Children of Erebor
Chapter 3
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Seeking Help
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In great sorrow, Adin gathered Metara's lifeless body and held her close to him and wept. Shen rushed over to him and held them as she wept for the female dwarf whom she came to love like her own mother.
When finally Alin had killed the other attacker, he saw what had happened to his mother, he dropped his weapon and rushed to them and together they wept for a long time.
It was the sound of a baby crying that they realized they were no longer alone.
Shen stood up and went over to the wagon and picked up the tiny dwarfling and calmed him;the little one needed changing as he had soiled his paddings.
She opened the paddings and to her stunned discovery, he was a she!
"Help…." Adin and Alin turned to the other female and saw she was also heavily wounded and rushed to her.
"What happened?" Adin asked her. "Who are you?"
"We are…from Grey Mountains." She said laboriously. Blood was oozing out of her mouth. "I am the …nursing maid of …Queen Rhain …of the Stiffbeards."
"Stiffbeards!" Adin exclaimed. "You are quite far from your home, what are you doing here? There are rumors of unrest in the Palace of Pell." He spoke of the principle city of the Stiffbeards.
The female nodded, "Yes…the civil unrest…his nephew, Ballnor has taken… King Vallor… his palace …is deposed."
"So the rumors are true. They wanted him to surrender the throne or they will kill him." Adin said to his son.
She nodded, "Yes…but they can't do it...the Stiffbeards Ring is…missing. Without it Ballnor cannot…be King." She then pointed to the baby. "This… is the…Princess…Jul." She handed Adin an item. "She is rightful… to the… Throne…when she …comes of age…seek revenge."
Adin looked down and saw it was the Ring of Power with the Stiffbeards sigil of the Grey Mountains.
"Father…" Alin called out to his father. "The nursing maid!"
Adin looked at her but saw that she had passed on. Adin had more questions to ask her but now, he'd never have the chance. "May Mahal guide you to the next world, my lady." He closed his eyes for a moment before he stood up and placed the Ring into his pocket and sighed.
"Will you help me with your mother, Alin?"
His son nodded as he bent down and reverently picked up his mother and placed her on the wagon.
…..
Fifteen years later, Mera was born to Alin and Shen.
But they were not to live for long to enjoy their new daughter…
It was not fair, they had tried for years to have a child of their own despite raising another, one they had taken into their heart as their own.
It happened almost year after Mera was born; Alin and Shen were working in the Erebor mines under the Lonely Mountains not far from their home in Dale.
The sun was drawing to a close, time for them, and everyone, to come home for the evening after a long day of mining. Alin and Shen were smiling and holding hands, they had found out Shen was going to have another baby soon! Another brother or sister for Mera and Jul whom they adopted when they rescued her from the bandits, near the Blue Mountains, more than fifteen years ago.
They knew it was too soon after Mera's birth but they didn't care; they were happy.
Alin, who was the strongest and tallest of them, happened to be near the pillar when he heard the crackling sounds.
He and a group of older dwarves had heard and turned towards the familiar yet dreaded sounds.
Acting quickly, they rushed toward the pillar and began to shout directions and Alin glanced at Shen, "Get out of here now!" He waved at her, waving at the others too, especially the females.
Shen shook her head, "No husband! I can help!" She rushed towards a stack wood posts lying across from the far end of the tunnel on the ground and hefted one of them and rushed to where Adin was holding up the cracking pillar, the others seeing her, began to help as well, dragged the heavy post towards the weakening pillar.
Alin shook his head; anger and desperation building within him, "Shen! Think of our baby…and the girls! Get out of here…the pillar is about to give, we can't hold it much longer!"
The creaking and crackling were getting louder; the dwarves began to move away from the pillar. Fear in their eyes as they called out to Alin.
"Get away, Alin! There's not much we can do! Let's go!"They beckoned him hurriedly.
