Thranduil had arranged for several horses to take the dwarves back. Dwalin and Ori had been given one horse, while Dori and Bifur another. But he planned to ride ahead with Tauriel to avoid any further delays, and as Shobha had sought his help, he would take her with him on his Elk, while Tauriel would stop with Kili on the way to collect more Athelas herb.
Unlike the ponies, this journey was a blur, the Elk was much faster, and leapt more. Shobha held his robes, and the saddle, and was grateful when the journey ended, in particular that she wasn't thrown off. Her head ached from crying and dehydration. Tauriel's detour to pick up the Athelas had not taken long at all, and they had arrived just as Thranduil began to dismount.
It was dusk by the time they arrived, and the guard by the gate had been informed to expect the elves, and so had not tried to block their entry. They had instead offered to take the King's Elk and Tauriel's horse to give them water and rest.
Shobha had lead the way to the Royal Chambers fast, meeting Gloin on the way, who gave her a nod in support and followed. Her heart began to race, she hoped desperately that he was ok, but she couldn't afford to fixate on that, she would still need to find the treasure that Thranduil sought.
As they entered his room, she saw Thorin laying on the bed, his forehead covered in sweat, looking pale and clearly in pain, but he did not writhe like anyone else would. He bore his pain like a warrior, the only betrayal of his pain were his hands that were clenched, gripping the blanket.
"We have sent some healers to find more Athelas herb, and given as much pain relief tonic as possible," Oin stood from the side of Thorin's bed.
She ran to where Oin stood and gently swept his sweat soaked hair from his face. He groaned in response. Thranduil stooped down to assess Thorin, who was not fully conscious, and finding the wound on his foot he observed at length and stood up again.
"This is more potent than expected, you have most likely twelve hours to find what I require, and I will heal him." Thranduil spoke coldly, turning to Tauriel who had now walked through led by Kili. He spoke to her quietly in Sindarin and she looked at Throin's wound with concern.
"But will you have enough time to heal him after twelve hours effectively?" She wanted to slap him. He bore such little regard for the lives of others, no wonder Mirkwood was overrun with giant spiders.
But Thranduil merely looked at her coldly, and did not reply.
There was no time to waste. She needed help, but she needed someone to stay with Thorin all the time, she did not trust that elf one bit, but there was no other choice.
She took Glóin out into the corridor. As she was met by Dwalin, Bifur, Ori and Dori running up to find him.
"Oh thank goodness you are all here. I need your help." She looked at them desperately.
"Well lass…"
"Fili is his heir, I doubt he will deny me of gifting the gems." She pleaded. "If you all decide to exile me or imprison me for my crime, then I will face that fate, but I need Thorin to get well again. Please. Please help me – I beg you. I will take full responsibility."
"What do you need us to do lass?" Dwalin looked at her with pity, and the others nodded and huddled around her.
"Bifur, can you stay with Oin and Kili, and help to keep an eye on Thorin. I don't particularly trust Thranduil." She spoke softly in their huddle, and he nodded.
"Glóin, Dori and Dwalin, please will you help me find them in the treasury – the more help, the faster we can find it?" She looked at Ori next. "Ori, please will you discreetly bring Balin over to us also – he may be able to help as well. And let Fili know what's going on."
Ori and Bifur quickly left the huddle.
Then Gloin quickly lead them through several highly guarded corridors extending from the Royal Wing to the large treasury with gilded doors, guarded by four heavily armoured guards. As he opened the large doors she was hit like a blow in the chest by the extent of the problem. The treasury itself was an enormous hall, perhaps three or four times the size of the grand throne room, and it was filled with mounds of gold, silver, jewels, chests and trunks. There was a single large gilded table at the far end of the corridor, and torches lit the giant hall scattered throughout. Her heart began to race – she couldn't lose it now. She took another deep steadying breath, she had calmly dealt with stabbings, severe car crashes, amputations and many horrendous emergencies on countless oncalls. She just needed to keep it together long enough.
