Part 2: Chapter 14: And Swept Above the Dragon's Lair
"Wait, Thorin," Balin hailed low, eying Thorin's hand joined in Sona's with an arched brow.
Thorin's posture was a step beyond Dennar–– Thorin did not care. He held all the more to Sona's hand, in satisfying response to Balin's eye––You did not see her at the water.
His Advisor stood on the outskirts of the Company circle, along with Óin and Glóin; the three waited to intercept him. All eyes were glancing over Thorin, as if he'd forgotten––what? Glóin couldn't take his eyes off their joined hands, but Balin did not hesitate to show his question directly, in spite of all his quiet. Balin nodded once toward the problem at hand. "His Brothers handle it now."
Thorin silenced his Advisor with a glare.
Ri'N'adâd struggled, and Nori still held the object.
Sona stared at the gathered Company.
His Company. She, a Member of it.
Ori and Dori wrestled with their Brother, attempting to snatch Sona's black object from Nori's hands, until now unsuccessful, wiry Nori being nimble with hands and feet.
Fíli and Kíli stood by with the Dogs, faces slack with the shock of this scene. Chases Butterflies slouched with Smells the Flowers, both Dogs panting and worn––surely his Sister's Sons just came upon this moment after gaming with the Dogs––at practice.
Kíli caught his eye, his own full of wonder, "It's Sona," he said quickly, as his eyes darted between Sona and Thorin, both still holding hands, and back to Sona's black object, still in Nori's hand––although Dori and Ori made quite an effort––Kíli said further, "she's in this––flat rock."
Dwalin fumed, his metal bracers flashing, "No, she isn't." Then Dwalin's eyes gravitated toward their joined hands, and up into Thorin's eyes, his face full of a similar question to Balin's, however in Dwalin's case it wasn't a question––"She's with Thorin, not in some––rock." Nostrils flaring, Dwalin's hands clenched, clearly he wanted to punch Nori, bracers and all.
Thorin glanced over the area. Where was Tharkûn? The Wizard––gone again––how had he missed all of this?
Thorin's thoughts were interrupted by Sona's voice––from before––? She still spoke!
"––I'm doing my best to find civilization––"
She seeks Civilization! Suddenly Thorin realized––This was before we met––!
Thorin could barely feel, for shock––but for her hand in his right now––! And yet the edge in her voice––from her object––! The panic she tried to hide: Thorin felt Sona's panic repeating through her hand holding his.
And here Nori had pilfered Sona's bag!
Violating her trust, her privacy––Such betrayal, now that she'd found civilization––and how––! Guilt hit Thorin as he recalled his blade between them, that first time they met––he, glaring into the face of his Thief––! His hand gentled over hers–– Dennar'ê Asti––I will shield you and protect you, lead where you require.
Sona spoke––again from her object, "But just in case––"
In case––what? In case you found no help? Fine help you found––Thorin glared at Nori, knowing this went beyond Nori. Thorin's anger intensified, as he remembered too vividly his own violent welcoming of his One, just when she sought help, just when she was at greatest need, and his thoughts toward himself grew darker, curdling, burning.
"Mom, Dad, and Priya. I love you."
You said your goodbyes––!
Sona gasped, and Thorin felt the shudder go through her.
You set your message in this strange object you've carried, some kind of Seeing Stone––!
And then she dropped his hand and bolted.
The loss of touch slapped his balance, as she cast him off so––deservedly.
Thorin turned to go after, stayed by what he deserved. It burned where she let go. At the same time Balin and Glóin each placed a hand on his shoulders. He glared at them, one to the other, unmoving. Do you think I will jump, like before? After she casts me off? He would both run, and burn, now––She casts me off, deservedly, remembering as well as I, the help she found when she found me.
His flaw fueled his anger all the more, heat welling inside with nowhere to release it.
"We need you here," Balin said low enough for only Thorin, nodding back toward where Ri N'adâd still struggled over Sona's black object––She had needed him; if only he had been there––And Thorin noticed neither of his Advisors gripped fast.
Either they, too, know my faults–– Or they serve only to remind me.
Of course they need me here, of course they do.
Thorin had never thought leading could be so difficult, until he met his One. And she is running toward the woods!
What if she passed the gates?
Thorin's glance darted toward Dwalin, to order him after her, only to find his Warrior already racing to catch his Thief.
