A.N. Hello everyone! Happy Early Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it! We still have fall decorations up, but are all just wanting to break out the Christmas stuff. I am ready.
Now that this story is coming to its close, I'm looking ahead to new projects, but am not really sure what to do. A part of me is still so immersed in The Hobbit, but there's not as much interest for it as there used to be. Should I move on to something else, or even original works? Or would some of you like to see the other Hobbit fanfictions I've got in mind? Input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and plot points.
Failure. That was the only word to describe the night's events. Bilbo kept trying to tell him that they had done the best they could, but it did nothing to comfort Thorin as they watched Laketown burn from a hill near Dale. How many foolish souls had remained in their homes? Each one seared another mark into Thorin's conscious. When the sun began to lighten the sky, Smaug contorted above the town, then fell.
"At least Bard has better aim than his ancestor," Dwalin grumbled.
"He shouldn't have had to prove it," Kili retorted bitterly.
Thorin agreed, but it hardly mattered now. "The survivors will start coming this way soon. They will have to make Dale habitable, but we will need to begin that process in the mountain as well. If we are lucky, Dain will be here soon. In the meantime, we should go back, and get some sleep,"
No one argued. There was nothing they could do for the people of Laketown now, except do as Thorin said. That way, when the battle approached, those who could not fight would have safe and comfortable shelter in the mountain. Everyone who had gone up to the hill moved slowly going back down. Exhaustion and heartache made the limbs ache and feel heavy. When they finally passed through the smashed front gate, Thorin looked down at Bilbo, who walked beside him.
"Do you still have the Arkenstone?"
Bilbo looked up at him, eyes wary. After a couple of moments, he nodded.
"Good," Thorin said. "Keep it until Dain comes. I'll need to show it to him, but then I want you to take it again,"
"I can't keep it forever,"
Incredibly, the statement made Thorin smile. "No. Once the battle is won, the stone will be returned to the throne. There it will stay,"
After pondering the words, Bilbo nodded again. "All I want is for you and Dani to be alright, and sit under the stone together,"
Thorin had thought the same thing, but knew that it was nothing but a romantic notion. His people would have to accept their marriage, and treat her with respect, but they would never allow for a queen who wasn't dwarrow. Nevertheless, he kept a smile for Bilbo. Even after all they had been through, the hobbit still looked at the world with innocent optimism.
"Thank you, Bilbo. For everything,"
Looking both abashed and taken aback, Bilbo uttered a small, "It's been my pleasure," while color stained his face. They went their separate ways then, with Thorin going to the bedroom Oin and Bifur had taken Danica to. Bofur had beat the bedding as best he could, but pretty much everything in the mountain needed a thorough washing. Danica didn't seem to mind, as he found her sitting up in the bed, reading a book she must have found in the room. Someone had found her a new tunic, which covered the bandages he knew wrapped around her arm and torso. Hearing him enter, she looked up, and smiled sadly.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, before she could speak.
"Better. We have this plant in my time as well, but it seems more potent here. I'm sure Oin has also mixed in some of his magic, so I can barely feel any pain,"
"I'm glad," he replied, stoking the fire someone had started, then adding another log.
"I heard about what happened," she said softly. "The plan was a good one, and I'm sorry it didn't work out,"
"Me too," he replied tiredly. "All I can hope is that the town was completely evacuated," stripping off his outer layers, he sat on the other side of the bed.
"Even if it wasn't, you would not be responsible,"
"So everyone keeps saying, and a part of me knows it to be true, but all I can think about are the things I should have done differently,"
Danica gently caressed his arm, an attempt to comfort him. "You did better than both of the tales I know, and now we can make sure that the coming days go as well as possible,"
There was no bitterness or resentment in her voice, which amazed him. Surely there was still some pain to remind her of how he had let her down.
"How can you have forgiven me so easily?" he asked, able to only look at her hand.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, her weight adding to, and easing his guilt. "Because I love you, and know that you would never hurt me. Look how quickly you pushed the dragon sickness away,"
"You are the only reason I was able to do so, and it was still too late. Because of me, you were hurt," and it tortured him still.
The weight of her disappeared, but then the bed shifted as she moved to sit in front of him, practically forcing his gaze to hers. "My getting burned is not on you. I could have easily moved sooner and prevented it, but was momentarily frozen by fear. And whether I had been here or not, you would have beaten the dragon sickness,"
"I just would have nearly caused a war first,"
One side of her mouth lifted, and she shrugged a shoulder. "Well, no one is perfect,"
He laughed, very gently pulling her into his arms, and leaning against the headboard. "At times, I wonder if you are,"
"Any time you think that, just remember how terrible I am at sword fighting,"
They both laughed at that, and at the memory of her clumsy attempts so many months ago. "At least you make up for some of that with your spear," A moment of stillness settled, and Thorin's eyes threatened to close. "Have you seen Estellia?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing,"
He grumbled, giving in to the demands of his tired eyes by closing them. That bird was no better than a wizard with how she came and went, with plans known only to her. Thus far, though, it had all worked out in their favor.
"Maybe she's looking to see if Dain is on his way," Danica suggested.
"If so, I hope she comes back with good news,"
By now, he was fighting a losing battle against the fatigue. No matter how hard he tried, his mind kept slipping away. At some point, he thought he heard Danica chuckle, and then he found himself in a more comfortable, prone position. The battle was imminently lost.
