《Heart of Embers (Thorin Oakenshield Love Story)》Chapter 5
Advertisement
He didn't offer her food that night, and Arien didn't ask for it, despite her screaming belly. She did, however, offer to keep watch, but he just gave her a look that said you honestly think I'd trust you to do that? and that was that.
She slept better that night, perhaps because her body was used to the hardness of the ground, but more likely because the Dwarf actually lay down to sleep.
Arien woke up that morning with an excruciating, aching pain in her stomach. She groaned as she rolled over, her hands immediately clutching it to check for any injury. She found nothing, and fear pooled in her gut as she tried to work out why her stomach hurt so much. She looked around for the Dwarf, half hoping he could help her, but he wasn't there. Arien curled into a ball, hands pressed against her stomach, and nearly jumped out of her skin as the Dwarf dumped a rabbit carcass next to her head.
"You look like hell," he said by way of greeting.
Arien was in too much pain to bother being horrible, so she said
"I feel like hell."
"Why?" As if being sympathetic would be an inconvenience.
"I... have absolutely no idea," Arien admitted.
He glared at her for a second, then turned back to the rabbit by her head, which he began to skin. She'd learned not to be too offended when he glared, as it normally meant he was in an average mood. Arien groaned as she forced herself to uncurl and get up, shoving away the blanket she'd slept under. But she froze when she felt wet, thick blood crusting between her legs.
"Shit," she hissed under her breath.
This was maybe the second time this had ever happened in her life, and there was no way of predicting when it was going to happen, but... shit. Arien jerked her head at the outcrop of rocks just behind her.
Advertisement
"I... have to go behind there," she said, trying not to show her utter mortification.
The Dwarf only inclined his head. She took that as a yes and slipped behind the rocks. She had nothing, absolutely nothing, to soak up the blood. She supposed the best she could do was a broad leaf. As if luck was on her side, there was a broad-leafed tree just behind her, and Arien picked one and set about the business of cleaning herself up.
***
When she emerged from the rocks, her stomach still sending excruciating pain through her gut, Arien felt slightly cleaner, and slightly less covered in blood. The Dwarf wasn't there, but he'd ever-so-kindly left her the freshly skinned rabbit by her bed. She hissed and made her way over to it, preparing to pack away the blanket which was still lying there. But Arien stopped dead when she saw the pool of dried blood on the grass. And stopped even deader when she saw the strips of blue cotton laid out neatly on the blanket. Strips off the Dwarf's shirt. He must have known from the blood. But why the hell would he help her?
Arien shrugged off the question and gathered up the strips, slipping behind the rocks again and double checking to make sure he wasn't there.
It didn't take her long to change, and by the time she emerged the Dwarf was back, both the skinned rabbit and her blanket gone, along with the blood. He smirked at her, his eyes –– eyes that were so dead and joyless –– watching her with predatory stillness. What had happened to make those eyes so blank? So expressionless? Was it training, or something darker? And Arien found that she cared. She cared what had happened to this mysterious and, she had to admit, handsome dwarf.
Advertisement
"Thank you. For the... supplies."
She could have sworn the hint of a smile graced the Dwarf's unyielding features as he dipped his head. "Don't be. No one deserves that kind of embarrassment."
Arien had to smile at that. He must have sensed her mortification.
"Come on." He jerked his head toward where they could see Erebor rising up in the morning light. "We still have at least a day's travel before we get there."
Arien nodded and held out her hand for her pack. Offering to carry it for him. He glanced at her for a moment, as if weighing, assessing, before handing it to her. And his hand froze atop hers. Every muscle in his body had gone rigid, as though he was straining to hear something.
"Get down," the Dwarf hissed, shoving her behind a rock and crouching down beside her.
Then Arien heard it too –– quiet but harsh voices speaking in the hideous language of the orcs.
And the whine of a sword being drawn.
"Yrch," she hissed, falling into the elven tongue she was more used to using.
The Dwarf glanced at her, but he seemed to know the word, because he nodded. He gripped her shoulder.
"Arien, listen to me." It dimly registered that it was the first time he'd used her name, and the sound of it in his voice...
"They don't know we're here yet, but that won't last long." He spoke evenly. Calmly. "I want you to get into the trees and find cover. Once you're in there, keep low and out of sight. Do not, for any reason, come out again. I'll find you after I've dealt with them. Do you understand?"
Order after order, and not a hint of fear. A commander on a battlefield, whose sole intent was to get them out of this place alive. It was strangely comforting.
"I'm not going to..."
"Do it."
The look in his eyes told her there would be no arguing. Arien nodded curtly and turned towards the trees. But the Dwarf caught her wrist.
"You're going to need these," he told her as he slid her daggers into her palms.
"Thank you."
He nodded. "Go."
