Unexpected Love

Chapter 26

Dwalin comes back to join them, his eyes blank with tears.
"It's hopeless," he says, shaking his head.
Fehlina stands up and starts walking towards the direction Dwalin just came from.
"He'll kill you!" Dwalin shouts after her. "He almost killed me!"
Fehlina ignores him. She has to do something. She needs to be doing something.
She wanders the halls looking for Thorin. Suddenly she finds a floor of pure gold.
She looks curiously at it, never seen so much gold in her life. Then she notices a person going around in circles in the middle of the room. She's found Thorin.
She wants to run to him, but she can tell he's way too conflicted to talk to. It looks like he's beside himself with struggle, trying to snap out of this thing Balin called Dragon Sickness. Fehlina watches Thorin's strife. Her eyes get tear-stained. It's very hard for her to see him in so much pain.
Suddenly Thorin throws his crown onto the golden floor and stands up straight.
Can it be? Has Thorin Oakenshield recovered from his golden fever?

Fehlina starts walking towards him, treading carefully.
Thorin notices her. He stares at her.
"I know you," he says.
"Yes, you do," Fehlina replies and gives him a small smile.
They walk towards each other. Fehlina sits down on her knees in front of him.
He looks at her face.
"Fehlina," he says, his tone low and tasting her name.
"Yes," she says. "It's me".
He takes Fehlina's face in his hands and kisses her. He presses his lips to hers for a long time, like the taste and feel of her will help him recall and retrace his way back from the travel and turmoil he's been through.

"I thought I'd lost you," Fehlina cries, embracing Thorin.
"I thought I lost myself too," he looks down, ashamed.
"I don't have much time, but I have to make things right." He kisses her again, to gather strength for what is to come.
Fehlina gets up, and Thorin takes her hand, and together they walk back to join the rest of his company.