The following week had passed, many hours spent each day with Elrond, while he practiced with her. Each day had been tougher, dredging some painful memories, and some she hadn't even remembered from her early childhood. Blocking him had been difficult, but sustaining the block impossible.

Every session had left her exhausted, and she had needed many naps throughout the day. Thorin, had at first been extremely angry about the matter, but over the following two nights as her nightmares had begun to settle, and he had shared more dreams with her, even he had noticed the benefits. And so he reluctantly agreed to allow the elven Lord to carry on with his training.

Despite the exhaustion, her training had resulted in, she had noticed that since her arrival in Rivendell her morning sickness had vastly improved. When she had asked Gandalf about this, he had merely smiled in reply, in his usual manner, not giving anything away.

Oin had taken to checking on her three times each day, which despite being quite unnecessary, she accepted, as he would fuss over her more when she worked in the infirmary with him! However, Lord Elrond had also insisted that his own royal healer checked up on her each day, given the strenuous nature of their training. Thorin always insisted he was present for all of these!

That morning after another session of training, she found Thorin waiting for her outside Lord Elrond's study as always, but today, looking particularly sweaty.

"My Lady, forgive me, I was hoping to wash before I came to collect you," he smiled apologetically.

"What happened? Are you ok?"

He always trained with Dwalin while she carried out her training. And Dwalin had often joked about how it seemed to keep Thorin sane, and spend his anger. So seeing that he must have been later to finish made her wonder whether there was something in particularly that had troubled him.

"Aye, my beauty. We both lost track of the time." He explained. In truth he had an inexplicable frustration he had needed to exhaust.

And then she wondered about Dwalin, he must have been missing Dis and Gael.

"Have you all sent messages back to Erebor?"

"Aye, yesterday."

"I'm sorry it's taking me this long to get this, Thorin. It must be driving everyone mad…" she began to worry about the others. Bilbo of course would have enjoyed his stay in Imladris. He had admitted as much at several points during their journey here.

"It's not that, my beauty. It's been the meat – or rather the lack of it. Yesterday when Nori asked whether they could serve some meat, the cook made fish." He chuckled darkly to himself, as he took her hand gently in his and placed a kiss across her knuckles. "So they've all gone out hunting this morning, excepting Oin, myself and Dwalin."

She realised that she had spent so little time with them all, even at meals, of late, because she had felt so tired.

"I'm sorry I haven't had enough time with everyone really…"

"My beautiful one, this was about helping you. The lads are fine." He rolled his eyes. "Bilbo is in his highest delight of course."

She laughed at his sarcastic tone.

"So… if you need a wash…" she smiled suggestively.

"Aye…? Would you care to join me my lady?" He suddenly grinned eagerly. In truth, they had not made love since that day by the river. He understood how hard all this had been for her, so he would never demand for her body, but he was beginning to feel ratty for it. It was worse since he had so little to do, after he had been so busy in Erebor! And so he revelled at the thought that her carnal desires for him were returning.

"So after you have had… a wash… and then had me…" she teased him. "Can you maybe show me around?"

"Of course my lady, if you still wish to leave our room after that?"

"Nice try, my King, but I have been desperate to look around Rivendell since the time I woke up here." She trailed a finger down his tunic down to hook it in the waistband of his trousers. Her openly provocative behaviour towards him, was beginning to have its effects on his body. After being starved of her for so long, coupled with her clear expression of desire, he would struggle not to be a little rough with her.

As they passed through another courtyard towards the steps that led up to their room, they found Nori, Dori and Ori slumped against a water fountain, looking as though they had been training heavily themselves.

Nori had loosened the waist of his trousers, and looked particularly ruddy faced!

"Oh gosh! Are you three ok?" She stopped in her tracks seeing them in such a state.

"We went hunting." Ori smiled, as though intoxicated.

"Aye my lady," Dori explained with a hiccup.

"Were you attacked by some animal?" She moved to take a closer look at them. "Should we get Oin –"

"Och no lass!" Dwalin chuckled from behind. "It appears they were very successful indeed! And not only did they fell and whole wild boar, but also a few rabbits."

