Summary: A guardian, a healer, and an orphaned dwarf travel to Dale to begin a new life. After years of running from a past life where she know for being the sworn shield who betrayed and killed her King, Lyall's life now revolves around protecting Cara and Aro. An incident forces Lyall to show off her skills as a seasoned warrior and shield, which in turn captures the attention and interest of a certain King Under the Mountain. When the line of Durin is threatened Lyall finds herself being drawn into serving yet another King after swearing to herself that she'd never be put in the position where her life wasn't her own ever again. The bond between a guardian and a royal is an intimate relationship that blurs the lines of duty and honor. Will she be able to stop herself from loving Thorin as more than her King?
Warm liquid seeped onto her hands and burned through her skin like poison, rolling and raging with the frantic rushing of her own pulse. Blood soaked the sleeves of her shirt, sticking it to her wrists and making them heavy. The horrid stench of burning flesh perfumed the air and rolled through her consciousness like a heavy cloud, momentarily robbing her of sight and sound. Her heart thundered in her chest and threatened to rip apart her rib cage, so she couldn't hear the shrill shrieks and horrid cries of the royal court rushing about in a panic.
It was his gargled gasp that snapped her attention back into focus and cleared her blinded eyes. Crazed white hair framing crazed, blazing blue eyes with pupils so contracted that they were no more than a dot of coal floating amongst a raging sea. Cracked dry lips gaped and trembled, trying to draw air into the deflated lungs beneath her blade. She could feel the last wisps of breath vibrate against the metal that she had drove through skin, bone and muscle only a second before.
Flames danced behind him casting an orange glow that caught on his snowy hair and golden robes, shrouding him in a sinister light that depicted him for the devilish tyrant he really was. Flickers of the fire drew her gaze to the inferno and the crumpled, blackened and burning mass at its center. The kitchen boy was unrecognizable now, but she could just make out the hole, that used to be a mouth, stretched open to voice agonizing pain of the worst possible kind.
Rage, black and ugly, uncoiled in her gut and rose up within her, chasing away the flighty numbness that had spread throughout her limbs and grounded her, forcing her to admit the situation was indeed real, and not some awful dream she would wake from. Sterling eyes stung with tears that pricked her like needles and she bared her teeth so hard she felt them shift in her gums. For the first time, she let the walls containing her emotions fall, and laid bare the hatred and vicious anger that pierced her so deeply.
Leaning in closer, she watched the twisted light and insanity dim from his eyes and drank in the sounds of him choking on his own blood. The splitting pain in her skull began to dissipate as blue eyes turned slight less and with a shove she sent his body to the stone floor. The clank of his golden crown hit the floor and bounced to settle beside the head of its bearer. The sound echoed time through her mind while she stood there and looked down at him. The crushing weight in her chest lifted, the deep breath wracking her slight frame.
The king was dead…
The slap of booted foot echoed through the tunnel, and a petite hand similar to her own was wrapped around her wrist and insistently tugging her along. Mahogany hair brushed the tip of her nose and cheek, carrying with it the scent of spices from the kitchen, and ointment from the healer's hall. Stubbing her toe on uneven ground and making her stumble helped reality flood back into place.
They stopped and leaned against a wall of the tunnel, for her guide to catch her breath, and for her to bring the world back into focus. Hands braced on her knees she fought her rolling stomach and sucked back against the gag that threatened to spill out.
"…all." She lifted her head and peered past platinum bangs to the face crouched in front of her, half cast in shadow.
"…yall… Lyall… LYALL!" She flinched. The girls pale face loomed before her, so white it almost glowed in the surrounding darkness. Hazel eyes were drawn so wide in fright that they nearly filled her face, and swam with tears. The other girl's fear became almost tangible in the shared space and helped to clear the fog from her head.
Cara…
The faint clink of armor sounded from the darkness they had just run through and Lyall snapped her head in its direction. Their pursuers… the king's guard… were not far behind, coming to collect them so that she could answer for her crime. She could barely make out the shallow wheezing of the men sent to deal out justice and the bouncing of their swords in their scabbards… men she had fought with, bled with, trained with... and killed with… were coming to run her down like dogs ran down a fox. Cara's movement drew her eyes forward again.
Cara. The only thing she'd had close to a friend in her life, trembled before her as she to peered back the way they'd come. Aule only knew what they would do to her for trying to help her. A steadiness uncurled within Lyall, and with a breath she suddenly straightened, reaching out to snag Cara's elbow and spring towards the dim light at the tunnels end… They had to get away. The brunette's breathing turned shallow from exertion and terror as she tried to keep pace with the blonde.
As they raced on, the sky opened up before them. The first silvering streaks of dawn lit the way to the docks and the smell of salt chased the smoke from her nose and lungs and the crashing of waves drowned out her fevered heartbeat and scattered the echoing cries from her ears.
Their feet carried them from stoned pavement into wooden planks and Lyall breathed easier when they bounded onto the ship. Cara out a shuddering breath as she collapsed to her knees against the deck, cradling her pack and shaking. Lyall reached up to push her shoulder length platinum hair from her sweaty face, and wiped away a strand stuck to her lip, it was only then that she realized she too was trembling.
Breathing deeply, she tried to force away the adrenaline humming through her system and squared her shoulders before turning her back on the blazing city behind her to stare out into the open sea and the greying dawn. Away from her old life, from the death, and the despair, and the chaos, to the widened horizon laid out before them. Absently her right hand went to grip her left forearm, fingers digging into flesh through her clothes so that she could still feel the scarred outline of the mark that had once bound her as guardian to a once great and honorable man. A man that had fallen to greed and allowed the power of ruling to twist him into a cruel and vengeful soul-less being with a fondness for watching things burn.
