A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

113. Trust

I laid my head on his shoulder as he held me close, absorbing as much as I could of his presence, not knowing what the coming battle will bring. We both sat there for probably half an hour before I sighed and pulled back, smiling at him.

"Well, I am going to head into Erebor for a bit, clean up, find some better clothes because these have seen better days, maybe find that soup you mentioned Bombur had sitting over the fire, do you want me to bring you back some?" I asked, once again noticing the unhealthy look about Thorin. Likely he had not eaten much under the Gold Sickness after I left, which I felt a bit guilty for but there was little I could do at the time to help him. I was also a bit unsure still about admitting my feeling and, while Thorin's actions stated very clearly that he felt the same, maybe I am odd and just wanted to hear it out loud.

"If you would, Ruby?" Thorin asked nicely as I smiled at him and patted his shoulder, Fairfin remaining on Thorin's other shoulder, before standing and walking on around Thorin into Erebor, which doesn't seem as omonious as I remember it being, maybe because the curse has been lifted. I walked along the path I knew would be quicker to the room I claimed as my own for a time. I pushed open the door and was happy to see everything exactly as I left it before quickly moving around, pulling out clothes and preparing a bath because I seriously needed one. I pulled out a thicker winter coat of deep dark grey, a nice green shirt, a pair of dark grey winter pants. Luckily my boots are still in great shape so I left them alone.

I quickly washed up before dressing and then moving to stand in front of the mirror, staring, wide eyed, at the mess a top my head. My red hair was more tangled, messy, and altogether near uncontrollable than usual. I could feel giant nasty knots of hair against the back of my head and several were pulling a touch at my hair. I quickly got to work, using the pouch of herbs I left here in this room from a barrel I found inside Erebor's storeroom. I was very surprised to find these herbs among that barrel and quickly put them to use before I left Erebor. Now I am just happy they are still here or this mess would be an impossibility to tame, I would have had to just cut out the knots and it would have left my hair looking awful for ages.

I got to work crushing the herbs with water into my hair, pulling out bits of dried sticks from my hair as I leaned over the small tub below the mirror, rubbing in the herb and water mix before doing that many more times. Eventually I got to work combing the mess out, wincing as it pulled at some of the tough knots on the back of my head but the herbs helped me untangle the mess. After vigorious work, my hair fell down my shoulders and back again, only a bit frayed from me untangling it. I washed it a few more times with the herbs to insure all the tangles were gone, sighing in relief as I was able to move my neck again. I dug out a new scarf from one of the drawers, this one beige, before tying my hair back and exiting the room, feeling much better being clean.

I walked along the pathways through Erebor, once more in awe and the shear size of this place as I made for the hall the dwarves stayed in when I was last here. I easily found it because I visited these halls many times for food during that week I stayed in Erebor and was pleased to find a warm but not boiling pot of soup over a low fire. I quickly filled two bowls before making my way back through Erebor to the entrance.

By the time I got back there, the soup was lukewarm nearing cool and I could see it was reaching late afternoon. I could see Thorin standing, arms cross, leaning again one of the broken pillars with his eyes watching the open entryway to Erebor as I approached, glad to see Thorin acting a bit more like Thorin again. He isn't Thorin unless he leans against a wall, arms crossed, and broods over something.

I held out a bowl of soup, Thorin looking at it in shock before looking up at me, tipping his head a touch as a thank you before beginning to eat. I sat down again the pillar he was leaning on a practically devoured the entire soup in seconds. I had been eating less, letting the people of Laketown have their food because, while Lord Thranduil brought three wagons full of food and wine, I knew they needed to food more than I did. So I didn't eat more than what was necessary.