Everyone seemed to speak at once, with bustling commotions and movements combined, about Nori, around Nori, about the object, about Sona in the "flat rock" as Kíli kept calling it, about Sona off in the woods with Dwalin chasing, and Balin muttering to Glóin about how to calm Thorin, other scattered remarks on Thorin's attire––what? and hands, holding hands, who's business was it?
No one's.
Thorin felt his boiling anger rise and reach no peak, watching Sona disappear into the woods––Asti––and Dwalin right behind her.
I've lost you––I've never had you––it felt like a shattering, losing sight of her. All for this object Nori stole, this thing with record of her voice, her heart, from before––Where she left her message, not for my ears–– Not for our ears–– She left them private. Her privacy, her trust, all violated all at once.
Thorin's glance settled upon Nori, his burning hand set on a pummeling.
"Natatkatîn!"
Everyone froze on his command. Ri N'adâd slowly turned to look at him, Nori with particular focus.
Thorin glanced at the hands still on his shoulders, and then to the faces owning them. Balin and Glóin bowed and let go.
And as calmly as he could, Thorin took steps toward Nori. Once in striking distance, he held out his hand.
Nori dropped Sona's object there without hesitation, and then Ori and Dori tugged him out of Thorin's reach. Nori didn't struggle as they pulled him. He just stared back at Thorin. Everyone stared at Thorin, waiting.
An awkward silence took over the entire Company.
It stretched.
Thorin let it.
Sona's absence, as well as Dwalin's, proved incalculably hard to swallow.
Finally, Dori broke that silence, stepping away from his brothers. "Shaknatha? Will you expel Nori?"
Thorin stared at Nori with a gaze full of fury he could not see past.
Expulsion was the stiffest possible penalty for such a breach of trust.
Thorin still said nothing. They deserved more, but he had no judgment he could give presently, for he could barely think, so hot with anger.
Who would presume to violate his One's privacy so?
Nori.
Yet Thorin was no better than Nori, as Thorin recalled it––just now, with this visceral reminder. Her need, my blade.
Things between Sona and Thorin had improved beyond anything Thorin had ever deserved. How had I been so cold? And now? Now his heart felt embittered by betrayal. And a sinking feeling. And a waiting for loss.
Nori waited, too. Guilty of this newest betrayal–– one of my Company.
Thorin felt guilt, staring at Nori––As if I had done it, inviting Sona to join us, so we could help her––
How had Thorin ever thought he was helping?
Thorin could ask for excuses. For both of them, he could. He looked from the strange object back to Nori. He could make excuses up, for the sake of easing his mind.
But there were none.
He continued to glare at Nori, until Nori couldn't take it anymore, and the Spy's eyes dropping to stare at his feet.
"Will you allow him to make amends if she will allow it?" Dori interrupted the awkward silence, wanting an answer. "And we would like to make amends as well," he gestured toward Ori, who nodded in silence, his face red with anger, eyes wet with pain.
So should I, make amends. If–– Thorin stopped his thought with a glance toward the wood, hoping she would come back, frustrated to find no sight of her.
"Look what you did, Nori." Ori was back to smacking Nori as if he still had something to recover from those deft fingers. Nori did little to protect himself. "Why'd you have to go and do that?" Ori continued berating him profusely, hands swatting twofold through the telling. "Why couldn't you ask her what it was, if you so badly needed to know? What are we supposed to do if she decides you must go? And what about you? Fool Bandit."
Dori, hands wringing, looked from his brothers to Thorin and back again.
Thorin had no answer in his wrath.
And then Thorin's eyes were back on the clearing edge––Ē'ze was returning! Dwalin walked with her towards him––Imhed'ûl Mahal––Thorin exhaled.
He gave a nod at Dori, signing 'Sona would decide.'
They came upon the Company, Sona's face swollen from tears––She had been crying––! Though her tears had been dried away, Thorin's upset resurged, stricken by the evidence of her suffering. He wondered briefly how Dwalin had managed to quiet her tears––she had been crying!
As for Dwalin, he did not look at Nori. His face was blank––war mask on––he knew the choice to come, and who was required to make it. Dwalin kept a hand on Sona's back, guiding her to them, however reluctantly she approached.
For surely, she would not want them to see her pain. She would not want to face Nori for his misdeed. And yet she came to them.
