After the Fire

Chapter Thirty-Three

For the next few days, Jasna felt as if she walked on eggshells around Erebor. Everyone seemed tense about the possibility of the Elder Council convention. Understandably, Thorin seemed the most on edge.

Shael had taken to coming around for the end of Fíli's therapy sessions and since she started doing so, Jasna had noticed a marked improvement in Fíli's recovery. He walked with something of a limp, but it took less effort for him to cross the room unassisted, and he was now down to a walking cast that Óin felt could come off in another week or so.

He and Shael seemed to be growing closer by the day as well and Jasna couldn't be happier for him. Just as Thorin had hummed with restless, caged energy in those earlier days, so had his nephews. Now? Now, she sensed a calmness about him, a peace of mind he hadn't had since arriving in the infirmary almost four month earlier.

"So, where is Miss Whitbow?" she asked him at the end of their session, smiling at the way his expression brightened at the sound of her name.

"I'm meeting her for luncheon in the Great Hall. Then," he drew in a deep breath, "we are going for a walk in the courtyard."

"Be careful."

"Yes, 'Amad."

"Very funny." She nudged him with her shoulder. "You won't need me m-m-much longer, you know. Y-y-y-you've come a long way."

"I will miss working with you," he admitted softly, smiling as he sank onto the edge of the bench along the wall. "You believed in me when Óin and Narnerra were ready to write me off."

"I have the optimism of youth on my side." She sat beside him. "They've been doing this too long to really b-believe in miracles. I am naive enough to still believe."

"Miss Jasna, you might be many things," he said softly, shaking his head, "but naive is not one of them. I will be forever thankful for your conviction in me."

"I am just glad I could h-help." She patted his hand. "And now it's almost luncheon, so you should go and meet your Miss Whitbow. She's probably waiting for you."

Fíli grinned as he rose. "I do hope the council allows Uncle to remain on the throne after you've married. And I plan on telling them when they call me in."

"Call you in?"

He nodded. "They will want to speak to all of us, to find out how we'd feel about you're being our queen."

Her gut kinked. "What?"

"They will take it into account. But, you needn't worry. I cannot imagine a soul here would have a bad thing to say about you."

She smiled. "I don't know about that."

"I do. Trust me." He reached out to let his hand come to rest on her shoulder. "We all have grown very fond of you, Miss Jasna."

"Thank you, Your Highness. For I've grown very fond of you lot as well. Now go. Before Miss Whitbow grows angry."

"Worry not." He winked as he slowly crossed to the door and pushed it open. Then, he looked back over his shoulder and winked. "I know how to calm her."

She chuckled as left the room and as her laughter died away, she leaned back against the wall. She hoped the council agreed with him, for she'd come to think of these dwarves as an extended family. She couldn't imagine not seeing them on a daily basis.

"Are you busy?"

She looked up to see Thorin in the doorway and smiled. "Not at all. Fíli just left and I was just about to clean up. Come in."

He stepped into the room. "I've heard from all of the other clans. They've agreed to meet and consider my petition."

She crossed over to slip her hands into his. "It's a step in the r-right direction."