She was guided to Thranduil's throne room, where she found a large group of Elven guard surrounding her husband and Dwalin. To say Thorin was angry was an understatement. He was livid! It took five elves to restrain Dwalin and six to hold back Thorin, who was slightly taller than his cousin.
Seeing her led in by Thranduil did nothing to help him.
"How dare you abduct my wife! And then withhold her from me!" His deep voice echoed throughout the room. "You call this civilised?"
"Stop this! Let him go!" She ran to the barrier of guards that stood between them. Seeing Thorin restrained like that made her feel terrible. It was her fault.
"Only if I am satisfied he is no threat to you." Thranduil remained back watching coldly, a smirk threatening to play on his lips.
"You said the whole reason of coming here was to help me. This is not helping."
Thranduil merely gestured silently towards his sentinels who moved out of the way, letting the dwarf King reach his wife. He grasped her tightly and held her for a moment.
"Why did you run off?" He whispered sternly into her hair. "I never want you to do that again. I hope you understand."
"I needed to find out..."
"You have said no more than a few words to me since – ." He suddenly hesitated looking around. They had an audience and didn't need to fight in front of everyone. "I am taking you home."
"Gandalf has more to say. Don't you care? Don't you want to know?" She gazed up with mournful doe eyes.
"Of course I care, my love –" he looked around irritated again. "Can we at least have somewhere private to talk since you are finally in the mood?"
She looked over to the tall elf who ushered them through to another small drawing room and shut the door behind them. Thorin who followed her had spotted Thranduil's own hair pins holding her locks back, which only angered him further. Even if she did not understand, he should have known better. He remained silently until Thranduil had left.
"Why are you wearing his hair adornments?" He regretted his accusatory tone now.
"I was sick during the journey –" before she could finish he was checking her for injuries or fevers. "No its travel sickness from the stag."
"You've never had that before." He carefully watched her. She had looked tired and pale for sometime now.
"No I havent…" she was lost in thought again.
"Are you unwell, Amralime?" He was suddenly surrounding her placing his hand on her back tenderly.
"Thorin…" the realisation hit her followed by panic. She had been so immersed in her own self pity and mourning, and the days had simply merged into each other, turning into weeks, and she had neglected her diary of events she normally kept. Apparently she had even neglected her own body.
"What is it, my beauty?" He looked at her worried. He had stormed over fully intending on giving her a lecture and forcing her to confide in him whatever it was that had been eating away at her all this time. But now he softened out of sheer worry. Here he was King under the Mountain, ruler of the dwarven Kingdoms, victor of the Battle for Erebor, leader who had never given up or given in when his people needed him, all reduced to complete submission by this little woman with doe eyes.
She paused a moment pushing back her own panic and nausea. If she let him know the truth now all would be forgotten about what she actually needed to find out.
"What did you find out from Mol and the others?" She took another deep breath.
Thorin pulled away from her suddenly. It felt as though she was building up her wall again.
"You want to know about that now?!" He ground out.
"It's important to me Thorin! I need to know." She carefully stepped towards him. "Please…"
"He claimed he confessed to you why." Thorin began to pace the room slowly. He was angry that she had left like that, and even now she just shut down. "What more do you want to know?"
"No – please tell me. What did he say to you?"
"He said he wanted to destroy you. And then dethrone us, so they may have a governing council." Thorin walked away, unease preventing him from keeping still. "I suppose now you have your answers you can run off to the wise old elf and discuss it with him."
"What?! I – oh my God! What's wrong with you?!" She walked over to him feeling the sting of his words. Surely it was he who didn't seem to want to talk about things with her. "Do you want to have sex is that it? Because all you need to do is ask…"
He stepped into her space this time, he was several inches taller than her but he was easily five times her muscle mass, and scary enough when he was angry.
"No. I want to make love to someone who desires to sleep in the same bed with me." He growled at her. "Someone who lets me hold them…"
"Then hold me. Have whatever of me you want. I will just shut up. Here you go." She threw her arms around his neck and pressed herself to him. "Is that what you want? Hmmm?"