"Gloin please tell me you have some idea of where it may be." She clutched at the stocky red haired dwarrow's large arm.
"Lass I'm…" then he looked at her as though the lights had been switched on. "Actually I could tell you which sections it will not be in…"
He ran to the back table and pulled a box of scrolls from under the table, and began looking through quickly.
"Right – Shobha. The first half of the room up to the fortieth pair of torches in the centre has been documented – and there were no gems found. I think it will be in the back half.." he called out.
This was still am impossible task – even with a hundred people searching would take longer than twelve hours. But they had no choice. So they counted up to the fortieth torches and then divided the rest of the room amongst them and set about searching.
Balin had soon arrived and was able to give better direction, that they were searching for a medium sized chest, which would be filled with free cut gems and the necklace placed on top of these gems. And they had resumed their search for the last few hours.
Shobha had rolled up her sleeves and shut the chest she had opened finding only gold and sapphire jewellery inside and put it aside. She was exhausted, her arms ached, she had slipped on several piles of gold and her shirt was torn from something sharp she had landed on.
There were still piles of gold, jewels, silver and other caskets, trunks and chests to go through. She always felt like she was on the verge of losing it. She could hear the continued work of the other dwarves in the adjoining parts of the room, the sound of metal sifting and clinking and objects being moved. She found comfort in not being alone in this.
Bombur had come round with tea and sweet buns to keep them all going. They had all come out to the large table to have a mug of tea and a bun except Shobha.
"I will go," Balin said. "You all need a break, and the poor lass needs something to drink. I don't think she has stopped since that day."
After drinking his mug of tea quickly, Balin had taken another mug and headed off to find Shobha.
He followed the piles of gold that had been searched through with trunks, chests, boxes and caskets to one side and other piles of loose jewels, gold and other trinkets to the other. She had got through her pile and had started on the far end of Ori's pile.
He found her there at the back, searching frantically and methodically. Her shirt was torn in several places, her braid had so many escaped strands, that it hardly resembled a braid at all, and was covered in cobweb bits and twigs. Her hands were covered in multiple cuts and scrapes and she was sobbing hard, muttering profanities that Balin didn't even realise she was aware of!
He sat the mug down on the floor in a corner and walked over to her putting his hand on her shoulder, startling her. She looked completely and utterly exhausted.
"Oh lass!" Balin spoke softly. "You are doing everything you can."
"No Balin, you don't understand," she sobbed. "I didn't know what this was… I knew I had feelings, for him, but I thought it was because he had been kind to me, and I had been swept up in the moment. But realise I love him Balin, and I never got a chance to accept his proposal to court officially, or even to tell him that I love him. And I may lose him now! And now I'm wasting time again! Oh!"
She dusted her self down again and started searching once more.
"Thorin is strong. He will find a way to wait till the end of time for you." Balin tried to reassure her, turning back to pick up the mug he had put on the floor.
There was a sudden crash, and Balin heard the sound of a large mound of treasure sliding down and further profanities from Shobha!
"Fuck me! Balin! Balin!" She screamed. "Did you say it was reddish-brown chest?!" Followed by the sound of further treasure being moved about. He carefully picked his way through the spill of coins, jewellery and gemstones that had strewn all over the path that she had cleared through. And there he found her on her hands and knees, there was a gold necklace tangled in her messy hair now, and there was a further deep cut in her shirt sleeve with a bleeding wound underneath. She knelt before a rich mahogany chest, trying to wrench open the old latch, stiffened by time. And then it suddenly gave way and as the lid lifted open the iridescence emanating from within was blinding. On top of the many thousands of gems sat a velvet roll, which she untied to reveal the most intricate necklace that she had ever seen, set with many many of these gemstones. It dazzled in the relative dim light of that corner of the treasury. She shut the box and handed it to Balin, as she slipped on the pile of spilled treasure several times trying to get to her feet.
"Please tell the others Balin."
