Prologue
I rule the Iron Hills, home to over a kingdom of 20,000 dwarves. But only a handful I could call loyal to myself. My oldest friend and confidant is Kale son of Kilo, we've trained since my lessons on becoming king. He the brother I never had, an as siblings I was to see he had fun once awhile. I brought him to a tavern for a few drinks and a few lasses, but to find he'd only have one. A beauty among wenches, long raven hair complimenting her tan skin, and eyes of brown that in the light little sparkles of gold shinned. She turned heads all night, but stole the heart of only one dwarf.
"I have to make her mine Dain." Kale said drinking his ale, watching as she cleaned the tables.
"Then go over there before I nab her for myself." I shoved him off his seat; Kale fell onto the floor spilling his drink. "Kale you alright there?" I asked going to help him, and then saw the lass heading over. "Stay down. Don't move you dafty."
"Is everything okay here, is he hurt?" She asked getting to her knees.
"No I'm fine, really just a little tumble." Kale said trying to get up, but Dain pushed him back.
"He bumped his head, he'll need tending. Mind helping with that misses?" I asked her name.
"Shira, my name is Shira." She said helping Kale sit up.
"Well ill leave you too it." I watched the rest of the night as the two didn't separate. After that night the two were non separable and soon wed by yours truly. The years passed and the two had four, yes four strapping sons. The first born was Sage, the wisest and best looking son of them all. He became the youngest ambassador in my court. Then second was Kaleo. Strong, Sturdy, a skilled huntsman but wants to become a solider like his father. The third Hal was a merchant; the boy could add numbers faster than any dwarf abacus. And who I thought was the last was Dale, a skilled miner. No dwarf could make a tunnel faster than him, you'd think her was part were-worm. I'd never seen a man so bless with a family, but sometime life becomes unfair. Shira wished for one more child, so she was blessed with one come winter.
"Doing well, now I need one last push." The doctor said as he pulled the child. A baby's cries were heard throughout the king's halls. Kale opened the doors with a smile, "It a girl, you boys have a little sister." He smiled hugging each son kissing their cheeks. I ran down the hall quick as me short legs could go, "Where is the lad."
"It's a lass Dain." Kale laughed as the nurse brought the baby out swaddled. "Say hello to your god daughter, if you'd allow it."
"I'd have it no other way." I said taking her into my arms, she was tiny. The doctor called him back I looked to see the nurse and Kale rushing to Shira. She lost too much blood and was going onto the next world. By sunset she was gone, and all she left was a daughter which she spoke the name Shail. Kale had never been the same after that night; he neglected his duties as a general and father. His sons' barley saw their father and Shail rarely saw him, she came to think he didn't exist. All he had done was sit in his chamber or at the tavern drinking his sorrows. The sight of Shail made his heart break, and the drink made his mind blur. In the dead of night Kale had taken Shail from her bed and took her to dwarves traveling to the Blue Mountains. He placed the sleeping child in the back of a wagon seeing she was hidden. The travelers left and I found hours later that he had done this. I sent a party out but the travelers were too far gone, sending word quickly that every traveler's cart that came into the Blue Mountains was to be checked. They found the cart a week later, but no sign of little Shail. We searched for days but they turned into weeks, months, and years. I would never stop believing she was gone, neither would her family. She out there I know of this.