Work Text:
Poke.
Poke poke.
"Nadad." A gruff voice speaking low broke the silence. Who the heck is bothering me? Balin couldn't help feeling irritated
that somebody was bothering him. Especially when he felt so comfortable & relaxed. Then it all came back, the events
of the night before with Fana. And then the voice, Dwalin. Opening his eyes Balin looked up at his brother
who was staring at him like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Yes, brother what is it?" Balin really just wanted to get to the point. He couldn't believe how wonderful
it felt to wake up with Fana in his arms still snuggled up in his beard with her arms & legs tangled around him.
"Who...what...how...?" Dwalin seemed almost at a loss for words, but knowing his brother Balin felt sure that wouldn't
last long. And cue smirking, here we go Balin thought wryly.
"Brother, you seem to have a woman tangled in your beard." Dwalin was just eating this up. His prim & proper brother
with a woman in his bed, both naked as far as he could tell & her snuggled up in his beard. Didn't take a genius to figure out
what Balin had been up to.
"Yes, indeed I do." Balin really desired to clock his brother in the head, but that would mean moving. Quite frankly, he
wasn't ready to relinquish her.
"Well unless you plan to take on a dragon naked with a lass in your beard you need to start getting a move on. Thorin
wants to leave in the next two hours." Deciding he would have plenty to harass his brother about this later Dwalin
decided to make his exit.
As Dwalin closed the door Balin felt Fana stirring next to him. Gently he placed a kiss on her head, hearing her sigh softly.
Stretching slightly she opened her eyes to gaze up at him a soft smile coming to her lips.
"Good morning darling." Her voice was velvety & sleepy, to Balin it was the best thing he had ever woken up to.
"Good morning ghivashel. Sleep well?" Balin felt his heart swelling for the woman next to him.
"Very well. You?"
"Yes indeed. I wish I could stay this way, but I must be getting up to prepare for our departure today." Balin
watched the shadow that came down over her eyes as he said this.
"Of course, I will be out of your way as soon as possible." Her tone was resigned as she began to untangle herself from him.
Sitting up Balin quickly pulled her back into his arms wanting her to understand.
"No you misunderstand me. Not just the company, but for you as well. I want you to come with me, if you would care to that is?"
He couldn't help but feel nervous laying himself out the way he was. As her face came up to look into his at his words, then watching
the joy that lit up her face sent his blood racing. Oh this woman could be the death of him.
"If you will let me, I will go wherever you are."
Balin took a second to marvel at the woman in his arms, he knew that he wanted her to be his for the rest of his days.
"I know this is sudden, but I would like to court you properly. Would you allow me to place my braid in your hair?"
"I would be honored darling."
~~~~~
How had it come to this, Balin couldn't understand. They were suiting up for battle, Thorin had gone mad with dragon sickness,
Bilbo had tried to do the best thing for Thorin & everyone in the company. Banished & thrown out of Erebor by Thorin.
Here they were facing down a war, not just between elves, men & dwarves, but against everyone's enemy, orcs.
As they sat listening to the sounds outside of their kin facing down an army of orcs without them it hurt. He held Fana close
to him as he waited. Marveling at the woman who had agreed to court him, now he worried what would happen to her should he fall
in battle. Her fingers played with the end of his beard, as if she was soaking up as much as she could of him. When Thorin came
out to speak looking clearer of mind than he had in a while Balin realized that losing her might be a reality.
"If I don't make it back, the choice will be yours. If you want to, show Dain the braid & bead he will see you are cared for."
Balin held her close inhaling her scent that still managed to cling to her even though it had been rough kipping out in the mountain.
"You will make it back. I trust in your strength." He felt himself grow stronger at her words, feeling her conviction behind them.
Although they had never said the three words it remained between them what their feelings were. She tangled her hands in his beard
bringing him in for a kiss that made his toes curl in his boots. Oh, he would make it back to do that again on the way to a bedroom he promised himself.
As he charged out of the gate with the company Balin's prayers were fervent that they all survive.