It calmed Thorin that she came to them, in spite of whatever they deserved.
"Shameless––" Ori berated his brother further as the two came near. "You deserve it, dishonoring our family so––But Nori! How dare you steal from a fellow Member of the Company?"
Indeed. Thorin kept his own war mask on, his white anger contained somewhat, now that he saw her. His hands clenched, tight as banded fire agate––
Asti––
––Ē'ze––
What now?
Because Thorin knew theirs was not the only choice Sona had, but her own. Would she leave them––me––for this breach? He recalled the feeling of her hand discarding his, dropping and running as if for her life, away from me.
His hand burned as he recalled it.
For a moment, more awkward waiting followed. Thorin did not wish to explain these choices to his One. Instead, he continued to stare at Nori, fueling his anger through his fists, tightly woven, one hand still gripping Sona's black object.
And Nori answered. Barely able to look at Thorin, Nori wordlessly shoved past Ori, past Dori who reached to stop him, shaking his head, feet never wavering until he stood before Thorin and waited, almost demanding his judgment, ready to take punishment, no matter what it was––
Blast you, I would hit you, and ban you, and––
'Birashigami Uzbad'imê,' Nori signed and held out his hand for the object, bowing slightly as he did so.
Apologies for your King? Thorin's eyes narrowed––
––Impertinent Spy.
Thorin glared at him, considering, holding tighter to the object, pondering his choices––I could make this judgment––Save the Thief her trouble.
It riled Thorin's ire, the thought of giving the stolen object back to the one who stole it.
I would give it back. Not you.
Nori made no move to speak again, nor did he lower his hand.
If I don't return this to your mischievous hand, you cannot make amends.
This way leads to nothing good.
But I will make you wait. And think maybe.
Thorin let the Spy stew in it. After a bit, Thorin glanced over at his Thief, who watched on, clearly wondering what Thorin would do, not yet knowing she would be the one to judge. And Thorin's eyes caught on the handkerchief Sona held tightly in her fingers––
The Thief had dried her eyes! and now––
Thorin felt a shred of hope, woven in the threads of his Sister's stolen gift––
Thorin's grip loosened, his fingers spread over the object, and Thorin dropped it in Nori's hand, where he could barely feel himself move.
Nori backed away, nimbly, not to give Thorin a second chance to take matters into his own hands.
Ē'ze will decide it.
Nori took no time to think as he turned to begin his apology, angling himself before Sona, posture full of contrition. From there he pulled out his coin pouch and reached to give up the object and the pouch, whole. Nori would keep nothing. Thorin smirked, absent the joy of ordinary circumstance, knowing here more was less, because if the Spy managed to stay among them, he would win a similar sum in no time. Nori was good at gambling.
Sona took her object and the pouch, looking at the pouch with suspicion.
"Lady Sona––"
The Thief frowned just barely––bothered by the title––? If only you knew, Ē'ze––he just now called me King.
"I most humbly apologize for taking something of yours."
After a fraction of breath, Ori cleared his throat, as yet unsatisfied with what his Brother said.
"And for the incursion upon your privacy. You trusted us all and by acting thusly, I broke that trust." His Brothers stood right behind him, and stepped up once Nori stepped aside. Each carried their own bags of coin.
Thorin watched on ruefully. These two would have a harder time replacing theirs, likely an amount matching Nori's twice over. They handed their pouches to Sona, who took them, her bewildered expression increasing with each additional Ri gold sack.
Perplexed, she shifted the bags in her hand.
Do they not offer restitution in the lands where you come from?
And there Nori appeared to feel it most; the Spy, now entirely deflated, his shoulder's slouched lower at the cost to his family, to the Company. If he managed to stay, he would surely earn his Brother's coin twice over in gains.
"Lady Sona," Dori began his apology, his face downcast, but he couldn't finish it.
"We too must give you our most humblest apologies," Ori finished for him, "on behalf of our family."
"Dori, Ori, there's nothing to forgive," she said, smiling such a smile, the warmest kind.
It was all Thoirn could do, but stare–– You aren't leaving!
Happy relief followed on.
Now she moved to return the gold, but Dwalin held to her arm, with a mild nod, no–– You must keep it.
"As for you, Nori––"
The only sound came from the Bees, as every Dwarf there awaited her verdict, on the edge of a precipice, what will you decide, for Nori?
