck, where her carotids pulsed, rhythmically fast and she finally became aware of how heavy she was breathing.
"Mmmm… you are very pliable, sweetheart." Strange blue-green eyes regarded her, as if studying an experiment. "Now if only I could have the tiniest taste…"
Again, without any thought involved, she let her chin fall back, arching her neck, and one of her hands flew up to the collar of her white shirt where she compliantly undid a button, to expose more of her neck.
She could feel his nose brush against the bared skin of her neck, inhaling deeply, like one would a delicious soup, just before tasting it. But there was nothing she could do about it. It felt like a lucid dream, where she was doing things with no control over it.
"I apologise, my lady." He pulled her up slowly and set her back on her feet, still looking quite dazed. "You are indeed a temptation…"
"What… just happened…?" She blinked at him, as though she had just woken up.
"Forgive me, my lady – I shall explain all."
…
She breached the surface of the water again and held onto the edge of the large pool.
Her first week back at work had been pretty depressing. Lis and Gorin had avoided her most of the time, with exception to the occasional communication they were forced to have with her for work reasons. Fortunately, most of her work involved Oin, who had been far more forgiving. In general she had spent most of her time catching up with the backlog. It had been helpful, since the super early starts had allowed her to avoid breakfast with everyone, especially Thorin.
She had also decided to avoid working in their office, using her clinic room to catch up and dictate instead. It had also meant that she had often grabbed something to eat at the end of the day in the hospital cafeteria, so that she was home only to sleep.
Her only solace was when Gandalf showed her the Durin's heated pool that lay completely unused in the very depths of Durin Manor. And so on Friday evening, having excused herself from dinner with everyone, she had slipped into the only swimsuits he had brought with her, and made her way down to the hot spring.
As it turned out, none of the Durins, apart from Thorin were swimmers, and he was usually too busy. In any case, Friday evening, when everyone gathered for dinner, she had found perfect peace and quiet down there.
The pool itself, was in an enormous cavern. The rock surrounding was the same green marble that she saw in a lot of Durin Manor, and in the glow of the dim uplighting it made the whole space look really ethereal.
The water too was warm like a bath, and had no chlorine, so one of the first things she had done was to remove her goggles.
She floated on her back, looking up into the dark ceiling, enjoying the silence, and the warm water lapping at her body.
There were still two weeks to go until her cousins wedding, when she would have to face all the ghosts of her past, and while she was in no way looking forward to that, she hoped it would give her a bit of a break from the mess her new life here in Erebor had deteriorated into.
She straightened up, kicking silently underwater trying to strain her ears, sure that she had heard quiet movement in the room.
After a few moments, satisfied that she was completely alone, she let herself drift back again. It seemed Erebor was a bit like that; the large stony spaces could be just as peaceful as they could be creepy. The sound of footsteps often carried far, reverberating along the marble walled corridors.
Within fifteen minutes, she heard quiet shuffling again. This time it was clearer, and sounded like it was coming from the stairwell that led down to the pool.
She stiffened, afraid of making a sound, and then after a brief pause slowly began to make her way out to the edge of the pool at the far end, where it was a bit darker. Reaching up and out of the water, she threw her arms over the lip of the pool, in an attempt to haul herself out.
But before she had even managed to climb halfway, she found herself facing a pair of heavy leather boots.
Her heart sped up, as her eyes slowly followed to find blue linen trousers and a tunic on a broad frame, leading up to a pair of stormy azure eyes carefully scrutinising her.
Fighting the urge to sink back into the water, she pulled herself out, feeling the chill of the cool air in contrast with the beautifully warm water within the pool. The only swimsuit she owned at present was a little black one with two large cut outs either side of her stomach, with an asymmetrical shoulder strap and a low neckline that was slightly risqué. It was not really intended for doing laps, but rather for lounging around and a gentle swim. Even the material was rather thin, and stuck to her body like a second skin.
Her skin was startling to prickle with goosebumps. But in that moment, all she could think of was that she was grateful for having maintained her usual but basic beauty regime of epilating her legs and keeping her bikini line neat!
