Then, suddenly : He saw her wince, and he remembered her accident. He remembered her bruised lips and the wound on her eyebrow. He broke the kiss and moved away from her a bit. He looked her straight in the eyes, trying to read the thoughts that were hiding behind her brown pupils, trying to guess how much pain she was in.
It was still difficult for Laurelin to stare back at him, but she lifted her hand to push away several strands of black hair that hung around Thorin's face. Then she stroked his cheek, enjoying the warmth of his skin, and the softness of his well-trimmed beard. Then her fingers trailed softly down his neck, where they lingered for a while.
Thorin closed his eyes again to fully enjoy her touch. He didn't want anything to distract him from the delicious sensations she was waking in him.
Then suddenly Laurelin's hand became hesitant.
« Are you sure... my King ? » She asked in a low voice.
Are you sure about your so-called feelings for me ? Are you sure you truly want this ? She wanted to ask him these questions, and so many more questions, but the lump in her throat kept her from talking.
When Thorin heard her call him my King, he scowled slightly. A king, yes. He was a king. And she was – in the eyes of most people – just his servant. He didn't want people to mutter in her back and to make her the victim of their piteful tongues. He didn't want her to suffer because of the love he was having for her. Suddenly, he felt bad for wanting something that might cause her harm some day, and then another question arose in his mind : Can she truly take me seriously ? Or does she think I'm only talking about love to put her into my bed ? Will it truly be possible for her to believe that I, as a King, can love a serving girl ? Or will she always doubt me ?
He needed to make sure she had total confidence in him, before doing anything else. He looked at her very tenderly.
« Laurelin, please call me Thorin... » He said. « When we are just the two of us : I want you to see me like a man, not a king. » A small smile stretched his lips again, and Laurelin responded with a smile of her own, while her fingers kept stroking Thorin's cheek. Thorin gently grabbed this hand, and put a kiss on her small fingers. His smile grew broader and stronger. « And yes, Laurelin. Yes, I am sure. »
He knew it was probably not enough to wipe out all her doubts, but it made him feel better to say it aloud. He would prove his sincerity to her later, if – and only if – she decided to give him a chance.
« But right now you are in pain.» He continued, looking at her bruised face and shoulder. « Oìn probably told you so already, but have you thought about putting a cold cloth over the bruises ? » He asked worriedly. « It would soothe the pain, and help you feel better. »
I couldn't feel any better than I am feeling right now... She thought, but of course she didn't say it aloud. She closed her eyes when she felt Thorin's fingers close around her own, and sighed softly. His touch was so pleasant, so wonderful. It was making her feel so good. It emboldened her and gave her the courage to act, in spite of her natural shyness and reserve. She put her hands on Thorin's strong forearm and stroked it slowly, with the tip of her fingers, smiling as his hairs tickled her softly.
Her caresses felt so good that Thorin almost drifted into a blissful drowsiness. Laurelin's presence was enough to make him forget about everything else : no more pain, no more soreness, no more exhaustion. She was the only thing that existed in the world.
After a long moment of hesitation, Laurelin spoke at last.
« I think you are probably right, some cold water would do some good... » She said, her voice uncertain.
But before she could get up or even move, Thorin jumped on his legs.
« Wait here... » He told her gently but firmly. « You are hurt and wounded. You need rest. »
Pleasantly suprised, Laurelin nodded nonetheless and watched Thorin, with a smile on her lips, as he grabbed a small basin and filled it with cold water from the bucket. Then, he found a pice of cloth in one corner of her bedroom, and brought everything back to the bed where Laurelin was waiting for him. He put the basin on the ground, then he sat next to her on the bed and dipped the cloth into the cold water. Then, he hesitated for a moment he had never taken care of anybody like that, he didn't really know how to do it. He wanted to do everything right, of course – he truly wanted to ease her pain – but he felt a bit awkward. After a short while, though, he removed the hair from Laurelin's face, and pressed the wet cloth against her bruises. Several droplets ran down her brow, before getting lost in her light brown hair.
Laurelin closed her eyes when the wet cold rag soothed away the sharp pain, turning it into a dull and bearable throbbing. Then she opened her eyes again and watched Thorin first he looked back, then his attention went on his work again. He wrung the piece of cloth and collected a few drops of water on his thumb, then he softly stroked Laurelin's lips with this thumb and allowed the drops of water to roll onto the bruises she was sporting there.
