To Sow a Barren Land
Disclaimer: All rights belong to Tolkien and New Line Cinema. I don't make any profit off this.
Warning: P.O.V shifts.
AN: I'm sorry for the long delay. There were some assignments I had to complete and some which were really being difficult! Buuut, here's the next instalments.
Now the important bit.
I really like to thank Nerwen for letting me use her idea of dwarf-elf incompatibility. Now, I'm not going to use it as the actual reason but only for diagnostic purposes. Because back in those days, you couldn't nail it in one go, right? Nor can you do it all the time in today's world.
Hopefully, I can come up with a proper explanation to this mess in the upcoming chapters.
Chapter 3
"Where do you take me?" Thranduil asked, baffled by the suddenness by which he was being dragged down the corridors.
Thorin seemed like paying no heed and instead trudged forward. The way he had burst in the room and almost forced Thranduil along was more than a mere indication of something bothering the dwarf prince and Thranduil had no clue what it was!
"Thorin, where am I being taken to?" He asked again and this time, his voice ranged from simple curiosity to a minimal hint of authority.
Again he received no response. Not of a verbal nature anyway for Thorin's pace increased and with it the pull on Thranduil's hand, making the elven prince crouch down even more uncomfortably.
Thranduil narrowed his eyes quizzically at the sudden ineptitude of his love and let his face contort to a particularly sharp wince when he felt another hard tug at his arm.
His eyes widened in apprehension before settling to an expression of 'narrow escape' as they turned a corner. The turn being sudden and Thranduil having nearly been collided against a pillar, blue eyes squint yet again before they suddenly flashed with a bout of pride and royalty as he planted a firm step on the ground and pulled his hand away.
As a result of his momentum Thorin hurled backward and turned sharply, glaring at the one who caused this unnecessary action, only to be faced with a steady yet hard gaze from his love, causing him to falter in his stance a bit.
"Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór," Thranduil spoke in a nonnegotiable tone, "I demand to know where you are taking me."
His eyes flickered with an objection when Thorin was about to say something defensive. Raising his chin with a mild arrogance, he looked at the other with every bit of the royalty he had in him and made it abundantly clear that he was not moving till he had received the truth.
At that, Thorin's glare softened, replaced by a frown as he hummed and hawed something in mere whispers.
"Pardon?" Thranduil's forehead marred a frown of its own as he tilted his head and let his perceptive blue eyes sweep all over the other's sudden stiff demeanour.
Slowly Thorin's stance became more confident as his eyes sharpened, and he spoke with an uncanny determination, "The healer's."
As a response, Thranduil's frown disappeared and his eyes flashed simultaneously at the insolence Thorin had displayed. Soon they settled on the other burning with a fire of anger and pride.
"Why?" He hissed, his blue eyes flickering with unspoken words that he so wished to shout at his better half.
"I'd like them to take a look at you." Thorin replied unfazed which made Thranduil all the more furious.
"A look at me?" Blue orbs tapered dangerously as a sharp sneer crossed his mouth. "You want your healer to take a look at me? Test me to see if I have a problem?"
Thorin was preparing to form a reply but was abruptly cut off by Thranduil whose eyes by then flared with pride and fury as his ego was taking an injurious blow.
"You assume that it is I who has a problem? Never once did you consider of you lacking in efficiency! How dare you?"
He had not known why he got so defensive all of a sudden. Why just hours before he was upset for his lack of potency and why it was like an insult to him when Thorin addressed the same!
Was it because he was scared to face the truth? A discouraging answer?
"Because up till this morning, you yourself acknowledged that it is most likely you who might have a problem!" Thorin defended, his expression practically screaming out the confusion and surprise at Thranduil's change in tone.
Thranduil's head snapped up as his eyes flickered unsteadily while he tried to comprehend and possibly formulate a reply that he would consider apt to shove in Thorin's face.
However Thorin's body language took a drastic transformation causing Thranduil's gaze upon him to remain defiant but this time, with gradual amount of sublimation.
Thorin shook his head and took a deep breath before he went on as calmly as possible, "If it is not you, then it is me. Either way, we shall have an answer."
Thranduil's eyes were still unsettling and were piercing into the other. He tried desperately to look for some sort of invalidation to Thorin's point. Anything that would require him to evade an examination.
Perhaps he was afraid to face reality. Perhaps he was not ready to hear how futile it was for him to hope for any chances of bearing a child.
But the way Thorin was looking at him...the way he was optimistic and hopeful...it was crushing Thranduil to refuse.
Eventually, the tempest in those bright orbs of blue subsided and made way for a softness and gentleness. His own posture became less rigid and more compliant.
"And with proper treatment," seeing the obvious victory on his part Thorin insisted earnestly, "We shall have a future."
It was all that Thranduil needed as the remnants of his hostility swiftly left his stance and whatever apprehension he felt drained away from his eyes, which were slowly moulding into obedience and understanding.
He sighed heavily and held Thorin's gaze for a moment longer before slowly nodding in agreement.
The look of pure relief he received from Thorin and a tender kiss that was placed on his hand was something he knew he would cherish for the rest of his life.
And the way Thorin lead him on, clasping hands quickly brought a light smile on his face— one that would be sweetly tucked away by his meleth to cherish for the rest of his life.
"I know not much of elven anatomy. However, a possible explanation might be that our races are simply not compatible," said the healer looking up to his prince as he completed his examination of Thranduil.
