Something in the Night

Chapter Eleven

Nina managed to avoid Thorin for the rest of the day, which actually wasn't all that difficult, as she remained in her chambers and had no idea where he had gone. He might have left, for all she knew. In fact, she almost hoped he had. It would make things easier.

She saw him at supper, however, and it was with a mixture of relief and apprehension, as more than once, he looked over at her as if he was going to say something, only to turn back instead to Thranduíl or Legolas. Her heart actually felt as if it skipped a beat when he got up and moved to sit beside her. "We plan to leave at dawn's first light."

She nodded. "And should I meet you?"

"Only if you wish to travel with us."

"Do you wish me to travel with you?"

Irritation flashed through his blue eyes. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I think it's obvious, don't you?"

He glanced across the table at Dwalin, and then toward their hosts before looking back at her. "I apologize for overstepping earlier, Nina. It was foolish of me and right of you to halt things as you did."

"You needn't apologize," she told him. "I overstepped just as much and I thought we were going to pretend it never happened?"

"I just—I sense you're still angry with me."

"I wasn't angry with you at all. You were angry with me."

He drew in a slow breath. "I wasn't angry with you."

"So, then it never happened?"

"It never happened."

"Good." Although she smiled as if a huge weight had been lifted, the truth was, she felt anything but happy over this turn of events. On the walkway, when he kissed her, it reminded her of all the feelings she'd had that snowy night in Esgaroth, when she first laid eyes upon him. Reminded her of all the feelings that were so wonderful and frustrating at the same time and how she'd wished with everything she had that he would notice her.

And now he had and it was all for naught. She was no longer that same lovestruck girl. Too much had happened since then and now for her to ever be that girl again.

Which was too bad, really, as she thoroughly enjoyed kissing him and if things hadn't worked out the way they had...

She could easily fall under his spell, for the King Under the Mountain had no idea how truly desirable he was, and she had the feeling that Mirkwood was not the only thing magical around her.

"So, I will see you in the morning," she told him, pushing her chair back.

"We will wait for you at the eastern gate."

"Good." She stood and smiled at Thranduíl. "Thank you for a lovely supper, Your Majesty. If you will excuse me, I think I will go and get what will probably be my last good night's sleep for some time to come."

"Of course," Thranduíl replied. "Good evening."

She turned and left the dining hall to go back to her chambers. After she and Thorin parted ways that morning, she had gone down to the stream that flowed not far from her chambers and gathered the clothes she wished to wash. Heeding his warnings about enchanted waters, she took great care to pay close attention to her surroundings, but nothing seemed at all amiss to her.

Even so, she'd washed everything as quickly as she could and laid it out on the rocks to allow it to dry and now, her sword at her hip, she went to retrieve everything. Hopefully, it would be dry enough to pack. It had been a clear day, with sun filtering through the treetops, so she thought there was a good chance everything would be just fine.