A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Thirty Five]

Alyndra kept her distances from the treasure room that night. What he did to her, scared her. The skin changer could still feel his tight grip around her wrist, and when he released them, the burning sensation she still felt, was something she never thought Thorin could do to her. Whoever that was, was not her Thorin.

The dwarf spent every waking minute surrounded by mounds of gold that was poisoning his heart. He was determined to find the Arkenstone, even if it meant exhausting every member of his company to find it. Every night when it was time to eat. All the dwarves and Bilbo would come staggering in, except for Thorin who wouldn't dare leave the room. The company was hurting and Alyndra could see it. The company ate in silence. The woman was working on her third bowl of hot stew, clearly surprised at how demanding the little one was inside of her and then a terrible thought entered her mind. Was this what she would be raising their child in? The skin changer got up from the long table and began walking out of the room. A few of the dwarves looked up and saw the young woman walking with determination, when the least dwarf Alyndra would have suspected to stop her, and blocked the entrance.

"Where are you going?" Dwalin questioned in a serious tone.

"I'm going to talk to Thorin. Now please move out of my way." Alyndra demanded as she tried to weave around him, but Dwalin wouldn't move.

"Alyndra, Thorin is not himself. He could hurt you...again." The dwarf stated.

"Don't you think I'm aware of that." The skin changer shrieked. " I'm not going to just do nothing while he goes down this dark path. I have to get him away from that...place. It's the only way."

Brother.....let her go. She is right. If anyone is going to reach Thorin, it will be her." Balin pressed, though he didn't like this at all. He watched his friend hurt the woman he loved once, he couldn't imagine what he would do, if she infuriated him more. "Alyndra just be careful. The first sign you notice he doesn't seem like himself get out of there. Your safety isn't the only one you have to worry about now." He warned her. The woman nodded and Dwalin moved out of her way and she disappeared down the hall.

Alyndra made hast down the hall, until she saw the doorway that entered the treasure room and slowly approached it. She peered around from the pillar and didn't see the dwarf and she walked through the entrance. The room glowed of gold. She had never seen so much in her life and all this was thing that was taking her dwarf away from her.

The skin changer kicked jewels and goblets with her boot in frustration. She didn't want to lose him over this, she didn't want to have to leave just to protect their child from his own father. Alyndra let out a growl in frustration and kicked a golden bowl as hard as she could and watched it slid down the hill of treasure.

"Alyndra. What are you doing in here?" Thorin's voice spoke in a serious tone behind her, causing her to jump. She was not used to not behind able to hear or see as well as she could when she had her abilities and it was making her wonder if she would ever get them back soon.

"I came looking for you." Alyndra stated as she walked up to him.

"I got a lot of work to do Alyndra. You shouldn't be in here." He pressed as he brushed by her.

"Thorin stop!" The skin changer yelled and the dwarf turned and looked at her. She saw the dark circles under the dwarf's eyes. He was clearly running on his exhaustion, to find that priceless gem. The woman walked up to the dwarf, he was looking at her with such dead eyes. "Thorin, you're tired, you need to get some rest. You need to eat. We can search for the Arkenstone another day, it's not going anywhere." The woman argued.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead." Thorin growled at her.

"Stay in this room, and you will be." She retorted, feeling the tears building up behind her eyes as she said it. The dwarf said nothing, but appeared to look as if he was trying to make sense of what she was saying to him. Thorin looked at the gold below their feet and she placed her hand on his face, causing him to look at her. "Thorin please, I don't want to lose you. I won't watch you destroy yourself...I love you." She cried as she had both hands on his face and began stroking the side of his beard.

The dwarf had closed his eyes, he had forgotten how much he enjoyed the feel of her soft touch and when he opened his eyes that's when he noticed the bruises on her wrists. Thorin gentle removed one of her hands from his face to look at it and she tried to pull it away from him, but he wouldn't let her. Thorin looked at his other hand and realized they were bruises left by his own hand.

"I did this to you." Thorin hissed under his breath and he backed away from the woman.

"Thorin. You didn't mean to. I should have told you where I was going." Alyndra explained, trying to come towards him but all he did was back away from her.

"No. That's still no reason for me to hurt you. Alyndra please leave before I hurt you again and do something worse." Thorin begged her.

"No. Thorin it was an accident, you didn't mean it."

Alyndra caught him by his hand as he tried to leave out another exit and he looked at her." Thorin I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to do it. Please just come with me, away from this room...for awhile. We can search for the stone another day when your rested." She insisted, searching his eyes. The dwarf looked away from her shaking his head, he didn't deserve her forgiveness and once again the woman placed her hand on his face, forcing him to look at her and she claimed his lips. Thorin could feel the woman's tears hit his face and he pulled away to look at her. He cleared them away and pulled the skin changers into his arms and she buried her face in his chest and he began stroking her hair with his fingers and kissed the top of her head.

The woman led the dwarf slowly out of the room, unaware that they were being watched from the platform that looked over the horde. Both Fili and Kili had followed the young woman. After hearing what their uncle had down to her, it infuriated them and they couldn't chance it happening again.

Alyndra led Thorin into the feasting area and saw that everyone had vacated the place. Their was still hot stew and she poured Thorin a bowl and it made her happy that he had ate it all. Once he insisted that he couldn't possibly eat anymore they chose a spot not far from the fire and the dwarf allowed himself to succumb to his exhaustion. Alyndra had Thorin's head resting in her lap and she stroked his hair with her hand, as he leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead and she soon closed her eyes, happy to have the Thorin she knew back.