Coming Of Age – Chapter 10
As it turned out, the Nogrod family stayed for another day. The power of servant gossips proven once again true as it travelled faster than lightning.
No sooner than Thorin uttered casually in the hallways about the 'rumors' of the location of the Arkenstone being somewhere else other than in and around Erebor or the Lonely Mountains than it soon reached the ears of Gul Mored and his wife. As fast as you can pour oil into a lamp, the Nogrods were already busy packing. They would have been gone much earlier had it not been delayed by their precious daughter and a private meeting between both Kings.
The first was Gruffidel who made her servants repacked her trunks five times before she was satisfied.
The second was a hurried meeting requested by Gul Mored who had wanted to break off the alliance between the Nogrod and the Durin pack. He even tore the contract in half! He was very convinced that the Arkenstone would not be found within the Lonely Mountains and that he did not wished to marry his precious daughter off to Thorin who had no claims to anything. A kingdom with no importance was worthless in his eyes; he was unworthy to marry his daughter.
So the pact was null and void.
Thrain argued in anger; pointing out that they had not even began to search for the Arkenstone but Gul Mored casually wave him off, telling him that he would have found the Stone already as it was such an important Stone. Obviously, the Stone, according to Gul Mored and his excellent anonymous source, it was in an anonymous location. He refuse to tell Thrain where it was for fear Thrain himself would send an army to look for the Stone and keep it for himself.
Thrain had to keep from laughing at his absurdity. But Gul realized he had wasted precious time and hopped off his seat and waving his farewell to his friend, set off from the palace. It was a noisy affair that took a long time in departing, delayed once again by the Princess herself because she was not satisfied with the way the servants had packed the cases into the carriages.
At last, near noon, three hours past the time they were to depart, the Nogrods and their enormous household servants and guards finally departed.
The Durin family was never so pleased to have the palace back to the quiet self again, as well as their servants. The royal family gave the entire staff the rest of the day off! The servants were grateful and took off for a much need respite to recuperate from the Nogrods, they hoped they had seen the last of them!
….
Back to the twins in Dale, who were lucky to have spared from dealing with the Nogrods. They did see them passing through. The entourage took almost a whole day to ride through Dale that the residents were quite curious as to who it was that were visiting the Durin family; many were not familiar with the Nogrod banner as they did not travel much. But they knew they were royalty from the uniforms the guards were wearing as well as the household servants that were passing through.
The twins had wondered why they had not heard from their new friends for a while; they had company, royal visitors according to the banners.
Although Balin and Dwalin were off being elsewhere, they did not join in with the Nogrods nor did they visit with the twins; they had other errands to run.
They learned that they were from a neighboring dwarf kingdom called Nogrod. Lee did not realize there were other dwarf cities out there, she had always thought Dale was the principle city for all dwarves living around Erebor.
As she stood by the side of the road with some of the children watching the procession riding by, she caught a glimpse of a very pretty female dwarf who seemed to not care for what was going outside of her carriage, unlike the others that went pass her.
The children waved at her but she ignored her.
"Well, will you look at her, Lee?" Bels frowned at the passing carriage.
Lee nodded, "She must be somebody important or something, maybe even a princess," Lee shrugged.
Bels shook her head, "I hope not. We don't want a princess like that to marry our Prince Thorin. Yuck!"
Lee smiled as she looked at her little friend, "Well, I hope so. He is so proud and arrogant; he deserved her, all right."
"What's ar..arro…arrowwhat?" Bels asked.
Lee laughed, "Arrogant, it means full of himself, very self assured, and also very proud."
Suddenly a very low male voice came from behind them, "You ladies are not talking about me, are you?"
Lee, Bethina and some of the other kids, startled, whipped their heads around to see whose voice it belonged to!
"YOU!" Lee shouted, her face a shade of red.
"Yes, me," Thorin smiled.
The children's eyes were as big as saucer as they recognized their Prince.
"What are you doing here? And what are you doing sneaking around again?" She asked angrily.
