For Thorin

Leah, Fili and Kili remained at the end of the large room, huddled together as Thorin and Dain continued to debate the future of Erebor and its ruler. Their voices were firm and sometimes Dain would resort to a shout to try and get his point across which just made Thorin grit his teeth in anger and spit out his words.

"I will never bow to her as Queen of Erebor!" Dain insisted, his voice shooting through the air.

Leah looked up, her face contorting into an expression of disgust and frustration. Without thinking, she stood up proudly and walked to Dain, looking down into his eyes as she was a few inches taller. "I don't care if you never bow to me. In fact, I don't want you to bow to me. I care about him!" Then her eyes shifted towards Thorin. "I don't want to be Queen, Dain. But I'm doing this for Thorin, no one else." Her voice was unshakable and tinged with hatred towards him.

Thorin crossed his arms and couldn't hold back the smile which was forming on his face. He felt so much pride in that moment. She was standing up for him in such a way that he'd only ever encountered with fellow dwarves in his Company. They all respected and admired him as their leader. But Leah was putting his need and responsibility before herself.

"You've got no right to stand between him and the throne," Leah continued. "I may not have been born in this world, but I think I know how royalty works. I don't expect anything from you for me, but I do for Thorin. You owe him your respect."

Dain was shocked by Leah's sudden outburst and was stunned to silence for a few seconds as she stopped talking. He looked at Leah and then shifted his gaze to Thorin and then back to her. "You're right," he began. His voice was now quieter and less forceful than in previous conversation. "Thorin has every right to take the throne. And just as long as you remember that I'm doing this in honour of our people, not you."

"I never asked you to do it for me. I'm standing here for Thorin, not myself," Leah replied. "Just remember that." Sarcasm dripped from her tone.

Dain looked at Thorin. "I think we have more to discuss - minor details. I'll send some food for you all and organise quarters. But I'd rather it just be us next time, Thorin."

"No," Thorin said sternly. "Everything discussed about this kingdom will be before both Leah and myself. Fili and Kili will also be welcome should they choose to come. They are my heirs afterall."

Dain sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. "Have it your way!" Then he thundered out of the room, shouting at a guard for food and quarters for the four guests.

Thorin looked at Leah and smiled at her warmly. "Thank you," he said softly. Then he took her hand in his and kissed it.

"I meant every word," Leah replied. "I'm here for you, no one else."

Fili soon pitched in as he walked over to his uncle and Leah. "And us. You can't forget about us, can you?"

Leah laughed. "No, I couldn't. Of course I'm here for you, too. Are the others going to come back? Surely they'd want to see your coronation."

"I'm sure Gandalf will have sent word by now," Thorin chuckled. "But I will certainly send word to the rest of our Company."

xxx

The four of them were later guided to quarters. All four rooms were together, side by side down the right hand side of the hall.

Leah looked at Thorin and smiled. "Doesn't look like they want us carrying on from last night," she laughed.

Thorin lowered his voice and moved closer to Leah, watching as she came closer still, wanting to be as near to him as possible. "What happened last night, my love, should not have happened in tradition. You are to be the Queen and that means we must wait until our wedding night."

"No...I was looking forward to being alone with you," Leah teased.

By now, Fili and Kili had disappeared into their rooms, leaving their uncle and Leah alone in the corridor.

"Just because they have given us separate rooms does not mean that we have to sleep separately now, does it?" Thorin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Leah took Thorin's hand and walked backwards, guiding him inside the room that was to be hers. "How long have you got until Dain wants to see us again? Well, he wants to see you, not me."

They both walked into the room together, shutting the door behind them and taking a quick glance around at the tapestries hanging from the wall, depicting battles and the lineage of the dwarves. In the centre of the room was a huge bed, stacked with furs and pillows. There was also a table next to the bed which had upon it two glasses and a pitcher.

"Thank you for your words earlier," Thorin said. "You have the most honest and loyal heart I could ever have wished for."

"I had to tell him the way it is, Thorin. I don't particularly want to rule this place, but I'm doing it for you. I'm happy not attending gatherings and just spending my life anonymous. But I know that's not how I'm supposed to act. You need me to help you, and I'm prepared to learn for you. Dain probably won't be the only one who will hate me."

"Do not think about what others think. I am going to be the King once Dain's title had been denounced, and it will be my right alone to choose my Queen. No one else should have any right to question me."

