Gladiator Ch. 4
(Eventual Thorin/Ren)
Lowering the crown onto his head, the dwarf looked over himself once in the mirror, adjusting his grandfather's heavy fur cloak before he deemed himself fit to leave his chambers.
Exiting through the heavy doors, he made his way down the long hall, his feet carrying him there naturally due to the number of times he had walked down to The Pit in the last week and a half.
He had no guard escorts that night which was a bit odd but wasn't unheard of. Everyone was busy trying to find a place in the arena sitting, due to the fact that there had been a rumor that the champion was going to be back that night, given that all were disappointed when she failed to show the night previous.
But, as the opening ceremony started as it did every night, he took his seat between Dain and his nephews who had been chattering away uncontrollably.
The King took note of this and couldn't the small curl of his lips. Since the arrival of Borgil and his fighters, the two younger dwarves had been in better moods, he noticed. That they would anxiously await the next fight all throughout the day.
He had to admit that he also looked forward to the fights or, maybe it was what came after that he anticipated so much.
A small frown pulled his brows down, however, as he watched the slaves file out into the arena. Ren was not among them and he wondered why she was once again not fighting but he only had to wonder a minute longer before she came walking out of the tunnel, the very last one to be released.
She was once again dressed in the same clothes as he had always seen her wear. On her back, however, he noticed that in addition to the normal sheathed knives, a quiver was strapped to her back and was packed full of arrows.
In her hands, she also carried a bow, one of eloquent design and obviously of elvish make. This peaked Kili's interest immediately and he nudged his brother's elbow with his own. When he caught the blond's attention, he nodded to the female and Fili just smiled knowingly.
There was what sounded like an almost feral snarl that came from the other side of Dain and all heads turned toward the Slaver who appeared to nearly be bristling in anger.
"Is something wrong, Slavemaster?" Thorin called to him, causing the greasy haired man's head to snap in his direction.
At seeing that he was being intently watched by the King and the rest of the royal bloodline, he straightened out his back and cleared his throat. "No, my lord." He replied but he nonetheless gestured down to his fighters. "Though, I do not recall stating that it was okay to give my champion a bow."
"I find it appropriate..." The dark haired dwarf murmured, his eyes flickering back to the aforementioned female. "Elves were the first to completely master the sport of archery. When, I talked to one of your men this morning, he said that you carried a bow with you but it was mostly just used to intimidate bandits when on the road." He rubbed his chin in thought and narrowed his eyes. "Though, he did mention that it was of elvish make..."
The man just gave a small, nervous laugh. "Yeah, snagged it off Ren in fact when we first caught her. High quality work, I tell ya."
"Then why do you protest of her using her own weapon?"
"I have no protests about letting her use her old bow, sire. It's just that..." He bit his lip and scratched his head as he searched for a plausible reason as to why he was disgruntled. Then, it suddenly struck him. "I'm worried for your own safety, my lord king."
"My safety?" The dwarf raised a brow.
"If you know anything about elves and archery, I doubt you need a good explanation as to why." Borgil frowned slightly and looked back into The Pit, finding that Ren was glaring up at him, the bow still in her hand. He took a small step back, just as a precaution.
Looking back down into arena, Thorin couldn't help but meet her eyes for a long moment, his fingers absentmindedly running through his beard as the memories of the night before pulsed through his mind.
It was late, later than he even realized. And yet, he did not feel the least bit tired.
So, naturally, he decided to go for a walk, seeing how this had become a habit of his since he had taken over the throne over a year ago. With all the kingly duties weighing on his mind, he found that a stroll through his halls during the later hours of the night did wonders for his mind.
The mountain was always so quiet.
There would be a few people still working. Blacksmiths were sometimes hammering away on their work late into the night to fill orders. Young babes would sometimes cry in the night, as is the nature of newborns. There would be the occasional guard milling about on duty, patrolling the caverns to ensure the safety of his people.
But, compared to the normal loud buzzing that occurred during the day, it almost felt like silence to him.
There was what sounded like a voice shouting loudly and due to the quiet that filled the mountain, it was easy to hear and determine where it was coming from. Turning his head in the direction of the shouting, he only frowned softly before he began to walk in that direction, wondering why this sudden disturbance in his mountain at such a late hour.
Before long, he realized that he was headed in the direction of the arena and he continued to follow the nearly endless scolding until he arrived down in among the hidden cells where they kept the contenders in the fights.
There was a sudden shifting in the room and he watched as Borgil suddenly shoved someone forward, spewing what sounded like angry elvish the entire time. That someone stumbled and was only able to brace their hands upon one of the many cells, causing those inside to shift nervously as they huddled in a corner together.
