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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 17, 2013 13:57:21 GMT -5
The wall stopped Thorin in his tracks. He did not know where he roamed, but he knew that he did not want to stray too close to the city of Aldeon, where he feared he would have to encounter other races, elves even, that might ridicule his failure at finding his dwarves. He would go later up into the mountains he'd seen, for they looked far more promising, but for now he was stuck wandering an empty land with empy hope in his heart.
He could not tell where he was now, but the mountains were still in sight and he planned to move if this land didn't do anything for him. Surely, this was not Middle Earth? He didn't know this place or its elements, and he had not seen dragons or hobbits or elves anywhere. What was this place? He'd ended up here, who knew how, and he had not ended up here with any of his kin. It was an unfair thing, he knew, and he felt absolutely guilty for not knowing of their whereabouts, despite the fact that it may or may not have been within his control.
Now, he was confronted with a big wall that was either holding him out or someone--something--else in. What was this? Some trick? Thorin did not appreciate those who left him out or who betrayed him. And he wanted to know what was before him, but there was no one around to tell him. He inspected the wall, but there was nothing special about it. Just a strong wall that a dwarf would never be able to scale or break.
He heard footsteps behind him and Thorin's hand went immediately to his belt, whereupon Orcrist settled. His sword was his life, his tongue his second most important weapon. He hoped to high heavens there was not a dragon or an elf--He looked and stared curiously. Wait. A woman? What was this?
Good day," he nodded.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 17, 2013 15:23:45 GMT -5
Leona had not been here a long, a scarce few months at best and she had spent the majority of it in the Kingdom of Aledon, working for Ruby. She had a pretty face and had fallen into a position as a waitress and a barkeep with little strain. It came to her naturally and seemingly without difficulty, she could laugh and speak with customers but they rarely pried at her and she found it was much simpler to fake a false front with drunkards over sober gentleman... but more often than not she escaped the thick confines of the city and took off, for sometimes days, even weeks at a time. She had become well adjusted to living off the land during World War II, scouring for food had never been a problem... however the beasts and the monsters that roamed these lands were.
Leona was not, by any means a fighter, weapons tended to make her skittish and guns... well she didn't have to worry about guns here. She had no idea what had drawn her so far from the kingdom, she had initially gone out to collect berries, colorful flowers and plants that she could grind up to make paint, but she had gotten caught up in the scenery and had kept walking, and now, she was completely lost... not that she minded too terribly much, if she walked long enough, eventually she would find a bit of civilization... right?
The cold sunk into her bones and chilled her muscles, her breath came out in wisps of steam and every colorful plant that caught her interest was picked, and dropped in the small satchel that hung from her side, she was determined to have a thousand colors, she missed painting and had only just saved up enough to purchase an easel. She paused midstep and her eyes widened at the mind blowing wall before her. Massive did not even begin to describe the structure... but what was it here for? She jumped as someone suddenly called out to her, Wild eyes shooting over to the stranger as she mentally chastised herself. Careless.
"I think it might be better if this blasted cold would disperse!" Her laughter was instantaneous, it was automatic for her to fall into her cheerful and friendly demeanor. If you were kind and generous... no one had a reason to keep their attention on you. She blended into a crowd without getting noticed, it was what had saved her life time and time again. She trudged through the snow to approach him, taking note of the large sword strapped to his side and the thick armor barely containing heavy muscle. Keeping one arm tucked beneath her cloak she extended a hand to greet him. "My apologies... my name is Leona... I don't suppose you would have any idea what this wall is for?" Her eyes trailed back up the thick stones and she felt herself turn dizzy from its height, she wasn't sure that she wanted to know what lay beyond its walls.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 17, 2013 18:08:11 GMT -5
Thorin's heavy gaze was falling on no other eyes. There was no one out here in this lonely, cold, wintry place that could help him, and he felt heavy-hearted and disappointed in himself without his band of dwarves. What was he to do without them? Everything inside him said that he was a terrible king, that he was unworthy to be called King Under the Mountain ever. He was not even worth King of Durin's Folk. He felt like he'd failed every one of them, even Bilbo, and that they should never forgive him.
To Thorin, all that mattered was pride and glory, leadership and promise. He was a man of his word and he was a fighter. And in a world apart from Middle Earth, he could never be rightfully any of those titles he'd owned. Not even Oakenshield. What would his father think? His grandfather? Thorin was doomed now; where were his kin? Without them, he was but a lost dwarf. Not a king. Not a leader. Not a warrior.
The more he thought, the more Thorin lost his ability to realize what was around him. That was why when a woman came along, he was a bit late in seeing her. But he did, and he felt a bit bad when he startled her. There was a faraway, lost and hurt look in his blue eyes, but his face was hardened enough that it did not look like he was anything but strong. His confidence was on a downhill slide, and he was too far into pondering to be benevolent or sociable.
Thorin looked at her more and found himself staring. She was a gorgeous creature, far out of his league, and he was wondering why on Middle Earth she'd want to approach a hardened warrior like him. He was thoughtful, he was harsh. No one wanted to associate with him but his kin.
