Chapter Sixteen
One month later, Thorin had to go to a meeting in Dale, while Neniel had been helping checking in on those who worked in the mines and forges. That same day, while Neniel had been overseeing some work in the forges, she felt nauseated. "Lassie, are yer okay? You look pale! Maybe you should go and rest!" spoke up Bofur. "You are right." said Neniel, and she left the forges, heading towards her chambers. Dis shortly met up with Neniel before Neniel even had arrived to her chambers.
"Neniel, you're feeling ill again? You've been like this for the past couple weeks!" said Dis, looking at Neniel with great concern. "Yes, I have." said Neniel. "Lets go see if Oin can have a look at you, and hear his opinion. Elves never usually get ill!" said Dis. Hesitantly, Neniel followed Dis to the healing chambers, and they entered while Oin examined Neniel. Suddenly the grey haired dwarf burst into laughter. "Ladies, there is nothing to worry about! In fact, its great news if you must know!" beamed the dwarf healer. "And?" said Neniel and Dis together.
"Neniel, you're carrying child! You're pregnant!" said Oin, cheerfully. "P-pregnant!" stammered Neniel, stunned as she heard the news. Oin nodded. Dis shrieked, as she threw her arms around Neniel. "Oh, Nen! This is the best news in the world! You and Thorin are going to have your first child! And I'm going to become an Aunt! I must tell Thorin!" said Dis. "No, Dis! Wait!" said Neniel quickly, as Dis stopped in the middle of the doorway. "I like to tell Thorin myself. Its best if I told him in person, one on one." said Neniel.
And so after that, Neniel had mapped out a plan of telling Thorin the news. She decided to set up a private impromptu dinner for two, and she could tell him then. First, she headed towards the Royal chambers, and she begin writing a short note to Thorin:
Dearest Thorin,
I'm writing you a note as a request and invite for a dinner for the two of us out on the balcony. Meet me at the balcony around seven p.m. The reason being for this dinner is because I received some great news I'm wanting to share with you, and this meeting will be the great opportunity to do so.
Love, Neniel.
When Neniel finished her note, she asked Balin to take the note to Thorin, whom at the time is still involved in a meeting. Balin nodded and he left the chambers. After that, Neniel leaves the chambers, and sent for help on setting up for the dinner. She got Bombur, Bofur, Fili and Kili involved with the setting up. Bombur would do the cooking, while Bofur and Kili would set up the table. "What about mood music? Who would provide that?" asked Fili, playfully.
"There won't be any music, Fili. This dinner is a quiet one, thank you!" said Neniel. Fili nodded, as they began setting up for the dinner right away. Bombur quickly began working on the meal, while Fili, Kili and Bofur set up the table, chairs and even Dis showed up placing a bouquet of flowers and a candle as the table's centerpiece. Neniel smiled. "Neniel, you should go and get cleaned up for the occasion!" suggested Dis. Neniel nodded and she left after everything was set up.
She returned to the chambers, and she bathed and got cleaned up for the dinner. Meanwhile, Thorin was in the council chambers, whom just now finishing up his meeting when Balin entered, handing over the note to the dwarf king. Thorin smiled. "How thoughtful of her! A nice romantic dinner for two! I wonder what the occasion is?" said Thorin smiling. "I don't know, she didn't say." said Balin.
When the meeting ended, Thorin quickly left and headed towards the balcony. He shortly found Neniel standing next to the table and smiling at him. "You look beautiful this evening, Nen!" said Thorin, smiling as he took his seat at the table, as Neniel sat across from them. Dori soon came out. "May I interest in the two of you of some red fine?" asked the dwarf. Thorin chuckled. "Yes, please!" said Neniel. Dori nodded, and left. "What is all of this about, love? What is the special occasion?" asked Thorin, his tone in amusement.
"Wait until dinner is served, and I will tell you!" said Neniel. "Oh, so you're going to leave me at the seat of my pants! Why can't you just tell me now?" asked Thorin, giving Neniel a mock pout. "Don't you dare pull a Kili on me, Thorin! I told you I'm not going to tell you just yet." said Neniel. "Pulling a 'Kili'? I'm not pulling a Kili! Kili wouldn't….Oh never mind!" huffed Thorin, as he realized indeed he was pulling an old trick of his youngest nephew. Neniel laughed. Shortly, Bombur came out, serving the meal to Thorin and Neniel, as they begin their small feast.
"Now tell me what the special occasion is, Nen? I cannot wait much longer, you know"! said Thorin.
"I went to visit Oin in the healing chambers, to have him examine me on why I've been feeling ill for the past few days, well he examined me, and to discover that I am carrying child. I'm pregnant, Thorin!" confessed Neniel. As she had spoken that, Thorin nearly choked on his food, and dropped his fork. "Pregnant?!" exclaimed Thorin, with no sign of emotion, in his features as he spoke. "Yes! Isn't that great news, Thorin? You're going to become a father!" beamed Neniel.
"How did this happen?!" snapped Thorin. "You know how it happened, silly! Why are you asking this?" said Neniel with a chuckle. "I think-I just lost my appetite." growled Thorin, shoving the plate away. "Thorin! What's gotten into you? This is supposed to be happy news!" asked Neniel, sharply. "Happy news?! Happy NEWS?! Why this should be happy news? I didn't expect this to come so, soon! I was hoping we would wait another couple years to have children!" barked Thorin.