Then his eyes met Laurelin's once more.
« How are you feeling ? » He asked, very seriously, with concern on his face.
Laurelin didn't answer, but her looks and her face were eloquent enough. He knew at once that she was truly enjoying this. But then – because she felt her silence might not be enough – she tenderly kissed his thumb to make it clear how much she enjoyed his ministrations.
Thorin felt thrilled by her reaction. While he kept pressing the wet cloth against Laurelin's bruises, he leaned slightly closer over her and kissed her again. Once more : He was very careful not to hurt her as he slowly toyed with the unbruised parts of her soft and tender lips.
Laurelin closed her eyes, but not completely, because she wanted to be able to see Thorin while he kissed her. She needed to see him, to make sure it was truly happening. Each of his kisses was like a firework exploding in her heart, and her eyes were shining as brightly as the stars in the sky. After a while : Thorin broke the kiss, and wiped the other parts of Laurelin's face with the wet towel. Her skin was not feverish, thanks to Oìn's potions, but the coolness was still pleasant for her. Then Thorin dipped it into the water again, and slowly wiped it over the cut on Laurelin's eyebrow he did so with infinite tenderness. She loved to be treated like that. The pain slowly receded, and she felt much better than she had before Thorin had started taking care of her.
Thorin let the wet cloth rest on Laurelin's brow, and searched for something else to keep soothing her other pains, on the other parts of her face. He saw nothing within reach, and since he didn't want to get up and leave Laurelin's side, he just dipped the end of his sleeve into the cold water of the bucket. Then he moved his arm closer to his face, and pressed the wet sleeve against Laurelin's temple after a few moments, he rolled it into a ball between his fingers, and dabbed her eyebrow again. When he was done, it was slightly tinged with blood, so Thorin decided to leave the wound alone. It was clean already, anyways. Oìn had done a good job on it. So he just concentrated on other part of her face, on the places that were bruised without open skin.
Thorin was so concentrated on his task that he didn't even notice how close his body now was to Laurelin's. His was leaning so close that his chest almost touched her breasts, who were bare and free of any corset under the thin fabric of the nightshirt. His legs, too, were pressing against Laurelin's legs, and they had slightly pulled her nighshirt up, revealing a small patch of bare skin on her calves. But Thorin saw none of it, because his mind was compltely focused on her face, and her eyes – her beautiful, big doe eyes, framed with thick black lashes.
Laurelin, on her side, was very aware of how close Thorin was to her. Goosebumps stood up all over her skin, but it had nothing to do with being cold. She looked him straight in the yes, and for the first time she wasn't afraid to let him openly see her love for him. Thorin looked back at her with just as much love, and the fact that his strong, imposing body was so close to hers made her feel even more giddy, as if she had drank too much wine – or as if she had just been struck by a lightning bolt. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest as Thorin kept refreshing her bruised face, using both the piece of cloth and his sleeve, dipping them regularly in the cold water. Then Thorin moved over to Laurelin's hands, who were scratched open in several places. He wrapped one of them in the wet rag, and took dabbed the other one with his wet and cold sleeve, as he had done with her face. Then he sat himself more comfortably on the bed, and ended up straddling one of her legs. Insinctively, he was stroking her wrist with his thumb, but his eyes never left her face.
Laurelin smiled at him with love and tenderness, her eyes groing from his eyes to his thumb, then to his eyes again.
« Are there other pains you want me to soothe ? » Thorin asked her, when he was finished with her hands.
Laurelin thought about it for a while, in silence. He had already taken care of most of her wounds and bruises, but she didnt want it to stop : It was so good to have Thorin fuss over her like that, she wanted it to last forever. Besides, she was afraid that if she said no immediately, Thorin might take it as a sign that she didn't enjoy it – and this was the last thing she wanted. To prove him how much she trusted him, she slipped one of her hands out of Thorin's and grabbed the hem of her nightshirt, that she pulled up very slowly, just over her knees. Her eyes never left Thorin's face as she did so. She had one big bruise on her right calf, where she had hot one of the stairs, and several scratched on the left knee, but at this precise moment she didn't really have time to think about her wounds her mind was focused on Thorin, and on the fact that she was showing him her legs for the first time. The were rather slender compared to the legs of other Dwarf women, but they were also well rounded, very appealing.
