Lover, Fighter

Lake-Town

Thorin kept you close to him that night, caressing your scars leaving light kisses on to them making you feel the luckiest woman in all Middle-Earth.

"What happened? I was sure...everyone was sure you were dead. I stayed by your side the last night before we left Beorn's house and you looked very much dead," Thorin finally asks quietly while you two were lying on the bed, your arms wrapped around his body resting your head on his chest and listening to his steady and strong heartbeat.

You sighed, lifting your head so your chin was resting now on his chest and you could look him in the eyes while answering that question.

"Because of the shock and blood loss, I went to near-death state, my heartbeat was so low you couldn't possibly hear it... or at least that's what Beorn told me once I was conscious again."

Thorin was quiet after hearing that explanation absent-mindedly caressing your back, how many times he would have to watch something like that. He really wished that once this was over, you and he could settle down in Erebor once and for all.

"Try to get some sleep. We are heading out tomorrow morning," Thorin whispered giving you a small kiss on the forehead.

You merely hummed and snuggled to his side closing your eyes. You were so tired it didn't take long you to fall to asleep but Thorin was awake almost all night. He didn't want to sleep, he wanted to savor this moment as long as possible now that he had you back on his side.

But the next day was a nightmare, Bard didn't want the dwarves to leave from his house and they didn't have any weapons and what the bowman had offered was something nobody in the company wanted, so what did they do? The one thing you tried to stop them from doing but Thorin was adamant about it so you didn't have any choice but to agree to it.

You let them go to do what they thought was justified but of course, because of Kili's worsening state, they all got caught while breaking and entering Laketown's weaponry.

Now they were led to the master of Laketown to be judged like common thieves. You watched from the crowd as Thorin stood proudly and quite in a kingly manner in front of the Master while Alfrid Lickspittle was trying to act like he was someone great importance.

"This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire," Alfrid said making you shiver.

Oh, how you would love to get your jaws around that little prick's throat. While Dwalin told the entire town who was standing in front of them you saw amazement, disbelief, and greed among the people's reactions to who Thorin really was.

Greed, especially in the Master's and Alfrid's eyes and you had to bite your tongue to resist the urge to jump out of your skin and release your wolf form in front of everyone.

Suddenly you saw Bard coming making his way through the crowd and started to talk hoping that the people would listen to reason.

"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!"

That silenced everyone and they looked sadly at the ground shaking their heads.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!"

Some of them yelled no to that question, others covered their mouths trying to keep themselves together from the memories that came back to haunt them.

"And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so driven by greed he could not see beyond his own desire!"

As Bard and Thorin kept staring at each other angrily Master turned the blame suddenly toward Bard and Thorin and quite frankly you couldn't believe what you were hearing. And as the people started also blame Bard that his ancestor Girion, Lord of Dale failed to kill the dragon, Bard locked eyes with Thorin and said earnestly.