"Let's look on the bright side," Bofur declared. "At least we made it through the Misty Mountains."
The company looked at him doubtfully. It was true they had made it through, but they were far from safe. They had been running for days, trying to get as far away from the orc horde chasing them as possible. Without mounts, they were slow, and eventually, the orcs caught up to them.
Now, they were taking refuge among a shelter of rocks, waiting for Bilbo's return. He had been sent out to see how far behind the pack was. The hobbit didn't bring back any good news. The orcs were too close, and there was another threat—a big, bear-like beast lurking in the forest.
Gandalf claimed he knew of a safe place, so they followed the wizard, hoping they could finally get some rest from all their enemies.
The women were quiet companions, though that wasn't surprising after all they had been through. In truth, the dwarves had started to admire them a little. They had shown just as much resilience as dwarven women would, keeping up with their rapid pace, not complaining about having to sleep on rocky ground, without fire or any comfort. They had become part of the company now, and Thorin had no plans to change that anytime soon.
They were nearing the end of a charming forest when Talessa started to hear the wargs' howls. She knew they were about to run again, but this time she was more prepared. A few days ago, they had cut their skirts just above the ankle to make movement easier. Talessa was grateful for their skillful shoemaker, as both her and Eline's boots were holding up well, even after all this walking.
Now, as she ran, she kept her eyes ahead, dodging branches and jumping over logs and rocks. Despite her frail appearance, her elven blood gave her endurance, allowing her to keep up with the much more strongly built dwarves.
They reached a clearing, with the cottage they were headed for just a few feet away. A deep roar shook the ground, and she didn't need to glance back to know that the monster Bilbo had mentioned was now chasing them. She watched in surprise as the plump Bofur sprinted past her to the front of the line, and finally, they were in the courtyard. The dwarves swarmed in, banging on the door desperately, and Talessa quickly stepped forward, lifting the latch above their heads, opening the door. They rushed inside, slamming the door shut just as the enormous beast reached it. They let out a collective sigh of relief at the narrow escape.
Their host's name was Beorn, and he was the bear-like creature that had been chasing them, Gandalf admitted to everyone's displeasure. He was a skin-changer, and the wizard claimed he could be quite reasonable when in human form (though not overly fond of dwarves). With no better options, they agreed to stay the night.
The house was a mix of a cottage and a barn, with a pair of longhorn cows, a donkey, and a couple of goats inside. Talessa found it very cozy and charming in its own way. As they made their beds in the hay, a baby goat approached her, playfully poking her with its muzzle. She let out a surprised laugh, patting the small creature's head. She realized she hadn't laughed in a while—none of them had. The constant threat of orcs had taken away all the joy they might have found along the way, and it saddened her, knowing how cheerful the dwarves had been before.
Talessa slept well that night, waking with the sun. Some of the others were still sleeping, but she noticed a couple of dwarves sitting at the table, quietly conversing with a giant man she assumed was Beorn, their host. He didn't seem upset or aggressive at all, which was a welcome development. She stood up and walked over to them, greeting them in a cheerful voice. The host bowed his head and gestured for her to sit, placing a platter of cheese and a cup of fresh milk in front of her.
She felt some movement at the hem of her skirt—a little white mouse was trying to climb up the fabric. She marveled at the tiny creature's bravery and reached down, letting it crawl into her palm. She tore off a piece of cheese and offered it to the mouse, then gently placed it on the floor, watching it scurry away.
"It is rare to meet someone who can appreciate creatures weaker and smaller than themselves," mused Beorn, his eyes following the disappearing mouse before turning to Talessa. "What is your business with the dwarves?" he asked with genuine curiosity.
Talessa quickly explained their original destination, how they came to join the company, and how they were now stuck with them.
"I can give you horses," the skin-changer offered. "My mounts could take you to the nearest human settlement in the south, so you can continue your journey."
"There is no need for that," came Thorin's voice from behind Talessa before she could respond. "The women are staying with us. It is too dangerous out there."
Talessa stared at the dwarf, irritated by his unsolicited intervention. For the first time, she cursed her veil for preventing her from looking directly into his eyes.
"We shall consider your generous offer," she replied to the host warmly. She knew it was dangerous for just the two of them, but wasn't it equally dangerous with the company, especially with Azog's bounty on their leader's head? And how long should they continue to follow the dwarves anyway? Their paths were different, each with their own mission to complete. Yet, the thought of parting filled her with an unfamiliar anxiety.
When Eline woke, the two women walked down to the creek at the back, intending to wash themselves and their clothes. Fíli and Kíli joined them, with Kíli only there to mock Fíli's increasingly obvious advances towards Eline with crude jokes and inappropriate suggestions until Fíli finally had enough and challenged him to a wrestling match.
Talessa watched them, smiling. When Fíli returned—victorious—she offered to wash Eline's clothes too, while the girl joined the dwarf for a walk around Beorn's farm. Fíli, acting the gentleman, turned away while Eline shed her outer layers, then gave her his cloak to cover herself until her clothes were wearable again.
Talessa took off her dress as well, leaving only her lace chemise. After everything they had been through, she couldn't care less if any of the dwarves saw her in her underwear.
Thorin found Talessa sitting by the river, surrounded by mellow apple trees, staring into the distance. Piles of clothes lay beside her, drying in the last warmth of autumn. He only realized she wasn't fully dressed when he got closer, noticing her silhouette through the thin fabric. He considered turning away, but she had already noticed him, turning her head and greeting him with a small "Hello."
So, he decided to join her, sitting down next to her.
"You should wash this too," he said, tugging on her dirty veil. "Everyone is busy inside. They won't come here anytime soon."
