The White Rider (Thorin Oakenshield)

Chapter Fourteen: Then All Was Well.

[Music video to I See Fire, by Ed Sheeran, on the side.]

•••

To be quite blunt, Laketown was trashed.

Not one house was left standing, barely any of the docks were safe to walk on, and dead bodies littered the ground.

Adelaide had managed to get Thorin to give Laketown enough gold to rebuild, and had even convinced the company to help with the building.

Thorin had given Addie her cloak back, and she kissed him hard in thanks. "If that's my reward, I should return things to you more often," he had joked, kissing her reddening cheek.

Adelaide felt a tug on her skirt, and she looked down to see a little girl - probably no older than five or six - was looking up at her with wide brown eyes.

She knelt down and smiled at her. "What can I help you with, Sweetheart?"

The little girl was missing her two front teeth. "I can't find my momma." Her little lip trembled, and Adelaide scooped her up in her arms.

"Well, why don't you and I go look for her?"

She nodded her head, and stuck her thumb in her mouth.

They walked around Laketown, the girl - Mayra - calling for her mother.

They rounded a corner, near the burnt-down masonry, and a frantic voice reached Adelaide's ears. "Mayra?! Mayra! There you are!"

A woman with greying brown hair came into view, and Addie set Mayra on her feet, and smiled as the mother hugged her daughter.

"Oh, bless you!" She said, hugging her. "Thank you, miss. Thank you!"

Addie smiled kindly at her. "It really wasn't a problem. Mayra is absolutely adorable."

Mayra smiled at Addie, showing the gap her missing teeth would be in. "Tank you, Addie," she said, hugging her around her stomach.

"You're very welcome, Mayra," she said, hugging the little girl back. "You behave for your mother, now!"

Mayra giggled. "I will!"

She ran off to her mother and took her hand, waving at Addie one last time.

Adelaide smiled to herself, clasping her hands together in front of her.

"You'll be a wonderful mother, one day."

Adelaide looked to her left, only to see Thorin smiling at her.

"I've always wanted a child," she said, leaning into his side as he wrapped an arm around her.

Thorin smiled. "Addie, there's something I've been meaning to ask you..."

She looked up at him, and raised her eyebrow. "Yes?"

He moved in front of her, got down on one knee, and pulled a ring that he had recovered from the treasure room out of his pocket.

Oh my god...

"Adelaide Rosewood, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Adelaide's heart was thumping wildly in her chest, and a wide grin broke out on her face.

"Yes, Thorin! Absolutely yes!"

Thorin slid the ring quickly onto her ring finger and stood up, lifting her into his arms, and kissing her passionately.

She giggled against his lips as he spun her around.

They walked back to the company, hand in hand, and grinning ear to ear.