His body immediately reacted to her touch, her scent, betraying him most humiliatingly. But he stood his ground with her this time, he did not deserve this, instead pulling her hands off his neck and holding them firmly in front of him.
"Don't you understand? He wanted to destroy me, by killing you!" Thorin bore into her with his eyes. He needed to make her understand. "And I always want you… If I live long enough to forget everything else, that is one thing I will never forget… but I need you to talk to me."
"Oh." Her eyes fell as she replied quietly. She had been wrong thinking he simply wanted to move on. "I thought you didn't want to talk about it… after all it was my fault for putting myself in that situation… if I had joined the evacuees I would have been…"
"Why would you ever think that?" He gently lifted her hands to his lips and pressed kisses to her fingers.
But she now felt terrible. All his time she thought he hadn't really wanted to talk, when she now realised he had been giving her space to open up to him, in her own time. And she was the one who had behaved like a brat!
"Look at me." He softly commanded. "Please."
When she couldn't bring herself to look at him, he cupped her chin and brought her face up, tenderly, to meet his.
"What that disgusting traitor did to you, was not your fault." He caressed her cheeks softly in his large hands, as tears fell from her eyes. "While I would always want to keep you safe, I think you have been incredibly brave to stand with our soldiers to the end. Even though it's clear you would struggle to take life – even that of an orc."
Thorin remembered the orc that had helped him that day, who revealed that his mother had been a woman.
"I am so weak and pathetic for this world aren't I?" She wiped her eyes and sniffed. In that moment it was clear, she had to go to Lothlórien, to see what it was about her that led to all this.
"No, my beautiful one." This was the conversation she had been hiding from everyone, that he had needed her to have with her all this while. "It takes the strongest to face an army, knowing that death awaits. You are far stronger than most brave warriors that have fought along side us, my love."
He pulled her into him now, embracing her tightly in his strong arms, not caring that she would feel the full extent of his arousal for her. He simply needed to hold her, to let her know she was perfect. She broke down with shaky sobs against his chest, as he placed soft kisses on her silky onyx hair.
"What if I had been –" she gasped. "Would you still –"
"Hush, my beauty. You would still be perfect to me: body, mind and heart." He peppered her lips with frantic kisses, as her sobs slowly died away.
"Gandalf has found a lost prophesy and thinks its about me – well about us actually." She was trying to think of how she could convince him to take her to Rivendell and Lórien, for surely once he knew she was pregnant the answer would be a big, fat, 'no'. "And some answers are to be found in Rivendell and I also need to see the Lady of Lothlórien."
"These are considerable journeys, Amralime." He looked at her suspiciously. "And there will be danger."
"More than I have had to face from within the walls of Erebor already?"
"Very well, my lady. And what could I do to dissuade you?" He got straight to the point. If this was to be a negotiation he would begin with forcing her to reveal her hand.
"Absolutely nothing… given that I am telling you my intent." She sniffed. "Not asking for permission."
"Even though you have shut me out all these weeks, starved me of your love, and behaved most unreasonably tonight?" He quirked his eyebrow. Even though she was less susceptible to what little charm would work on his mother, grandmother and some of the few other women he had in his life, tonight he would try with her anyway.
"I'm sorry I was a brat tonight. And you are right – you didn't deserve it," she didn't like this. And then she saw a victorious twitch of the corners of his mouth. It was almost imperceptible, but she knew his face and he was arrogantly certain he had won. "So I am not your equal… just your concubine right?"
He appeared to sober up in that moment.
"I'm sorry, my beauty." He suddenly knelt before her, grasping her hips and resting his head against her chest. "I have been worried that you have been slipping through my fingers…"
"Then take me to Imladris and Lórien. Please Thorin." She held him tight to her body, feeling his arms wrap themselves around her waist.
"Why must we go now? Why the rush my beauty?"
"Before the weather turns bad… before I grow old… before I get Gandalf to take me?"
