For those who wanted to know, when I think of Alvina I see Jenn Proske from her IMDB profile picture. Maybe not the brown eyes. Maybe more hazel with the dominant color being blue. Flecks of green and brown in them. Hope that helps when thinking of Alvina. And if you don't agree then envision who you want. Enjoy!
I don't find Thorin until midday meal, where he meets me in the bar of the inn we rented a room from.
"Hello, Thorin." I greet with a smile.
"Hello, Alvina. I apologize for not being with you this morning when you woke. I had to deal with the others." He apologizes.
"There is no need for an apology, Thorin. I know much is expected from you." I say with a reassuring smile and reach my hand over the table to give his a squeeze. He gives me a small, almost invisible smile but I see it and it warms my heart.
"I found a job while you were gone." I make conversation. His head snaps up from the table and his eyes meet mine.
"You what?" He asks incredulous. Does he not like this or is he happily surprised?
"I found a job. For while we are here." I clarify in case I was not clear. He frowns, creases appearing on his forehead.
"Why would you do that?" He asks seriously.
"I am doing my part. Getting a job to help fund our trip to the mountains." I say and he frowns more.
"A woman should not have to work, much less my future bride. You will quit the job immediately." He commands and I am in shock.
"You would have me quit? But we need the money. And it is good money. I would be a housekeeper for the Master of the town. It is a good job, Thorin. I will not give it up." I explain and hear some pleading in my voice I did not intend to have.
"Good or not you will not be working. I can provide for us. I will." He amends his words.
"Thorin, I believe you. I know you can. I know you will. But right now we can use all the help we can get. Please let me do this." I beg. He seems to mull it over in his head for a while.
"When do you start?" He asks quietly.
"This evening. It is only for a couple hours. I will be back before dark." I tell him and he nods. He is letting me help. I mentally sigh in relief. I would have worked it anyways, with or without permission, but having his blessing on this helps tremendously.
After midday meal Thorin goes to find work anywhere. He kisses my hand goodbye before leaving me to do as I want.
"Oh! Alvina!" I hear my name called and I turn to find Dis coming to me.
"How did Thorin take the news?" She asks once she catches up to me.
"He allowed it. But we both know I would work whether he agreed or not." I smile cheekily and she snickers.
"I like your fire. I found work as well. Washing dishes and laundry at the inn we stay at." She confides and I smile at her.
"Congratulations. When do you start?" I ask and she tells me "Soon."
"I know you have a job already but would you like to work for extra coin? You can tell the owners that you have another job for the master and they will let you work until you have to go there." Dis inquires and I smile.
"That is a wonderful idea! Shall we?" I ask as I lend her my elbow like Thorin did to me all those times ago in the mountain. She gives a broad smile and takes my arm. We walk back to the inn to work.
After meeting the owners and agreeing to a price, I work. It is hard and I am not used to it. The bending over a tub of water and using my arms to scrubs clothes against a metal washer. It makes me ache all over. Dis seems to be in the same position as me but not near as bad. Dwarves are more sturdy after all.
And then the time comes for me to go to the Master's house.
I leave Dis and let the inn owners know of my departure.
I make my way to the house, which is in the center of town, and knock on the door.
"Hello. Can I help you?" A young woman asks as she opens the door.
"I am the new keeper." I say and she smiles.
"Oh come in. Alvina, right?" She ushers me into the house and into a room in the back.
"We have a uniform you must wear. You can always change and leave it here in this room. Have you ever cleaned or kept house before?" She asks me quickly. I have never heard such a fast talker but I keep up.
"Never kept a house before. Was only recently promised to someone I am afraid." I tell her honestly and she frowns now.
"Oh. Well do not tell the Master as such. He does not like kept women working for him. In all honesty… I would say to find work elsewhere." She warns and I look at her oddly.
"Why is that?" I ask, genuinely curious. It seems she would answer but the door to the room opens and the Master himself walks in.
An older man but not altogether unattractive. He is no Thorin, though. He has short grey hair and pale ashy skin. Dark near black eyes set in a chubby face.
"Alvina, my treasure. Has Amanda been showing you the ropes now? She is a keeper is she not?" He smiles but it is… gross almost. The way he looks at her and me is unsettling.
"She is fantastic. I look forward to working here." I say with a smile plastered on my face, hiding my internal struggle as to what I should do.
"Of course dearie. Now chop chop. House isn't going to clean itself." He claps at the 'chop chop' part and then leaves the room.
"Just stay as far as possible from him when here. Okay?" Amanda gives one final warning before helping me change into my uniform. She then takes me on tour of the house and tells me what parts I will be taking care of and where my supplies will be.
"Think you can handle it?" She asks and I nod. She then leaves me to it, saying if I have any questions I can find her and ask.
It is just before the sun is down and gone when I leave the house, dressed in my dress again. I wave goodbye to Amanda before heading off to the inn. Why she warned me about the master I have no idea. He was nothing but a gentleman while I was here, if not a bit eccentric.
Anyways, back at the inn I find Thorin having a drink with some dwarves. One is older with an impressive beard and head of white hair. The other is bald with tattoos everywhere. I go to walk passed and leave him be but he has none of it.
He pulls me into his lap and I fall, rather ungracefully, into it.
