A Treasure Beyond Compare (ThorinxOCxOC)

Chapter 24

"Thorin...I don't understand." I finally found my voice. "I'm not your queen."

The Dwarf King gestured dismissively. "Who else is suited to sit beside me, if not you?"

Where was this coming from? Not too long ago, he abandoned me in Thranduil's halls. Now he wanted to marry me? We'd been dancing around the issue of our attraction for months and now he brought it out in the open. What was I supposed to do?

I couldn't let this slide without addressing it. "We never discussed this. How did you decide that I would be your-"

Balin caught me by the elbow and gave me a pleading look, silently urging me to play along. If the good-natured dwarf was warning me then things were more serious than I assumed.

Swallowing the rest of my protest, I forced a smile on my lips. "Thorin, I'm glad you survived the dragon unscathed. It's good to see you. I hope things are going good here."

Still wearing that strange vague smile Thorin grasped my hand in his and kissed my fingertips. "I am well pleased to see you, athane."

Electricity zoomed up my arms and sparked in my head. My lips parted in surprise. He had never been particularly affectionate before. "A-athane?"

Not long into our journey, Kili and I had abandoned my language lessons. I knew only a few stock phrases of Khuzdul and 'athane' was not one of them.

Still holding my hand, Thorin led me around a heap of treasure. "Come, you must be tired. The king's chambers have been cleaned. You may take your rest there."

I looked over my shoulder at the others. Balin motioned for me to go with Thorin. I felt like I was being used as a distraction.

The Halls of Erebor were cavernous. My footsteps echoed off the walls, rolling into the distance like the beats of a drum. The further we traveled from the king's hall, the less treasure there was to trip over.

After what seemed like an eternity but was only ten minutes of walking, Thorin and I arrived at a pair of towering doors decorated with sheets of hammered copper. Torchlight flickered wildly in the corridor, distorting my reflection on the metal.

I averted my eyes as Thorin wrenched one of the doors open and gestured for me to enter. A lump formed in my throat as I stepped inside, alone with the mad king.

He walked past the massive four-poster bed in the center of the room and swept aside a tapestry to reveal a hidden door. "There is a small cavern with a hot spring. You may bathe in privacy, athane."

"Well, I do like to be clean." I murmured, absorbing the rest of my surroundings.

A roaring fire blazed in the fireplace. A pair of wide velvet chairs were positioned across from each other in front of the fire. Rugs covered the floor to protect feet from the stone floor. There was a large wardrobe off to the left and to the right a desk piled with dusty tomes and glittering jewels.

I slid the strap of my pack off my shoulder and sat it in one of the chairs. When I turned around Thorin was staring at me with an intensity that caused the hair on my nape to stand on end. "Um, is there anything else?"

"No." He said softly.

"Okay...so I guess see you later?"

Thorin crossed the distance between us in three strides. "I'll have Bilbo bring you some dinner and a change of clothes." He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. "Bathing things are on the vanity table. There is a robe in the wardrobe. Do not hesitate to call if there is anything else you need, athane."

I swallowed hard. "Uh, thank you."

With one last lingering look, Thorin departed leaving me alone.

No, things were not good with Thorin Oakenshield. Only, I had no clue how to fix it.