The Slaver pressed right up behind them, taking a hold of their hair before growling something lowly into their ear.
It was hard to see who exactly it was in the dim light cast by the torches upon the wall but the King didn't doubt that it was probably Ren given that he recognized the worn boots upon her feet.
It was then that she replied back, a strain in her voice but after a moment, the man released her hair.
Stepping back, he shoved her towards one the last empty cell and she slowly walked into it, the Slaver right behind her. Once inside, he picked up another chain from the floor and fastened the shackles around her ankles, effectively anchoring her to the wall of the dungeon. He then threw in a worn blanket after her as well as a burlap sack before he slammed the cell door shut, locking it with a ring of keys he had withdrawn from his pocket.
From what the King could see, the slave just continued to stand inside the cell for a moment, watching as Borgil left the holding cells for the night so that he could return to his own comfy room at the local inn.
After making sure that he was gone, Ren reached down and picked up the blanket before glancing at the others in the cell just beside her own. Wordlessly, she approached them but couldn't given the shackles around her ankles. Frowning slightly, she reached out as far as she could and one of the others reached back, allowing them to pass the worn fabric through the bars and one of the others took it from her, murmuring some quiet words.
The blonde just nodded before opening the bag and peering inside. She retrieved a clump of cheese, a small portion of a loaf of bread, an apple, and a small water skin.
"Cel?" The champion called out, filling the silence of the room for a moment. The other blonde turned back from where she had been settling the blanket over the top of the other two slaves sharing her cell. When she was facing her, Ren tossed the entire bag to her, contents and all.
The two of them conversed quietly for a moment before the blue eyed creature shook her head and sat down upon the cold ground. She then lay down and curled up in the center of her cell in hopes of finding some sleep.
The King simply stood there in the darkness for a few long moments and when all else grew quiet in the mountain again, he clasped his hands behind his back and stepped further into the dimly lit room.
Those who had once been awake had since quieted down and were once again asleep.
He kept walking along, momentarily stopping to gaze into the cells. Each and everyone of them had a group of slaves in it, some males, some females, and sometimes a mix of both. They each appeared to have been given one blanket, two if there were four in the cell.
Then, he came upon the last two cells.
There were three females placed into the one cell and beside them in the adjacent cell was Ren, asleep on the cold floor, curled into a ball in hopes of keeping herself warm. And yet, the other three in the cell were huddled together beneath their blanket and the one that the champion had given them. Peering into the cell, he realized that one of them was Cel, Borgil's second best fighter who had been captured with Ren. She had her back against the wall and slept, serving as a pillow for the other two females to lean on, one of them blonde and the other had hair as black as night.
He then came to stand before Ren's own cell and gazed down upon her, a soft frown pulling at his features.
She had her knees pulled up to her chest and her arm tucked beneath her head to serve as her own pillow, the other placed underneath her cheek. But, strangely enough, it was her face that captured his attention.
The usual crease in her brow from all her glaring was completely gone, the wonders of sleep seeming to have accomplished that mighty feat alone. She looked so at peace then, even just by sleeping on a cold, hard floor in a musty dungeon. And somehow, she managed it.
For a moment, the King felt something strange bubbling in his chest, this warm feeling that made him want to drape his long robe over the top of her. But only a moment later, it was gone.
She is a slave. He reminded himself, clasping his hands behind his back. She is a slave and not my own. Showing kindness would be inappropriate.
And with those thoughts, he turned to leave but not before sparring one last long look at her peaceful features. Striding quietly out of the room, he began to make his way back to his room, his mind clouded with thoughts of her even then.
She is not my own. He reminded himself again, shaking the thoughts out of his mind.
When he once again found himself in his chambers, he stood beside the fire for a long moment and he decided that he should at least try to sleep, given that he had many duties to do in the morning that he couldn't ignore. However, as he was shrugging out of his heavy mantle, he paused for a long moment and simply glanced back to the door.
But what if you made her your own? A quiet voice whispered in the back of his head, causing his mind to linger on the subject longer than necessary.
And in that moment, he decided that he would actually inquire about the blonde slave.
It was the grinding of chains that brought his mind back to the present and he watched as the orcs and goblins were released into the arena. His eyes shot to the female that had recently been occupying his thoughts and watched as quick as a whip, she notched an arrow and already one of the beasts fell, the projectile buried in his forehead.
The others rushed forward to begin the attack, save for Ren and one other she-elf who had pitch black hair, the very same he saw in the cell beside the blonde's the night before. The champion forced the other one behind her, making sure to keep her between the wall and the warrior herself.
