Anger surged through Aladrin's veins! He had just received a knee to the groin and his face sweltered to a very beet red as he perched there on his knees, hand clutching the super sensitive area! "That woman is dead!" He seethed!
"To be fair," Tansy chimed in, "you went a little bit overboard with Raven."
"All I was doing was reminding my future wife who her Master is!" Snapped Aladrin.
"Raven was only providing the Dwarf Master good quality service to reflect your good name!" Tansy pleaded, blocking the doorway when Aladrin made to leave. "She wasn't acting inappropriately at all!"
"No, but the Dwarf was paying a little bit too much attention to her!"
"That's not Raven's fault!" Cried Tansy.
Aladrin seethed, but suddenly, a wicked idea comes to mind. "Tell you what...since you are good friends with my future wife — if you find her first, no harm will befall her and the Dwarf King. But if I find her first..."
Tansy was out the back door in seconds while Aladrin took to the main roads. She needed to find Raven and her Dwarf Master soon, and fast!
Raven gaped at Thorin, unable to offer any sort of reply. She was shocked, and when her tongue didn't work, only one simple question escaped her lips. "What?" Had she heard him correctly?
"Now bind yourself to me as my Burglar and as my wife in marriage down by the river," repeated Thorin. Yup, she heard that right.
Terror suddenly filled her chest when Aladrin's voice carried over to them from the main road. "Citizens of Angren-Adorn, my future wife has gone missing, and I believe the person responsible for her disappearance is the Dwarf King who strolled into town last night! Help me find Raven and deliver the Dwarf's head! Head ONLY!" The people complied!
Murder danced in Thorin's Cobalt Blue Eyes, now a very deep, rich onyx black! He mentally fantasized about pulverizing the nasty worm for talking about Raven as if she were a piece of property, not a human being! His own life was not a concern; being used to swatting bigger flys such as Azog The Defiler. But Raven's was. Crunching gravel hit his ear drums from behind! He whipped around to spot Tansy coming down the back road toward them.
Breaking into a run when her brown eyes spotted Raven, Tansy dropped down on the ground before The Blue Wizard and graver her a hug! "Thank heaven's you're alright!" Cried the young woman.
"Ow, Tans!" Raven gasped in pain.
"I'm sorry, Raven," replied Tansy apologetically. "I was really worried." She tightly held onto the other woman for a few more seconds before pulling back to drink in the nasty bruises decorating The Blue Wizard's jaw, chin, neck, and...arms? — bruising cuffing her upper arms mirroring one another just above Raven's breasts, eliciting gasps from her throat when the marks bumped her sides when the shoulder joints moved to return the hug.
"I'm going to kill him." Thorin's deep baritone sent chills down the females' spines followed by a shudder at the murderous tone in his voice. Ferocity filled him to his core and he fought to keep his shaking under control! Raven was hurt, The Blue Wizard wincing from the elicited pain of the bruises marring her beautiful ivory flesh.
"No." Tansy interjected. "You need to take Raven and leave Angren-Adorn for good so she can heal. Aladrin wants you both dead."
"I would kill him first," informed Thorin.
"Raven is more important," reminded Tansy, trying to get Thorin to see reason and wait until the opportune moment to avenge his hurt woman. He knew Tansy was right. He was fighting the strong itch to put Aladrin's head on the pike!
"Where would we go?" Raven asked, understanding her friend was trying to get Thorin to see reason; to put her safety first. Rough calloused hands gently took hers. "To Ered Luin." Thorin informed, "I was serious when telling you to bind yourself to me as my Burglar and as my wife in marriage down by the river."
"Not the river!" Tansy interjected. "Aladrin will look for you both at the river first." She shot the Dwarf an apologetic look for cutting him off. Thorin waved his hand in dismissal. "Clearly Tansy is panicked," was his thought process.
"You think me marrying Thorin is a good idea when we just met?" Asked Raven.
"I do if it saves your life. Aladrin is serious about killing you both if he finds you both. Thorin can provide you with safety and stability." Tansy knew Aladrin wouldn't keep his promise he gave back at The Blue Jay. "You'll be a queen once married to Thorin, and there are consequences to the actions of those who try and kill a king or queen." She informed, "I know of a place in the woods: a clearing..."
"Not the clearing, Tans." Raven shook her head "You will marry us at the foot of the hill underneath the Willow Tree." She pointed in the same direction Tansy had descended, except a little to the left where the Willow Tree marked the road's edging before the road slightly curved to the right and vanished from sight.
"Okay." Tansy and Thorin simultaneously helped The Blue Wizard to her feet; the three quickly sauntering up the road to stand in the shade of the multitude-white-flower-green-vined-hunking-thick-trunked-shade-providing-Willow Tree, giving off a delightful fragrance upon their approach.
"Before Thorin gives his wedding vows, Raven, you should bind yourself to him with your Wizard's Word like you did with Aladrin," Tansy informed while Angren-Adorn's citizens made their way over to see what the pair were doing.
"I need your left hand, Thorin." Raven held her right hand out, palm up. "And your blade."
Thorin turned his left palm face up after handing his dagger over. Unsheathing the blade, Raven deeply cut his calloused flesh then touched her left palm to his, the Valar rumbling the earth again when their crimson liquid simultaneously mixed and fell to hit the green bladed grass!