~~~~~
Victory. He knew he should be overjoyed that the battle was over, Azog & Bolg were dead, they had suffered injuries, but none
that wouldn't heal with time & care. Yet he couldn't celebrate until he found Fana, as he walked through the dwarven camp with
his brother they talked of heading to Erebor to get her when Dwalin stopped dead in his tracks. Balin stopped to see what had
caught his brothers attention. Then he saw the stretcher being carried by four of Dain's men, he knew that hair, a pale hand
stained with blood both black & red hanging over the side. It felt like ice was poured into his very veins as he rushed forward
as they bore the stretcher to a healer's tent.
"What happened to her?" Balin caught up taking her hand in his as he walked beside it taking in her appearance. Her hair was matted
with blood, she had a wound to her right upper arm, her clothes were blood stained & battered. She had no
armor on, but she still had a scabbard at her hip, with knives attached to her thighs.
"We only know she took a hit to the head helping a small group that was pushed up to the mountain by a troll & squad of orcs.
Said next thing they knew the troll took a knife to the eye & she came out of nowhere turning the orcs to her taking them on one side
with our guys on the other." There was respect in the dwarves voice as they imparted this information to Balin as they walked.
Balin was floored as they got her to the healer's. What would have possessed her to join the battle, she was safe in the mountain.
Exchanging looks with his brother, Dwalin peeled off to fetch Oin & tell the company. Balin sat by her as an elven healer came over
to check on Fana. The tents were haphazard at best with many crammed into tight quarters. Men, dwarrow & elves alike working to care
for any injured. Balin felt his heart stutter as the healer set to work on her head wound.
The work of the healer was quick & efficient cleaning, treating & bandaging her head & arm. It seemed other than bruising those were
the worst injuries she sustained.
"She took a hard hit to her head all we can do is wait until she wakes." Taking his leave the healer went on to tend to others close by.
Holding her hand in his all he could do was think about why. Surely she knew that it was suicide to enter the battle. Yet, he could
not find it in himself to be mad at her, since he had essentially done the same thing. He felt a hand on his shoulder & turned to his
brother as he came up with Oin who took in the sight in front of him quickly before checking her over.
"They did a good job. We can only wait for her to wake. We can move her to a private tent close to the company as soon as it's pitched."
Oin gave Balin a squeeze to his shoulder as he left to see to getting things settled.
~~~~~~~~
The sun had long since set, they had moved Fana to a new tent in the circle of the company's tents. Balin didn't want to leave her, but Thorin
needed his help to get a start on the future. He was grateful for the other company members who took it in shifts to sit with
Fana. As he came into the tent to retire it was Bofur who was sitting with her. He was normally the most cheerful dwarf amongst them,
but he could only give a small smile & shake his head. Balin gave him a shoulder squeeze as Bofur headed out & a quiet thank you.
Laying down on the pallet he had made for them Balin wrapped his beard over Fana & held her by the waist gently.
His heart hurt so much knowing that there was little he could do for her. In this he felt like a failure for not protecting her.
Holding her to him softly he gently placed a kiss to her forehead as he slid an arm under her neck.
"Please my ghivashel come back to me." Closing his eyes to the tears he tried not to think about what he would do without her. To him
that wasn't an option.
A soft sigh caused his eyes to fly open, as he saw Fana open her eyes Balin felt his heart stop then pound so loud he thought he would
go deaf. Raising up on his elbow, cupping her head in his hand he looked into her eyes.
"Fana ghivashel. It's okay I'm here."
"Darling don't cry." She reached up to wipe the tears from his face.
Balin couldn't help the intensity & spectrum of his emotions in that moment as he looked at her.
"What were you thinking? Why would you do such a fool thing as to run into battle?" He stopped to pepper her face with gentle kisses
at war with himself wanting to scold her, & make love to her.
"Because I love you. Where you shall lead I will follow, if you were to fall in battle I would rather fall with you than live a moment
without you." She held his gaze & cupped his face in her hands.
"I love you too but I'm old, if I fell you could still find someone else & have a family." Balin tried to reason out his feelings, not wanting to admit how
proud he was of her that she would want to fight at his side.
"If I am to have a family I want it to be with you." Smiling she pressed a kiss to his lips tangling her hands in his beard.
His cock twitched at her words, wanting nothing more than to see her belly rounded with his child. Leaning down to press kisses to her
lips & along her jaw he couldn't help how husky his voice became as he said "We'll have to work on that then won't we."