The dark haired elleth didn't protest in the slightest and instead, her green eyes were wide with fear as she clutched desperately at the short sword in her hand.
Without warning, the other door on the other side of the arena, which was rarely used, was yanked open and even more foul creatures came spilling out.
When she heard this, the blonde champion's eyes widened in fear and she turned back to the others, barking orders as she went. Again, forcing the female behind her, Ren immediately turned and began to fire upon the new attackers.
It wasn't enough though and they soon were overpowered. This forced the the blonde to drop her bow and instead unsheathe her twin daggers before she dove into the mass of enemies.
She moved quickly, he noticed and her blue eyes were wide. She seemed to have different intentions on that night, it was clear to see. The kills were sloppy, unclean. Most of the creatures she attacked were merely maimed and left to choke on their own blood or bleed out on the arena floor.
It was almost like she was just trying to get the job done and had little time to worry about mercy.
"Slavemaster..." The King called as he continued to watch her, recalling his thoughts from the night before.
"Yes, my lord?" He moved from his place beside Dain to stand just behind the dwarf lord's tall chair, his own eyes upon the fight as he watched each of his warriors, making sure that they were fine.
"What kind of slaving do you do?"
The greasy man just frowned slightly, not understanding the question. "Excuse me?"
"I'm talking about selling and trading." Thorin explained further, his eyes still on the fight as he rested his cheek against his fist which rested on the arm of his chair. "Obviously, you run a gladiatorial circuit but, what else do you do with them?"
"Um..." The man thought for a long moment. "Sometimes I trade with other slavers, you know, just the young ones. I keep my good fighters like Ren and Cel, wouldn't really trade them unless they got badly maimed." The dwarf nodded in understanding. "Not to be rude, my lord king, but... Why are you asking about my slaves?"
"Do you have any... pleasure slaves?" He inquired slowly. "Body slaves?"
It was quiet for a moment before the thought finished processing in the man's head and he chuckled darkly. "Oh, my lord!" Dain just turned back in his seat to gaze at him, sending a pointed look his way. "For a price..." The greasy man murmured as he folded his arms across his chest before licking his lips. "For a price, any of them can be turned into pleasure slaves." He then rubbed his hands together, looking more pleased than he normally should have. "Male... female. You can have one of each. Two of one kind. Anything you like!"
At his words, Fili and Kili just turned to look at him, having listened to their conversation thus far but hadn't said anything. Was their Uncle… truly asking about this?
"Tell you what..." He placed his hand on Thorin's shoulder. "Since you're the King, I will give you a special deal. You buy one slave for the night, you get the other one half off." The dark haired dwarf showed little interest in this offer so Borgil just patted his shoulder again. "So, my lord, who would you like?"
"I want Ren."
"Ren?" The man squeaked, his brows raising until they were nearly in his hairline.
"I didn't stutter." Thorin growled, his thumb running over his lip as he watched the aforementioned fighter as she stabbed both her knives into an orc's chest before kicking him off the blades.
"Um... My lord, Ren... is not a pleasure slave." He tried, giving the dwarf lord a nervous smile.
"You only just said that any of them can be turned into a pleasure slave..." The King just turned his head, his eyes holding a dangerous glint in them as he looked at the Slaver. "...for the right price." The man just froze beneath his harsh gaze but then relaxed as the the dwarf gave him a small smirk. "Besides, why are you protesting? Is it simply the fact that she... cannot…"
"I didn't want to mention it, my lord." The Slaver began, his thumbs twiddling as he held his hands before him.
"Mention what?" He narrowed his icy eyes on the man. He sat forward in his chair slightly and this even drew the attention of the rest of the royals present. Even Dwalin, who had been standing silently off to the side to guard his king felt his interest peak.
"The last man she was supposed to be with... she nearly killed him in the bedroom."
Kili just raised an eyebrow in disbelief and felt his lips curled upward at the thought that he was implying. "She's that good?" He sat forward in his chair, his hands tightly grasping the arms. "Because if she's that good, Uncle, I think you should share-"
"No!" Borgil growled slightly. "She literally beat him to the brink of death!"
Thorin just turned back around in his seat as if he hadn't heard the man's words, for he believed the Slaver to be lying. And yet, as he watched her from up above, something in the back of his mind whispered that she actually had.
"That didn't really happen..." Fili murmured, rolling his eyes before facing forward in his seat.
"I would not lie to you, my lords. Especially about something like that. It was a miracle that we were able to save him, poor bloke. She's a nasty one..." He turned back to look down into The Pit, watching Ren once again. "Haven't sold her to anyone since."
"And who exactly was this man?" The King asked once again, his brow raising in interest.