Thorin was very surprised to see her act so boldly. He hadn't expected her to do something like this. He watched her in silence, feeling very pleased that she trusted him enough to unveil parts of her body in front of him. His eyes were wide open, his heart beating like the hooves of a wild horse. He hadn't expected things to become so intimate, when he had rushed into her bedroom – his intentions had been to talk to her, but now he was there, on the bed with her, hypnotized by the beauty of her long, feminine legs. He wanted nothing but to put his hands on them and to caress them, to see if they were as soft as they looked his hands were suddenly moist with sweat, as he refrained the strong urge to put them all over her bare skin.
Calm down. He chided himself. Rushing headlessly into an even deeper physical intimacy will bring you nothing good. And she's hurt, besides. Take your time. Go slowly. Act like a man, not like a hungry beast.
He took a long, deep breath, and then hedipped the piece of cloth into the cold water once more. It's only when he was about to dab one of the wounds that he realized he was actually straddling her right leg. He removed his intruding leg immediately, wondering why she hadn't complained to feel his weight on her leg. Maybe she even like this closeness, he wondered, and that thought made him feel very hot, as if the temperature in the room had suddenly climbed to tropical warmth and stuffiness. He gently grabbed both of Laurelin's legs, and placed them side by side so that he could place the cloth on both her knees at the same time.
« Is it good like that ? » He asked with a concerned look in his blue eyes. When Laurelin nodded and smiled at him, he realized she was totally relaxed and comfortable in his presence. He decided to be a bit bolder : he opened his right hand and put it on the outside of her left knee, before letting it slide down her leg, till he reached her ankle. He noticed that her foot was cold, and it brought him back to reality : he remembered how late it was, and how tired Laurelin probably was. After everything that had happened to her today, she needed the comfort of her bed, and long hours of sleep to recover from her wounds. Yet on the other side, Thorin couldn't bring himself to part from Laurelin. He didn't want to break the lovely intimacy they had been sharing so far. His fingers were absent-mindedly stroking her ankle , while he was trying to calm down the turmoil of emotions in his head. His reason and his feelings were battling like never before, and it was just plain impossible for him to take a decision.
By Mahal, how he would have loved to stay here and spend the night with her ! Of course it was impossible, he knew it – what would she think of him ? Besides, he was a King and he couldn't affort to act like that. If anybody found out, the scandal would spread like wildfire all over Erebor within a few hours. And he didn't want to frighten Laurelin, either. He would not invite himself into her bed without her asking it of him. But on the other side, he couldn't deny that he was craving to fall asleep with Laurelin in his arms, he was craving it like he had never craved anything before.
Laurelin was watching him carefully while he struggled with his own feelings. One of her hands crawled over to where Thorin's hand was resting, and grabbed it tenderly. Their fingers touched and then intertwined, and in the end their palms rested against each other. Laurelin's thumb was gently stoking Thorin's hand, merveling at the strength she could feel in them, wondering how many hours he had practiced with his sword to had such calluses on his skin. She noticed his hand was icy cold, too, but that was small wonder since his sleeve was still dripping with cold water.
« You should put on dry clothes. » She told him in a deep, contented voice. « There's a few shirts from you over there. The washing girl just gave them back to me : they are clean and warm and dry. »
Thorin's eyes went to the fireplace, and he saw that the fire was slowly dying out a few glowering embers still remained in the hearth, but they would not last long, and somebody needed to put some more wood into it to keep it alive. Yet Thorin was so reluctant to leave Laurelin's side that even the mere thought of getting up to feed the fire – or to fetch one of his dry shirts – was too much. He was afraid that if he left her, the intimacy of this moment would be ruined when he came back to her, but on the other side he truly was cold. His sleeve was still wet, and the dying fire was not enough to warm him anymore. He was about to get up to get his shirt, when suddenly he noticed that Laurelin opened her mouth as if to talk, but closed it again almost immediately, without saying a word. She gently squeezed Thorin's hand, but then suddenly she averted her eyes and looked away from him for a while she gazed at the curtains hanging around her bed, and at the pile of furs and blankets on the foot of her bed. Thorin wondered what was on her mind, but he didn't want to put any pressure on her so he just waited patiently, in silence, till her eyes came on him again. Their gazes met, and suddenly Thorin understood why she suddenly looked so troubled. She didn't want to spend the night alone, either. She craved for Thorin's company as much as Thorin craved for her company. She wanted him to stay as much as he wanted to stay. She didn't say it aloud, but he could read her eyes as easily as if they were an open book.
