The Split Horizons: The Love Of Two Dwarves

10

In the morning, they decided they would leave at the beginning of the very next day, and Shadelia's stomach was flipping. What if her father was at the front when they arrived? What would his reaction be? He might be mad that she acted as a diplomat when he believed that was not her place.

Dwalin could sense her fear, but he could not seem to distract her from it. Not even his feeble attempts at playing on a crude flute seemed to catch her attention or draw her away from her concerns.

It was only when the sun was sinking and she was watching it once again from the large window that Dwalin managed to help her relax when he wrapped his arms around her waist, causing her to tense for a moment before melting back into his arms.

"Oh Dwalin," she whispered, tears threatening to escape. "What if my family doesn't want me back? What if I can't go home?"

"Everything will be alright, I promise," he said, his chin on her shoulder. "If you can, I will stay with you, and if you can't go home, you can come home with me."

"I don't want you to abandon your friends," she argued.

"I won't. I can still visit them. Besides, Erebor won't  be the same without you anymore."

She didn't have a response to that. For at least another hour, they stood like that with her in his arms. It wasn't  until the sun had long been lost beneath the horizon that she finally broke his embrace.

"I need to go discuss the plans with Ava, then I'll be going to bed. You should get some rest too, Dwalin."

"Good night, princess," he said, kissing her forehead again.

She found Ava entering her quarters and only barely managed to catch the princess before the door swung shut.

"Yes, Shadelia?"

"I... I think I might come back to Erebor after the treaty is settled and I visit home. I... don't think I want to be a princess anymore."

"I can't help with that decision. The only thing that can is your heart. Ask it where home is, whether it be Erebor, Powerna, or somewhere else entirely. That's what I did, and I realized Thorin and Erebor had become home, and I wouldn't be happy without them."

Hours later, long after she should have fallen asleep, Avantika's question remained in her mind, plaguing her as she tried to sleep.

Where was home? When she thought of Powerna, she felt familiarity, family love, but also pain and loneliness. Erebor brought happiness, but also a sense of fear. Graticia wasn't even close to home. She was terrified and tense despite everyone's  friendliness.

Maybe she didn't have a home. The thought brought tears to her eyes and she felt the loneliest she ever had.

It was this feeling that drove her to get out of bed and don on a bathrobe. Before she really truly realized where she was going, she found herself in front of Dwalin's quarters. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

She pushed the door open quietly, removing her robe and climing in bed next to Dwalin in just her night clothes. He was asleep, snoring loudly.

Shadelia snuggled up to him with her back to him, hoping he would hold her like before, despite knowing he was asleep.

She was pleasantly surprised when, even in sleep, his arm snaked around her waist. Her loneliness melted away and was replaced by a warm tingling throughout her body.

With her thoughts finally calmed, she drifted to sleep, determined to figure out what was home to her the next day.

Dwalin awoke just before dawn the next day.  He was startled when he was conscious enough to notice Shadelia's slim form laying beside him, not remembering her entering the room, let alone joining him in bed.

No matter the reason, he relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of the curves of her body pressed against his. She seemed so small and fragile in his arms
When the pink and yellow light of the early morning sun began to peak through the window, he decided to wake her.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered, close to her ear. "It's time to wake up."

His first sentence got no reaction,1 but telling her to wake up at least got her to stir. When she turned to face him, she blushed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude while you were sleeping, I just-" she rambled, sitting up and turning to face him.

"It's alright, I promise," he said, running his fingers through her long hair. "You didn't wake me or bother me. In fact, I missed you." He kissed her on the forehead which  caused her to only blush more.

She quickly got out of the bed, put her bathrobe back on, and disappeared as quietly as she had arrived.

An hour later, the three set off on their trip to the battlefront. It was much closer than Shadelia had realized, for Ava said it would only be a two day ride before they would reach the army.

Shadelia hoped her nerves would not get the best of her in the following days.