LAST CHAPTER! WOOOOOOO! Everyone thank you so much for all the support throughout these three stories! It's really been a huge learning experience and I enjoyed it every step of the way! Please make sure to leave a review as well! And keep an eye out for Kalda's own story coming out in the Lord of the Rings fandom! ...eventually.
Please enjoy this one last hurrah!
It had to happen on the busiest day of the year. The morning before yuletide. Basically Christmas, though the dwarves didn't call it. The whole kingdom was rushing about like a hurricane getting ready for the next days festivities. The whole kingdom. Which is probably why we hadn't been alerted to their approach.
It had been a busy year in general. What with Kalda's coming of age ceremony and all the repairs to the west wing of the mines, which had collapsed recently due to unstable structures. Everyone was excited for a break for the holidays.
Myself included. For the past several years in fact. The triplets were now 27, with the maturity level of 14 year olds, so drama was quite common.
And Kalda was 30. She acted like it most of the time, though she still looked to be about 20. That's the only reason she was allowed to have her coming of age ceremony 10 years early.
It was hard to believe 29 years had passed since Fili and I had gotten married. It felt like time went past so quickly. And the children all aged so fast. And the Yuletide drew ever closer.
"Bofur, have you seen the last crate of wreaths?" I asked hurriedly, looking around. "Mal misplaced it I think."
"Can't say that I have." The graying dwarf frowned. "Might ask Kili. I put him in charge of it."
"Great, thank you!" And off like a shot, I hurried through busy corridors, a few people nodding to me in greeting. I liked busy times. When times were busy, people had less time to make a fuss over their queen. I almost felt like a normal person.
"Ah there you are Kili!" I cried at last. The dwarven archer turned to me in confusion. He now sported a fine beard that was quite like his uncle's had been during the quest. Kili had kept all his charms, though never even considered marrying.
"Something amiss Glenn?" Kili asked before getting interrupted as a little red haired tyke leapt on his back roaring loudly like a warg. Little Taur. No one was ever quite sure where he had come from. But Kili had found him in the woods during a hunting trip one spring. At first, everyone had been unsure what to do. The red haired babe had quite pointy little ears. But we contacted the woodland realm and there had been no missing children. Fili and I suspected an illegitimate child.
Dis suggested we send the child to Dale. Where his height wouldn't be quiet so noticeable. But Kili said if the child left, then so did he. Taur stayed. And Kili raised him like his own son. It was sometimes hard to remember they weren't related. There were some striking similarities. The child seemed to be growing at the same rate as a dwarf as well, oddly enough. I had some hunches about the child. But I never shared any of them.
"Taur, don't attack your father like that." I sighed. "And yes Kili, have you seen a crate of wreaths?"
"I just sent them over to the main hall." Kili replied, dragging Taur over his shoulder to hang him upside-down by the ankles. The little boy squealed in delight, wriggling in an attempt to free himself.
"Great thank you!" I nodded and hurried off again.
"Ma! Maaaaa!" Oh great. "Ma Kia put dirt mites in my clothes drawer!" Nia rushed to me, fuming.
"You're a tough girl Nia." I pat her on the head quickly and hurried off again to find that crate. Nia followed.
"But Ma! Shouldn't you punish her? She's being mean!" my youngest continued.
"Dear, I'm very busy right now." I sighed. "Why don't you talk to her about it?"
"I trieeeeddddd!" Nia groaned.
"Very busy!" I reminded her. "Go ask your older sister for help."
"Tia?" Nia made a face. "But she always takes Kia's side!"
"What about your other older sister?" I rolled my eyes. Nia stopped in her tracks. I turned to look at her when she didn't continue. "What is it?" I inquired.
"Nothing." Nia shook her head. "I'll figure it out on my own." And she disappeared into the crowd. I sighed and started off again.
After hours of rushing about and preparations, the mountain retired, silent in anticipation for the next morning. I loved Yuletide. It was truly an experience in the mountain. The eve before, the whole mountain was silent. The distant sound of hammers and picks was stilled. The rock only reverberated with souls breathing. It was incredible.
This Yuletide Eve, Fili and I sat curled up by the fire in our room, a large quilt wrapped around us. The water clock had almost struck midnight. It was so peaceful. We had both gotten on in our years. But we both planned on living for a long time yet.
Then the warning bells sounded.
The mountain was up in a flash, the peace and silence gone. Fili and I threw on appropriate attire and rushed out. We were quickly joined by the majority of our advisors and friends.
"What's going on?" Fili demanded.
"Something has entered by the front gate!" a guard said.
"How?" I asked. "No one could break it down!"
"It hasn't been broken down."
"Then who let them in?" The small group, and most of the nearby mountain entered into the entrance hall. Most had weapons out at the ready.
