I don't own any right on the characters or universe in that story, except for Moonstone and Thryr. Alternative universe in which the line of Durin did not fall during the Battle of the Five Armies.
Chapter One. Freeing the Outcast Damsel
Moonstone, has long has she can remember, has always been an outcast. She has not entirely solve that mystery, but she knows enough about it to understand that she is from a lineage that is half noble and half... well something else. The Blue Mountains people were endebted to her father, who was a great warrior and high ranked member from the Iron Mountains royal entourage. Only for this reason, they kept her safe for decades. For they were not at ease around her, strange rumors echoing in the dark corners of the numerous underground corridors concerning her mother. Moonberry was her name. Not so much of a dwarven name. But her father must have loved her deeply, for he chose a very near dwarven name for his daughter. So, Moonstone was a child when she arrived. She has a few and blurry memories of her parents. Most of them were happy and comforting. The noble blood that runs in her veins, her father's sword, along with a moonstone necklace from her mother and an old parchment rolled in a small cylinder, engraved with dwarven runes, are all that is left from her family.
She has enough of living here. The only thing that keeps her alive is her martial training. She is lucky enough to have a good mentor, who has a deep respect for the memory of her father. She is a long trained warrior, and she killed a lot of orcs and goblins to protect the Blue Mountains people. She even has a scar in the middle of her face. A purple mark that passes between her eyebrows, over the highest part of her nose, and that ends on her left cheek. A vestige from when she was too bold during battle.
It is springtime, and it somehow brings her hope that change is about to come in her boring life. As she learns that all the recent ruckus is caused by the coming of another dwarven king, she feels deep inside that the wind is about to turn. So she decides to wait for any opportunity.
On the first of May, she wakes at dawn, a guard knocking at her door. Sure that something like an isolated goblin raid is needed to be taken care of, Moonstone braids her very long and platinum hair, puts her armor on, as well as her helmet and her shield, along with her sword by her side before she opens the door.
- Come to replace a guard in the hall of throne, says a serious and cold voice.
The soldier takes his leave as soon as his message is delivered.
As she arrives in the hall of throne, she ears that Thryr, King of the Blue Mountains, speaks loudly with a stranger. Ignoring their actual bad mood, she only gratifies the king with a respectful, yet not at all zealous official salute, waiting patiently for further instructions. For now she has no other choice than to listen to their conversation.
- As you can now understand, Thorin, there is nothing for you anymore in the Blue Mountains. All the remnant of your people have now join you at the Lonely Mountain, or decided long ago to end their lives here.
- I also understand that you did not at all announce all the possibilities for my fellow citizens to come and participate to the new dawn of Erebor. And you seem to have kept for your men all the available females, hiding the parts of the request that were not matching your own plans.
- You know nothing of my plans, as you say, and as the King of the Blue Mountains, I mind my own interests, which are the ones of my people. There were seven fathers, son of Thrain. Nothing as survived from the line of Durin, except you and your two nephews. It is sad, but I cannot make your people pass before mine.
- So you did not answer to the call, and now you will let your brothers extinguish like if it was nothing.
- I already welcomed you and your people among mine when the dragon destroyed your kindgom. I struggle with declining population too. You have good relationship with your neighboor, Kind Dain from the Iron Mountains. Why don't you ask him for help?
- He is already angry at me. He thinks that I am responsible for the loss of his daughter.
- She is dead?
Thryr sounds sincerely troubled. It is the first time that Moonstone sees the king this way.
- No. She is lost. Dain believes she left the kingdom to find another husband than me. Apparently, she hates me even if we never met.
- So, this is the real reason you are here? You are here to see with your own eyes if she is not here?
- No. I actually search for her in any dwarven kingdom. And I want to make sure that you will let me know by diligent messengers if you hear about where she is.
- I will do it, you have my word. It is a serious matter. I will sign official letters for you in case you meet my emissaries on your journey. They will have the order to stay vigilant and to cooperate.
