About
During his stay in Angren-Adorn, Thorin meets Raven, who seems like she knows of him. A female who has been rumored to be a Blue Wizard with the same skills as Gandalf. However Raven has a secret far worse than just rumors. But it doesn't matter because Thorin realizes he has an even bigger battle to face when passion and romance bind the two together.
"A Wizard's Word is binding. Blood breaks the bind."
Does Thorin have what it takes to cross boundaries to free the woman bound by oath when he learns she had been tricked? — risking a war against them and — in the future, his kin? — after learning there are consequences when a Wizard breaks his/her word?
"Here you are."
"Ah, thank you." Thorin had finally managed to find a nice, comfortable chair to sit down in and rest his feet and tired hands as the jovial conversations and laughter erupted within the Blue Jay establishment. He had pulled his pipe out, filled a bowl and struck a match before ordering a hot meal and a pint before flagging down the bartender who Thor in found out was the owner of the Blue Jay. He was enjoying his hot meal in the spacious, warm-welcoming tavern, when his gut uneasily twisted from the unwanted attention of a man eyeing him on his right; not looking too friendly either.
Looking to his left, Thorin noticed another not so friendly man watching him from a table underneath the staircase leading up to the rooms, whose doors could be seen from the protruding balcony, overlooking the bar and the hunter's pot placed on coals and was currently simmering with stew. He knew why both men looked at him with predatory eyes! His face was printed on wanted posters all throughout Middle-Earth! The chill from the down pouring rain and wet weather did little to put the flames out as Thorin reached for his sword with a calm composure. He had nearly escaped the Wilds of Dunland by the skin of his teeth while searching for his father. Now these two Jack-offs were slowly approaching with threatening glares! Was one night really too much to ask for?
Thorin suddenly looked up when a woman clad in Royal-Blue-ish-Purple sat down across him. "Mind if I join you?" The female figure asked. She stopped the barmaid and told her to bring the same thing as him. Thorin, who noticed the barmaid's eyes light up with recognition, discreetly turned his head to see the two men halted at the sight of the Royal-Blue-ish-Purple-cladded woman. Thorin knew of this woman, but he wasn't one to go off of hearsay until he had all of the facts. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at him while watching the two men out the corner of her eye.
"Drawson." The woman addressed the man on Thorin's right first. "Xiouston." She repeated the process with the man on the Dwarf's left then to both, she spoke. "Go bother someone else and leave my friend alone!" She hissed while noticing the slight raise of Thorin's eyebrow when he also noticed the immensely large amount of golden light strongly flickering at her firm hiss! Drawston and Xiouston backed off, smart to know when a woman has made clear her command/wish.
"Raven the Blue." Thorin was still shaken from the fact he almost ended up being kidnapped so polite introductions weren't on the table at the moment.
Waving the comment off as if it hadn't bothered her, Raven's eyes twinkled while eyeing the Dwarf. "Just Raven." She then asked, "what brings you this far South-West, Master Dwarf? Surely there are better places than Angren-Adorn for you?"
"I fail to see how it's your business to be asking me such things." The annoyance rolled off Thorin's tongue all to painstakingly clear.
"Yet it seems I have to, Master Dwarf, as Drawston and Xiouston took a particular interest in you." Raven held up a wanted poster and caught the glimmer of recognition faintly sparkling in those Dark Cobalt Blue eyes.
Thorin sighed. So much for going unnoticed. "I suppose you're going to say this is a fine chance?" The question harshly snapped from his mouth.
"Easy, Master Dwarf." Raven soothed and watched as the settling distrust in Thorin's eyes slightly lessened….only slightly. "Gandalf might — you know of him?" She asked, pausing long enough to watch Thorin nod. "Drawston and Xiouston ran into me as they came here before leaving for the Greenway. Xiouston had spot you and Drawston was holding the wanted poster I am currently holding; Xiouston mistaking me for a vagabond before entering the Blue Jay. Do you understand where I am going with this, Master Dwarf?"
"Yes…I imagine they must have regretted that?" Thorin said as a way of answering the two questions. "If Raven is rumored to be like Gandalf," he thought, "then that means she cares more about protecting someone like me."
"So remains my previous question: what brings you to Angren-Adorn?" The question pulled Thorin from his thoughts.
Broodingly stared at Raven, "I went looking for my father in the Wilds near Dunland!" Thorin was about to snap! "Calm down." He thought. "I found no sign of him though, and I barely survived by the skin of my teeth."
There was a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry." Raven told him. "That sucks."
Thorin didn't miss the tone in the woman's voice. "Don't tell me you're like the others?" He asked accusingly.