"You know there are steps at the other end." He grunted, sarcastically. For the second time in less than a week, he was seeing her drenched, with rivulets of water trickling down her body. This time it was also down her bare skin. For a second too long perhaps, he let his eyes wonder down her small form, enjoying the way her nipples pushed through the wet fabric, and how the droplets made their way down her dark honey-brown skin. She even had a flush to her cheeks from the warm water. It made him imagine unspeakable things.
"Where's the fun in that?" She replied, with equal sarcasm, as he held out a large towel, signalling for her to turn around, and wrapping her in it as she followed his instructions.
"You didn't join us for dinner…" this time his tone was softer.
"I… wanted a swim instead – anyway I've already eaten." She scrambled to explain. "And I have an early start, to see Mel for a fitting…"
"Oh, I see." There was something in his tone that she couldn't really read – was it disappointment? "And you have not used the phone to call your mother…?"
"Um.. yeah – I called her after work. You know, there was no need to bother you, really…" she could feel him standing close behind, even after he had wrapped the towel around her.
"It is no bother to me..." He watched her snuggle into the large towel. It would be so easy to just reach out and wrap his arms around her; to warm her up – to dry that dripping wet, partially clothed, body of hers, that enticed him so. "In fact I was beginning to wonder whether you might have been… avoiding… me."
"No. That would be ridiculous. That makes no sense at all!" The more she tried to sound nonchalant, the worse it sounded. She stood looking away from him, longingly at the water, wanting to dive back in and wondering how long she could hold her breath, hiding beneath its surface. So she decided to irritate him, with the hope that he would leave. "No… I think you're just… being over sensitive."
She could feel the the shift in his body language instantly.
"Over sensitive?!" He spat out, as though tasting something foul. "You go from kissing me, and asking – no; BEGGING me to spend the night in your bed to completely AVOIDING me… and I'M over sensitive?!"
She had avoided towelling her hair because it meant using what she had wrapped around her body, but the fact that he decided to have this conversation at this very moment, after the terrible week she had, pushed her into the foulest mood.
"Hang on! I recall, YOU kissing ME actually?!" She turned around to face him, pulling off the towel from around her body and running it through her hair. "If it was such a problem – you shouldn't have done it!"
He looked down at her swimsuit, distracted for a minute and back up again before continuing.
"I told you; I was trying to shut you up!"
"Of course! Because you kiss everyone that you try to shut up right; councilmen, colleagues, friends… whatever." She stopped towelling her hair, faced with a pair of intensely angry gaze. He was still in the way, so she reached out to rest her hand on his chest and gently push him back, allowing her to step past. "You're so capricious! If it means nothing to you – then why are you even here talking about it? I got the message loud and clear; you left me that note because you wanted to leave before I woke up and avoid the conversation –"
"Are you mad woman?!" He caught her hand to stop her leaving. "I am here because I WANT to discuss it! I thought that you didn't!"
"I WANTED to talk – I thought that YOU didn't! You looked like you were in a really shitty mood the rest of the day." She glared at him, but he didn't let her hand go.
"I was extremely busy that morning! I was worried about you that evening when you disappeared from work! And I thought you had received a package from your betrothed. So I never got the chance to talk it through." He grunted angrily, tugging at her hand. "I wrote you that note to tell you why I was gone when you woke up. I wrote several lines explaining this, since you told me that the note I sent with your flowers was entirely insufficient!"
"I thought you said there was nothing to talk about since you only kissed me to shut me up!" She tried resisting, only to have him catch her other hand in his. "So now you change your mind and want me to fall at your feet right? You're such a jerk!"
She turned to face him, raging at his sheer arrogance, and he loved it!
"And you are utterly infuriating too…" he pulled her in closer still, brushing a few damp locks from her face. Her hair was slicked back by the water, and it made her look more naked. She awakened something visceral in him; both forbidden and yet so delicious.
"And you're so arrogant…" she pulled one hand free and set it on his broad, muscular chest. She looked up into his piercing blue eyes, that made her feel so naked she may as well have not had that skimpy swimsuit on! And while her intention had been to push him away, her attraction to him left her powerless to carry it through. "I should slap you…"
"Aye? Then go ahead.." he wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her body firmly against his. At first he swam deep in her big brown eyes, as they gazed up at him, only to drop down to glance at her soft, inviting lips. That last kiss had played on his mind continuously to the point of distraction! And the skimpy material that only just covered her, annoyed him; it was so thin and wet, he wanted to tear it off her body, and feel all of her against him. "Why don't you accept that you've lost your fight…?"
