More Than Meets the Eye

Chapter Twenty-One

In the corridor between her chambers and Thorin's, Arielle stopped. "I should go up there and at least try to talk it out with them. I'd really rather not leave it up in the air this way."

"Are you certain? Sometimes, time is the best remedy of all."

She stared down along the corridor, although there was nobody there, of course. "I just feel as if I've let them all down."

"Arielle—"

"I know," she cut him off, holding up both hands to halt him, "I know that they will get over in time and it won't really matter if they don't because eventually I'll be their employer just as you are and I know I'll be the queen, but that just sounds so pretentious and uppity that I don't think I will ever be able to use it to describe myself and anyway, I don't want them listening to me because they have to, but I'd rather it be because they like me and respect me and I don't even know how I go about getting that respect back because—"

"Arielle!" He caught her by the shoulders. "You're babbling again."

"Oh, I know! I just can't help it!"

"I've noticed that about you."

She glared at him. "Not helping."

He held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. "Fair enough. I think it adorable, if a bit difficult to follow at times, but you might want to think about not doing it quite so often."

"If it was that easy, don't you think I'd do it?" she snapped, whipping about to stalk toward the end of the corridor, where she stopped and turned back to find him still standing there. "I'm sorry. I'm just... I hate having them hate me."

"They don't hate you, I'm sure." He leaned up against the wall, arms folded. "They're hurt, yes. And probably angry as well. But, Kusela thinks the world of you and the others will come around. Now, if you want to go and try talking to Brynne or Erika, go right ahead. Come find me when you're finished."

"Come find you? Thorin, do you know how big this city is? I get lost every time I try to find my way from the laundry, but I'm supposed to come find you?"

A low chuckle rolled toward her. "I'll be in here," he rapped on his closed door, "unless someone needs me for something. In which case, I'll come find you."

She nodded, and made her way around the corner. But, as she was halfway to the staircase that would bring her to the level with the kitchens and the Great Hall, she stopped, doubled back, and knocked on Thorin's door.

"Who goes?" he called.

"It's me. Arielle."

A low laugh rolled toward her. "A simple it's me is enough. I know the sound of your voice by now, you know."

She rolled her eyes, but when he opened the door, she launched herself at him. Just leaped into his arms and thank Mahal he had good reflexes, for he caught her easily, even as he took a step backward and groaned as she wrapped her legs about his hips. "What is this for?"

"For being the one person here who doesn't hate me."

He linked his fingers at the small of her back. "I told you, they don't hate you. I promise you they don't. But, feel free to greet me this way any time you wish, mesmel. I rather like how you feel this way."

She caught his face in her hands, his beard scratchy-soft against her palms. Smiling, she tilted his face to hers and bent to capture his lips in a slow kiss. She meant it to only be that, a single kiss, but his arms tightened about her as he moved back and sank onto the sofa. His hands skimmed along her back, up to her shoulders, down to her hips, and then, he drew back to murmur, "If you're going to talk with the staff, you should go because another moment and I am not letting you off this sofa."