Unnur's Line

Chapter Twenty Two:

Dawn slowly came out of the darkness that surrounded her feeling the dull ache in her chest and leg for the first time in awhile. Through her closed eye lids she could see light and hear talking and shifted in the bed.

    It hurt to move, and the bed was so soft and comfortable but she couldn’t sleep anymore she wanted to be awake. Slowly taking a deep breath Dawn slowly opened her eyes to whiteness and she blinked till the blinding light faded and her eyes watered.

   She found herself in a large bed and soft light filtered in through some large windows that were open. Looking down she was dressed in a light cotton shift shirt and her upper chest was bandaged where she had taken the arrow. Her arm lay in a sling under the blanket and her other arm was out of the blanket.

  The room was large and beautifully decorated in blues and warm golds with the typical dwarvish designs carved into the stone. Lifting her left arm and bringing her hand to her face she noticed Thorins ring back on her hand and smiled as she rubbed her face.

    She was thirsty as she couldn’t remember when she had been awake last and shifted again and groaned as the movement hurt her shoulder. The talking stopped in the other room and Thorin appeared in the door way and he stood staring at her as she stared at him.

    He looked as good as ever; he wore a deep royal blue shirt and overcoat with gold trim and dark pants with his sword belt at his waist. Dawn shifted slowly and winced and he strode over to the bedside and she looked over at him as he took a glass of water off the table next to the bed and brought it to her.

   Dawn tried to hold the glass in her left hand but it was shaking too much and so he helped steady her hand and brought it to her lips. The water was cold and refreshing and wet her throat that seemed to have no moisture. Drinking all of the water he returned the glass without a word and then slowly sat on the edge of the bed watching her.

    “Thorin” she whispered and he closed his eyes and she reached up and touched his face. It was soft and she felt his beard on his face and ran her hands down his cheek and he opened his eyes. “Alatariel” he spoke so softly it took a second for Dawn to realize he had spoken her true name.

    “How is it that I’m here” she asked confused as how she had managed to live through captivity and escape the clutches of evil. Thorin smiled and took her hand in his feeling the warmth in it and gazed into her green eyes. “I’m not sure myself, I heard my father demand that I summon you and so I did. You appeared out of ball of light in the middle of the throne room” Dawn stared at him and tears suddenly ran down her cheeks as the realization of what Thrain did hit her.

   “Alatariel what’s wrong” she tried not to sob as it hurt to much, but hearing him say her real name was overwhelming. “Thorin I’m so so sorry” she whispered and he took her face in his hands and wiped the tears away and forced her to look at him.

     “Sorry for what” he asked and she licked her dry lips and took a deep breath, “I was held in the same cell as Thrain in Dol-Guldur. He tried to look after me, Thorin he told me to tell you that he’s proud of you and you have his blessing” Thorin looked at her and nodded.

   “I know, he wouldn’t have given you his ring if he hadn’t” she closed her eyes feeling the tears running down her cheeks. Thorin didn’t want her to see his distress of knowing now that his father had been held captive all this time. She closed her eyes and he was worried that she was fading again. “Don’t leave” he whispered and she opened her eyes to look at him.

  “Thorin, Thrain is dead, he died to save me, he gave me his ring and then” he shook his head and stood up and went to the window. Dawn lay feeling her heart sink when he pulled away from her. Looking down at her good hand feeling like she would have been better off dead then seeing him upset.