The meeting - sort of :)
Kaya wanted to ask Balin about the madness of the Durin line, cursing that she had not asked sooner. What would she marry into? Would her future husband´s madness turn against all? But Kaya was determined to stay at Thorins side. She would be his wife and what wife would leave her husband when he needed her the most?
But at the moment, Thorin needed his company in the treasury. Balin, Dwalin and Kaya were the first to move. The air grew hotter the deeper they moved into the mountain and Kaya had to caugh. She ran past the dwarves and as she passed the last corner she spotted Thorin holding the tip of his sword against the hobbits chest. Kaya nearly stopped dead in her tracks, but the company was on her heals and as they stormed into the treasury, Thorin had already turned around to face Smaug and shielded Bilbo from the vile creature. Kaya thought for a moment that her mind had played her a trick, but there was no time to think about it. Smaug drew in breath to turn their world into a burning pit and the dwarves made for the tunnels. The whole company made it to safety and soon they reached the second exit of the tunnels. What they found made Kaya force back her tears for the second time in one day. There lay several of Thorins kin, old dwarves, females and children, who had not been able to escape Smaugs wrath. The exit was blocked with stone, they had no chance. Kaya could see the pain and grief in the eyes of the dwarves of the company and she did not even want to think about the fact that some of these dead dwarves may have been known by the dwarves of the company. Thorins voice brought her back into the present.
'I will not die like this. Cowering, clawing for air...We will make for the forges.' Thorin decided determinatly.
'He will see us, sure as death.' Dwalin warned his king.
'Maybe, but we will split up. We may make it in small groups. Some of us will reach the forges. We must.' Thorin assured his company.
The next moments flew by like a nightmare. Smaug was everywhere. Kaya stayed with Dwalin and Nori, while Thorin ran in a group with Balin and Bilbo. Dwalin and Kaya stopped running as they heard Bilbo and Balin cry out for Thorin. They returned immediately and saw Thorin disappear in a pit with Smaug on his heals. Dwalin and Nori activated the mechanism which pulled Thorin back up and they barely made it to the forges. All of them.
The forges were cold like the stone surrounding it, they needed a fire hot enought o lighten them. Fire they did not have. Thorin turned towards Smaug and started to insult him. Kaya and the other dwarves looked at him in surprise, but soon all guessed his plan.
'Slug!' Thorin spit out towards Smaug and then turned around with a mischievious grin reminding Kaya of Kili.
'Take cover.' Thorin grinned and the dwarves rushed towards the pillars. Kaya found no pillar for cover in time and Thorin pulled her into his arms, pressing her against him as Smaugs fire surrounded them.
Kaya did not know what was more hot, Smaugs fire or Thorins muscular body and his strong arms around her. One hand cupped the back of her head and the other laid on her lower back. It was the worst possible moment to feel distracted, but Kaya could not think of anything more than touching the dwarf who tried to protect her from the dragonfire. Her hands laid on his chest and she gently pressed her palms against Thorins muscles, relishing in the strength Thorins body radiated.
Suddenly, the fire was gone and Thorins and Kayas eyes met. Thorin nuzzled his nose against Kayas for a short moment before he let go of her reluctantly. It was not the time for such pleasures. Kaya still tried to concentrate as the dwarves made ready to fight off the dragon. The gold in the forges started to melt as the company fought Smaug and managed to keep him busy.
'To the halls of the kings!' Thorin shouted and Kaya watched in horror as the dragon destroyed the column where the hobbit was standing. Bilbo rolled down the breaking stone and landed on his back with a huff.
