Another knock on the door. He waited. And waited. But the door remained shut.

Since 10 days she was in her room. She avoided everyone. Well, to be honest, not everyone. Just him. 10 days without seeing her, hearing her laugh and without any word from her.

Thorin sighed, he didn't know what to do. He tried to open the door by himself without the welcoming. But the door was locked like it has been on the other days.

He knocked again.


He knew it was cold outside and he knew that he still wasn't really warm after they all swam through the ice cold lake and ended up in the toilet of Bard. It was so embarrassing for the king under the mountain.

But he needed to get away for just one second from all that chaos inside. He was so close to the mountain and still it was so unreachable.

Thorin rubbed one hand over his face and when he turned to the left he saw her standing there, her arms wrapped around herself, looking up to the mountain.

He approached her slowly. Once she heard his heavy boots, Gwen turned around and saw him. When he flashed her a small smile with a nod, she smiled back.

"How is Kili doing?" He wanted to know. Since the young dwarf got hit by an orc arrow, he was in pain and it didn't really look good when they arrived in Lake town.

Gwendolyn let out a small sigh, she shrugged a bit. "I have never seen such a wound from an arrow. I did what I could. We have to wait how the night will be. I just hope that it won't get any worse." She turned her head again, looking up to the mountain, deep in her thoughts as her brows furrowed.

Thorin never thought that Gwen would help them so much. He always thought she was a burden, dead weight. Another unexperienced person they had to look after in that dangerous journey. But she did a great job, she adapted really quick. Slowly he is growing fond of her. Her laugh made his heart light. When she was around he had a better mood and he just wanted to touch her. Sometimes he caught himself staring at her. Thorin never thought that he could feel something like that for someone.

Maybe if this quest was over and they were all settled back home, he could ask her to stay. To stay in Erebor, to stay with him.

He took a step closer to her, his hand moving over to her back. "Gwen…" He whispered to her. The woman turned her head to him surprised and just as his hand was about to touch her back, the door of Bard's house flung open. So Thorin let his hand fall down to his side again.'

Dwalin shouted. "Ye, lass. We need you here. It is getting worse with Kili."

Gwen held her breath, she looked at Dwalin and then at Thorin. Then she rushed into the house again, the door closed and Thorin looked up at the mountain in the cold night.


And another knock. "Gwen? Please, let me in." Thorin pleaded, he placed his hands onto the door frame and sighed heavily. "Let me explain everything to you. I know you are mad. Everyone of the dwarves is mad at me. I can't handle it when you will hate me forever."

And again he waited. But nothing. Not even a noise was heard in the room. Thorin didn't knew if he should be sad, angry or maybe both? His feelings were totally out of control. He could break the door open, but that would probably make her hate him more.

He shook his head and pushed himself from the door frame as he left again. For the 10th time in a row now.

"You can't avoid him for forever. You know that." Fili stated when they were sure that Thorin was out of reach. They were sitting in Gwen's room, eating dinner together.

Gwen leant back in her chair; she placed the fork next to her plate and sighed heavily. "I don't say what he did was right. It was the most terrible thing ever. And I am sure it was one of the biggest mistakes he ever did when he did that deal with Thranduil." Fili said between two bites.

"But, maybe, just hear him?" He lifted his head, his beard beads slowly swinging when he gave her a look. Gwen bit down on the inside of her mouth. "You say that? You, the one who was so mad at Thorin that you wanted to fight him? Your own uncle? And only Kili could keep you from that. Keep you from getting your ass kicked?" She lifted one eyebrow before picking up her fork again.

Fili laughed. "That's what Kili is talking." Then he shook his head. "But, no, in all seriousness, lass, just hear him. He had his reasons. HE told us all of that. Thorin wants to do the same with you. Everyone deserves a second chance."

Gwen took a bite from her dinner, she thought about what Fili said and maybe he was right?

Does everyone deserve a second chance…?