Then collecting the box in her arms and hugging it to her chest as though it were a child she ran: Past the guards, through the many, many guarded corridors, and through the Royal Wing until she reached the door to Thorin's chamber.
As she eagerly reached the handle to open it, her heart suddenly stopped. They had been in that horrendous treasury for hours, and she had lost track of time. What if it was too late?
Heart pounding, and feeling sick to her stomach, she opened the door to find Oin and Bifur redressing the wound on Thorin's foot and Thranduil chanting what appeared to be a spell, over his body, holding out his hands. As he finished, they all turned to look at her. How could he have known she had found them?
Thorin appeared better than when she last saw him, he had stop sweating, his body appeared relaxed and free of pain, but he still looked pale, and remained unconscious.
"Shobha…?" Fili walked over and stood next to her. "Its done. King Thranduil has drawn out the poison, but Uncle needs rest to heal. So he has placed a sleeping spell on him…"
Then Thranduil who himself appeared somewhat worn out walked over to her.
"It is done my Lady," he spoke coldly, assessing her reaction. "The poison was potent and he only lasted as long as he did, because you applied Athelas to the wound on the day he sustained the injury itself… If I had waited for you to return the King under the Mountain would have been dead."
"Thank you King Thranduil. I am truly grateful." She spoke softly, as a few tears escaped her eyes. "I gave my word. And I believe these belong to you…" She opened the chest she cradled, to show the Elvenking the gems of Lasgalen, and his eyes widened as he looked upon the contents. Then shutting the lid and securing the latch, she offered him the chest.
"Fili, you will be my witness." Shobha looked at him, and he nodded. "I gifted these back to King Thranduil."
The Elvenking took the chest with both hands and lowered his head in a partial bow to show his gratitude. It was probably more than what could be expected of him, given his behaviour so far.
"But why did you do it before I returned them?"
He looked down at her from his full height, coldly observing her completely dishevelled state and pulled his thin lips tightly into a partial smile, as though he were sizing her up as a snack. It was almost slightly reptilian.
"You are a most different being. Your presence here appears to have had certain effects on the people surrounding you… and very likely all of Arda," he looked down on the other dwarves in the room, including Balin and Dwalin, who had walked in and were paying attention to the scene that was unfolding before them. "It has been for the better. I believed that if the King had died, then you would have left Erebor… and I would rather you were in Erebor."
Then he strode over to the door, the dwarves parting either side to make way and as he reached the doorway he turned again.
"I have instructed Tauriel to stay until the King had recovered, and I can return should the need arise, but I do not believe that to be the case. I thank you my Lady for your kindness and generosity, it will not be forgotten." He once again bowed his head and then left.
She had refused to move from his bedside, and after finally being told that there were jewellery and cobwebs in her hair, she had taken a very brief break to wash and change her clothing. And so there she sat at his bedside holding his hand. He still hadn't woken, but his wound appeared remarkably improved. He even seemed to breath easier.
"Shobha, I think you need to go and get something to eat," Tauriel touched her shoulder gently to wake her up as she had slumped in the chair next to Thorin's bed, holding his hand as he lay unconscious still.
"How much longer will he be like this Tauriel?" She stroked his hair again tenderly. There would be so much she would need to say to him. And she would need to make their courtship official. But would he even want her anymore once he finds out about the gems that she gave to the Elvenking?
Tauriel observed Shobha as she stroked Thorin's hair. Perhaps the dwarves were not as closed off as her people were lead to believe, certainly Kili and even Fili appeared to be quite… amiable.
"It is hard to say, but it will be at least a few hours. And certainly enough time for you to get food." She observed Shobha again, studying her face for openness. "Do your feelings for him cause you pain?"
Shobha was suddenly snapped out of her worry about Thorin, by the unusual question.