"What are you not telling me? Are you unwell my lady?" He stood up and pulled her in again, searching her face.
Shobha pulled away from him stiffening, feeling another wave of nausea crash over her. She didn't know how she could hide it for now, or whether she even should. Clasping her hands over her mouth she took a deep breath, steadying herself again.
"Shobha?" He moved towards her, amusement all over his face. "What was that?"
"What was what…?" She moved away from him not letting him reach her yet.
"That was not travel sickness…"
"No… um… that was because I was ill earlier. It's probably something I have eaten…"
"Oh Aye…?" he enjoyed this thoroughly, continuing to move towards her as she carried on attempting to escape him. "It is certainly not travel sickness… I have given you riding lessons myself, and you have never been sick before…"
She paused suddenly, as did he. It gave her a chance to spot the door, and begin to move towards it. The smirk on his face for having figured it out was no longer hidden. The primal Male within him was strutting for having planted a babe in her. Finally growing weary of allowing her to escape him, he closed the space between them fast, and caught her pinning her tightly against his body. He could feel it now, then small roundness in her lower belly, where she was once completely flat stomached and the swell of her breasts.
He looked down at her, his blue eyes filled with intensity, swallowed up by his dilated pupils. And somewhere between their angry exchange, her lush ripeness, and his eternal hunger for her, all he could think of was having her. Immediately. He always found himself incredibly aroused when she defied him or angered him.
"Why were you trying to hide it?" He held her tight as she panted in his arms nervously. After all these months her body remembered well the feel of his hungry touch. She wanted him badly too.
"Hide what…? We were talking about you taking me to Imladris and Lórien…"
"Don't play coy with me my little Vixen!" He kissed her hungrily while he quickly ran one hand up her back to tangle in her hair where he pulled out the elf's hair pins tossing them onto a nearby chair, and letting her silky tresses tumble down her back. "Tell me when did you realise it…?"
He wound her locks around his fingers, pulling her head back and bit the soft brown skin of her neck. She always had a smart mouth, but today her silence was telling. It appeared even she hadn't been aware for some time.
Suddenly her moods, and her tearfulness of late made sense. Of course she had been grieving, but there were times when she excessively tearful. And now her thoughts had shifted within seconds from feeling completely worn out and nauseated, to being desperate for him.
"Fuck me, Thorin…" she moaned softly, only to find that he had already slowly bunched her skirts up to her thigh without her noticing until now.
He groaned with his own desire.
"Put your arms around my neck," he lowered his voice while moving his hands under her thighs, only to lift them up and around his waist, as he lifted her body up. He found the ties to her knickers and angrily tore them, kissing her vigorously, seemingly incapable of waiting to be buried inside her heat.
"Hold tight, and don't let go." He commanded her sternly.
He had managed to release his length and positioned himself to her, only to pause as a sudden new found fear invaded him.
"We shouldn't do this –"
"No! No! Why?"
"The babe… I might hurt it…"
"No. Please trust me… it's just a ball of cells at best, right now…" she clung onto him, attempting to reassure him.
"A ball of.. 'cells'..?" He looked at her confused.
So she released herself slightly so as to slide down onto him partially, and moaned at the sensation, watching his eyes widen.
"Please… Thorin…" she whimpered rocking her hips. "Ah… fuck me…"
She had only succeeded in taking in his swollen tip in to her warmth, but he could feel how deliciously wet he was, and suddenly yearned to touch and taste her arousal. But he was fully aware they were not in the best place for that. Watching her moving so wanton, and wild, made him want to take her hard.
Moving towards a wall he supported her back against it while he spread her legs around him further. And then working his way up her slender neck to give her earlobe a little suckle, he commanded her roughly.
"Keep quiet my beauty… and I mean not a sound." He pulled her bodice down, keeping one arm around her hips, and thrust hard sheathing himself fully inside her. "Now Tell me, beautiful, how am I going to punish you for wearing another male's hair adornments?"
He languidly drew circles around her nipples and thrust in hard again before pulling out agonisingly slowly to tease her.
