Beorne had returned and was around on our last day. We sat around a long wooden table, Beorne at the head, Gandalf on his left and I sat on his right. Maur sat next to me. We were done with supper.
Beorne looked at me, "Why is the defiler hunting you?"
I felt her stiffen next to me.
"He swore to wipe out the line of Durin." I replied in a steady voice.
"I will help you, my family had suffered a lot at his hands. I'm the last of my kind and nothing would please me more than to see him come down " Beorne said.
I could feel her breathing getting fast, the mention of Azog was making her uneasy. Beorne picked up on it too.
He placed his eyes on her, "Why's she here?" He said as he looked back at me.
I held his stare, "She's under my protection." I replied.
"Does everyone under your protection wear your mark?" He said smiling knowingly .
I looked at him unamused.
"You do understand that her mere presence with you is going to attract your enemies like a siren's call? It would be an open invitation to everyone to strike where it hurts the most."
She was holding her knees so hard that her knuckles were white. I placed my hand on hers giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"I can protect what's mine." I said my voice like steel.
She did not need to hear all this, this had been her reason to not to get attached to me in the first place.
"What are you suggesting?" She asked in a small voice.
" I'm not suggesting anything. I'm merely pointing out the obvious. This company is going to be in danger as long as you remain with them." He replied.
"Enough!!!" I said my temper rising.
Beorne looked hard at me and then nodded.
"I'll provide you people with ponies, food and skins. You must not under any circumstances drink from the river, it's enchanted." He continued.
I gave a nod to acknowledge and thank him.
Beorne left again for the evening. Maur was unusually quiet. She was anxious, I could tell by the way she was biting her lip. "Let go" I tugged on her chin lightly and rubbed my thumb lightly on her lip.
"May be I should go with Gandalf." She whispered. The wizard had said that he would not be accompanying us into the forest he had some important business to take care of.
"No!" I could feel the panic set in. She couldn't leave, she won't leave, I won't let her. "Don't even think about it." My heart was ready to explode under the pressure I felt in my chest.
"Beorne is right Thorin, if something happens to you or any one of them I would never be able to live with myself" she said her eyes pooling with tears.
"Have you ever thought about what would happen to me without you around?" My own vision blurring, I had never let any one see me weak but the thought of her leaving had me drowning and I just didn't care who saw us at that time. She couldn't leave, it would kill me literally. I closed the distance between us "It would kill me. I'm strong as long as you are here with me Maur, I would die if you aren't. Don't do this sweetheart" I had never begged anyone in my life but I was ready to get down on my knees and beg if it meant she would not leave.
She looked at me, "Oh Thorin, I won't. It was just a thought, I won't ." She hugged me, " I love you." She was crying in my chest.
I held her fiercely, this very seed in her mind needed to be crushed forever. She needs to let go of the notion that she would ever leave.
"Marry me." I whispered.
She looked up at me surprise widening grey her eyes, I looked at her square in the eye and repeated, "Marry me Maur."
"Not yet" she whispered, "Not with all that's going on, I'm not even sure if that would ever be possible Thorin."
I stiffened at her response, "Why the hell not?"
"I'm not a dwarf, I don't think your people would ever agree to this. " She said pain marring her eyes.
"It's not there call. I'm the King I can marry who ever I want." I said holding her chin up, "You can't seriously be thinking about what others would say."
" I am actually." she replied her voice small.
I smiled and hugged her.
"Leave that to me." I said.....