"Pain, worry, fear… yes I guess, it does… but then it also gives me hope, courage, strength, and when I get a chance to finally spend some time with him uninterrupted hopefully happiness too." She smiled. As much as Shobha would love to tease Tauriel and ask her about what was going on with Kili, she just couldn't bring herself to. She didn't want to eat or drink or frankly do anything until she knew he was ok.
Then Oin arrived to check on Thorin.
"Right lass, when we say you need to go and get something to eat – we mean it." He looked at her. "What are you worried about? If he wakes up we will call you lass…"
"Why not cook something for us?" Tauriel spoke. "Kili says you too do not favour meat."
So they both walked to Bombur and Elin's Kitchen, where she found Kili and Fili had arrived for food also and being curious wanted to see what Shobha would cook.
She admitted it wasn't much of a dish but rather a quick snack and showed them how how she made bruschetta at home. It involved lots of mindless chopping of tomatoes, onions and basil. And Elin had baked the most delicious bread which was perfect for it. They all began to tuck in claiming it was delicious. Dwarves seemed to enjoy food with their hands, and this sort of food seemed perfect for them.
She sat down with a couple of slices watching everyone tucking in, not feeling hungry at all, and wondering when Thorin would wake up.
Then Dwalin walked in with a smile on his face, prompting Shobha to get up from the table and run towards him expectantly.
"He's awake? He's awake!" She cried as Dwalin nodded at her grinning. And then he looked over her shoulder to see the others eating.
"What's that they're eating?" Dwalin asked distracted.
"It's called broos-kettah… Shobha made it!" Fili said between mouthfuls.
Dwalin ran over to where Shobha's untouched plate remained and grabbed it, as he caught up with her walking back to see Thorin.
"No sense in letting fancy food that you made go to waste lass." He smiled. "Maybe even make Thorin jealous!"
Suddenly she was desperate to see him and nervous again about how he would react. Dwalin lead the way, walking through the door to the Royal Chamber, and Shobha followed.
Thorin was awake, sitting up in bed drinking a mug of tea. He looked tired but he looked much better than even a few hours ago. Looking over Dwalin, he spotted Shobha and smiled unreservedly. And she ran across to his bedside crashing into his arms, eyes tearing with joy and relief. He pulled her close, inhaling the wonderful fragrance of summer flowers that her hair always smelled of. It smelled like home now. She then sat down shyly on the side of his bed, running her hands through his hair. While he desperately wanted to kiss her, he realised that she may have wanted a bit more privacy for that.
"My Lady." He smiled once more, taking another gulp of tea and subtly running his hands along the bed to meet hers.
"How are you feeling now Thorin?" She wondered whether he knew about Thranduil healing him.
"Better than I look probably.." he mumbled.
"Aye and certainly better than you smell!" Dwalin ribbed taking another mouthful of bruschetta sitting on the large couch, heavily guarding his plate.
"What's that you're eating then..?" Thorin looked over at his plate suddenly feeling hungry from nowhere.
"Mmmmmm… broos-thingy, a fancy dish that Shobha cooked up, when we were trying to get her to eat, while you were unwell." He groused. "Didn't work, you woke up before she could take a bite."
"There's a spare slice – come now, there is no need to be greedy…" Thorin mocked. It was good to see him relaxed.
"Uncle!" Fili burst through the door followed by Kili. Who both came over to Thorin and gave him a hug, placing their foreheads on his.
"My Sister-sons!"
Dwalin offered Thorin the remaining slice, and taking the plate he stopped to offer some to Shobha first, and when she declined he tucked in straight away, the slice demolished in two mouthfuls.
"Mmmmm… very good." He savoured.
"Would you like more Uncle? Elin is busy making more! Lena came by later and ate one of Tauriel's and asked for more." Kili smiled softly, his warm brown eyes twinkling. "They are all in there making lots more!"
"Who's Tauriel?"
"Thranduil's captain of the patrol. She helped with your healing, and he left her to ensure that should you need further assistance she could return to inform him." Shobha explained.
"Aye? And how did you convince that elf to heal me?" He focussed on her, his face turning unreadable and eyes darkening.
