Disclaimer: The Hobbit does not belong to me, but to Professor Tolkien, Peter Jackson, and his Company.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took me so long. I got a bit distracted by watching Being Human.

Gem of His Heart

Drifa climbed beneath her crisp, white sheets and pulled them up to her chin. Her mind refused to quiet down and let her sleep. Instead, thoughts of Thorin continued to haunt her. Thankfully, they would only be in Erebor for another week and then they would journey home to the Iron Hills. She could hardly wait to escape the painful reminders in Erebor. Her thoughts continued to plague her and she only drifted off to sleep as the sun rose in the eastern sky.

Chapter 5

"Ah, Thorin, just the dwarf I was looking for," Dain's voice boomed down the corridor.

The dwarf king winced. He had hoped to hole himself up in a meeting room with Balin today and work on trade agreements without interruption, but he knew that Dain would now allow it. The leader of the Iron Hills was persistent and used to getting what he wanted.

"I leave tomorrow, Thorin, and Nal and I were hoping you would take us on a tour of the mountain and the surrounding countryside." He clapped a large hand on Thorin's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Come on now," Dain grinned. "Be sociable for a change instead of hiding out in your mountain."

"I do not hide out," Thorin ground out through clenched teeth.

"Calm down; calm down," Dain soothed. "I meant no offense, but come now, Thorin. Please, we leave tomorrow and who knows when we will see one another again."

Thorin bit back a sigh. Touring the mountain with Dain was the last thing he wanted to do today. "All right," he bit out. "Let me speak with Balin and then I will see what I can arrange."

Dain grinned. "Thank you. I cannot wait to see all of Erebor in its glory."

Thorin found Balin in the meeting room with papers spread out across the table.

"Ah, there you are," the wizened old dwarf greeted. "I thought perhaps you had changed your mind about going over the trade agreements today."

"It does look like we will have to leave this for another day," Thorin sighed.

Balin raised an eyebrow at his friend and king. "Oh?"

"Dain leaves tomorrow and is insisting on a personal tour of Erebor and the surrounding countryside." A scowl marred the dwarf king's handsome features. "I have many other things I need to be attending to instead of acting as a tour guide."

"Thorin, it is only one day and this is Dain," Balin soothed.

"Aye," he muttered, "one day of pure hell."

"Thorin," Balin growled, "you will be fine. Go ahead; I will take care of things here."

"Thank you, Balin," the dwarf king sighed with a nod to his friend before he exited the room to organize a tour for Dain and Nal.

It didn't take long for Thorin to gather with Dain, Nal, Drifa, and Dain's personal servant, Feykir. He bit back a groan when he realized that Drifa would be accompanying them. He was in no mood to dredge old, painful memories to the surface. "Shall we begin?" he asked, his shoulders straight and his bearing that of one who was used to being in charge.

"Aye, Thorin. Show us this fair mountain of yours," Dain boomed as he held out his arm for his wife. She linked her arm through his as they walked beside Thorin. Drifa and Feykir fell in step behind them, ready to serve if they were needed.

First, the entered the busy forges. The heat warmed their faces once they stepped into the long, well-lit tunnel. "My, Thorin, this is impressive," Nal murmured as she watched the dwarf before her craft a thick, well-built sword that would one day be used in battle.

Thorin nodded impassively. He regarded Drifa surreptitiously. Her green eyes studied the busy dwarves with interest as she carefully kept her gaze away from the king of Erebor. Something twisted in Thorin's gut. Although many years had passed since they had been together, he still found her very beautiful. Something about her continued to draw him in like a bee to sweet nectar. Suddenly, she turned her head and looked right at him, her cheeks flushing as she realized he was staring at her. Frustration welled up inside of Thorin, and he brusquely moved his group along down the stone corridor.

Beyond the forges lay the mining tunnels. Thorin allowed the proud workers to show their visitors what had been found in the mines that day. Lady Nal was presented with a large ruby. She tittered and blushed with excitement and Dain beamed proudly. Thorin was glad his visitors from the Iron Hills seemed to be enjoying themselves, but he still could not wait for this tour to be over. Being in Drifa's company was agonizing; when she had returned to her home with Dain and Nal, he hoped he could push her from his thoughts. To be honest, he wasn't sure he would be able to do that anymore. Thoughts of Drifa had taken up residence in the forefront of his mind.

"Come, Thorin," Dain broke into his thoughts. "What will you show us next?"

Thorin gathered his thoughts and tore his gaze from Drifa. He cleared his throat. "The living quarters as you've already seen the banquet hall," he pointed out.

They turned to leave and Drifa stumbled over a rock and tumbled into the dwarf king. Thorin caught her, his hands tightening around her arms before he set her back from him. "Be careful," he snapped.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," she managed in a clipped tone she tried to disguise.

"Drifa, your tone," Dain snapped. "I am sorry, Thorin. Good help is hard to come by these days."

