Children of Erebor
Chapter 10
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"If ever I get my hands on him...!" Balin shook his head in frustration as he walked on. "Whatever possessed him to do that!"
"Don't blame yourself, cousin Balin." Comet frowned. "It was Jul's fault as well."
Balin turned to him, "What do you mean by that?"
"Huh?"
"You told him to take care of her."
"Er...er, just that. I mean she's a female." He shook his head nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
Dwalin came from behind, "Truth now, Comet, what's the matter?"
"What? I, er, it's nothing."
Balin and Dwalin exchanged looks, "Come now, what's all this about?"
Comet shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about...what is the matter?"
"What are you hiding, cousin? What is so special about Jul?" They persisted.
Comet sighed, "I'm worried for her safety. Jul is not who you think she is."
They stopped walking and held Comet, "Hey, what did you just say? Who is Jul?"
Comet's eyes widened, "Oh...I'm not supposed to say anything..."
Gloin leaned in, "Well, you just did and I think you better tell us the whole story."
"And we're not moving until you do." Oin held Comet's shoulder firmly.
"Oh. The whole story?"
They nodded, "The whole story."
Comet began to perspire despite the cool, stale air, "Well, it all started eighteen years ago with the Stiff Beards..."
…...
In Pell in the Grey Mountains, Bellnor was pacing impatiently in his private chambers.
"Your Majesty."
He jerked out of his reverie and looked for the voice and saw that it was him.
Breathing a sigh of relieve, Ballnor frowned, "Where have you been?"
The dark dwarf in the shadows answered, "Keeping an eye on your Counselor, as you had ordered."
"Well?"
"He has been keeping to his quarters. Nothing of interest." He replied in a bored tone.
Ballnor harumphed impatiently, "I don't trust him at all. He had betrayed my uncle, and he will betray me."
"That is not my concerns. What would you have me do? Kill him? I will gladly end his life. Give me the order, and it will be done. Of course, it will cost you."
Ballnor waved his hand, "Everything has a price. I just know he has the ring." He frowned deeply. "I just know it! He has hidden it deeply somewhere within the walls of this miserable palace."
"But you've searched this...miserable palace, haven't you?"
"Yes, yes, I have! Many times...a hundred times! But nothing!"
"Perhaps, you should...try harder with him." He suggested.
Ballnor glanced from under his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"
He shrugged, "You know..."
Ballnor gasped slightly, "You mean to torture him? But he is old! He might not last."
Again, he shrugged, "If he dies, you could say his heart was simply not up to it."
Ballnor thought for a while before he bared his teeth, "Yes...yes...he will answer my questions. I want to know where the ring is." He turned back to the mysterious shadow. "See that it is done...and in secret, mind you."
He nodded, "Of course. And the payment?"
"You will be well compensated with your usual fee."
He shook his head, "I'm afraid not, not this time."
"What do you mean? How much, you leech?"
"Double. Torturing another is not as easy as following trails."
A pause before Ballnor reluctantly nodded, "Very well! Double it is but not another bar of gold until the job is done!"
The shadow straighened from the post he was leaning against as he stood in front of Ballnor, "Shall I bring forth his head when I'm done?"
The Stiff Beard 'King' leaned away, "Heavens no! I don't want to see that old goat's head! I...I just want to know where my ring is."
"As you wish, Your Majesty." He slinked back into the shadows before he was gone.
Ballnor looked around him, "Are you still there?"
No answer.
"Hello? Hey there?"
No answer.
Relieved, Ballnor retired to his bedchambers, "This shall be over soon."
…...
"Julian is the true Heir to the Throne of Stiff Beards?" Balin stared at his cousin in disbelief.
Comet nodded, "I'm afraid so, and her name is Jul, just Jul."
"Jul, and how is this Jul to prove that she is the rightful heir?" Dwalin eyed Comet.
"Proof?"
He nodded, "The people of Stiff Beards will require some kind of proof that she is the true heir, that she is the Queen."
"She has the Stiff Beard Ring and, the birthmark."
"The birthmark? What birthmark?" Oin leaned over.
"Her people was told when the Princess was born, she has a ...um...distinctive birthmark on her upper arm, it was scales...people said it looked like dragon scales."