He didn't miss the subtle deflation given off from Thorin. When he looked over at the elf, he didn't have the galls of ignoring the dimmed hope given off from the face of his current patient who quickly tore gazes and looked straight ahead at a nearby wall.
He sighed and approached Thorin, unsure of the best way of how he could put it in words. He certainly didn't want to offend his future provider and his nation's pride but it was already a delicate situation to begin with.
"In order to be at least partially sure," he hesitated and paused when he felt Thorin's attention upon him, "I require examining Your Highness too. Only because I'm familiar with our anatomy more and can provide you some form of answer." He quickly added so as not to hurt the pride of his prince.
A tense silence spread its wings in the small room and the ones who were most affected by it stayed still for a long while, not meeting gazes with any of the others. Just when it was getting too terse and uncomfortable, Thorin finally nodded and asked for Thranduil to be escorted out before he was to be tested.
Though, it was too early for the healer to feel settled. Closing the door behind Thranduil, he sighed and washed his hands. He sincerely hoped Thorin was potent enough...no matter how much his unbiased side argued with him.
"Your Highness."
Thranduil was back in their room and was currently leaning back against a chair. His attention was quickly caught by an attendant, calling out to him while knocking on their door.
"Your Highness." The attendant sounded urgent enough and hence, Thranduil finally rose from his seat and went over to hear what he had to say.
He had just barely opened the door when he caught the panic-stricken look on the dwarf's face. The way he was shown courtesy was frenzied at best and it was ingraining a massive confusion in his heart and mind that he certainly unwelcomed.
Should he have waited for Thorin? Was it his place to receive a message on his behalf?
"Yes?" He urged the other to speak and tilted his head in anticipation. After all, what could have the dwarf so worried and fearful?
The attendant swallowed thickly and seemed to be really hesitating which made Thranduil doubt all the more.
"Prince Thorin is not here right now." He provided, earnestly willing for no news of an oncoming danger.
The other shook his head and stared at him with uncertainty. And at that, Thranduil was most relieved to find that his request was granted by the Valar. However his bliss was momentary as fret soon gripped his heart yet again when the stiffness of the other didn't go away.
Thranduil's eyes narrowed as doubt etched itself on his face. All of a sudden, he felt his heart racing with a growing dread and trepidation. His face grew thicker with anticipation as he felt himself giving off an intense stare at the other, causing him to be even more jumpy than he initially was.
"Well?" Thranduil prodded on and prayed for no misgiving to occur. However, his scepticism was not soothed but only enhanced when the other went on swallowing thickly and biting his lips.
Finally the dwarf sighed out heavily. Looking up at Thranduil with fearful eyes, he started weakly, "Your Highness, I bear news. It concerns you."
"I shall have something by the end of the week." The healer said calmly as Thorin went to remove the clothes he had been given for the examination.
Throughout the process, the dwarf prince had given apt and exact answers regarding his family history and that of his own with a surprising amount of steadiness. The healer had seen many; he had examined many. While others blushed for the most trivial of answers, Thorin was unhesitant and determined.
It was as if he wanted an answer at any rate! He even checked his pride and that spoke a lot about how much he truly loved the elf from Greenwood. In all his years of healing, the other dwarf truly was baffled to witness such devotion!
Thorin was done dressing and he was about to be advised on some diet when suddenly the door was rapped frantically.
"Please give us a minute." The healer answered, clearly annoyed at how his kin could be so hard-headed and ignorant when it came to courtesy.
His level of annoyance increased when another round of hurried knocks battered the door, causing him to roll his eyes with a mind to let the other know the meaning of patience.
It became apparent that the other had no intention of waiting for a second longer. So, with a swift glance towards Thorin and satisfied that the other was fully dressed, he proceeded to open the door only to be shoved roughly by another dwarf.
He opened his mouth to object but was paid no heed as the other had the sole intention of capturing Thorin's focus.
"My prince." He sounded desperate, urgent and out of air. As if he had been running a great distance with tremendous speed— beyond what his legs allowed him to— which only confirmed the importance of the issue. His state was validated by his flushed and sweaty face and all of these put together immediately caused Thorin to lend his full attention.
"My prince," The dwarf said, sparing a glance at the healer before licking his lips. It was obvious he was extremely nervous and imparted a great deal of it to Thorin whose face hardened with anxiety.
Taking a deep breath, the dwarf clenched his fists. Deciding not to cause more delay to the inevitable, he continued with a nervous tone, "The King of Greenwood has sent a letter."
His heart was now clouded with fear of unknown intentions. The room became strained with tension once more and had he glanced at the faces of the other two, he'd surely observe the effects of unknown fret showing itself quite blatantly.
Inhaling shakily, the other closed his eyes and delivered the main message. And quite honestly, none of the words ever spoken bore so much uncertainty and unease than those which were about to escape his mouth. "King Oropher is on his way. He arrives in two days."
AN: Hmm...definitely not going into details about how the tests were conducted. 'Cause I have NO idea how they did it back in those days. Let's just pretend dwarves have awesome methods.
Okay, another important bit.
You guys are probably wondering why Thranduil was so defensive, right? Well, I figured he has a great amount of self-respect. He wouldn't like to hear his failure from someone else's mouth. Be it Thorin. You know...pride issues.
'Cause he does have pride and he should! And also, as I've pointed out in the chapter, he is mainly afraid to hear that he CAN'T because that'd be final and would completely crush him.
So...I'd really love to know what you think so far. (I really hope it's not getting too confusing and waaaaaay too out of hands! D:) I'm open to all suggestions and constructive criticisms. Please review. :)