He did not smile, though he almost wanted to chuckle. His heart hurt too much to do so. "The cold is where I belong," he answered lowly, and continued, "Would you like my coat?" Dwarves were not hailed for their chivalry or their behaviour, but Thorin had been raised to be a king. He was raised to look after his people and somewhere along the lines it had rubbed off as caring. He looked her over, marveling at her eyes. "Leona," Thorin shook her hand. "M'name's Thorin. K--I'm not from here; I've not the slightest of ideas. Formidable, though," he commented and sighed. Why be presented with pretty girls now, when it didn't matter anymore?
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 17, 2013 19:33:04 GMT -5
Her eyes averted from the wall and back to her sudden companion. While the wall in itself was impressive, it held nothing upon the warrior, she knew little to nothing of blades or armor, except for the common knowledge to stab with the pointed end, but his was immaculate. heavy laden with thick plates, intricate carvings, masterful pieces. He was stunning in all of his attire and no doubt a formidable warrior from wherever he was from. She had never seen anyone in quite so unique garb before and despite herself she found herself curious.
"It tis a pleasure to meet you Thorin." She smiled brightly, she figured she had a great better chance out her in the dismal cold with a seasoned warrior like him than the useless cutting knife in her pocket, it had taken the visage of one troll for her to confirm her talents at escaping would offer her no quarter here. "And no, please, you keep it, I was fool enough not to wear my own, I can damn well suffer for it, no need for you to pay for my stupidity." She did laugh at that thought, the war had taught her to appreciate the small things in life, whether it be the hardwood floor or her father's hard and gruff laugh. The smile fell from her face as she thought of her family, suppressing emotions had never been her strong suite, at his mention of the wall, and as her gaze trailed upward she felt the unavoidable vertigo take her and she caught herself quickly before she fell.
"It makes you curious as to what it hides... or what it protects. I'm not originally from these lands, in fact I'm still not sure how I got here... I'm still learning a great deal, but this wall... I've never seen or heard of it before."[/color] She mused quietly, the massive structure towered over them and she dared not look up again, she glanced at the brick and mortar curiously. "Formidable, but not unbreakable... those cracks in the mortar."[/color] She gestured to the small spaces. "There are weapons in my world that could bring the whole wall crashing down in a matter of seconds."[/color]
Her face took on a haunted look as she recalled the Germans, she remembered them placing one of those weapons in her brothers mouth, she remembered his fear, she remembered his terror as they had played with the pin of the grenade and had teased him mercilessly until he had wet himself from sheer terror. She forced the thoughts from her head. Damn it Leona... just one damn day!
"Sorry... I don't mean to ramble, I sometimes get lost in my own thoughts."[/color] A small apologetic smile curled the corners of her mouth. Surely he had seen so much worse than a mere German Nazi. She really should grow up and get over it... but they had taken her family, and without family... what did she have?
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 18, 2013 11:23:20 GMT -5
Thorin was trying to be careful with his actions and his words in this place, not knowing anyone and still trying to figure out if anyone he knew even resided here. What he wouldn't give to see his dwarves, what he wouldn't do to fight with them again and have them at his sides, loyal as they always were. He'd felt like he had let them down by ending up here, even as he did not know the reasoning that brought him. Right now, he had regret nipping at him, always at his back.
He watched as the beautiful thing stared at him but his face did not soften. Thorin was a hardened warrior who did not disclose himself to anyone normally, and who did not forgive or forget. He did not understand softness. "It is equally nice to make your acquaintance, Leona." She had a lovely smile, a lovely countenance, and he could not help but notice.
But though she laughed he could see that she was cold, she was shivering slightly. So Thorin, kingly in his quiet way, removed his fur coar and laid it upon her shoulders. "Pardon my chivalry; I never learned when to agree with a lady or not." He let out the smallest of smiles, his blue eyes glimmering with adventure. She looked a little distant, he observed, like she was thinking about something else. Huh. Well, he could understand that. He had not stopped wondering about his kin since he got here, and in many years had not stopped remembering Erebor.
"Nor am I from here. This land does not suit me, I don't think... Nor you." He gazed at the wall, contemplative. Yes, big and boisterous. Who would build such a thing? Elves came to mind, but he knew that this wasn't Middle Earth. He looked at her with question. "Are there? What world might that be?" He was desperately curious now. Were there, then, things in her world that could win him back the Lonely Mountain? Were there weapons beyond the strength of his own?
He took his time answering her and then she went silent. Thorin watched as her face changed in thought and did not dare to interrupt her thinking. When she did speak, he nodded patiently. "You needn't worry. Sometimes thoughts are all we've got." He offered a slight smile and a kind eye. He had, after all, been raised to be a king.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 18, 2013 14:41:42 GMT -5
Leona was not sure if she wished to return to her world even if there was a way, what did she have in her land? Death, war, her family and her best friend were long gone, she would return to an empty farm and some low class sleezeball trying to buy his way into her dress... the people here had better manners then that, why return home to dirt and rock when she could find such things here? The only thing that held any kind of allure was an art shop, she missed not having to grind her own paints, but even that was proving to be an adventure, without it she never would have met this warrior, and even if they parted ways somewhere in the near future, for now at least, he was lovely to look at. The lined of his face were strong and structured, he probably didn't smile much and the coldness in his gaze spoke of a hardened warrior. Too much death, too much sadness. She could understand that entirely, and yet his eyes held no cruelty, no malice, he may have been a bringer of death but he took no glee in doing so and that was enough to quell her fears.
