*************...*************
*************...*************
A/N:
- Just a small note to tell you people that the idea of Thorin being a skilled wood carver and offering his child a family heirloom made by his own two hands was an idea of my dear friend and dare I say co-author StephCalvino. *.*
Between a rock and a hard place
It was the soft tapping of the rain on the window that made Eilin open up her eyes. She was snuggling on Thorin's chest with one arm trapped under her and the other sprawled over his stomach. She cringed and looked at the half open curtains they had forgotten to close the previous evening. The sky was dark grey, but there was no snow anymore and if there was any left on the northern passages, this heavy rain was going to melt it all down. Spring had arrived up here in the Mountain, but it was not the same as in the Shire. The temperature was certainly warmer, but the clear days were still rare and the blue sky was still mostly hiding behind the rain clouds. Thorin had reassured her that soon enough she'd be able to enjoy milder weather and witness Mirkwood blooming, which was in his words, a magical sight. Eilin heard his steady heartbeat under her ear and stretched her leg that was resting carelessly above his. A yawn escaped her as she tried to stretch also the upper part of her body and wake up the numbness of her trapped arm. She felt her ever growing belly pulling her painfully and she curled into a ball on his torso trying to calm down the aches and pains that were becoming worse with each passing day.
Loa insisted that Eilin's belly was way too large for the time she's been pregnant and was constantly trying to feel the baby. She told both Eilin and Dis, to the princess delight and to Eilin's horror, that there was possibly more than one baby in there, but it was difficult to detect the second one. Either because the first one was too big and had taken over Eilin's belly, or because the second one was significantly smaller and possibly trapped behind the larger baby towards Eilin's spine. Something that made it hard for Loa to feel it. So she was left with the doubt if she was carrying twins or one single huge baby in there, but anyhow whatever occupied her insides was very active. Pushing, kicking, pressing her bladder and making her need to pee dire all the time. She felt aches in her ribs, her lower belly and even her lower back, but every time she felt movement in her stomach she also felt relief. Just knowing that the baby was well was enough to calm her down, yet the more the pregnancy progressed the more she felt unsure that she was going to make it to delivery in one piece. She remembered how Thorin always considered her so fragile and dainty and that he was afraid he was going to break her. Well, apparently it was their baby that was going to manage this, not the King. She snuggled once more against him and his breathing changed. His arm came up and pulled her on him. He turned his head and buried his face in her wild red curls. Soon enough his breathing became steady and deep once again. She gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead and regretfully disentangled herself from his arms. She walked to the bathroom and took her time to relieve her poor bladder. When she was finished she came back and burrowed next to him under the heavy covers.
"You awake?" she whispered and her fingers followed the line of hair down to his stomach. There she traced without looking his large scar and felt her heart clenching for a few moments. The skin on it was very thin and painfully stretched under her fingers. It felt as if it was ready to break at any moment.
He didn't reply and his breathing pattern didn't change.
Eilin lifted up her head and placed a gentle kiss at his bearded jawline. Then she leaned on her elbow and smiled down at his sleeping face. She reached up and cleared some stray black wavy locks away from his eyes and her forefinger glided gently on the other large scar over his right brow. She took her time to caress it as her mind felt more and more troubled with the thoughts that had been bothering her during the last two days.
"What am I going to do Thorin?" she whispered and frowned down at his calm expression.
No reply again and she knew he was in deep sleep once more as the arm that had pulled her close before was now laying useless on the pillow trapping his long hair under its weight. She didn't want to wake him up and yet she wanted so much to talk to him, to ask him again. To plead once more even though she knew he would refuse her like he had done the first time. Two days after trying to intervene on Valdis' behalf and she was still guilt ridden that she failed, even though Dis told her that she needed to pull back and allow her husband to take care of this. Nevertheless poor lady Valdis returned on her hands and knees bellowing her pain at Eilin with such honesty that the poor Queen broke apart. She may have come a long way from her days at the tavern, but Eilin knew all about emotional trauma. She knew everything about pain and her empathy towards Valdis was causing her heart to bleed. Thorin had commanded her to stay away from Valdis and Karunn with such austerity that Eilin wouldn't have ever dreamed of doing anything behind his back. Nevertheless Valdis' pleads couldn't go unheard. Her need to act as a proper Queen to her people was clashing with her need to listen to her husband. Eilin didn't have the ability to detach herself from other people's emotional distress so easily. She had acted in a similar manner towards Thorin's deteriorating state at the beginning of their relationship. She was always running after him to help, because she felt his pain. It was not much different with Valdis now and it mattered little that her sister had caused all this pain to so many people. She still wished to help the young woman see Karunn one last time before Thorin decided to take through a trial and probably lead her to the gallows.
Dain was as adamant in keeping Valdis' away from the dungeons as Thorin and a small worried voice in the back of Eilin's head was trying to remind her that maybe there was a reason her husband and her sister-in-law were acting so. That she didn't have all the information she needed in order to decide properly. Yet when she asked that information from Thorin, he didn't give it to her. Dis reassured her that it was not something uncommon for the King to keep matters of state away from his family. Her father did the same and so did Thror, nevertheless Eilin was too involved in this case already.
"It's not me that must decide, is it?" she whispered and her fingers found their way down to his stomach scar once more. They began drawing gentle circles there and she felt her throat getting dry. Her eyes never left his handsome face, delighting in the abandonment of his repose. She never remembered him oversleeping her. He was always the first to wake up and the last one to fall asleep. He had sworn not to rest until he had his family in his arms and he had meant it. Now that he had Eilin in his arms he overslept her many times. She found herself getting up earlier than him by the need to relieve her abused bladder and after that she just couldn't sleep. So several mornings like this one she stayed above him musing at his face and thinking about their baby. This morning though unfortunately, all her thoughts were about Valdis, Karunn and her role as the Queen.
