Over the Mountains // Thorin Oakenshield

Chapter 17

The dwarf prince leant forward and brushed his nose against hers gently, sending chills down her spine and goosebumps over her arms. the tip of his nose brushed the skin right below her eyes.... then down closer to her mouth. She could feel his breath on her face.... she could practically taste his breath as their air mingled between them.

She felt her eyes fluttering closed as Thorin's nose pressed against the side of hers and he drew her face closer to his. Thorin closed his eyes and was quite sure he could feel the cool feeling of her lips as he drew her near.... but in a second it was gone when they both jumped apart at a loud sound that literally gave them a heart attack.

Sepha let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and Thorin jumped back, Sepha bending down to snatch up the key she had dropped without realizing it. Both turned and saw that Balin and Dwalin were stumbling down the hallway, obviously both drunk for Dwalin's eyes were constantly swiveling into the back of his head and Balin was trying to support him but looking just as bad himself.

The two dwarves stumbled to their door and somehow Balin managed to find his key and unlock the door that was already unlocked before the two stumbled in, slamming the door behind them.

Thorin turned back to Sepha who had managed to unlock her door and now had it open. She was standing in the doorway, facing him, one hand on the frame and the other on the doorknob, ready to close the door.

Both found it impossible to find words so Thorin just nodded.

"Goodnight Sepha," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Goodnight," the girl whispered before smiling and closing the door.

When the door closed, Thorin let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was going to box Dwalin in the morning! With a final look at the door, he turned and headed back down the hallway to his own room. As he crawled under the covers, he ignored the snores coming from Nori across the room and curled up, thinking of how close he had been to kissing Sepha.....how he had found it impossible to breathe.... or to even think.... it was like he couldn't breathe without her.

With a certain brown haired, green eyed quarter breed on his mind, THorin fell asleep and slept better than he had in a long time. Meanwhile, Sepha was sitting against her door, looking up at the ceiling with a huge grin on her face, her eyes closed. Thorin had almost kissed her! He had been so gentle.... so slow and careful as if he was afraid to scare her by moving too fast....She would have fallen asleep against the door except the bed sounded more comforting and she fell asleep the moment she hit the bed, the smile still on her face.

What neither of the two knew was that the moment Thorin's door closed, Dwalin and Balin's door opened and both dwarves poked their heads out, fully sober and with pleased smirks on their faces. Down the hallway, another door opened and two more heads poked out, looking at the two with evil glares.

"We still have a few hours," FIli whispered to Dwalin and Balin.

"You two are going down," Kili added before he and his brother drew their heads back into their room.

Dwalin and Balin exchanged knowing looks and head butted each other before going to bed, the small amount of ale they had finally taking over and knocking them into a deep slumber.

Down the hall, Fili and Kili were glowering at their door.

"Those cheaters," Fili spat. "Of all the millions of ways they could have interrupted our triumph, they had to fake being drunk!"

Kili nodded, "We have until tomorrow when we leave for Erabor brother.... we need to up our game."

"But how will we do that?" Fili asked. "After being interrupted like that, who knows how long Thorin and Sepha will take! It's like recovering from a wound!"