Thorin felt a rush of excitement and joy run though his whole body, but another part of him was also very surprised. He wouldn't have expected Laurelin to express such a desire : she was a very shy person, very modest, and she had probably never spent a night in the company of a man. Yet here she was, secretly wishing the same things he did, and suddenly it didn't sound so hopeless anymore. Suddenly Thorin realized it might really happen.
« Thorin... » Laurelin whispered, so softly her voice was almost inaudible.
It was agony for her, and new tears filled her eyes. She wanted him to stay for the night – she wanted it so desperately – but she knew he was too decent, too respectful to stay without her open consent. She would have to ask for it, yet she had no idea how to ask him... she had no idea where to find the courage to make such a plea... and the idea that he might leave her just because she didn't have the nerve to speak out was horrible.
« Thorin... » She repeated, at a loss for any other word to say.
The king of Erebor shivered with pleasure when he heard her say his name, for the very first time... Now they had really taken their relationship to a new level : no more king and his servant, but just a man and a woman. Instinctively, Thorin leaned closer to Laurelin and kissed her on the lips again, both firmly and very softly.
Laurelin's tears were replaced by a gleaming happiness as she felt Thorin's lips on her own they were warm and surprisingly soft, and Thorin's beard tickled her gently. It didn't last very long, though, and when Thorin was finished he looked at Laurelin with a broad smile on his face, before kissing her on her bruised temple.
« I will stay, my lovely. » He whispered into her ear, and by saying the words she wanted to hear he put an end to her internal struggle. « I can't... I won't be able to find sleep, if you are not at my side. I was afraid you might not want it, but now... » He smiled warmly at her. « Now I see that we both want the same thing. I will stay at your side, and we will fall asleep together, and tomorrow your face will be the first thing I will see when I open my eyes. »
His heart was pounding in his chest as he looked at her, waiting for her answer.
Laurelin's relaxed as soon as he had spoken : not only would he spend the night here with her, but he had also spared her the pain of having to ask for it. A smile blossomed on her lips, and next moment she felt Thorin's thumb on them, stroking them as softly as softly as he would have stroked the wings of a butterfly. Laurelin closed her eyes to savour his touch, then she opened them again to watch Thorin's face. He was craving to kiss her again, it was obvious, but for some reason he looked hesitant this time. Laurelin didn't say a word, but her smile and her eyes were enough she urged Thorin to give in to his desires, urged him to kiss her once more – and he was glad to obey. He kissed first her lower lip, then her upper lip, then both lips at the same time, taking his time and allowing her to savour every second. A few tears escaped from Laurelin's closed eyes, and when Thorin paused she decided to take the initiative of kissing him back, for a very long time. Her hand came to rest on Thorin's cheek, and their noses rubbed against each other in the process.
Seeing her respond to his kiss with such fervour made Thorin feel very warm from the inside, as if somebody had lit a fire within his chest. Yet after a while he moved away from her, and sat up straight.
« I'll be back in a moment. » He said as he got up from the bed. He gathered the basin of cold water and the piece of cloth that was still on Laurelin's bruised knees, and cleared everything away in silence. Then he removed his wet shirt and hung it over the back of a chair, next to the fire, before grabbing a few logs of firewood that he put into the hearth to rekindle the flames.
Laurelin couldn't help but admire the beauty of his broad chest as he worked it was muscled and hairy, and even when he walked back to the bed, a dry shirt in his hands, she didn't look away from him. She was as hypnotized by the bare skin in front of her. When Thorin sat back on the bed, though, her eyes were attracted by the pale round scars on Thorin's abdomen there were two of them, and they were perfectly identical. And Laurelin knew he had the same on his back, even if she couldn't see those right now. It was here that the Warg's teeth had pierced the skin as the beast had closed its jaws on Thorin, almost killing him. She had heard the stories from Thorin's companions – Bofur was particularly talkative – and also from Thorin himself, one evening, while they had been playing cards together. Even just thinking about it made her shiver. She stretched out her hand and gently stroked the two rounded marks on his skin.
