One That Got Away

Chapter 11

Thorin examined the stars on the ceiling that night, Mara curled against his side and one arm around her. They were carefully painted, and they shimmered when the light hit them. They almost seemed to glow in the darkness. The more he looked, different patterns emerged. That swirl in the corner looked like a sword, and that trail of blue looked like a bird in flight. The part right above his bed looked like an eye watching. It was a kind eye, comforting and worried. But it still disturbed him somehow. It was sad.

He realized with a jolt that Mara was shaking slightly. He rolled over so he was facing her and touched her shoulder gently, but she didn't wake up.

"Mara. Mara!" he said and shook her slightly. She opened her eyes and burst of golden light lit up the room. She gasped and sat up shaking and blinking away the golden light in her eyes. Thorin was momentarily blinded but kept one hand on her shoulder. He sat up and blinked away the spots in his eyes. Mara had tears on her face and was panting and he immediately pulled her to his chest.

"Mara, it's alright, I'm here."

"Fire. -I saw fire! It was b-burning everything we-we all lost and it-I-Th-Thorin," she whimpered into his chest as he rocked her back and forth.

"It was only a dream," he mumbled.

"No it was a foresight. I Saw it. Capital S. It's going to happen. The house is going to burn down," She said blinking away her tears.

"Now?"

"No," she mumbled. "Not for a while now. It was snowing in my dream." Thorin looked out the window impulsively and relaxed slightly at the cleared streets.

"Go back to sleep, everything will be more clear in the light of day," he whispered into her hair.

"You'll be here when I wake up...right?" she mumbled into his shirt and he nodded automatically.

"I'll never leave you again." They were silent for a few moments and then mara let out a soft laugh. "Hmm?"

"That's the first vision I've had since I came back...I think-I think it's you. Being with you." thorin couldn't stop the smile winding across his face.

"We can't just move," David said giving Mara a flat stare.

"David you know as well as I that I'm never wrong. This house is going to burn down and soon."

"How do you know it will be soon?" demanded David.

"I just do, can't you trust me?" snapped Mara.

"She's not lying."

"She's telling the truth," the Twins said picking at their eggs. David glared at them.

"Okay, so it will burn soon, that doesn't mean we should pack up and leave. Why was it burning?" Mara sighed and set her head in her hands.

"Do you ever just take a minute and suddenly realize you're an ass hole?"

"Everyday at two-oh-five," David said calmly and Mara sighed.

"Mara's never been wrong before," Kili piped up. "Even when everything else was chaos and madness she was never wrong. She even foretold the exact words Uncle would say at the Battle of Five Armies." The other Durins flinched and Mara slapped Kili. "Sorry," he muttered softly and she rolled her eyes.

"Look, point is we need to go."

"With what money? We can barely afford rent and food. We're barely keeping out of debt," David said. Mara ruffled her hair like she did when she was nervous. "What did you do?"

"Remember how I always took my share of the gig money and went...gambling?" she said. David bristled again.

"You said you kicked the habit," he snarled. "Said it was too risky."