This is Me → Post BOTFA fanfic

Chapter 19

*ARETHS POV*

"Orcs..." I spat out, gasping for breath due to the increased speed I sprinted back to the mountain with. "They are coming. Coming to attack the mountain" I coughed, taking deep breaths and holding my cramping sides. Thorin looked at me with a distrusting look, turning back to the dark green coat he was trying on. "Where did you see these orcs Areth?" He questioned, fiddling with the wrists of the coat before peeling it off and handing it back to a dwarf sitting with an array of dress coats. "At the edge of the woods. I could not understand their speech, but by the drawings they were scratching into the dirt and the gestures made towards the mountain I am almost entirely sure they are going to attack the mountain and we need to take action". "Almost" Thorin remarked. "Almost entirely sure", he said as he picked out a deep, sapphire blue coat from the rack the other man had with him. "We cannot jump into action over things we are unsure about" Thorin said, not even looking at me as he tested the fit of the dark azure, velvet garment. "We must do something!" I pleaded, Thorin ignoring me, nodding towards the jacket he just removed from himself. "This is the one" he proclaimed as he handed it back to the man, who nodded, carrying it in his arms as he wheeled the rack of rejected clothing away. "Well what would you like me to do?" Thorin asked aggravated, pacing in front of his throne, "Devise a plan of action for a false threat?!". "No, but..." I stammered, looking down before he cut me off. "We have a wedding to prepare for! It is the eve of my big day and I am not going to have it ruined because a girl and her fantasies of orcs". He said as he sit down on his throne. "My eyes may not look normal, but they work. And they work damn well better than yours. I know what I saw Thorin," I yelled as I let my eyes meet his, allowing him to see the flames that danced in them, "and if you don't do anything, something will happen".

A look of extreme anger crosses Thorin's face, and he stands up, trying to belittle me with his regal stance and his height above me. It will not work. "I am your King!" He roars in anger. "You will address me that way, not as if I am some lowly half-blood child like you! It is the eve of my wedding and you are mistaken if you think I will let it be ruined by a burden-of-a-child like you!". His voice echoes through the throne room, bouncing off of the cold, stone walls and directly into my heart. 'More hurt and more disapproval' I think to myself, 'just as I thought it was going to get better between me, him and the people of this kingdom'. The hurt shows in my eyes and body, but I do not let the tears fall. I have been through a lot of hate and pain, but I have shed far to many tears over people that I have come to realize are not worth them.

I straighten out, balling my hands into fists but keeping them at my sides. "You are my king, Uncle Thorin" I say, the hurt laced through my shaky, but firm voice. "But just as a subject of the king shall treat the king with respect, a king should do the same to his subjects. And you may think I'm a worthless burden, but without me, the wedding tomorrow would not be happening, with a funeral in its place". Thorin's eyes were etched with hurt and guilt for what he had earlier said to me, but it mattered not, as I marched away from where he stood. "Areth" he called out to me, but I kept on walking.

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'Blue. Why must everything involving Thorin also involve blue' I though as I pulled the thick, velvet dress of Thorin's favorite color over my head. The thick fabric felt claustrophobic and heavy, unlike the light, flowing elvish style clothing I have learned to love. The dress adorned short sleeves and a scooped neckline, being form fitting until it fell into a loose skirt that reached mid calves. A thick silk ribbon of the same blue color was tied around the waist, tying in a bow in the back. The tails of the bow were adorned with gold threading in a dwarvish design, as was the neckline of the dress. I reluctantly slipped into the black flats that I was instructed to wear on my feet, preferring to wear boots only or go without. I looked at myself in the mirror in disgust as my mother peeked around the corner.