Heart of Embers (Thorin Oakenshield Love Story)

Chapter 17

Two days later, Arien leaned against the wall at the back of the dining hall, watching her farewell party unfold.

Dis had organised it, though Arien had protested. But the Princess had insisted.

She pushed off the wall and approached Dis where she too stood alone.

"Thank you," Arien said quietly. She'd already thanked Freris, who had by some miracle managed to convince Thror to let her go.

"I don't know why you're thanking me," Dis said. She waved her arm, indicating the party. "You deserved it."

Arien smiled. "I'm not just thanking you for this," she said. "I'm thanking you for everything you have done to make me feel so welcome."

Dis shrugged. "It was nothing."

"You underestimate yourself," Arien told her. "Dis, I..."

She'd already said goodbye to Thrain, Freris and Farin, and Dis... Dis was the only one left.

Arien took a deep breath.

***

Thorin had been watching Arien as she spoke to his father, his mother and Farin, and now his sister.

He guessed she was saying goodbye.

Goodbye.

She was leaving.

After everything, she was leaving.

It shouldn't have bothered him this much, but... It did.

When he'd thought the orcs were going to kill her three nights ago, it had...

He'd never felt such fear.

And now she was leaving.

He was dreading saying goodbye to her.

She patted Dis, who was crying slightly, on the shoulder, smiled at her, and then said clearly, so that everyone would hear her

"I think I'm going to go to bed now. I'll see you in the morning."

What?

Thorin started forward even as she walked out.

She hadn't said goodbye.

Why? Why would she do that?

Thorin swallowed.

And anger began to build up inside him.

***

Arien shut the door behind her and literally sank to her knees in her room.

She hadn't been able to do it. She hadn't been able to say goodbye to Thorin.

It had been too hard.

She put her head in her hands, trying to stem the flow of tears.

And nearly jumped out of her skin as someone burst through the door without knocking.

She sprang to her feet and spun round to see Thorin in the doorway, anger and hurt written all over him.

"Why?" he demanded, teeth bared slightly. "Why?"

"What?"

"Why didn't you say goodbye to me?" he snapped. "Is it because I don't mean as much to you? Do you not care?"

"Thorin..."

"Don't start pleading with me. I'm fed up. Of all of this. I hope you find your homeland."

And then he was marching out, and Arien knew that if she let him go...

She would regret it until her last breath.

"Thorin, wait! Please."

But he didn't stop.

"Thorin! Turn around and face me," she spat.

He froze, and slowly walked toward her.

"What?"

"You think that I didn't say goodbye to you because I don't care? Because if you do then you are wrong. You are so wrong. I didn't say goodbye to you because it was too hard, Thorin. Because you mean more to me than everyone else, and I don't want to even think about how much I am going to miss you."

Thorin stared at her.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry, I..."

And he crossed the room and hugged her.

"I'm going to miss you too."

She put her arms around him as far as she could manage and buried her head in his chest. When he stepped back from her, she said

"Goodbye, Thorin."

"Goodbye, Arien." His voice was choked.

Arien thought that if someone was to tell her, that day when he had first found her, that tears would be starting to line her eyes when she said goodbye to him, she would have laughed at them.

And it was with that thought that she realised she couldn't do it.

She couldn't leave him.

And so as he reached the door, as he stepped out of it, Arien said

"Wait, Thorin."

He turned back to her.

"Come with me," she whispered.