Arien gripped the knives, their weight so familiar, and slipped into the trees just as the Dwarf stood up and drew his sword. She flung herself to the ground, lying face first on the forest floor, and began to crawl towards a gap in the branches where she could see him fight. The late spring sun cast dapples of dark and light on the soft earth as Arien parted the leaves of a low lying shrub and peered out.
The Dwarf moved fast.
There was such a fluid grace and surety to his fighting, it took Arien's breath away. The orcs didn't stand a chance. Not when he twirled and stabbed his sword with what looked like centuries-trained ease. But the orcs hardly ever did stand a chance unless they were in great number, and these were not.
Black blood sprayed as the Dwarf's sword thrust into an orc's chest before he kicked the body away from him. Each movement of his –– it was like a dance. Like a song and beat in his bones. And as Arien watched him, transfixed, she wished she could fight like that. Wished she had the...
Arien's mouth opened in a scream of agony as a sword pierced her shoulder blades.
And the world was engulfed in a wave of darkness.
Advertisement
Fierce Ex-wife: President, Please Be Careful
Zhou Youlin, a famous ice queen of the special forces. During an accident in her mission, she was betrayed by her squad mates and was shot twice. She died on the spot. When she woke up again, she became the useless madam of a rice family and was a resentful wife who was neglected by her husband.
8 861Reincarnated as a Red Dragon, Discipline Makes Me Stronger!
Because of an accident, Max transmigrated to the Lous Land and became a newborn red dragon. He could’ve just grown up and matured normally, and he would already be at the top of the food chain, but then he obtained the Discipline Makes You Stronger System.«Congratulations to the host for completing 20 push-ups daily and persisting for one week, bonus reward Red Dragon Physique +100.»«Congratulations to the host for completing daily swims in the lava and persisting for one week, bonus reward Dragon Breath damage x10.»«Congratulations to the host for kidnapping one princess a day and persisting for one week, bonus reward Never-falling Golden Gun.»«Cough, excuse me System, I’m a Dragon, I’m fine without this reward!»Max said hurriedly. Many years later, the name of Max the Red Dragon echoed through the multiverse. Only the mother dragon standing beside tilted her head and said with a puzzled face, «What, what in the world did I give birth to?»
8 1623Long War [Old]
Against humanity’s hopes, neither leaving Earth nor expanding through the galaxy could change our nature. As mankind expanded throughout the stars, so too did our problems. Struggles which will haunt humanity until the unforgiving galaxy finally claims the last human life. Almost four hundred years have passed since the downfall of the Solar Commonwealth, our first and last joint interstellar government. Mankind has broken apart into dozens of subspecies, hundreds of religions, and tens of thousands of nations. The Solar Federation and the Confederation of Mankind never ceased their struggle to become the Commonwealth’s true successor. The Long War continues ever on. All while numerous outside forces threaten the survival of them both. Now, however, something unpredictable has happened in one of the forgotten corners of Human Space. A man from another era has received a mission. Will he merely become a footnote in history? Or perhaps he is the herald of the end of the stalemate and the conclusion of the Long War?
8 332Ben the Dungeon
On my 21st birthday something strange happened. I became a dungeon. Write Your Own LitRPG would like to present "Ben the Dungeon"! Ben the Dungeon is an ongoing story created on Reddit, by YOU the audience and gathered for your reading pleasure. A collaborative story in the style of the old Choose Your Own Adventure books, readers submit segments of story Read the story here on Royal Road, check out the rules on page 1 and then join in the fun on Reddit (newest post will shows on the newest page or on the top of our Reddit Post Contents Page that can be found on this link)
8 121The Necromancer King
((Hiatus.))(First fantasy story.)Someone told me to write a fantasy story so here it is.A dragon king was bored as it had conquered the world. There was no one to fight as he killed his enemies. No one dared revolt. He's eaten all the powerful prey on his planet. No meat can satisfy him anymore. When he sees one of his subjects atop a summoning circle, he kills the subject, assumes a demi- human form with dragon horns and accepts the call. He is weak once again as he loses all his powers, but he doesn't care. He has a new world full of enemies. He wonders how they'll taste. Being a hero? Who cares. That meant that his meal was stronger and more numerous than the allies he can't eat. He will either rule them all or eat them all as he had done once before.Warning: If you want a hero of absolute goodness, look elsewhere. The MC will do both evil and good acts. Justice is cruel and merciless and there are twisted forms of justice.
8 90Welcome home - One Piece x Reader
(y/n) was blessed with the opportunity to grow up with the rowdy ASL trio but has no desire in her heart to be a pirate. Instead she sees herself playing a much more important role. A role that'll impact her favourite trio and many moremade specifically for females sorry [I only own the plot so please enjoy]
8 480