"Oh! So then what happened? Are you exhausted."

"Nah! It turns out the elven cooks all fainted one by one when they cleaned the animals in the kitchen, so the three of them had to prepare, preserve and cook some of the meat." Dwalin explained what he had been told by some of the elves with a huge grin. "But they have also eaten most of the large roast boar between the three of them within the last hour. Isn't that right lads?"

Ori simply smiled as though he was ready to die a happy dwarf.

"So…?" She still wondered why Nori was so red. Had he got sunburnt?

"Meat-sweats, my lady," Nori explained, pulling on his trousers again, looking frankly pained now.

"Aye lad, gorging on two legs and half the ribs of a beast by yerself will do that to ya!" Dwalin laughed again, as Shobha finally realising attempted to stifle a giggle herself.

"My lady?" Thorin placed his hand on the small of her back, attempting to usher her along, impatient to make love to her as soon as he'd washed himself. He even wondered whether she really did indeed intend on having a bath with him, and he might even take her in the bath.

"What's the hurry eh?" Dwalin quirked an eyebrow at his friend snapping him out of his lustful thoughts. It was clearly not Thorin's desire to wash, that much was true in that he had seen his King drag his feet to the baths after sparring on enough occasions when something weighed heavy on his mind.

"I am very much in need of a wash, Baheluh!" Thorin grumbled.

"Aye, but why does our lady need to go too? She smells perfectly nice to me!"

Shobha's face flushed a deep dusky pink in response as Thorin moved her towards the stairs, holding his lighter jacket folded over his arm, to cover his painfully hard erection.

"My wife needs a rest."

"Aye? A rest? Very well…" Dwalin groused back, mumbling the remainder as he walked off in search of some meat himself. "I hope she'll be getting a real rest ya randy old deviant!"

Hours later he lay on the bed with her resting on his chest, wrapped safely in his arms. She had fallen asleep, and he was as satisfied as he could ever be for a dwarf who craved his wife like and hormone fuelled adolescent.

Delicious memories replaying of her clutching the rim of the tub on her knees, fingers paled in a tight grip as he drove himself into her, his own hips snapping and thrusting sharply to their own rhythm, with the water splashing in time with each move. She had climaxed already and appeared to be on the verge of doing so again soon, and so he couldn't help himself. He had gripped her hips where they widened, as he so loved to do and spilled himself deep inside her, with a guttural roar. Leaning against her as he placed one hand on the rim of the tub beside hers, with a few final thrusts. He had then quickly attended to washing himself, so that he could take his time in tenderly bathing her, taking particular care as he washed her hair. And finally he had not been able to resist rubbing oil into her skin, while she lay on their bed, with him kneeling and straddling over her. Once again he had let his hands roam her body, taking full advantage as she lay there completely naked enjoying his ministrations. And he had brought her to a climax, teasing her several times first.

Today he finally felt at ease in Rivendell, laying with her in the afternoon. They certainly would not have found the time to spend together uninterrupted during the day like this, had they been in Erebor now.

"Thorin…" she stirred, as he attempted to sooth her back to sleep. "Are you trying to keep me imprisoned in our room?"

He groaned recalling that he had indeed promised to show her around Rivendell. Although he would much rather have remained in here with her until suppertime instead.

"Sorry, you're tired aren't you?" She turned face him, softly running her fingers lightly over his beard. He shut his eyes in pleasure for a moment, and then opened them to find her watching him with a loving smile. This smile was only for him, when they were alone. "I hope you are going to finally allow yourself to enjoy this as a holiday?"

He ran his hands along her soft dark skin greedily.

"Do you know what? You stay and rest – Bilbo can show me around."

"No Amralime, I will show you around. There will be enough time before supper, and then we can rest after supper, once Oin is happy he has checked up on you."

…..

