The eve was dark and cold. The wind howled in the endless darkness a battle there had been… a battle with victory by dwarven hand. It had been quick and merciless blood had been spilled yet only the orcs had fell. Thorin, Balin, Dwalin accompanied by a small army of 15 other dwarves had been scouting the forest path which lingered before their newly founded home when the horrid reek of burned flesh had been smelt and the tainted cursed black tongue had been heard. Orcs had camped near their Mountain a poor choice of settlement. They had slathered the beast nearly with eyes closed. It took but an hour for their swords to be retired and their wounds to be tended. Thorin the crownless king circled the camp, in the fire laid a have devoured corps it's flesh burned and bones which were taller than some of his company a man had been slathered that night. From a distance a sound had been heard Thorin denied it telling himself it had been an owl or crow he went along with his investigating. He approached his company where his men had been looting the Orcs luggage. They where crowded in one particular close circle where one held a wooden object by the looks of it. The sound came again he brushed it past his mind again. When he tried to close in the man who held the object an oaf of a dwarf stood in front of him by his own curiosity. A nerve twitched at this he gave out a slight cough which at last caught their attention.
"What have you found?" he asked dully in hope to suppress the curiosity of his voice. They turned to him the dwarf who he recognized as Farek son of Therek held an elvish bow. The bow was one of the perfect yet it was clearly elvish made 'it gave some explanation to the long bone which the fire had nearly devoured' thought the dwarven king. "My lord many of the loot are not of orc yet of elves we found some women's clothed and jewels earring of silver and laced necklaces. 'More explanation' Thorin thought yet again. The looting continued and so did the investigation as faint track of feet dragging had been found leading away the fire and the sound came again and again, Thorin was begging to wonder if I was truly but a beast of bird. Thorin neared a small bush and the nearer he stood the louder it became. Slowly he was crouching near the bush the sound becoming weaker yet erratic. His hand closed around the bush's end tugging slightly at it and then. Something grabbed his shoulder he nearly jumped at the intrusion. He turned to meet his lover's gaze looking at him with confusion a brow lifted to tattoos and the other closed around his eye. Dwalin went to speak yet Thorin hushed him by pointing his index at his own lips. In a quick tug they found a sight now in all the gods they would have expected.
A child
And no ordinary child by dwarven costumes. A child of skin pale as snow, hair blond as the faintest rays of sun and ears pointed as the mountain's peek. "An elf" a dwarf nearly shouted. Thorin was lost for words among his fair feature blood strained and bruises and cuts lingered, dark circles devoured his fragile eyes and his body shook in shock. "An elfling" Balin corrected as he made his way past the other dwarves to crouch besides the king. Balin's words were true the elf looked nearly as young as his nephews younger even, no more than a babe even thorin would give him 3 to 4 winters at most. Balin neared the child placing a hand on its head he retreated at the very touch. At his turn Thorin did the same thou the child's body was as cold as ice his fore head was as hot as the dragon's flame. It mumbled in its unconscious state of mind, tears where shedding throw closed eyes "Naneth" it asked again and again. Thorin did not comprehend what it wished for yet Balin's brow closed in together, and it brought curious glances to him from Thorin and Dwalin. Seeing this Balin sighed "It asked for its mother" he said nearly in a sorrowful tone. 'A final explanation' he thought the riddle of the fire devoured longed limbed figure had been solved. Thorin felt a clump of air trap itself in his troth he did not understand why nor did he understand the actions he took after. He took of his coat a wrapped it around the frail body holding it near to him he felt something fall from the form yet it was light and did but the faintest 'thud' as he made contact with the earth bellow. "The child needs medicine and care we will take him to my kin Oin he shall know what to do. Dwalin followed closely behind Thorin their company silent.
Thorin handed the child to Dwalin who held it awkwardly in a faint movement he idly stroked a hair away from its face. The child melted to the touch and shifted itself in Dwalin's arms, tightening a hand around the dwarven warrior's hand. Dwalin looked at it in shock he was lost for words he gave it a faint squeeze back, yet it was not made to hurt the elfling yet to reassure it. Once Thorin was well seated on his pony he gave out his arms, Dwalin had almost brushed it off as he was captivated by the small child which was in pain. It was clear in Dwalin's eyes he was ready to kill any orc which he crossed for doing such a thing to the child. Yet in his eyes compassion had also indulged itself and that's what made him give the child back to Thorin, he would cross the gates of Moria if it meant the child could be cured. A child which he knew not it's name, a child which was his enemy, a child he so quickly attached himself to, a child… a child which was merely a child in world too cruel for his innocence.
Dwalin handed Thorin the child, Thorin placed his fur coat so it's entire frame was well protected one arm not leaving the frail body the other steering his pony's reins. "Come we leave with pace, the quicker we move the faster we will arrive home." Thorin nearly galloped before finishing his sentence, yet a yelp from Balin's behalf stopped him. Balin approached his pony a sliver lace in hand. Yet the lace turned out to be more than a lace but a necklace a pendent in fact which a child's name was carved on to keep the bad spirits at bay. "Thorin you might want to see this" he said Thorin shot him a curious look "you will need this when he wakes up" he added for it was unknown to him that Balin knew his plan's for the child before he even knew what they were. A dwarf from further in the rank snickered "And why would we care if he woke up" he laughed. Dwalin gave him a glare that made the dwarf pray to Mahal looks didn't kill. "What does it say" Thorin asked as he placed the pendent around the fair haired child. "His name" Balin said. Thorin nearly rolled his eyes. "And his name is?" he asked. Balin merely smirked "Legolas… his name is Legolas Thorin" he patted the king on the arm. Thorin shot him another curious glance. "Legolas" he repeated as if to practice the name upon doing so making the child stir. Thorin found himself in awe at the pale's hand strong grip in the weaken state. The child possessed strength, dwarven strength and it did not go unnoticed.