The King and The Baker

Chapter 29

"Yes?" Thorin replied, looking down at her. Ora averted her gaze, but she could feel Thorin's crystal eyes staring into her.

"How would you react if I had laid with other men?"

She knew the answer to that question, and by the silence that followed Thorin knew she knew as well.

"You know the answer to that question, Ora." Was his reply.

"I knew you'd say that." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. She nearly jumped when Thorin's rough hand took hold of her upper arm, manoeuvring her to a halt in front of him.

She stared up at those blue eyes, which despite being the colour of ice looked upon her so warmly.

"There is nothing I can do, Ora, about what I did. I just hope you find it in your heart to forgive me." Both of Thorin's hands held Ora on either side now, almost as if he was afraid she'd turn and run away.

But, instead of doing what she wanted to do, she stood her ground and gazed right back up at him. "It's not about forgiveness, my King." She replied, then chewed her lip for a few moments. But she stopped when Thorin's eyes dropped to her mouth. She sighed, "I have kept my purity, Thorin, and the fact that you haven't goes against everything I have ever been taught about my morals. You were our Prince, and now you are our King, if you cannot lead an example, who can?"

For a brief moment, anger flashed in Thorin's eyes, but Ora knew it was not directed at her. More frustration, maybe.

"It was a long, long time ago." He told her, letting one hand trail up her arm to gently caress her cheek, "I have tried to restore my morals through hardships. I fought to regain faith in our culture. I nearly died trying to rebuild my honour."

Ora mulled over his words. Indeed, if anyone had salvaged their reputation it had been him. Had all he'd done for his people and Kingdom made up for his troubles as a young adult?

On the grand scale of things, his minor relapses in cultural morals made no significance in their Kingdom at all. But his quest had; he had defeated Smaug, and now he was currently battling the Gold-Sickness. He'd done so much for Ora and their people, could she over look this minor detail? Did the good he'd done out way the bad?

He'd done far more for their people than any Dwarf had ever done. He'd acted so honourably for them. For their freedom. For their homeland. And for their lives.

So, yes.

Ora was reluctant on this decision, and her intoxicated head was beginning to hurt from all the thinking, but the more she thought about it, the more her mind seemed to be made up. At the end of the day, it only seemed fair. She couldn't punish him for his lack of morals, when he had more morals in his little finger than most of the Kingdom put together. He may have laid with a few women as a result of emotional damage, but he'd also picked up the pieces of the entire Mountain. He'd done too much for their entire people for Ora to shun him.

"Well..." She began, rubbing the back of her neck and avoiding Thorin's gaze, "I suppose nobody's perfect." She offered Thorin a sheepish smile, one the King Under The Mountain gladly accepted.

He took hold of both of Ora's hands and held them in his own, raising them to hold them against his heart, "Thank you." He told her sincerely in that deep, rumble of a voice that he had, and Ora couldn't help but let her smile span out a little.

"You've done too much for our Kingdom for me to hold this against you, Thorin. You have certainly redeemed yourself." Her smile was still small, as she was totally aware she had her own personal demons to overcome on the matter, but she meant it.