"Just some old rich buggar. We had just finished a show and he asked for her and then she went berserk. Wasn't five minutes later that we heard shouting and rushed into the room to find him beaten to a bloody pulp with my little champion scrambling out the window."
"What she did does not matter. For I still want her company, if only for the night." He raised a brow and looked at the Slaver again who slowly nodded his head, not wanting to deny the dwarf lord what he desired.
"Um… Very well. Now, all that's left to do is just figure out a-"
A high pitched cry suddenly resonated up from The Pit, cutting Borgil short. His head snapped back up to the fight and he maneuvered back around Dain's chair so that he could fully gaze down into the arena.
The rest of the royals also sat forward once again in their seat and looked on to what was happening.
For a moment, all those inhabiting the balcony were tense, thinking it to be Ren who had cried out, and it was her. But, the reason for her crying out was not because of her own pain.
It appeared as though the foul creatures and overrun the blonde she-elf and had gotten ahold of her raven haired friend who she had appeared to have been protecting. She had collapsed onto the ground and blood was spilling from her stomach where an orc's blade had cut her deeply.
Thorin couldn't help it when his eyes shot to Ren and watched as this strange glimmer suddenly entered into her eyes as she gazed down at her companion, arm poised to strike another foe given that she was frozen in place.
Then, all at once, her brow furrowed deeply and she began to fight back against her enemies with a renewed vigor.
The rest of the slaves were doing equally as well and finished off their own side. The other fighter, Cel, was the first one to reach the collapsed elleth, her own emerald eyes shinning with fear.
"Ren!" The other blonde called and the champion didn't even bother to look back as she beheaded her final foe, a growl of both anger and exertion ripping itself free from her throat, both knives easily cutting through the sickly flesh of the orc.
She then paused for a moment, both her hands clutching tightly to her blades. Raising her head up towards the heavens, she closed her eyes and it was evident she was fighting to stay in control of herself. Her shoulders heaved as she struggled to keep her breathing normal and even when she opened her eyes, they were, startlingly enough, glassy.
The elf knew that there was little they could do. Everyone knew that there was little they could do.
She released her knives suddenly which sunk into the sand just beside her boots. Then, she was striding across the arena towards the girl, ripping the tattered cloth from around her waist before dropping to her side, opposite of where Cel was.
The green eyed female was clutching the girl's face while Ren was trying to staunch the blood leaking from her abdomen. It proved to be too much though and the cloth was soon soaked with the liquid and it began to coat her hands.
The entire arena was silent as they watched on, all of the audience members having fallen silent as soon as Ren had screamed in horror at what she had witnessed.
The only real sound was Cel's quiet murmuring as she continued to talk to her fallen companion, tears streaming down her face as she did so.
Ren's own eyes were glimmering with moisture as she continued to apply pressure. The dark haired girl was then reaching out for the champion and Cel turned back to look at her for a moment before she shifted and began to hold the cloth over the wound, freeing the blonde up to talk to her.
With shaking, bloodied hands, the champion reached out to her companion, lightly cupping her cheeks which had since become very ashen.
The girl spoke quietly in elvish to her, the glimmer in her eyes slowly fading with every second that passed. Ren herself spoke back, her sapphire eyes searching the younger female's own pair.
Then, all at once, she stilled.
Both blondes just looked at her face for a long moment before Cel let out a loud sob, her hand rising to cover her mouth as she chocked down the rest of her remorse.
Ren just allowed herself to bow over the female, her eyes scrunching shut as she continued to hold the female's face, resting her forehead against her own as her body shook.
"That's a shame really..." Borgil muttered then, his hand rubbing over the rough stubble upon his chin. "I was going to sell that one to one of your nobles here."
"What was her name?" Kili asked quietly, a solemn mood having radiated across the arena.
"They called her Mal."
Thorin only heard the man's words but didn't register them, given that he was continuing to watch the happenings before him. Ren's shoulders shook and yet she made no sounds as she simply sat with the female, her head hidden by her curtain of golden hair.
But as soon as the Slaver had spoken the young elf's name, her head rose ever so slightly from where it had been bowed. She remained bending over the girl's body and her head just slowly swiveled in the direction of her Master's voice.
He was amazed to see that no tears had leaked down her face and instead of seeing the sadness that had once lingered in her eyes, there was only hatred. Loathing. Disgust.
Eyes not even leaving the man who continued to rant about the raven haired girl, she picked up the bow that had been discarded in the sand. She rose slowly with the weapon still clutched tightly in her palm.
Stepping forward, she moved so that she stood just before the balcony. Much to his amazement and delight, the King found that there was almost a feral, crazed look in her eyes as they continued to linger on the Slavemaster.