'Bilbo, go on!' Thorin shouted to his burglar and Kaya ran to the hobbit to help him up. They had to keep moving, only then they had a chance to survive. Kaya and Bilbo fell to the ground as a huge banner fell over ttem, burrying them under its weight. Smaug crashed through the wall behind them and made for the gates of Erebor. He wanted to take revenge on the people of Laketown, of whom he thought to be responsible for the dwarves in his mountain. Bilbo tried to stop him, but he only gave the dragon a clue. Smaug enjoyed to see the fear in Bilbos eyes, fear for his friends, fear for the ones who meant something to him. It was Thorin who made the dragon focus on something else than his revenge for a moment. The dwarves had forged a golden statue of Thror and Msaug seemed to be captured in the sight of the tall statue, which reached up to the ceiling of the great hall. But the gold was still fluid. After a blink of an eye it collapsed and waves of gold washed over the floor and the dragon. Thorin watched in triumph as Smaug disappeared under waves of gold. But even heated gold would not kill the dragon. On the contrary, it made him even more furious and the company had to watch how the dragon broke through the gate and flew towards Laketown...towards Fili, Kili, Oin and Bofur. And the countless men who were not even dreaming about the wrath that would hit them.
'Does the great hall of Erebor have a floor of gold now?' Kaya asked Gimli the next morning. She remembered how Smaug had emerged from the river of gold completely unharmed.
'Yes, indeed.' Gimli smirked. 'All the lords of Middle Earth will walk on pure gold when they meet with our kings.'
Kaya, Legolas and Gimli sat in one of the gardens of Minas Tirith, enjoying the calm and quiet. But today, Kaya could not hide from her duties. She had to return to Arwens side as her courtlady. She had to face Thorin. But evil took every choice from her.
'My Lady Kaya! Prince Legolas, lord Gimli, your presence is needed in council immediately!' an armed guard rushed to the gardens and informed the trio.
'What happened?' Kaya saw the worry in the young mans eyes.
'The Shire.' he said. 'The home of our ringbearer and his brave family. It is under attack.'
This unforseen news shocked Kaya and she stopped dead in her tracks. As she looked at Legolas and Gimli, she could see only shock and determination in their eyes, the same emotions she was feeling right now. Her own problems faded into oblivion as she rushed towards the council with her friends, ready to rush to the aide of those who had changed the fate of Middle Earth.
The small army which made way for the Shire only a few days later was extraordinary. It were only a few hundred armed people, but they were men, elves and dwarves. Every group of people was led by a king, for none of the three kings would stay behind to leave the Shirelings to their fate. King Elessar, king Thranduil and king Thorin could claim that a hobbit had helped them to reclaim or retain their thrones. Bilbo had helped to reclaim Erebor, Merry and Pippin had helped to save Gondor and Rohan and Frodo and Sam had destroyed the ring. Now the hobbits needed help. Bilbo was sick of worry. He knew that Frodo was not the same hobbit as he was before the journey to Mordor and he did not even want to think about what the orcs might have done to his nephew. At least Sam was with him.
King Elessar would lead the army from Gondor, with three hundred men. Thranduils elves would join the army north of Bree and Thorin had sent a raven to Ered Luin and a few hundred dwarves would join the army of elves and men shortly before they reached the Shire. Queen Neeyas soldiers would stay in Gondor and help the city guards secure the White City. It was the first time after the Battle of Helms Deep that the three free people of Middle Earth united in battle. Queen Arwen would ride to Rivendell and get the help of her father and brothers. Only a few elves remained in Rivendell, but they would also rush to the aide of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. The queen would ride swiftly, only with her two courtladies and her husband worried. It took a council meeting for the king and queen to sort out their disagreement.
It was then, when Thorin saw Kaya again, for the first time after the Battle of the Five Armies.
The kings, queen Neeya and their closest advisors were already present as the queen entered with Eowyn and Kaya. Thorin was sitting with his back to them, so he did not see Kaya enter. Kaya on the other hand, immediately recognised him. The long black hair, now with a few more grey streaks, the broad shoulders and the Durin blue tunic. Kaya had never seen Thorin with his crown before, for she had not been present for the coronation anymore. She had been long gone, fled from the Lonely Mountain. It was Kili who saw her first. The kings nephew looked at the woman who was supposed to be his aunt and winced. Kaya did not look at the dwarves, she looked straight against the wall or looked at her queen. Not for the first time, Kili wondered what had happened for her to turn away from them.