Was it she that had to decide about Valdis' or Karunn's fate? She exhaled through her nose and her fingers traced his beard until they found their way through his thick mane after lingering on his golden earring for a few thoughtful moments. "It's you that will decide, and yet I cannot remain idle my love." She spoke with a hushed tone. "I cannot remain idle when there is a soul in pain and I can do something about it." -she continued thoughtfully- "You told me to take care of my people and that is what I want to do, but you are stopping me. I don't want to disobey you, but this is so hard for me. For once I have the power to help someone and my soul yearns to do it, against your command. Will you ever forgive me if you find out?" her fingers twisted thoughtfully in his hair and she leaned down. Her lips remained above his bearded chin. "I love you so much," she said under her breath and gifted him with a soft kiss that made him stir under her cosily. She felt his smile forming upon her lips and closed her eyes.
He didn't respond with words but with a lazy and sleepy kiss of his own. His lips reciprocated softly and his warm breath coasted along her jawline raising her hair in attention. The more she continued her gentle probing, the more he awoke and became increasingly responsive to her. The more she seemed dedicated to use her mouth in order to awake several parts of him, the more he reciprocated until he was finally able to take control of that sizzling kiss. The arm that was resting on the pillow came up to clutch the back of her head and pull her down firmly. Then his mouth opened up to allow his tongue to reach out to her. She exhaled hard and gave him all the access he required whole heartedly, as her body awakened with unexpected yearning. He was fresh from sleep and it was apparent by the roughness that he was putting into this kiss and by the firmness that his grip had on the back of her head, but she rather enjoyed this assertiveness in him a lot. The warmth that began trickling in her core the moment their lips touched, now felt like a river of lava. Apparently their abstinence from intimate activities was causing both her and him to have a lot of bottled up emotions that only needed a small cause to erupt and engulf them. Her fingers that up till then were pressing his stomach wound, carelessly sailed under the quilts and brushed tentatively against his substantial morning arousal. When her small fingers curled around him, he responded with a hiss and a rather rough bite on her bottom lip. "No..." he whispered and opened up his mesmerising azure eyes.
She swallowed heavily and moved her fist, just to test the waters. He threw his head back to the pillow and closed his eyes. "Good morning handsome..." she whispered and leaned down to inhale the musky scent on his neck.
"Eilin what are you doing?" the hoarseness of his voice send an explosion of need down her spine that ended between her thighs, that she squeezed in order to get some relief.
"I am giving you pleasure my heart. You seem to yearn for it. Look at you. Look at how you woke up..." her voice was hushed as she gifted him with dozens of wet kisses all over his chest and neck. Her small experienced hand worked on him unhurriedly, focusing on what she already knew he liked the most.
His breath hitched and he closed his eyes tight. "I didn't wake up this way. Your kiss did this to me." His sleepy voice caressed through her senses, setting them on fire.
"Does it matter? Now lay down and enjoy!" she said. Then she leaned down to kiss and nibble every available patch of skin until her mouth opened up to engulf part of his large scar. This was her carnal way of letting him know that this morning she wanted to have the upper hand on him.
His jawline flexed and his fingers twisted painfully through her hair. "Going in with the commands again?" he whispered.
"I am going to go full force today. Now don't speak!" she rejoined and kissed without hurrying the line of hair that led to his virility. Just feeling her breath on him was enough to make him clench his teeth and his buttocks with the need to feel her soft and warm mouth around him. It had been so long since he had felt her, as he denied every opportunity she had offered him for relief. He was determined in receiving pleasure only when he would be able to offer it back to her. Be as it may, this morning she had caught him off guard and it was rather difficult for him to say no even though his sense of honour was screaming that he should stop her. The battle raged on inside him even though his loins were on fire and the pain of need was almost suffocating him. Still, he had the self control needed to tunnel his fingers through her hair in a feeble attempt to restrain her.
"I will not take pleasure, if I cannot give it back to you," he gritted his teeth and looked decisively down at her. Her exhalations caressed his weighty erection. His body translated each of her panting breaths and each drive of her determined fist, into a new wave of pleasure that was soon going to become overwhelming. His imminent surrender was something that wasn't even debated by his body which was aching to be touched, but his mind was making a valiant effort to resist, still.
She shook her head and looked at him through hazy eyes. Her lips were already parted. "I love your sense of honour, but you will do me a favour today."
He raised his head and looked at her beautiful green eyes.
"Be silent and don't move...much." Her gentle, but firm voice send his mind reeling into the void as lust overtook every single logical process.
He raised both brows and opened up his mouth to answer that he wasn't ever going to do such a thing. That he was going to voice his opposition, both by words and with actions, but all his honourable intentions seized and a sharp and shocked inhalation ripped through his throat as she turned around and engulfed his arousal without any more words or any other warnings. His breath got trapped into his chest and the world around him stopped turning for several craving moments. When she moved a deep moan of gratification busted out of his half open mouth and his eyes squeezed tight as he was unable to hold onto his physical reactions anymore. Eilin was unable to taste him fully, as his formidable size made that task impossible, but feeling the wet warmth of her sweet mouth enwrapping as much as it could from the most sensitive part of his body was enough to congest his mind with thick fog. "Eilin please no..." he begged, but he was not sure what he was begging her for. Did he truly wish her to stop?