Thorin watched her fingers as they brushed against his scarred skin, touched by her gentleness and by the trust she was showing him. But then the memory of the day he had gotten these scars came back to his mind he remembered the quest for Erebor, the endless cold nights in the wild, the fear and the loneliness, and the heavy weight of his people's futures weigning so hard on his shoulders. He had almost died, that day, when the ugly yellow teeth of the Warg had closed around him, trying to cut him in two. He had sunk into a darkness that was closer to death than to mere unconsciousness, yet somehow he had survived. He had dreamt of Laurelin, and she had been the one giving him enough strength to come back to life. She had been his guardian angel.
But now these harships are over He reminded himself, and suddenly his smile was back. Now Laurelin is here, and she loves you, and nothing will ever stand between us again.
He looked down at her, and their eyes met. It was as if Thorin had been able to see straight into her soul. He saw how proud of him she was, and how grateful too, for all the things he had done. Was he not the man who had retaken Erebor ? The man who had faced both the dragon and the Pale Orc ? He felt his own heart swell with pride when he realized she admired him for his courage. He was both a warrior and a king, and no compliment could have made him happier than Laurelin's true and genuine appreciation. It made him feel strong and invincible. But Thorin also saw pain in her eyes he knew she had been in his service long enough to recognize a grievous injury, and this knowledge made her cringe as if she could feel his pain. Slowy, she looked out for his other scars, remembering the day he had left her behind in the Blue Mountains. This day, she had feared he would not come back. Actually, she had been almost sure he would not come back, and now – as she contemplated his scars – she realized how close he had truly been to dying. How close she had been to losing him. She wished she could just erase all those bad memories, but they were etched in her memory just like the scars were etched into Thorin's skin. The past would never be forgotten, never, not even if they lived a thousand years.
Thorin watched her eyes grow sad, and it woke his own sadness. He remembered the fights and the cold bite of steel, and the cries of his friends as they had all fought side by side during the Battle of Five Armies... And then he saw Laurelin's pain, too – the pain she had felt during Thorin's absence, when she had woken up in an empty house every morning, with no one to talk to, with no one to cheer her up or to distract her from this daily agony. Thorin could only imagine how hard it was for her, to stay behind and to wait desperately, day after day, for some word or some news. When he had left her, he had no idea she was feeling such a deep love for him, he had no idea she would suffer so much from his absence. Now he understood better why she had ran after him. Now he understood better why it had been so hard for her to let him go, and his heart melted with sadness. And what if he hadn't come back ? What would have happened, then ?
He looked at her and shook his head, very slowly.
No. He thought.
No, he wouldn't let grief ruin what he was sharing with Laurelin right now. He pushed away the bad memories, and focused on the present. He focused on the happiness, because nothing else mattered to him anymore. With Laurelin, he felt like he had found his true place in this world. He felt whole and complete. Being able to love – and to be loved back – was a wonderful feeling, something that tasted as sweet as honey on his tongue. He smiled at her, before slipping into the clean, dry shirt. It still smelled of lavender soap, and he felt instantly warmer.
Then, after a few moments of hesitation, Thorin grabbed Laurelin by the arm to help her get up from the bed. She complied with a smile, still unable to believe he would actually spend the night with her. Thorin grabbed the sheet and the blankets, and pulled at them to open the bed. Then he looked at Laurelin, unsure about what would follow. He had never been in such a situation before. He took Laurelin's hand hesitantly, almost shyly, to help her sit down on the bed. She squeezed his hand in response. They looked at each other a bit awkwardly, and then Thorin sat onto the bed as well, at the very edge, as far from Laurelin as possible because he had no clue how he was supposed to act right now. Who would lay down first ? He supposed it should be Laurelin, since it was her bed after all, but she didn't move and Thorin didn't want to pressure her. And then – would they snuggle against each other, or keep some distance between them ? Would they have to do something special before falling asleep ? How close did Laurelin ant to be with him ?
Maybe I should sleep over the blankets, out of modesty ? He wondered. Maybe it would make her feel more comfortable if there was no direct physical touch ?
But Laurelin felt otherwise.
« Please settle down... » She told him hesitantly, in a low voice, showing the empty space in the bed, right next to her. She had never been so close to him, and she had never been in this situation before – neither with Thorin, nor with any other man. She didn't know what she was supposed to do or to say, but the fact that Thorin looked just as hesitant as her reassured her.