"Here I thought chivalry was long dead. I thank you for the added warmth, it seems I owe you a kindness." She laughed quietly into the air, coiling the fur around her neck and feeling heat instantly sink into her skin, she almost shivered from how good it felt. He answered her, speaking of the monstrous wall, and then of her world and she debated on what to tell him, even if she had wanted to return, she knew not how to do it... and how does one describe guns, grenades, explosions... to someone who had never seen it?
"I hail from a place deemed Earth. They have a great store of weaponry, small hand-held devices that make a rather large impact on whatever for stands in your way... but they are so destructive, so horrible... entire forests fell to their fury, mountains and hills came crashing down and were robbed of their vegetation... my world is destructive, its people equally cruel, it is not a place I would wish for anyone to live." She could still hear the screams from the concentration camps, she still woke up thrashing and screaming in the middle of the night. "While this land is not perfect, it's better than my own."
While she smiled gently at his words which she assumed were meant to be reassuring, she did not answer them, she was afraid to be left alone with her thoughts. Her memories tended to wander back to that dark place, those wicked canes and cruel whips. She could still smell the iron tang of her own blood and the salty bitterness of her own tears as they abused her body for their whims. No... Leona was much happier here than she ever would be back in her own world.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 20, 2013 20:24:12 GMT -5
Thorin was keeping a close eye on this woman, unsure of what she was by trade or what her nature was. He, of course, was naturally wary after his lifetime of treachery, traitors, and tussles. He was battle-worn and heavy-hearted always, after losing his father and grandfather to the damned dragon Smaug and all events that had unfolded because of the beast. That was where Thorin had been, before some "portal" had taken him to this new place. He sighed in frustration. What a place, what a load of rubbish.
Except that there was a pretty girl here now. Thorin did not care much for women, for feelings, for love. He just cared to exact his revenge as his father would have wanted. He was, truthfully, a very cold man. He looked over at Leona and shook his head a little before answering softly, his low voice ringing, "You owe me nothing." Mainly, he thought, because this delicate-looking thing could never help him. He hated being so skeptical, so dismisive, but his life had taught him so. He'd no other defensive measures that he could take than that.
"But I am glad you at least are here," he conceded finally, letting her know that he wasn't simply going to ignore her. He just did not see her value. But her explanations were fascinating to him; to have such weaponry for himself could mean that the Lonely Mountain could be reclaimed, that he could finally become the King Under the Mountain. His face was slightly aglow with interest.
"These things, they sound powerful," he commented, but then with momentary wisdom, concluded, "but I'm certain that is a cruel thing. I come from a race of dwarves that some consider so, but I rather think us ambitious and perhaps a bit callous in our revenges, what with having Erebor to take back and... Pardon me. I fail to speak shortly." He stopped and gave a curt nod, as a minute apology for his longspokenness. Sometimes the memories were a bit overwhelming.
He looked at her for a moment before he allotted that it would be alright to ask her a question. "Do you know, then, where we find ourselves now? What realm? What world?"
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 20, 2013 20:55:34 GMT -5
While Leona did not find connections with people simple or easy to maintain, she still tried... but a lifetime of war and abandonement had made her naturally cold and distant. She tried to overcome it, but too easy was it to fall back into careless banter, empty words that had no meaning or structure. She would get the attention off her person and move on, but she was trying, in this new world, not to be so distant. She needed allies here, there were far worse things, or so she had heard then Nazis.
"I have a camp set up nearby, its scarcely much more than a few blankets and a stack of wood ready for a fire, but believe it or not, I can hunt and there is a fairly decent sized elk just waiting to be eaten, won't you join me?" It was better then starring up at the massive wall that reminded her just a bit too much of a concentration camp. She chewed her cheek as a far off look entered his eyes, he seemed so sad... so lonely, he had an air of melancholy about him that made her feel for him. She knew such emotions and she knew them well. Wisely or not, she did not comment on such observations.
"The weapons from my own world can be cruel, but only if held in the wrong hands, just as a sword can be used for just or cruel purposes, so can grenades." Her voice trailed off and she seemed to shiver. Her back ached just remembering such things. In retrospect, she would have taken the grenade over the torture. Her encampment had not been far and she set to preparing the elk as soon as they arrived, and he spoke again, this time of dwarves and their nature, mystical places that she had never heard of, but then he stopped abruptly, apologizing, and she frowned pausing in skinning the beast, slowly she moved over towards him, a memory of her father sparking in her mind and a smile tugged at her mouth. She crouched in front of him, rising a hand to his cheek, her own eyes seeking something in his own.
"My father was a great judge of character he told me once that the key to seeing someones true nature was through the eyes, and I see no cruelty in your gaze, so you cannot be as bad as you say." Her eyes widened briefly and a heavy blush fell across her cheeks and she quickly returned to her meat, quite obviously flustered. "My apologies I don't have a vast deal of experience talking to people who aren't trying to kill me. Forgive my forwardness." She stripped the muscle from the ribs and set to cooking it, glad for the sudden distraction.
"I do not know the name of this world as a whole. There are several parts too it, ranging from desert to bog, crowded cities to rural farm areas. The main Kingdom is called Aledon although a second Kingdom has sprung up, referred to as the Goblin City... I have no desire to venture there though. Their are rumors of everything from dragons, trolls, orc, giants... I have only seen the troll and I have no desire to ever see one again."