He had guided her along the various walkways and stairs made of ancient stone as she took in the various views. She had truly loved the old architecture and natural beauty of Imladris, her eyes greedy for all she could take in. He had felt a pang of jealousy that he had not been able to experience this with her in Erebor all those many moons ago when she first arrived. It had been his nephews that had shown her around. They had then reported that she had been very much impressed by the Ereborian architecture and craftsmanship.

They bumped into Gandalf who had suggested that Thorin showed her the grand library, and she had been keen too, true to her love of books.

And so he had led her there eventually, having lost his way several times himself, even though she pretended not to notice, and took in the sights along the way. They had also enjoyed watching the sunset from a particularly high part of Elrond's Kingdom.

The entryway to the grand library was simple, and it was only when she walked through that she found herself in awe of the intricate frescoes and paintings that adorned the few walls that were not filled will book shelves from floor to ceiling. It smelled of old books. And yet the smell was distinctly different to that of the libraries at home or in Erebor. There was an earthier smell.

Thorin watched her with fascination as she walked past shelves and shelves, looking at the embossed bridges of the various books. They must have spent much over an hour inside when they finally came across the large statue of an elf with a mournful look that held a upturned shield, on which lay the shards of a sword arranged on thick velvet. At first she was taken aback by the sorrow that was tangible in the statue and its expression.

And then she realised what this was.

"The shards of Narsil!" She gasped.

"Aye, my love. But how do you –" and then he understood this too must have been written in the books she spoke of that had recorded their stories, albeit not completely accurately.

"This belongs to Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor." She cried excitedly, certain they were the only two in the library that evening.

A book fell on the floor somewhere behind them at the sound of her voice, and they both spun around to look, as Thorin immediately took his position in front of her like a broad shield, his hand on the hilt of his sword almost reflexively.

"There is no need to arm yourself, King Thorin, you and your Queen are completely safe here." A young man stepped forward picking up the book he had dropped, that he had been reading. It was Estel. He was dressed casually compared to how he had been presented at their coronation. But there was still something clearly regal about him. Looking from the Dwarf King who stood protectively in front, to the woman he guarded as though his life depended on it, he moved closer looking at the sword behind them with some degree of reverence as well as reluctance. "How do you know of Aragorn?"

"I know enough to keep a secret, and to know of the man you were born to be." She liked how that came out. It sounded mysterious and knowing all the same. He clearly still hadn't made his mind up about himself.

"How can you possibly know? Lord Elrond only told me a few weeks ago." He looked at her amazed as she walked around from behind Thorin. Her husband had realised what she spoke of, since she had trusted him with it all some months ago in Erebor. Moving closer to her, he brought an arm around her protectively.

"I just do…" she looked at his book. "Beren and Luthien? So you have met your Tinuviel then?"

She smiled, as he looked down at the book and up at her as though she had just delved into his mind and pulled out his most intimate secret! At first he just opened his mouth unable to vocalise his words and then some form of understanding seemed to pass across his face.

"So it is true then, what they say about you?"

"Who are they?" Thorin frowned unsure about that statement.

"Mithrandir, Lord Elrond, even Glorfindel." He looked at them both. "They say you are the mortal woman, blessed by the Valar with gifts beyond the capacity of your weaker mortal body… and yet you will shape the way our world rises in the future."

She turned back to look at the shards displayed, still holding Thorin's hand.

"Do you know who made Narsil?" She asked hovering her hands over the pieces. Such an item had seen so much battle, pain, death and power, it was impossible not to feel some fear towards it. While she wanted to touch it, she moved her hand away, stepping back next to Thorin, feeling secure in his presence again.

"It is recorded in our history that it was forged by one of our own Longbeards. A Blacksmith by the name Telchar of Nogrod, before its ruin in the War of Wrath." Thorin explained looking at his wife with admiration for her interest in their history. "My former Halls In Ered Luin are built in the other ruins of Belegost, further north."

"I would love to see them some day," she smiled up at him, cradling her small belly again before turning to look at Estel who continued to move near the pieces of Narsil with some hesitancy himself. "Do you not wish to wield your family heirloom at all?"