"I, Raven, The Blue Wizard and Guardian of Middle-Earth, bind myself — heart and mind, to you, Thorin Oakenshield, King of Durin's Folk, Son of Thrain, and on my oath, promise to be honest, meek and humble; to protect you and help you reclaim your homeland as Middle-Earth's Guardian, as your Burglar, and — if you are willing to have me, as your wife. May Mahal forever hold me accountable. What say you?"
Clearing his throat, Thorin let his deep baritone come forth, and swore the whole of Middle-Earth shook as he sealed Raven's binding word. "I, Thorin Oakenshield, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror, accept and seal, Raven, The Blue Wizard, Guardian of Middle-Earth, your binding word to me for the remainder of our days; to protect me, to protect our people, to help me reclaim our homeland as my Burglar, wife and queen.
"Hence forth, from this day, you will be known as Raven Oakenshield, Wife of Thorin Oakenshield, Queen of Durin's Folk, The Blue Wizard, and Middle-Earth's Guardian. I, Thorin Oakenshield, officially take you, Raven Oakenshield, to be my lawfully wedded wife; to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, during good days and bad days, for richer or for poorer, until death do us part.
"I am forever grateful you chose me to be your husband, my home to be our shared home, and my enemies to be our enemies. May Mahal forever hold me accountable. What is your final decision?" He watched those purple orbs of Raven's twinkle with joy and mischief — the trate of Wizards when they're up to something.
"I, Raven Oakenshield, take you, Thorin Oakenshield, to be my lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, during good days and bad days, for richer or for poorer, until death do us part. I am forever grateful you chose me to be your wife, your home to be our shared home, and your enemies to be our enemies. Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you dwell, I will dwell, your people will be my people. Your maker will be mine. That is my final decision to you as your wife, your queen, as The Blue Wizard and Middle-Earth's Guardian, and your Burglar."
"By the power invested in me — if there are no objections, I pronounce you husband and wife —"
"I object!" A booming voice from Aladrin yelled when all of Middle-Earth — and Angren-Adorn's citizens clapped and cheered — rejoicing the newlyweds before The Blue Jay owner's yell spoiled the celebration, cutting into the-almost-kiss Thorin Oakenshield was about to give his future wife, the Dwarf throwing him a murderous glare while using his back to shield Raven after catching the look of terror in her eyes, Aladrin hearing the Dwarf King telling his wife, "It's okay, Givashel. I'm right here."
Aladrin pushed his way through to the front of Angren-Adorn's cheering citizens, terror causing Raven to clutch Thorin's protective arm wrapped around her body; hugging her front against his back, trying to stay calm at The Blue Jay owner's murderous glare reflecting Thorin's while stopping less than a foot away from them. "What did you do?!"
Aladrin moved even closer, and Thorin closed the distance, now acting as a hurdle The Blue Jay owner would have to overcome in order to get to The Blue Wizard. "You stole her from me, Dwarf!" He spat at Thorin.
"I didn't steal her." Thorin harshly replied. "She made the choice to break her bind to you." Thorin flexed his fingers, controlling the itching urge to pulverize the man standing before him.
"There is no way Raven would break her bind to me. A Wizard's Word is binding. Consequences will be had if she did, which she wouldn't."
"A Wizard's Word is only binding if the Wizard is not tricked!" Thorin hissed. "You tricked my wife into agreeing to be yours by saying you want her help with running The Blue Jay; handing her a document in Elvish so she wouldn't be able to read the words!" Venom dripped from Thorin's lips. "I reminded Raven of this fact, hence reminding her consequences are worth dealing with when she is free. Your abuse towards her is the sole reason why she chose to bind herself to me — and marry me."
Thorin pushed the pad of his index finger against Aladrin's chest, giving him a push. "Leave us alone. You have no wife and no helper. Your deceitful actions have caught up with you." He saw the swing aimed at his head! Catching the other man's arm, Thorin delivered a kick to Aladrin's groin before connecting his closed fist to the other man's face, giving a good punch that knocked him to the ground! Aladrin didn't stay down long!
Getting up, the other man sprung at the Dwarf, but the people of Angren-Adorn moved to block him. Tansy, at the front, met Raven's eyes over her shoulder. "Go, Raven. Go bind yourself to Thorin as husband and wife. I will come find you with legal documents to sign."
Nodding, Raven allowed Thorin to take her by the hand and lead her back to his quarters at The Blue Jay, steeling her heart against the threatening terror of Aladrin's shout. "This is not over, Blue Wizard!"
Oh, boy! That was intense! Thorin and Aladrin are just getting started with each other. Aladrin promised Raven the situation between them isn't over. What are his plans for The Blue Wizard and just how far will he go to carry out his plans? Are they part of the consequences to Raven for breaking her Wizard's Word? Or are they entirely separate. And when will the consequences occur? What will happen to Raven and Thorin and will the consequences affect their future and the future of their people?
Raven is now Thorin's Burglar and his new wife and queen. Will the king and queen get to enjoy a small honeymoon before leaving Angren-Adorn? Or will they spend their honeymoon on the road? — heading to The Shire to meet up with The Company. Stay tuned for the next chapter: Bonds Of Husband and Wife.