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 21, 2013 12:14:54 GMT -5
It was warily that Thorin helped others. He knew the sting of betrayal and the wrath that accompanied the memories of those who had abandoned him--namely, the elves. He could not even bear to speak the name of their race without the ire welling up in his heart. When he looked at Leona, Thorin thought that he could see the same caution that was in his own eyes. The windows to the soul, they were, and he did not doubt it.
He nodded shortly. "If you will have me." Food was something that Thorin would be loathe to deny a chance at; dwarves were notoriously hungry, always eating and always ready for a good meal. He also would not leave a fair lady without protection, as he wasn't certain she had any. Then she spoke up again, talking of those things of her world that were destructive and ill-mannered, those weapons, and he was listening. Yes, he knew. Weapons could be for good or for evil. And sometimes, the most dangerous of them all was silence.
"There are weapons all about us, Leona. The only match for them is intellect and understanding," he said wisely, blue eyes cast upon the ground. He saw from his peripheral that she was skinning something, some beast, and realized that maybe she was self-sufficient and did not need him to be here, at least for that reason. He'd been worried a little bit, but thoughts kept flooding back into his mind of his kin and his adventures, of all the problems that had gotten him this far, only to be taken away so close to his home.
He looked at her suspiciously as she kneeled and met her eyes. "What do you see, then? Bloodlust, I should think, and perhaps disappointment." He was not going to hide anything, he'd be blunt. Thorin did not care because he knew that he'd failed his kin. And that hurt him so very much. Her blush clued him in on her inexperience socially, but he did not comment on it. Instead, he answered, "You've seen war, then, Leona?" This did trouble him. Something so fair and good should not be introduced to the valleys and the cruelties of fighting.
"Orcs?" asked he, and then more relucatantly, "Are there elves?" He wanted to know what he would have to deal with around this place.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 21, 2013 13:14:32 GMT -5
She possessed a great deal of skills, she could hunt, she had ideas of what plants and herbs cured ailments, although in this strange world she still experimenting, she knew what could be eaten and what would kill a person if it was consumed. She wasn't useless on her own by any means, she had spent the vast majority of her life living in abandoned buildings and stealing what she could from a vast many people. Skinning an animal, regardless of its size or shape was second nature to her now.
"I found that sharing a meal with someone, even a stranger is preferable to being alone. The silence has a way of increasing the loneliness when one eats." Perhaps this was true for her because a family dinner had always been a laughable and entertaining experience. Her father cracking crude jokes, her mother cursing him, her and her brother laughing at the mixture of the two... when she ate alone, it left her with naught but memories and they haunted her. She nodded her head, agreeing with his words of weapons and instinctively her eyes shot to the sword at his side. She had never seen a blade like it... and she had felt far too many against her flesh.
"Where were men like you in my world? They fight with dishonor and disgrace where I am from. They hide behind iron shields, they slaughter women swollen with child, infants, young people scarcely old enough to speak. They have no mercy and they destroy lives in the most grotesque ways. and even after they are destroyed they have no respect for the dead, they pile their bodies hundreds high, bare as the day they were born..." She shook her head s if that would chase the memories away. "My apologies... it's hard to forget sometimes." She had not meant to dampen the mood any, she had a nasty habit of bringing down a cheerful atmosphere... she really needed to work on shutting up. As he asked her what she saw in the depths of his gaze she shied away, she had already been so terribly blunt... but then again, he didn't seem offended by it.
"Despair and loneliness. Are the two things I see the most of. Something or someone has wronged you and it has left a deep scar upon your heart." She did not say that she had seen the same look reflected in her mirror a thousand times. "My world was consumed by war the better part of my younger years. My mother and father both destroyed by it, my brother and I taken, tortured, I escaped, my brother was taken to a separate facility, I knew not where. I lived alone, stealing what I could, and hunting..." she gestured to the carcass, and turned the spit over the fire. "War is all I have ever known." She did not know why she was compelled to tell him such things since, she loathed speaking of it... perhaps that reflection of her own eyes made her trust him.
"Yes... a young woman claimed to have been taken by one of the ghastly creatures, she said it was riding a beast most foul... I have heard no rumors of elves, nor have I seen one." She answered him plainly, before passing him a rather large portion of the ribs.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 26, 2013 0:09:27 GMT -5
Thorin was very pleased with Leona's apparent senses of independence and curiosity. They seemed to be very well-balanced within her smart head, and he liked to know that whomever accompanied him was without question strong enough to take care of herself. This she seemed to be, and he was glad he wasn't going to have to take too much action on his own part to keep her protected. While he would, as he would his dwarves, it was much easier for everyone to be self-dependent. In her, this even brought a slight smile to play on his lips, though hidden well by his beard. His wise, kingly eyes looked upon her without so much scorn.
Her words were very true. Meals could be dramatic instances in his world, very merry occasions, but they would be nothing alone. "Loneliness has a way of biting at the soul. It hardens the heart." He knew. And he would say true, even if he knew that reality hurt. Because he'd lived it for so long, truth no longer scared Thorin. He'd lost so many people, and that seemed to be the reality of everything. Loss. Being alone, however, was the worst way to cope.
His eyes glazed with remembrance. No. War was terrible. Was the worst thing that had ever been created. And her home seemed very little different from the one he'd always known. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I do understand. My world was a similar place at times." And he'd been involved in so much of it, being the leader and military commander.
