The Fifteenth Member (Thorin Oakenshield/OFC)

Chapter 38

"Dwarves from the Blue Mountains!"

"They're here!"

"Open the gate!" Three weeks had passed since Thorin woke up and Kili was due to wake up any day now. At the moment, the two of us spent most of our time by his bedside, hoping he awakened before Dis got here but apparently, that was not going to happen. A giant, iron gate had been constructed for the entrance with the help of the blacksmiths in Dale and had just been set up. Thorin was getting stronger every day and by now he was almost back to his full strength. The only strange thing about him now was that he continuously disappeared off to Mahal-knows-where whenever he could to do something and he was very tightlipped about it. Both of us had noticed that his silver hair had all but vanished, leaving his hair as black as night. At my request, he had decided to not let his beard grow out again, I preferred it shorter because that way, it would scratch my chin whenever he kissed me. We had agreed on the ruse that he was honoring those that died in the Battle. At a month pregnant, I wasn't showing yet but my stomach was much firmer than it had been before, evidence of my 'precious cargo' as Thorin called it. Morning sickness had lightened up a bit but I still got it two out of three days but on the bright side, I'd had no strange cravings.

When the shouts reached us where we were in the healing hall, I began to worry. Doryan was probably there, undoubtedly Dis, and who knows how many supporters of Thorin and Doryan becoming a couple. Even though Thorin had reassured me that they would back off once word got to them that I was his One, I still worried. We made our way to the gate and found ourselves facing a crowd of over a hundred. When they saw us, or most likely Thorin, they started cheering. The gates were pushed open and they crowded inside, a few of them attempting to make their way up to us and the rest of them gathering at the bottom, waiting to hear if Thorin had anything to say. The guards let only one dwarf pass. He or she had a long, light brown beard and was wearing a long green forest dress.

"Thorin! Brother!" She cried in Khuzdul before embracing him. She was shorter than Thorin but not by much.

"Common tongue please." Thorin said and hugged her.

"Why? Did you forget how to speak our language?" She snickered in Common, her eyes were closed so she couldn't see me.

"No," Khuzdul, "But there is someone I would like you to meet." At that moment, I was thankful that I'd chosen one of the nicer dresses to wear today, hopefully it would help me make a good impression.

"Who?" Eyes still closed.

"I'll show you." Thorin pulled away and raised his hand to silence the crowd.

"Welcome to Erebor! Welcome home!" This prompted them to start shouting and stomping their feet on the floor but Thorin did not allow this for long.

"I would like to-"

"My Lord, pardon the interruption, but why is there another woman up there with you and not my daughter?"

I was just getting to that, Elill. It brings me great joy to introduce you to Mereniver, granddaughter of Donyc Hador, my One and your future queen." This brought shouts of outrage.

"Donyc was human!"

"She's an outsider!"

"How can she be your One, she's not a dwarf!"

"You can't prove that she is really Donyc's descendant!"

"SILENCE!" Dis screamed at the top of her lungs, "Have you forgotten that the finding of a soul mate is rare? That they should be valued above all other things? That those who oppose the two as a couple could be put to death? Get a grip and be happy for him! Who says that every soul mate is a dwarf? Maybe that's why there are so few of us who have actually found ours!" This quieted the mob until one person, whom I assumed was Doryan, spoke up.