The Fifteenth Member (Thorin Oakenshield/OFC)

Chapter 30

The rumbling got louder and louder and the ground began to quake beneath our feet. I gasped and clung to Thorin's arm in fear. I looked down at him but his eyes were glued to the landscape past Dale. I followed his gaze and nearly fainted from what I saw. Five humongous worm like creatures had come out from the ground. Their skin was a sickly grey color, they had no visible eyes, just a mouth that opened five ways, showing off giant teeth. One of them even closed it's mouth on a huge lump of rock and, with sheer force, crushed it into pebbles. I felt my knees becoming weaker by the second. We weren't going to last ten minutes against those things! To my greatest relief, they went back down as soon as they cleared the way. My joy was short-lived though, as a multitude of orcs emerged from each hole and advanced on us. The blast of a horn caught my attention and I saw a pair of flag-like things on Ravenhill. The larger of the two had eight moving 'limbs' but the other one only had four. As the horn blasted once more, the larger flag moved up, signaling them to attack. All I saw was the orcs beginning to charge before I was whisked down the stairs by Thorin.

"What are you doing?"

"There is no way I'm going to let you anywhere near the battlefield! You're going back to our room where you can be safe."

"But you're going to fight?"

"I must."

"But you could die!"

"You can bring me back if I do!"

"At least let me say farewell to the others first!"

"If I do that, will you go willingly?"

"Yes." Thorin sighed.

"Fine. Everyone, get down here." All the dwarves came rushing down the stairs to see what was the matter. They all looked around for a moment before sending Thorin a questioning glance.

"Incase some of you don't come back today, I just want to say thank you. Thanks for everything all of you have done for me. When you found me in the woods, you didn't have to help me, nor did you have to invite me to come with you. But you did and when I accepted, you didn't treat me like I wasn't there. You didn't have to hide me again in Rivendell, you could've let the others take me and sell me off, you let your quest be delayed by three weeks so I could heal. All of you have done so much for me and I cannot thank you enough for it." As I said this, I walked by then one by one and gave them each a hug farewell. When I got to Fili and Kili, I motioned for them to come with me. We went out of earshot from the group and I turned to them.

"Do you both still have my tears?" The both nodded an affirmative and pulled them out to show me, "Keep them. I have a feeling they will come in handy. To administer them, they need to be swallowed so it's just a matter of pouring it into the victim's mouth and lifting their head to make sure it goes down. They will not wake up right away, their body will need to heal their wounds first but a way to tell that they are alive is if you put a hand against a certain spot on their neck you should feel it beat rhythmically." They lifted their hands to see what I meant, I knew they had found it when their eyes widened with amazement.

"Wow, thanks auntie!"

"Are you absolutely certain you want us to have them? Thorin would probably go through the roof."

"I'm sure. Thorin's not going to know. Now, good luck out there. Be safe, don't do anything stupid. I want to have two nephews still when the sun sets."

"We will, aunt Mereniver." Fili assured me, "I promise." I hugged them both and watched them run off somewhere. I felt two strong arms around my waist and pull me against something hard and warm.

"Thorin!" I laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Taking my expectant mate to our room." The of us walked back to our quarters slowly. I was well-aware that this might be the last quiet moment I spend with my love but I didn't want to think about that right now, I just wanted to enjoy his company. His arm was around my waist and mine was on his far shoulder. Neither of us said anything, we were both lost in our own separate worlds. I wished our walked would never end but we reached our room all too soon. Thorin led me over to the bed where we sat down.

"Don't doubt me, love. I will return to you." He curled a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Please don't go out there." I pleaded.

"I must. It is my duty to fight alongside my people." I sniffled and threw my arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

"Something bad is going to happen! I just know it! You'll be out there fighting and I'll be in here sitting and fretting!"

"If I truly think I will fall, I will contact your mind. I promise."

"And should one of the others fall?"

"Same thing. I should probably give this back now" He pulled my necklace out of his breast pocket.

"Not yet, I want you to have it." I unclasped it and put it around his neck.

"Where did you get it?"

"My father's father gave it to my mother who gave it to me."

"What was his name?"

"I'm not sure but I think it was something like Donyc Hador."

"So your name is Mereniver Hador?"

"Yes."

"I think your grandfather lived in Dale. I remember Balin having an apprentice by that name."

"A blacksmith apprentice?"

"Yes, believe it or not, before he got old, Balin was one of the greatest blacksmiths Erebor had ever seen. He, or possibly his apprentice, were the only ones that could've bent the metal like this this thin with no blemishes. The stone itself is very rare as well, they were not often found and when they were, they were often gambled for. Several apprentices got in trouble many times for gambling."

"Then you should keep it! I had no idea it was that valuable!"

"No, you will soon be a part of my family. I want you to have it, you deserve it." We pressed our foreheads together and I closed my eyes, just taking in as many sensations as I could. Before I knew it, I felt him leave me and the cold take his place. I opened my eyes to see him about to close the door.

"Thorin!" I got up and ran to him, pulling him into one last kiss. I allowed him to bend my back and deepen the kiss but only for a moment. He broke the kiss and made one final vow to me before shutting the door.

"Be strong, little siren, I promise to return to you." My knees were weak and I felt like I was about to collapse. Thorin shut the door without a sound but soon after, I heard a click. I tugged on them but they wouldn't budge. He had locked me in.