"Solem et Lunam Angelus"

Chapter One:
Tender Beginnings

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Gandalf had traveled for a long time now. He was on his merry way to a city known as Dale, built by men who were at the foot of a mighty Dwarven kingdom known as Erebor. But it was not for the men did he seek to create his well-known fireworks. Rather, it was for the newborn son of Prince Thrain.

As he was nearing the city, his tentative ears catching onto all sounds that the animals and critters made in the early evening in the lush forest next to Dale. Ah, such a beautiful day it was. The evening sky was beginning to fill to no end with many, many stars. And a full moon as the sun had reached the horizon.

Then he heard it. The sound of a... baby? Yes, it was a baby, crying in the distance. Gandalf, always curious and certainly not ready to leave an innocent child out in the woods, got off his wagon and followed the sounds to off the path, where he found the source of the noise.

There, on the ground, wrapped in a bundle of cloth, was a small newborn baby. Gandalf gasped and looked around, as if to confirm if the child was indeed alone. They were. Upon closer inspection, Gandalf realized that the baby was a girl. He examined the crying child and gently gave her a look over, to identify the species, so that he may perhaps leave the girl with her proper race.

This idea was thrown out the window as soon as he saw the markings up her neck which came from her back, hidden behind the cloth. Gandalf pulled off the cloth carefully to examine her back, and to his shock and disbelief, he found two small wings protruding from her back, the size of a small swallow's wings. They outstretched to reveal that they were a beautiful rainbow color, though the wings would change color if you tilted them in a different position.

Gandalf, knowing immediately what this creature was, gently put the cloth back over her wings and began to hum softly under his breath, his voice laced with a sleeping spell. Suffice to say, the babe quickly calmed down and she fell into a gentle sleep.

He knew that there would be no return for her to her former home, so he carried her back to his wagon and settled her down next to him, he fetched some blankets from behind and wrapped the spot next to him in a makeshift bed. He carefully examined the sleeping baby again and sighed. This was not something he could settle alone. He needed to consult his colleagues and the White Council.

But, unwilling to let loose a good payment for his show for the newborn dwarf prince and since he would definitely need the money to help raise the young baby, he set off once more to Dale.

He arrived later than expected and met up with Fundin, the advisor to the king of Erebor along with his young son Balin. Fundin noticed the girl but said nothing about her.

"So where shall I set these up?" Gandalf asked, Fundin nodded once and smiled.

"The Lord of Dale and I have agreed the best place to shoot them would be on the outskirts of Dale and in front of Erebor." Fundin explained eagerly. He was quite excited to see Gandalf's magnificent fireworks. Balin on the other hand, looked utter bored, his young child face looking up at his father with a dull boredom.

Gandalf noticed and when the two made eye-contact, Gandalf gave the young dwarf a wink. Balin looked troubled but said nothing.

Gandalf quickly made his way to the suggested spot and began setting up. Eight o' clock was approaching in 5 minutes and he needed to be precisely on time. As was his code, wizards do arrive precisely on time. Gandalf turned to the sleeping girl after he finished and picked her up and held her gently.

"Wake up, little one," he said softly and the girl soon yet begrudgingly woke up. She turned her big deep blue eyes to look into Gandalf's grey eyes. He smiled warmly and turned to look to the sky. The girl followed his gaze to the night sky and the he walked away from the about to burst fireworks, as to not scare the girl.

And suddenly, they were off! The fireworks went up in a blaze of fire and exploded in colors and beautiful patterns. Gandalf and the baby girl watched. Gandalf smiled slightly yet turned to look down at the bundle in his arms. The tiny girl watched with awe in her big beautiful eyes at the sky. At the many lights. Not even the explosions or loud sounds seemed to faze her.

Gandalf smiled, he expected this, and taking another look at her, he noticed her sticking out wings slightly and tucked them back into the bundle. Realizing her wings were special, definitely not on accident and could make many unwanted eyes turn to her, he realized that he could not just leave her with anyone. He would have to look after her.

Her wings also needed to be hidden. Unfortunately, such a wonderful yet beautiful gift could not be so easily shown. So, with a very powerful spell he spoke, the wings on her back glowed brightly until the light dimmed and gone were her wings.

