A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

114. Dain of The Ironhills

I watched as Thorin stood there, waiting as Lord Dain of the Ironhills crossed the bridge on his pig before coming to a stop and hopping off of the large pig to approach Thorin, his army coming to a halt at Erebor's doors. I once more wondered if I should tell Thorin I have good hearing, because I could easily pick up their conversation from here.

"Dain, good to see you. Thank you for coming to defend our home." Thorin said as I winced, watching the two do that horribly painful look bonking of skulls that makes me want to rub my new scar, remembering my migraines from my head wound. I wondered if they were related, didn't Balin tell me that is a sort of greeting between family members? It would make sense if they are related, but they look nothing alike to be truthful. If I was told they were related by someone else I would question how they are relatives.

"Thorin! Good to see you have reclaimed the mountain! Your message said the beast is dead, but had an army of elves knocking at your door! I see 'em, over there, in the old city, so why ain't they trying' to attack you?" Lord Dain said in a heavy accent that even more reminded me of how I used to view dwarves. I know the accent comes from their language of Khuzdul but I wondered how Thorin could keep his so subtle when speaking Common Tongue. But, the Thorin speaks Khuzdul he has a rather nice accent.

I am not ever admitting it to his face that I rather like when he speaks Khuzdul, but it is still nice to listen to when he does speak it.

"Much has changed in the last day, Dain. We came to a temporary truce with the elves and the men, because a far greater threat marches towards us. Azog and an army of orcs from Dol Guldur march for the mountain as we speak. Azog intends to claim it as his own and give his master a path to reclaiming the Kingdom of Angmar." Thorin said as Dain took off his helmet, staring at Thorin in shock. I don't quite know what Dain said in Khuzdul but the infliction of his tone made me smirk as I realized he cursed, rather colorfully as well.

I could see Thorin slight smirk of amusement from this distance before Dain spoke.

"Cousin, how did you get a truce with the tree loving elves of all people?" Dain asked as Thorin smiled. Oh, so Dain is Thorin's cousin? Now that makes more sense to my mind. I could see them being cousins, after all I have seen that people with cousins can look completely different from their cousin.

"On my own I would not have been able to convince the irritating king of Mirkwood to listen to a word I say, and neither would I have tried with how much I hate the elf, but I had help realizing what is the right choice." Thorin said in amusement as he turned to me, my eyes widening.

"Help? Thorin, what help did ya-" Dain followed Thorin's eyes and looked at me, confusion appearing strongly in his eyes. I kept my expression cool and clear, I don't know this dwarf and, though he is a part of Thorin's family, I do not trust showing more than my hardened and cool look. While I let the dwarves of the Company, Gandalf, and even Bilbo see a bit of my emotions, I will not do so with a dwarf I have just met. I looked at Thorin as he smiled, gesturing for me to come over.

I walked forward, Dain studying me in pure confusion, yet I recognized the look in his eyes, it's one I saw the first time Bard met me, it's a look I see in the eyes of every man who see a woman walking around fighting orcs. It's the same look I get from those inside pubs that I knock out a drag into a pigsty for the night. Dain is questioning why I am a woman with weapons. I knew I shouldn't, I knew that we need Dain and his army, but I clenched my jaw, tilted my chin up and glared at Dain with fire at his questioning look as I came to a stop beside Thorin.

Dain studied me, probably trying to place how a woman came to help Thorin in negotiating a truce with elves. I could tell he was also surprised and confused at the amount of weaponry on me. I could tell he had a practiced eyes for recognizing the many hidden places for knives as I glared him down, daring him with my eyes to voice the thoughts I can clearly see in his questioning look.