An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Seventy-One: Devastating News

Wrinkling her nose at the smell that greeted her when she woke up, Thalia groaned at the headache that made her head throb; she wasn't entirely sure what had happened and it took her a moment to remember what had happened. 

Thalia opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling wondering how the hell she had gotten into a tent, her arm stung and she winced slowly moving to sit up a little. 

It was dark and Thalia wondered how long she had been out cold, she paused at the sight of Gandalf sitting down next to her bed puffing on his pipe. 

"It's nice to see you awake Thalia," Gandalf greeted, he had agreed to watch over her for a while and he was sure that it would give him a chance to prepare to break the news to her. 

It had been a long few days and after the battle, it was clear that no one would ever forget what had happened here; it had surprised Gandalf to find Azog dead with Thalia's sword plunged into his back. 

Thalia eyed the wizard warily, he was not who she had expected to be by her side and it made her fear for the state of the company after the battle. 

Gandalf moved to get her a drink of water, he was sure that she'd need a drink after being unconscious for so long; he carefully poured her a drink and moved to hand it to her. 

Taking a careful sip, Thalia eyed the wizard and wondered what was going on; she felt a little tired and she seemed to ache all over making her wish that she could have a bath or something. 

"You've been unconscious for three days," Gandalf informed Thalia sitting down by her bed again, he had not long sent Bilbo away so that he could get some sleep. 

He had been tired and exhausted wanting to help out in any way that he could, Bilbo had insisted that he keep an eye on Thalia while she recovered after her battle.

"Where is everyone?" Thalia asked curiously, she was surprised that none of the company were here with her; she feared what might have happened to them while she had been unconscious. 

Gandalf puffed on his pipe, he eyed Thalia knowing that he was still going to have to talk with her about what had happened; he wasn't sure how she was going to react to the news. 

"They are recovering nicely," Gandalf replied carefully, he leant back in his chair and watched Thalia while she sipped on the water again; it had been a long few days since the battle and there had been so much to do. 

Never had he thought that it would be possible that they would win when things had started to turn and Gandalf was more than relieved everyone was working together now. 

"Cornelia and Paloma have already returned to your world," Gandalf continued surprised that the two cousins hadn't wished to stay here and make sure that Thalia recovered; they had insisted that they went to speak with their parents instead. 

Nodding her head, Thalia sipped silently on her water not surprised that her cousins had gone; she was sure that it wouldn't be the last time that she saw them. 

The tent was silent while Thalia continued to drink her water, she had no idea what to say and she had so many questions about what had happened while she had been unconscious. 

"What about Thorin?" Thalia asked softly, she wasn't sure that she was ready for the answer after what had happened; she wasn't sure that she was ready to hear that she had failed and that he was dead. 

Her next question would be about Fíli and Kíli, she had no idea what had happened to them during the battle and she hadn't seen them when she had been moving about on Ravenhill.

"I am afraid that is not good news," Gandalf said with a shake of his head, it hadn't been a surprise when he had reached the top to find what he had; he had to admit that he was impressed with what she had done. 

Things had worked out better than he had expected and Thalia had truly been a great help when things had gone south but it was time for her to return home to her own world like they had agreed. 

Thalia swallowed the lump that was in her throat and she looked down at the cup that was in her hands, she felt the tears spring to her eyes again as she realised that she hadn't saved him. 

"I want to go home," Thalia whispered brokenly, she could not stay here now that Thorin was gone and everything that she had thought about the future had gone with him. 

The idea of making a life here without him didn't seem right and Thalia knew that there was only one place that she needed to be right now and that was home. 

"Send me home," Thalia demanded throwing back the covers and looking to Gandalf, she didn't care if she was wearing a nightie only that she wasn't here anymore. 

It felt like someone had ripped out her heart and Thalia was almost relieved when Gandalf nodded his head; he stood up and prepared himself before starting the ritual. 

Thalia was almost surprised that he had everything ready, it was almost like he knew what she would want but right now that didn't matter; she wanted to be away from here as her heart continued to break and the pain in her chest got worse. 

"Gandalf!" a voice shouted moving closer to the tent while Gandalf continued to chant, a bright light appeared and surrounded her; he closed his eyes focusing on what he was doing. 

The light around them intensified and Thalia felt a sharp tug on navel before the world around her seemed too disappeared just as Bofur stepped into the tent to see what was happening. 

"What have you done?" Bofur asked staring at Gandalf, he slowly walked towards the wizard knowing that this was not what they had expected; he doubted that Thorin would be happy when he heard about what he had just seen.

***

Thalia felt her knees hit the floor in her apartment floor, she wrapped her arms around herself as she broke down unable to believe that Thorin was gone; her heart was breaking and she had no idea what she would do now. 

Curling up on the floor, Thalia wished that there was some way for her to forget what had happened; to lock away her memories until she was ready to remember. 

Kit sat down next to Thalia and purred sensing that her owner needed someone right now, she had no idea what had happened but she had been gone a while. 

The last seven weeks had been quiet for Kit and she doubted that Thalia would say the same, it had probably been longer for the witch who looked like hell at that moment in time. 

Thalia wept trying to wrap her head around what had just happened, she had left Middle Earth behind and returned to Earth because she couldn't bear the thought that Thorin was gone. 

They would never be able to make up for what had happened and Thalia wasn't sure that she could handle the fact that his last words to her had been to banish her. 

Thalia wondered what it would have been like to talk with Thorin after the sickness had left him, she was sure that they would have been able to make things right between them. 

A hand rested on Thalia's back and the blonde found herself for the first time in her life being comforted by her mother; Amphitrite held Thalia knowing that there was no way that she would allow her daughter to suffer like this alone.