As they keep silent, seemingly in their own thought, Moonstone realizes that this king needs followers, and that they need females to give birth to new generations. And a noble heir, possibly a future queen, seems to have left to avoid a wedding with this king... He does not seem worst than any other king. But what does she know about this, she only heard about Thryr. A shy idea to leave with the king of Erebor is slowly awakening in her mind.
- So the tradition to come to the call of the heir of Durin is no longer a sacred vow from your ancestors to honor?
- Of course it is. But the vow says to honor the bearer of the Arkenstone. And you don't seem to own it.
- And if I say that I own it, is my word enough for you?
The king of Erebor stares in Thryr eyes, his gaze so intense Moonstone ignores how the Blue Mountains king is able to keep looking at him without showing any weakness sign. Moonstone thinks that king Thorin is probably giving Thryr the chance to give his allegiance to him without any legal leverage. As Thryr is appraising the situation, she decides to take her own chance. Taking the respectful posture of the soldier devoted to his general, hoping this custom is meaningful for the king of Erebor, she steps in front of him.
-I, Moonstone, daughter of Fundin, son of Gloÿr from the Iron Mountains, wish to assist you in your quest, King of Erebor.
It looks like Thorin just notices her presence. Or maybe he is surprised to hear a female voice. The short moment of surprise now vanished, the Erebor king welcomes the offer, to the relieve of Moonstone.
-I accept thee among my followers, says he with a solemn tone.
-I warmly thank thee, King of Erebor, for your courtesy.
- Enough! Says Thryr, loudly. You have no right to leave my kingdom. You did not already pay back the entire debt of your father.
Thorin listens carefully, wishing he did not accept something that could complicate even more his talks with Thryr.
Moonstone is boiling inside, for she believes she has already risked her life enough only to keep Thryr's people safe.
-I strongly disagree, she answers with a polite, but nonetheless stubborn tone. I risked my life for the safety of your people, so many times, sometimes all by myself. I even have marks in my flesh…
And she takes off her helmet, showing her scar.
-But the deepest scars your so said hospitality left on me are not visible. You were endebted to my father, and now you say I am endebted to you?
- There are things you don't know about your past, that I consider risky for the safety of my kingdom and that I think make you the one who owe something.
-Then just tell her what she owes you, so she can buy her freedom, tells Thorin, to the surprise of Moonstone.
-She is not a slave!
-Then let her take her leave, since it is what she desires.
-You have no right to intervene here!
-Since this person wished to be part of my fellowship and that I accepted, I am part of the negotiations, even if it displeases you.
-I do not authorize her to leave my kingdom!
-Who do you think you are to restrain my liberty? After all I have done for you?
Before she goes too far, Thorin decides to take her side. Not because he pities her, or because he has a different with Thryr. Because he knows how it is when nobody takes your side, especially when you are ready to leave all behind to help others. But nobody has to know why.
-King Thryr, please reconsider her offer. If you let her join my fellowship, I will consider it as a good will sign from you to help me in the rebuilding of Erebor.
-No. She stays.
Moonstone begins to see that maybe she was here like a kind of prisoner. It is possible, for she was so young, maybe she did not understand some subtleties about the conditions of her life in the Blue Mountains. As she thinks, some memories seem to try to come back to the surface of her conscious mind. But the voice of Thorin brings her back to the actual situation.
-Thryr, since you did not show any intention to ask frankly to those who were once from Erebor if they want to come and rebuild, I strongly doubt that you say all the truth about Lady Moonstone. I will let it go for the ancient Erebor citizens, because they had their chance when I came before I left with my company, decades ago. But this Lady is now willing to leave your kingdom, and I will not participate in what seems a dark scheme from your twisted mind.
-How dare you, Thorin! Leave my kingdom, and see for yourself to resolve your quest for the finding of Dain's daughter! Do not come back without diplomatic excuses, or it will end bad.
-Enough of this nonsense, Thryr. This Lady will leave this kingdom, all her supposedly debts erased.
-And why would I do that? His voice is low and full of a contained anger.
