Preface

"Where are the dwarves!" One General shouted swinging his mighty hammer, knocking an orcs head clean from it's body. Around him the chaos of battle ensued, growing more and more terror some, soldiers were dying by the dozens. The rancid stench of blood and death tainted the air of the lush green hills of the Kingdom of the Shire.

"They won't make it in time, they were caught in a snowstorm crossing the Misty Mountains!" A soldier shouted before he was stabbed through with an Orc sword. The sound of clanging weapons and ferocious roars drew the general's attention to a hill a short distance away.

"Rally to your King!" The General yelled to his men drawing attention to the man fighting alone on a hill surrounded by orcs. He was in simple iron and leather armor, he fought with an iron longsword and a wood and iron shield. He fought with a grace and elegance that came with years of training and experience, slashing down his foes with a practiced ease.

His forces rallied around him striking down their foes. Blood stained weapons and armor both their enemies and their own. "My King we cannot hold out like this for much longer." The General said wearily cutting down another Orc.

The King nodded his head gravely and replied, "I know, I had hoped our friends would have made it here by now." An Orc got past his shield and sliced through his armor and sliced through his shoulder. The King quickly brought the Orc down then grunted in pain as blood started to leak from his armor. "I fear, my friend, that my wife will be very upset with me for missing dinner." He took a mace to the thigh and collapsed to the ground, the General rushed forward and slew the damnable orc.

Another orc came forward in the former's place and stabbed the General clean through the chest. The General growled and beheaded the Orc, meanwhile the same Orc had run through his king as well. The king and his general collapsed side by side, their energy finally spent as they waited for death to take them.

The General chuckled darkly, "Aye sir, I do believe my wife will be exceedingly irritated with me as well." He said.

Victory cries started sounding around them signaling the end of the battle, but not their victory. The king looked over at his friend and comrade, "Thank you for your years of service my friend, may we meet again in the gardens of Yavanna." He said, smiling at one of his oldest friends.

"It has been an honor and a privilege my King, may our green lady smile upon you and bless the families we are leaving behind. May we meet again in her gardens." The general replied as he gazed over at his king again only to see his eyes had closed and his life had left his body. He chuckled and coughed violently, blood staining his mouth, he could feel his life fading. "Yes I imagine queen Belladonna will be quite put out with you won't she, King Bungo?" The general sighed as black flooded his vision.

The general was startled awake by the sound of a familiar battle cry. "Du Bekar!" It was the cry of their dwarf allies signifying that they had made it to the battle, a little late. He heard them shuffling about the dead murmuring in horror. "I've found them, they are over here!" One of the soldiers shouted, there was a commotion going on around him.

"Move aside, give them space!" One of the soldiers cried, the others moved aside as healers rushed forward to try and save them. The general shook his head denying the help, he was dying and there was no stopping it.

"Where is your king?" He asked addressing one of the healers. Dwarves moved to the side to allow the relatively tall dwarf to pass. He had long, dark, nearly black hair with beads and braids woven into the thick tresses. They showed his status as king and identified his his clan and family. He wore royal blue to show what line he came from. He wore a metal mesh armor across his chest, around his shoulders he wore a thick traveling cloak of furs. His hair was still damp from the snow. His blue eyes were steely with anger but also full of grief.

"My liege." The general addressed with the required formality even as his life faded from his body. The king waved him off and disregarding formality kneeled by his head.

"I am so sorry that we did not make it here in time to be of any help, it saddens me greatly to see so much death." He said with all sincerity, his eyes reflecting his grief for their innumerable losses. His eyes landed on king Bungo as he watches his healers work fruitlessly to try and revive him. "When did it happen?" He queried as he gazed at his old friend and grieved for his death.

"Maybe thirty minutes before you all arrived, I am not certain." The general replied, the warm blood starting to grow cool and the flow was slowing. The king could see that his life was not going to last much longer.

"What of the Queen?" The king asked hurriedly to try and get an answer before the poor man perished.

"My Lady Queen Belladonna was asked to flee before the battle started, where she fled to I do not know. The only one who knew was King Bungo and that secret died with him. However you and I both know that she will not make an appearance until the threat against her and the young prince is gone." He whispered with the remnant of his strength. The king looked at him in shock.

"Bungo and Belladonna has a son? When? What is his name? Why didn't we know?" He asked in shock that such a big thing was kept from them.

"The young prince was born less than a week ago, it is not customary to introduce a fauntling into society until they are a month in age… King Thorin if you should ever come across the young prince bring him home to his people, the monarchy will be dissolved with his and his mother's disappearance…" The general was struggling to breath at this point, coming and going in labored pants.

"His… Name… Is… B-" and with that the general said no more as his eyes glazed over and his breath left him. Thorin Oakenshield sighed in grief and frustration, how was he expected to help someone when he did not know who they were. The placed his hand gently on the deceased man's forehead and murmured a quick prayer for him then gently closed his eyes.

Thorin rose to his feet then walked over to the now shroud covered king. "Keeping secrets are we now, my old friend?" He said sinking to his knees next to his friend he placed a hand over the man's still chest. "I will find and take care of your family, you have nothing to worry about. I will find them and restore them to their rightful place on the throne." He said then murmured a quick prayer.

"But first let me give you and your men a proper burial." He rose to his feet and ordered his men to bury the fallen hobbits, he himself buried his old friend under a great oak tree. He then ordered on of his men to go to the nearest town and purchase sacks or flower seeds so that the field would one day grow into a beautiful field of flowers. He knew the hobbits would appreciate the homage to their green lady.

He looked on as his men buried the fallen and thought to himself, where to start.