Danica Stormfighter

Chapter 7

Danica spent the time the wall was being raised in the treasury. Half-heartedly she shoveled jewels into her contraption. She sorted the jewels according to their size and type.

Thorin stood under the balcony, hidden in the shadows, watching her. Her movements were efficient and precise, with very little loss of energy. He was struck by her intelligence and her ability to work hard. Dwarrowdams worked hard, but Danica moved like a wild cat. Years of fighting and self-sufficiency had resulted in a smoothness to her actions; as if the tools she used were an extension of herself.

She was not traditionally attractive, a little too muscled and, with no beard, very strange looking; however, her eyes were a beautiful cornflower blue, her lips a deep red. There was something about the sureness to her movements; her brash temper set off by her timidity made her a mystery. A life of banishment must have been difficult, having to be on guard while, at the same time, agonizing over the reason.

He stepped forward. When that did not get her attention he cleared his throat.

Danica jumped and gave a shriek. When she saw Thorin she stammered, "Th-Thorin, I-I wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

"Still working hard, I see." She shrugged. "Do you ever stop?"

"I have to do something. I'm not the type to just sit around and look pretty."

"No, I don't imagine you are." He considered her, "How long did you say you were on your own?"

"My parents died when I was 77 years old, so I have been alone for 72 years." She smiled shyly. "But I've only been living completely on my own for 20 or so years." She leaned against the handle of the shovel. "I wanted to be near mountains. I missed them so...and I knew that there wasn't anyone here, so it seemed like a good place to come."

"You weren't afraid of the dragon?" He looked at her with skepticism.

""Oh yes! But, I'm not a worker of jewels. I don't particularly care about them, so I was no danger from the dragon. I wasn't here to bother him and he left me to my own devices."

Thorin looked at her searchingly, "Amazing," he said, impressed by her bravery.

"Hardly amazing," she shrugged. "I just do what I need to do to survive."

Thorin circled the dam, "You surprise me, is all."

Danica squirmed under his inspection. She could not deny that she found him very attractive; his eyes were smoldering. He was looking at her as if she were a possession, a jewel he desired. He reached a hand out and ran his fingers over her cheek and down to her chin. He took her chin in his fingers and stepped closer to her. Danica held her breath, her tongue snaked out to lick her lips. Thorin watched the action and groaned.

Her eyes grew wide as his head came closer. She sighed as his lips brushed hers. She let the shovel clatter to the ground and put her hands into his glorious hair. She stretched up and pressed her lips to his, offering herself. Thorin wrapped his arms around her, twisting her slightly to allow better access to her mouth. His tongue slipped through the barrier of her teeth and caressed the soft tissue of her mouth.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, she was sure if she didn't hold on she would slip to the ground. The passion of the kiss intensified; tongues danced and hands roamed.

"Thorin!"

She thought she heard someone call his name.

"Thorin?"

He stiffened and his hands stopped roving. His lips left hers and she groaned her disappointment. Her eyes blinked slowly, the sound of his name being called slowly entering her consciousness. He let go of her and turned as she heard Dwalin continue his call.

"Thorin! Bard is here. He wants to speak to you."

Thorin growled, turned and walked from the room without a word to her.