The cousins gasped collectively.
"That's telling indeed." Balin nodded.
"How distinctive?" Dwalin eyed him.
Comet didn't meet his eyes as he muttered, "On her right shoulder, it's covered."
"Come again?"
Comet looked up at them, and nodded, "I've seen it, green dragon scales."
The cousins stared at him in amazement, "And how did you come about such knowledge?"
Comet frowned, "Because throughout her entire childhood, she was never once sick. Never." He shook his head. "Quite unusual for a dwarfling. And heat doesn't bother her. That's why she likes to work at the smithing shop."
The others nodded; everybody had at one point or another had been stricken with the childhood sickness a few times during their lifetime, some more so then the others! Some never survived, so sick they were that no medicine could cure them!
Balin nodded thoughtfully, "Aye, that is so, that is proof indeed."
"Old man Adin had mentioned in his book that the people of Stiff Beards only needed these two proofs to accept her as their Queen."
"She must be protected and hidden until then." Gloin nodded. "King Thrain must be informed of this as soon as we return to Erebor."
"And now, she's missing in this miserable mine" Comet sighed.
"Well, not exactly missing...we're here, aren't we? And she's with our cousin Thorin."
Comet nodded, "She's in good hands then. He is our cousin too, and the King's son."
Balin frowned, "I wouldn't put it that way." He and Dwalin exchanged knowing looks before they looked away.
Comet leaned forward, "Wha...what do you mean?"
Dwalin raised his bushy eyebrow, "Thorin is known to er, get into mischief, and er, maidens ...um, is Julian...I mean Jul, still a maiden? OI!" Gloin had elbowed his ribs hard. "Why did you do that for?" Dwalin glared at him angrily.
"I don't think you should say this to Comet, being that they are...er, er, wedded." Oin glanced down guickly.
"Huh? Wedded? I didn't know that?" Dwalin frowned. "Great ancestors' beards! Thorin!"
Gloin rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I didn't know they were wedded yet. Did you ask him?" He thumbed at Comet. "Then again, it might be too late..." He whispered, "You know Thorin and the females, they are not safe around him, especially the pretty ones."
Oin nodded, "Aye, and Jul is rather pretty...very pretty." They nodded.
"Oh! I didn't think about that." Dwalin turned back to Comet. "Forget I mentioned that part about Thorin." He shook his head, his face had turned red. "Thorin is ...an honorable man." He quickly cleared his throat. His brother and cousins nodded quickly but unconvincingly.
Comet frowned, "Wait a minute, what do you mean...hang on, do you mean, he's not to be trusted with maidens?"
"Look, just forget I mentioned about those things." Dwalin shook his head again. "We need to get moving." He picked up his pack.
But Comet held his hand down to stop Dwalin. "No. Not until you tell me what you mean by that. What about Thorin?"
Dwalin sighed as he let his pack go, "Look, Comet, I don't mean by anything. I was tired." He rubbed his beard tiredlessly. He muttered, "Your wife is safe with Thorin..."
In truth, they were all tired; they had not slept in a while.
"You are hiding something from me...hang on, what about Reen... and Thorin?" He looked at all his cousins in confusion. "How did Thorin know Reen? Is my wife, is he...dangerous? I mean for Jul's reputation as a maiden's sake?"
They all sucked in their breaths collectively, "Who's Reen? What are you going about now?"
"Reen!" Comet spread out his hands in desperation. "Why are you talking about my wife?"
"I...we don't know Reen...wait, this Reen, she's your wife?" Balin stared at Comet.
Comet nodded, "Yes! She is, we've been married for two years!"
The cousins exchanged looks, "You mean, you and Jul are not...wedded?"
Comet leaned back, "Gads no! Jul is my best friend! She's more like my sister!"
Dwalin's eyes widened, "You mean, she's not...she's still a...pardon me, she's still a maiden?"
"Of course she is! She's but eighteen! What kind of questions are these?" Comet glared at him in return and realized what they meant. "Great Durin's Beard!" He gasped. "He wouldn't!"
Oin became angered, "Look! Thorin may be many things but he would not take a young maiden's..."
"But you just said he would!" Comet glared at him. "Jul is only eighteen!"
