A Thousand Miles[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Twenty Seven]

"Alyndra please, stay out of this." Thorin begged her.

"No. You can't do this Thorin. He is your family." She stated, still arguing with the dwarf. Thorin looked at her when his older nephew began to argue with his uncle, begging him as well not to leave his brother behind. The woman got off the boat and started heading over to Kili when Thorin stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm staying here. Kili's not going to be left here on his own." She declared. Thorin hadn't let go over her arm as he starred her in the eyes.

"Alyndra get back on the boat now." Thorin growled. Alyndra looked into the dwarf's eyes. He seemed to be in some dark place and she actually felt scared of what he would do if she didn't listen to him and she climbed back onto the boat. The woman stood at the back of the boat, looking at Thorin as he now was arguing with both his nephews and soon they were both now staying. Both brothers weren't going to be separated from each other ever. Then Oin decided he best stay as well since his talent was looking after the sick and injured and it was clear Kili was not well at all.

The remaining dwarves climbed onto the boat as the master said a few words of encouragement to the dwarves and they were now paddling down the lake towards the mountain. Alyndra looked behind her, praying they would be alright. They were soon back on the open lake, the dwarves stared in awe as the mountain came into view. The boat soon came to stop at the shore. They would travel the rest of the way on foot. Thorin helped Alyndra off the boat.

"Thorin we need to talk." Dwalin called. Alyndra looked from Dwalin to Thorin and then continued on up the hill.

" If your seeking my forgiveness for what you did to Alyndra, then I'm not the one you should be seeking it from." Thorin grumbled at the dwarf before leaving him in his spot deep in thought. They began their long climb over the rocks. Thorin held onto Alyndra's hand as the rest of the day dragged on for the search of the hidden door, before the last light of Durin's day came.

It was a quiet climb for the dwarves, the woman and the hobbit over the rocks and outcroppings. Most of them were all in thought, remembering what these lands once looked like before the dragon had come. Alyndra was walking alone, searching the hillsides for anything that might point them in the direction of the secret door. She thought about flying; it would be quicker, but Thorin had insisted she stay on the ground with the rest of them, he didn't want the same thing to happen to her again.

Balin was walking along, near the skin changer. The dwarf prince had expressed his concerns to him about the woman, that she hasn't been eating and that she was acting a little different lately. The older dwarf noticed that the young lass had been looking exhausted as well, from little sleep and he had his suspicions but wouldn't say until he knew for sure. " You feeling alright, lass?" Balin asked, giving her a friendly smile. The question surprised her as she looked at the older dwarf.

" I'm fine." She pressed, glancing at Thorin. "Did Thorin put you up to this?" Balin let out a low chuckle, their was no fooling the skin changer.

" He's just concerned about you, Alyndra." He pressed. "He just wants to make sure, your okay. He cares about you a lot, lass." he explained to her. She looked to the ground, nodding her head. She had been feeling off for almost a week now, but she had assumed it was because she just missed home, but now she wasn't sure.

" I know he does." She stated.

" Don't wait too long to tell him." Balin insisted with a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about Balin?" She stated, looking at him confused.

"Lass, I've been watching you for over two weeks now since we left your homeland. You've been looking like your under the weather, you're not eating, even now you look more exhausted than ever all clear signs that its possible you are carrying a child." Balin whispered to her. Her hand immediately went to her stomach and then she looked at the dwarf, wondering if he could be right. The skin-changer then turned to her side to see Thorin catching up.

"Please, don't say anything to Thorin about this. I will tell him when I know for sure." Alyndra begged Balin. He nodded to her and went his separate way, just as Thorin reached her side.

"What were you two whispering about?" Thorin asked her, as he took her hand.

"Nothing....just silly stuff." The woman lied, and gave him a smile. The dwarf decided not to press it any further, if something was wrong, he hoped she would tell him.

" It's so quiet." Bilbo stated as he stood looking around the area.

" It wasn't always like this." Balin pointed out coming up beside the hobbit. " Once, these slopes were lined with woodlands. The trees were filled with birdsong." he explained as a bird flew over them and landed on a rock.

" Relax master Baggin's." Thorin pressed as he came up behind the hobbit with the skin-changer. "We have food, we have tools, and were making good time." The dwarf prince's eyes locked on a certain area as he ran to the edge of the ledge with the others right behind him.

"What is this place?" Bilbo asked, when no one spoke as they looked at the ruin city below them.

" It was once the city of Dale, now it is a ruin. The desolation of Smaug." Balin stated. Alyndra felt a chill go through her when that beast's terrible name was said.

"The sun will soon reach midday. We must find the hidden door into the mountain before it sets." Thorin pressed not wanting to waste anymore time.

"Wait! Is this the overlook?" Bilbo questioned. Thorin stopped dead in his tracks looking at the hobbit. "Gandalf said to meet him here. On no account were we to..."

" Do you see him?" Thorin interrupted. Alyndra found this odd of him. He had never disobeyed an order the wizard had given on this journey and now he didn't care.

"Thorin we should wait for Gandalf" The skin-changer begged him.

"We have no time to wait upon the wizard. We're on our own. Come." Thorin pressed, pulling the woman with him, not giving her a choice as she wondered what was going through his mind. A few hours had passed and they still hadn't found the door." Anything!?" Thorin yelled to the others.

"Nothing." Dwalin shouted back. Thorin pulled the map back out to look at it again to make sure they were in the right area.

" If the map is true...then the hidden door lies directly above us." The others were quickly growing discouraged until they heard the hobbit yelling out. " Up here!" he cried triumphantly.

"You have keen eyes master Baggins." Thorin praised the hobbit. The dwarf led the way up the ancient steps. Alyndra followed behind Thorin. It was a long climb up but they finally made it to the top, with a little light left to locate the key-hole in the wall.