"Oh Thorin.. I wont wear any ones… hair thingies…"
"What do you want?" He enjoyed watching her struggling, eyes clouded with lust for him and her fuller brown peaks heaving with her hot pants. He penetrated her deeply and slowly, it was equally agonising for him, but completely worth it to watch her coming undone slowly.
"Please… Thorin… fuck me –"
"What… if… I… said… I… didn't… want to… fuck… you…" he punctuated each bit with a firm thrust. He wanted so much more. He wanted to possess her completely, to make them one. To make her realise that she belonged to him alone, not the elvenking or any other!
Each movement elicited a soft cry, which she attempted to muffle by biting on his shoulder, but eventually it proved too much as she arched her body beautifully into him, allowing him to grasp one highly sensitive nipple in his mouth and suck roughly, as he grazed her soft breast skin with his beard. Her velvet vice clenched around him, making him buck into her instinctively, as she let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding, releasing a drawn out moan. He had never heard her moan like that before despite the countless times they had made love during their less than two months of marriage! It made his cock twitch, and swell further inside her.
"Keep quiet my little temptress…" he growled kissing her vigorously, as he pulled out. The emptiness made her whimper, but then he slammed into her again, to hear her sigh.
"If you don't want to fuck me… ah… then what do you want to do to me?" She tangled her fingers in his heavy waves at the back of his neck, and softly stroked his beard as she tightened her thighs around his waist. "Punish me for being a naughty girl…?"
He groaned again at her dirty talk, which was in contrast to her light touches and the way she wrapped her thighs tight around him. It was unravelling the very threads of his sanity, and he was sure he would not last much longer.
"No, my beauty… I want to make love to you…"
….
Thorin and Shobha had emerged from Thranduil's drawing room, after some time. Her hair was loose this time, and while they had done an excellent job of putting themselves back together, it was clear what they had been doing in there! Not to mention the small muffled cries they had heard, from her, which were clearly more passionate rather than in argument.
Gandalf has smirked and moved away for a chat with the elf, who had kept a constant scowl on his features, which were twisted with disgust.
Dwalin, had no choice, he moved as far out of earshot as possible, but still remaining close enough to wait for when they came out. He was simply grateful he had not been asked to intervene in their lover's quarrel.
Thorin led her over to join his cousin, as Gandalf and Thranduil began to walk over to join them.
"That was not a quick chat!" Dwalin groused.
"There were a few things we needed to discuss…" Thorin took the lead. He was better at being diplomatic about the truth than her.
"Aye… and did ye need to undo yer laces to discuss matters baheluh?"
Thorin shot his sparring partner a sharp look. But her merely glanced down at his crotch, where, in his haste to get dressed and help his wife put herself together, he had indeed forgotten to lace himself closed fully. Turning away rapidly, adjusting his clothing and checking the pocket in which he had safely stored her undergarment after he angrily ripped it off her to gain the access they both craved.
Thank you. Thorin signed as he composed himself once more.
Don't bother looking all regal – we all know it was more of a 'quickie' than a quick chat! Dwalin signed back smirking. Ya both need to practice keeping quiet! Particularly the lass.
Thorin took her hand reassuringly, as her cheeks flushed, realising what they had been signing about.
"My dear, are you suitably reconciled?" Gandalf smiled at her as he and Thranduil came to stand with them. "And sufficiently caught up on the matter Thorin?"
"Aye." Thorin tilted his head in agreement. "You have found an ancient prophesy, suggesting that a child born to us may be instrumental in the fate of Middle Earth. The Orcs and the traitors were used in an attempt to stop this – possibly to kill my wife. And then there would be no question of any heirs born to us."
Dwalin looked at them worried this being the first he heard of it.
"The traitors are not even Blacklocks, although they have been afforded their protection. Draeg confirmed that they were indeed a group of Ironfists, who were travelling and came across their camp after they escaped. At first they were kept away from the rest of their camp, but they earned their keep, helping out greatly. And so the Blacklocks came to trust them. Then Princess Vara suggested that they were adopted as part of their clan." Dwalin explained. "But why would they have such a hatred of you?"