"Come on let's go get some more of the lass' fancy broos-thingies." Dwalin ushered everyone out. He knew it would be better coming from her. And whatever quarrel they had kept between themselves. "We'll bring you some more baheluh…"
Then Dwalin signed at Thorin just before he left 'your lady didn't rest until the tree shagger healed you: curb your temper'. And Thorin nodded to that.
As soon as they had left, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her into his arms once more. This time he tilted her chin up in his hand and kissed her, as she sat facing him on the side of his bed. He ran one hand down the back of her slender neck and pulling her to him more, enjoying the taste of her full lips, the feel of her soft raven hair, and the smell of summer flowers on her. She leant on his chest, as he pulled her closer, running a small, cool hand up his neck and along his beard and parted her soft lips to allow his tongue the access it sought and welcoming it with her own. This time she broke off their kiss, placing a few more chaste kisses on his lips. And holding his hand tight in hers she sat back to face him but pulled herself closer. She looked nervous, and uncertain about him, like she had done the first day he set eyes on her.
"I was terrified and desperate that you wouldn't make it." She tried to speak calmly and fought the tears. She wanted him to know what she had done, giving away his treasure. If he no longer wanted her after that, she was ready and she would leave. Given her actions saved his life, she would argue that she did not deserve imprisonment, and would seek the help of Elrond in Rivendell to maybe get her home. How could she expose herself to heartache like this twice in succession? Thorin may have pledged his love to her, undying and forever, but then so had Mike. As far as she was concerned nothing was certain.
Thorin watched her carefully. She was trying to build up the courage to give him some bad news, so he remained quiet and held her hand. Her big dark eyes, at first looked at their entwined hands and then directly into his, boring windows into the soul, and her brown skin glowed in the daylight that illuminated the room.
"The poison was particularly potent… I would have preferred that I sought help from Elrond, but there wouldn't have been enough time." She continued to explain.
He nodded and lifted her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it, and noticed how cut and bruised they were. The cuts extended up her wrists and appeared onwards under her shirt sleeves. What trauma had she been through to bring her from the brink of a painful death?
"Thranduil at first refused, but I offered to return the gems of Lasgalen," she winced slightly expecting his wrath, but carried on before she lost her nerve. "Even then he refused, but fortunately his son, Legolas, and captain of his guard, Tauriel, were moved by my appeal."
"So you did not need to offer the gems then…?" He queried.
"Actually, he claimed he would only heal you once he had them, and when we returned he said you had only twelve hours to live." She looked like she relived the torture she experienced at the time.
"How did you even find them in there?"
"The search was the most traumatic experience of my life. I do not think I ever wish to return to the treasury again, unless I absolutely must." She rubbed her arm with her free hand subconsciously. She was careful not to implicate any of the company even in the search. She wouldn't lie if he asked her directly, but all blame would lie with her. "In the end I found them."
She thought it best to leave out the part that she had given them after Thranduil had healed him freely. Once again, if he asked her, she would provide him with details.
"But the Elvenking healed me before you gave them, did he not?" He looked at her again, his eyes intense, watching her patiently.
"Yes," she returned his gaze with her big dark eyes filled with worry. "I gave my word. And you were so unwell Thorin. Please understand, I was desperate, I would have given anything."