Did she shy away? That was no way to act; he wouldn't have it. "You are right. I've been very wronged. I've been betrayed and I've lost many people. I've searched for a way to reclaim what is rightful to me. And it has brought me low, with every intention to be once more high and mighty." A weary smile lit Thorin's eyes. They were so alike, he noted, and he was actually a little worried as to letting someone like her bear such scars and stories. War was nothing to be proud of. And she knew. "As have I lived my life," he paralleled. "I've been in wars. I lost my father and grandfather, and most of my kin. My people. Twelve I've found that remain." His eyes begged her to trust him, because they were very alike. And he was going to make sure, if he could, that she never saw war again.
"I'll slay them again," he muttered, but gladly enough since there were not apparently elves in this place.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 28, 2013 0:11:48 GMT -5
He confused her... in a good way, opened her eyes to things she had once thought impossible. A soldier, no matter what side of a battle he was on, translated to trouble in her mind. From her own experience, war had brought no resolution, even after the war had been long over, what had it achieved? Death, chaos, destruction, lives of thousands of innocents? How was that a victory? How could people throw parties in the streets with laughter in song, while bodies, hundreds of feet high were incinerated, no name, no identification, no dignity. War was nothing to celebrate, and nothing to feel good about in the end. It had torn her life asunder and she hated it, hated it with every last fiber in her being. So why was he so kind? He was obviously a warrior. The faded scars, the wicked blade, the thick, heavy plated armor... he was decked to the nines in battle ready attire and yet he had made no move to hurt her, and that gave her pause to think. It made her curious. She nodded in agreement to his vague response regarding loneliness. It needed no more explanation than that, you had either experienced such things or you hadn't, no amount of useless dialogue would describe it any better.
" I am sorry... no one, no matter how vile should have to experience war. It is a cruel and horrible thing that destroys lives and rips families asunder. You have my deepest sympathies... truly." She had not survived alone by being silent. She had grown tough over the years, she did not usually shy away from things as most woman did, if she wanted something she took it and if she had something to say, she said it. One could not survive homeless, in the streets of France during World War II without growing a backbone.
His words were strange, he spoke like a leader, not cruel like a dictator or a king, but someone who actually generally cared for his people, again, another surprise that left her slightly in shock, she had never met a man quite like him before, but she listened, nodding her head, and frowning at his words. So much sadness so much sorrow... what drove people to war? Was peace too much to ask for, could things not be settled with a few arguments and kegs of beer? Why do thousands... millions of people have to perish for the sake of foolish goals? It all seemed so utterly selfish...pointless.
"You have lost much then. I know not what it feels like to lose kin like you speak. When the war started I was still a tiny thing, barely old enough to speak in proper English, much less make much use of myself outside my family walls. I lost my family but I don't believe that to be quite the same." She sat beside him, his thick fur cloak keeping her warm enough almost not to need the fire she had started. "My home can never be reclaimed, the brick and mortar sure... but not the home, my mother's laughter and my father's stories is what made that place home. Without them, it tis naught more than heartless bricks and wooden floorboards. If yours still exists, if it can be reclaimed, if your people, friends, family, or kin, are still alive, I will do everything in my power to help you. No one should be alone or without their family when one still exists." Her voice was gentle and soft, but her misted grey eyes were filled with determination. She meant every word she spoke, she wanted to help him. She no longer had a family but if someone as kind as him still had one... she would help him reclaim it.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Jan 30, 2013 18:04:35 GMT -5
Death was never too particular in its choosings. Anyone, anytime, it seemed, which made battle the biggest gamble of them all. Thorin knew that he took a great chance anytime he wielded the sword that hung at his waist. He knew that there were times when it was necessary, though, and once he'd overheard something Gandalf had said to that little Baggins. True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one. In such a case, it seemed fate or death had spared Thorin several times over--death was a courageous thing, dark though it was. Thorin shook the thought, focusing back on Leona.
She seemed to be interested in him, though he did not understand what there was of him to be analyzed by any humans, who did not know his status or his clansmen. But he would let her stare, and he would let her think, to her very heart's content. Her nod was a bit haphazard but Thorin did not pay it any attention, instead letting her words guide his responses. "It is nothing you can be sorry about, my life or my career, and I would rather ask of you that you try not to understand what it is I've lived at times." He wanted to be real, to be honest with her. And at this particular moment, he almost felt like he was keeping some great secret from her by not letting her know that it had been him who had led forces, who had earned a second name through battle.
Why tell such a horrid thing to a pretty girl?
The responses that she produced in answer to all that he said were curious; she seemed geuninely interested and he hadn't the slightest idea why. His eyes smiled a little bit, full of a gentle protective nature and a glitter of hope to know that she'd been so accepting of him thus far. But then the look receded and all he could manage as an answer was, "I lost my family also." War may have been bad, but revenge was worth all of the bad it could ever bring.
