Middle Earth AU. After the Battle of the Five Armies and after the war of the One Ring. I know that there are 60 years between the two events, but in favor of my story I decided to make them happen only two years apart, hence AU. I sincerely hope that you like and enjoy my story anyway and that you can ignore the timeline.
Thorin cursed as it purred down rain for the third day straight since they were on the road. There he was, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain, riding through Middle Earth on yet another journey. Now that he was king he had to stabilise his reign with various alliances and bonds with other kingdoms. He did not want to leave the mountain and his gold, but he knew that he had to.
There was a strong reason why Thorin had chosen to go on this diplomatic journey himself. On the road he felt at peace, more so than under his mountain. The whispers of the gold were gone and he felt more like himself. He had lost alot to the madness that was Durin´s curse. He had lost his mind and in the Battle of the Five Armies he had almost lost his nephews and his life. When he thought of Filis and Kilis lifeless bodies to his feet, Thorin wished that he had died that day. Dis had not forgiven him until today and remained in the Blue Mountains, alone in her fury. Thorin had thought about passing the Blue Mountains on his way south, but his sister had forbidden him to come. She did not want to see him and Thorin respected her wishes, knowing that he could not face her with the shame he felt. He had not been able to protect his sister sons properly and he would never forgive himself. Today, Kili accompanied him on the journey south, while Fili had stayed backin Erebor and ruled during Thorins absence.
In the Battle of the Five Armies, Kili had taken a blow to his face and a huge, white scar had stayed as a reminder of this battle. The young dwarf was still handsome and the scar gave him a more adventurous appearance, but Thorin winced everytime he looked into his nephews face. If it had not been for Tauriel, the captain of the guard of the Mirkwood king, Kili would have died that day. Tauriel had driven Azog back from Kilis body and had protected him from Azogs and Bolgs bodyguards. Fili had protected his uncle until an arrow had pierced his shoulder and another arrow found the way into his hip. As he had fallen to his knees, one of the orcs had knocked him unconscious, but Thorin had managed to kill the orc before it had killed his nephew. In return, Thorin had been injured by Bolgs warhammer, but he had survived the battle in the end. He was told afterwards, that someone in a grey hood, probably an elf, had driven Bolg back and had distracted him until Beorn had rushed into battle and had killed him. Thorin had the feeling that he knew who that hodded figure might have been, but the thought of this person rushing to his aid pained him deeply. This person had loved him so much, that despite all that had happened, this person had rushed to his aid and had saved his life. He had not seen the grey hooded figure again after the battle. Thorin thought about that person every day and in his shame he tortured himself with allegations and the feeling of guilt.
On the way south the delegation from Erebor would pass the home of another person wronged by Thorin. Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins. Thorin was riding towards the Shire in the company of Bofur, the hobbit´s closest friend. Maybe, with Bofur at his side, the hobbit and former burglar would be able to forgive Thorin for what he did to him. In his madness Thorin had nearly killed Bilbo, who had stolen the Arkenstone from the mad king to force him to reason. But Thorin had been beyond reason that day. He had nearly tossed the halfling down of Erebors walls and had banished him. After the Battle of the Five Armies, Gandalf had taken Bilbo away to shield him from the grief and sorrow of the aftermath of the battle. Bilbo had known that Thorin had survived, but he had not dared to face the king, probably out of fear and hurt. Thorin had no idea how to ask for the hobbit´s forgiveness, but he had to try. And Bilbo was only one of the people who had to forgive the king.
Thorin had done alot for his people. He had led them away from Erebor, once the dragon had taken their home. He had led them to safety and wealth in the Blue Mountains and had sacrificed his own title and rank by working in the villages of men as a mere blacksmith on their way south. His own life had not been important, Thorin had only thought about his people. His honor and loyalty towards his fellow dwarves had assured him their unshakable loyalty and love in return and as Thorin had been crowned in the newly reclaimed Erebor, the dwarves under the mountain cheered and roared in triumph. Thorin had been an honorable and good dwarf all his life, until the curse of his line had caught up with him. It had destroyed him and it had destroyed Thorins friendship and love towards the two people of his company who had not been of his kin.
Kaya gazed at the horizon and let the wind play with her hair. She was standing on the edge of Minas Tirith´s huge terasse, a place of peace and quiet and of utter beauty. She had the feeling that she could gaze upon half of Middle Earth from that spot and closed her eyes, listening to the howling of the wind. Finally there was peace. She was tired of fighting. Tired of death and loss. Tired of grief. Tired of any feelings at all.