Alin saw that his wife and the others were still struggling with the post and they could not make it out of the entrance if the pillar gave out now…
It was then that Alin knew…
He looked at the others as he braced against the pillar as much as his strength could hold, "Get out of here, take Shen, get her out…" He said with a voice of resignation. "Tell my father…and my girls, I love them." Tears were streaming down.
The dwarves nodded sadly, "We will, Alin, we will." With that, they ran as fast as their stocky legs could carry them as they dragged a crying Shen away from her husband.
Two beats later, the pillar gave out and the entire wall collapsed.
….
"Jul, it's not your fault. We all did our best." Comet looked at his best friend worriedly.
She nodded, "I know but I should have gone with them."
Comet shook his head, "No. We should have gone with the children but we had chores. We didn't know this could happen, I mean bandits?" He spread his hands about him and scratched his hair in bafflement. "Who could have foreseen it?"
Jul looked up as her best friend's husband and despite the seriousness of the situation, a small smile peeked on her face, "Yeah, I guess you have a point there." She shrugged. "No one had expected a bunch of no-good bandits" She frowned hard as she clenched her fists tightly, "to grab four dwarflings!" She unclenched and clenched them again angrily in frustration. "If I ever get my hands on those evil…band of …of…stinking lousy rotten yellow teeth yellow eyed bunch of…urgh!" she shook her head and stood up, "I can't even think!"She began to pace about the room and stopped suddenly, startlingly her friend.
"Wha?" Comet jerked, "Hey…I know that look in your eyes!" He shook his head and paled, "Oh no you don't, Jul."
She arched a brow, "What? I didn't say a thing." She rubbed the unfamiliar ring on her finger unconsciously.
Comet shook his head again, "No, you're not going to do it, I'm not going to do it…whatever you're thinking of doing it, and I know you, Jul! Besides, you're a very important person now. You are a Princess!" He said in a low tone, "A Princess, Jul, you can't go running everywhere!" He began pacing about the room.
Jul shook her head, "I can't let Mera by herself, I have to save her, Comet."
He shook his head, "Jul, listen to me. Mera's not your sister…and I have sworn to Adin before he died, to protect you."
Jul growled and rushed to him as she pushed him roughly, holding a dagger by his throat! "MERA'S ALL I HAVE! SHE IS MY SISTER NO MATTER WHAT!"
Panting, she sat down and shook her head.
"Wow!" Comet stared at her, "What was that?" he was rubbing at the sore part where she had hit him, "That was rough…"
She looked up at him, "Comet…I'm sorry…"
He shook his head, "No worries. I shouldn't have said that about you and Mera. You're right, she is your sister, even though she is not your blood but by bond." He grinned. "Although I still don't like the idea of you charging about looking for her." He shrugged, "I am your protector now."
She smiled slightly, "You don't have to be, and I have to…."
He nodded, "I know, I know." He sighed. "You made a promise to Adin that you'll find her before you head to the Grey Mountains to reclaim your rightful place in the throne…blah, blah, blah." He waved his hands. "It's so boring. I'd much prefer my simple life here with Reen."
She folded her hands across her chest and smiled, "Come on, Comet, we owe it to Adin, and Mera...and the other children."
"But Jul!"
She waved her hands, "Don't you Jul me, Comet! Come…didn't you tell me the other day, you wished for some excitement?"
Waving his hands nervously, "I didn't mean this kind of excitement and looking for a group of children…and…and bandits is not my idea of excitement."
"You're not scared, are you?" She challenged her best friend of many years.
"Funny you should ask…well, yes I am…scared, that is." He glared at her. "I would like to live a long and happy life…here in Dale, thank you very much. And with your best friend who happens to be my loving wife of two years."
"Oh Comet, you know Reen would be busy tending to the sick and she would approve of us saving the children and you know my conscience won't let me leave those little ones out there by themselves." She leaned in and rested her chin on his shoulder.
He turned slightly and glanced at her, "Oh…I hate you, you know that?" He grunted and harrumphed. "I did wonder why your grandfather sent you to learn all those sword fighting..." he shook his head. "Now I know why, he knew who you were and that one of these days, you'd be going back there."