Thorin nodded briefly, then he obeyed. He lay down on the side of the bed that was closest to the wall, so that Laurelin would be free to get up any time without having to crawl all over him to do so. He decided to lay on his back for a start it wasn't his favourite sleeping position, but he felt it was the most appropriate one, given the situation. Laurelin followed him into the bed at once, and chose to lay on her back as well, quite close to him. Thorin grabbed one of her hands and squeezed it gently, then he used his second hand to grab the sheets and pull them over their bodies.
When they were both warmly tucked in the bed, Thorin rolled on his side to look at Laurelin, still holding her hand. Slowly, very slowly, he came closer and closer to her, till finally their lips touched again. They kissed gently for a while, and Thorin's free hand came to stroke Laurelin's beardless cheek, with infinite tenderness... and then Thorin's hand moved over to her neck, her shoulders, her ribs and finally her waist, where it stopped.
Laurelin kissed him back with love and passion, her pain completely forgotten now. She hesitated, then she stretched out her hand to put it on Thorin's chest she could feel the hard muscles just underneath the skin, and the beating of his strong heart.
Then Thorin stopped kissing her and released Laurelin's hand. He rolled onto his back again, but he stretched out his right arm and invited her to rest her head on it, using it as a pillow. Laurelin smiled at him.
« Just a moment... » She said, and she sat up to close the curtains that hung around her bed. Suddenly it was almost completely dark, except for one single candle that stood on the shelf over the bed.
Thorin watched her, a smile on his lips. The atmosphere was much more cozy and intimate, now. He felt like they were cut from the rest of the world, just Laurelin and him in a soft cocoon of furs and warm blankets.
When Laurelin was done, she turned to face Thorin again. She rested her head on his arm, as he had invited her to do, and put her hand flat on Thorin's chest, enjoying the warmth of his skin under her palm. Thorin curled his arm around her back, and held her tight against himself, both because he wanted to feel her against him and because her wanted her to feel loved and cherished in his arms. She cuddled herself against his big, massive body, feeling safe and secure even though she had never before been so close to a man. When she was comfortably settled against him, she let out a small sigh of happiness and well-being.
Thorin smiled as he saw her so at ease, with his lips but also with his eyes, who sparkled as if they were lit by tiny candles of their own. He could feel Laurelin's heart beat against his chest, so strong and vigorous and full of life. It was a wonderful feeling. It made him feel blissfully happy and contented, after so many years of waiting to tell Laurelin about his feelings.
Laurelin, on her side, was feeling very happy as well for the first time in her life, she didn't have to be afraid anymore. She didn't have to hide her feelings anymore she didn't have to pretend her love for him didn't exist. For the first time in her life, she coulb be truly open and honest. She moved her hand slightly, so it rested over Thorin's heart. She could feel it beat, slow and strong. She aso felt her own hand rise and fall again with each of Thorin's steady breathing. It was a slow, comforting movement, and it rocked her into a state of utter bliss and happiness. She felt as good as a newborn baby being cradled in a loving mother's arms.
Thorin pulled his arm tighter around her, and started stroking her arm with the tip of his fingers, in slow circles. He was barely just brushing her skin, his touch as light as a feather, yet goose-bumps started covering Laurelin's skin. She closed her eyes to better enjoy the sensations he was waking in her. She didn't want anything to distract her from Thorin, she didn't want anythong to distract her from her dreams come true.
« I love you... » Thorin whispered, his voice barely a whisper, because he didn't want to break the peace and quiet of this lovely moment. Yet his tone was firm and decided, to make sure she understood that he genuinely meant the words he had just said aloud. He didn't want any doubt ti linger in her mind.
When Laurelin heard these words, she opened her eyes at once for a few moments she was stunned and shocked – and then suddenly her heart exploded with joy. Her mouth opened like the mouth of a fish out of the water, and she looked up at Thorin, her eyes filled with tears, so she saw nothing but a blurry white face next to hers. She leaned closer to him and brushed his lips with her own, but she was too upset to offer him a real kiss. Their eyes met, and a wave of desire and boldness rushed through Laurelin. Her lips left trailed slowly to his chin, over his thick black beard that tickled her, then they wandered to his neck where she kissed him with a soft tenderness, while her hand stroked his cheek.
