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Mending the Broken Pieces	By : LadyLaran Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > Het - Male/Female Views: 13613 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own "the Hobbit" nor do I make money from this story. Tolkien and Jackson are the ones who own the characters and world.

Chapter List
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Author’s Note – I am really happy with everyone’s reactions to the last chapter posted and to the new story put up. Writing is slow due to Mom taking two falls and messing up her ankle and tailbone; I’m trying to wade through and will get more done, I promise! Just keep her in your thoughts please.

Disclaimer – I do not own “the Hobbit” nor do I make money from this story! The song used in this story, “Seeds of Love” by Loreena McKennitt, is not my property either. It fit perfectly this chapter, and I just had to use it!

Chapter Twelve – Reactions and Schemes

The Company had taken time to rest and occasionally going to see Hawthorn while she spent the next two days in the halls of healing. Elrond spent some of his time there, observing the interactions of the hobbit with the dwarrow who visited her during her convalescence. He was pleased to see how fond the males were of the only female in their group, knowing that she would be cared for and protected during the fated journey.

The time he’d spent in meditation had only pushed his acceptance of this quest the dwarrow were on, though he had a feeling that more than just a mountain home hung in the balance. The elf lord had no idea what it was, but he was putting his trust in the Valar and would help where he could.

There was one occasion that had most of the occupants of the sickroom startled. Thorin had come in to check on Hawthorn’s health, querying her gently and also asking Oin about her status. Seeing that the patient was groggy due to the medicines she had been given, the king-in-exile had wished her a speedy recovery before leaving to return to the forge where he had been spending a great deal of his time lately.

The hobbit’s drowsy voice filled the room after the door had closed; her eyes were almost shut as she made an observation.

“Juniper, he smells like juniper.”

Oin gasped, hearing that statement clearly and remembering her words during a discussion about Ones some nights back. This was something he hadn’t expected and judging from the looks on Elrond’s and Gandalf’s faces, they hadn’t expected it either. They had been around the dwarf lord and had not detected the scent the lass had remarked on so they knew exactly what was going on.

“I hadn’t expected for this to happen so soon after adopting her,” the healer said, sounding both pleased and saddened. “I think we need to pull Thorin aside as soon as we can and see if he has realized who she is to him.”

“And see what his intentions are,” the elf lord agreed. “Has he shown signs of recognizing her as his One?”

“She sang for us the other night, but I was more focused on her than him,” Oin admitted, frowning. “If he reacted to her voice, I didn’t see it.”

“If I remember correctly, there is still a pull he’ll feel whenever she sings until the bonding process is started through the betrothal. Am I correct in this,” Elrond asked.

“That’s right,” the dwarf shared. “He’ll react to her voice until the bonding is started. A fully bonded and married couple will still react to each other’s voice, but it won’t be as strong as it is before the bonding begins.”

“She’s set to be released tomorrow; I can have one of my sons mention the Hall of Fire to a few members of your company. I’m certain we can get her to sing again and this time, you and I can observe Thorin to see what his reaction is.”

“I think I like that plan,” Oin said, looking at the elf. “If he shows signs of her being his One, we’ll need to have a long chat with him.”

“You would include me in that discussion,” Elrond asked, taken aback by the meaning in the dwarf’s words.

“You’re part of my daughter’s family; she claims you as uncle and loves you as such. You healed her and tried to help her through the difficult times,” the healer told him. “I’ll recognize that claim.”

That surprised the lord of Imladris, and he was grateful to the dwarf for accepting the claim he and Hawthorn had laid on each other years ago.

“I am grateful, Master Oin. I know you will protect her and ensure her happiness when I cannot,” he said to him. “In truth, I know how protective dwarrow are of their children and I am pleased Hawthorn has been taken in as a child of your heart. She’s been without family for too long, and I could not convince her to join us here in Imladris so that she would have the love and care she needs. I am incredibly happy the Valar brought the company to her door and will work with you to make sure of her health and happiness.”

The dwarf nodded, looking over at the wizard for a moment before focusing his attention on the book their host had loaned him on certain herbal compounds. He knew the wily old Istar would invite himself to that chat since he looked on the lass as his own granddaughter so there wasn’t much of a point in inviting him.

One thing was certain; if Thorin and Hawthorn were each other’s Ones, then their king would have to do some convincing in order to gain permission to court the hobbit lass from those who loved her as one of their own.

That thought came back to Oin and the others who participated in the earlier conversation when the company joined the elves in the Hall of Fire after Hawthorn’s release from the Halls of Healing. Music filled the air whenever stories weren’t being told, and Elrond was the one who asked the hobbit for a song. No one in the Hall of Fire would hear of her refusing, bringing a shower of pleas from elf and dwarf alike, and the lass gave a quiet sigh since she knew she wouldn’t be able to get away with not sharing a song with them.

Hawthorn was quiet, running through the ones she had written before choosing one she hadn’t shared with anyone since her parents’ deaths. She drew in a deep breath and began to sing, closing her eyes as she focused on the words of the song she had written during her tweens before the accident that had changed her life so much.

