Hummingbird Heartbeat

Epilogue

Epilogue

Three months. Three months and there was nothing. None of the Company had the heart to sing really. Life span on and Erebor needed a king so Thorin kept his madness to the midnight hours when he was alone and unseen. Kili knew. He felt the same way. Tauriel helped the young prince a bit, but for Thorin he had no one. He was sitting in the throne room one day, staring at the seat Maranda had so often occupied when a soft cough made him turn. It was Ori.

"Ori, lad. How can I help you?" Thorin asked kindly. If he didn't make a point of being nice, he would bark at people.

"Thorin, I was cleaning my room yesterday when I found my sketchbook. My old one," he said shifting the leather bound folio. "I was going through it, trying to decide whether or not to keep it when I found...something I think might help...you." Ori offered the book. Thorin took it gingerly. This book was the one Ori brought with him on the Quest. He opened it and smiled faintly at the sketches of the Company members in different poses and grinning. It was some of Ori's early works, not very good, but still nice.

"This is amazing Ori, thank you," Thorin said.

"Not the whole thing, per se," Ori interrupted and pointed at the little red ribbon. Thorin pulled it up slowly, opening to a page about two thirds of the way through the book. Maranda. They were all sketches of Maranda. Her wings, her in that ridiculous blue dress she hated, her singing with Kili, her sticking her tongue out at someone across the camp. Oh. There at the corner was him. He remembered that night. They had just arrived at the ridge of the first of the Misty Mountains, and Ori wanted to draw her.

She had forced Thorin to sit next to her and had grinned like an idiot while he brooded like a storm cloud. Everyone had fought laughter as he tried not to stare at her. He failed apparently. In the picture her smile looked perfect, curls brushing her forehead. His face was forward but his eyes were aimed at her, watching her. And her head...was it? It was. It was tilted ever so slightly towards him like she was trying to draw attention to him. And she looked so happy.

"If that helps until we do find her," Ori said hesitantly. Thorin closed the book gently and smiled at Ori.

"Thank you, Ori. This helps a lot." He ruffled the lad's hair and Ori went off with a smile. Thorin closed his eyes and let the tears come. Because he could still hear the music playing in his heart.

 

Even when season's change

Our love still stays the same

Because you give me that

Hummingbird heartbeat...

Maranda...