"I will accept your apology, if you will accept mine."
What? How? You hadn't–– just as quickly Thorin quashed that thought, wishing he could embrace her, in spite of not quite understanding why––You should not apologize where there is no ground for it––
––An embrace would go too far––
––Instead he looked over his Company, all eyes awed and aimed at Sona in stunned appreciation, for her grace, and more, for her gentle spirit overflowing––but why apologize? And her eyes roamed over all of them, except for his. Why don't you look at me? Like you did at the water?
No matter, I will look at you––
How you do it once more, saving us from sorrow––
Gold Song.
And yet he was incredibly pleased he'd passed judgment to the Thief.
Only she would get it just right.
"I owe all of you an apology, for that matter––"
Sure you do. Convince me, Ē'ze.
"I've not been completely honest with you––"
How much will you share, Asti––?
His brows creased, wondering something impossible.
"––and I know how curious Dwarves are."
Indeed.
Bofur suppressed a laugh, nodding all the same.
But what about thieving, Thief?
"I know that doesn't excuse bad behavior––"
It surely does not.
"––but still––"
You paddle backwards, Thief.
"––I'm almost surprised this didn't happen sooner––"
Sooner?! Did you think so low of us, that we would steal from you––Sooner? Thorin knew he still felt raw inside, to think such thoughts from her, of them. That was not how she meant her words. And besides. You have stolen, and you were never low––Asti.
I brought my sword between us, while you hungered.
And then her eyes fell again upon Nori, who stared back at her with his mouth still opened. "So, do you accept my apology?"
You are a most clever Thief.
Somehow, mysteriously, as if fresh air seeped in through a tiny crevice to daylight, Thorin wasn't angry anymore.
Nori didn't quite know what to do, so he looked to his Brothers first, for guidance, and there they enthusiastically beamed and nodded, with Ori signing 'Aye, accept her grace, fool Bandit.'
"Aye," Nori repeated, answering, hesitating––so unusual, compared to our usual customs––"But––"
"Then I accept yours." She was fast.
And how deftly you silence poor Nori's legitimate objections. Thorin had been muzzled by Sona before, but this––this is art, how you do this. To be sure, when Sona muzzled Thorin, he had far less vantage to see how well she did it––Skills beyond a Diplomat's––Ē'ze.
"And that means we are good, and you are forgiven, and as far as I'm concerned, this never happened." She partly smiled. Thorin guessed she smiled to ease the Spy, and perhaps, to ease herself, unused to duties such as pardoning––"Next time, just ask, okay?"
And the Spy nodded. Certainly, he couldn't help it.
He will honor you with favors for a lifetime, now, Thief, and you won't need to ask.
And then Sona's smile blossomed full––What now?
Thorin glanced over the rest of the Company, all following her words, faces bearing similar expressions of shock such as Nori's.
"Well, I suppose the Cat's out of the bag now."
Cats? Thorin hadn't seen any, and with the Mice, like Dwalin's new friend, Thorin wasn't sure the Bear Man had Cats–– and what bag?
Fíli and Kíli, as well as Dwalin and a few others, looked over the field to find any stray Cats, each coming up short and looking more intently at Sona, while Thorin wondered if the Bear Man kept Cats in bags in order keep his Mice safe–– More likely, Beorn had no Cats.
Thorin remembered how it felt to be put in a bag. He glanced over at Sona and swallowed, remembering how close they were, after capture by the Trolls, as she tugged on the ropes with her rainbow knife––
We all know now, that you are not from here.
She bit her lip.
Thorin bit his own.
She shrugged.
Mahal.
"What would you like to know?"
Next thing Thorin knew, his One was answering curious questions, and Dwalin was next to him, whispering low, "She clutched your hanky the whole time she cried, Thorin."
Thorin's eyes shot up at Dwalin, brows knit, then back to Sona––the Thief still held the handkerchief, no longer so tightly. It had given comfort, Thorin knew, however hard his heart wished he had been there to offer a warmer sort of comfort––"What happened out there, aside from Sona's tears?"
/T\oSo/T\oDo/T\
Khuzdûl:
Natatkatîn – Silence; shut up with each other.
Shaknatha – banish him
Phone + Nori = Boom. :-)) Thank you Jenny-Wren28!
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