She seemed to hesitate but then removed the veil from her head, turning away from Thorin as she dipped it into the clear water, laying it out with the other fabrics to dry. She kept her gaze forward, as if trying to hide her face, though Thorin had seen it before—and thought it was one of the most beautiful faces he'd ever seen. He reached out slowly, gently taking her chin and turning it towards him. Their eyes met, and he felt lost again in the depth of her pale blue gaze, like gems that could only be found in the deepest layers of the mountains.
"We need to leave," she said sadly. "You know we have to. This is our chance to get to Lothlórien."
Thorin didn't want to hear it. He had already decided the women were coming with them to Erebor. What would happen after that, he didn't know, but he was not ready to let them go—to lose this mysterious, peculiar woman.
"You are coming with us," he stated firmly, standing when she tried to object. "It is already decided. The lands are infested with orcs and other dark creatures. The only way you can stay safe is with us."
"We are an inconvenience for you," she argued, also standing, but Thorin silenced her with a look.
She stood there, her eyes searching his, and he stepped closer.
"You and your friend are not inconveniences. You are just as much a part of the group now as any of us," he said earnestly.
Talessa sighed but gave him a small nod, and he felt relieved by her consent.
He looked down and realized their bodies were almost touching, the only thing separating him from her was the thin lace of her chemise. He was about to step back, even though every instinct told him otherwise, but then she reached out, placing her hands on his chest, eyes downcast.
"I can wash your clothes too," she offered, nodding at his muddy pants and stained shirt, "if you wish."
"I will wash them myself," he replied, his voice soft.
She stepped back and sat down again, looking up at him as he began stripping off his many layers. The autumn air felt great against his skin, and he thought the water would be refreshing, so he slipped off his trunks and waded into the cool river. It was shallow, barely reaching his stomach, and he started cleaning himself in the fresh stream.
Talessa watched him from the riverbank, her feet dangling in the water. Her gaze didn't shy away from his body, as he might have expected.
"I've already seen you naked," she laughed, as if reading his thoughts. "All of you, in fact, in Rivendell."
He remembered then, the incident when he had let his men use the elves' precious fountains as a communal bath, just to spite their haughty hosts. He shook his head at the memory.
When he finished washing, he walked out of the water and sat beside her. She was playing with the hem of her chemise, stealing glances at him. He wasn't so subtle—he stared openly, admiring her moonlight hair and soft features. His gaze wandered lower. The fabric did little to cover her body; he could make out the swell of her breast, the curve of her waist. For the first time in a long while, he felt desire.
Talessa tried not to be obvious as she stared at Thorin. She had seen a naked body before, but she had never truly looked at one like this. Thorin's body was strong, his muscles defined, and she found herself thinking how very attractive he was. His closeness made her feel warm, a pleasant sensation blooming deep in her belly. She felt a powerful urge to touch him, so she cautiously reached out, running a hand over his chest, feeling the dark hair, and trailing down to his stomach.
Thorin straightened suddenly, looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite read. Then, he kissed her. It was a short, tentative peck on the lips, as if he was asking a question. She stared at him, eyes wide, her heart racing. Her mind went blank, with only one clear thought: she wanted more. Whatever Thorin was giving her, she wanted it. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, and he kissed her again, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close. She clung to him desperately, her hands tangling in the hair at the back of his head.
They parted for a moment, panting. Then Thorin gently pushed her onto her back, climbing on top of her. She could feel the hard bulge pressing between her legs, only the thin fabric of her chemise separating them. He caressed her body, his mouth never leaving hers, his hips slowly rocking into her. The pleasure building in her core made her want to scream.
A not-so-distant yell interrupted them—Fíli calling out to someone in the house—and they knew their time was up. Thorin quickly jumped up, grabbing his still-damp clothes and pulling them on hastily. Talessa remained seated, looking at him with wide, hazy eyes.
Thorin knelt down beside her, trying to smooth out and arrange her chemise. He pressed a kiss to her forehead with a heavy sigh, then gently placed her veil back on her head with one last, lingering touch.
During that night's dinner, Gandalf managed to convince Beorn to lend them his horses until they reached Mirkwood, and they made arrangements for an early morning departure. The skin-changer kindly gave the women some of his old blankets to make their journey more comfortable. He even offered to let them stay instead of riding off with the dwarves, but Eline knew Talessa had already made up her mind.
Her friend had seemed determined to go to Lothlórien just that morning, and Eline wasn't sure what to make of her sudden change of heart. She was certain it had something to do with their strangely charismatic leader, but she wondered just how much convincing Talessa had needed. If it had been up to Eline, she wouldn't have needed much at all. One of the dwarves—a blonde, handsome one—asking her to please go with them, and she would have folded in seconds.
Now, watching Talessa, she started to notice things she'd been too preoccupied to see before—how Talessa's head subtly turned toward the dwarven king every so often, and how his gaze often wandered back to her in return.
Eline glanced around the room for Fíli and quickly approached him.
"Tell me if I'm imagining things..." she began, "but those two—"
"Act very, very suspicious," Fíli finished, following her gaze to see his uncle and Lady Talessa trying to act as if they weren't looking at each other.
He raised his eyebrows at Eline, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "I knew something was up!"
"No, you didn't," she retorted, swatting playfully at him. "If I hadn't pointed it out, you'd still be clueless."
He put a hand on his heart with a dramatic flair. "You wound me, lady."
Eline just grabbed his arm and started to pull him toward the back door. "Beorn said we can pick some apples for tomorrow. You wouldn't mind helping me, would you?"