His face softened hearing her. The gems were set by his grandmother, who was an artisan crafter capable of working with many metals and stones. As Bifur and Balin had observed, Shobha was likely gifted by Mahal with a similar pair of hands. Many often claimed Thrór chose his grandmother, Raena, because of her capabilities as an artisan jeweller, as an extension of his dragon sickness. The necklace of Lasgalen Gems, was truly her among her best work, and it had become a memorial to his grandmother and grandfather. He did remember a time when they were happy together, when he was just a boy, before the dragon sickness afflicted Thrór. She was a Princess of Rhun, born to the highest lineage of both dwarf and Easterling ancestry, and selected by Thrór as his Queen. Dis would always ask Thrór to tell her the story of how he met their grandmother. And he would oblige by describing how, many Kings sent their most beautiful Princess-daughters to present to him, and amongst these many, many beautiful Princesses, Princess Raena, stood out like a Silmaril in the dark, created from the Trees of Valinor, which were created by Yavanna, Mahal's wife herself! Thrór would always elaborate that Raena had arrived late and had no interest in marrying him, and he had pursued her with all his might to court her. And he finally caught her attention when he had accidentally tripped and pinned her Easterland dress to the ground with his sword, causing her to laugh more than she had ever done. She too had a tanned complexion, although slightly paler than Shobha, and deep brown eyes. Thorin's Amad would always say that he had inherited his height and his raven hair from Raena's lineage.
Thorin was somewhat annoyed about Shobha's decision to give the necklace away, but he realised that he too would have done the same had he been pleading for her life. And the gems had originally belonged to the Elves in the first place.
"But I take complete responsibility for these actions – " Shobha then stopped as though she realised something suddenly. "How did you know that he healed you before I brought the gems to him?"
"As my condition worsened, I may have lost consciousness, but I was aware of people speaking around me, your voice, Oin and Balin. And then I heard Thranduil speak to an elleth in Sindarin. She said that she believed I would not last another hour. And he deliberated with her and decided to heal me anyway for your sake." Thorin, had heard her say to him that Shobha had not eaten or drunk a thing, while Thranduil had deliberated on his decision. And the elleth had feared for Shobha's state of health. A thought that had caused more pain to him than even the Morgul poison. Thranduil had then said that Erebor appeared a changed place, due to its future Queen, and so the decision had been made.
"You understand Sindarin?" She said raising an eyebrow forgetting her worries from a moment before.
"Aye, beautiful one. And Quenya, Vanyarin, and Blackspeech. I also know rudimentary Avari from my grandmother Raena." He smiled at her, face softening.
"Really?" Her eyes lit deliciously with curiosity. "So.. she was brown like me?"
"Aye, my Lady."
"Will you tell me how they met one day?" She looked downcast again, presumably remembering the original conversation they had begun with.
"Of course, but I think Dis will be able to tell you best of all." He smiled, brushing his hand softly across her cheek once more. She would indeed make a perfect sister for Dis.
"So then you aren't mad at me…?" She looked at him hopefully.
"Maybe a little, but I would have done the same for you." He said pulling gently at her beautiful hair that hung loose around her shoulders. "Perhaps I will make you pay for it later on… in other ways."
He gave her a lusty look, which made her bite the corner of her lip, and tilted her chin once more as he leant in to claim her lips hungrily. He let his hands run down her cheek, and neck, tracing a finger along the opening V of her shirt and enjoying the feel of her hands on his face, beard and neck. He traced his tongue across her soft lower lip and gaining entry he explored her sweet mouth. It was not enough, he needed more, and so wrapped his arms around her narrow waist, bringing her body closer, desperate to have all of her. Knowing he had almost died, he no longer wanted to control himself any longer.
The door gently opened and Dwalin cleared his throat.
"Get a room you two!" He quipped, although he had the traces on worry on his face.
"We did, and then you came in!" Thorin grumped as he broke off their kiss, brushing his thumb gently across her cheek once more.
Oin had followed in and chuckled, "you will need a wash first, Thorin – you smell like a Warg!"
Shobha stood up and smiled at Thorin as he still held her hand.
"So everything is ok…? …Baheluh?" Dwalin looked at them both, and appeared to visibly relax when they both nodded. He had been concerned about how Thorin might react about Shobha's agreement with the Elvenking. "Oh and you might need this baheluh…" Dwalin picked up a pillow from the end of the bed and threw it over Thorin's lap, to hide his body's betrayal of the desire he had for Shobha, making her blush.
"Alright, we're just about decent in here now!" He called out, as everyone piled in, happy to see Thorin was better.