There was still a crease between his brows that told of worries following him into sleep. Danica kissed it, but it remained. Troubled, she lay beside him, but had to turn on to her right side, back facing him. The plant, which she now knew was aloe, had done as much as she had told Thorin, but it still hurt to put weight on the burns. She knew the guilt of that would continue to haunt Thorin, no matter what she said. While she wished she could change that, she also couldn't forget what had happened. She'd meant it when she said she forgave him, but those feelings of fear and abandonment kept flashing through her. Not wanting to dwell on it, she closed her eyes, and slept.
When she woke, she had no idea what time it was. There were no windows to tell her if it was morning or night, which left her incredibly disoriented. Someone had kept the fire going, so the room was nice and warm. It was a fairly small room, but cozy, with the large, four poster bed, a couple of chairs and end tables, book case, and a sturdy mantle over the fireplace. A couple of pictures decorated that mantle, book case, and tables. Danica had looked at them the first time she'd woken in the room, not sure if the male and female dwarves in the frames had made it out alive. To be honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
Turning over, she reached out a hand to touch Thorin, but he was gone. Her stomach dropped, and the walls began closing in. Alone. She was completely alone in this tomb of a mountain, with no way to navigate, or find anyone. Just when her breath quickened to a painful pace, the door opened. Thorin only gave a quick glance at the bed, then came to set a tray on the book case.
"Glad to see you awake. You slept for-are you alright?" he had looked at her fully, and noticed the labored breathing, and sweaty brows. Forgetting the tray, he sat beside her, and took her hands.
"I woke up, and-and you were gone," she panted. "I was alone, and didn't know what time it was, or where anyone was, and the air doesn't move in here," she'd meant to stay as calm as possible, but it was so hard to breathe. What had at first felt warm and cozy was now smothering her. "This place is still so foreign and empty. Death and sadness cling to the walls,"
She must have sounded hysterical. Easing her off the bed, Thorin tried leading her out, but she became too dizzy. Remaining gentle, he picked her up, and hurried to the first area with access to the outside air; the throne room. He sat them down on the steps before the throne, and, much like Fili had after her nightmare, pressed her back to his chest, and rubbed slow circles over her chest. The steady rhythm, mixed with cold winter air settled her heart and breath.
"It will take time to make this place feel like a home again," Thorin's voice softly rumbled from his chest, the vibrations melting into her bones. "You are also used to being above ground, so I imagine this will be an adjustment for you. However, the king's quarters to have windows. I have already asked the others to begin cleaning it,"
In truth, she hadn't really thought of the adjustment it would take. She should have, for she had always been used to windows, porches, and acreage. This was completely different.
"What time is it?" she asked, looking to the dark gray outside.
"About four in the afternoon. We slept nearly a day and a half,"
"Wow," she rubbed her eyes, and brushed baby hairs off her face. "And how are you?"
"I am alright," the answer was unconvincing, and she said so with her expression when they got up and began walking back toward the room. "Honestly, I am. There is just a lot to think about now,"
Since there was no argument against that, she let it go, and sat back on the bed when they got there. Thorin grabbed the tray, and brought it to her. It had some of the last of their food stores, as well as bandages, aloe, and some other salve.
"You must be starving," he said.
Only once he mentioned it did she realize how accurate he was. Her stomach was so empty it almost felt nauseous. While she ate with one hand, he changed the bandages on her arm. Her skin was still fairly red, and the blisters were uncomfortable, but it should have been so much worse. Within a day or two, her skin would begin peeling, and the worst would be over.
"Estellia came back with a raven from Dain," Thorin informed as he tied off the last bandage. "He should be here in the next couple of days with his army from the Iron hills, and plenty of supplies,"
All she could do was blink. "Oh," she took a bite of stale bread and jerky, chewing for a moment. Not like she had a choice. The stuff was like cardboard. "Well, it will be nice to have the extra help and supplies. We can all get Dale and the mountain ready, and prepare for the battle,"
Thorin looked at her, brows rising. "Are you alright?"
She leaned back, evaluating. It was all so much at once, and she could barely keep up. An empty calm had settled over her, but she could sense the chaos of emotions beneath.
"For now, yes. The idea of all of Dain's people, your people coming in, and seeing me with you is…daunting. All I can picture is them angry, and hating me,"
When Thorin hesitated, she knew her fears weren't completely unfounded. "They will not understand. Everything about our relationship is not just unheard of, but unbelievable as well,"
Comforting. "I have gotten so comfortable with just the Company, that not even the judgment of strangers has bothered me up to now. But these will be your people, and that terrifies me,"
Thorin took one of her hands, stroking the back of it with his thumb. "If it helps, they will be more in awe of you at first. After all, you are someone from another time, who has made the impossible possible. You have defended us against your own kin, and risked your life many times over,"
"Will that be enough? I don't fully know the traditions of your people, but I can't imagine a union like ours going over well,"
"As I said in Mirkwood to Tauriel; our people have an absolute law when it comes to a bonded pair. Never separate them," his eyes had grown fierce, and his hold on her hand was firmer. "Besides, they will have to deal with me should they say anything against you. Behind me will be the rest of our Company, who will defend you, and speak of everything you have sacrificed, and all you survived through. That alone should gain some of their respect,"
The thought of all of them, her friends and family standing beside her made her smile a little. "What would I do without you all?"
"With all luck, you will never have to find out,"