The Warrior and The King: The Short Stories

5. The King's Birthday

The King of Erebor looked at the green velvet box suspiciously. "What is this?"

"It is your birthday, brother," Dis said, with an amused smile. "Did you think I had forgotten?"

Thorin smiled crookedly. "You always remember, even when I forget." He opened the box, inside was a beautifully carved ivory pipe with a long, curved stem. "Thank you, I have been needing a new one."

Dis chuckled. "That is an understatement." Thorin's old pipe had been cracked and repaired too many times, he was very fond of it but he had needed a new one for years. She looked up at her brother, it was hard to believe he was two hundred and fifty now, he looked younger than her son. Dis resolved again to ask that warrior woman for some of the medicines she had used to heal him. Whatever they were, they had not only healed Thorin's mortal wounds after the battle for the Lonely Mountain but also made him two hundred years younger. Dis would like a dose or two herself, she did not like it that her older brother looked so much younger than she did.

Later that night Thorin walked out along the battlements, smoking his new pipe. It was a fine spring evening, cool and clear, the smell of new growth on the breeze. He really had forgotten it was his birthday, but his family had remembered as usual. His sons had each given him a knife they had made, Durin's metalworking skills were really coming along. Shurri had presented him with a very fine ring, a sort of peace offering since they had been arguing lately. Looking out at the vale between the slopes of the mountain, Thorin leaned on the battlement, pondering the strange twists his life had taken. All those years ago, when he had been making his way in the Ered Luin, he never imagined he would realize his dream of reclaiming Erebor, and he had certainly never expected to live this long. Two hundred and fifty. It was strange to be so old and yet feel so young. He knew some of his subjects were already calling him Thorin the Deathless, he was starting to wonder if it were true.

It was past midnight when Thorin returned to his apartments. As he opened the door he caught the hint of a familiar scent, looking around the room he saw nothing amiss and decided he must be imagining things. It was always late at night when he missed Kaylea the most, this was not the first time he had smelled desert sand and rosewood only to be disappointed. It would be a perfect birthday if she were here, but he had no idea when she would return to Erebor. Thorin sighed and took off his boots, tossing his vest and belt over a chair. As soon as he stepped into his bedroom he had the sense someone else was there, before he could turn around he felt hands on his hips, Kaylea Wolf's voice in his ear.

"Happy birthday, my king"

Thorin quickly turned and took her in his arms, kissing her deeply, relishing the taste of her, the feel of her lean body against his. How could it be that he had wished for her and suddenly she was here? He wondered if he was dreaming, hoping he would not wake up.

"When did you get here?" Thorin asked after a moment, kissing her neck, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. She was wearing one of his robes, tied tight with a sash around her waist. His hands traced the contours of her body under the thin fabric.

"While you were at dinner," Kaylea replied, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. "I did not want to miss your birthday. I had a hard ride to make it in time." She smiled at him mischievously. "I have a present for you."

Thorin leaned his head forward to rest his forehead on hers. "You are the best birthday present I could ask for."

Kaylea laughed, running her fingers down one of his braids. "You have not seen it yet!"

Thorin kissed her again, she felt so good he did not want to stop. He ran his hand past her hip and felt something around her thigh, a thin strap that felt like metal under his fingers and not in a place where she usually wore knives. He pulled back to look at her curiously. "What are you wearing?"

She lifted his shirt off his shoulders, smiling. "That is for you to find out."

Thorin grinned at her, reaching for the tie of her robe. Opening it he saw she was wearing the multi-stranded necklace he had made for her, the white gems glittering against her bare skin. He ran his hand over the necklace to caress her bare breast, then down to the thin strap of gold filigree she was wearing around her leg. He could see it was set with a row of large gemstones he did not recognize. The color of rubies but with two shades, alternately brighter than darker red. The stones were only roughly cut, his brain immediately jumped to imagining what they would look like properly finished and set. As he felt around the strap for the clasp he looked up to see Kaylea smiling widely at him, her eyes dancing. She knew no matter how aroused he was by her naked body, he could not resist looking at those stones.

"You are a naughty girl," Thorin said teasingly, he brought his other hand up between her legs, watching her writhe with pleasure at his touch. As much as he wanted her, he could not resist taking another look at the metal belt in his hand. "What are these?"

"They are call bloodstones. They come from a far place, on the other side of my country," Kaylea paused, biting her lip. "Ah......, I could think of no better present for you than something you could work with your hands."

Thorin smiled at her, throwing the gems on the bed behind her. "Right now, there is something else I want to work with my hands," he said, sliding the robe off her shoulders.

Kaylea lay on the bed and pushed herself back. "Happy birthday, old man."

Thorin laughed. "Says the woman who made me young again." Joining her on the bed, he kissed his way down her neck. "Thank you for the best birthday I have enjoyed in many years."

"I love you, my king."

"I love you too," he teased. Pushing himself up on his hands and knees over her, he grasped her wrists and pinned her arms to the bed. "My naughty girl."

Kaylea looked up at him innocently. "Are you going to punish me?"

"Oh, definitely..."