She hummed her intention to continue her thorough work, and he hissed as her voice drummed through his loins making his hand twist roughly through her hair. "Please...pull back." Another sharp inhalation slashed through the air and then another and then another as she did the exact opposite of what he was begging her to do. She remained exactly where she was and she became rather concentrated in offering him the gratification he was craving for, proving to him that all their time together had made her a very skilful lover. She knew exactly how to build him up and how to please him. He both hated her and loved her for that. He hated that it was so easy for him to lose command of his body when he was with her and loved the fact that it was his wife spiralling him out of control.
He wasn't able to observe the waves of pleasure that rippled through her countenance as she decided to make him suffer. Much like he had done to her several times, when she was begging him to pick up speed and he was refusing. He had taught her well and good that a slow steady pace could enhance the arousal and the consequent release from such a trial could be truly intense. So she used all the knowledge she had gained from him, not giving any notice to his unimportant tries to pull her up by the hair, or to stop her in some manner. Knowing that he was trying half heartedly and that deep down he didn't want her to stop, pushed her to work on him harder, not intending to stop until she felt him erupting under her. She wanted to taste his need for her so much that her lower body became a warm river of desire that unfortunately was going to be left untouched today. That didn't stop her from tightening her thighs in order to offer herself relief as she steered him slowly out of control with the use of her mouth and hands.
His passion for her had become so accumulated and so intense that he was unable to control the reactions of his body to the way she was working him up. His stomach was undulating hard and his breathing was slashing the air like a whip. Her body responded to him so well that she felt her own breath heaving alongside of his while she kept up his achingly passionate build up. She closed her eyes and felt her heart elating by her ability to control his pleasure so well.
"Heavens Eilin..." -he wanted to plead with whatever voice he had left, -enough- or -stop-, but instead he beseeched her, totally conquered- "don't stop..."
A strong shudder shook her body at him accepting defeat and she listened to his request as his moans and heavy groans echoed loud into their chambers. Her precious onslaught on his senses continued until he was truly unable to keep still. His hand that up till then was twisting her hair tightly, disentangled suddenly and reached up to grasp the headboard of his bed. His other hand joined in and his fingers twisted around it ferociously. Neither him who was buried deep into the dizziness of his rapture, nor her in her fierce concentration ever heard the wood cracking under the pressure. As the pleasure in his loins came closer to the heights that Eilin had been aiming for him he felt his breath becoming almost frantic. Eilin felt him in her mouth, but also under her fingers, on every single inch of his body and knew he was almost there. She thrilled in the expectancy of his ultimate ecstasy, like always and her body responded accordingly as her muscles tightened in a desperate need to feel him. When his release came it was one of the most fierce explosions he had ever dedicated to her. His unraveling left Eilin awestricken and him in ruins. She tasted everything he had to give her as he writhed and arched under her and she didn't hear his strong hand ripping off part of the wooden headboard like it was made out of paper. He placed his forearm above his eyes trying to regulate his breath as his body convulsed hard under her tender care.
"Oh Mahal..." he panted and squeezed his eyes tight.
She looked up to him and delighted at how wasted he looked. She loved having so much power over him. She adored her ability to cause him to come apart at the seams like that. She delighted in witnessing his desire for her. She took in every single detail of his conquered body and face as he lay there on the bed with his arm above his eyes and his skin glistening with sweat. She bit her lower lip enjoying the fact that his arousal had been so satiated that it now needed to withdraw from her. She may have been left with a throbbing core and a wetness that had stained her underwear, but the image of Thorin in total surrender was too precious not to covet like a treasure time and time again. She smiled sweetly and climbed up his wasted body until her bosom was resting on his chest and her creamed underwear were enfolding his fading arousal. She pulled his arm away from his eyes.
"Beautiful. I will never get used to you coming undone for me. Seeing you in pleasure is the most erotic thing I have experienced in my life. I'll never get tired of telling you." she whispered and caressed his bottom lip with her fingers.
He shook his head. He looked dazed and out of sorts. He was still panting hard. "We shouldn't have done that...it's so inappropriate..." the added hoarseness on his already deep voice, send shivers down her spine.
Her eyes looked at his other hand that was resting on the pillow. He was still holding the wooden piece he had tore off the headboard. "What we've done was absolutely magnificent and I will repeat it as many times as you will allow me until you can reciprocate the gesture. Alright?"
His hand came up and cupped her cheek. He drew her in and kissed her so tenderly and so deeply that her chest released a long kept moan into his mouth. "I cannot wait..ask Loa...now...I mean tomorrow...I mean as soon as possible," he whispered back at her and his thumb toyed with her earlobe.
She giggled in delight. "You loved this, didn't you?" she bit her lower lip.
He huffed and his eyes seared into hers. "I was that obvious?"
"If it wasn't from the way you were reacting, then it is by this broken piece from our bed," she raised her brow and showed his hand.
He looked at it and snorted. "I didn't realise."
"The headboard realised alright," she frowned and grabbed it. She placed it at the side table and then concentrated on his face once more. She undulated her hips above him and the bed creaked dangerously. "It needs fixing or it will probably fall apart on us when we try this again, not to mention that this creaking will betray us to the whole of Erebor." She smiled delighting that his most intimate part was offering some partial relief to her core. Maybe she should test how much the bed creaked again, right?
He drew her down to him. His mouth opened up to nip on her neck gently. "I'll fix it."
"You have no idea of your own strength sometimes I feel," she moaned gently as his mouth opened up to bite the side of her collarbone gently. Then he laid her down in bed and came above her, but took care not to put any pressure to her belly.