A haze, a brimming of tears or otherwise, filled her eyes when she spoke this time and Thorin ached to reach out to her, with her being so close. Finally he caved and gently wrapped an arm around her, pulling her a little way toward him and answering in hushed, wise tones, "I am no more in Middle Earth and I do not know that my home can be reclaimed, nor that I can ever find another of my own kind. It affrights me, I admit, but I am glad that you are so willing a companion. Tell me, Leona," he paused a moment. "Do you dabble much with kings? Chatter with those who lead battles? Converse with those who should have thrones inside mountains?" He let his eyes smile but they were still sad.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Jan 31, 2013 21:54:06 GMT -5
She ate quickly, but with small lithe bites, her silver eyes trained on the flickering flames of her fire, lost in memories of the past. Life had not been kind to her and she had grown so distant, so cold, against everyone... anyone. She could not remember the last time she had trusted anyone save for the old woman who now rested beneath the soil. People knew her, but only by what she wanted them to see. Nobody knew her beyond closed doors, even a conversation like this one... she couldn't remember the last time she had wanted anyone's attention on her long enough to tell even half of what she had already told him. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled or the last time she had laughed without faking the sound. She put on a magnificent false front so that no one could see the woman that lingered beneath. The woman beneath had feelings, emotions, memories, and all of those things were weaknesses, each and every one of them had been wielded against her more efficient than any blade, it was why she shied away from society. It was why she found herself alone out here when she could have been surrounding by people back at the bar.
"La guerre ne détermine pas qui est exact - seulement qui est laissé." She murmured softly, her eyes never leaving the flickering flames as a sad smile drifted her across her face. "I have never fought in a war, but my father had and he used to say that to us as children all the time. It means 'War does not determine who is right - only who is left.' While I cannot claim to fully understand what you have lived and experienced, I can understand what it's like to lose family." She spoke no more on the subject, not wishing to delve into her less than stunning past anymore than he and she let it drop as they fell into a companionable silence. She was glad he did not hammer her with questions of her present, her past, her future. She was relaxed at ease and dare she say enjoying his companionship. She jumped and tensed as he touched her, but quickly calmed herself when she realized he meant her no harm. She allowed him to pull her to his side and gratefully, she rested her chin on his shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time someone had held her either.
"I have been a part of war willingly or no, the vast majority of my life, even here there are warring kingdoms, ugly feuds, death and betrayal. If it must be a lingering theme in my life I would rather fight for something I believe in." She believed in family and n the strength of love more than anything else and while she may not understand his world, she understood that all he wanted was too return home, and she could see herself fighting for a cause as noble as that. His questions caught her off guard and she blinked once, turning her head slightly so she might see his face, his eyes twinkled but they were still so sad, and despite the darkness she saw there she laughed lightly for the first time in years. "Kings? Commanders? Thrones? My dear Thorin... you must mistake me for someone of importance, such people do not waste their time on street urchins like me."
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Feb 2, 2013 20:38:32 GMT -5
Thorin did not bother with trying to distract Leona from her thoughts. He understood that there were times when one needed to be left to their own devices, to think about what they would. He could tell already that she might be hard to get to know, to understand, but he was the same way. Of course, past the arrogance and pride there was not much of a man left, but Thorin guarded himself with the same fervor as he guarded his family, his men, and well... as he would have Erebor, but he never quite got it back. He was noble in intent, half of the time, but it was usually all for his personal gain in the end. He did, however, have valiant dwarves that followed him this way and that, all proclaiming him king and all deciding that they'd give their lives for him to reclaim it.
They were good, yes. He was interrupted from his own thoughts, which he had not noticed he'd fallen into, by Leona's pretty voice. It was spoken in a language he did not comprehend, and he was glad for the later translation so that he did not feel so inadequate. He looked at her with wondering eyes and was going to counter with a language of his own until he realized how vain that would seem. "I um... Yes, I do agree. Unfortunately, there are very few of my kind left. And now I seem to have lost them all." He was heavy f heart.
He was wary of her still, but not as he had been. She was war-hardened perhaps as well, but not in the same manner as he. Her life seemed to have been plagued with just as much sadness, though. "I cannot completely understand you either, but I assure you that there are far better things than to be found caught in a war." He spoke from the heart, even though war was, for the most part, all he'd ever known. He wished he could have said it was differently, but that was not so. He had yet to reclaim the glory, throne, and home of his youth, his destiny. He sighed.
He might have done wrong by touching her at all, but she relaxed into his side soon and his breathing returned to normal, him not having noticed until then that it had quickened. "Always fight for what you believe in," he said in low, knowing tones. Then he raised his head, looking to the stars, and smiled a little, which he knew she could not see. "You must be in luck then, Leona. You are someone important and you have spent this last while in the presence of a king. I must say, quite a low one but a king nonetheless." He pulled her ever so slightly closer to his side, smiling in reassurance that she did not need.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Feb 8, 2013 18:03:15 GMT -5
She hated people for the most part, it was the bulk of the reason she found herself lost in the wilderness more often than not. It gave her distance, separation for all of those she encountered among the throes of society. Red was a sweet woman, had given her a job, a residence, a manner to make currency without releasing the ties on her clothing, but it wasn't what she wanted. She missed that tiny little farm house, isolated from society and on the borders of everything familiar. She did not like people. She did not trust people, and yet... she found herself trusting this man who had probably seen more battles in a year than she had attempted to avoid in her life. He seemed more wild and yet refined than anyone she had ever known. He intrigued her and she felt at ease against his side. Which was a second oddity in itself. Normally touches made her scars burn, they reminded her of how wicked hands could be and she shied away, the fact that she was relaxed and at ease, not itching for her own blade should have been enough to make her worry, but it wasn't. She was simply at peace. The irony that it was most assuredly a soldier who had brought her as such, was not lost on her.