Encouraged by her willingness, Thorin lowered his head to press his lips to hers, when the sound of dragging stone interrupted them.
Immediately he turned her around pushing her behind his own body and facing towards the noise, searching the cavern.
The grinding, crunching noice echoed in the room once again, but this time it was easier to locate its origin to the stairwell that led down into this space. Within moments the noise had abruptly stopped altogether.
Thorin turned back to look at her, appearing partially irritated and partially apologetic.
"Let's go and see – I thought it came from the stairwell down here." She whispered, slowly letting go where she still clutched on to his shirt.
"Absolutely not!"
"I'm not staying here on my own now!" She suddenly reached up and clutched onto his torso again.
"No!" His eyes drifted down her body again, his handsome features now displaying complete irritation. "You're practically naked! I forbid it!"
"You forbid it?!" She let him go again. It had been frustrating enough that they were interrupted, but now whoever it was that had been doing something was getting away. "You're not 'God' or 'The Emperor'! Come on –"
He grunted, the corners of his mouth twitching, unable to suppress a smile at her comment.
"Anyway – if whoever it was, wanted to violate me, they'd have done it while I was knocked out before…"
He groaned at that thought, and then taking her hand began to move around the pool towards the stairs. Everything was eerily silent. And the green glow of the low lighting in the room disappeared into complete darkness within the stairwell leading up and out.
As they reached the stairwell, he held her back at the edge, acting like a shield and peering around the corner into the darkness.
Then without warning he pushed her back and moved in.
Heart pounding, she remained pressed against the wall, listening. She could hear movement, knocks, thuds and multiple footsteps, but the stairwell remained in darkness and she didn't dare peer in.
And then out of the darkness a figure, dressed fully in black with a black balaclava over his head, appeared.
Thinking on her feet, she turned and began running towards a lounger that lay on the opposite side of the room. But a sharp pain in her right thigh briefly halted her. It stung, and made her leg feel weaker.
She grabbed her leg to push herself on, only to feel a trickle of blood.
As she took several more steps, a grip on her shoulder completely stopped her.
"Stop right there." A gravely voice rasped from behind. "Or I'll make ya."
She did as she was told, silently feeling a sharp point jabbing into her back. It made her stiffen up.
"Turn." He moved her around.
As she slowly turned back towards the stairwell, pain shot through her leg, making her groan a little as she limped.
"Take what you want, and leave the woman." Thorin spoke calmly holding his hands up. He too had a gash in his shoulder, where his tunic had been ripped. "She is hurt – and you will not get far with her."
The man holding her hostage growled at that, moving closer to her. She could feel his hand wrap itself into the lower length of her hair behind her and slowly tug on it, extending her neck back. Unable to see her footing, and limping in pain, she stumbled again, stiffening up again as the sharp point, of what she believed must have been a sizeable knife jabbed at her throat.
"Stay back, or I'll open up her pretty little neck." He rasped, moving her towards the stairwell.
Thorin held his hands up again, to show he would not attack, her own hands hovering towards her neck.
"No sudden movements , you stupid little tart."
She watched Thorin follow cautiously as she was pulled back into the darkness of the stairwell. Within moments the sound she heard before of stone grinding against stone could be heard.
"You have what you need. Now leave her." Thorin warned her captor as he slowly followed.
Then without warning she was pushed forward in the dark. With a further grinding sound of stone and a strange thud, the man was gone.
She expected to fall flat on her front, as she stumbled in the dark, a sharp pain shooting through her leg again.
But she landed in the safety of his strong arms.
Throwing her arms around him, she rested her face on his chest, and her heart still beating fast, as he held her, speaking softly.
"It's alright, Shobha. I've got you." He repeated over. "You're safe… are you hurt badly…?"
She sobbed into her hand, hot tears rolling down her cheeks as the reality of it all hit her. It was the perfectly shitty ending to a perfectly shitty week.