“I sowed the seeds of love; I sowed them in the spring. I gathered them up in the morning so clear when the small birds so sweetly sing, when the small birds so sweetly sing. The gardener was standing by; I asked him to choose for me. He chose for me the violet, the lily and the pink. But those I refused all three, but those I refused all three. The violet I did not like because it bloomed so soon. The lily and the pink I really over-think so I thought I would wait till June, so I thought I would wait till June. In June there was a red rose bud that is the flower for me. I often times have plucked that red rose bud till I gained the willow tree, till I gained the willow tree. The willow tree will twist. The willow tree will twine. I often have wished I was in the young man's arms who once had the arms of mine, who once had the arms of mine. I sowed the seeds of love; I sowed them in the spring. I gathered them up in the morning so soon when the small birds so sweetly sing, when the small birds so sweetly sing.”

Though her eyes were closed as she sang and the gazes of almost everyone in the hall were on her, several people were watching a certain dwarf lord. They quickly caught the look of stunned amazement on his face as a hand pressed hard against his chest, and the expression soon turned to wonder and longing as he continued to feel the recognition of his One.

Oin, Gandalf, and Elrond shared a look, knowing they would need to pull Thorin aside to discover what his plans were regarding the hobbit. Now that they knew that the recognition wasn’t just one sided, the king-in-exile would have to share what his plans were now that he knew who his One was.

When the music finally hit a lull point and Hawthorn retired, Oin moved to his king’s side and murmured quietly.

“Can we speak in private, Thorin?”

The dwarf lord nodded, getting up from his seat and following the healer. He was a bit surprised when he spotted Elrond and Gandalf waiting for them in a small room but said nothing, closing the door behind him.

“You wanted to speak with me?”

“Aye, I did. Something came up yesterday after you left the Halls of Healing; truth is, I didn’t expect it and we got confirmation of it tonight.”

“Confirmation of what,” Thorin asked the healer, sounding a bit confused.

Elrond met Oin’s eyes for a moment and at the nod from the dwarf, he answered the question from the company’s leader.

“After you left the hall yesterday, Hawthorn made a comment about a scent she smelled. As you know, it’s a sign hobbits are given to help recognize their soulmates.”

The expression on Thorin’s face was a mix of hope and guardedness, and Elrond continued.

“We had to test our theory to ensure that she was not the only one receiving a sign regarding her soulmate so I asked her to sing tonight,” the elf told him. “From what I recall of the stories, the recognition for a soulmate will continue to be incredibly powerful until the bonding process begins.”

“We were given proof that you feel the recognition towards Hawthorn,” Gandalf interjected. “And you know she is important to all of us here so we have an important question to ask you, Thorin.”

“What, exactly, are your intentions towards my daughter,” Oin asked, eyes focused on the one he called both cousin and king.

“It is true that she is my One; I realized that when she sang for us the other night. Balin also noticed my reaction and knows the truth as well. I have had time to think about my intentions towards her.”

Thorin bowed his head, hand over his heart as he continued his answer.

“Oin, son of Groin, father of Hawthorn Baggins, I come to you with nothing but an open heart. Your daughter, gem of your house, is the One our Maker and His bride crafted for me. I seek your permission to court her with the intention of making her my beloved wife and queen,” he said, keeping his head low as per tradition.

“Will you make the gem of my house the treasure of yours?”

“A treasure beyond all treasures,” Thorin answered truthfully.

“You will love and protect this treasure for all of your days,” he asked, eying the dwarf in front of him.

“With every breath I draw and with every beat of my heart will I love and protect my One, the truest treasure of my heart and house,” the king-in-exile vowed.

“Thorin II Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, I grant you permission to court my daughter, gem of my house, and will hold you to the vows you have sworn before me and her family,” Oin answered, watching as the other dwarf rose from the vow.

“Thank you,” he said to the healer, voice showing his genuine gratitude.

“She will have concerns,” Gandalf commented, knowing why the hobbit would try to push Thorin away despite the confirmation she’d been given.

“I know of them, Tharkûn,” Thorin replied. “The night Kili pushed her about whether or not she’d had her eye on someone, she spoke to me of her injuries and the reason why her people treated her as they have. I assured her that there would be men who would see her for the treasure she is and not for any ability to grant them children. I will remind her of this as well as ensure she knows that my line is secure through my sister-sons.”

“I am heartened to heart it,” Elrond said softly. “I know this has weighed on her heart since she was given the news. I have not seen her smile once after I had to tell her just how badly the fall and the stabbing had injured her; not even the antics of my children and Glorfindel could bring about a true smile or laughter from her. It is my hope and prayer that you will be able to bring her smile back to us, Thorin. It has been greatly missed.”

“It is mine as well,” the dark haired dwarf told him honestly. “I have heard Tharkûn speak of how freely she sang, smiled, and laughed, and I hope to help her regain that lightness of spirit.”

Elf, dwarf, and Istar looked rather pleased with his words and soon, they went their own ways. Thorin retired to his bed that night, thinking about the gift he had already started for Hawthorn and hoping she would accept both it and him.

Authors End Note - Well, he’s faced the men in her life and managed to go through this. I came up with ritual approaches to courting and hope you enjoyed it. More to come next week. Please let me know what you thought of the chapter! ~ Laran
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Mending the Broken Pieces