"Ah, now I understand. The Stiffbeards were once driven out of their lands following a feud with the Ironfists. And so the Stiffbeards mounted a retaliation, before they dispersed into the East. I can not recall what the initial quarrel stemmed from, nor can I be certain which clan were responsible for the first misdemeanour. But I recall when my father first introduced me to my grand father's court, a group of Ironfists presented themselves asking for aid to defend themselves from the assaults of their rival Stiffbeards. At the time King Thror decided it should be resolved amicably through compromise on both sides, and denied support of one clan over the other. He believed all should be united. Fili mentioned that Mol claimed many of their people who were driven further east and south perished under the harsh conditions of travel and the desert lands. So this was likely the reason for their vengeance against me." Thorin shook his head. "It is a most sad tale, truly. And the Stiffbeards lost their homes also, so neither clan prospered. They now live as nomads."
"But we believe that there were those who provided these dwarves with the means to execute their plans. They were used in order to attack us. Even the previous attackers, the Stonefoot dwarves, all hired mercenaries, received their orders through a network of various traitors or those who could be blackmailed into helping. It was an elaborate scheme to prevent the ones in power not being discovered." Dwalin confirmed. "Mol is near death, I cannot push him further or he will not survive to receive his punishment. But two of the others spoke, revealing one of the Istari provided them with money and commanded the army of orcs to do their bidding."
"Is that so?" Gandalf raised his eyebrows.
"Lies. To aid his release perhaps?" Thranduil suggested.
"They know there will be no release for them. They have committed the highest form of treason. They could not provide any further description but the wizard being tall, cloaked in light colours. They were met at night, and he did not reveal his face."
"Likely a spell was also cast to aid with the disguise." Gandalf knotted his brows together in thought.
"Well, further knowledge will be likely revealed in time." Thranduil dismissed the matter. "More importantly, our Lady must be taken to Rivendell and Lorien without any further delay, both Lady Galadriel and Lady Arwen will be able to provide you with valuable guidance."
"You will need to leave tomorrow as early as possible." Gandalf agreed.
"Why must you leave so soon. There is still so much to do –" Dwalin looked at Thorin and Shobha confused. She merely returned his glance with an embarrassed blush tinting her cheeks. Then glancing from her to his King, he finally understood. "Ho! Ho! Ho!"
Dwalin erupted with joyous laughter.
"I knew it would be a matter of time! Come here both of ya!" He lunged forward and grabbed them both in a crushing hug, still chuckling with delight.
Gandalf and Thranduil stood back observing, the wizard smiling as he held his staff, and the elvenKing attempting to suppress a gentle smile himself.
"Ok. Ok. My body still aches a bit. So not so tight you two." She finally emerged from their threesome hug to congratulations from the others.
"But is this really wise Thorin? That is no easy journey…"
"No. But imagine making the journey when I am larger? Or after the baby is born? If I even survive –"
"You must!" Thorin and Thranduil looked at one another surprised by their simultaneous and desperate vocalisation.
"If you are otherwise occupied, I can offer my own escort –" Thranduil began by addressing Thorin only to be cut off immediately.
"I think it best that I escort my own wife." Thorin came to stand closer to Shobha, wrapping his arm around her waist pulling her against his body, protectively. "Gandalf will you accompany us?"
"Of course. I would not have it any other way."
"A few of us will be ready for another quest, Baheluh." Dwalin came to stand next to her also, crossing his arms over his chest.
…
It was a beautiful day, the sun shone brightly blinding her for a moment until she stepped forward. Her bare feet caressed the soft grass underfoot, as she found herself in a large garden, a gentle breeze ruffling her long hair. She brushed the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, and gently spun around.
She was back in her parents garden, the conservatory door was wide open behind her but she couldn't see her parents around. Suddenly she longed to see them once more. Her hand reached down to her stomach to feel the small rounded swell of her abdomen and smiled.
