The Choice [I Gilas] {A Hobbit Fanfiction} (DISCONTINUED)

7. I Orch Nimp [The Pale Orc]

So we all went to sleep. It took me a long time to drift off and when I finally did, it felt like I was awakened only half an hour after that.

"It's your turn," Dwalin whispered, shaking me softly. I yawned and nodded, getting up carefully and taking Dwalin's place.

I sat down on a sharp rock to prevent myself from falling asleep. I stared at the entrance of the cave, looking at the dark skies that were occasionally lightened by a flash of thunder.

I could hear someone getting up softly from behind me. I didn't turn around.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked as I heard the stranger sitting down next to me. I turned my head and saw it was Thorin. He shook his head.

"I wouldn't be able to do it, either," I said honestly, pulling my knees close to my chest. We sat in silence for a while, but it wasn't awkward at all. It was a comfortable silence.

"His name is Dagárion," I said eventually. Thorin looked at me oddly.

"Who?" he asked.

"The one who gave me the ring," I explained. Thorin nodded.

"So he proposed and you said yes?" he asked. It was my turn to nod.

"I take it that he's dead and that is why you left Mirkwood and hold on to the ring?" This time I shook my head.

"I left out of my own free will," I said.

"Why?" Thorin asked. "You just said you were —"

"— going to marry him?" I finished. "I was. But certain... circumstances... forced me to leave him and Taur-nu-Fuin behind."

"Ithilwen, where are you going?" Thranduil asked when I was on my way to the front gates of Taur-nu-Fuin. I was very shaky and frightened: I had just woken up from the nightmare about Dagárion's death.

"I'm leaving," I told him.

"Why?" Thranduil asked. "Haven't I cared for you enough?"

"It doesn't matter," I said, tears streaming down my face. I turned around again, continuing my way to the gates.

"Ithilwen," his voice was angry this time. I turned around again and took a step back when I noticed how close he was. His once handsome and smooth features were now marked with fury, the burns he had suffered when a dragon tried to burn him alive no longer hidden from view. But I was too afraid for Dagárion to be scared of him.

"If you leave now, the gates will be forever closed for you. I don't want disloyal and ungrateful Elves in my kingdom," he told me, his voice dangerously soft.

"Then so be it," I said, suppressing a sob before turning around and leaving.

I was glad Thorin seemed to realise that I didn't want to go into more detail and didn't ask about those 'circumstances.'

"Can I see the ring?" he asked. I nodded, reaching into my pocket and grabbing the ring hanging from the chain. I put it on his open palm, feeling the warmth of his hand as I touched his skin. Thorin clutched the ring carefully, as if it were very fragile. He inspected it.

"What do the engravings say?" he asked. I closed my eyes, thinking back to the moment Dagárion had given me the ring. I had been so happy.

"'Le melithon anuir'," I recalled, opening my eyes again. "It means 'I will love you forever.'" Thorin had a sad look on his face when he handed me the ring back.

"It sounds like he really loved you," he said, sounding a little bitter.

"He did," I said sadly. "And I loved him back."