She chuckled, "And I love you, too. And Reen will love you much much more!" She tried to wrap her hands around his large chest. She then straightened up and became sober, "Yes, that is something I have to do after I rescue my sister." She bent down and hugged him again, "But you will be helping me first, dear friend."
He shrugged her off, "Get off me, pesky female…" He muttered as he moved away from her and held up one finger, "One problem; we don't know where those bandits had taken the children."
She cast her head down and blushed, "Well, as to that…they…er…they are in the old forbidden mine..."
He frowned at her, "Wait, did you say in the forbidden mine?"
She nodded miserably.
He glared at her, "Are you CRAZY? You know everybody's forbidden to go near there!"
She sighed, "I know, Comet but I didn't mean to but I was taking a walk near that path and accidentally stumbled onto them." She pursed her lips.
He sighed heavily, "What am I to do with you?" He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed again. "You are so...so…" He raised both hands up in the air and they flopped down to his sides dejectedly. "Hopeless."
She nodded, "I know." She wrung her hands.
"You are going to get us both killed."
She didn't reply.
"I am so doomed."
She didn't reply to that pronouncement either.
With another long, long sigh, he said finally, "Come, let's figure what we need to pack, and we'll set off tonight."
Raising her head, she smiled, "You're my hero, Comet, did you know that?" She rush to him and hugged him tightly again. "I owe you."
He pushed her away after a moment, "Yeah, yeah…just remember that when Reen has my baby, you are going to help take care of her…or him. Now go pack, and meet me when the sun sets, we have much to prepare you before we set off." He waved her away.
Jul hesitated, "What do you mean me? Prepare what?"
Comet sighed again, "In case you're not aware, Princess Jul," He pronounced her name and title in exasperation, "It is not safe for females to travel, especially at night."
She frowned at him, "Oh…then how shall we…?"
He held out a hair piece, "A disguise." He said simply.
"A disguise?" She repeated. "I do not understand, I have to wear a false hair cover?"
He laughed and shook his head, "No silly! A beard!" He indicated his own beard which covered almost half of his face, "You will be wearing a beard, that way no one knows you are a female therefore no harm will come to you."
An understanding came to her and she smiled, "Ah! I see." She nodded. "I'll be back as soon as possible!" And she was gone.
Comet flopped down on his chair and sighed, "She's going to get us both killed….she's going to get us both killed…" Then suddenly he stood up and grinned, "Not if I seek help from my cousins…" He began to look about the room for some papers and ink pot…
"Wait, you have cousins?"
Comet jerked up, startled by her sudden appearance, "Ah! What are you still doing here?"
"I forgot Adin's book." She reached over and picked up the old book and looked at him expectantly, "So…who are these cousins you're talking about?"
"Oh…my cousins Balin and Dwalin, and Oin and Gloin. They are in the services of the King in Erebor."
Jul's eyes widened, "Wow! They sound really important, will they help us?"
Comet shrugged, "I'm not sure but I'm sending them a raven and we'll see what they say. And we'll see if they will meet with us near the mine."
"Oh…you don't think they will tell the King, will they?" Jul asked with a worried look.
Comet frowned, "One way to find out." He began to write and paused when he realized Jul had not moved, "Er, what are you doing?"
Jul shook her head, "Waiting."
"Aren't you supposed to be doing something…like packing?"
"Oh!" She grinned and nodded, and waved at him, "I…yeah….I'll be back…" She nodded and turned around to leave, almost walking right into the wall before she corrected herself and moved around the wall and left again. "I'm okay…I'll see you later, Comet."
Comet watched the whole thing in amazement before he shook his head, "And I'm to take her with me? I thought she had some kind of tracking skills?" He shook his head. "If I have to rely on her, I'm going to be killed in one day. Dear Mahal! Please give me patience." He shook his head as he bent down and began to write the note.
…..
End of Chapter 3