Thorin left Leah to sleep a short time later, after receiving word from a guard that the meeting with Dain would be after dinner, and tapped on Fili's room next door. The door opened and Fili let his uncle in.

"Dain wishes to call a meeting this evening once we've eaten. There is no law that will allow him to stay on the throne, Fili, but I fear he will try and find a way."

"He can try and find a way, but there is none. And if the rest of the Company hear that we're all alive and Gandalf returns, he has no way of ever keeping the throne," Fili argued. "The throne has to go to the closest living relative of King Thror, which is you. The fact that you died and then returned should not even be questioned; you're alive and that's all that matters."

"No doubt when I'm crowned that Dain and those who followed him will return to the Iron Hills. They will have no reason to stay."

Leah lay awake in bed, trying her hardest to fall asleep. She felt physically drained, but her mind would not shut off. This whole predicament was becoming too strange for her now, but she'd promised to endure it all for Thorin. Everything she was doing was for him. What else would she have to sacrifice? She'd already sacrificed her home, her family, security and comfort. Being a queen? That was something she would never have dreamed of asking for. Leah would have been happy just living with Thorin somewhere quiet with no notoriety. However, that was obviously not how things were meant to pan out. Thorin was going to be re-crowned as the King of Erebor, and he had every right to be. Who was she to deny that? Dain's previous attitude had pushed her over the edge. He assumed she wanted the title, the prestige and the luxury. Well, she didn't. In fact, she was tempted to tell Thorin she'd take the title alone but didn't wish to have any of the responsibilities that came with it.

She sat up in the bed and poured herself some water from the bedside table, allowing it to refresh her, but cause her throat to ache at the same time. It made her think of Azog and those lifeless pale eyes. And then her thoughts drifted to Rachel, who'd no doubt be worrying about her younger sister. If Middle-earth's time stream ran parallel alongside her own world's, that meant it'd be approaching midday back home. The flat had been left ransacked and full of blood with three dead bodies in the living room. If only there was a way to tell Rachel she was okay...Possibly even bring Rachel back with her.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door. "Come in," she called out, her voice still raspy, but just loud enough for the person to hear.

It was Kili. He smiled as he let himself in and walked towards her. "I was thinking about Tauriel," he said. His eyes were bright with hope. "Maybe we could go and find her."

Leah pulled the bed sheet aside and let her feet fall to the floor. "How long do you think it'll take for Thorin to be crowned now that he's back?"

"I'm assuming that after the meeting today with Dain that preparations will begin immediately. It may take a few weeks to get everything in place."

"Dain was crowned quickly then," Leah mused.

"He probably pushed for his coronation to happen quickly because of the state that Erebor was in at the time. A lot of the halls need repairs and re-builds. But Thorin would probably be crowned within a month. We could be back in that time, if that's why you ask."

"There are a few things I want to do before Thorin's coronation. One of them I want to do without him knowing." Leah looked down as if ashamed.

"You can't be serious about going back in time and killing Smaug? I should not have mentioned it, Leah, and I'm sorry that I did. I put the idea forward when you realised you could do it. But if you change the past it will mean that Thorin never meets you and I don't meet Tauriel. Please, do not consider it."

"It actually wasn't that, Kili. I want to kill Azog," she said, looking at him. Her lips were pursed together and her eyes were widened. "It's through me that he's alive again and I want to get out there and kill him."

"You cannot go alone. Fili and I will come with you!"

"And how will that look to Thorin? He'd have a fit if he knew I was going to kill Azog. And he's going to ask questions if he knows I'm running off with you and Fili for no reason. I have to leave on my own and tell him I'm going home."

"Leah, you cannot be serious!" Kili cried out. "He'll kill you."

"And what other option do I have?" Leah hissed. "This whole fuck up is through me and letting my damn emotions get the better of me." Tears welled in her eyes and she looked up at the ceiling, trying to push them away. "It's through loving Thorin that I did this. I brought back the very thing that wanted to kill him and wipe out your family. And if he remains alive, then what if I have children with Thorin? They will be your family, too. And do you really think I want to put my children at risk as well? It's bad enough being him, you and Fili. But not my children, too."

"You're brave, Leah. And you're loyal, so amazingly loyal, but you can't put your life at risk. You're too important without realising it."

