For the Sake of Kings (Thorin x OC x Aragorn romance)

11. Ursa

(Author's note: This chapter may or may not have a sappy moment involved.. Enjoy!)
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A deep voice brought me out of the darkness, my eyes fluttering open. Above me, I found a wooden roof with large bumble bees floating through the air.

This isn't how I pictured death.

Pursing my lips, I sat up, every inch of my body aching and urging me to stop moving, but I propped myself up on my hands and scanned around me. I was on a hay pile, blankets and weapons scattered around me.

The sound of the deep voice speaking again caught my attention, and drew my gaze to a table, where all the dwarves sat with Gandalf and Bilbo as they listened to an excessively tall man talk.

"I don't like dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own." He was saying. I couldn't help the snort of laughter it brought out. All heads turned to me as I grimaced, holding my side. The next moment, Thorin was at my side, his hand against my upper back.

"You're awake.." he said in relief, brushing some hair out of my face. I let out a short, soft hum in response.
"How are you feeling?"

I gave him a shrug. "Like I got trampled by a mountain." A soft laugh escaped as I spoke. His lips twitched, but his expression hardened.

"Why did you leave us behind?" He said in a low voice, his fingers curling into a fist on my back.

"I decided to scout ahead. I was going to meet you in a cave I found, but everything went to the goblins after that." Another giddy chuckle escaped.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard Bofur ask as he appeared at Thorin's shoulder.

"She lost a lot of blood. It's made her goofy." Balin said from the table.

The tall man walked over, a mug in his hand that he brought to my lips as he knelt at my side opposite the dwarves. Water trickled into my throat as I opened my mouth a little. He pulled the cup away as I winced, trying not to cough at the assault of water on a dry throat.
"Who..?" I asked, gazing up into the scruff on his face.

"This is Beorn. He's our host for the moment." Thorin explained.
The gears began turning a little quicker in my mind at his name, and I started to stand, with some help from the dwarf king.

"Ah... long time no see!"
He smiled at my remembrance, and brushed away Thorin's hand to replace it with his own large one, two fingers pinching at the scruff of the white tunic I wore to get me on my feet and hold me there, while the rest of his hand gently guided me to the table once I was up. I glanced down at the shirt, a puzzled expression on my face.
It was massive, more a dress than a shirt on me as it reached to my knees with Beorn hiking it up. The top had been sown together to cover my chest. My riding pants were gone too.

I waved Beorn's hand away when I got to the edge of the table and leaned my hands against it, staring at the wooden surface with narrowed eyes. "Um... who..?" I asked as I lifted a hand to the neck of my shirt.

"I did." Thorin spoke behind me. Heat rose on my neck.

"Ah."

"You needed bandaging, so Oin helped me dress the wounds and Beorn lent you a shirt." He explained, coming up to stand beside me. The heat rose further at the thought that it wasn't just him who saw me, but the old medical dwarf, and the bear man.

"I uh.. thank you." Was all I could manage, looking up at Oin, and then at Beorn. Thorin took his seat at the table, followed by Bofur, who made room for me to sit. I waved away the offer and stood straight. "I need some air. I'll be back.."
I turned away and went to the door, opening it with some difficulty, and holding back a muffled groan as I closed it. Outside, I walked into the barnyard-like expanse around Beorn's house. I found a large chair near a vegetable garden and hopped onto it, wincing at the impact.