The former princess of men sighed deeply. Here she was, formerly a respected princess and highly respectable woman, living in the White City as a mere courtlady. She was grateful that queen Arwen had offered her to stay as her courtlady and performed her duty loyaly and thoughtfully. But still she had a heavy heart when she looked upon the royal class of Gondor. Once she had been on eye level with them. How deep had she sunken.
Kaya had been the princess of the men of the north, once, before she had lost everything to love. Her father had died early and her mother had tried to marry Kaya to powerful kings or princes of men to seal alliances. But the headstrong princess had not accepted a forced marriage. She managed to scare away several marriage candidates until her mother forced her to chose. Kaya would marry or else she would lose her rightful place as heiress to the throne. Kaya had a strong sense of duty and she was a skilled diplomat. Her duty was to take over the reign of her people one day. But she was clever, too. As long as her mother had only one daughter, she could not force her to do anything. She could not banish her only daughter beacuse of her disobedience, or else, she would lose the throne herself.
Kayas luck changed as her mother became pregnant again and had another daughter. The father of the princess was an elven diplomat from Mirkwood and his little daughter had inherited the elf´s arrogance and pride. Kayas relationship to her little sister was icy and distant. The little princess seemed to know that she could beat her older sister to the throne and behaved that way. She showed no respect and no affection towards her sister and soon, Kaya learned to hate her own flesh and blood. Kaya fled to Rivendell, to the house of her childhood friend, Arwen Undomiel, and her father Elrond and waited for her mother to chose a new marriage candidate. Usually, Kaya strongly disliked elves, but the half elf Elrond and his family had been an exception. She felt safe in the hidden elven city and enjoyed the peace and quiet until one day, dwarves intruded the peace of Rivendell and turned her life upside down.
Sometimes, Kaya wanted to curse the day she had met him. The day their eyes had met and she had fallen in love instantly. Like a stupid little peasant girl. But while she felt the pain in her heart, Kaya would not want to forget the wonderful moments with him. Near him. Or in his arms.
Kaya turned around and faced north. She could not see the Lonely Mountain from Minas Tirith, but in her mind she pictured the huge mountain with its white top and green gate. Her heart called out to her lost love, who had been crowned king under the mountain over a year ago. Her lost love who had probably forgotten about her. Her lost love who had cost her everything.
Kaya had met Thorin in Rivendell as he and his company of twelve loyal dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit had crossed on their way to Erebor. She had been chatting with Arwen as Lindir rushed past them, hurrying to the gate and mumbling something about dwarves. Arwen and Kaya had looked at each other and silently followed lord Elronds right hand down to the gate. Standing behind the great stone pillars, Kaya had looked upon Thorins company for the first time. The dwarves´ arrogance had angered her and she was close to give the king of the dwarves a piece of her mind as he rudely answered Elronds polite smalltalk. Arwen had only smirked at her friend´s temper and had pulled her back. Lateron, Elrond had asked his daughter and his guest to eat in the smaller dinning hall in the west wing of Rivendell. The elven lord wanted to keep his daughter and his guest away from the rowdy dwarves and sighed deeply as he left to accompany Gandalf and the king of the dwarves to dinner. But he had underestimated Kayas couriosity and deep into the night, Kaya sneaked into the guest wing to take a look at Elronds other guests. She watched the hobbit and Thorin and heard the words Gandalf and Elrond exchanged about the goldmadness of the line of Durin. Thorin, the king of the dwarves, listened to his host talking about the curse of his line and turned away sadly. The expression on his face had touched Kaya deeply. A deep sadness clouded his blue eyes and the frown on his face made him look vulnerable. The dwarf king was strong in his appearance, but Kaya could see a crack in his hard and aloof appearance. She did not know the dwarf, but all Kaya wanted to do was touch his bearded face to comfort him. She felt a strange attraction toward this dwarf and she could not tell why. She had never seen a dwarf in her life, but her father had told her stories about them. He had told her about the small, burly and ugly dwarves in their dark and cold mountains. He had told her that the dwarves were interested in nothing more than their riches and that their greed, arrogance and pride had isolated them from the other people in Middle Earth. But these dwarves seemed different. Kaya had found out that they were on a journey to reclaim their homeland which had been taken from them by a dragon a hundred and fifty years ago. It seemed a worthy and honorable quest and Kayas lust for adventure came forward. Silently, Kaya backed away into the shadows and followed the dwarf king down to the dark corridors in Rivendell.
Ok, so far, so good...I have written nothing more so far, I want to hear your feedback first. Please tell me what you think!