The children had stepped away from Lee as they had never seen her talking so rudely to a Prince; they were afraid she was going to get her head chopped off; they knew that was the punishment for being insolent to the royal family…whatever insolent meant.
"Sneaking again? What do you mean again?" His eyes flashed angrily at her.
"You were sneaking a peek into my bedroom window the other day, that was how I found you, so sneaking AGAIN." She said angrily.
The children became fascinated by their arguing, "Ooohed' at him.
Thorin realized they had a mini audience glared at them who shrank behind Lee at once.
"You're frightening the children, Thorin." She pointed out.
"I can see that."
"Is he going to chop your head off, Lee?" Bels whispered to her.
Lee shook her head and laughed. Thorin arched his brow at the little girl and shook his head, "Come here, little one. I'm not going to hurt her. We…we are friends, right?" he looked at Lee for confirmation.
She smiled at Bels and nodded, "Yes, sweetie, we are friends."
Bels' eye brightened, "Oooh, Lee? Are you going to marry Prince Thorin?"
The children "Oooh'ed" again at her, Lee was blushing deeply as she shook her head.
"Look, Thorin and I are just friends. That's it. I mean he knows Jor, too."
"Ooohhh, she calls him Thorin, not Prince Thorin. If you ask me, I think she is her girlfriend." An older female dwarf girl was laughingly teasing Lee. The rest of the group burst out laughing.
Lee shook her head and looked over at Thorin, "Are you going to help me out?"
Thorin shook his head, "No way, these kids are merciless. If I say something, they will skewer me. I'm staying out of this." He then gave her a smile.
"Oh man! He smiled at Lee! Whooow!" They laughed even more.
"Okay, that does it. Shoo! Go home you imps! I have to get to work!" Lee glared at them.
Bels peeked at Thorin, then at Lee, "Are you going to kiss her when we leave?"
"Go home, Bels! Or I'm going to tell you momma to give porridge for supper tonight."
Bels' face fell, "Aw no, not porridge! I hate porridge. Fine, I'll go home."
She waved to ThoraLee and turned to leave but at the last moment turned back and yelled, "LEE, IF PRINCE THORIN KISSES YOU, YOU MUST TELL ME!" then she waved and was gone, skipping happily down the road with her laughing friends.
"In your dreams, Bels, in your dreams, child," Lee covered her face with her hands as she shook her head.
"Did I come at a bad time?" Thorin asked innocently.
She mumbled in her hands.
"Um, I didn't understand that."
She put her hands down and eyed him, "If I said, yes, would you believe me?"
Thorin grinned, "No. But I just want to check on your ear. I would have come earlier but we had …er guests."
"So, I gathered."
Thorin shook his head and told her of the Nogrods and their ridiculous daughter.
She was laughing hard by the time he got to their departure.
"I can't believe your father begged you to stay. How sad of you to bail on him."
"Honestly, he was much better at diplomacy than I am, I would have drowned them in the fountain first chance."
That made Lee laughed more.
Thorin watched her, he enjoyed watching her laugh.
Then he saw her ear and reached over to touch it.
She stopped laughing and jerked back on instinct.
"I'm sorry, does it still hurt?" he asked.
She shook her head, "Not really, just when you touch it. I never got the chance to thank you for patching it. So, thank you."
Thorin shrugged, "It's nothing. After all I was the one who cut you in the first place so I should be the one who should apologize to you."
"But you already did, I think," she frowned. "I don't remember much of that day…all I remembered were those glasses of wine you kept making me drink them." She also remembered vaguely about that kiss;
Thorin shrugged, "It was supposed to numb the pain," he recalled that day as he stared at her jaw; her soft smooth jaw. His hand tingled as he remembered the sensation.
"Thorin? Is everything all right?" She asked.
He nodded, "Why?"
"Your face suddenly turned red, thought you're going to faint or something," she continued to stare at him.
"I'm fine."
He then changed the subject by asking about her brother.
"Jor is very excited about this trip to the Misty Mountains with Masters Balin and Dwalin. He is also very nervous about meeting this Master Odin, he sounds very formidable." Lee peeked at him and continued, "Have you met him?"
