A Tale of Time

Chapter 21: Test of Trust

Gailien lets her legs fold underneath her, resting her back against the mountainside just a few meters from the entrance. The rain is more of an annoyance than anything, and she would rather be inside the cave than here. She just needs time to think, to let Thorin cool off before she returns. Time to sulk. She laughs pathetically to herself, wondering who Gandalf who be madder at, her or Thorin.

Inside the cavern, silence still reigns and Bilbo stares at the entrance that she has just walked out of, wondering if he should follow. Thorin stands breathing slowly, his eyes directed at the ground in deep thought. The first one to move is Kili. He turns around and begins marching towards the entrance but a heavy hand lays on his shoulder, pulling him back. Thorin pulls his nephew back to his brother. "But Gailien-" Kili begins to protest.

"Stay here," Thorin grunts softly then to the astonishment of the rest of the company, Thorin begins stalking out of the cave himself. He sighs as the rain begins to hit him again, but he ignores it as he looks towards the path, finding her not there. He huffs, knowing that he is going to have to catch up to her and he begins marching forward to do so but a flicker of pale skin shows in the corner of his eye. His step pauses as his head turns, finding Gailien, not running away from them, but with her eyes closed, leaning against the mountain. His direction changes slowly and he begins carefully stepping forward to her.

"Should we let Thorin out there with her alone?" Bilbo wonders out loud back in the cave as he waits for anybody else to do something, but they all seem stiff. His words seem to break the invisible tension and they begin to move once again.

"I think she just proved that she can handle herself," Dwalin smirks slightly. "And she won't go far." His arms are crossed, one of his legs propped out in a position of comfort.

"You don't think she's leaving?" Fili asks, frowning at the older warrior. Dwalin shakes his head.

"Nah. Just cooling off I reckon," he grunts. "She's a loyal thing. Besides, her pack is still here." He gestures to the wall, and sure enough, all her belongings are still neatly tucked away in the small pack inside the cave. Dwalin may have doubted her loyalty before, but that night in Rivendell had proven to him that her loyalty is as fierce as a Dwarf's.

Back outside, Gailien keeps her eyes shut as someone sits next to her. She tries to breathe slowly, willing her body to relax its muscles. Thorin settles down next to her, also taking a few moments to breath. He hasn't thought about what he is going to say.

"You're right," he says eventually. Gailien's eyes snap open. This is the voice she least expected to hear and her mind is suspended in a few moments of disbelief at the words that match the voice. They aren't something she has ever thought would come from his mouth, let alone said towards her after the past events. All she can do is stare at him; her mind running blank. Thorin stares out past the edge of the ledge but glances at her from the corner of his vision.

'I'm right.' The two words bounce around her head like children after dessert. The king not only followed her out but now sits with her in the rain.

"You're not a hassle," he continues after her silence. His voice is smooth, nothing like the rough edge he had back in the cave. "I told you that back in Rivendell and I meant it. I was just angry. Angry that we were at the mercy of something we couldn't fight, and I need to put a blame on somebody. It would have probably been at Gandalf if he were here." That small joke earns the tiniest tweak in the corner of her lips. One that is noticed by the King. "You have proven to be loyal to the company. To me. Dwalin trusts you, my nephews, Balin, Gandalf."

Their eyes finally meet and Gailien is drowning in the sincerity in them. She takes every word he says, holding it close to her heart. She doesn't want to be angry at him. Her beliefs still hold true in him – that it was only a matter of built-up emotions.

"You can leave if you wish to," he offers quietly, barely being heard over the rain. "I just wish to offer an apology for my words." Gailien blinks through the rain, shaking her head.

"I don't want your apologies," she speaks for the first time. Thorin is perplexed; her tone holds no bite and he doesn't know how to take her words. "I want your trust, Thorin."

As if she couldn't be any more surprised today. Thorin holds out his hand to her. "And you have it." The rain continues to pour on them as they stare at each other, gauging the other's expression. And her hand moves, slowly, but it moves until her fingers brush over his palm. Thorin's fingers wrap around her hand and in that moment, a silent settlement is made. Thorin stands, pulling the woman up as he does. "Let's get out of this forsaken rain," he mutters, his voice tinted in mirth. "Haven't seen when it ends, have you?"

Gailien laughs silently, shaking her head. It is a simple question, but she sees it as his way of solidifying his trust, to show her that he means his words. "No, but I think we've earnt a short break after today." Thorin gives a half-smile, dropping her hand.

"I suppose we'll have to," he agrees. Then together, they both walk back into the cave. The Dwarves halt mid-movement once again as all heads turn towards them. Thorin's eyes glaze over them all with a short but meaningful look and the Dwarves return to their work. Whatever happened out there, they would not know, and it is not to be questioned. "No fires tonight," he says as Gloin is already trying to make one. "Not in this place. Get some sleep and we leave at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us," Balin protests. "That was the plan."

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch."

Bofur's eyes linger on the King for a few moments, wanting to get sleep himself but nods, nonetheless. Most of the Dwarves find spots quickly enough and Gailien picks her pack back up and worms through the company so she can be further towards the back where the most heat will accumulate.

"We have a spot for you." Gailien smiles as Kili gestures over his shoulder. She follows him over to where he and his brother have set their bedrolls near the wall. Her knees hit the ground and begin taking out her own. "Did you really see me die?"

Her eyes stay on her bedroll, nodding. The vision was horrible and not something she willingly recalls. "Yes, I did. But I stopped it." Kili sits, fiddling with his bow at, unsettled by the idea that he may have brushed fingers with death. Gailien stops unrolling the material, laying a hand on his leg. "The reason I didn't leave is because I'm here to stop that from happening. Not to you, Fili-" Fili looks up at his name "-Thorin, not to anybody here. And as long as I can, I will do everything I can to stop harm from coming to us."

"We don't want harm finding you either, lass," Fili exhales.

"I know you don't. Or you would a questionable friend," she teases lightly, continuing to unravel her roll. The brothers chuckle, settling into their own rolls.

"Are we just going to ignore the fact that she lied about the trolls!" Dori exclaims suddenly. Gailien's cheeks burn, making no move to defend herself. "How can we believe anything she says."

Thorin, who is still standing, slowly walks through to camp until he stands in the middle of the Dwarves. "She did so for my sake. It was my mistake and I take responsibility for what happened with the trolls. If you do not trust her, then you do not trust me." Dori stays silent, shuffling back into his seat as Thorin's eyes leer over the company, almost daring another to speak up. Finally, they rest on her, giving her the tiniest nod which is met with her small smile.

There is a quiet murmur through the camp, nothing like the usual chatter over a campfire. No one is truly in the mood to talk as sleep sings to almost all of them.