Warrior's Heart

Chapter Seventeen

Over the next several weeks, Thorin grumbled about being in Rivendell, but as he improved with each day, the grumbling came less often. Tiriana thrived around her elven cousins and her dwarven kin, and Arielle had to laugh when Tiriana told Thorin about how she, Fili, and Kili made a waterslide out of several of the fountains along the western border of Rivendell.

On their sixteenth day in Rivendell, Arielle came into the Healing room to find it empty. But, laughter floated from outside, so she followed it, down a winding garden path, to where it opened onto a lush, sundrenched meadow. In the distance, built into the side of the mountain, were a series of water fountains that emptied into one enormous, gold and white marble fountain.

She stopped in her tracks as she realized that not only were Kili and Fili already splashing in the fountain, but Tiriana splashed with them, and as she watched, Bofur came rocketing out of one of the other pipes feeding into the largest fountain, sending water in all directions.

Off to the side, in the comfortable shade afforded by the equally lush canopy of trees, stood several white marble benches. Thorin and Bilbo sat on the one nearest the fountains. She couldn't hear them, of course, but they looked to be in deep conversation.

She paused, remembering how upset Bilbo had been when Thorin turned on him. He took it so hard, as if losing more than a friend. She imagined it was how she would react, should Thorin abruptly tell her tomorrow he wanted to divorce her. In fact, it was probably how she felt the night he'd banished her from Erebor. She remained convinced that Bilbo's feelings for Thorin ran far deeper than friendship, despite the way Thorin shrugged it off. It was good that it neither troubled him nor made him want to cut ties completely with Mr. Baggins, but she couldn't help but worry whether he inadvertently encouraged those same feelings as well.

"Papa!" Lifted out of the fountain by Fili, Tiriana scampered across the grass to launch herself at Thorin, who caught her easily.

"She's getting water everywhere!"

"Take care, Master Baggins," Thorin replied as he wrapped Tiriana in a towel. "It's only a tiny bit and you won't melt. There, sweetling. Cozy enough for you?"

She nodded as the breeze picked up, snuggling closer to him. "Perfect."

Arielle resumed her stride, emerging from the chilled garden path into the warm sunlight, then back into cool shade as she approached the bench. "Am I interrupting?"

Tiriana beamed up at her. "Mama!" She nudged Bilbo's thigh with her foot. "Mama sits by Papa."

"Easy, Tiri," Thorin replied, shifting her to his opposite thigh. "That isn't very kind."

Arielle bit back a smile. "I have no need to sit, anyway. I feel as if that's all I've done this morning as it is." She leaned over to brush the top of Tiriana's head with a kiss. "Mind your manners, little one."

Then, she bent to brush Thorin's cheek with her lips. "They haven't convinced you to jump in yet?"

"Not quite. Although," he smiled up at her, "it isn't for lack of trying."

"So, why don't you go?" She nudged him gently with her shoulder. "Elrond's given up being upset by it. He just refuses to walk down here. And I can sit with Tiri."

"Papa, come in!" Tiriana leaped from his lap, letting the towel hit the grass as she ran back toward the fountains. "It's fun!"

"Or, you can go and splash with her in the fountain." She chuckled, sinking onto the bench's arm.

He sighed, rubbing his beard with one hand. Then, he looked up at her. "Come with me. Let's just play, love."

"Oh, I don't know..."