Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Thirteen]

" No, I just came to see that you were alright." Thorin pointed out. She put her book down to look at him.

" I'll be fine. It's not a particular sight I want to remember." She insisted and she noticed the prince half smirked at this as he glanced at the ground and then back at the hobbit. They both looked at each other for a few seconds in uncomfortable silence and finally the woman had to look away.

" I also came to let you know that we must leave at dawn." Thorin insisted, not leaving the woman's eyes. She nodded that she understood and Thorin turned to leave.

" Thorin...."

The dwarf turned around to look at the hobbit. " W-why do you hate the elves so much? What is it that they have done to cause you to show such hatred towards them?" Freya dared to ask, she had been wondering since he wanted to avoid coming here when the wizard suggest it. The prince sighed before he answered stepping closer to the rock that the hobbit was sitting on.

" They turned their backs, when our home was taken from us the day the dragon came." Thorin said sternly.

" Was it these elves?"

" It doesn't matter, there all the same. We came to them for help, and they did nothing." Thorin spat. Freya took it as no and now wished she never would have asked.

" I'm sorry I asked." Freya said as she looked away from the prince to the waterfall, watching as the pressure from the water pounded the giant rocks.

" Freya. Sorry I don't mean to get angry with you, this is not your fault what happened to us. I don't trust the elves and if you are smart you'll do the same." Thorin pointed out. She didn't say anything. The both of them noticed the sun had disappeared.

" We should go back. We leave early in the morning, we could all use a goodnight's rest before we begin the journey again." Thorin explained not wanting to discus anything else about elves. The hobbit nodded and she began to climb off the rock when she slipped and let out a shriek as Thorin caught her in his arms.

Freya felt awkward being this close to him as she felt her heart racing in her. Thorin let her go. " You alright?"

" Yes...Thank you." She quickly said, feeling embarrassed that she would be that clumsy with him suddenly. He allowed her to go first up the path and he followed behind her, eyes scanning the forest for anything suspicious. Once they got back to the house of Elrond, the dwarves and the two hobbit's were well fed thanks to the elves.

Bombur had been raiding their kitchen for food to take with them on their continuing journey. Darkness had come over the valley as the woman climbed some stairs that weren't to far from the dwarves that were laughing having a good time. As she got to the last few steps she saw her cousin at the top of the stairs starring into the darkness.

" Freya. I haven't seen you all day. Where have you been? and you were awfully quiet at the feast." Bilbo wondered.

" You don't want to know." Freya pressed as she glanced over the ledge of the platform they were on when they heard a voice on the other side walking along the bridge.

" Of course I was going to tell you. I was waiting for this very chance." Gandalf stated. Bilbo and Freya watched the wizard and the elf curiously as to what they were discussing. " And really, I-- I think you can trust that I know what I am doing."

" Do you?" Lord Elrond questioned. " That dragon has slept for sixty years. What will happen if your plan should fail? If you wake that beast?"

" What is we succeed? If the dwarves take back the mountain, our defenses in the East will be strengthened." The wizard insisted, but the elf was having his doubts knowing what laid in that mountain, besides the mighty beast.

" It is a dangerous move, Gandalf." Elrond stated. Bilbo and Freya had no clue they weren't the only ones on the platform listening to this.

" it is also dangerous to do nothing. " The wizard argued with the elf. Freya didn't want to listen to this anymore and turned around to leave when she saw Thorin standing there watching the wizard and elf and she wondered how long he had been there, Bilbo noticed his cousins sudden shift in movement and turned to see what she was looking at. The prince starred at her for a brief moment before all their attention went back to the wizard.

" Oh, come. The throne of Erebor is Thorin's birthright. What is it you fear?"

The elf stopped right in front of Gandalf to look him right in the eyes. " Have you forgotten?" He asked sternly. " A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind. His father succumbed to the same sickness." Lord Elrond explained, wondering why the wizard couldn't see that this was not a good idea.

" Can you swear Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall?" Thorin turned away and looked at the ground hearing the doubts in the elf's words because of his ancestry. The woman turned around slowly to look at the prince and saw on his face, that he was hurt by this and turned and glared at the elf not wanting to believe this was going to be Thorin's fate like his grandfather and father before him.

The wizard said nothing, because he couldn't swear that the heir of Erebor wouldn't also lose his mind if they took the mountain back.

" Gandalf, these decisions do not rest with us alone. It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-Earth. " Lord Elrond stated as Thorin, Freya and Bilbo watched the wizard and Elf starting to head up stairs that led into the home of Elrond. The two hobbit's turned around to find Thorin looking at them.

" Both of you be ready to leave at dawn." Thorin ordered and he left down the steps. Freya was the next with her cousin behind her as they walked to there rooms in silences after hearing this. Bilbo's room was right beside hers. Freya opened her door and before she walked in she turned to look at her cousin.

" Goodnight Bilbo. I'll see you in the morning." Freya said as she half smiled at Bilbo.

" Night Freya."

Freya closed her door. She saw on her bed. Her clothes folded and clean. She had a feeling that the elves knew they were going to leave soon. She got out of her dress and put it in her bag and got on her long sweater and trousers and crawled into bed laying there in deep thought, staring at the ceiling.

The young woman was beginning to wonder if this quest was a mistake. Was the elf right? Was Thorin destined to share the same fate as his grandfather and his father? She shook the thought from her head, and vowed she wouldn't let it happen to him. The hobbit closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.