Thorin shivered as he felt this gentle kiss, unable to believe this was truly happening. Ever since Laurelin had come to Erebor, he had hoped she would love him back – hoped it, but never actually believed it could come true one day. But now she was here, in his arms, with her soft pink lips kissing him in the neck. The love and tenderness he could read in her eyes made his heart swell with fondness. He closed his eyes and decided to stop thinking about anything, to better enjoy what she was doing to him. A small moan escaped his lips as he sighed.
Then Laurelin rested her head on Thorin's arm again, but a gently smile was still on her lips. She pressed her legs and her cold feet against Thorin's warm legs, seeking out his body warmth and trying to get as close as possible to him.
Thorin kissed her on the lips again, very slowly – he had been unable to resist the temptation. Then he slowly bent his legs so that his feet were at the same level as Laurelin's ankles he used his toes to stroke her ankles, very softly, while his mouth didn't stop kissing her. He was careful to be very gentle, because of her bruises, and he also did his best to go slowly, because he didn't want to break the beauty of this moment by rushing anything – yet he couldn't help but kiss her again and again, like a thirsty man who found water after days and days of wandering in the desert. He kissed her on both lips, a series of short but passionate kisses that left them both shivering and trembling with emotions.
Laurelin kept her hands on Thorin's chest, feeling how his heart was beating faster and faster. Knowing that she was able to produce such a reaction in him made her feel giddy and exhilarated, and she entangled her legs with his. After a few akward moments when they both tried to find the most comfortable position while being so close, their legs and feet got used to be entwined and Laurelin felt like she had found the place where she wanted to stay for the rest of her life. Her own feet warmed up in contact with Thorin's warmer legs.
After a while, Thorin moved slightly to lay on his back again. Laurelin put her head on his shoulder, which was surprisingly comfortable. Their legs still tangled, he took one of her hands in his own, and put it on his stomach. Here as well, there was hard muscle under the layer of skin and hairs. Laurelin's fingers curled up around Thorin's, and her smile grew even wider.
Thorin turned his head so that his cheek pressed against the top of Laurelin's head. A strand of her unbound hair tickled him, but he was too lazy to remove it right now he was afraid that if he broke the magic of this moment it would be lost forever.
« Good night, my Love... » He whispered, wondering why it had taken him so long to say these words aloud. If he had not been such a coward, they could have spent many more nights together. But he refused to dwell on these lost moments, and kept his mind focused on what they were sharing now.
Laurelin couldn't believe he had actually called her my Love. Part of her was still unable to accept it. Part of her was still convinced it was all a beautiful dream. She turned her face slightly, and kissed Thorin in the neck several times, with infinite tenderness.
« Good night, my King... » She answered, in such a loving voice that he didn't even notice she had called him my King instead of Thorin.
He closed his eyes to enjoy her shy kisses and her tenderness. Another soft moan escaped
his lips.
« Mmmm, my Love... » His arm closed even tighter around her. He felt a wave of strong desire rise in him, but he knew it was not the moment for this, so he just kept her close to him and enjoyed the tenderness and intimacy of this moment. The mere fact that she was loving him back – and proving this love with kisses – was a miracle. He couldn't ask for any more. He didn't even want anything more, for now. She was in his amrs and nothing else mattered.
Laurelin gasped in pleasure when she felt Thorin's strong arm curl around the shape of her body. She closed her eyes too, her lips still so close to the skin of his neck that they almost touched it. Slowly, very slowly, she felt her eyes grow heavy. She had had an exhausting journey, and she knew sleep would claim her soon, but at least she would fall asleep happy, tonight. Hearing Thorin declare his love for her, and having him act on this love, was something she wouldn't have expected, but what surprised her even more was the fact that she had the courage to tell him about her own love for him.
And now everything is clear between us... She reflected. Never again will I have to hide my feelings. Never again will I have to avert my eyes for fear of him discovering what truly lies in my heart. Never again will I go to bed sad and lonely, craving for his arms.
Thorin squeezed her hand. He kissed it gently, first on the knuckles and then on the wrist. Then his fingers closed over her fingers, and Laurelin rested her palm on Thorin's chest once more, where it would stay for the rest of the night.
Thorin closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep. He knew he would spend a wonderful night : with Laurelin in his arms, he had everything he desired.