Thorin was above on a balcony when he saw Ariana leave with the Elf but he couldn't hear what was said. At first he was relieved to see that the girl was fine. Then he became irritated with himself and he snorted, "What do I care what that girl does." But in truth he did care. And this bothered him.
Even he would have to grudgingly admit that she had kept up with them on this trip, had saved them from the Thieves den, even stood up to him! She hadn't complained till then and Thorin would never admit he antagonized her till she snapped because he was more angry with himself then with her. And...there was something about her that intrigued him.
But then he saw his nephews follow Ariana and this both made him curious and worried. So he went down and started the way they had gone. Luckily Fili and Kili's wet hair, and the fact that they weren't trying to hide their trail, made it easy for Thorin to follow. He grew even more worried as he walked into the woods and then heard shouting. Putting a hand on Orcrist he quickened his pace and finally came out of the trees and stared. His nephews, and the girl, were having a splash war in a pool next to a waterfall...with bears. He just stood gaping until Fili saw him and his face returned to his scowl.
Fili froze at the sight of him, which worried his brother which made him turn to look and then Ariana. The boys looked worried but Ariana just waved cheerfully, "Thorin, come on in the waters great!"
The bears got out and raced up the waterfall and Ariana was the first out of the water, coming up to him sopping wet. He nearly kicked himself when he noticed the wet clothing hugged her...features. Soured by this thought he growled, "What do you think you are doing?"
He saw Fili and Kili wince, knowing that tone of voice meant they were in trouble. But to Thorin's amazement, the girl laughed. Her laugh was like the clear sound of bells and he felt something in him warm slightly.
0o0
Thorin looked grumpy as I walked up and he growled, "What do you think you are doing?" Finding this funny, I laughed and teased, "Swimming. If you can't tell. Oh I better introduce you." I waved to Crusher, who Thorin hadn't seen and made him tense, "This is Crusher and these are his brothers." I waved to the bears jumping into the pool, "Tuff and Buff. They are just enjoying the water too."
And I waved to Tári who had appeared across the water on the cliff, "And that is Tári, Lord Elrond sent her along to make sure I didn't get myself killed." Tári waved back with a smile before going back into the trees and I heard Thorin's snort beside me. Rolling my eyes I said, "Yes, you don't like Elves. I've heard something like this before. Maybe a rumor..."
I grinned at him to show I was teasing and said, "If you don't care to join us, you can go over by Crusher and just relax. He'll make a good back rest and you can watch us be fools."
Thorin glared at me and I waited with a brow arched, ready to argue. But he just looked at his nephews, who looked really uncomfortable but were giving their best puppy dog looks. Especially Kili, who could melt stone with his puppy dog look. Thorin finally sigh and he softened, "Go have fun. Just don't let one of those bears land on you."
This startled his nephews and myself, though I didn't show it. Instead I gave a cheeky grin and slapped the boys on the shoulders and raced ahead of them, tackling Tuff at the top of the falls and we hit the water with a splash. Fili and Kili close behind, Fili grabbing and tossing Kili in first. Thorin eyed the bear, Crusher, who just closed his eyes and started to snore, and settled gingerly down against him. The bear didn't even seem to notice and Thorin watched as Fili and Kili looked to be having the time of their lives as Ariana threw them over her shoulder and into the water. Thorin felt a smile begin to form and then promptly shook himself, forcing himself to remember the task at hand. The return to Erebor and the dealing of Smaug. But that seemed to grow faint as he watched them play and hearing the bell like laughter in the air as it mingled with the laughter of his nephews.
0o0
A couple glances showed me that Thorin was looking relaxed against Crusher and was watching us mess around. This made me relax further and Fili and Kili seemed to have more fun now that they had their Uncles blessing. But soon we all grew tired and I pulled myself out of the water and thanked the bears for a good time. Tuff and Buff called their good byes and then went back to playing in the water. Fili dragged Kili out and I twisted hair and cloth to release water before I went over to Thorin and plopped down near my pack. Sighing in relief I dug into my pack and ruffled the towel through my hair, "Shall we head back?"