"You will find them. If you are as strong and wise as your eyes tell me to believe, you will find them." She spoke no more on the subject. He had not pried into her past, cracking open old but still achy wounds and she would offer him the same. If he wished to tell her more on the subject, she would listen, but she would not pry. She tilted her head to rest against his shoulder as he spoke once more. The smooth, deep voice made her sleepy. It was gentle and still surprisingly strong all at the same time. "I suppose there is a good side to war, I am hard pressed to discover it though. It seems to bring more pain than peace, at least in my experience." She was not naive enough to think that war should never occur, there were souls who contained no sympathy, no remorse, no human emotions, they merely wished to watch the world suffer and they needed to be stopped she just hated the horrible retching pain that went along with it.
"Its difficult to fight for anything at all when the world looks down on you for being of the supposed 'gentler' gender." In her world and this she was considered outspoken, uncivilized, rude, unable to recognize her place, and unfit for society. Women, according to standards, were supposed to be weak, gentle, kind, caring, and loving and she was very few of those things, at least on a grand scale. Proper etiquette had fled her after she had shared meals with rats. She was older, not fit to be the bride of some boy. She had accepted the fact that she would never have a family of her own, it simply wasn't written for her, no one of proper society would want her. His last words, despite her own cynicism, made her smile even as he tugged her closer.
"A king huh? I would grace you with a bow but I fear I am cold and your cloak coupled with your arm makes for a deliciously warm effect. You will have to accept my words of thanks and gratitude for being able to make you acquaintance." She laughed ever so softly against him, it was barely audible, but the note of her tone showed him she was only teasing. "You are the finest king I have ever met." He was the only king she had ever met, but from what she had heard of these so called kings of old, he seemed far less greedy and cruel. Perhaps she had found a friend here king or peasant, it mattered little to Leona.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Feb 10, 2013 16:46:36 GMT -5
Thorin understood that he was dancing around a difficult flame right now; she was wary of everyone and he could see by the concern and distrust in her face every now and again that she was not necessarily someone who would let loyalty come easily. He understood that, he did. Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart were things he valued above all else but it took a lot more to win his than he took to win theirs. He knew that his position as a leader among dwarves accredited him, made him seem more valiant and right than some, but he also knew that he held a high pride in his heart. He was not one to forgive. He was not one to forget. He was warrior whose throne was not his as it should be. He was king and had been interrupted in his quest to reclaim the only place he wanted to live.
He sighed, heaving a very heavy breath. "I would say I know, but I don't. I do not know the way home from here. I've never been lost like this." He hated to admit anything like that--his pride was overwhemingly strong and he had been raised to act like the expectant king he was. Pride was the flaw in his otherwise leader-worthy character; he liked to be the one who was right, the one who made all the decisions and was not questioned for anything he said. That was where he liked to be. He could not answer her next comment. He did not know himself. So he just sat in silence.
Thorin knit his brow. He did not understand why someone would look down on a woman. Dwarven women were just as strong, just as fierce as men. Why should they be treated differently? He truly did not understand, and so said, "I do not think you unbefit to fight. At least not because of your sex. Perhaps though because of your fair complexion and your troubled eyes. You need no more heartache, I see." That was likely the most he'd ever said to her on one thought. Thorin was passionate but he was quiet, a man of so very few words. That was how he led. By example. He could not have dwarves whose focus was out of touch, who did not understand the genuine importance of battle.
"You need not." He said it quickly, not wanting to put her off. Normally, he would have kept his pride up and well guarded but right now he felt a little less like a king and a little more like her equal. It was a strange feeling that he was not sure if he liked, but he did like her here on his shoulder. "I am not worthy of most king's second looks. I have no home." he said it in hushed undertones, more or less only admitting it to himself.
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Feb 10, 2013 17:45:10 GMT -5
Leona was never intentionally difficult, in fact there had been a time when she was the first to greet a stranger, she would squirm erratically at the bottom of the staircase as father ushered in whatever government officials that needed to be spoken too. Leona would pop up at the most serious of times with a smile and a tray of biscuits. Speaking to the officials as though they were dear friends, on more than one occasion they had been seen humoring her, filling her head with how delicious her treats were, or how pretty she was. She became a bit like a mascot and more often than not her father's home had been chosen for such gatherings... although no one in their right mind would ever admit that it was because of a child but that was long ago, before tragedy had poisoned her life and had made her the distant and untrusting woman that stood before him today. Her outer shell, her wall of defense was damn near impenetrable and even though the war had long since vanished she found trusting anyone even the slightest to be a difficult task. She was so entirely used to betrayal that she simply came to anticipate it.
She spoke no more about his kin or his home. She didn't particularly like talking about her past and his seemed just as devastating if not more so, she did not wish to bring such bitter memories back to him and so she remained quiet, breathing gently into his shoulder and watching the fire crackle. She tugged his cloak around her a bit tighter. She had always hated the snow blood always seemed so much more severe when it drenched the element, it brought up too many foul memories.
