The further they traveled, the more Talessa's anxiety deepened. A sense of dread settled over her, one she hadn't felt in a very long time. All the foliage had disappeared—only bare rocks and snow remained—and the path had narrowed so much that they had to move in single file. As she looked up, dark clouds loomed overhead. Glancing back at Eline, riding behind her, she could see the worry on her friend's face.
"I really don't like this!" Eline shouted over the howling wind.
"Thorin sent Kíli and Fíli to find shelter. I'm sure they'll be back soon!" Talessa tried to sound calm, but she knew it didn't fool Eline.
Ýrdor rode behind them, his face impassive, though the way his eyes scanned their surroundings showed his unease. Talessa tried to spot Thorin, but he was too far ahead, leading the group. The horses were becoming anxious as well, their steps more jittery, their heads tossing. Talessa gently stroked her pony's mane, silently praying for it to stay calm, and closed her eyes for a moment. Instead of darkness, a vivid vision flashed before her—torrential rain, screaming wind, rocks flying through the air, terrified horses, and shouts of panic. Her eyes flew open, and though nothing had changed, the chill in the air had grown sharper. With trembling hands, she reached into her saddlebag for her gloves.
Just then, a brilliant flash of lightning lit the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder. Rain began to pour down in torrents. The horses pranced nervously as Thorin's voice shouted for them to keep moving. The once difficult path became treacherous, with loose stones tumbling into the ravine beside them. The ponies pressed close to the solid rock wall, their hooves slipping on the wet stone.
Talessa's veil became heavy and soaked, nearly blinding her. She clung to her pony's mane, her tears of fear mixing with the cold rain. All she could hear was the roaring storm, and the only thing she could make out was the dark cloak of a dwarf ahead of her.
Suddenly, an earsplitting crack reverberated, louder than the thunder, followed by the sound of tumbling rocks.
"Look out!" she heard Dwalin shout. Then another voice called, "Stone-giants! We're in the middle of their battle!"
A few pieces of the falling rock struck her horse, and the frightened animal reared and began backing toward the edge. Someone reached for the reins, but it only made the mare panic more. Talessa felt dizzy, her mind filled with the horrifying thought that if she fell into the ravine, she wouldn't be as lucky as Ranold had been.
Thorin's voice cut through the chaos, shouting for her to jump. For a moment, she imagined he was encouraging her to leap into the abyss, but then she realized what he meant. She struggled to swing her leg over the saddle, her drenched skirts tangling around her, but after a few desperate attempts, she managed to fall to the side.
Except her feet didn't touch the ground. She flailed, grasping for something—anything—but there was nothing but empty air. She was certain it was the end. Then, strong hands grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. In seconds, she found herself held securely by a pair of firm arms.
She clung to her rescuer, her legs trembling violently from shock.
"It's all right," she heard Thorin's voice, though it was unusually gentle. "You're safe now," he added before letting Eline take her. Talessa clung to her friend, burying her face in Eline's fiery curls as she stroked her head soothingly.
The realization hit her—she had lost her horse. Though she had only known the mare for a day, her heart ached at the loss of such a gentle creature. Her people were known for their deep love of horses, and Talessa was no different.
Fíli and Kíli appeared moments later, disheveled but unharmed.
"There are stone-giants fighting to the east, so we can't go on," Fíli reported grimly, and the dwarves groaned in frustration.
"But we found an empty cave a few miles from here," Kíli added.
"Why didn't you lead with that?" exclaimed Gloin, his long red beard dripping with rain. The others cheered, and the mood lifted slightly.
Without her own mount, Talessa soon found herself seated in front of Thorin's saddle. She shifted awkwardly, trying to find a comfortable position, but Thorin pulled her closer with one arm, stopping her from moving.
"Stop squirming, woman," he growled, tightening his grip around her waist. "The last thing we need is for you to fall off this beast too."
Talessa said nothing, and they set off at a steady pace through the storm.
"Thank you," she whispered after a minute, turning her head toward him.
Thorin responded with a grunt, adjusting his hold on her. She closed her eyes, relieved that no visions plagued her this time, and as exhaustion took over, she let her head rest against the dwarf king's chest.
As Kíli had suggested, the cave provided excellent shelter from the storm. The space was large, though a bit low, but it was sufficient for the ponies and the entire group to find refuge comfortably. Thorin allowed them to light a small fire but forbade any loud noises for safety. The dwarves busied themselves with changing and drying their wet clothes, speaking quietly as they ate their supper.
Thorin noticed that Lady Talessa was huddled in a corner, shivering from the cold and shaking her head at something her maid was saying. Her veil, drenched and nearly transparent, clung to her face. Though the dim light obscured her features, he could still discern the full curve of her lips and the straight line of her nose.
His thoughts were interrupted by Balin.
"Do you think there's anything else out there besides us?" his faithful adviser asked, glancing at the cave entrance.
Thorin scrutinized the cave-mouth. "It doesn't seem so," he replied. "But caves in the mountains are seldom unoccupied."
Balin surveyed the cave solemnly. Thorin gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Get some rest, friend. We'll start at first light."
Balin looked up questioningly. "We were supposed to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan."
