Author's Note: This is a follow on from my story 'Love Eternal' so some aspects of this might not make much sense without reading that first :)


The Dwarves mourned.

The loss of their king, as well as both of his heirs, came as a heavy blow to the Dwarves of Erebor. The remnants of Durin's folk, who had started travelling as soon as word reached them of Smaug's demise, were devastated. They had truly believed that their Prince, the noble Thorin, would become their King and rule wisely, protecting them as he had whilst they had been without their homeland.

The company of Thorin Oakenshield, who had risked their lives to accompany him on his quest, were the most affected of all. To have reclaimed their home from the dragon, only to lose their King to the Pale Orc, was a blow they found very hard to deal with. But to have lost their two youngest fellows, Thorin's nephews and his heirs, was something many of them could not deal with. Spirits broken, they sank into their grief, unable to pull themselves out of the darkness.

In the dark halls of Erebor, the Dwarves wept.

The Elves faded.

The loss of so many, who had lived in the Greenwood for thousands of years, took its toll on the survivors. To have their Prince leave as well, and watch their King fall further into solitude, was too much for many to bear. Unable to reconcile their loss, many of the Elves who returned from the Battle before Erebor began to fade, the light of their lives dimming as they lost their will to live any longer.

Tauriel sank into a deep depression, unable to come to terms with losing her beloved Kili. She was forced to remain with the living for her unborn children, whose lives she refused to forsake. They were all she had left of Kili and she vowed to tell them of their father and his bravery. Allowed to return home, but no longer having her former status, she kept herself hidden away in the forest as she awaited the birth of her children.

Amongst the trees of Mirkwood, Tauriel wept.

The race of Men struggled.

Those who survived the Battle of the Five Armies retreated to the ruined city of Dale, or what was left of it. Much had been destroyed by the Orcs and Trolls and, with winter upon them, they struggled to survive. The Elven King sent supplies and they began to rebuild the once great city. The people called upon Bard to rule them, but he would not, for he felt no yearnings to be King.

Sigrid, the fifteen year old daughter of Bard, was broken hearted when news came of the casualties. Though only knowing them for a short while, she had grown fond of the blond haired Dwarf, Fili. He had spoken kindly to her, treated her well and complimented her on many small accomplishments. She, in turn, had become infatuated with him, dreaming of the day the Dwarven Prince would come to Dale and claim her as his bride.

In the ruins of Dale, Sigrid wept.

The Maker was saddened.

The line of Durin was that which he was privately proud of, for the line was unbroken from Durin himself. He had ensured that the line remained intact, never allowing it to become weakened by relying on those further out of the bloodline. He had nurtured another line, ensuring it too remained pure, until finally Zuri was born. She would be the one to capture the lonely heart of Thorin, son of Thrain, for Mahal had planned for the union to happened. They would produce one an heir who would fight the darkness that lingered in the world. But Thorin had never met Zuri, for she travelled from the Iron Hills and reached Erebor after his passing.

In the serene beauty of Valinor, Mahal wept.

And in the void that was outside of creation, Eru looked on. He too had grown fond of the line of Durin, and the events at Erebor were known to him. He knew of the hard won battle to reclaim the Kingdom. He knew of the love between the Elf Maiden Tauriel and the Dwarf Kili. He knew of the feelings that the girl Sigrid had for the Dwarf Fili. He knew of the match Mahal had had planned for the Dwarf Thorin. He saw the possibility of uniting the races as never before, for he knew of the darkness that was coming.

In the void, Eru shed three tears. He gave them to Mahal, so that his Vala could use them to restore that which was lost, and reawaken the Children of Flesh and Stone.