Walking over to the large wooden garden bench, she took a seat. The memories of many hours she and her older sister spent in their teens, reading, confessing secrets, eating ice cream or strawberries in summer. It all came flooding back to her. She rested back and felt a familiar hand rest on her shoulder.
"Hey little doll," she looked up to find her father standing behind the garden bench with a pair of secateurs in his gloved hands. "I didn't see you there!"
He strode around the bench, quickly pulling off his gloves and tossing them on the ground with the secateurs, before giving her a big hug, like he always did. Then he suddenly pulled away to look at her, surprised.
"Oh my Lord! Look at you darling! You're expecting!" He pulled her in for another hug and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "When did this happen? We have been so worried about you choti. But I never gave up looking. I always knew you would be ok."
"I'm sorry Daddy, I had no way to contact you. Is Mummy ok?" She looked over at him, as he took a seat on the bench and patted the dark wood next to him, inviting her to take a seat.
"Of course darling. I am glad that you are well. Don't worry, your mother is fine. She was really worried too, but now I can tell her." He smiled, but from the dark circles under his eyes she could tell he had not been sleeping well. It made her feel very guilty. "But tell me dolly, what is it that bothers you?"
"Daddy..?"
"Don't give me that. You are not a teenager, I know. The only time you would sit here after you grew up was when something troubled you." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and she leant her head on him. "You have found your way back to us somehow because you need to talk."
"I have seen so much death recently." She looked out across their well tended lawn at her family house. "Somehow I thought I would be ok, because I have always been accepting of my own mortality, but it's much harder to watch others dying… and not be able to do anything about it."
"I know baby girl. But sadly dying is part of life. My own Papa died when I was a bit younger than you. I had only just married your mother. He had a heart attack, but the ambulance didn't get to him on time. I held him in my arms until the light left his eyes. I didn't even know CPR then."
"Oh Daddy!" She turned to him and gave him a hug, her eyes welling with tears again.
"But it is part of the cycle of life, choti." He studied her face this time, gently wiping her tears. "Whether you believe in rebirth or an afterlife."
"I miss you… so much."
"Oh baby. We miss you too." He smiled this time. "But it looks like he is looking after you well."
"Yeah," she smiled gently.
"Oh I see!" Arun smiled back, his eyes creasing with delight behind his glasses. She blushed. "So it IS love!"
They sat there quietly together for a it, in the bright sun.
"There is one particular death that troubles me daddy… a young chap. He was my guard… but he was just a kid daddy…" Shobha struggled to finish, getting choked up again thinking of Aro. Arun simply held her, and let her cry.
"You know, everyone values what they do. There is a skill in each of us. And to die doing what you were destined to do – well, it is a great honour! Do not disrespect the dead, who made their sacrifices by remaining dead yourself. Return back to the living, my child. And live your life, that is the best way to honour the fallen." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, as she returned to rest her head on his shoulder again. It was like she was a child once more. The comfort of telling him her woes was never lost, all those years later. "You are on the verge of motherhood, in love, and survived whatever it was. And now you must live again."
"What if I die giving birth…" in truth there were things that scared her more for the sake of her unborn baby, like not having access to ultrasound scans or prenatal vitamins. But she didn't want to pour all this out to him. She was just grateful to tell him that she was scared, like she once did as a little girl.
"Then you might die fulfilling your destiny bachchi. To give your life for the ones you love. What could be greater than that?" He stroked her hair softly. "But remember this. You have ended up there for a greater purpose. I do not believe your fate is to die so young. There may be more to it…"
She looked up at him then. She heard the same mutterings elsewhere.
"Come on now…" he stood up after a while.
"Daddy. Tell Mummy I am ok please…"
"Of course darling." He began walking towards the house. "And if you ever need to talk again… now you know how to find me."
She ran to him one last time and hugged him again in case she would never see him again.
"I love you Daddy." She smiled.
"I love you baby girl. Stay strong for me." He hugged her back before he vanished while walking towards the house.
She looked around again. But she was still there. Then she was on her own again.
