In Time

Chapter Thirty-Four

Thorin cleared his throat as he gently pulled out of Amara's arms. His eyes were red, but dry now as they met hers. "We should go back," he said, his voice low and husky with spent emotion. "I don't want you to catch a chill."

"I'm fine." She curved her hand against his left cheek. "Are you all right?"

He pressed his lips together briefly and nodded. "I am, yes."

"Are you certain?"

He sighed and grunted as he got to his feet and then held out a hand to her. "I am positive."

She took his hand to let him pull her to her feet. The knees of her leggings were wet from the ice, and the cold nipped at her, but she ignored it as his thumb brushed along the side of her hand. "Good."

He tugged to draw her into his arms and as she came flush against him, he wrapped them about her and pressed a kiss into her temple, whispering, "Thank you."

She pulled away. "Thanking me? For what?"

"For pushing me the way you have since we met," he murmured. "For not giving up on me when I showed my idiocy. For everything in between as well."

"At first, I just wanted you out of my Healing Room," she told him with a smile. "Then I began to dread that day. And now—"

"Now, there is no going back. You are mine now, Amara Erelene."

"I rather don't mind that, you know." She brushed his lips with hers. The wind picked up then and she shivered. "But, maybe we should go back."

He smiled and reached for her hand. They didn't speak as they trekked back down from Ravenhill, nor did they need to. As she gazed over at him, he seemed more at peace than she'd seen him in the entire time she'd known him. It might have only been her imagination, or wishful thinking, but she hoped he'd been able to throw off the yoke of self-doubt that he always seemed bound in, that he'd been able to forgive himself at least a little, and accept that his people loved him, they respected him, and not only had it not changed, it most likely never would.

The King Under the Mountain.

Her king.

Her love.

Her Thorin.

Thorin couldn't sleep. He lay on his back, staring up into the darkness, while the quiet of Erebor settled all around him. When he'd left to join the battle, when he'd made the decision to confront Azog for once and for all, everything around him was in ruin. But now?

Now he felt at peace. More than he had since he was a young man and the dragon had not yet come to Erebor. He still had much work ahead of him, both there and beyond Erebor's walls, but for the first time since that terrible day, he had hope. He knew it could be done and it would be done and when it was all said and done, he would be crowned the King Under the Mountain. When that was done, he would then crown Amara his queen.

Amara.

He carefully rolled onto his side, smiling through the darkness at her form. She slept peacefully, as she always seemed to. He owed her so much and yet had no way to ever possibly thank her for everything, no way to show her how much she'd come to mean to him. At first, he wanted only to be able to walk out of her Healing Room under his own power, but now? Now, he couldn't even imagine her not being within arm's reach of him, couldn't imagine being anywhere without her by his side. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, to have children with her and raise them, to sit and watch as those children gave them grandchildren. Things he never thought he'd have were so close to his grasp now.

It was chilly so far beneath the Lonely Mountain, and the low fire crackling on the hearth put out only slightly more heat than light, and they lay stretched out on the floor, as he'd done for so many nights before returning to Erebor all those months ago—floors, earth, sleeping in a bed had become a luxury to him. And while the skins beneath them were soft, and provided some warmth, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to sleeping in a real bed once more. Balin had been working up the contracts for Bard and come the morning, he and Thorin would make their way to Dale and while he was there, he'd see about furnishings for their chambers, and for anyone else who needed them as well.