Rue (A Thorin Oakenshield/Hobbit Fanfiction)

47

"All I'm saying is, we should have better defenses on our borders. You must remember why you earned your name, Talia—because those Wargs were too damn close."

"Dwalin."

"I know you made me Head of the Guard for a reason, Talia, and this is it. We can't be too relaxed, not anymore."

"Dwalin."

"Ten more legions. That's all I ask."

"Dwalin! Stop talking!" Talia cut him off, ceasing his incessant rambles about the guard. "I agree; the guard needs to be multiplied. But can we have this discussion another time?"

It was the morning after Thorin had woken, and the pair were on their way to the conference room to begin the day's meetings. He was in excellent health, and thanks to Amada, he was well-nourished too. However, the wonderful news had yet to reach the Queen's inner circle, for no other reason aside from her own amusement. The healer had liked Talia's idea of catching them by surprise, and so it was done. Thorin was inside the small conference room, waiting patiently to greet his insane and boisterous family for the first time in over a month. The only fear Talia had was that Dwalin would talk her to death before she could see it come to fruition.

"When? In the meeting?"

"You'll see." Talia added, rounding the corner to find Bilbo, Balin, Kili, Dis, and a few other advisors waiting outside the conference room. They were grumbling impatiently, probably because of the locked door. When it was this early in the morning, all the dwarves wanted to do was slump in their chairs and pretend to be listening.

"What's the holdup, Auntie? These doors are never locked."

"A habit which we should probably change." Talia refuted, ignoring Kili's look of disdain.

"If you're going to wake us at such an hour for an emergency meeting, you could at least have the courtesy to come on time."

"With chairs." Balin added, nodding at Dis in approval.

"Would you all relax? Save your griping for later."

"How much later? Because I would've spared a few precious minutes of sleep if you wanted them later." Kili asked, but Talia shoved past him, unlocking the door to reveal the surprise.

"How about when the King is present?"

The door swung open before her as she walked in, presenting her husband to the others. Now fully awake, they wandered inside in shock, taking in the King. Thorin's bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight as he smiled softly at his family, enjoying their priceless expressions.

Kili was the first to react. He ran forward, tackling his uncle in a firm hug as if he were five again. Thorin's deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, holding his nephew close. Their embrace was like that after Thorin had snapped out of the dragon sickness, when they had held each other like they were found again.

"Thorin." Dis breathed, tears brimming in her eyes as he released his nephew. Before he could even step forward, his little sister was already in his arms, sobbing all the while.

"It's okay." He whispered gently into her ear, soothing her as if she were little again. Thorin had always been the one Dis would run to if she had nightmares; Talia remembered finding the small princess in his bed with them more times than not. "I'm alright, Dis."

"No, you're not!" She exclaimed, remembering her anger with him. "How could you almost get yourself killed without me! For Mahal's sake, Thorin, I thought you were never going to wake! It's a bloody miracle you even made it to this mountain, if you ask me—"