Two figures stood in light of the moon, the gate wide open and gaping. A third figure rode piggyback on one of the figures and the other held a small bundle.
The small group walked in a few steps before stopping. The mountain returned briefly, to silence.
"Well, well," I knew that voice. "This is quite the welcome back!"
"TILLE?" Fili gaped.
"ORI?" Nori cried in astonishment.
"Long time, no see!" The beaming face of the one riding piggyback laughed.
It's quite hard to accurately describe what happened next. But I shall try my best.
It was like… the hover dam crumbling and all the water came rushing out.
Then it was like the end of the A New Hope when they destroyed the Death Star and everyone started jumping around shouting and hugging and celebrating and stuff.
Then it was like… Erebor on the eve of the Yuletide.
The company was gathered and we waited in silence in the still, dust-covered room. The room that had not been opened in years. We had all agreed that whatever questions and catching up there was to do, could be done later. First, there was a princess that needed awakening.
Everyone watched as an older, weather hardened Ori and Tille set to work, deftly preparing a variety of strange herbs that they had finally collected. At last, a reddish liquid was tilted past Adriana's unaged lips.
The draught was drained dry and we waited. But nothing happened. After a moment of silence, Tille felt for a pulse, shook her head, and laughed.
"She's been dead for a long long time." The she dwarf smiled sadly. "I suspected as much." Ori rubbed his lover's shoulder comfortingly. No one spoke. "Well that's that." Tille nodded, then turned to the company assembled. What was left of it anyway. Dori and Oin had passed away. "We're back."
The reunion was bittersweet.
It started with introductions. We woke up our four daughters, and Kili got Taur to come meet their relatives for the first time ever. But before our children were introduced, Tille and Ori had some introductions of their own.
"This is our son, Miori." Ori said, as the third person bowed to us. He had chestnut hair and tanned skin, just like his mother. He looked to be about 15.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Miori bowed respectfully.
"How old are you lad?" Dwalin asked, looking him over.
"29 sir."
"29! Almost a young lad then." Tille and I shared a glance. 29 was almost the same age as Kalda. But the two hadn't left until almost a year after Kalda was born.
"And this is Adi." Tille looked down at the bundle of cloth in her arms. Everyone moved to take a look at the babe. She looked a lot like Ori. But with a smaller nose.
"And how old is she?" I asked.
"Three months!" Ori reported proudly.
"Lovely." And then our children were introduced. Kalda was completely silent throughout the entire thing, but I suppose it was for the best. I found she doesn't like to be woken up. Very cranky.
We stayed up late while Tille and Ori told of their adventures.
"Speaking of the Gladden fields." Ori turned to Balin. "We passed by Moria on our way there. Seemed mostly abandoned."
"Really?" Balin sounded surprised.
"I'd like to take an expedition there someday." Ori continued. "Maybe theirs something left worth restoring." Tille smiled at him. Both of them were so different from when they had left. They felt… wiser.
And the tale was finished, just as the first rays of dawn peeked over the mountain.
"Merry Yuletide." Fili whispered in my ear. I grinned back at him before placing a small peck on his cheek. Kia must of heard us cause she shouted loudly.
"MERRY YULETIDE!" at the top of her lunges. Tia and Nia followed suit, scaring Miori most severely and making Adi cry.
And the mountain was alive again. The night of quiet was over and back came the life of the mountain, roaring louder than ever.
Some say that it was the noise that woke her up. I say, a Christmas miracle. They're probably both right. For, in a dark room, that had been locked for many years until recently, a sleeping princess stirred.
"Da." Kalda said from her father's side.
"Yes dear?" Fili asked mostly distracted. "Everyone will want to see something."
"What's that?" but the pale girl was already gone. He spotted her again at the doorway motioning for him to get the others.
"Excuse me, everyone!" Fili raised his voice over the celebrators. "Kalda has something to show us." It was rather strange. But then again, she was a dragon.
A fake dragon.
Shush! I want to hear what happens next!
But you know what happens, you were there.
So?
Yeah Kalda, just let her finish for once.
And we followed her down the stone halls to that one room. We opened the door and peered in. Tille almost cried with happiness.
There, sitting on groggily in her bed, was Adriana, Daughter of Thorin and rightful heir to the throne of Erebor. She looked at us tiredly, as though her eyes were misty with sleep. But the fog soon cleared as Tille rushed over and threw her arms around Adriana's neck, knocking her off the bed onto the floor.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR BACK YOU IDIOT! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!" Everyone was laughing and crying and shouting about miracles. And Adriana just sat there in confusion while everyone hugged her again and again.
"What' wrong with you all? What happened? And… Tille… you look ancient." And everyone laughed again.
But she was back. Everyone was back.
In the confusion, Fili and I held each other close.
This wasn't a fairytale. But sometimes, miracles did happen.
The End