She spoke then, her words coming out quaking as she struggled to keep her voice even. Raising a finger, she pointed at Borgil and spoke a long bit of elvish before she pointed at the motionless body of the girl where Cel was still grieving.
The greasy man just remained silent, his arms crossed over his chest.
When he failed to respond, she instead shouted at him, causing those in the audience to jump slightly at the sheer volume, not to mention the desperation in her voice. Once again, her eyes turned a bit watery as she continued to speak, the tears threatening to spill now of anger and regret.
She began to mutter the same elvish phrase over and over again through her gritted teeth as she pointed her finger up at him before slowly lowering it to herself.
"No more." Kili breathed from off to the side, having recognized the elvish words, some of the few that his servant had taught him. And here was Ren, repeating them with a break in her voice. "No more death."
Every single person upon that balcony heard him utter those words and they knew.
When Borgil failed to respond once again, this seemed to cause something inside of the elleth to snap. Quick as a whip, she had reached into the quiver upon her back and withdrew the final arrow she had there. Knocking it without even pausing, she raised the bow upward until it was trained upon the greasy man.
His eyes immediately widened but he didn't move. For he knew that trying to run would be of little use.
Then, almost hissing out one final string of elvish, she tensed, her head tilting slightly to the side as she waited for what evidently was an answer. The greasy man just looked at her for a moment before uttering a single word.
She didn't even wait to contemplate his answer for a minute before she released the taunt string and before hardly anyone could process what was happening, the arrow was flying upward.
The arrow landed with a resounding clank as it collided with the solid stone wall behind the man and all was still once again for a moment.
All eyes were wide as they watched as the man reached up and he felt along the side of his head, only for him to gasp in shock as he pulled away a thick clump of greasy hair that had been cut off. There was also a few drops of blood upon his fingers but nothing that would be too worrisome.
Ren then murmured one final phrase before lowering her hand which held the bow before tossing it to the side.
The guards that had been watching the events unfold rushed out into the arena and the female didn't even try to fight as they took hold of her. For a moment, her sharp eyes drifted to Thorin's own pair before she was forced down onto her knees and then onto her stomach so that they could bind her hands behind her back.
The door to his chambers was shoved open so hard that it banged against the wall behind it.
The King looked away from the fire where he was standing, his jaw clenching in annoyance but nonetheless, he watched as the female was yanked into the room but none other than the Slaver himself.
"Here you are, my lord king! Just as you asked for!" He bellowed with a crazed look in his eyes as he grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her forward. She stumbled a bit sideways and ran into one of the wooden chairs placed around his large table. However, Borgil was not done with the abuse yet.
Following behind her, he grabbed hold of her thick mane of hair and dragged her back out into the open where the dwarf lord could once again see her.
A grunt escaped her lips as she was yanked around, one of her eyes screwed shut as the man kept a tight grip upon her blonde hair. But even then, there was defiance in her gaze, if not a little pain.
The greasy man raised his hand to strike her but it was the voice of the King himself which stopped him.
"That is enough, Slavemaster." He looked up to find that the dwarf was pouring himself a glass of wine, his features calm as he set the pitcher down and raised his goblet to his lips. He took a small sip before lowering it and turning to look back at the man.
"My lord, she nearly took my head off! She deserves to be punished-"
"And she will receive her punishment." He took another sip of his wine before he took a few steps across the room but he shot a dark smirk over his shoulder as he approached a desk. "In due time, that is."
Pulling open one of the drawers, he withdrew a bag from its hiding place and it jingled loudly as the coins shifted against each other inside.
"I think that this should satisfy the price of the offer I made to you." Thorin slowly walked back over to the two of them. He allowed his eyes to move from the man's eyes to the elf's at his side for a moment before they roved over the rest of her. "An entire night with your little champion."
"And perhaps many more... Should you find her pleasing enough, my lord." The man bowed his head slightly before reaching out and taking hold of the bag offered to him. This action caused him to release Ren's hair and she slowly raised back up to her full height.
Weighing the bag in his palm, he seemed to find the amount acceptable and clenched his fist around it, a smug smirk settling across his features. "I find your payment more than satisfying, my lord. Thank you."
The King then held out his hand expectantly and Borgil simply placed the ring hooked to the chain around her neck in his hand before pocketing the gold. He then turned towards the door but paused for a moment and turned back to face them, his eyes blazing quietly as he looked at Ren, wanting to feel him out.
"So, my lord. What do you think of her?" He threw his hand in her direction and the dwarf slowly turned his head to look over at her. There was strange emptiness, almost a hollowed look in her eyes as she stared blankly across the room, not so much as even looking in his direction like she normally did.