"It does not matter what I wish, my lady, for it is unwieldy."

"But Lord Estel, would you not wish it reforged?" Thorin looked at him sharply. "You have come of age, and hold yourself in court well, which I have seen. And I imagine you have trained with the greatest of elven warriors such that you have not only the birthright to hold such a powerful weapon, but also the skill."

"But who would reforge –"

"I learnt Smithing before I could even hold a real weapon. My own father taught me, what my grandfather taught him. When other younglings wanted to play, I wanted to visit the forges." Thorin spoke with clear conviction, proud of his craft and his heritage. The son of kings and smiths. "I could reforge the sword for you if you wished it."

"That is a splendid idea, Thorin." Gandalf stood behind them all with Elrond. "I cannot imagine a better, more skilled, Master Blacksmith for the task."

Shobha smiled to herself. So Gandalf had intended for this chance meeting between her Dwarf King and Smith of a husband, and Aragorn son of Arathorn to take place. And that was why he had been so keen on his suggestion to have Thorin show her the Library!

"It would be your choice, young Estel?" Gandalf smiled at his young warrior, and then gave Elrond a sidelong glance. "Of course so long as you would agree for Thorin to use your forges, my Lord Elrond."

Estel looked at the dwarf king's young wife, as though she had caused a considerable amount of trouble already. It was same sort of look she had seen Fili give Kili on occasion in the past. She smiled back at him innocently, but he saw through it all.

"Very well, King Thorin. It would be my honour."

"The honour would be all mine." Thorin tilted his head graciously. "Lord Elrond, I will need to inspect your forges. Perhaps this evening itself. Such an important piece will need some time to work."

She sat in Elrond's study as usual. She had made progress over the last few days, even though it was still a struggle to keep him blocked out. And Thorin too had settled in well, spending much of his time in Elrond's forges sometimes alone, sometimes with Dwalin, who assisted, working the bellows or a second hammer. She had snuck up and watched him work from afar, not wanting to interrupt on occasions. But she was finally happy that they had all found their own little activity to keep them from boredom. Dori had taken to drawing and sketching, Ori kept a daily journal, Nori generally enjoyed creeping around spying on the elves, Oin had taken to looking through the various healing books the elves kept including making notes on new potions for various ailments, and Bilbo had carried on writing his story.

"Focus, my lady." Elrond interrupted her thoughts, and once again all she could see was darkness.

Then a moment later, she found herself back in the barren lands in front of the large mountain.

She had fallen to her knees in her nightgown, cradling her belly and holding her head for the pain.

"Nooooo! Please stop! What do you want from me?" She screamed in pain.

She was certain this time round that she would pass out, for the pain revisited was so great it seemed to pierce through her entire being.

Taking several more deep breaths, and then she realised the pain was just a sensation. She could focus on something else to take her mind off, just like some of the work the psychologists did with the chronic pain patients who had truly run out of options.

She still found herself in front of the dark mountain, ash and smoke filling the air far above, and the rough stony ground cutting her skin where she fell on her hands and knees. So she shut her eyes and imagined. Taking her mind all the way back to her earliest happy memory, that she could clearly recall.

Abruptly she found herself on a quiet, sandy beach. The powdery golden grains under her tiny bare feet stretched for miles. She wore her large floppy hat and her the pink swimsuit with a little frill around the waist. The heat was palpable, but it didn't put her off. Taking her bucket and spade she ran up to the surf where the gentle tide just crept up and lapped at her feet, cooling them, almost welcoming her in.

"Don't go in too far darling!" She heard her mother call out from behind. "Arun – go an check on Shobha please."

Taking a few more steps into the wet sand where the tide had ebbed away she spotted it wedged in the sand, glittering away. Stepping closer it was a pretty sea shell, spiralling up, and perfectly formed.

She dropped her bucked and used her spade to help lever it out.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look what I found!" Taking her bucket into the shallows she filled it with water and plopped the shell inside swirling it around to wash it free of sand and picking it out to inspect it carefully. "Its so pretty! Daddy, can I keep it?"