"Plans change," Thorin said curtly, turning to change into dry clothes.
"You can't stay like that, Tessie! Take one of my dresses," Eline urged. "I have a simple blue one that should fit you."
"You know that's not the issue," Talessa said, struggling to hold back her tears. She had just realized that with her horse, all her clothes and veils were lost as well. The thought of removing the only garments she had left made her deeply unsettled, even though her dress and veil were clinging uncomfortably to her skin.
"No one will say anything if you take off that veil," Eline insisted. "I'll ask them to pretend it's still on you if you want."
"It's okay. It will dry soon enough," Talessa said, turning away to find a spot by the wall. Eline sighed, then retrieved a dress from her bag, quickly changing into it without bothering to check if anyone was watching.
She walked over to Ýrdor, the elven guard, who seemed even more somber since the incident. Perhaps he felt guilty for not being the one to save Talessa, or maybe he just missed home—Eline would completely understand that.
"Would you mind keeping an eye on her?" she asked, glancing in Talessa's direction. "I'll fetch us some food."
Ýrdor nodded and turned his gaze toward Talessa, who was sitting by the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest.
Eline went in search of Dori, the dwarf responsible for their food portions, but the dim light made her task difficult. After a few minutes, she gave up and sighed in frustration, placing her hands on her hips.
"Can I help you, my lady?" Fíli appeared beside her. Eline smiled, relieved to see the friendly dwarf.
"I'm looking for Dori," she explained. "But I have no idea which one he is."
Fíli didn't hesitate to guide her to Dori and then helped her carry the food back to their corner.
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing Talessa curled up by the wall.
Eline shrugged and smiled sadly. "She's just like that. She's always been."
"After we reclaim Erebor," Kíli said, sitting down beside Thorin with a grunt, "you can start preparing for the wedding."
Thorin stopped mid-chew, looking at his nephew in confusion. "What in Durin's name are you talking about?"
"It's about Fíli," Kíli explained. "He's been trailing that Eline girl like a lovesick pup. We'd better be ready."
Thorin let out an annoyed groan. "More likely, he'll end up with a broken heart."
"Don't be so morose, uncle," Kíli said with a grin. "You'll too find a wife, one day!"
Thorin snorted, shaking his head at his nephew's nonsense. Still, he glanced toward the corner where the women were sitting and realized that Talessa hadn't changed or discarded that wretched veil. Now irritated, he stood up and walked in their direction. Eline jumped up as the sullen dwarf approached and stepped in front of him before he could get closer to her mistress.
"What's going on here?" Thorin demanded, glancing at the shivering woman behind the maid.
Ýrdor immediately joined Eline. "Step away from the ladies!" he warned Thorin, but the dwarf merely gave him an irritated look.
"Why hasn't she changed yet?" Thorin demanded.
"She... you know she never takes her veils off," Eline tried to explain. "I've tried to convince her, but she won't. Just give her some time—"
"Nonsense," the dwarf growled, stepping past Eline.
Ýrdor reached out to stop him, but Eline shook her head and stepped aside, allowing Thorin to approach her friend. She felt guilty for letting the dwarf handle Tessie, but she was also deeply worried that the woman might fall ill if she didn't put on dry clothes.
Talessa remained silent as Thorin knelt in front of her. When he reached out to grab her veil, she placed her hands on his, weakly pushing them away. To her surprise, he didn't try to force it.
"You need to change," he said, his tone uncharacteristically calm.
"I lost my veils," Talessa mumbled, her hands still gripping his, her voice sorrowful as if she had lost a chest of gold rather than a few pieces of fabric.
Thorin looked at her puzzled, but kept his face straight.
"I need them," the woman pleaded, her face turned toward him, and he could almost make out her eyes.
He stood up and strode back to Eline. "You must have something she can use," he told her sternly. "Let me see your dresses!"
Eline, taken aback, didn't think to protest. She gestured to her saddlebag on the floor, and Thorin started going through it immediately. After some digging, he pulled out one of Eline's chemises—a light, translucent garment. She silently cursed herself for not thinking of it earlier. Thorin drew a dagger from his belt and quickly cut the fabric into a square large enough to serve as a makeshift veil. He walked back to Talessa with the new veil in hand.
Talessa watched as Thorin approached with the fabric. He knelt down again, and she straightened her back, facing him. This time, when he reached for her veil, she didn't resist. She allowed him to remove the soiled fabric from her head. Their eyes met—Talessa's teary and wide, Thorin's dark and resolute. He absently traced a finger over her pointy ear before placing the new veil on her head and arranging it with care.
Then he stood, pulling her gently with him. They faced each other, and without thinking, Talessa slipped her hands into his. They both stared at their joined hands—hers small and soft, fitting snugly into his calloused, large grasp. When she looked up, Thorin had a strange expression on his face. He cleared his throat, then pulled his hands away.
"Now go, change," he commanded, though there was no harshness in his voice.
That night, Thorin's dreams were haunted by a silver-haired elven woman with eyes so light they seemed to look right into his soul. Meanwhile, Talessa fell asleep with the scent of rain and pines lingering in her nose and a memory of strong arms holding her.