But, Thorin, being the prospective buyer, raised his chin and clasped his hands behind his back. He slowly began to walk around her, appraising her as if she were livestock.
"Is she to your liking?"
"If she was not to my liking, I would not have asked you to bring her here." The dwarf lord murmured, that smirk once again upon his face as he continued to let his eyes rake over her form. He carefully reached out and brushed her long hair over her shoulder, exposing the smooth column of her throat. "I would not have paid you such an amount if I did not find that she was to my liking."
"Of course, my lord." The King came to a stop before her but left little space between the two of their chests. He looked up the little bit he had to and was silently daring her to meet his eyes. For he wanted to see the blazing fire in those depths once again. Not this strange, dead look.
It was quiet in the room for a moment as the three of them stood there before the dwarf finally began to feel a bit bored. "You may leave now, Borgil. You are wasting both my precious time and gold."
"Yes, right. But, my lord king-"
"I said get out." Thorin growled suddenly, cutting the man off. The greasy man just met his icy blue eyes over Ren's leather clad shoulder. "I am not in the mood to continue speaking with you and it would be to your advantage to leave now lest you see how truly angry I can become."
This caused the Slaver's eyes to widen in fear and he immediately turned and headed for the door.
However, he paused at the large entrance and turned back to make one more remark about the story that he had told the royals about the last man the elleth had been with but found he could not form proper words as he watched the King lean in and press a kiss to the soft skin of the slave's throat, his icy eyes upon him the entire time.
Thorin heard her breathing hitch but was too busy glaring at Borgil to acknowledge it.
"Out." He growled against her skin and the Slavemaster evidently remembered the threat the dwarf had just made and quickly fled the room without another glance back.
It was quiet in the room for a long moment, the shutting of the heavy door resounding through the room.
The dwarf lord simply leaned back and away from her, once again hoping to see that challenging glint in her eye but was disappointed when he found that it was still missing.
Reaching up, the King took hold of a few loose strands of her hair and tucked it behind her pointed ear, a strange emotion slowly playing into his irises. "He did not hurt you did he?"
Anuon ducked out from behind the changing screen from where he had hidden himself like his Master told him to before the Slaver arrived. He then repeated what the dwarf had asked her and she gave a slow shake of her head.
"Taking a chance at your Master's life was incompetent but... in the same moment, extremely brave." He murmured and his servant translated his words quickly. A small smile curled up the corners of his mouth. "Though next time, I would not miss."
It was at this time that she actually allowed her eyes to slowly drift to his before she said something he could not understand.
"I did not miss."
Upon hearing her words, the dwarf lord slowly raised a playful brow in her direction. "Oh?"
She said something else, "It was a warning."
"A warning that next time you hold a weapon, you would instead end his life?"
Ren shook her head again, her eyes once again becoming distant and filled with sadness. "No. It was a warning that next time one of them dies, he will pay for their lives with his own."
The King just looked at her for a long moment as he allowed her words to sink in. Then, his mind briefly flickered back to what he had seen the night before and how she had given the others her blanket as well as her food. But, he also remembered other things he had subconsciously noticed but hadn't really paid attention to.
Like the fact that Ren was thinner if you compared her to the other fighters. If the act he witnessed the night before had been going on for some time, he understood why she was skinnier. She was too busy worrying about the others to leave time for herself.
"Are you hungry?" He asked her then and Anuon translated. She only replied with a small shake of her head.
"That is a lie that we and we both know it." Thorin said, one corner of his mouth pulling up slightly. However, he glanced down at her and took note that she was once again filthy, black carnage and blood still left on her armor and body from the ruthless slaughtering she had been doing in the arena.
A small chuckle escaped his throat.
"Before we dine though, I think it would be best if you... washed up a bit." Gesturing slightly at her stained armor, the female frowned softly before slowly looking down at herself. "I think you would feel more comfortable at least."
However, the King himself frowned when he took note that she still had her hands bound behind her back.
Reaching out, he lightly grasped her biceps and gave them a gentle squeeze. "But, that won't do." He muttered before he drew back one side of his fur robe and withdrew a small knife from a concealed pocket.
He was a king after all. He couldn't be too careful anymore.
The slave before him only shifted nervously, taking a half a step back from him. Seeing her reluctance, he only held up his free hand and shook his head, silently telling her that she had nothing to fear.
He would not harm her.
Circling around her, he took slow, cautious steps as if he would around a wild animal. The she-elf didn't move in the slightest as he came to stand just behind her and immediately, his eyes drifted down to her tightly bound hands. They were stained heavily with blood from her comrade's wound.