Thorin shook his head, "No I have not."
"Oh."
Thorin glance her way and said, "Don't worry. He will take on your brother. Your brother's skill is quite good, almost as good as mine," he teased her.
Lee glanced up and chuckled, then playfully pushed him. But Thorin was made of sterner stuff, as if she was pushing a stone pillar.
"Oof!" She huffed when she almost fell but he caught her and held her close to him.
Thorin stared into her eyes, first her green one than the amber, than back to the green and he saw they had changed into a mix of different hue of green going from dark to medium and then to almost brown.
"Oi! Lee!"
Thorin looked beyond her and saw a stocky female dwarf with an armful of clothing heading their way.
"Um, I'll meet you at your father's house," without waiting for her reply he made a hasty retreat.
"Well, Lee! I'm so glad to catch you…um, is that the Prince? Prince Thorin?" Shoshin was busily craning her neck trying to get a glimpse of him; Bels must have told her about him.
Great, just what we needed, the town fastest gossip, Lee muttered to herself.
"Um, just a friend, Shoshin, he's here to see father and Jor," she informed her.
Deflated, Shoshin thought she was going to get some first-hand gossip.
"Can I do anything for you, Shoshin?"Lee asked.
"Oh! I nearly forgot, you know me, I get so distracted so easily," she began to laugh. Lee wanted to agree; the female dwarf was great in her work but also great when it came to gossip.
She handed Lee the armful of clothing and said, "I made these yesterday, I..I..just want to thank you for saving my Bels and I don't know how to repay you..so I thought since I have so many material left, I thought I'd make you a few dresses, just in case you have some party to go to. I know you don't have many dresses, your father told me that the other day. But now you do."
Shocked, Lee shook her head, "Shoshin, you shouldn't have, I can't repay you."
Shoshin shook her head, "No payment, well. You saved my girl, this is the least I can do. I can't do much but I can make something for you, my dear. Please accept it. It fits you since I used the measurement from your dress. Please?"
Lee teared at her gesture, hugged and thanked her for the dresses. She knew they cost a bit but she was not going to argue further, it would insult the other lady more.
Happy, Shoshin nodded, "Good, I hope you'll enjoy them, I pick the colors according to your eyes, and…and…well, whatever…I don't know! I just had fun making them. So enjoy wearing them. I have to go! I have more work to do."
She turned to wave at her as she walked away and headed to her home.
Lee was left with an armful of dress as she walked back to her home.
…..
Lee was surprised to see Thorin sitting by himself in the living room when she entered her home. She set her new clothes down on a bench by the wall next to the entrance door way.
"Um, you could have gone round to the work shop, you know the way. Father and Jor are working in there." She said, standing by the chair near him.
Thorin shook his head, "I came to see you Lee," he began. "My father had asked us to begin the translation."
Lee nodded as she slid into a chair across from him; she had promised his father to work on the Ancient Runic translation in the text script.
"When?
"Now?" He replied.
Lee arched an eye to him, "So …soon. I…I have to get some things ready, um…I need to take my books, and papers…I need time, Thorin."
"How much time Lee?" He asked her quietly.
She looked around, "Will I be able to come home in the evenings?"
Thorin shook his head, "I'm afraid not. You see, the text is very fragile; it's over thousands of years old. It has to be handled as carefully and as little as possible. The room where the text is stored is a specially enclosed room, no windows, a very small door, so very little air can get in."
Lee's eyes were wide as she said, "You mean I'll be locked in that room for days? Until I translate the text?"
"Well, not exactly. You can leave the room but not the palace."
She nodded, "I understand; it wouldn't make sense to travel back and forth Dale and Erebor every day. The more time I spent translating the text the faster I'll get it done."
He nodded.
"Wait, you said, we? Do you mean you and me?"
He nodded again.
"But I thought I'll be doing it alone?"
He shook his head, "Sorry Lee, you can't be by yourself."
She looked at him closely and saw the implication, "Wait a minute Thorin! If you think I'm going to make off with the text… you've got to be joking!"
