A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Thirty Four]

"Alyndra??" A voice called shaking the woman. " Alyndra. Wake up!"

The skin changers eyes slowly opened. Blinking a few times to see a worried Fili looking down at her. Alyndra glanced to her side to see Kili, Bofur and Oin beside her as well. " Fili....Kili...Bofur...Oin. Your alive." She sighed as she slowly sat up with the help of Fili.

"Alyndra, what are you doing out here?" Kili pressed as the two brothers helped the woman up to her feet.

"I-I was looking for you 4. I couldn't just stay and do nothing, not knowing if you were alive." Alyndra cried at the thought.

"Hey, shhh, were okay Alyndra, but why would you come alone?" Kili wondered, surprised his uncle wasn't with her.

"Thorin....doesn't know I left. He's ordered everyone not to leave the mountain." The skin changer explained, and the dwarves looked at one another wondering what was going on with their leader. Oin looked the skin changer up and down taking in that she appeared to be somewhat thinner, not to mention paler then ever and the dark circles beginning to form under her eyes.

"Lass are you alright?" Oin asked in concern, giving her a knowing look that he had a pretty good idea what was wrong.

"I'm fine. I think I'm coming down with the flu." she lied, shivering slightly.

"Well then, we should get you out of this cold lass." Bofur stated, as he walked over and covered her up with his coat he had removed. She thanked him and the five of them began making their way to the mountain. They had at least a two day journey before they would reach Erebor.

Both Kili and Fili stayed close to the young woman. It baffled both of them. The entire journey their uncle had never let the young woman out of his sights for anything, and to hear that he had been paying so little attention to her current state didn't sit right with them. Darkness covered the sky and the five of them set up camp. Fili and Kili got a fire going, while Bofur prepared something hot to eat, with the little supplies they had managed to salvage when they escaped Laketown.

"Here you go lass." Bofur said, placing the hot bowl in her hands. Alyndra thanked him and eventually the five of them began eating. The skin changer remained near the fire. She wished more then anything right now was to be able to fly back to the mountain, not just to be out of this chill that was making its way through the lands but to be back in Thorin's arms where she felt safe.

The four dwarves were muttering about when to leave in the morning when they all saw the woman get up from the ground, dashing away from them. Fili and Kili were right behind her when she collapsed on her hands and knees. Kili held her hair away from her face as she continued to get sick.

"Alyndra..." Fili began.

"I'm fine....really. I'm sorry you boys had to witness that." The woman apologized as she wiped her mouth. Oin came over to assist.

"Lass, I don't think you are coming down with the flu." Oin stated and she looked up at him. She couldn't hide it from them anymore.

"Thorin doesn't know." Alyndra admitted, and the other three were left confused as to what the healer knew that they didn't.

"Uncle doesn't know what?" Kili questioned. Alyndra stood up to look at the two brothers.

"Well..you both are going to have a cousin." Alyndra declared, a smile forming on her face as she rubbed her hand in a circular movement on her stomach. Both Fili and Kili hugged the young woman as they congratulated her.

"You're going to tell him though right?" Fili pressed.

"Of course I'm going to tell him...I just need to find the right time to tell him." Alyndra mumbled as she thought. Thorin was changing and she had no idea if this news would make him happy or if it were to make him angry. She shook the terrible thought that had just entered her mind. She couldn't believe the dwarf to be capable of something like that. He would never hurt her or their child. He loved her, that much she knew and things would look better tomorrow when they reached the mountain.

The woman curled up between the two brothers in front of the fire and she eventually fell asleep. The sun hadn't quite rose in the sky, but the five of them had to get going if they wanted to reach the mountain before it got dark. Bofur and Oin woke the three of them and they began the long climb up the hill side. Kili and Fili walked with the skin changer, talking about all the fun they were going to have with their cousin when he got older; especially when they would be testing their pranks on their uncle. Alyndra couldn't help but smile, hearing this, she even shed a few tears and she couldn't wait to tell Thorin he was going to be a father.

The day dragged on and the sun was just beginning to set behind the mountains. They were just passing through the ruins of Dale. The woman felt a chill as they walked through the streets and she walked a little faster. Not much longer they were just outside the entrance of the mountain. It seemed exceedingly quiet, too quiet for any of their liking and all five of them dashed through the entrance. Bofur began yelling for anyone to answer him back, soon they heard Bilbo and he met them in the hall.

"Alyndra, your alright." Bilbo sighed in relief, as well as to see the others with her. The hobbit then insisting they all needed to leave.

"Bilbo. Calm down. Where is Thorin?" Alyndra questioned.

"Thorin...Thorin he's been down their for days. He wont come out. He wont sleep he barely eats. He's not himself. I think it's this place. I think a sickness lies on it." Bilbo explained, without taking a breath.

"Sickness? What kind of sickness?" Kili asked. Alyndra was staring down the hall and she took off running, she had to see it for herself.

"Alyndra. Alyndra!" Bilbo called out after her as he and the others ran to catch up. The skin changer stopped on a platform that looked over the treasure room and caught sight of Thorin coming out onto the mounds of gold saying the most horrendous things, and the woman couldn't believe what she was hearing. The dwarf finally looked up to see he had an audience, but it was the way that he was looking at them, which surprised them. He was looking at them like he didn't know them, like they were intruders coming to steal his gold. He soon tossed Fili a shinny ruby, welcoming them to Erebor when he realized his nephews were alive. Not wanting to watch any longer Alyndra and the others followed Bilbo to the feasting room, where the others were at. The company cheered when they saw their other companions alive and well. Balin approached the woman.

"Lass, thank Durin your alright." Balin said as he hugged the young woman. Unfortunately their reunion was cut short when Thorin came into the area.

"Enough. We have time enough later, we have a lot of work to do. All of you to the treasure room now!" Thorin ordered. The dwarves didn't dare to argue with their leader and began making their way to the horde. " Not you!" The dwarf shouted, looking at the woman. Balin and Dwalin bot stopped under the archway of the hall and watched as the king approached the skin changer. " I said that no one was to leave this mountain! And that means you as well!" Thorin growled as he grabbed her by the arms and backed her up against the wall so she couldn't leave. The woman gasped at how tight Thorin had griped her arms and she looked at him.

"Thorin please stop your hurting me," Alyndra begged, but his grip only tightened and she flinched in his hold.

"No I will not be disobeyed. You don't leave this mountain unless I say so. Do you understand me!?" Thorin continued to shout.

"Thorin let her go!" Balin yelled as he and Dwalin both approached them. " Can you not see you're hurting her. Let her arms go now!" The dwarf demanded again.

" No she needs to learn her place here!" The two brothers came closer when Alyndra shook her head at them.

"No. Thorin I'm sorry. I promise I won't leave again." Alyndra said in a serious tone, looking right into Thorin's eyes. The dwarf slowly let her arms go and she looked down at them to see the bruises already forming and she dropped her arms to her side. Thorin looked at the others and walked passed them.

"To the treasure room now!" Thorin barked as he walked down the hall. Alyndra slunk back against the wall and slid to the ground, staring down the hall that Thorin had disappeared down. Her fears had been realized. The dwarf she had fallen in love with was slowly disappearing and turning into something she was terrified of. How was she supposed to tell him, when he was turning into this? The skin changer fought the tears that were beginning to stream down her face. Not sure what she was supposed to do now.