Placing his hand upon her left forearm, he moved to cut through the thick rope but paused for a beat, suddenly remembering what Borgil had said about the last encounter she had had with a "client".
"If I cut your hands free of these bindings, do you promise not to hurt me?" Anuon translated his words and the female nodded before replying, "I promise."
"I want to hear you say it out loud..." The King commanded gently, the knife still hovering over the rope. "Say, 'I promise' in the Common Tongue."
Again the servant explained his lord's desires.
"I promise." Came her easy reply and Thorin was amazed that there was no accent to accompany the words she had spoken. It had almost sounded... natural?
"Very good." He lightly squeezed her forearm as a way of physically rewarding her for complying with his request.
It only took him a few moments to saw through the rope and soon her wrists were freed from their bindings and he allowed them to fall back to her sides. The dwarf felt his brow twitch with interest when he watched as she flexed her hands out, the rope having evidently digging into her skin and cutting of circulation. With baited breath, he waited to see if she would do anything now that she was free of her restraints but instead just stood quietly in the same place she had been standing.
Turning to his servant, he asked for him to retrieve a bucket of warm water and a clean rag that she could use to clean up before starting to eat.
However, when he turned back to look at the elf, he found that she was instead staring into his large fireplace, her eyes transfixed upon the flames as they danced about on the logs.
Thorin was about to open his mouth and speak to her but remembered that she couldn't speak Common Tongue and he could not speak elvish.
So, picking up the chain where he had dropped it to the floor, he looked up and found her to be watching him intently.
Holding out his hand, he beckoned her forward with his index finger and understanding what he wanted, she complied and followed behind him. The dwarf lord sat down in his seat at the head of the table and then gestured for her to do the same in the chair next to him. Surprisingly, she did as asked and simply sat in the chair offered to her, her bloodstained hands placing themselves into her lap.
His male servant returned a few moments later and handed the supplies to the King. When Anuon quietly offered to clean her off himself, he was waved away by the dwarf lord. Looking a bit puzzled for a moment, the brunet slave shot him a look but nonetheless backed up a few steps, giving the two of them more privacy.
Wetting the towel, Thorin rung it out and scooted his chair towards her, causing the female's sharp irises to snap over to him from where they had been watching the fire.
Ren watched him quietly as he did all this, her eyes tracing his every movement. However, as he moved closer and took a closer look at her filthy face, he couldn't help but chuckle quietly.
How someone managed to be so dirty was beyond him.
A small smile remained on his face even as he carefully pressed the rag to her forehead. Gently stroking it across her smooth skin, he marveled at how easily the blood and dirt seemed to come off, leaving only what skin lay underneath.
Having to re-wet, the rag a few times, the water soon became cloudy and black with the excess liquid from the carnage of the battle. However, with each stroke of the cloth, Thorin found that he only became more and more intrigued with her.
But, it was when he began to wipe the dark charcoal marks from around her eyes did he feel his curiosity peak.
Once they were mostly gone, the King found that her eyes themselves were almost more beautiful. They now stood out more against her pale skin and as he sat back and looked at her, he found that she did not look as threatening as before, not in the slightest. Even with the charcoal gone from around her eyes, the sapphire pools seemed to grow softer and instead were filled with a nervousness.
Nervousness like one would see in the eyes of a deer in the forest before it would go bounding away.
Then, with a shuddering breath, he scooted even closer, one of his legs coming to rest between her two legs so that he could properly reach her. Feeling her eyes upon him, he looked up and saw the trepidation lingering there still.
Leaning in towards her, he brushed her thick hair out of the way and reaching behind her, found the buckles that kept the muzzle around her face. He heard her breathing become a bit more rapid now that he was so close. She was also perfectly still as he struggled with the buckles, not daring to move a muscle.
After he had the first one undone, he found that the second one was much easier and when he was finished with that, he leaned back and expected to see her face but instead found that she had at some point raised one of her hands and was using it to hold the muzzle in place, her blue eyes wide as she stared unseeing at the fabric of her trousers.
Gazing at her for a long moment, Thorin's eyes softened further and he carefully reached out and took hold of the wrist holding the muzzle up.
"You can let it go. You don't have to be afraid." He told her quietly, his voice rumbling low in his chest. The male elf standing behind them quickly translated and the female just shook her head in response. He continued to gently hold her wrist. "Ren...?" Slowly, her eyes rose to meet his.
And in the depths of his own eyes, the elleth felt herself become taken aback by the strangely gentle look in his pale blue irises. She had been expecting to see anger and cruelty lingering in the depths but instead only saw a strange softness. Something that she had not been expecting at all.