Thorin stood with a grunt and looked about to go. I grabbed his sleeve before he could and he looked at me in surprise. I motioned to the bear, "Thank him please."
He looked even more startled and about to refuse but I gave him a look that clearly said not to upset the giant bear. He sighed, raising his eyes to the sky as if asking for patience but then said with a solemn voice, "Thank you, Master Crusher."
The bear got up and then bowed his great head, which both startled and pleased Thorin. I wrapped the towel around my shoulders and then split the cheese and bread between Fili, Kili and myself as I waved to Tári when she came out of the woods ahead of us. Thorin grimaced but she seemed not to see, except for the shadow of a wink to me, and lead us back to Rivendell.
Once there Tári gave a farewell and left. I thanked the brothers for a good time and jokingly said to Thorin, "Thank you for not biting our heads off." Which earned me a scowl. I chuckled as I waved bye and went to change into dry clothes.
Then I found a nice warm patch of sunlight, a tree and promptly took a nap. When I woke up I stretched, feeling much better and went in search of food, having missed lunch. Finding some in the kitchen, when I finished I felt tired again and decided to go to bed early.
But that night, things that had haunted me for years decided to make themselves known once more to me. I should have know they would come with the bringing up of my parents and past. As soon as I drifted off to sleep, nightmares were waiting to thrust me into the darkness and pain of my past.
Pain ripped into my flesh. Screams rang through the air. I stared in horror as my mother, sweet and loving mother, cowered from a looming form of darkness next to my loving father. She screamed for me to run, but I couldn't! I had to save her! This time! This time!
But no matter how fast or how hard I ran, I didn't gain any distance as whips hit me from behind, not to drive me but merely to cause pain.
I ignored them, fighting through the pain and panic in my mind that I had to reach her. But like usual, my dream self didn't get anywhere near them as I saw their body fall in a puddle of blood.
A laugh of cruelty and pain echoed in my ears as Bruce stepped out of the shadows, a bloody ax in hand as he turned toward me with a feral grin, "Where do you think your going my sweet?"
This time I tried to run away but as I turned to bolt, darkness swallowed me.
Waking with a jolt, scream lodged in my throat I looking around quickly and tried to slow my heart and breathing when I realized that I was in the bedroom I had been given by Lord Elrond in Rivendell. Which was in Middle-earth. Not my world. I wasn't back, I was far away from there and safe.
Taking a shaky breath I ran trembling fingers over my shoulder and gripped my flesh, feeling the scars under my hand. Swiping the tears from my cheek I got out of bed and padded barefoot to the door. Going out I walked almost blindly down the hall, just wanting to get outside. Needing to get outside. Finally I found the way out, which seemed to take ages, to take me to the balcony where Lord Elrond had spoken to me before. Taking slow breaths I gripped the railing and made myself look around. To reassure myself that I was really in Rivendell.
Slowly, very slowly, my heart rate slowed and I had almost stopped trembling when a tear escaped my eyes. Automatically I wiped it away and then I heard a soft cough behind me. Leaping like a frightened rabbit, I spun with a hand to my heart to try and keep it in my chest as I stared in fear for the maker of the noise. Thorin stood behind me, looking worried and maybe a bit startled by my reaction. "Thorin!" I gasped in surprise, "Goddess you scared me! Shaved at least ten years off my life!"
0o0
Thorin couldn't sleep. No matter how many times he tossed and turned, sleep was just out of reach. Finally disgusted, he got up and walked out of the room Lord Elrond had given him. A familiar scowl came to his lips at the thought of the Elf and he paused when he heard something coming his way.
Stepping back into the shadows out of instinct he was startled to see Ariana walking quickly down the hall. About to call to her he paused when he saw the horror and pain on her face. Shock made him pause and then she was gone. Not thinking, he quickly followed her but quietly. She finally came to a balcony and stood staring out at the water. She was trembling so bad even Thorin could see, but she seemed to have calmed some.