"And you have no idea of the strength you have upon me..." he rejoined and his hands came around her wrists and pinned them to the mattress next to her head.
She moaned softly and looked at him through a haze. "I like the roughness in you..."
"I know," he swallowed heavily and then without any warning he came down to her neck and his mouth opened up to suck her skin in so fiercely that her body thundered with shivers that raised even the hair on her head. Her eyes rolled back and a broken groan of bliss erupted from her chest as he bit her ravenously, offering her pain along with pleasure. She twisted and writhed under him wishing to feel his body closer and for his mouth to never stop it's torture. When he pulled back she felt her neck both wet beyond count and rather abused, but her loins were aching with longing. "I want to eat you alive!" his low predatory growl echoed into her core and she tensed under him. So did his fingers around her wrists.
"Thorin you cannot reciprocate now...I haven't talked with Loa..."
He exhaled in defeat and butted his forehead on her bruised neck frustrated. "I hate this!"
"I love this!" she rejoined.
He looked up from her neck. "You love the fact that I cannot pleasure you?"
"I love that I can offer you this much pleasure. We will have time to do more soon, my love." She smiled at him affectionately.
He laid down and enclosed her into his chest tightly. "I both hate that I cannot touch you long enough to please you, but I also fear doing such a thing and endangering this poor pregnancy again, just in order to satisfy our urges. That is why I didn't want you to act upon them. Now I feel guilty on not reciprocating."
She smiled lovingly. "I understand your worries, but truly you've been boiling close to explosion for so long. As much as you love offering me pleasure, the same goes out for me. I love giving you pleasure and I wasn't going to wait until I come to term to offer you some. Your unravelling won't cause any harm to my pregnancy. As for your guilt trips...put them to rest. You did nothing to evoke this. This was all mine, from start to finish! Now can you stop ruining this bliss for both you and me?"
He chuckled and gave her a soft nod. "I'll stop, but I am counting..."
She frowned. "Counting what?"
"The times I will need to see you come for me...hard...in order to feel that we are even." He swallowed heavily and as his eyes looked at her lips he frowned with a determination that made her stomach fill with butterflies.
"I like the sound of that." -She whispered- "By the way this kiss of yours is going to leave my neck rather bruised."
He raised his brows. "Just a love bite from your husband, to make sure everyone knows this mesmerising beauty is taken."
She beamed up to him. "As if my rather large midsection isn't saying enough about that one..."
He pulled her up from the chin and gifted her bruised lips with a doting peck. "Speaking of which, why did you wake up this early? Was our Little Gem causing you pain?"
"Needed to use the bathroom," she snuggled comfortably on him.
"Why didn't you sleep again?" he whispered.
"I have a lot on my mind Thorin..." she felt her brows clouding after all that bliss she shared emotionally, if not physically with him.
"What bothers you my heart?" he frowned.
She nibbled her bottom lip thoughtfully. She didn't know what to tell him about Valdis that would make a difference anymore. Maybe she should have tried that request when he was at the height of his pleasure. Maybe then he would have accepted. She snorted and shook her head.
"You thought of something inappropriate didn't you?" he smirked and tried to look at her eyes.
She smiled widely. "You know me so well..."
"Don't try to be evasive. You didn't tell me what kept you awake." He didn't allow her to change the subject.
"My obligations as the Queen did," she replied honestly.
He sighed. "Is this about Valdis again?"
"Yes," she hid her face from him defeated. It was so hard to hide her emotions and her thoughts from him.
He looked up patiently and caressed the soft hair on the back of her ear. "This is eating you up."
"It is truly tearing me apart. My heart tells me to help her and I cannot deny it Thorin. This is so difficult for me." Eilin admitted with a hushed voice.
"Did she approach you again?" his brows furrowed and she felt the negativity awakening in him. She didn't want that, not after this beautiful trip to ecstasy this morning. She didn't want to ruin his mood nor hear another dismissal from him on something that was truly bothering both of them.
"No," she lied.
"Then let it go. Valdis will not see her sister," his voice turned stern.
"Why Thorin..."
She felt him tensing.
"Why are you so determined against this?" She pulled back and looked at him.
He shook his head. "I know this is burdening you, but we are not getting into it again. I am sorry."
Eilin exhaled and leaned her head heavily on his chest. "Fine."
His hand drew thoughtful circles on her shoulder and then he pulled her up until her temple was resting on his lips. He kissed her softly. "I know I am making you angry and sad with my denial. I know what a kind heart you have and how much you want to help people, but I won't allow you to become the middle woman in this accursed state of affairs. Karunn's fate will take its course and Valdis will be kept away."
Eilin hesitated. "What course is that Thorin?"
He didn't answer, but his fingers stopped their soft touch and pressed her skin vigorously.
"When is the trial going to take place?" she asked feeling her stomach clenching.
"It's been postponed for now," he replied quietly.
"Why?" Eilin looked up sharply.
"Reasons I cannot yet divulge with you, for they involve other people who wish for this to remain quiet." His voice was calculated, but warm.
Eilin's hand rested on his chest and her eyes seared in his. "Will she be send in exile?"
"Not decided yet." He tilted his head.
"Will she be executed?" she closed her eyes and pressed her face on his ribs.
"Stop Eilin. When there is an answer, I will give it you. What is it that you seek I wonder." His voice may have been tainted with a commanding tone, but his hand resumed it's comforting cuddle.
She exhaled hard. "This execution..." she left the thought float.
"You don't want Karunn dead?" his rich voice made her open her eyes after several silent moments.
She hesitated. "I ...I am not sure I want anyone dead Thorin."