"Anuon, can you go prepare a nice warm bath, please? And can you ask your sisters to bring up some food from the kitchen?" The dwarf called out into the quiet room, knowing that he would not need someone to translate for him. But, there was also the aspect of wanting a bit more of privacy. Perhaps her hesitance would dissipate then.
Without a word, the servant left, effectively leaving the two of them alone in the King's chambers.
Feeling the strength suddenly leave her arms, she turned her head to the side in hopes of hiding herself as she allowed the King to slowly pull her wrist down and away from her face, taking the muzzle with it.
And as her hand and the muzzle fell away, Thorin simultaneously felt the breath leave him and his mind went blank of everyone and everything he had ever known. Except for her.
For a moment, nothing else in the entire world seemed to be of any relevance as he gazed at the elf before him. She was far more beautiful than any other woman he had ever seen in his entire existence.
Being at one point in his life both a Crowned Prince and a King, the dark haired dwarf had had his fair share of suitors, all of which were lovely dwarf women... but none were so lovely as she was.
Reaching out, he curled a finger beneath her chin and gently turned her to face him so that he could gaze upon her entire face.
It was so strange to see her like this, her whole face bared before him because the past couple nights, he had only imagined what she looked like. His curiosity had gotten the best of him and he had instead laid awake at night in his bed and his mind was only filled with thoughts of her, some of them innocent and some of them not so innocent. He did not know what lay beneath that muzzle and even in his dreams, he could not have come up with a face so mesmerizing as her own.
The skin that had been hidden from view was completely unblemished and appeared soft like alabaster silk. The same sapphire irises stared back at him even then, eyes wide with fear of the unknown of what was yet to come. Then, his eyes drifted lower until they rested upon her lips, lips that gave him the need to suddenly place his own over hers own.
He wanted to touch her, to confirm that all of this was not a fantasy. That was not just another one of the dreams that he had been having of her at night.
Raising his hand, he slowly moved to cup her cheek but frowned softly as he watched her suddenly flinch away from his touch. She drew back slightly, a slightly mistrusting look suddenly gleaming in her eyes after what he had done the night before.
He had hurt her, he remembered, though she had not outwardly showed it. Even still, she seemed to recall the cruelty he had displayed before and only seemed to expect more of it from him.
And now, he was sorry for it. What he had witnessed the night before, her showing unnecessary kindness to the others, made him realize that she did not deserve the treatment he had given her.
But, being the persistent and stubborn dwarf that he is, Thorin once more reached out to her and was more than pleased that she did not move away from him this time thought mistrust still shown clearly in her clear irises.
When the pads of his fingers touched her cheek, an inaudible gasp escaped from between his lips. Her skin was just as soft as he had first thought and he left his hand slide further along her face until he cradled it in his palm.
"You are so beautiful..." He whispered to her, uncaring as to whether or not she could understand him, as he ever so lightly stroked his thumb over the skin of her pale cheeks. But, his eyes then found the slight discoloration upon her cheek and more regret flooded his systems.
Brushing his thumb over it, he was still a bit impressed that she failed to flinch, given that it did indeed look tender. He was, however, very careful as he did so, wanting to silently tell her that he was sorry for the abuse he had put upon her.
Much to his amazement, she-elf had closed her eyes and was leaning into his touch, as if she craved more.
This puzzled him for a moment but then remembered how he had taken note that her hair was left wild and unbraided while all her companions had a few plaits or weaves in her hair.
And then he realized.
She was always separated from the others, always kept away from them. Ren had little contact with her comrades and received just a minuscule amount of contact from others as well. And the contact she did receive was always punishing, never gentle or caring in the slightest. Just always painful.
But this, what he was doing now, cradling her face in the palm of his warm hand, was one of the first kind touches she had felt in a long time.
And he would give her more he decided but, he would have to wait. For the time was not right and he knew that he would need to gain her trust before he tried anything to forward. But, he could push her limits, he told himself. He could see just how much contact she wanted and if so, he would most definitely give it to her.
Hey guys!
Got another one out!
People commented last time and said that Thorin is a complete ass in this story... Which is what I wanted! He's supposed to be a darker, more corrupted man because that's just how I wanted him.
Anyway, currently working on the second part of the Bard/Ren/Legolas story so just sit tight! More fluff sure to come!
Also, I have another a modern AU with Thorin/Ren that I want to try writing. Hopefully it turns out okay. I want to get it done in time for Christmas and wanted to have a few chapters out already leading up to the holiday but it kinda snuck up on me! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!
Anyway, this fic will end up being fluffy and cute in the end. Not sure if I want it to be smutty but who knows what will happen.
Anyway, read and review! If you have an AU idea, leave it for me!
Love,
Blue