Price of Battle ➝ The Hobbit ✓

Part Ten

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Iv'e been really busy with school and I just haven't had the time. But I'm here now! With another chapter! So I hope you enjoy it...

PART TEN ~

"Wh...What are you doing here!?" Arien stammered. "I... I thought you left."

"Well I came back!"

"Well.... Why!?" She exclaimed. Arien frowned, her whole body shaking from the previous ordeal. Confusion racked her body as she continued to stare at the dwarf in bewilderment.

Thoros rolled his eyes, folding his arms impatiently. "Look. Am I going to get a thanks or what?" He raised an eyebrow. "I did save you from quite a mess, y'know." His eyes flickered in amusement to the shredded rope he had cut from her hands, and the bloodied mess from the corpses that littered the ground.

Arien suddenly erupted in anger. "I could have handled myself!" She snapped, her tone tinted with annoyance and disgust.

Thoros recoiled with hurt, his eyebrows knitting into a frown.

Arien's features immediately relaxed and an apologetic gaze broke through her icy stare. "No. I'm sorry. Thank you for saving me. I probably would have encountered a rather unpleasant fate had you not... come back."

Thoros waved the apology away, but a small trace of a sad smile was beginning to play at his lips. He lowered his gaze to the crimson stained ground, and began to speak in a soft whisper. "We were friends once, Arien." And slowly, he brought his head back up to meet her dim gaze. "Why can't we be again?"

Arien's lip trembled slightly as if about to speak, but then she fell silent and her face relaxed, a soothing smile tugged at her lips as she thought deeply for a moment. Then she nodded. A simple, yet effective response, for Thoros' face lit up with happiness, his silver eyes dancing with delight in the faint shafts of sunlight that cascaded through the leaves. 

"And I can join you?! Y'know. To go and find Fili!"

Arien nodded, but then a thought crossed her mind. "Wait. Before we set off. How about you tell me where you learned those skills."

Thoros' eyes sparkled mysteriously and he drew his hands across his lips playfully. Then he chuckled and gestured for them to begin walking. "How about I tell you as we walk."

Arien nodded and eyed her 'friend' mysteriously. There was much she didn't know about this dwarf. And much to find out.