Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines

Connected 12

Veera watched Keeva from across the room, watched Keeva blink slowly and shudder, her mind distant, clearly thinking about what had happened.  Sharing a look with Thorin, she carefully makes her way over to her sister.

"You alright?"

Keeva doesn't react as Veera sits next to her, simply shaking her head.

Veera frowns.  "What happened?"

Keeva lets out a slow breath.  "Just...things were said.  Things that...made sense."

"Keeva, you can tell me."  Veera said softly.  "None of us were comfortable there."

But Keeva shakes her head and stands up.  "Just...leave me be Veera."

Before she can stop her, Keeva walks downstairs, ignoring the looks from Bard and his family and the other dwarves, her head down.  Veera watched her sadly and then noticed Dwalin watching too, looking concerned.

Keeva found a spot and sat down, rubbing her temples.

Their time in Mirkwood hadn't been pleasant for her.  It was bad enough that Thorin had been dragged before King Thranduil, thus making their situation worse, but then it had been decided that Veera and her would be too.

It wasn't until afterwards that Keeva realised that Thranduil was just getting an idea of who they were, obviously telling that they were different from the others.

And so, she'd found herself alone in front of his throne.

Agitation gnawed at her, the throne empty and she was left and just told to wait, she didn't like this and she could distantly feel Dwalin's worry as well, which she quickly forced away as it was only making her feel worse.

"For such a strong woman, you let yourself be walked over a lot."

She jumped as Thranduil strides into the room, a smirk on his face.

"Unless you much prefer appearing to be the muscle?"  He asked lazily, walking up to his throne and taking a seat.

Keeva was left with a foul taste in her mouth.  "Right.  Is that why you're talking to me?  Because you think I'm an idiot?"

"On the contrary," Thranduil continued.  "I am talking to you because I think you have more to say.  It was quickly clear that your sister was loyal solely to that King of yours, where as you are not."

Keeva had to bite her tongue, wanting to deny that Thorin was not her king, but clearly, Thranduil could read it on her.

"I simply wish to know your opinion on this quest, as I'm sure it is unbiased."  He was watching her closely.

Normally, Keeva wasn't one to get intimidated, but something about the way Thranduil was looking at her was making her very uncomfortable.

"I don't see why I should."  She said darkly.  "I owe you nothing, especially considering that you are keeping us in a prison cell.  Not to mention, you seem pretty insistent in playing some sort of game here."

"Game?"  Thranduil raised an eyebrow.  "What would make you think that?

Keeva snorts.  "Please, you aren't fooling anyone.  I see right through King Thranduil.  You sit up there on a broken throne with a damaged crown I know you didn't earn.  You hide away because you know your people are dying and you don't want to face the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there is a chance that it would prove that you are not as powerful as you think you are."

His eyes narrow and Keeva quickly realised she had said too much, but she holds his gaze, holding back any reaction of panic that was currently making her heart thump loudly in her ears.

"So," He said quietly.  "It appears you also share your sister's tongue, even though you usually don't use it.  You've clearly seen more than what I am showing however, so, like her it seems, there is a gift you share."

Keeva fought to keep herself very still.  "We've had to be observant to survive.  We haven't had the luxury of a kingdom at our backs growing up, it was just me and her."

"The brains and the brawns then."  He stated coldly.  "I can see why Thorin would go for your sister then."

Keeva's face burned and her hands clenched by her side.  "Keep trying.  It takes a lot more for me to crack."

Amusement flickers across his gaze.  "Then you are afraid.  You are terrified of facing your own sister's wrath that you won't step out of line with her for very long, thus remaining a follower instead of taking charge of any situation that comes along.  Despite being sick of her 'protecting you', despite being sick of her remaining quiet on so many things when it would all be solved by simply talking to you."

Keeva was shaking now, but she continued to hold Thranduil's gaze.  "What do you want?"

"Oh, we are past that now."  He said lightly.  "I offered help and you just chose to throw it back in my face, so you are going to just have to live with that decision now.  I think I will just leave you with the knowledge that your sister doesn't truly care, after all, she wouldn't treat you like a child if she did."

Something hot fell onto Keeva's hand and she looked down, tears falling and she angrily wiped them away, already feeling the chill from the night air as it settled around Laketown, but the tears wouldn't stop and it was then she realised that her shoulders were shaking, that the tears were already well beyond controlling.

Footsteps drew her out of this revelation but she was too slow to move out of the way as Dwalin came down the stairs.

His gaze softens as he sees her.  "Keeva...you aren't going to listen that elvish bastard are you?"

Keeva folded her arms and tried to control her sobs.  "You were listening?"

Dwalin nods.  "It was a bit hard not to when you were so upset."

She half laughs and half sobs, hanging her head.  She was hoping that Dwalin would leave her alone seeing her like this, but instead, she found his arms wrapping tightly around her.

"You're really going to let that elf get you down?"  He asked softly.

"I...I could've helped.  I could've..."  She broke down.

Dwalin gently hushed her, one of his hands rubbing gentle circles on her back.  "Hey now, he was just saying it to get in your head, you should know that.  You have nothing to worry about Keeva, you did well with what you said to him."

"But what he said was the truth!"  She exclaimed.  "How-how can I just-just-"

Gently, Dwalin took Keeva's cheeks in his hands and brought her gaze up to meet his.  "Breath Keeva, you know he was upsetting you on purpose."

Struggling, she follows his advice, breathing deeply, and slowly, she starts to settle.

Dwalin smiles and starts to wipe the tears away.  "There?  Better?"

She nods and before she was even aware of what she was doing, she stood up on her toes and kissed him.  Dwalin paused for a moment, his hands still on her cheeks, before he carefully pushed her away.

Keeva blinks at him with wide eyes.  "S-sorry."

But Dwalin was still looking at her lips, taking a moment before he returned her gaze.  "It is alright, but I wouldn't want to take advantage of you while you are upset."

Keeva couldn't help it, she laughed a little before throwing her arms back around him and holding him tightly, Dwalin quickly holding her close.

"I promise Keeva, it's going to be alright."