Chapter 22

Third Person POV

Bilbo could no longer wait for Tawariell. Now he sat upon the shore next to Lake-town and wondered how he would tell Thorin. Of course the very first barrel he opened would have been Thorin's. He crawled out and Bilbo quickly rushed off to busy himself with freeing the other dwarves. As Thorin looked around he could not find Tawariell.

"Where is she? Where is Tawariell?" he asked.

None of the dwarves knew and Bilbo was fidgeting nervously. Thorin walked forward and looked at him.

"Tell me where she is!"

"Before I freed you all…I heard her. She told the Elvenking she would take your place. She is more then likely his prisoner now." Bilbo said in a small voice.

Thorin froze. He felt as though someone had ripped his heart from his chest. Bofur and Dori pulled Bilbo back away from Thorin. Fili and Kili stood in front of him and watched as their uncle fell to his knees.

"I was meant to protect her…..we have to go back for her." he said in a shaky voice.

"Thorin there was nothing you could have done." Balin said.

"And if we were to go back we would stand no chance at freeing her. The Elvenking has soldiers of great numbers. We could not hope to fight them." Gloin said.

"I should never have let her go. I should have known she would do this. Now she is gone. I may never be able to tell her all I should have. Those beautiful green eyes may never look upon me again. Now I have been robbed of the chance to tell her…that I love her." He said.

He covered his face with his hands and wept. They all did, for they had all cared for her. She had been their friend, and they felt as though they had failed her. Yet none more so then Thorin.

Tawariell POV

I know not how I had done it, but I had beaten back the spiders. I was weak and wounded. I used what herbs I had to draw out the venom, but the cuts on my upper chest, leg, forearm and shoulder were bad and bleeding. What a sight I must have been! Limping with blood dripping from my body. I had wandered past the River Elves and I knew not where I was now. I stumbled along and then I heard voices. They were full of pain and sorrow.

"….Those beautiful green eyes may never look upon me again. Now I have been robbed of the chance to tell her…I love her."

"Thorin….." I called weakly.

They had not heard me.

"Thorin!"

My strength was failing me. I stumbled forward and fell. They could not hear me and they had not seen me. They now walked away towards the gate of the Lake-town and I could not hope to reach them now. Tears fell from my eyes and I looked up at the sky.

"I love you Thorin. I will always love you. And I will always be with you."

I closed my eyes, but was still fully aware of my surroundings. I felt someone pick me up from the ground, and I believed it to be death taking me away.

"Thorin…" I breathed.

The owner of the arms spoke to me but I could not understand his words.

"Thorin….."

"She asks for a man named Thorin." said my savior.

"Who?"

"I know not. She is wounded badly. We must take her to the Master."

I felt the man begin to walk away quickly, now joined by the other. I heard many voices, raised both in song and in cheer. I heard a bang upon a wooden door and then a creak as it opened.

"This woman requires aid!"

I heard so many voices I could not tell whose they were. I was passed to another and then carried away.

"Thorin…"

"My lady who is this Thorin? Your husband?"

"No…Thorin…..is a dwarf….son of Thrain….son of Thror. He is the King Under the Mountain….."

That was all I remembered.

Third Person POV

It was Bilbo who discovered Tawariell was alive. He rushed to Thorin who had not come from the room he had been given.

"Thorin! Thorin she lives!"

Thorin's head snapped up and looked upon the hobbit. He rushed forward and grabbed him by his shoulders.

"You are certain?"

"Do you know of any other woman of the Dúnedain who would ask for you? And how many of them if you do, would have your sword?" asked the hobbit with a smile.

A smile came to his face.

"Take me to her!"

"With pleasure!"

Thorin followed the hobbit down the halls and into a smaller room. There upon the bed lay Tawariell. Her chest, shoulder, arm and leg were bandaged.

"The elves…..they inflicted harm upon her!" Thorin said enraged.

"No! The healers have told me they were from spiders. Though they had never seen any so large. I have for that is how the wood elves found us. You remember I told you the story."

"Aye….I wish for her to be brought to my room. It is larger."

The healers who were in the room nodded and the guards bared her into Thorin's room. Bilbo rushed off to tell the others the news of Tawariell's safety. Thorin sat down beside her and took her hand.

"I know not if you can hear me….I am so sorry. I never should have let you go to the Elvenking….."

Tawariell's POV

I woke to the sound of his voice. Though I did not open my eyes for I was unsure if any of this was real.

"When I first saw you…..I felt as though my eyes had opened for the very first time in my life. You were the most beautiful being I ever saw. Your eyes are what I first saw. The bright green eyes that shone in the firelight of the hobbit's home. Ever I dreamt of you, running freely through the forests or across the fields. Ever have you been strong and known when something was wrong, you have always known what to do when I did not…." he whispered.

I felt his hand on my face. Gently stroking it with his thumb. It was then I heard the other dwarves and Bilbo enter the room. My eyes still remained closed.

"You never feared to tell anyone they were wrong. You have protected us from the very start. You have shown me that there is more to my life then reclaiming Erebor. There are so many things I have missed, you showed them to me, you opened my eyes and taught a foolish and stubborn dwarf what had not been. And I love you Tawariell of the Dúnedain. I love you more then all the treasure within Erebor! You are more fair then all the jewels beneath the earth. I love you." Thorin said.

I very slowly opened my eyes.

"Thorin…."

He looked into my eyes and smiled. I smiled and raised my head to his face.

"You are here? You are truly here?" I asked.

"Yes I am. We all are."

I stroked his face and sat up slowly. I looked at my friends and smiled.

"Well there you have it. The lass is stronger then Dwalin."

"Oh very well here you go!"

I laughed as Dwalin handed Bofur a pouch of gold. I looked to Fili and Kili and winked. They smiled and bowed their heads. Bilbo shooed them all away and then shut the door behind them. I looked into Thorin's beautiful blue eyes.

"I heard you. Every word you said….I feared to open my eyes, for I thought it all to be a dream." I whispered.

He shook his head and covered my hand.

"No….it is all real. You are here and you are safe. And I am so sorry. I failed to protect you. You mean everything to me and I almost lost you. I love you."

"Oh Thorin!"

I threw my arms around him.

"I love you too! So much!" I cried.

He wrapped his arms around me. As I pulled back to look at him he wiped away my tears with his thumb.

"Do not shed tears." he whispered.

As his hand began to leave my face I held it there. He looked at me and I leaned forward. Our lips did not touch but we closed our eyes.

"Meleth means love. You are my love. I said to you 'Trust me love'."

Thorin did not speak, he kissed me.