"No, I'm not!" Leah growled, jumping to her feet. "I don't want to be important. I don't want to rule over dwarves..." By now she was livid, her face bright red in her frustration and anger. "I don't want any of this, Kili. None of it. I just want to be with Thorin with none of this added shit on my plate."

Kili brushed his hand down Leah's arm consolingly. "You carry so much guilt when you needn't. You have done far more in our favour than against it."

"I'm going one way or the other. I'll track the bastard down myself."

Leah turned away from Kili and folded her arms. "If you were protecting Tauriel, I'm sure you'd do it, too."

"You know I would, Leah. And I understand completely why you want to do it. But you need someone to go with you. Once the meeting has been done, then I will come with you."

"Don't tell Fili. If both of you are gone then it'll be noticed straight away," Leah requested.

"I know Fili and he would kill me once I returned. He'd want to be beside us."

"Once the meeting is done, then we all meet together in one of the rooms. I'll transport us all out."

xxx

Before the meeting that evening, Leah ate some of the food which was brought specially to her room. Thorin was sat in the seat next to the table as Leah was lay out across the bed. He watched her from over the rim of his cup as he sipped some ale which had been brought. She'd been quiet since his return about half an hour ago and he began wondering what was possibly on her mind. "Something is bothering you," he said, moving across to her. He rested himself on the bed beside her and placed his hand on her cheek. Leah's hand drifted up his, their fingers lacing together. "I want you to be happy, my love."

Leah picked up his other hand, studying how large it was against hers. "I'm sorry if I seem as though I don't appreciate any of this, Thorin. It's just overwhelming for me."

"I understand that it's a lot for you to get used to. You do not need to keep fighting on my behalf. It should be me protecting you. You said that night by the fire that having someone look after you comes in handy. Well, let me look after you."

"You've gotten used to leading people and looking after others. Someone should be ready to fight for you for once, " Leah said softly, her head moving closer to his. She kissed his cheek, and then moved down gradually, kissing his lips, beard and onto his neck. Thorin remained still, closing his eyes and allowing her to have her way for now. The lust was rising in him again; the desire was pushing him to just rip her clothes off and take her there and then, but he wanted to wait. He wanted to let it build to the point of being so uncontrollable that the pleasure released was searing hot, like electricity.

Leah began to open his tunic, her small hands drifting across his bare skin, gently brushing through his thin chest hair. Thorin rested back amongst the pillows and furs, basking in the wonderful sensations she was unleashing within him. He didn't have the self control to tell her to stop and wait for their wedding night. Now that he'd had a taste of Leah, he wanted so much more.

Thorin watched as she lifted her shirt above her head and threw it to the floor, leaving her bra-clad breasts ready to be explored. "Touch me, Thorin," she begged. That was it! He sat up, his arms winding around her and pulled her into a hot, fiery kiss. As they kissed, their tongues fighting hard, Thorin's hands began undoing the clasp on Leah's bra, which was then discarded quickly on the floor. Now that her breasts were bare to the air, Thorin pushed Leah gently down to the bed and took a nipple in his mouth. Leah groaned loudly and tangled her hands in his long hair. As Thorin's tongue inspected Leah's breasts, his hand drifted downwards, pushing into her trousers and his forefinger delved into her and set up a steady pace. Leah clutched onto Thorin's broad shoulders, feeling the brutal waves of decadent pleasure fall.

Leah became so impatient at this point, hanging onto the precipice, ready to fall off the edge. But she wanted to be joined with Thorin. She dragged at his breeches, pulling them down. And then Thorin pulled her trousers off, tossing them across the room. And then in one movement, with pent up and intense frustration, Thorin pushed himself into Leah. He growled loudly upon the impact, burying himself completely to the hilt and then began to move.

As they pounded back and forth, Leah dragged her fingers down his back, spurring him on to move quicker. Her orgasm was so close now, just out of reach. Until Thorin hit that spot one last time, releasing her climax. Leah pulled him close and kissed him, groaning into the kiss.

The sensation of Leah climaxing around him and her muscles contracting, sent Thorin over the edge. Locked in the kiss still, Thorin growled again loudly and then pressed his forehead to hers whilst he rode out his climax.

Breathing hard, they both dropped down into the furs.

"We really should begin getting ready for the meeting," Thorin chuckled.