"I heard you the first time! And Thorin is older than Jul but he wouldn't, he's...he's very responsible." He nodded. "Yes, yes, he's responsible."
"I know what you're trying to say, Dwalin. I don't believe...pardon me, but I don't believe that...well, I believe Thorin is capable of ravishing young maidens and...and...oh, I think I'm going to be sick." Comet shut his eyes and took several deep breaths.
"Look, Comet, We didn't mean what we said! Thorin may be many things..." Balin looked down for a moment but he quickly turned his face up and spoke, "Under dire circumstances, like this, he won't be...he's all seriousness. Besides, he promised you he will take care of her, didn't he?"
"Those are just words." Comet waved his hand off.
"Bah! Our cousin is a man of his words." Dwalin said firmly.
"Then again," Balin stood besides his brother. "Thorin may not know Jul is a maiden, he might thought, just like we did, that she's wedded to you."
Comet opened his eyes, "But once he finds out, she's not...what happens then?"
"Well, then...let's hope they'd reached to us by then." Balin nodded optismistically. "Yes, yes, let's hope they or we'll join up with them by then."
"For your sake, I hope you're right, cousin Balin!"
"Now wait a minute," Dwalin glared at Comet, "If my brother says nothing will happen, he's usually right."
Comet shook his head, "I heard what he said, but still, there's always a possiblity he might find out..."
"He won't."
"He might."
"HE WON'T!"
"He MIGHT!"
The cousins began to argue back and forth...
It went on for a while when they felt a deep tremble around them and it increased into a strong rumble! Holding the wall and clutching each other until the trembles stopped, the cousins sighed with relieved.
"I think we should really get on our way. The faster we find them, Frerin, and the Dwarflings and get out of this miserable mine the better!" Balin suggested, releasing his hold from Gloin who was standing next to him.
Gloin was holding onto Comet, released him gratefully and nodded, "Yes, yes! We should!"
They picked up their packs and without another word, they got on their way.
…...
"I am really sick of crawling." Jul griped.
"Me too." Thorin agreed.
"How much further?"
"Really, why do you always ask me that question every ten paces? And I keep telling you, I don't know."
She panted and laughed at the same time, "Well, at least you still have a little humor."
He huffed, "I don't know how much I have left, having to deal with you."
"Hey! I'm not annoying you, am I?"
He looked up and shook his head, "I'm not answering you...it'll waste my breath. Just please, keep going." He reached out and gave her a hard whack on her bottom.
"Ow! Why did you do that for?" She reached behind her and rubbed the sore part; he really whacked it hard!
He chuckled, "Just to make sure you're still awake. And you're still in front of me, since I can't see you."
She growled and deliberately kicked dirt down his way, filling his face full of dirt.
"Hey! You did that on purpose!"
She looked behind her, "Did I?"
He wiped his face off the dirt and rushing at her, grabbed her legs and pulled her towards him, and began to tickle her.
"Oh no, Thorin! NO!" She tried to fend him off but he was much stronger than her as they tussled together when suddenly they felt tremblings and they stopped and held each other.
Thorin covered her, his body over her for protection in case the tunnel caved in as the trembles continued.
A few seconds later, it stopped.
Thorin didn't let her go, he kept holding her, covering her, protecting her.
Jul felt the beating of his heart, and it was beating wildly and fast!
She was scared. The tremblings kept on and on.
She was afraid the tunnel would not hold and it might collapsed.
She began to sob at first, too afraid to show it out, too afraid to show her fear.
"Jul?" Thorin asked.
No answer.
"Jul?"
She shook her head, the tremblings continued.
"Jul, it's okay. It's stopped." He said quietly.
She shook her head again, "No...it's still shaking, I can feel it."
"No, it's stopped."
"But I can still feel it."
"Jul, it's you. You're shaking...Oh my...your whole body is shaking." He held her tight. "You're scared, shhh...I'm here." He whispered softly in her ear. "I won't let anything happen to you."
It was a few moments before she nodded, "You promise?"
He smiled into her hair, "I promise."
She nodded as she clutched onto him tightly.
He continued to hold onto her as they stared at each other.
…...
End of Chapter 10