"Thorin, now you're being unfair!" broke in Neniel. "Unfair?! Unfair! The one who's being unfair is YOU! You ungrateful little whore!" barked Thorin, as he stood up, and stormed out of the balcony. "THORIN!" shouted Neniel, but it was too late. Thorin already had left. Neniel slammed down her plate, and screamed in anger, as tears fell down her face.
Balin heard the scream as he was walking through the corridors, and he quickly came out on the balcony, when he found Neniel sitting on the ground weeping hysterically. "Neniel!" exclaimed Balin, running to her. "What happened? Where's Thorin?" asked Balin gently. "I told him the news, and I didn't expect him to get angry about it." mumbled Neniel. "Why would he get angry?" asked Balin. "I don't know! WHY DON'T YOU ASK HIM YOURSELF!" screamed Neniel, and she stood up and sprinted away from Balin. Balin bowed his head.
Neniel decided she needed to go for a walk for some fresh air, she felt very upset about this. Thorin's reaction was uncalled for rude, and he had no reason to act this way. She returned to the chambers, and reached for her cloak, and decided to take a stroll to Dale. Maybe a long walk would do her some good. Luckily, she left without being noticed by the others, and she headed towards Dale. By the time she arrived, it was already early evening. She decided to go into a pub to have a drink to calm her nerves. She wasn't prepared however, what was bound to happen next.
As she entered the pub, she took a seat at table, not too far from where she could hear people chanting and cheering nearby her. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" the crowd chanted.
Neniel's POV:
The barmaid shortly brought me my drink, as I sat and took a long drawn from the mug. And the cheering and chanting had gotten much louder. I slowly turned to see what all the commotion was about, I realized I made a mistake of doing so. To my shock and horror, I saw Thorin sitting a few tables away from me, and he appeared to be in a very drunk state. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone. A dwarf woman with brown hair was sitting on his lap as everyone dared her to kiss him.
To my shock and horror, instead of her kissing Thorin, Thorin kissed her, as he pulled her into his arms, crashing his lips onto hers with passion. Anger and rage clouded over me, as I stood up, grabbing my mug, and thrown it over it Thorin and the dwarf woman's direction, the mug hitting directly in Thorin's head. "You bastard! How could you do this to me?! How could you! No king should behave like this!" I screamed, and then I chosen to lash my anger out on the dwarf woman, as I charged at her, as I began beating on her. "Leave my husband alone, you whore!" I continued to scream, while Thorin, and several others tried to pull me away from her.
Bard shortly came and also helped. I stood up, shoving both Thorin and Bard away from me, as I ran out of the pub, screaming in anger.
No One's POV:
Bard turned and glared at the dwarf king. "What is going on here, Thorin? What is the meaning of this? You are a married dwarf! You shouldn't be going around kissing every woman that in nearby!" snapped the man angrily. "This doesn't concern you, human! SOD OFF!" Thorin yelled. Suddenly, Dwalin entered the Pub, because he had been looking for Thorin, and wanting to talk to him. Bard approaches Dwalin, explaining what he had witnessed.
"Where is Neniel?" asked Dwalin. "She had taken off. She is very upset." said Bard. "You let me handle Thorin." said Dwalin, as he approached the Dwarf King. "Thorin, what have you done? You ought to be ashamed of yourself for this kind of behavior, not to mention of how you reacted about Neniel's pregnancy! Is there a reason why you are acting this way? Thorin, you are my friend. You should talk to me about this." said Dwalin. Thorin remained silent.
"Thorin, don't make me have to force you to talk to me." growled the dwarf. "Fine, you want to talk! Let's talk!" shouted Thorin. And both dwarves stepped outside of the Pub.
Meanwhile, Neniel sprinted back to the Mountain, and she headed towards the Royal chambers. She began packing her belongings as she had decided to leave. After everything is packed, she took out a quill and some parchment, as she began writing a note to everyone:
To my dearest friends,
I'm sorry to say that I'm leaving, because I am very upset and angry, and due to King Thorin's horrible actions I had witnessed at the pub in Dale, what he had done is the last straw, and I'm taking my leave. My destination is to stay with Bilbo until the child is born. If Thorin is searching for me, he knows where he can find me. Farewell.
Neniel.
After writing the letter, she placed it on the desk, and she grabbed her belongings and left, luckily without anyone noticing she is leaving.
Tears fell down her face, as she left, and she looked behind at the Lonely Mountain, as she realizing she leaving behind. "Farwell, my dear friends, until we meet again!" said Neniel, and she disappeared into the night.
Erebor
Thorin and Dwalin returned home, Thorin's head bowed, as he felt guilty over his actions towards Neniel. He was already sobered up after drinking some coffee at the pub that Dwalin had purchased for him, but they weren't prepared for what was going to happen next. Balin sprinted towards them, his features looked very sad. "Thorin, Dwalin, I'm afraid we got a another situation." began Balin. "What?" snapped Thorin. "It's Neniel. She has left." said Balin. "What do you mean, she left?" snapped Thorin, hotly. Balin handed over the letter that Neniel had written, and he read it.
Thorin's heart sank as he read it. "Thorin, you must go find her and bring her home. She cannot be traveling alone while pregnant!" said Balin. "Dwalin, go find Fili. I must ask him a favor for me." said Thorin. Dwalin nodded, as he walked away to go find Fili. "Fili will take my place while I go find Neniel. After all, I made the mess, I need to fix it." said Thorin.