"My lady…?"
She turned around, immediately recognising that familiar velvety deep voice.
"Thorin?"
"I do not know where we are."
"This is my family home – where I grew up. We're in the garden."
"Then this is your dream." Thorin explained, wrapping his arm gently around her waist letting her lean into him. "I have wanted to touch you ever since I learnt of the babe…"
She looked up at him confused. He looked different back home, in her familiar surroundings and out in the bright sunlight – more rugged, taller even and seemed to smile a bit more.
"I think you did much more than touch me yesterday at Thranduil's Palace…" her tone was playful.
"No I don't mean that." His eyes drifted down to her small bump, and it seemed to make her understand. She gently took one of his large calloused hands and placed it on the soft cream linen of her summer dress, over the little bump.
"Hey little one. This is your dad – I mean Adad." She spoke softly, as he marvelled at their creation. "Its good to talk to it. I mean it may not hear you now, because the development is not yet reached, but it will soon enough. And then it –"
"He. A great warrior like his father." Thorin smiled at her.
"Or it could be a she."
"Then I would be the most coveted dwarf in all of Arda!" He rubbed his large hand over her little bump again as though it were the most precious thing he had ever seen or touched. And she smiled watching him, letting him remain like that for a while before he looked up at her and blushed a little. "Never in a million lifetimes did I ever think I would be so blessed. First to find you, and then…"
"Thorin, how did you know this was a dream…" she interrupted his trailing thoughts softly. "It has taken me a while to recognise them. Because they are so vivid."
"Aye… but I always seek you out in my sleep. I assume these must be the shared dreams between Ones –"
"But my dad was just here, and we spoke!" She exclaimed.
"Your father?"
She nodded vigorously.
"And he spoke as if we were speaking in reality." She clarified, hoping he would understand.
"Then your mind is more powerful than we think, and we will have to speak with Gandalf when we wake." He seemed much more relaxed in these dreams.
"But you are actually you. And you are actually here – sharing my dream…"
"Did Dis not tell you about shared dreams?"
"No!" She took a step away from him. He looked relaxed even in his dress, wearing only a soft light tunic and linen trousers with his boots. There were no doublets, jackets, armour, mail, belts or even weapons. "So we actually share dreams?"
Thorin was surprised that she hadnt realised this already, after all she had been so intuitive and spot on with so many other things. This world however seemed to be new to her. And yet they had been sharing dreams from soon after she arrived in Erebor! That was what alerted him, even when he tried to deny it in the waking world that she was no doubt his One. They had been making love in their dreams for so long also. And he had pleasured her so much, and she him. Surely she had felt the waves of climax through her waking body, and the deep connection?
"Aye, my lady… How could you not know? We have been for a long, long, time." He observed her small frame, that seemed somehow off balance bearing his large babe, and yet seeing her in her family home and garden, feet bare, relaxed, walking on the well tended grass, gave him a twinge of guilt. He had kept her for himself and denied her kin. His very own stolen treasure.
She turned and walked over to a nearby shrub of large lemon daisies, and picked one almost subconsciously looking at it. He followed her, careful not to invade her space, but still remaining close by.
"So all those times that we spoke… about things…" she searched his face, and he softly nodded. He had indeed confessed his feeling for her long ago in his dreams, which apparently she had assumed were her own desires rather than him. The realisation made him happy. For she too had confessed her disappointment in her former betrothed to him also. It had at first made him jealous, but soon he had realised that she was merely feeling nervous about trusting her heart in his hands. "And all those times that we…"
"Made love –"
"Oh no - some of those times were just wild and crazy sex!" She blushed. "And when I let you…"
He nodded with a triumphant smirk.
"And when I did that thing…"
He shut his eyes, a smile playing on his face as he remembered that time, which he had fantasised about so many times when taking care of himself before they were married. She smacked his arm lightly, making him snap his eyes open and give her a cheeky grin.