He nodded. "You prefer exile for her, I suppose."
Her fingers curled tightly around his stomach and she pressed them on his skin to make her point stronger. "Yes."
"Have you ever given thought to what would happen if she tried to get vengeance on our family later on, when our child is born?" he spoke calmly, but his words send a trail of goosebumps down Eilin's back.
She swallowed heavily and clutched on him. "Don't say things like that."
"Think with your mind, not your heart. This is a woman that didn't hesitate to kill the unborn. Do you feel safe with her being alive and roaming Middle Earth after you give birth to our child?" he insisted.
She felt her stomach twisting around painfully. "I ...I don't kn-ow," she stammered.
He gave her a thoughtful nod. "I understand that you might not want her death on your conscience."
She shook her head quickly. "Not only on my conscience. No matter what she did, I don't want the dark energy of her death befalling our family Thorin..."
He sighed and observed her quietly for a few moments . "Very well my treasure. I hear you." He finally said.
She felt her brows creasing. "What do you mean?"
"I heard your request," his arm came up and flashed her against his body.
She felt her eyes tearing up. "Really?"
He tilted his head. "Really."
"Thank you Thorin..." she whispered.
He remained quietly thoughtful.
"Will you spare her then?" Eilin whispered.
"I said I heard you and I shall consider your request, amongst all my other options when the time comes. I haven't decided yet. She did tried to kill you, your friend and our baby. She killed another innocent baby and almost murdered it's father. This is not just a matter of heart from you. It's much more serious and involves other families apart from ours. It's much bigger than you and me."
She squeezed her eyes and gritted her teeth frustrated. "I know all that, why are you telling me again?"
"Because I want to mute your heart with my voice. I want you to listen to the brutal reality and put your thoughts into perspective." He rejoined decisively.
She nodded, but remained silent as her eyes were burning with unshed tears at the memories of what Karunn has done to them. She knew her husband was right, but her heart didn't wish anyone's death to stain Thorin's hands. They were made to hold her and their babies, not the knife that would take someone's life. Her emotions stopped her from realising that Thorin's hands had already taken countless lives in the past and so would they take more in the future.
"Now that you have fallen silent I can presume that you are ready to think with your mind and not your heart." He said calmly.
She gave him a defeated nod. "I am anything but ready, but I will try."
"That is the only thing I wish from you. I can reassure you that I have heard every word you spoke from the heart and I will value it accordingly when the time comes for me to decide." His smile was loving and she felt it.
Still her heart had a shadow cast over it. She swallowed heavily. "Thank you."
"Both my pleasure and my obligation, my Queen," he clasped her hand and brought it to his mouth. He placed a soft kiss into her palm that blossomed a ghostly smile on her lips.
"Can I try to ask about Valdis one last time at least?" she said timidly.
"No," this time his voice was austere.
Her fingers stippled through his. "Forgive me for insisting so much."
He nodded and looked out the window at the heavy rain. "You should try to get some sleep. You rarely rest nowadays."
"Loa said that the pregnancy will cause me many difficulties as it progresses. It's okay, I don't mind. As long as I know our Little Gem is healthy, I will be fine." She smiled and drew both their hands on her belly.
He stroked it tenderly. "Sleep, I will stand guard." He reassured her.
She closed her eyes truly intending to fall asleep in his arms as he brooded in his thoughts, like they had done so many times before, but this time things worked out quite differently. It was his breath that became heavier and steadier by the minute and soon enough he was the one drawn into the world of dreams whilst she was left behind.
Eilin's face was deeply introspective, as her eyes mused at the rain for a long time. When she decided to abandon their bed she made sure he was covered well and planted a soft kiss on his lips, taking care not to wake him up.
It took her awhile to go through the bathroom, dress and comb through her very long hair in order to become the presentable Queen of Erebor. When she closed the door of their room she knew that she was going to do something that would enrage her beloved husband, but would set her soul at rest.
"Where are we going my Queen?" Valdis looked confounded at the empty corridors and at the silence that was ruling Erebor at this early morning hour.
"Can you just please call me Eilin?" she cringed and grasped Valdis' hand tightly, pulling her along.
"I cannot of course...no...you are the King's honourable wife..." Valdis rejoined humbly, but Eilin spoke over her.
"If you haven't notice my lady I am still the same Eilin you knew from the Ironhills."
"No you are not. It's you that don't realise the difference between then and now..." Valdis frowned, but allowed Eilin to lead her down the winding corridors that became darker and darker with each level they were passing through.
"Hush your mouth..." Eilin whispered and she pushed Valdis back into a dark alcove. A small platoon marched by them as they escorted two miners that carried a basket of something bright and shinny to the upper levels.
"What was that?" Valdis asked in a hushed tone.
"Soldiers..." Eilin frowned and pulled her out of the alcove in order to continue towards their destination.
"Now see? Eilin of the Ironhills wouldn't have ever done what you did just now!" Valdis noticed.
Eilin looked above her shoulder confused.
"You hushed me and made us both hide away from these soldiers. The Eilin of the Ironhills would have stood behind me, hiding behind her hood without intending to take on any initiative. You are the one who is leading me right now my lady, do you comprehend?" Valdis said firmly.
Eilin scrounged her lips and nodded. "I suppose you are right. I am different, but how can I not be? You have required the Queen to wake up in me when you asked for help about your sister."
Valdis hesitated. "I had no one else to help me. Prince Fili did everything he could, but he can go so far with his uncle."
"I didn't get anywhere with the King either. He was explicitly negative when it came to you, I told you." Eilin shook her head.
