Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Sixty]

    The young woman was sitting on the steps that over looked where the line of Durin now laid. She had shed a few tears, still wishing that this was all just a bad dream that she couldn't wake up from. The light of the torches flickered across her face as she thought long and hard about where she went from here? Freya heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs behind her, but she didn't look to see who it was. " Little lass, what are you doing down here?" Balin's voice came beside her as he took a seat, his eyes looking at her with great concern.

" I...don't know. I thought coming down here, would help me to decide what I should do now. But the truth is Balin. I don't know what to do." Freya muttered, trying so hard not to let the tears come out again. The elder dwarf caught sight of what she was holding in her hand and then looked at her.

"Freya...Oin told me of your situation." Balin began. The young woman looked at the dwarf surprised. Had the medic told him that she was carrying Thorin's child? " He told me that you weren't sure if you would be staying or leaving. I want you to know lass, that the others and myself include, care about you very much and you know, you will always have a place in this kingdom, but if you do decide to leave, I completely understand, but this is a decision you must make yourself." Balin stated, giving her a smile. She gave him a small sad smile back and glanced in the direction of the dead again. The dwarf gently took the necklace from her shaking hands and held it up at both ends. " Would you allow me to put this on for you?" He asked her. She silently nodded and turned slightly to her side, and held up her hair, so the dwarf could clip the two ends together easier. Her hair fell against her back and she turned back to look at Balin. " Thorin loved you very much lass and he would want you to be happy wherever you are." He said, getting up from the step. " Come on lass, lets get you out of here. I'm sure you must be starving." He added as he held out his hand to help her up and the two of them walked back up the stairs, Freya glancing behind her one last time and her decision was made.

The two of them walked down the hall where they met up with Bilbo, who was carrying a satchel filled with his fourteenth share of the treasure. It was clear Bilbo did not wish to stay any longer then he had to and the dwarf decided to try and convince him to stay for the feast. " There is to be a great feast tonight. Songs will be sung. Tales will be told. And Thorin Oakenshield will pass into legend." The dwarf stated, trying to keep himself from letting the tears come out as he and two cousins stood outside, just before the makeshift bridge.

"I know that's how you must honor him." Bilbo began glancing to his cousin and then looking back at the elder dwarf. " But to me, he was never that. He was... to me...he was..." the hobbit's voice broke as he felt the tears form behind his eyes. Freya was in a similar state. " Well, I think I'll slip quietly away. Will you tell the others I said goodbye?" Bilbo said his voice continued to break. "Freya, we should get going." Bilbo insisted as he took a few steps towards Gandalf who had a horse and two ponies beside him, waiting. "Freya? Are you coming?" The hobbit repeated turning around to see his cousin hesitating for a second. She looked at Balin, who gave her an encouraging smile.

"I....yes. Balin, will you tell the others that I'll miss them very much." Freya asked, her eyes beginning to water.

"You can tell them yourself lass." Balin stated with a sad smile. The two hobbits turned to see the others standing just at the entrance. The dwarves were all incredibly sad to see both cousins leaving. They had grown quite fond of them both on this journey. Freya hugged each and every one of them. She would miss all them so much but three of them would always have a special place in her heart. Balin was the first one to believe in her that she could be worth something to this quest. Bofur was the first to become her friend and Dwalin, he was the first to see past the fact that she was a woman and could become a capable fighter.