He was not laughing, "I'm sorry; these are my father's instructions."
She pursed her lips as she stood up and walked about the room, then said, "This room does not have any windows but a door, a small door, let me ask you where I would go?"
Thorin shrugged, "I agree but all the same I'll be in there with you but no fear, I'll be busy as well."
"With?" She prompted.
"Sorry, it's something private," he smiled at her.
She shrugged, "Fine, just keep out of my way while I work."
"Not a problem, princess. So when will you be ready?"
She thought for a moment, "Well, I have to tell my father and Jor, pack my books and clothes, so an hour?"
He nodded and sat back down, "I'll wait for you."
As it turned out, it was more than an hour before she was ready.
Erimm was sad to see her go but he knew that it was an important work she was about to do, so at the same time he was proud of her. Jor was also sad; it would be the first time the twins would be separated for a length of time, he himself would be heading out on a journey of his own soon and if the old master metal smith did take on Jor, he would be spending an even longer time away from Lee. Their parting was not a happy one.
When Lee left, she watched Jor, feeling uneasy as if something bad was would befall on one of them. Then she shook her head, trying to shake off the bad fugue; think positive, she would see her brother one day soon!
Packing the pony with her books and clothes; she left the new dresses behind as there wasn't any room in the bags, ThoraLee and Thorin rode off towards Erebor.
The ride was quiet as they did not know what to say to each other, only that each felt conscious of the other.
Finally, ThoraLee couldn't bear it any longer as it was not in her nature to not talk.
"Have you seen the text?"
Thorin who was deep in thought of his own was startled by her sudden voice; his body was jerked out of his reverie.
"Oh! I'm so sorry to have woken you; I didn't know you were asleep," Lee apologized.
Thorin shook his head, "I was not asleep," he replied. "Merely deep in thoughts. And yes, I did look at it briefly."
She nodded, "And you're sure it's the Dwarven runes?"
Thorin looked at her with a frown, "Of course it is, what else would it be?" He said haughtily.
Defensively, she glared back and said, "Well, it could be in Elvish. Both our written languages in written form are very much similar."
Thorin glared back, "I'm well aware of it and I do know the difference. It was written in the ancient Cirth language for your information. Our language, thank you very much." Without another word, he rode ahead of her, he did not speak to her the rest of the way even when they reached the palace.
Lee closed her eyes and took a deep breath and let it out, trying to contain her temper; her father had warned her to control it while she was away, she didn't promise him but that she would try. She was glad because at this moment not less than two hours since they had left Dale, she'd already broken her words. This Prince was simply impossible! All she did was asked a casual question and he had turned it into an all out battle! Certainly, it was not her fault that she lost her temper.
Fine, if he didn't want to talk, so be it. She could play his little childish game.
They were silent as Thorin led her to the Receiving Halls where his parents were seated at the Throne atop the dais. Balin and Dwalin were standing to a side on their left. Balin and Dwalin was waving cheerfully at her.
Thrain nodded at her as Thorin brought her forward to his parents, "Well, finally. I am glad to see you made it here safe and well, my dear." The King smiled and said.
Lee bowed low to him and then straightened was suddenly self conscious; she was not dressed for court! Damn Thorin for not telling her!
"ThoraLee, may I present my wife, Nur."
"Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, pray forgive my state of dishevelment, I was unaware that I was to meet with you. If I had known, I …" Lee let the word fade as she glanced at Thorin who still refused to look at her.
Queen Nur shook her head as she smiled, "Not at all, child. Thrain, she is delightful and so very pretty. ThoraLee, it will be all right, we do not stand on ceremony here. Come, let's go and have supper. I believe you have not had any?" She asked as she stepped off the dais, her husband helping her down. But she waved him off, taking Lee's hand as both female dwarves walked ahead of the males toward the dining halls.
King Thrain shook his head as he looked at his rejected proffered elbow, "Well, she's back from confinement."
Thorin smiled as he followed his sire and his friends followed behind him, "Aye, sire. We did missed her while she was away."
….
End of Chapter 10