"Your world... it seems wonderful then." She tried to imagine society when woman were treated as equals, partners, rather than the pretty, uneducated things that gathered in flocks at fanciful parties. "Where I come from woman are treated as merchandise. More often than not we have little to no education and once we reach an appropriate age we are sold to the highest bidder, whoever has a son that is in need of a bride. We scarcely know our husbands name before vows of loyalty and honesty are taken." She had not been old enough to be bartered off just yet, her father was a good man though, would have found her someone trustworthy that wouldn't abuse or hurt her. She would have been living in some foreign manor and would probably be well on her third or fourth child. Instead she had lived in abandoned houses avoiding cannon fire and gun shots.
"Nonsense." She chastised him quietly, shaking her head absently. "Your soul is far kinder than most I have had the pleasure of encountering. If you say you are a king, than a king you are. If you have the respect of those who follow you it matters little where you live or what thrown you sit upon. Trust and love is worth far more than a fancy crown and scepter." If was quite possible that she had spoken out of turn, but she had encountered too many whose only goals in life were to further themselves. Hitler had called himself a divine ruler, a king, had then turned around and destroyed thousands of lives. King was an empty word, it was what one did with the title that made it great or poor.
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Post by Thorin Oakenshield on Feb 12, 2013 20:45:26 GMT -5
Thorin should know it, proud as he was, but he had a hard time accepting when he was wrong. Not that it was a common occurance, really, but it was something that Thorin II Oakenshield did not deal well with. That was the problem with being around Gandalf; he was always proving Thorin wrong. It was the hobbit's fault, really! Bilbo. He was the thing that kept making Thorin look like a heartless, careless leader. He hated when people did that to him, but... not to worry about that anymore. He was not in Middle Earth, he did not have his kin... Damn.
He was thankful that she was silenced about his past, as he was not keen on her knowing any more about him than she needed to. He would content her, sure... well, would he? Was it okay for her to know as much as she needed to about him? All the sudden he seemed concerned for her, for what she knew, for her thinking well of him. He was used to wanting others to regard him highly, but this was something else. This was beyond being just the leader, or the King of Durin's Folk. He wanted her not to know the cruelty that could fill him at times. He was wary of what she thought and knew about him.
"I would not dare call it that," he replied gently, thinking back to the many days that he had fought and defended his place and his people. There was but little peace where he was from. Equality was merely a necessity. But the way she described marriage had a curiosity sparked in his mind, his chest. That wasn't marriage. Marriage was a sacred vow, nothing to be forced into or taken so lightly. In his society, it was so special that one could be outcast for infidelity or the idea of breaking it apart. It was heresy.
"I... am sorry to hear that. I hope you did not get pulled into a vow you did not wish for?" He was genuinely concerned for her. That would not be a life worth sharing with someone else, not knowing them and being used as a material good instead of a lover. He did not understand that. "I do not know a life like that, I'm afraid. My world may not be wonderful and flowery, but my people take marriage in the most serious of lights."
He shook his head. She should not think so highly of him; he felt a little underworth what she deserved... Why ought he think like this? He stopped thinking like that. "Loyalty, Honour, and a Willing Heart." He said it remniscently, recalling that day he'd been at Bag-End. Those were his qualifications for a follower. "But alas, my fair lady, I am a king with no kingdom here, and I may as well but be one dwarf."
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Post by Leona Amaltheia on Feb 28, 2013 16:30:11 GMT -5
Pride was not something Leona possessed a lot of anymore. She had thrown that away along with dignity once everything had been ripped from her. Those things had to be forgotten in exchange for survival. She had turned to thievery to find food, lies to gain an extra coat, fighting dirty to claim the driest room in an abandoned building. She had not done very much that she was proud of, pride was never something she suffered from. She had been reduced to the lowest station possible. The rules were different where she was from. In times of war you lived or you didn't, she had chosen life.
She found it bizarre that she had taken to a total stranger. She wasn't a very trusting person and preferred to remain another nameless face in the crowd, but something about him, something she couldn't quite decipher, made her relax. She had not felt so at ease since the last time she had sat between her father's knees as he told her stories. Even when she was alone she never really felt relaxed. She was always waiting for that Nazi to come barreling through her door, with more iron pokers and knives. She winced ever so slightly as she remembered the smell of her own flesh burning. She was reminded of why she didn't trust anyone.
"Perhaps not, but its surely better than mine." The words were mumbled softly into his shoulder, barely audible. If it were up to her, she would never return, she would prefer living anywhere but her home. Even this place, with its trolls, ogres, and orcs... she would live among them if it meant she never had to chance upon another German soldier. His next words made her smile, so different, his world sounded. She shook her head and thought on what she wished to say.
"No... I was only twelve, just shy of thirteen, when the war moved to Bordeaux, the city I was born in, and after I escaped, the very last thing on my mind was finding a suitor." She chuckled lightly then. She, of course, having been so young foolishly returned home to her father's half decayed corpse on the front lawn and her mother's mutilated body inside the house, it did not take long for her to develop a hard exterior. "Marriage where I am from, is used a great deal for personal gain. Society demands a woman marry a man as soon as she becomes of age, usually fifteen or sixteen. The richer and more well off the family is the more they can ask for in exchange for a bride. It's all rather callous."
Those three words meant nothing to her, but they made him smile, perhaps an old saying? A family motto? Or perhaps what he asked as a king? The latter seemed the most likely. She wouldn't pry. She smiled ever so slightly at his last words. "At least you have the title of dwarf. Tis something is it not?"
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