Their time spent in the Wild made the Dwarves trust Elerin more, whether they liked it or not. Whenever it rained and they couldn't light a fire, she could create a fire hotter than the rain was able to put out. There was no Dwarf in Middle-earth that would complain about warm food.
"Ms. Elerin, could you help move this rock?" Ori asked.
The sound of the kind-hearted Dwarf brought the Dragon from her daze, and she silently complied with the request. She stood in silence before the large boulder. They wanted her to move it?
"What's wrong with it being here?" She asked Thorin.
"It's more of a test of strength," he answered with a coy smirk.
She glared, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm not moving the boulder for your petty arguments."
"I've put a lot of gold on this bet," he told her before she could walk away.
She turned, placing her finger on his lips, "I do not want a share of your bet, Thorin. You know I do not hoard gold or treasures of any kind."
He moved her hand away, but kept it between his, "I did not ask you to pick it up and carry it. Bakanimê, please."
She stared back into those pleading Blue eyes, her stubborn will melting away. He smiled at her sigh of defeat. She gave a tug at his braid, "You owe me."
"I always have," he replied.
She walked up to the boulder, placing her hand on the jagged side. Dolomite. It took her five minutes to circle around it. She was frowning when she turned to Thorin, "Does it matter what part of my body I use?"
The Dwarves went silent, all sharing a look as a silent debate while the Hobbit stood a few feet behind Thorin, hoping that to be the safest place to stand.
"No, it doesn't matter," Balin stated from the group.
She walked back to the rock and placed both hands on it before giving a push and watching the boulder fall over, the earth shaking under its weigh. Most of the Dwarves fell over, including the Hobbit.
Once the chaos of passing coins had subsided, Bilbo approached the less than pleased Dragon. He cleared his throat before taking a deep breath as he tried to not quiver under her sharp gaze, "Y-you don't, um, hoard gold?"
He relaxed when she smiled a bit, "I hoard people, Master Baggins. I am a protector. Similar to a mother hen keeping her chicks under her wings, I suppose is the best way to describe it."
He nodded slowly, staring up at the creature, "And, what-what does Thorin owe you, if you don't mind me asking?"
She sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot answer that question."
"Ah, I'm sorry for being intrusive," he apologized quickly.
She laughed a bit, "Don't be sorry. In order to learn, questions must be asked."
There was a weight lifted from the Hobbit's shoulders. Yes, he had seen her spit fire, challenge Thorin, and even push over a boulder that was possibly the size of Bag End, and much taller, but she was a gentle soul, kind hearted and caring. Thorin had been right. She had managed to sneak her way into his heart. Suddenly, he felt as though the mission would fail should she leave.
Her eyes had glazed over again as she stared into the distance. There was something foul in the air, though it was far off. They were over a hundred miles away from Mirkwood, but it felt different than that evil. It bothered her how familiar it felt.
It wasn't Melkor, but it felt similar. She never met any of Melkor's armies, only the dragons.
"Elerin! It's time for supper!" Kili called.
Thorin noticed how focused his friend was. They may need someone to be on watch if she decided to leave. Grabbing a bowl of stew, he headed to her side, gently placing it in her hands, "What do you see?"
"It's not what I see, but what evil is in the air. Something old has awaken, and it is gathering power to end the line of Durin."
"Gandalf said we were being hunted," Thorin admitted lowly. "Do you plan to leave?"
"No, it's not that much of a threat to me. I don't like how familiar it feels." She gave him a soothing smile, "Nothing can harm you, Thorin. I will keep you and yours safe."
"Elerin, do not think that I have not noticed how little you eat. I am aware of how much you need, and should you need to get it, go. It is better for us to stand watch for a couple of hours than for you to give way in combat due to lack of eating."
She reached into her side pouch revealing many of those odd bread things those Elves had called lembas. "The Elves said a bite can fill a grown man's stomach, so I eat almost ten every day." Sighing, she took a bite of the stew, "I will do as my king asks."
He sighed, "Please, do not make this journey more cumbersome."
She practically downed the entire stew in one gulp, placing the bowl at her feet before gently cupping the to-be king's face. "What is on your mind, bagd undu agâhmê?" She searched his eyes looking for his unspoken answer. After a moment, she cracked a smile, "Your soul is tired, isn't it? A weariness no amount of rest can cure. Even Erebor could not ease you."
"Can you fix it?"
She gently ran her fingers through his dark hair, "No matter your pains, I will be able to heal you."
Many of the Dwarves paused when they noticed the bizarre turn of events happening at the edge of their camp.
"Think she'll be the next queen?" Bofur asked, smiling despite the serious crime that was happening before them.
"It's possible," Balin admitted with a sigh. "However, legends say a dragon's kiss can put a soul at ease. Even after our stay with the Elves, he wasn't able to let go the thought of being hunted. Thorin would never ask for something unless he needed it. He must be feeling very tired to break our customs like that."