"Balin, Dwalin, this is Alvina." Thorin smiles big. Balin looks happy while Dwalin looks like he might jump the table and pummel me.
"Pleasure to meet you both." I tell them with a big smile.
"Oh the pleasure is ours. I'm so happy to finally meet the woman who claimed Thorin's heart. We thought it would never happen." Balin teases and the two of us laugh.
"Yeah. A human woman. How fantastic." Dwalin says evenly. Ah. So my race bothers him.
"Dwalin." Thorin's voice rumbles in a concealed threat.
"Pleasure." Dwalin amends before standing and walking off.
"Don't worry about him. Always like that." Balin says.
"So tell me about yourself Alvina. Thorin here hasn't said much, other than you are the prettiest girl he has ever laid eyes upon and that he loves you." Balin asks and I blush like mad. This earns a chuckle from Thorin.
"Well… I like to read. I could do that all day if I was allowed. I'm afraid I didn't get out much at home so that is why I am so pale." I motion to my skin and Balin laughs.
"So you are perfect for life in a mountain then." Balin concludes and I smile.
"It would seem so." I conclude.
"Perfect for me." Thorin whispers in my ear so only I hear. It makes me blush again.
"Now no dirty talk in front of me, Thorin." Balin admonishes and I blush more at him thinking such things. Thorin just laughs loudly.
"If I want to talk with my woman I will." He says, not correcting Balin. They both share a laugh and smile over the conversation and my reaction to it all.
"You are shameless." I tease as I playfully hit Thorin.
"Only for you." He then nuzzles my neck. His beard tickles my skin and I give a slight squeal and try to pull away but he does not let me. Seems he quite enjoyed that reaction.
"Did I do something?" He teases and I blush again.
"Your beard tickles." I tell him with a grin.
"Oh really. Well then pardon me." He playfully apologizes and then nuzzles my neck even more. I am breathless from laughter by the time he is done. Balin sitting quietly, enjoying our joy in such dark times.
And then my stomach growls, breaking up the sounds of laughter.
"Have you eaten supper?" Thorin asks me, getting serious.
"I forgot." I tell him honestly.
"Let me get you something." Balin says quickly and gets up and goes to the bar.
"Tell him he doesn't have to do that. I have earned enough to buy my own food tonight." I direct at Thorin and he just chuckles lowly.
"He is showing his acceptance of you. He was my grandfathers advisor. Now he is mine. He need not do this but he wants to. To show how much you mean to us already." Thorin explains and I blush again. This damn dwarf and his ability to make me red in the face.
"Oh. Well then." I have nothing more to say so I just look around the inn and notice all the people here. They are drinking and being merry. It warms my heart to see them not downtrodden about their situation.
Situation. My father is dead. Does mother know? Does she know I live? I need to send a letter.
"Thorin, you wouldn't happen to have paper and pen would you?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"I do, lass." Balin says as he comes back with food. He digs into his clothes and pulls out dirty but good paper and then a writing utensil I can use. I quickly write to my mother then go to the bar.
"Could you send this please." I ask and he nods. He takes the letter from me and looks at the address.
"You from there, girly?" The man asks me and I nod.
"Me too. Been a long time." He stares wistfully into the distance but comes back to reality quickly.
"2 bronze coins." The bartender speaks. I hand it over from my pay for the day and then go back to Thorin. He eyes me questioningly.
"A letter to my mother. About me and about father." I say 'father' sadly.
"I am sorry for your loss." Thorin and Balin say simultaneous.
"Thank you. And I am sorry for any loss you suffered." I tell them. Thorin hugs me tight and places me back on his lap. I eat slowly, sharing with Thorin when he nuzzles my neck, a sign he wants me to feed him a piece.
After supper I go to the room. The bed is cold but with me in it, it will soon warm.
I crawl under the covers and am just about asleep when someone enters the room. The door creaks letting me know of their entrance. And then footsteps. They come 'round to the other side of my bed.
The bed dips. I turn over to see Thorin now laying beside me. We are the only ones in the room right now. Everyone else is downstairs.
"Come here." He says and I move to be right next to him. He wraps an arm around my body and pulls me close, my face pressing against his neck softly.
"I truly am sorry about your father." He says and I begin to shed tears. I cry into him until I pass out from exhaustion.
In the morning I awake in Thorin's arms. He is warm and his breathing is even. Still asleep. I take this time to really look at him.
He is handsome. Sleeping he is stress free. It shows on his face. It is hard to believe he has been on this land much longer than I. Dwarves and their extended life spans and all.
"Good morning." He says and my eyes fly up to his. I can see the mirth. My face goes red.
"Good morning." I whisper.
"Like what you see?" He teases and I go even more red. He chuckles softly, not wanting to wake anyone still sleeping.
"Are you hungry?" He asks and I nod.
"Then let us go eat." He says and gets up from the bed. He then helps me out of the bed but does not let my hands go. Instead, he looks to my lips and I get the message. I lean towards him and he leans into my. His hands go around my waist and mine go around his neck, under his hair.
Our lips meet softly. It is over too soon.
"Come, my love." He says and leads me from the room, my hand in his. The other hand over my rapidly beating heart. Am I falling in love?