"And when I let you… and did that…" Thorin watched her blush, her little hands flying up to cover her flushed face. So he stepped forward and caught her in his embrace. "Don't play coy now, my beautiful temptress. Here in this world we have tasted each other in every way possible. How do you think I knew how to make you climax each time?"
"I thought you were just really, really, experienced." She winced at how that sounded. "Not that that is a problem – I mean I don't expect someone with your libido to lead a monk's life for two hundred years and not…"
"No my lady. I had studied you in our dreams for so long. Every part of your lovely body… our guard is not up, our minds perfectly in rhythm. No judgement or secrets… this is why Mahal blessed Ones with this sacred gift." The corners of his lips pulled up again subtly, as he took the daisy out of her hand and tucked it in her hair behind her left ear. "But please could you… maybe…"
She let out a coquettish laugh, and taking his hand stood on tip toe, pulling down on his tunic, and kissed him. She knew what he was going to ask for. Even she had discovered his particular tastes that spilled into their waking world. He didn't need to ask, for she enjoyed doing it for him.
"Of course, my King. Anything..." Then she stopped and glanced at her parents house. While she tried to hide it, Thorin knew the longing she held in her heart to see them again. Her eyes spoke volumes. "Do you think we can come back here again?"
"I would love to…"
"But all this time – I have never been back. This is the first time."
"I do not know how to control these dreams, Amralime," he looked down at her sadly, running his hand down her side. "All I do is search for you each time."
"In that case before we go… will you humour me with something please?"
"Anything for you lansel." While he was uncertain what she would ask for – he simply knew he would do it for her, no matter what. She meant everything to him.
"Take your boots and socks off – and feel the grass under your feet."
He looked at her bemused and fully baffled by her request for several moments, before he began to undo the laces on his large boots. Kneeling before her, he could see her little feet bare on the grass. It roused a desire to take her here on the grass of her parents lawn.
"Thank you. I know it sounds really weird… but I cant leave here, knowing I may never return without you feeling this beautiful grass under your feet." She smiled softly as he placed his large, sturdy, bare feet on the grass as she instructed. And he too felt it. "It is so soft. I don't know what it is. Whether it's the type of grass or the way in which my father tends the lawn – but I have never felt grass like this anywhere else. It almost feels like moss."
She took a few more steps on the carpet of soft green, before finally lying down fully and spreading her arms and legs in little star shape. Leaving his boots behind, he walked over to her and knelt beside her running his own hand along the carpet beside her body, before leaning over to steal a kiss.
"Please, my lady," he swallowed and looked towards the house nervously. Here, she made him feel like a young dwarrow again, feeling certain carnal stirrings, desires to roll around on the grass with her and the fear of being caught by her parents. "I know, this is wonderful, but you laying here like so, your bare feet, hair undone, it does certain things to me. And I worry your parents will catch us…"
She sat up and smiled, her glowing brown skin, her long hair glittering like polished onyx in the sun, complemented by the yellow daisy he had tucked over her ear. He wanted the image of her now, like this, burned into his memory forever.
"I wish I could show them our baby, our family, at least once." She placed a small tanned hand over her belly. "To let them know I was happy and well."
He nodded understanding.
"In that case, my love, our journey to see the elves will be most essential."
...
Transalations
Lansel – love of loves (Khuzdul)
Amralime – my love (Khuzdul)
Choti (fem) – little one (Hindi)
Bachchi – little girl (Hindi)
...
Dear All,
Happy Valentine's Weekend! ❤️
thank you again for following so far - sorry its a super long one this week. please please leave a comment xx
special thank yous to you wonderful reviewers ❤️
dearreader - thank you... there was a reason she was brought to middle earth, the prophesy is part and more will be revealed :)
UnaLouise - thank you - with all that Dorwinion i couldnt help myself haha :)
dragonegyptianblue - thank you - he def 'threw something around' haha ;) i think they needed that kiss and make up, to pull her out of her downward spiral into despair, which was beyond mourning. Also deep down he expected and maybe even hoped she would be pregnant. she was just too preoccupied to realise it herself. but now its time for a whole new adventure :)