A hand gripped hers and Lyall turned to look at Cara was now standing beside her, eyes filled with worry and turmoil for the girl she'd befriended a few short years prior. Lyall moved her hand to squeeze Cara's in return before looking forward again. The journey would be long and undoubtedly dangerous, but it would give them a chance to start over.
6 months later…
"Hey! Wait! Get back here!" Lyall dropped the apple in her hand propelled herself off the wall she was currently leaning against with her shoulder. She reached down and gripped the smooth handle of the knife strapped to her thigh, and started running towards the sound of her distressed companion.
Just as she stepped fully into the street, she saw Cara appear around the corner of a bread stand, her long brown hair and cloak streaming out behind her, chasing what looked to be a small child. Lyall slid to a halt in front of the boy and irritatingly slammed her knife back into its sheath.
As he tried to veer around her Lyall sidestepped in his direction and fisted her hand in the back of his worn and tattered shirt, jerking him up, then forward to land on his front with a strangled yelp. She put her legs on either side of him and reached down to snatch the tan money-bag he had in his hand. He couldn't be more than 8 years old with dark hair matted with dirt and… was that stubble? Lyall grabbed his shoulder and roughly rolled him over, standing up to glare down at him fully.
The boy glared back at her with a child-like impudence, like she'd just stolen his favorite toy. His bottom lip stuck out slightly drawing her attention to what looked like a 5 o'clock shadow covering the bottom part of his face. She couldn't help but blink at him in surprise. What child started growing a beard when he couldn't have even seen 10 summers!?
Cara came gasping to her side and doubled over wither her hands on her hips trying to catch her breath.
"What's the matter with you? How dare you try to steal someone's money! And from a woman no less! Have you no decency!?" Cara wheezed before taking to money-bag Lyall held out for her. The boy started to pout and turned his head away from her scolding. His dark eyes glanced at Lyall who shot him another irritated look and stepped over him. He sure made a pitiful sight, sprawled out in the dirt. Sympathy squeezed at Lyall's chest, soothing her ire as she took in his scrawny frame and filthy appearance. Poor thing was a wretched sight indeed.
"…You're a dwarf…" Cara mused aloud and nearly black eyes shot upwards again.
"Yeah, so? Don't you know all dwarves are petty thieves?" the boy all but snarled up at her. No longer feeling sorry for the disrespectful little brat, Lyall seized the front of his shirt and with alarming ease, hauled his skinny frame up to his feet, fully intent on teaching him some manners and maybe a good scare. Cara's hand landed on her arm and she was looking at him with the same sense of pity Lyall felt.
"Let him go," she said while digging a silver coin out of her purse. Lyall gave an amused huff and released the shirt, rolling her eyes. Of course. Leave it to Cara to reward thievery instead of compensating for it. She'd bleed for all the world's unfortunates if she could. The boy's eyes widened in surprise and tiny hands shot out to catch the money Cara dropped into his hands. He blinked owlishly at it and then up at the two women, his mouth forming an o.
"Go get some food and then go home," Cara said softly. The boy just continued to stare at them in wonder and slight confusion. A light smile twitched at the corner of Lyall's lips and she reached out to ruffle the child's coarse hair as she passed. To leave one so young to their suffering was never easy…and Lyall felt a wave guilt wash over her which she quickly willed away. The child would have to take control of his own fate if he hoped to survive the world.
Hours later they were walking back to the inn when Lyall saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye and stopped. It would appear they had a shadow, she thought amusedly.
"What is it?" Cara asked. Lyall gave a small smirk and jerked her head in the direction of the dwindling evening crowd. The child had followed them all day and stood watching them with his hand still wrapped around the coin they'd given him earlier. Cara's face clouded over with fondness and she clasped bother hands to her chest before smiling brilliantly and holding out her hand. Lyall glanced from her hand to her face and her silver eyes went wide.
'What do you think you are doing?' she silently asked with a raised eyebrow. Cara frowned briefly at her while beckoning the boy over to her.
"Oh Lyall, let's keep him," she begged. Lyall's mouth dropped open. Keep him!? Why? They couldn't afford to take in any stay they happened upon in the street… not to mention she already had one large child she was constantly looking out for…NO! Absolutely not!
"Oh please! It'd be nice to have someone to talk to for a change. He'll keep up. We can't just leave him to sleep in the street."
'The hell we can't.' Lyall narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms determined not to be swayed.
They were still glaring at each other when the boy reached them and stepped right into Cara's outstretched arm and looking up at Lyall with a slightly pleading look and big eyes.
'Cute brat…' with a sigh of defeat Lyall's shoulders dropped and Cara beamed even brighter.
"Come on, we'll get you cleaned up and get you a good meal. What's your name?"
"Aro…" As the two chatted away Lyall sighed again and followed them into the inn, the faint threads of dread unraveling in her stomach. What in the Valar had she just gotten herself into? Detouring to the bar while the duo went on their way to their room, Lyall picked up the mug of ale the inn-keeper set in front of her and took a large sip.
"Shall I send up a bath miss?" he asked with a polite smile and dancing eyes. She nodded and held up two fingers for two tubs before reaching over the bar and grabbing the pitcher of ale to take with her. She had a feeling she was going to need it.
Tada! Obviously this is short and just a peek at the life my characters lived before they meet the company.
So what do you think? Is it good, does it suck? Reviews and feedback are most welcomed!