Drifa dropped her head and felt her cheeks burn, partly in embarrassment, but mostly in anger. It seemed as if those in positions of royalty could get away with whatever they pleased while those of her social standing must bow and scrape and take all of the blame.

"Dain, it is fine." Thorin could not believe he was defending her, the woman who had broken his heart. "Let us continue." He turned and strode quickly down the corridor, but he could feel Drifa's eyes boring into his back.

Once their tour inside was complete, horses were brought to the entrance of the mountain and they were joined by four armed dwarf warriors to guard them on their journey. Thorin hefted himself onto his brown and white pony, Royal, and waited until his companions were mounted and ready to travel. They exited the mountain into a warm, muggy afternoon. Dark clouds tumbled in the western sky, and Thorin frowned. "It will storm soon."

"Then let us make haste," Dain informed him. "I do not want to miss this opportunity."

Thorin nudged his pony forward and the others followed him into the damp heat. They took the path that bordered the edge of the forest, the guards alert and ready for any sign of trouble.

"Rich looking land in these parts," Dain commented from atop his rust-colored pony.

"Aye," Thorin agreed. "The people of Dale are quite willing to trade their crops with us in exchange for what we procure from the mines."

"Seems like that agreement should be very secure with Fili's marriage to the Lady Sigrid," Nal stated.

"Yes, Bard and I have forged an agreement of sorts," Thorin admitted reluctantly. A frown tugged at his mouth as the thick, heavy clouds moved closer. "We should turn back," he ordered, grasping the reins of his pony.

"Oh, please, may we go just a ways down into the valley?" Nal queried hopefully.

"It is not safe with the foul weather approaching," Thorin told her as he shifted to a more comfortable position in his saddle and gave Royal a gentle pat on his neck.

"We will not go far," Dain told Thorin, already urging his pony forward with the confidence of someone who was never told "no."

"It is not safe," Thorin repeated with a growl.

Nal and Dain took the steep path that edged down into the tree covered vallet. A river meandered lazily down at the rocky bottom, but Thorin knew how little rain it took to turn the peaceful river into a raging flood. Dain's servant followed him, but Drifa cast a glance over her shoulder at Thorin, indecision written on her face.

"Drifa, come!" Dain called.

With a determined look on her face, the blonde dwarrowdam nudged her pony to follow Dain and Nal down into the ravine. She had trusted Thorin once, and she was quite certain he knew best in this situation. Erebor was his home; he knew this land and its quirks very well.

Another clap of thunder echoed overhead and Thorin cursed under his breath. "We will follow them," he commanded his warrior guards. "They do not understand the dangers."

"Perhaps you should wait here, Your Majesty," one of the guards ventured boldly.

Thorin shook his head. "I am going with you," he stated firmly.

Nal desperately wanted to visit the river that meandered slowly below them. Dain acquiesced and led the way down the steep trail. Drifa cast a nervous glance at the treacherous sky and then looked back at Thorin. The dwarf king's expression was stony, his jaw clenched. "We must go," he stated firmly. "Now." A rumble of thunder punctuated his words and big, fat drops of rain began to fall. "This valley floods with even small amounts of rain."

Thorin led the way up the trail with the guards taking the rear. The path quickly became bogged down with mud and then they had to stop frequently to dig the clods of dirt from the horses' hooves. The rain poured down mercilessly until all of them were soaked clear through their clothing. Thorin was reminded of their quest to reclaim Erebor, but this was different. They were not prepared for weather such as this today. He had been foolish to grant Dain's request and bring them out of the mountain when he had known that terrible weather would be upon them within a few hours. Guilt tugged at him, but he shrugged it away. He had to get those in his charge back to the safety of the mountain.

Drifa's pony balked and Thorin slid from his horse and approached the skittish animal. "Hold him still," he ordered Drifa as he lifted the front leg of her gray-speckled pony and freed the animal's hoof of mud. The horse snorted and shook its head, but Drifa held him steady.

A rumbling sound reverberated throughout the valley and Drifa looked up toward the sky. "Thunder?" she asked although it did not quite sound right.

Thorin glanced up as well, his brow creased as his eyes surveyed the surrounding terrain. Terror suddenly engulfed his face, making Drifa feel frightened.

"What is it?" she gasped, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Mudslide," Thorin screamed out. "Move, now!"

Drifa's pony reared wildly in fear as the others around them kicked their mounts into motion. Drifa fought hard to stay in the saddle, but the pony's legs twisted beneath him and he went down.

"Drifa!" Thorin yelled. He scrambled to her through the downpour, his feet sliding in the mud. "Are you hurt?" Although she had left him in the past, he could not leave her here in eminent danger from the mud and the storm.

"Nay," she answered shakily. "At least I do not believe so." She placed her hand in Thorin's battle-scarred grasp. He tugged her to her feet and turned to see his own pony following hers up the mountain with mud flinging out behind them.

The guards realized that Thorin wasn't with them. Two of them turned back just as the rumbling got louder. In horror, Thorin watched as the hillside began to collapse around them.

To Be Contined…