He ran his hands over her body, and she winced when his hand reached her right thigh. Pulling her hands from her face to find them covered in blood, she reached back up to feel her face for any cuts.
"That's my blood." Thorin confirmed.
"Let me see." She reached up his torso, spotting a large tear in his tunic under which there was a big gash. He took her hands in his gently, watching her face as she assessed his wound with care.
"I'll be fine; We need to get you to Oin right now –"
"Wait." She pleaded, dropping to the ground to search behind her in the darkness, as she recalled something. Feeling the floor blindly, she felt along the stone steps until her fingers found the smooth leather of an object her attacker had dropped. "He was willing to risk everything for this… so we'd better not leave it here."
She clutched the leather bound book, just as he scooped her up into his arms.
"Come on." He moved fast up the stairs moving fast along the corridors, while she attempted to use her towel to apply pressure on her thigh wound. There was definitely something that stuck out from her leg, making her cautious as she pressed the towel around it in an attempt to stem the trickle. "I'm sorry I have led you to this, my lady…"
"It's not you… it's me." She tried to reassure him weakly as she winced in pain again. "You know curiosity… and cats. Although if I were a cat, I would have handled that much more gracefully."
"Oh I think you did a fine job." He quipped back, as he carried on, but he was unable to hide the slight tone of worry in his voice. "I cannot think of a single woman that could pull off that swimsuit as you do; not to mention while being held hostage."
"Lord Durin! Was that a complement?" She feigned a tone of complete disbelief, looking up at his handsome, coarse features, furrowed with concern. But he didn't look at her, instead he continued to look ahead as he carried her. "And don't forget that I bagged whatever it was that he came here to find… that must be worth another complement surely. Hang on – how did you know where I was to catch me like that?"
"Wolves can see well in the dark."
…..
She startled awake to the sound of something clanging beside, and groaned in pain when she tried to move.
"I'm sorry lass, but ye need ter keep still." Oin leant over her with a loaded needle holder. "I'm still suturing ye up."
"Oh – he threw something – it was buried in my quads –" she groaned again, feeling quite fuzzy headed. She couldn't recall passing out. "I don't know –"
"Aye, lass, he threw a ring knife at ya. Ye lost a lot of blood lass." He explained softly as he carried on suturing. "Look; it's quite a big one lass."
He held out a kidney dish filled with blood soaked swabs and a chunky dagger with a serrated edge and a circular cut out in the centre. So curiosity got the better of her and she looked down at her right thigh, only to regret doing so quite quickly; there was a large gash at least fifteen inches long, and the serrated edge of the knife had torn the skin open in a ragged manner. It had left her with a wound that would become a sizeable scar! Oin had closed the muscle underneath but was still in the process of closing up the superficial layers under the skin. And she would probably ache even more for days afterwards.
Suddenly, panic set in – the wedding was in two weeks, and she had accepted her cousins emotional blackmailing to be a bridesmaid. Now she would have to do that while enduring the pain of this wound too! She would have to use this to her advantage – and perhaps leave as soon as the ceremony was done.
"Ye fainted as Thorin carried ya here –"
"Thorin! He was hurt too –" She groaned in pain again, and found a gentle hand take hold of hers, as Helga leant down from where she had been tidying Oin's dressing trolley.
"He's fine. Ye were hurt much worse." Oin dismissed.
"We had to take you out of your wet swimsuit, lass." Helga explained.
"So I sent him away." Oin smiled, pulling the suture through. "His huffin and puffin don't scare us, lass."
Shobha winced again.
"Here lass, squeeze my hand." Helga offered.
"I found a book." Shobha stiffened again, this time to Oin's protests.
"He took it to show Gandalf." Oin repositioned her once more, tutting at her. "Now stay still, lass - I'm almost done."
"I feel exhausted," she finally admitted, after the initial surge of adrenaline had died down since she came to.
"Was he there to badger ya about something, lass?" Oin suddenly looked up at her, over his glasses, concern clearly written across his face. It reminded her of her own father.
