Someone to Watch Over Me

Chapter Twenty-Six

Seren lifted her head from where it lay against Thorin's chest to meet his gaze. "What is on your mind?"

"At the moment?" He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm too busy trying to make certain I don't stomp on your feet."

"How difficult is this for you? It's basically swaying."

"Ah, but there is no music and this is not how we dwarves dance."

"Do you complain?"

"I'm holding a beautiful woman in my arms, and her breasts are pressed very nicely against me. Do I look mad?"

"Good answer, dwarf."

"I must confess, however, I find it odd to dance with no music playing."

"It is odd." She smiled up at him. "I saw you dancing the last time we were here. It caught me by surprise to see you not quite your usually rather grumpy self."

He held her away, one brow arched. "My usually grumpy self? Am I so grumpy to you?"

"You were, for a long time. I saved your neck and you tossed me out into the rain for my efforts."

"In my defense, I thought you were a lad and a pest at that."

"I saved your life."

"I'm making you a queen," he bent to brush her lips with his, "and I think that more than makes up for those few hours you huddled in the rain."

She cocked her head slightly to the left. "I'm giving you a child." She shrugged. "I win."

He let out a low laugh, tightening his arms about her. "You do win, love. Although, to be fair, I played a part in the conception of this child, so I think that makes us even."

"Your part involved amazing pleasure and little else. I'll be the one going through childbirth, remember."

"I'll be there with you, if you wish me to be."

That came as a surprise and she stopped moving to stare up at him. "You will? I thought most men would rather be anywhere but in the room of a laboring woman."

A hint of discomfort crossed his face. "Well, yes, I would as well, to be honest, but if you wish me there, I will be."

She wasn't certain how she felt about that. On one hand, she of course wanted him there, wanted him to be there the moment their child drew its first breath and let out its first cry.

But on the other, she didn't want anyone witnessing her in such a sorry state, least of all, Thorin. She didn't want it to color his perception of her, to change the way he felt about her, and she was terrified that was exactly what would happen.

"We can worry about it when the time comes," she said after a moment. "We have time still."

"If you'd rather not have me there," he told her, drawing her close once more, "I will understand."

"As I said, we can worry about it when the time comes."

His eyes glittered in the pale moonlight and his arms tightened about her. It had been such a wonderful evening so far, with a delicious dinner, fruity wine, and now this dancing-without-music, and she didn't wish to ruin it with her own fears.

She let her head come to rest against his chest once more. There was no where else in Middle Earth she would rather be than right there, with him. They fit together so perfectly, and she could not imagine herself with any other man.

"What is on your mind?" His whisper broke the comfortable silence.

She looked up at him once more. "I am happy. For the first time in a long time, I am truly happy."