Valdis stopped in shock and jerked Eilin's hand back. "That's where you are taking me now? Are we sneaking in the dungeons?" Her eyes became large with shock.
Eilin looked around them restlessly. "Did you think I got permission from Thorin? No way."
Valdis felt her eyes tearing up. "You are doing this against the King's wishes?" she whispered.
Eilin nodded. "Unfortunately for me, yes."
"Why?" Valdis' eyes looked confused.
Eilin sighed and looked at the stone floor. "Because I cannot bear to feel your pain anymore. I cannot see you cry in front of my doors night and day. I cannot take it..."
"You are doing this just for me?" Valdis took a step closer to her.
Eilin flicked her shoulders. "For you and for me equally."
Valdis fell into her arms so unexpectedly that Eilin yelped. She embraced the Queen fervently. "Thank you my lady. I shall never forget the kindness of your heart. My life is yours!" the young lady bellowed.
"Keep it down, it's okay. I understand your need to see Karunn. Just please keep it down before they figure us out and stop us." Eilin tried to calm Valdis down.
"Thank you, thank you..." Valdis stammered unwilling to let Eilin go from her arms.
Eilin exhaled sadly. "You know how many times I begged for help back at the Forsaken Inn?"
Valdis' teary eyes looked up from Eilin's bosom. She didn't dare speak.
"Endless times. You know how many times someone helped me?" Eilin continued.
Valdis shook her head not knowing what to answer to the Queen's sudden painful trip to the past.
"If you except Rhiannon, none did. Not even my foster parents. I was left alone with my pain. I've lived with everybody's indifference to my anguish for many years. I cannot bear witness to such feelings of hopelessness in anyone else and remain silent. If it's in my power to help someone I will and life gave me the power to do so now. I am going to use that strength in order to help my people through their hardships. I don't want to see another person crying for help and being coldly pushed aside, ever." Eilin said and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.
Valdis' lips were trembling. "Erebor is so lucky to have you as it's Queen my lady and I am so lucky that I got to know you."
Eilin rubbed Valdis' shoulder blades reassuringly and allowed her a few moments to settle down before she pulled her along by the hand again. "Come, we're close."
Indeed it didn't take them long to get down at the dungeons of the ninth level caverns, one of the deepest parts of the golden city. A place that no one apart from the most hardcore delvers and miners entered in order to work on the new huge chasm that led to the heart of the mountain, or the guards that kept the most dangerous criminals away from the rest of Erebor. When Eilin turned under the huge archway that had Khuzdul runes carved on it she looked up and read: "Past this point, there is no hope"* A shudder of fear sailed down her spine. She hadn't noticed this the first time she came down here with Dis.
She looked at Valdis whose face was livid and led her through the final corridor, remembering vividly the way to Karunn's cell. There were three cells down there who had guards in front of their heavy iron bolted doors, but Eilin didn't know who was detained in the other two. When she reached Karunn's cell door she stood proudly in front of the indifferent guards.
"Open the doors." She commanded.
They didn't move.
Valdis looked at Eilin fearfully.
"Open the doors for the Queen," Eilin tilted her head as majestically as she could and Valdis inhaled sharply.
Both guards presented arms according to etiquette, but they didn't move. "King's orders. The door doesn't open my Lady for anyone." One of them spoke respectfully and bowed his head.
Valdis grasped Eilin's hand and the Queen squeezed her back reassuringly.
"I have discussed with the King and the orders have changed. This is the sister of the prisoner. She's allowed one last talk with her sibling before the trial." Eilin forced herself hard to sound as commanding and calm as Thorin would have sounded. She didn't know if she was doing a good job, but the guards did exchange a cautious look. That fed her with courage.
"No one notified us my lady," one of them said.
"There wasn't enough time to do so. I had a talk with the King just now," Eilin raised her brow.
"If the orders don't reach us through an officer we cannot allow you in my lady forgive me," the guard replied with modesty.
Eilin exhaled through her nose. "So you don't believe the word of the Queen?"
The guard paled and tried to find support on his friend who played deaf.
"Either you open up the doors for lady Valdis now or I shall speak to the King. I am here to help this Lady speak to her sister one last time." Eilin tried to sound assertive.
The guards didn't move, but their hesitation was starting to become obvious. Eilin decided to push harder.
She inclined her head loftily. "Very well, I am going to speak with the King. I will be sure to relate to him your loyalty, but also how this loyalty made me take two trips down the dungeons. Good day gentlemen." She took Valdis' hand and pulled her away from the door.
"What are you doing my lady?" Valdis hissed.
Eilin didn't reply. She counted inwards as she distanced herself slowly from Karunn's cell.
When the guard spoke again she felt a wave of relief rushing through her. "My lady please, don't take another trip to the upper levels..." -he stalled and looked at her body- "in your condition." He added.
Eilin turned around coldly. "So you believe me?"
The guard bowed and so did his friend. "Yes, my lady." He rejoined and unlocked the door.
Valdis ran up to the entrance impatiently and Eilin followed closely. She stopped Valdis just before she entered the dark dungeon. "I cannot come in with you, but I will remain outside with this valiant man." She looked at one of the guards who bowed his head. Then her eyes fell on the one who had made conversation with her. "What's your name my good man?" She asked calmly.
"Haugvari, my Lady." He kneeled to the ground.
She smiled at him. "Haugvari, you shall escort lady Valdis into this cell and you shall make sure the prisoner does not come close to her. You shall protect her with your life."
The guard placed his palm above his chest. "At you orders, my Queen."