"'Others?'" Raven reiterated the last word.
"Those who believe my father is dead." His impatient tone usually deters others, but this woman was handling the situation with such profession.
"I don't listen to rumors," assured The Blue Wizard. She eyed Thorin with a critical eye. "What do you believe?"
Thorin raised an eyebrow in skepticism and confusion.
Raven looked Thorin directly in the eye. "I know how it feels to be put in a situation you don't want to be in where you have no say. Do you understand that feeling, Master Dwarf?"
Thorin overlooked the woman's question, still shocked by her care. "He still lives." He answered The Blue Wizard's previous question of what does he believe. "I'm sure of it." Skepticism from not understanding why he was spilling his heart to this woman, lingered. Why was she so easy to talk to?
"That's all that matters, then." The woman confirmed. "If you believe your father is still alive, then that's all that matters."
Again, Thorin raised an eyebrow in skepticism and confusion. "Why do you care?" He finally asked.
Again, Raven looked Thorin directly in the eye. "I know how it feels to be in a situation where others choose to not listen to your words. Do you understand that feeling, Master Dwarf?"
This time, Thorin snaked his arm out at lightning speed and pinned Raven's arm against the table! "What do you know?" He hissed, distrust slipping back into place.
Raising his chin slightly, Thorin studied the woman. Short and skinny with a slightly toned body, a mysterious face coupled with purple eyes, a button nose, thin lips, slightly raised cheekbones, long, natural, dark, purple-red hair, a slight wide forehead with eyebrows matching the color and thickness of her hair, purple eyes unfazed by his actions.
"I want to help you." She told him matter-of-factly and casually, as if having her arm pinned didn't bug her.
"Why?" Thorin hissed with skepticism, conflicted between trust and distrust.
Suddenly, the barmaid was back with Raven's food and crinkled her eyes at the Dwarf while setting the plate before the Blue Wizard. "Raven, you alright?" There was worry and concern in her tone and eyes. "Do I need to go get someone?"
"No, I'm alright, Tansy. We're only talking and I asked him a startling question is all. Thank you for the food." Raven pulled out extra coin for the barmaid. "For your care and concern."
Tansy nodded, throwing Thorin a suspicious glare before sauntering back to the kitchens. After she left, the Blue Jay began growing quiet around the duo as the patrons dwindled down while Raven ate in silence and Thorin refused to meet her eyes, not forgetting the sight of how those purple orbs glazed over the second he pinned her arm to the table. "Is she really The Blue Wizard?" He thought. And it was Thorin who broke the silence.
"I'm sorry. There are things I thought you knew of from the way you spoke." He shook his head. "It matters not. I'm sorry."
Calm painted Raven's face as she pushed her now-empty-plate to the side. In a lower tone, she let the truth slip just a little bit as she iterated her words for the last time. Hopefully.
"I want to help you because I know how it feels to be put in a situation you don't want to be in where you have no choice, Thorin."
This caught Oakenshield's attention. "Does she know?" He thought. Thorin decided to find the truth with his next statement followed by a question. "If you are who you are rumored to be; my father came to see you before the battle. What did you say to him?" In Raven's eyes, there was a twinkle confirming his speculation.
"I told him to go seek Gandalf, then to march upon the mountain and take back Erebor after."
"So you're not like Gandalf where you show up when you want something?" The speculation slowly dying away and trust taking place. Slowly.
Raven shook her head. "No. I am not. I want to help, but only if you allow me."
Thorin further reached for the truth. "'Help'" how? If you are who you are rumored to be — by way of your answers thus far, then you know why my father came to see you."
"I do." Raven carefully chose her next words. "The Lonely Mountain and the dragon laying in it troubles me deeply, Thorin. Darker minds have already begun to turn to the mountain and the dragon needs to get gone before the darker minds take action. The only way to do just that, is by having someone whose scent the stupid dragon won't recognize, take back the Arkenstone. Someone who won't be phased by greed lingering around the giant gold mounds mixed with precious gems."
"Really?" Thorin asked, now voicing his silent questions. "How do you suppose I do that?"
"By hiring the one person willing to go all the way to help you."
Thorin raised a questioning eyebrow. "Who do you suppose will help?"
"Me."
Later that night, Raven helped Thorin rent a room at the Blue Jay and told him not to worry about paying her back. "Have a good night, Master Dwarf." She told him after both of them had an awkward situation.
"Thorin." Thorin told her in amusement.
"Goodnight, Thorin."
Goodnight, Raven."
Oh, Thorin. You are in for quite the surprise
Note: First chapter of my little tale with Thorin and Raven finally posted.