'The help of the elves of Rivendell might be of great importance.' Neeya spoke. 'Lord Elrond and his healers are skilled beyond the average healers of men and dwarves. It would be wise to take them to the Shire with us.'
Thorin grinded his teeth, but he knew that Kayas mother was right. But Elessar objected.
'Their support is much anticipated, nevertheless, I think that a messenger riding to Rivendell would suffice.' Elessar grumbled and looked at his wife.
'Rivendell is my home. I know every road, open and secret, and I ride swiftly.' Arwen argued. 'Time is running. We need every moment.'
'I will not let you ride without an escort.' Elessar tried to tell her, but Arwen only shook her head.
'An escort would slow us down. I have Eowyn and Kaya at my side. Both are battle-tried and swift riders.' Arwen told her husband and her tone was determinated. Her decision had been made and there was nothing her husband would do about it. But he tried.
'Eowyn and Kaya are not enough protection. No offense...' Elessar turned to his queens courtladies and in this moment Thorin realised that Kaya had to be in the same room as him. His heart beat irratically as he turned around in his chair and laid eyes on the woman he loved more than anyone else, but had wronged and hurt so much that she had ran away from him. Thorins gut clenched as Kaya met his gaze. Her eyes showed her sadness and hurt. He also saw rejection towards him in her eyes. But no anger, no fury and no reproach. It would have been easy for him to cope with any allegation coming his way, but the silent suffering was more than he could take. Only once before, Thorin had felt so much grief and guilt over his actions. It was when he had banished his burglar. But Bilbo had forgiven him, Kaya apparantly had not.
'With all due respect, my husband and king...' Arwen smiled politely, but her eyes gleamed in determination. 'My courtladies are enough protection. And on my way to the Shire, my father and brothers will be with me.'
'I will not allow you or your ladies to risk your lives that recklessly!' Elessar exclaimed, but his qife had a mind of her own.
'I am your queen and you do not have to allow me anything.' she told him quietly.
'I can order your courtladies to stay.' Elessar was a good man, but the worry for his wife numbed him.
The dispute between the king and queen reached Eowyns and Kayas ears, if not the ears of the council. Many of the council smirked in amusement, as they watched both courtladies move behind their queen, crossing their arms over their chests. Silently, they showed their loyalty to their queen and defied the king. Elessar sighed and started smiling.
'Very well.' he said quietly. 'I see that even a king has his thresholds.'
Thorin watched Kaya the whole time and never did his eyes leave her face. He knew that she forced herself not to look at him and her whole body language signaled him that she did not like being watched like that. But he had to try and catch her gaze again. He had to talk to her. For the last day, he had tried to convince himself that Kaya did not want to see him, nor that she wanted to talk to him. But she had been precious to him, she was still. Thorin was a warrior, he had always fought for his goals in life and he would not stop that now. But while battle was known to him, love was not. He could not leave the council to run after her, but his heart made a leap as Kaya turned around before she left with the queen and looked back at him. As Thorin turned to the table again, he met Thranduils cold glare and frowned. The elven king cocked a brow at his opponent and smirked smugly. His son, Legolas, only glared daggers at Thorin. For the first time since he was king under the mountain, Thorin could not care less about protocol.
'Excuse me, king Elessar.' Thorin stood up and bowed politely. 'My nephew Kili will take over for me, I have an important matter to attend to. I can assure you that you have the full support of the dwarves under my command. We will see to it that the orc filth will be drawn back from the Shire.'
With these words and ignoring Kili wide eyes, Thorin rushed out of council. King Elessar smiled after the dwarf king, for he knew what was on his mind. Elessar had know Kaya since he was a young man and her state of mind worried him. He only hoped that the stubborn dwarf would repair the damage he had done. For his sake and Kayas.
Sorry, I will update faster, so that you guys won´t have to wait too long for Thorin and Kaya^^