Valdis bowed gratefully to Eilin and entered the room. Haugvari followed her and the other guard closed and locked the door behind them. Eilin sighed deeply and crossed her arms.
"Now we wait..." she told him and her eyes fell with perturbation on the locked doors.
It was exactly two days later and Eilin's rather bold decision to go behind the King's back again had not yet been discovered. Truth be told, if the events of this day never took place, then Thorin would have never learned what Eilin did. The golden bell's chime echoed into the corridors of Erebor for the third time and Thorin opened up his eyes with a deep frown. It wasn't those chimes that woken him up though, but the frantic knocking upon his doors. He vaguely remembered that Eilin woke up early again to go to the bathroom and after trying to get some sleep to no avail, she told him that she was going to go to Dis' rooms in order to sort out all the new baby clothes the common women of Erebor had gifted them with. She was so excited about the baby and all the paraphernalia that he couldn't but smile sweetly at her happiness. When she left, sleep caught up with him rather quickly and it was a lot later that this knocking woke him up for good. His eyes squinted towards the heavy door behind a curtain of wild hair, but he made no attempt to get up.
"My King we have an emergency!" one of the guards outside bellowed.
"Of course you do..." Thorin whispered and covered his head with the quilt. He felt rather exhausted even though he had slept well all through the night. The need to rest hadn't abated his body yet and he took every opportunity he could to satiate it. As long as his people left him to it he could sleep all day without any remorse. That was apparently not the case this morning.
"My King!" the guard repeated when there was no answer from the royal chambers.
"Stand aside! That's not the proper way to wake him up!" a familiar voice grumbled and Thorin's door was thrown open.
He looked up startled and saw Balin storming his rooms.
"What the hell are you doing?" Thorin scowled at his friend.
Balin rounded the bed and drew the covers away from Thorin's naked body. He went to the cupboard and pulled out a pair of trousers, a tunic and a belt. "Dress up!" He said.
Thorin sat upright on the bed. "Care to tell me why you woke me up this way? Is Erebor on fire?"
Balin threw the clothes at him. "Not yet it isn't."
Thorin pursed his lips and began dressing. "Yet?"
Balin crossed his arms and inhaled deeply trying to keep in control. "We have an emergency at the infirmary."
Thorin's brows creased. "And Oin couldn't take care of that?"
Balin looked up to the ceiling and began counting fingers. "Also an emergency at your court with one of your most valued allies, at the royal family and with the Ironhills."
"What?" Thorin's scowl deepened as he wore his belt and then put on his boots.
Balin approached him. "Lady Valdis tried to commit suicide by cutting through the veins on her wrists. Princess Dis found her in a pool of blood this morning and took her to the infirmary. Oin says her life is not in danger, but she came very close to bidding us farewell."
"Why in the name of Mahal did she do something like that?" Thorin's mouth dropped open.
"Because a certain someone allowed her access to her sister and who knows what that evil woman told that poor girl to drive her to take her own life...you know what Karunn is capable of..." Balin raised his brow.
"Who allowed her in? I have given strict orders that Karunn's cell was not to be approached by anyone on pain of death." Thorin raised his brow menacingly.
Balin bit his lower lip. "The Queen did."
The anger in Thorin's eyes gave it's place to momentary confusion.
"Eilin?" he muttered.
Balin pursed his lips. "Your wife found a way to take Valdis to see Karunn. Don't ask me how. Even the guards are not talking about this. She apparently has gained their respect and love...they don't want to betray her now. Well, one of them is not willing to speak against the Queen and the other one is unconscious! This is a right old mess!"
Thorin's jawline flexed and he looked at the door with slowly boiling anger. "Unconscious?"
"Dain has taken out his wrath upon one of Karunn's guards who is currently hospitalised with serious head trauma." Balin wiped away the sweat from his forehead.
Thorin gritted his teeth and spat a curse in Khuzdul as he rushed out of his rooms like a menacing chaos that was ready to consume everything in its path. Balin followed his friend quickly.
"What in the name of the fires of Mount Doom Thorin!" Dain grumbled and walked quickly up to the King when he saw Thorin entering the infirmary.
Thorin's nose flared as he tried to keep himself in check. His eyes fell on the bed where Valdis' face was deadly pale. Next to her was Eilin who had her elbow locked with his sister. They were both looking at him with dread. Dain's hand gripped Thorin's muscular forearm so tightly that the King had to clench his teeth against the pain. He reciprocated the grip and his eyes seared into Dain's fearlessly.
"I begged you to keep her away! I knew this was going to happen! I knew how sensitive my little pumpkin was! She was standing at the precipice and you pushed her off the bleeding edge!" Dain cried.
Eilin closed her eyes and hid her face on Dis' shoulder. The princess embraced her protectively.
Thorin's fingers pressed Dain's forearm vigorously. "Keep your bloody voice down!" He spat angrily.
"She almost died! She cut her veins with one of my hunting knives! What am I going to tell her father?" Dain said in barely suppressed worry that was masked under waves of fury.
"She's safe now. Oin will take care of her," Balin tried to calm down the spirits.
"I don't care what she is now! I care what she tried to do to herself because of Karunn! Who knows what that evil fiend told my pumpkin to make her want to take her own life..." Dain closed his eyes and tears run down his cheeks. He was in true anguish.
Fili stood up from Valdis' side and looked at his uncle Dain. "She is better, but please keep your voice down uncle. She can hear you."
Dain gritted his teeth and opened up his bloodshot eyes at Thorin. "I trusted her safety with you and you failed me.." he whispered and his disappointment echoed nastily in Thorin's stomach.
