Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any associated characters or concepts. Quotes in this chapter taken directly from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
Thorin's a little less stoic and oaken-faced in the beginning of this chapter, like we all get when we are super exhausted and emotionally vulnerable. Aww. (Stony-faced? Oakenshield? Oaken-faced! Get it? :D)
Summary: On the way to the Undying Lands, Billa is eaten by a time-traveling sea monster. The elves on board attack the monster in retaliation, and it escapes by swimming into the past: several decades into the past. Billa wakes up in a sweat, gasping and frightened, only to realize that she is back in her thirty-three-year old body. What on earth is she going to do?
Chapter 15
After the humiliating fiasco in the morning, he had sparred with Dwalin until noon. Boris and Noris had given him an hour's relief each, followed by Dis, and then Fili. Just as he was ready to surrender and go back to the Pony to sleep it off, Dis had asked what was bothering him. Dwalin, curse his hide, had said with a smirk that Thorin's suit had been rejected.
Immediately frothing at the mouth again, Thorin had denied it loudly and launched into a vicious attack. Dwalin had put up a fight in good humor, but when the sun started to set, he carefully disarmed Thorin. By this point, Thorin's limbs were weak and shaky, he was soaked in sweat, and he had trouble walking in a straight line. He staggered after Dwalin to the Prancing Pony, cursing at Dwalin's back as he went. He had run into Kili in the hallway, and pulled him into a trembling hug.
"I love you, Kili," he mumbled weakly, deeply regretting the angry words he had spoken that morning. "You're a good lad and I'm proud of you." Kili squirmed out of the hug, his nose wrinkling at Thorin's stench.
"I love you too, Uncle," he said, taking one of Thorin's arms and putting it around his shoulders. "Let's get you into a bath."
"There's a good lad," Thorin mumbled, leaning heavily on his nephew. "Such a good lad. Not like Dwalin, that dirty snake." Thorin's voice trailed off as Kili guided him to his room. He helped Thorin strip off his wet, sweaty clothes. "Don't let her see!" Thorin said, suddenly alert and looking around warily. "She'll laugh at me if she sees."
Kili was confused, but quick to reassure his Uncle. "Don't worry, Uncle Thorin," he said, "There's no one else here. Here, now, Uncle. The water's a little cool, but that should soothe your muscles."
Kili helped Thorin into the bath, whereupon Thorin sunk down until his nose was just above the water, looking dejected. Kili was a little alarmed, having never seen his Uncle like this, but he remembered how weak and silly he had sometimes gotten after a too-long spar or trek. Uncle Thorin would take care of him then, and it was time to return the favor.
Thorin sat there like a gloomy, exhausted log while Kili soaped up a rag and started to scrub down his shoulders, chest, and back. He carefully washed the sweat out of Thorin's hair and beard, then gently washed his face and neck. Then he soaped up his feet and calves, and coaxed an exhausted Thorin into doing the rest. Then, he helped Thorin up out of the bath and guided him to the bed, where Thorin collapsed like a puppet with cut strings. Feeling oddly paternal, Kili put a pitcher of water and a cup on the night-stand, and then pulled the covers over Thorin's already-snoring body.
When Thorin woke up he was stiff, and sore. His head ached and his mouth was dry, and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. But, judging by the sun peeking through his window, he'd already overslept. Having lost a full day's work yesterday, he'd have to work doubly hard to finish the commission and prepare the company for travel. They'd be leaving tomorrow, and that she-devil was coming with them. Not, he reassured himself crankily, if I kill her first.
He groaned, every muscle in his body protesting as he slowly sat up. Damn that woman, he thought as he cradled his head in his hands. He downed the glass of water that someone, probably Kili, had left on the night-stand, pouring several more. He stood up with a groan. He moved with a groan. He bent over to put on clean clothes, moaning and groaning like a mooing cow. Everything ached. He hadn't pushed himself this hard since the last time he had actually fought in war. He indulged himself by moaning and limping around the room, gathering the things he needed to finish the commission today. However, as soon as he opened the door and left his room, his back was rim-rod straight, his gait precise, his face stony. He was the King, and kings don't feel such petty things as aching muscles or exhaustion.
He made his way out of the Prancing Pony, nodding stoically at those in his party as if he hadn't spent the previous day trying to murder them in broad daylight. He made his way to the forge, cloaking himself in icy hauteur just in case the she-devil appeared. He spent the day in the forge, finishing her pans instead of mutilating them like he really wanted to. No matter how hot it got, he kept his tunic on, and every time his shirt clung uncomfortably to his sweaty body, he cursed the she-devil. Imagining throttling her was swiftly becoming the only way to soothe his injured pride.
It was late afternoon by time the pans were finished. They were beautiful and flawless, and if she didn't consider them up to standard, he would probably use them to kill her.
He walked back to the Pony, very carefully not limping, and charged Kili with delivering the finished pans to the halfling.
"She'll give you a half pouch of gold for these, Kili," he said, as they sat at a public table. He was strictly pretending that the previous day had never happened, and Kili quickly caught on. He brought out the pouch she had first paid him with, already half-empty from buying supplies for the journey. "Bounce this in your hand, lad. What she pays you should feel like this."
Kili examined the pouch and weighed it carefully in his hand before handing it back to Thorin with a nod. "Yes, Uncle Thorin," he said. "I'll take care of it."
"Kili," Thorin called as Kili started to leave, "Remind her to be ready to leave at dawn. If she's not at the stables by the time we leave, we leave without her," he said sternly.
Kili nodded and sped out the door. Thorin savored the feel of the chair under him as he lingered for just a minute longer. Unfortunately for his aching body, he needed to find Dwalin and Dis, to make sure they were totally outfitted for the journey. Thorin didn't groan as he hauled himself back to his feet, but he wanted to.