"Let's see that," he stood by her protectively as she handed the shell to him. "Oh well, little doll, you've got a special shell here. It's called a Conch shell, and look do you see how it spirals to the right."

He knelt down to show her.

"Why is is so special daddy? Don't they all spiral like that?"

"Oh no darling, the ones that spiral right are rare, just like you, Myra and your Mama." He smiled handing the shell back to her. What seemed quite small in his hands was large in hers. "So they are considered special and very very precious."

And then he brought a large towel to wrap around her.

"Come on bachchi, It's much too hot to be out in the sun now!" He smiled. "Your sister is reading a book."

"I don't want to go daddy, pleeeease can't I play a little longer?" She whined.

"If you stay out any longer you'll get heat stroke."

"What's that daddy?"

He pulled his mouth to a side, trying to figure out how to explain it to a four year old. And then pushing his glasses back up his nose, smiled. His hair was completely jet black, without a single grey, she couldn't remember when she last saw him like that. And he wore linen shorts with a short sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned.

"It's when the sun is so hot that when you stay out long enough it heats your head up so much that your hair catches fire!" He chuckled.

"What?!" She suddenly dropped her bucket and spade before pulling the towel over her hat on her head, eyes widened with surprise. "Ok daddy, let's go back."

He took her hand and picked up her bucket and spade as they started walking back.

"Can we come back again today?"

"Not today darling. But we can come out again tomorrow. I promise."

Then everything was dark again. Once more Elrond's face appeared in the centre of her vision.

"I have never seen anyone block an intrusion like that before. Try it again."

She took a deep breath and all was dark again.

This time she was in the shire. Trees were being ripped down from their roots by masses of armoured orcs. Fires dotted the green fields in places, and then she saw the hobbits. They were enslaved in shackles and being whipped as they were led away. One of the men fell onto his knees, only to receive a hard smack with cuffed fist.

"Get up scum." The orc growled at him.

She closed her eyes, unable to watch any more. And imagined again.

She lay on their large bed on her knees, Thorin leant over her, pressing her chest into the sheets, his arms over hers and their fingers interlaced, as she gripped him tightly. He was thrusting into her with wild abandon, grunting with each move, climaxing, as she cried out.

"Well distracted, my lady." Elrond suddenly broke his connection with her, standing up, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He felt like a father that had observed his daughter being deflowered.

"Sorry," she blushed, unable to look at Elrond in that moment. "It just popped in there – I mean into my head! Oh God!"

"Very well. I think that's enough for today. But we will need to keep practicing your technique of blocking me." He finally looked at her sidelong, still having trouble shaking the image she had shared of one of their most intimate moments. "You are progressing well, my lady. I imagine another few days of this and we can focus on testing the limits of your gift."

"Why do I feel it all, like it is happening afresh?" She asked.

"That is the powerful nature of your mind." He explained. "I imagine that is what you do to counter your feelings. First when your despair was great, you focussed on something happy. Then when you felt the pain of the shire-folk, you sought a memory of… pleasure… Those parts of the memories you have made add to the strength and clarity of the memory."

"But that bit in the shire – I have never been to the shire? How is that a memory?"

"Did you ever imagine it?"

"Yes when I read the story – but how?"

"Your mind is powerful my lady, such that even your imagination is vivid." Elrond explained his face concerned. "But you say this comes to pass?"

"Not to the same extent, but yes. I think so. I mean – I cant remember exactly. But I guess that's how I imagined it."

He would need to consult with Galadriel regarding this.

"But you know that Sauron will come back right?"

"Lady Galadriel destroyed the necromancer at dol gul Dur." Elrond shook his head. "I was there. We all stood together."

She threw her hands over her face in frustration. No one seemed intent on hearing her out.

"It matters not, my dear. If he rises once again, we will fight him." Elrond tried to reassure her. "In the mean time we can only prepare. There will always be some darkness that will arise. The corruption that Morgoth brought to this world will never leave now. But will linger till the end of days."

