The Commoner and the King

Chapter Fourteen

Winter, 2932

Thorin-186

Annetta 191

Fili 78

Kili 68

Years had went by,there had been good times, but also bad times in the household of Thorin,as everyone prepared for a long, hard winter.Thorin had been remaining busy attending council meetings as well as helping Annetta in the forge. But there was one council meeting that had gotten Thorin terribly upset. As Thorin, alongside with Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Dis and Annetta, all attended a urgent meeting hosted by the council members. And the subject? The discussion of Thorin getting married. "You've been with this woman since Erebor, Thorin-why are you pushing this off?" said one of the Council members. "Because it is my decision on if I want to marry or not. My duty is with my people!" said Thorin, plainly. Annetta now wished she had never came to this meeting. She too, had hoped Thorin would propose to her, as she's been expecting from him for quite some time now. And she felt her heart sinking, the more Thorin kept denying her.

"Thorin, you have a certain time for you to marry her, and your time is running short. We give you a year. If you don't propose to her, then, we will find another woman for you to marry, ourselves!" said another council member. "WHAT? That's not fair!!" shouted Annetta angrily. Even anger rose with in Thorin after hearing what the council member had said. "You don't make the choices for me! I make my own choices! Who is your leader here?!" barked Thorin. "I'm sorry, Thorin, it is written in our laws, you, of all people should know that!" said the same council member. "Remember Thorin, you are given a year. This meeting is adjourned!" said the chief council member, and they left the great hall. Annetta had enough of the whole thing, and she ended up being the first to leave before the meeting had ended--she felt not only hurt, but angry that Thorin had refused to propose to her. Annetta had began to wonder if Thorin is losing interest in her. And it was Fili who saw Annetta running down the cobble streets towards their home. "Annetta?!" called out Fili. "Just leave me alone, Fili!" Annetta called back, and she went into their home and slammed the door.

Dis and Kili came following after. "Where is Uncle? Isn't he coming home?" asked Fili. "No,he and Dwalin are stopping by the pub for some drinks." Dis replied. "Dis, something is wrong with Annetta, she left the meeting early very upset." said Fili. "I'll go and talk to her. I know why she is upset." said Dis, and they went inside. No soon as they entered, they could hear heavy coughing in the background. "Oh dear, that sounds like Annetta!" cried out Dis, as she barged into Annetta's room. "DIS!" coughed Annetta, and soon she blacked out on the floor. Fili ran to her side, as he picked her up and placed her on the bed. "Kili, you go get Oin! Fili, you go and bring Thorin here! Annetta is running a high fever. She's been feeling ill for some time, but she never told us!" said Dis. The young dwarves nodded and left the room. Fili soon found the pub, and he was about to enter, when he saw Dwalin storming out of the pub in anger. 

"Dwalin, what's wrong? Where is Uncle?" asked Fili. "I am so done with that stubborn, thick headed, in grateful lousy excuse of a dwarf!" ranted Dwalin. "Dwalin, what is going on? Where is Uncle?" Fili asked again. "Why don't yer go in there and find out yerself!" bellowed Dwalin, as he walked away. And so Fili went inside the pub to find his Uncle. To his shock, horror and dismay, he saw Thorin, now in a very drunken state, in the arms of another dwarf woman,and they are kissing. This had made Fili very, very angry, as he stormed over to his Uncle. "Uncle, this is not right! STOP IT!!" shouted Fili. "Fili, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at home, helping your mother?" barked Thorin. "Actually mother had sent me here to get you. It's Annetta, she's sick, very sick!" said Fili. "Does it look like I give a damn? Now go home! I'm busy!" snarled Thorin, his speech slurred from alcohol consumption. 

Suddenly, Fili drew back his fist, and he struck his Uncle in the nose. "OW! SON OF A--DAMN IT FILI!" bellowed Thorin. "You're coming home, Uncle, and I will inform mother of your despictable behavior here!" hissed Fili. Thorin snarled, as he stood up and followed his nephew out of the pub, wobbling along the way.

******************************************************************************

By the time they returned home, they discovered that Annetta's condition has worsened, according to Oin, Master Healer. "Mother, we need to talk in private! First, I will tell you Uncle is home, I just served him some coffee to sober him up." said Fili. Dis nodded, as they left Annetta's bedroom. "What is going on, Fili?" asked Dis, as they stepped out into the hallway. Fili told his mother everything he saw at the pub between Thorin and the unknown dwarf woman. "HE DID WHAT?!" screamed Dis in anger. "I saw everything, which explained why Dwalin left in a bad mood." said Fili. "He is going to answer for this--especially during a bad time, Annetta is dying!" fumed Dis, and she stormed away from Fili, as she went into the dining room where Thorin is sitting. Suddenly Dis picked up a pot and thrown it at Thorin. "OW! First I get slugged by my own nephew, and now you, Dis?!! What have I done to deserve this treatment?!!" barked Thorin. "You tell me, brother. I'm not stupid you know. My son told me what he seen what you've done at the pub! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Annetta is on the brink of death right now, and you act like you don't even care--which is heart breaking--I thought you loved her!" said Dis, as tears ran down her face. Thorin remained silent.

"If she is to die now, she will no longer be here--and what will you do, Thorin? You'll spend the rest of your life lamenting for her, yearning for her! Are you going to let her get away this easily?" said Dis. Thorin closed his eyes, as he felt a lump in his throat--he really did love and care for Annetta, but he was in a stage in his life now, where he had been too busy with his duties, he had no time for Annetta, and he felt guilty and remorseful. I should have listened to everyone's advice--I feel like a fool,a bloody ass fool! thought Thorin. Tears ran down the dwarf's cheeks as he had faced the reality that Annetta is dying. "Dis!" spoke up Thorin, softly. "Yes, Thorin?" said Dis. "Please try Oin to do what it takes to get her better--I don't want to lose Annetta, not now." said Thorin. "Thorin, Oin is doing the best he can to help her." said Dis. 

Shortly,  Oin entered the dining room. "Any updates, Oin?" asked Dis. "I have good news and bad news--her fever has broken, however, I'm afraid this sickness had effected her heart." said Oin. "No!" gasped Thorin sadly, as he bowed his head. "Thorin, if you have any sense its time for you to spend more time with Annetta-she needs you right now." said Oin. Thorin nodded, as he stood up and he went to Annetta's bedroom, and he entered. "Thorin!" said Annetta softly and weakly, as she watched Thorin enter her room. "Annetta--there is so much for me to discuss with you, I honestly don't know where to begin---for starters, I owe you an apology, I knew you were there, when you heard my statement to the council, and now I've regret for stating those words--please forgive me, imur! I love you, I really love you--and I cannot lose you now." said Thorin, gently placing his hand on Annetta's cheek, which is now feeling normal and warm again compared to what it was hours before.

"You have my forgivness,love!" said Annetta quietly. Thorin smiled, as he climbed into the bed with her, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her close to his chest. "Annetta, I'm going to ask you this, now-Will you marry me and become my wife?" Thorin asked Annetta. "Yes, Thorin! I'll marry you!" beamed Annetta, as she laid her head on his broad chest, and kissing his chest. Thorin grinned. "I know something that can help you relax more, love!" whispered Thorin. "Oh?" said Annetta. "Just lay on me,and rest--you need it love!" whispered Thorin. Annetta nodded, as she curled up closer to his chest. To Annetta's surprise, Thorin started to sing in his native language, as he ran his fingers through Annetta's hair. It didn't take long for Annetta to fall into a peaceful slumber, to the soundsof Thorin's strong heart beat, and the beautiful deep gentle baritone of Thorin's voice.