'We were walking hand in hand,' Alyssae repeated. She couldn't remember very well, but assumed he didn't pull out of his ass.
She looked at him inquiringly. Why would that make him angry? She didn't know if Fili had feelings for her, but even if that was the case, what had Thorin to do with that?
She broke into cold sweat when she got another idea.
"You should have seen his face." Those were words Kili had spoken after she had cleaned herself and finally looked proper again. "'He acts like he hates you, but he thinks your nicer than he dares to admit."
She didn't dare to look at him when she wondered if he could feel the same like her. She knew she wasn't acting very exemplary and she understood when he didn't want to show his feelings for an elf. The dwarf king, who felt a deep hate for all tall creatures with pointy ears.
'You're jealous?"
It was an insecure muttering which left her mouth and as soon as she heard the words, her cheeks turned flaming red. She swallowed uneasily and looked the other way. The dark threat which came from the trees, suddenly seemed to welcome her and she wanted to flee to it so badly.
'Jealous?' He spit out the word.
Alyssae didn't dare to look him in the eyes, but Thorin forced her to do so when he suddenly stood before her.
'Go ahead!' he snapped at the others. 'I won't attack her. The elf just wants a romantic moment.'
She caught a questioning look from Kili, but she didn't dare to move and she wished she could disappear. How could she fall for such a man? He had a heart of stone.
'I don't know why you want to crush his heart, but I swear on the grave of my forefathers I will not rest before I paid you back if you succeed.'
Alyssae stared at him in disbelief. Something inside her was dying and because of that loss her eyes started to tear. 'I – I was drunk. It meant nothing.'
'You think I don't know that?' His voice had lowered dangerously. 'That's the whole point.'
'What?' she asked weakly.
'You pretend like you've feelings for him, which isn't.' He breathed in and out. His thundering voice felt like a wild wave that beat against her and took her breath away.
'I don't pretend!' Alyssae protested. 'I was just scared yesterday. I held his hand. Nothing more! Until now I didn't even know he wanted to be more than just friends!'
Dear lord, she wished so badly it had been reversed. That she had fallen in love with Fili instead of his embittered uncle.
Frustrated she stroke her hair with her hand, but she still couldn't realise Thorin's anger was caused by something so silly as this. She understood he cared about his nephew, but he went a little too far…
'I swear I never meant to harm him! If there's someone I wish all the love of the world, it's him!'
That answer didn't seem to propitiate Thorin, because he still looked furiously at her.
'Tell him,' he answered provokingly.
'What? That I have no feelings for him?' She shook her head in disbelief. She never imagined that she would have a conversation like this with the dwarf king.
'No. Tell him the truth: that you are engaged and that you will marry someone else as soon as Erebor is in our hands again.'