Heart of Embers (Thorin Oakenshield Love Story)

Chapter 10

Apparently, Arien had underestimated how tired she was, because when Thorin took her back to her rooms, saying it was fine as they weren't far from his own, she fell into bed and didn't wake up until the Prince roused her for dinner.

"Every night we have a big feast," he told her, but she wasn't listening. She was trying to work out why, when he'd gripped her shoulder and shook her gently, her stomach had jolted and sparks had flown through her body. He was handsome, but... she'd never felt that way, with anyone before.

She became aware that they were taking a very different route than the one that led to the throne room. Thorin said nothing as they walked down the halls, but she was used to his silence. Especially as when they reached a big room lined with long tables that were covered in plates of food, the noise hit them like a wall. Arien stopped and stared in amazement. Amazement at the amount of dwarves in there, and the food. It seemed that the dwarves had no reservations when it came to eating. There were plates and plates of it, laid out all down the tables, pretty much every dish different. Thorin only smiled at her reaction and said

"I told you so."

He made his way towards a smaller table at the back of the room, where Arien recognised Dis and Thrain, along with three others sitting there. She followed him, mostly because she honestly couldn't see a single free seat. Dis spotted her and waved, before signalling to a servant who quickly found an extra chair and put it on Dis's left side. Arien nodded her thanks and sat down, feeling a little self-conscious as this seemed to be the royal's table, and she was by no means a royal.

"Did you sleep well?" Dis asked, a roguish grin on her face.

Arien bit back on her smile. "Very well, thank you, Princess. In fact, I don't remember doing anything but sleep since your grandfather allowed me to stay."

Dis laughed, and even Thorin smiled.

"Oh, I forgot!" said Dis. "We haven't introduced you to everyone. Everyone, this is Arien." Dis began piling food on Arien's plate as she spoke. "Arien, this is my father, Thrain." Thrain nodded at her, something in the way he did it reminding her distinctly of Thorin. "This is my brother, Frerin." The dark brown haired dwarf she'd seen standing next to Dis in the throne room didn't even seem to notice her. He was too busy shovelling food into his mouth. Dis sighed. "This is Freris, my mother." A grey haired dwarf woman sitting beside Thrain smiled and shook her hand.

"It's good to see you awake and well," she said.

Arien smiled back.

"Thorin you know," Dis went on. "And this," gesturing to the blonde dwarf on her other side. "Is Farin, my..."

"Her lover," Thorin said, the corners of his mouth twitching up. "Which she constantly reminds us of every day."

"Hey," Dis said, poking him with her fork. "Just because we hold hands..."

"You do far more than that and you know it."

"He's right," said Thrain. "I'm surprised you aren't announcing your pregnancy already, the amount of times you..."

"All right, enough," Arien interrupted, though she was fighting back her smile. "Don't corrupt my innocent mind."

Dis raised her brows. "Innocent?"

"Yes," Arien said. "I have never..."

She stopped herself. That was not something she would like to share with people she'd only just met.

But Thorin was watching her. "Never what?"

Thorin was not someone she'd only just met. She'd known him longer than the others, at least... He is a Prince, she told herself firmly. And you would stand no chance anyway, she added to the other thought that entered her mind.

"Nothing," she said. "Never nothing."

"Really?" said Dis, grinning. "Because I think..."

"Dis," Thorin said quietly.

She noticed the look on his face, on Arien's face, and shut up.

"You should eat something," Freris told her, pointing to the plate Dis had piled with food. "Or you'll starve yourself."

***

They talked all through dinner, though Arien mostly listened and ate. The food was delicious, as was the beer, which she didn't drink much of. Only Thorin noticed this, and halfway through a servant discreetly slipped a glass of water in front of her, which she guessed was due to Thorin asking him to.

By the end, Arien was surprised to find that most of the food, on all the tables, was gone. How the dwarves had managed to eat all of that, she didn't know. Dis promised her a tour of the mountain tomorrow, which Arien thanked her for, and Thorin offered to escort her back to her rooms, which she accepted, if only because she had no idea where to go.

He left her in her rooms with nothing more than a gruff goodnight, but Arien, to her surprise, said

"Wait."

He turned back at the door.

"I... Thank you."

He smiled. "What are you thanking me for?"

"For... Well, for saving my life."

"You would have done the same for me." He frowned. "Wouldn't you?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "Yes I would."

"Good," he said. "Well... I should go."

She nodded.

But as he left her room and shut the door behind him, part of her wished he could have stayed.