She sighed accepting defeat. She would need to prepare Erebor for future attacks. At least Thorin would listen.

"We will have a feast tomorrow evening. It will be a welcome rest for us all." Elrond smiled. "I hope you and your company will join us."

…..

That evening none of the dwarves had complained about the lack of meat on their plates. Shobha wondered whether their 'meat-sweats' had been the responsible for that! She would keep an eye on how long their willing vegetarianism would last.

After dinner she had taken to going on walks with Thorin, while the rest of the dwarves sat around chatting or smoking.

"Are you sure you don't want to smoke? You haven't touched your pipe since we arrived here." She leant against him as they gazed out over the lush green valley.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here with you, my beauty." He watched her take in the vista, wrapping his arm around her gently. "Do you prefer this to Erebor, my lady?"

"It's a different view to what we normally have, Thorin. But I too wouldn't want to be anywhere else without you, my husband."

"Even with those noble dams to deal with?"

"Mmmm… yeah. Even with them. Besides I've got your sister to help me with that." She found him turning her around to face him, as he lowered his face to press a gentle kiss to her soft lips. "I found something actually. I think you might like it…"

She took his hand eagerly and pulled him along down the stone steps and along several open corridors until they arrived in a partially open gazebo with a wide canopy to guard those underneath from the elements. There in a sheltered corner was a large harp, it was carved of a light wood with tall lean lines, not dissimilar to the elven architecture or the elves themselves. Whereas the Dwarven instruments were made with thicker, bolder lines.

"It's not as pretty as yours, but I thought you might like to play. I know you would play at home, to relax and unwind."

"What did you say?" The corners of his lips twitched into the beginning of a smile. She had referred to Erebor as her home. He had never heard her say that before.

"You used to play after a hard day, sometimes, at home."

She had said it again and not noticed!

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her over and over.

"You do realise that you have called Erebor, 'home', do you not my lady?" He studied her face carefully. "Twice."

She just smiled, pretending to ignore him and stepping towards the large harp ran her fingers along its lines.

"And would you have me play for you then?"

"Yup." She pushed him into the stone seat designed for the instrument.

"Very well, my lady. But on one condition, if you sing for me." He position the harp between his legs and leant it back against him.

She watched him handle the harp jealously, his large hands treating the instrument as softly as he did her.

"Ok play for me now," she sat by him on the edge of the stone seat. "And I will sing for you later."

"In that case you will need to sing for me fully undressed." He whispered huskily into her hair as she took a seat beside him listening to the elaborate and magical tune he played.

Dear All,

Thank you for following so far. Please do let me know your thoughts/comments xx

Special thanks to you lovely reviewers - you really do make my day xx

A note about Wights - are evil spirits sent by the witch king to reaminate the buried Dúnedain and Edain in the burial mounds of the Barrow Downs. They are similar to the ring wraiths. And they bewitch their victims and dress them in ceremonial shrouds before sacrificing them – Frodo almost died as a result! I found them very scary when I read about them first! I think Tolkien based it on the old Norse legends of wights, that haunted old Viking burial mounds.

ColdOnePaul- the wights really scare me! Soo true - she def needs to hurry training her mind! And Thorin is finding ways to stay pateint ;) Oh those dwarves def miss their meat! Lol! But I think they've had enough after they got the 'meat-sweats' lol!

Dragonegyptianblue – she is working on them. But as for Thorin – she's keeping him occupied in other (ahem) ways! But I think reforming Narsil will help as well now ;)

UnaLouise – soooo true, even I thought the wights were scary A.F! Especially the whole sacrificing thing. I tried to add a possession element to her encounter with them, because that's what I imagined when I read it. She will keep finding more memories and dreams cropping up, I hope it gives a bit more about her as a person.

MommaWolf18 – thank you so much. Welcome to my crazy story. I know what you mean about Tom Bombadil. I actually would have imagined Peter Jackson himself would have made a brilliant TB! Lol! I guess he is kind of the odd character out in the story, but for me, if Wights are mentioned, so must TB! That's my tribute to the original cannon! Lol