He let the girl watch the fireworks until they all were gone.

By the time that happened, the girl was asleep and he settled her back onto the wagon. Fundin approached the wizard to congratulate him and give him his payment. Gandalf decided to make his way to his next stop, to see Lord Elrond. Though not of the fate of the young baby, but simply to say hello. He hadn't heard from or spoken to Elrond for a long time.

He decided against telling anyone of her origins. He knew many could not be trusted. And he knew that many challenges would await this young girl. He would need to train her in the art of magic. Her kind had an affinity for powerful magic. So he would. And then another problem came up. What was to be the child's name?

Gandalf, being the ever clever wizard that he was, gave the girl a rather subtle name.

"Aingeali, Welcome to Middle-Earth..." Gandalf spoke softly under his breath before going to find a place to rest before the long journey tomorrow...

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An hour earlier, Nis the Princess of Erebor and the wife of Thrain, was giving birth to the couple's first son. She screamed and sobbed as she pushed and pushed, eager to push her son out.

"I can see his head, your grace, you just need to push some more!" One of the nurse maids yelled over the poor dam's screams. Thrain was right beside his wife, holding her hand tightly yet she seemed to beat him in strength in that very moment as she squeezed hard.

Nis countinued pushing until the nurse once more yelled out: "One more push, your highness!"

"You are almost there, my love..." Thrain whispered to Nis gently. Nis, with one more scream and a final push, pushed out her child fully. After hours of pushing, the princess had finally given birth.

Thrain embraced his wife gently and she breathed heavily, "You've done so well, Nis..." Thrain spoke softly as his wife cried.

"Your son, your majesties..." the nurse-maid said as she handed the over-joyed parents their son. Thrain and Nis eagerly took him and began to shower him with soft words of love and welcome. Their son...

"Shall I go tell the King, your highness?" the Nurse-maid inquired softly.

Thrain turned to her and smiled, "Thank you, Gima. And please do. Tell my father that his grandson is born!" Thrain exclaimed happily and Gima with a wide smile, nodded and ran off to find the king.

After several minutes, Nis was string enough to get up, and just as she finished changing, Thror arrived with Gima behind him. Thrain presented his newborn son to Thrain who smiled widely at his grandson and gently took him into his arms.

The baby boy looked up at his grandfather with curiosity yet he was also kind of confused, seeing the confused dwarf, made Thror laugh. "Hello, young one. I am your grandfather!" he announced boldly to which the boy simply cooed and stared up in wonder as he pulled his grandfather's beard. Thror laughed whole-heartedly.

"He has a strong grip, that lad!" Thror laughed merrily, he then gently pried away his grandson and gave him back to his mother, "What shall you name him?"

The couple shared a look and Thrain smiled, "Well we aren't entirely sure yet."

Thror only nodded and smiled widely, "Take your time, my son. He must have a grand name!" Thror teased, and Thrain nodded with a good-natured smile.

"Of course, father." Thrain replied.

Then a look of realization came to Thror's face, "Oh! Thrain, Nis, I have a surprise, prepared by Tharkun himself!" Thror said joyfully as he began to walk, "Come, come!" he exclaimed and went away.

The couple smiled to each other, and Nis, carrying the baby, followed her husband and her father-in-law to the overlook to Dale. And when they came out and into the night sky, the two were pleasantly surprised to see many, many fireworks in the sky, all of wonderful colors and shapes and sizes.

The couple watched in happiness, the perfect way to celebrate their son's birth. And then it came to them, the name of the lad.

"Thorin..." Nis and Thrain spoke in sync. They shared baffled looks but smiled when they came to the conclusion that this was their son's name.

"Thorin..." Thrain said, taking his son into his arms and pressing his forehead to Thorin's. Thrain then embraced his wife and their son gently. Thror noticed and smiled as he quietly stepped away to let the family hold each other...

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But little would both the baby dwarf prince named Thorin and the baby girl named Aingeali would be destined to great yet dangerous roles. And that their fates would collide.

And that the adventure had only just begun...