-Because I am the heir of Durin, and that I own the Arkenstone, which reminds all dwarven kingdoms that Durin was the king of the kings. It is surprising that the Elves understood that in the past, but that dwarves cannot honor their oath.
By naming the legendary gemstone, Thorin shows it to Thryr. No pride nor arrogance are showed on his face, only regret and a pale sorrow. The king of Erebor did not wish to come to this point. He thought Thryr was a friend. Maybe he really was once. But now, only his own interests seem to motivate his actions, not honor or friendship anymore.
Thryr realizes that he probably lost an old friend by listening only to his selfish desires of power and control. But he wants to save what he can save.
-You won, Thorin. I cannot arise against the Arkenstone. You can have the Lady.
-I do not want to have her, Thryr. I want to respect her choice to leave this kingdom. I will not own her.
Thryr regrets his words. He revealed too much of what the presence of Moonstone means to him. Or maybe not?
-You shall leave with her, I will not oppose against the will of the owner of the Arkenstone.
Moonstone faces Thryr.
-I thank thee only for what you done for me that came from a good will. For the rest, I leave it to your own conscience.
Thryr is left with no voice. Calculating, and trying his last chance to keep her near, he tries:
-Fine Moonstone. But I will keep for myself what I know about your origins.
-Well, you had plenty of time to reveal it during the last decades. Now that I leave, you try to use it as a leverage to keep me here as an obedient slave? I survived until now not knowing the truth. I will live now not knowing it. Maybe it will free me even more. Farewell.
Thryr has no choice but to capitulate.
As Moonstone follows the King of Erebor, she has to admit that she was not that merry since… well it must be from the time her parents were still alive. The only idea to leave lights up her mood.
-So, Lady Moonstone, do you need assistance to borrow your possessions before we leave?
-No. I have all I possess on me, but a couple of changing clothes in my room. But I thank thee for your courtesy, once more.
-You are more than welcome. Can we take them now?
-Of course.
Moonstone comes back from her room a couple of minutes later. As she joins Thorin, she cannot hide her smile.
-You seem so cheerfull.
-Well, my life did not make sense here. Now I have a purpose.
-But your past, will you regret it?
-I do not know for sure. But what I know is that I prefer to stay ignorant and have an honorable goal in life than to live like a shadow of myself.
Thorin nods, listening to her politely.
-Before we leave, I have to tell you that this journey is no holiday. We will have sometimes to travel in hard conditions, and we will have to fight more than once, for we will have to make our way in savage parts of Middle Earth.
-Fair enough. At least my warrior background will be useful.
-I am pleased to hear it. Tell me… Moonstone is not an usual female name in Iron Mountains… Maybe your name is somehow a clue…
-I only know that it comes from my mother's name. She was called Moonberry…
-Well, it surely not sounds as a dwarven name. Maybe nearer a hobbit name… but not really, they love flower names for ladies…
-Sorry, what is… a hobbit?
-Well, I was once like you, not knowing about them at all. They are a smaller people than us. They are a loyal, simple and merry people. You will meet some of them soon, for I have to return to my friends and family before we continue our journey.
-I have so much to discover… says Moonstone, hardly able to hide her enthusiast.
Too busy to see the beginning of a smile on Thorin's face, Moonstone does not notice either that she walks beside the king, not behind him like their respective ranks would require.
They walk in silence, finally leaving the kingdom of the Blue Mountains. At the border, Thorin asks her one last time because he wants to be sure that she is making a well informed decision.
-As you know, Lady Moonstone, this is the border of the Blue Mountains Kingdom. I cannot guarantee your safety, nor the success of our quest. The only thing I can honestly swear, is that I promise to be a fair leader of our fellowship, as well as a loyal brother in arms.
-It is more than I could have ever dare to hope, my liege.
-Please consider me as a companion, not as your suzerain.
She only nods, too touched to add anything more. To be considered as an equal is the kindest thing anybody have done for her, except for her caring parents. It touches her deeply, but she does not know how to express it. And a part of her, the one that is used to not really trust anybody, suggests her to wait enough before to open freely to him, even if another part tells her that it is safe with him.