bending_sickle | If you kick a stone in anger, you'll hurt your own foot.* (Reply)

Word Count:: 1761

Novel Progress: Chapter 20 (extended)

Current Emotion: Is That the Time?!

She finds Thorin sitting with Dwalin and Balin, staring morosely at his bowl. Grace marches right up to them, ignores Dwalin’s glare, and stands in front of Thorin. When he does not look up, she nudges his foot with her boot.

“What?” he says, in the tone of one who knew perfectly well she had been there the whole time.

Grace thinks about kicking his foot, but holds back. “We need to talk,” she says, uttering well-versed words that have struck fear into the hearts of men throughout countries and time.

Apparently, its power extends to Middle Earth and its dwarves, because Thorin drops his spoon into his bowl and presses his lips into a thin line before saying, “I have nothing to say to you.”

Grace glares at him. He has just made this a thousand times easier. This time, she does kick him, and when he raises his head, lips parted with some retort, she cuts him off. “I swear to God, Thorin,” she says, her voice cold, one eyebrow arched, “I will have plenty to fucking say if you don’t.”

Beside Thorin, Dwalin stiffens and glares at Grace. “Scram, if you know what’s good for you,” he growls.

“I obviously don’t,” she snaps.

Balin coughs uneasily. “Perhaps you should –”

“Enough.” Thorin sets his bowl down and stands up. “Say your peace, and be done with it.”