She suddenly remembered how he had almost kissed her, before they had been interrupted! Looking up, she found Oin's eyes still observing her, under his bushy grey eyebrows, so she quickly shook her head, trying desperately with no luck at keeping her face from flushing.
"Then what was he doing there –"
"He left dinner early, when he heard that you would not join everyone for dinner." Helga almost whispered to her, as if she was about to reveal a terrible secret. "I am sorry, lass – but I wouldn't have told him where you were, if I'd known he would come looking for you…"
"We take enough out of her, the girl needs some peace and quiet from time to time," Oin spoke in an admonishing tone towards the housekeeper who sat at her side. "She's like me in that way. So I hope ye think twice next time about letting him know where the lass is, Helga."
"I suppose this time it worked out okay in the end…" Shobha winced again, as Oin finally finished his dressing. "Now I hope you don't mind if I have a little rest. I am cream-crackered."
"Aye. We'll leave you alone for a bit –" Helga began to help clear up after the healer. One thing Oin was not, was neat! Often after he had been to see a patient or change their dressings there would be ample debris, packets, and instruments everywhere! It was like a mini hurricane had hit! Once Shobha had even found a half eaten sandwich on one of Oin's used dressings trays – she could only imagine whether it had belonged to patient or the medic!
"Um… actually… please could one of you stay – just until I fall asleep?"
"I'll stay, lass." Oin pulled the duvet over her, tucking her in like a child. "Now, get some rest."
….
The dark corridors of Durin Manor felt endless, as she ran along, looking briefly over her shoulder she saw nothing, but she heard a howl echoing from somewhere behind.
She turned another corner, heart racing, desperately trying to think of what to do next, or where to hide. Finding a nearby door, she tried the handle only to find it locked. Doing the same again for the next door, also proved fruitless.
It was closer now, she could hear the beast sniff the air, in search of her.
The stone floor was cold, under her bare feet as she began to run again. She wore only a silky night slip that made the chilly corridors even colder, and the eerie light of the full moon infiltrated the corridors through the few windows, allowing her just enough light so as not to stumble and fall completely.
Each turn of the corridor led her down yet another dark corridor with locked doors, and the creature that hunted her was relentless in its pursuit, moving ever closer.
Too afraid to shout for help as she ran down the corridor, yet another blood curdling howl made her finally turn around.
And there it stood, a sight that made her freeze with terror.
It was the large black werewolf. She could just about make out his form in the dark, as he stood on his hind legs, and his eyes glowed yellow.
Slowly she backed away, as it stalked towards her, a deep growl erupting from its throat as it neared, when she hit the wall at the end of the corridor.
Then she spotted the dark stairwell that lay off to a side, which led down to the heated pool.
There was no choice in the matter. Quickly she moved down the stony steps, now in complete darkness.
The beast howled again. A sound that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She threw her hands against the wall to feel her way in desperation, but as she reached midway, the wolf had also begun to descend the stairs.
Unable to tear her gaze from the shining orbs of the creature, she threw her back against the wall and carried on stepping down in the dark.
But it was too late, before she could make it all the way down, the wolf stood in front of her, it's deep rumble of a growl made her freeze.
"Please…" she begged, but the words simply wouldn't come out.
"There is no where left to run, little one," it growled at her, making her press herself to the wall even further.
"Please… don't…" she backed away another step down towards the pool, when her right foot lowered into the stone and her hand also appeared to push into the wall. With a sudden grinding of stone against stone, something behind her gave way and she fell back…
…..
She awoke with a jolt and the sharp pain from her thigh.
Relieved to be back in her room, she rolled over to her left to spot Gandalf seated on a large armchair beside her bed. He was carefully looking through an old leather bound book.
"Gandalf?"
"Ah! My dear, you are awake." He smiled at her.
"You're here?" She blinked. After the evening she had, although she was grateful for his presence, she also would never have expected to see him there at her bedside.
"Thorin insisted that someone kept you company. So I volunteered."
Then she remembered her nightmare!
"There's a hidden passageway!" She sat up urgently in bed, wincing again at the pain from moving her thigh. "In the stairwell! Down to the pool!"
Gandalf looked at her questioningly, as though she had just awoken from a vivid dream.
"Come on! Let's go…"
…
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