"I did." Thorin admitted. "Forgive me."
"Why didn't you let me take care of this?" Dain snapped, but Thorin pulled his arm with such strength that their foreheads almost touched.
"Because that is not your bloody job! Now keep your voice down!" -he spat between his gritted teeth- "This discussion is only for your ears and mine, no one else's..." he hissed and his tone instantly placed Dain on guard.
Dain may have been trembling by the rage boiling in him, but his voice became hushed under Thorin's assertiveness. "I told you she was going to destroy what was left of my poor family, didn't I?"
Thorin looked at the bed and felt his nape crawling with anger. What was he going to tell Dain? That he did everything in his power to keep Valdis safe and he was tripped up by his own wife? His eyes fell coldly at Eilin who was sobbing at Dis' bosom. "I am sorry you had to see Valdis this way. It was never my intention for her to get hurt." He said quietly.
"Fain is coming..." Dain told him after a few silent moments where Thorin's eyes were shifting deliberately between the hurt girl and his wife.
"I send the ravens to hold him off..." Thorin looked at Dain's burning gaze.
"He knows something is wrong. He resumed his journey to Erebor, after escorting his wife back home. He should be arriving at any moment. If he sees one daughter imprisoned and the other half dead he's going to kill himself." The fury of Dain's voice slowly retreated and Thorin recognised the despair that was hiding behind.
Thorin swallowed a dry throat and the muscles on his forearm flexed as his hand became a tight fist.
Dain shook his head and his fingers loosened up on Thorin's arm. "I tried to protect them because I knew Karunn was going to spread her darkness everywhere before she followed her grim fate. I failed...I failed..." he repeated and looked mournfully back at the bed.
Fili was caressing Valdis' hair.
"Your younger niece is still alive." Thorin's solid voice came to remind Dain that there could still be order in chaos.
"Finish this please, before my brother arrives here!" Dain's voice was full of anguish.
Thorin's lips pressed angrily. "Don't get into this again with me Dain. I won't accept anymore warnings from you. You shall have to trust me to deliver justice or you shall be send back along with your brother until I sort this mess out."
He looked at the King. "How will you deliver justice Thorin? How will you be able to manage all this with Fain on the way here?"
"There are ways. Trust me to know what I am doing." Thorin looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Her father is coming and I don't think it will be that easy to clear up this mess with him on your case. He will try to save Karunn and I will never reveal to him what his youngest daughter did to herself because of her sister. Don't tell him either, please."
Thorin's eyes thinned and his head tilted in forewarning. "I won't lie, if I am asked." His voice dropped.
"I will, in order to protect my family. I cannot allow Fain to be drawn down this hell. Allowing him to learn that one of his daughters caused the other one to commit suicide would be heartless!" Dain continued fervently.
Thorin exhaled hard through his nose.
Dain exhaled defeated. "I rushed to your help cousin, now I need yours! I need you to help me clear up the name of my family and sustain my brother. I don't care about his wife. She's the real cause behind all this. I only care about Fain and my little pumpkin. Help me, please!" This was the first time Dain's voice turned from assertive to pleading.
Thorin closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Dain's forearm. "I will do my best."
Dain looked at him for several moments before speaking again. "You'll have to face Fain."
"So I shall," Thorin frowned.
"He will beg you to spare her." Dain's nose flared.
Thorin remained silent.
"Don't listen to him, please!" Dain hissed.
Thorin inhaled deeply, but his eyes burned through Dain's determination.
The Ironfoot's shoulders slouched. "Even if I overlooked how many lives she destroyed in her quest for vengeance, I cannot overlook that a baby died because of her and that she led her sister to attempt suicide! Can you, Thorin?"
Thorin felt all the blood draining from his face.
"Let's drop all pretence between us. We both want her dead, but your position is difficult. You are not free to act according to your wishes. Your titles are holding you accountable to your people and to the Laws. My brother will beg you to spare her." Dain said.
Thorin's lips pressed tightly. "I am ready for him."
Dain inclined his head. "What are you going to do about all this?"
Thorin didn't reply, but kept his eyes fixed on his cousin.
Dain nodded. "You are my brother, my captain and my King! I trust you with my life! I will trust the name of our family in your hands once more. Avenge me and Fain..."
Thorin swallowed heavily. "I hear you."
Dain gave him a curt nod and left the infirmary with an air of menace that covered everyone like a heavy blanket.
Just as the room was taking its first breath of relief from Dain's departure, Thorin's arising fury came to suffocate it again. His eyes fell at the bed of the recovering young lady that was just beginning to open up her eyes as Fili was whispering comforting words to her.
"Move her to a private room now!" Thorin grumbled to Oin who crossed his arms and nodded in accordance. Fili looked above his shoulder to his uncle totally heart broken. Thorin was witnessing the third couple that was being destroyed by this woman's evilness.
"As you wish." Oin replied.
Then Thorin's scrutinising gaze fell heavy on his wife that was being supported by Dis.
"Thorin..." Eilin stammered and made a move to approach him...to beg his forgiveness...to embrace him.
His head gave her a slow negation and she froze in place.
"Thorin listen please," Dis started.
He raised his hand with authority and Dis pulled back. Eilin sobbed and Dis pulled her head on her shoulder protectively. "Not a word." He spat and with one last look at the bed he turned around and left the room, carrying with him a whirlwind of darkness that didn't leave anyone unaffected.
A/N:
* small easter egg for my friend StephCalvino. She mentioned Dante's Hell in one of her analysis, and I thought these words were indeed appropriate for the place that held Karunn.
*******************...************************
*******************...************************