"What custom?" Bilbo asked, unable to look away from the intimate moment the to-be king and dragon were having. The kiss wasn't passionate or lustful, but almost innocent and filled with longing. When he squinted, he could see a faint mist rising from Thorin, as if the very evil residing in him was being burned by whatever fire Elerin had created in his heart, purifying him spiritually.
"Nobles aren't allowed to display such affections in front of others," Balin explained.
"It shouldn't be happening at all," Dwalin grumbled, glaring at the scene.
Elerin pulled away from the Dwarf, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead, "There. All better."
Thorin felt like a new dwarf, as though he had first left Bag End, without the lingering thoughts of evil or possible betrayal. He could see so clearly now, as though he had woken from a hazy dream. To his surprise, he thought he would want more. He wanted to feel that world of cleansing again, that gentle, warm massage on his soul that gently released all his turmoil and pain. He wanted it, but he did not crave it.
Unfortunately, he did crave her touch, a longing that had been etched in his heart years before when he was but a lad. Every son in the line of Durin longed for her, only to settle for a dwarrowdam that could fit the bill, so to speak. A dragon as a queen would be a mockery of their culture, yet he felt more drawn to her than he did the Arkenstone.
"Elerin," he whispered before she could leave him, "Do not leave me in need."
"How many laws do you plan to break tonight?" The sadness in her eyes did not go unnoticed though she tried to cover it with an easy smile. "Your men need you."
"And I need you," he declared lowly.
She frowned slightly as she watched his eyes. It looked as though a smokescreen had formed over his irises, blinding him to the reality of the situation. "Cmon, let's get back to the others."
He blinked a couple of times, his eyes clearing a bit as he let her lead him back to the group. "Elerin, why do you use such words if you do not mean them?"
She paused, looking back at him slightly confused, "What on earth makes you think I don't mean them? There is a time and place for everything, Thorin. We are on our way home." She took his large hands between hers, "Here and now is not the time or place."
He searched her gaze for any sign of lies but found none. He remembered when he was growing up how she would tell tales of his forefathers and their wives. Envious dwarrowdams eager to have their children so the dragon would no longer be near their husbands. Thorin thought the notion to be laughable when he was younger, until he fell in love with the dragon as his ancestors had.
And yet, his love seemed off when he compared it to others. He watched others court and wed but he had no such desires for that. It was almost as though he no matter how much he loved her, he had to keep her at arms length, just in case someone else, maybe better, came along. For that, he felt guilty, unworthy of the dragon.
It had been drilled into his mind that every king should have a beautiful queen. There were so many dwarrowdams that glittered like diamonds compared to Elerin, yet none were as beautiful as her. It wasn't her personality. Thorin was never able to figure out what was so different, why her appearance was so appealing, though she was like a piece of coal amongst diamonds in Erebor.
Then, he saw a statue in the graves of the Elves. Pale and lonely, forgotten as it was covered with years of fallen leaves and growing moss. He had wiped it off to get a better look. Despite the vagueness of the carving, he could feel in the smooth surface what Elerin was.
She was death.
That was what made her so appealing. She was a glimpse of those shores from her Elves song he had heard so many years ago. She was the halls of his forefathers that waited to welcome him.
When they returned to the fire, Bilbo was the only one to approach Elerin after she had helped Thorin to his bed roll. The other Dwarves were concerned with their king's wellbeing, asking him as many questions as they could before they ran out of breath.
"A dragon's kiss can cleanse the soul," she told Bilbo before he asked. "Thorin carries a heavy heart and is too prideful to shed tears over it. A small expression of love would be better than a group of Dwarves watching their leader breakdown."
"Do-do you love Thorin?" He asked quietly, casting a glance to the Dwarves who were still quizzing Thorin. Even Oin was giving him a once over just in case she had harmed the king.
"Yes," she replied honestly. "He's the first I have come to truly love. However, the culture of the Dwarves and their customs would not permit such a relationship."
The Hobbit was dumbstruck. He could understand, but at the same time, he couldn't, not entirely. He could see Thorin being happy living out his days alone, yet he would be happier with Elerin at his side. She had had a say in the laws of Erebor before, shouldn't she have say in them once more?
He was surprised by her smile, "Don't trouble yourself with the politics of Dwarves. I will always be at his side, though never as a love."
"That isn't fair to either of you, Elerin," Bilbo finally stated. "It shouldn't matter what you are. You love each other, and that should be enough for the Dwarves to accept."
"Actually, many dwarves frown upon the king actually loving someone. They find it to be distracting. Dwarves do not really believe in queens, besides the title. She has no real importance, other than having children." She frowned a bit, "Some of the kings in the past liked to take advantage of that. That's how the seven dwarf kingdoms came about. I believe if we aren't careful with Erebor, the Iron Hills may try to take over." She gave a heavy sigh, "Cleaning the mountain will be worse than creating it."
"Were you there when they carved out Erebor?" The hobbit asked, awestruck at the thought.
"Of course I was," she replied curtly, though still smiling. "I picked it out, after all."
Bakanimê- my treasure
bagd undu agâhmê- wind beneath my wings