About to go backinside to give her some peace, he paused when he saw her wipe something from her cheek and his chest gave a painful twinge, "Is she crying?" Trying not to startle her he gave a soft cough and nearly had a heart attack himself when she startled badly and gripped her heart as she gasped, ""Thorin! Goddess you scared me! Shaved at least ten years off my life!"
0o0
I leaned back weakly against the railing, trying to catch my breath and hide my trembling, "What..uh..what are you doing out here?"
He stepped toward me and asked gruffly, "What's wrong? Did something happen?" For a moment he looked furious at the thought that an Elf had caused me pain and I quickly said, "Uh, no. I uh..." then I began to blush when I realized that I might have woken him up as I tramped down the halls, "I'm sorry if I woke you. I just...needed some air."
He stepped closer and I found I couldn't breathe and couldn't move as he touched my cheek. He pulled his hand back, his fingertips wet. Realizing in horror that I was still crying I quickly swiped my cheeks on my sleeve and froze when he asked softly, "What was the dream about?"
Surprised that he was so observant I slowly lowered my arm and tried to say that I was fine and for him to go back to bed but somehow I knew that wouldn't work. I softly asked, "That obvious?"
He rumbled something almost soothingly as he wiped my cheek with his own sleeve, "You flew past me as if death was at your heels. I can only assume you had a nightmare."
I mulled this over as he wiped my cheeks dry and finally got the courage to look him in the eyes. His eyes, were beautiful. Like the ocean or sapphires, his eyes held depths that I felt could see into my very soul. Relaxing slowly I softly said, "I...my nightmare was about the death of my parents."
Stepping back at his startled look, I turned towards the river and said, "They died in front of me, and... I could do nothing. It still haunts me sometimes." Then I stubbornly said, "But I'm not a coward."
I sensed him step up beside me and we were quiet for a bit before he said softly, "I have nightmares as well. I do not think you are a coward for having them, for they are out of your control." I looked at him, startled and stared at him. Thorin was quiet for a moment, appearing to mull over his dream. "Gandalf has told you of what passed at Erebor?"
When I nodded, Thorin continued. "It returns to me in my dreams every so often. I cannot escape the fate of my people. It haunts me and drives me as nothing else does. All I wish is to see my kingdom restored, my people at home under our rightful mountain. Yet my dreams show me a fate worse than death; our people imprisoned and tortured, slaves of the Pale Orc. And I – " he sighed, admitting the deepest part of his nightmare, "and I am helpless to stop it, to protect them."
The breath that escaped from Thorin's lungs rattled its way out of his chest. His eyes had closed as he had confessed to me the misery of his nightmares. One of his hands gripped the stone railing hard enough that his knuckles turned white. I hadn't moved as he told me this and I realized that this was another moment of learning about Thorin.
I had always known that the Dwarf was driven, but now I saw just how tightly his drive held the whip behind him. Some men dreamed of the horror of death, others of losing everything, yet here was a man whose biggest demon was failing his people. Here was a king to be envied by all others. Here, I realized, was a king whom I would gladly follow into the heart of Erebor to reclaim a kingdom that was not mine, but belonged to the Dwarves.
He said gently, "We all have demons. But that does not make you weak." His words warmed my heart and I felt my fears ebb away. Gently settling my hand on his shoulder I made him turn to look at me and saw the pain in his eyes. Wanting, even for a moment to erase his worries and forgetting my own, I grabbed him in a hug. He stood like a statue for a moment before slowly returning the hug. I murmured into his shoulder, "You are a great man, Thorin Oakenshield."
Pulling away I smiled at his startled face, "Thank you. And don't worry. I'm gonna help you reclaim Erebor." He started to frown and I nodded firmly, "Yep, between all of us it will get done."
He looked about to argue but sighed and I let him go and said softly, "Well, back to bed." Pausing as I turned to leave I said sincerely, "Thank you Thorin." and fled, mostly to hide the blush forming on my cheeks.
0o0
Thorin stared after the girl who, with a few simple words, lifted a great weight from his shoulder. He gave a small nod in the direction she had done and said softly, "No, thank you. Ariana." A small smile ghosted his lips as he made his way back to bed and fell right to sleep. Without a dream, without nightmares. Just peace.
