Coming Of Age – Chapter 21

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Unbeknownst to the perpetrators, their misdeeds, their horrible crime was witnessed by little Bels and her friend Nuin who were hiding in the bushes in the fields when they saw Lee confronted by the bullies. Bels and Nuin were scared of the bullies and were about to run off when something made them stayed and watched.

They watched the entire brutal beating and stabbing of Lee. Bels in tears as her friend Nuin bravely held her hand.

"They have killed Lee!" Bels kept crying as they saw her lifeless body floating down the lake, the current floating into the river, leading out of Erebor. "She saved my life…" Bels shook her head, tears continued to flow down her cheeks, Nuin, even though he was a boy began to cry as he remembered Lee's kindness to him when she made a short wooden dagger for him for his birthday last spring.

It was a long while before Bels and Nuin emerged from their hiding place as they climbed down from the field and stepped into the dirt road, tears still on their faces as they slowly made their way back home in Dale. The sun was already high in the sky, the heat beating down on their head and back but they paid it no heed. Their hearts were heavy with thoughts of ThoraLee.

As they neared the same bend they witnessed Lee being attacked, they saw four strange dwarves on ponies, one of them leading the pony Lee was riding earlier!

Bels also recognized two of the strange dwarves, they were friends of Lee!

"Excuse me," Bels called out bravely, as she waved to them.

Balin looked down at the two young dwarven children, halted his pony, Dwalin and the other two dwarves did likewise and watched.

"May I help you, young one?' Balin asked.

Bels nodded sadly as Nuin pulled at her nervously.

"Are you friend of Lee? ThoraLee?"

Balin smiled and nodded, "Why yes, I certainly am, a fine young lady she is. Hang on, were you the little one ThoraLee saved from the deep water?"

Bels nodded and suddenly she couldn't contain herself anymore and began to bawl hard.

Balin, shocked, looked at Dwalin, dismounted and went to Bels and patted her back gently, trying to comfort her, 'There, there, little one, what is the matter?"

Sniffling hard, Bels blurted out, "They killed Lee! The bullies killed Lee! She tried to save that pony and they killed her!" Bels pointed at Grakarbor.

All four older dwarves gasped aloud!

The three dismounted quickly as they gathered around the two little children, Balin still in shock shook his head, "Please, let's start from the beginning. First thing, do you know whose pony this is?"

"Lee said she borrowed it." Bels said as Nuin nodded, clinging onto her, the four Dwarves were big and intimidating with their hoods and long beards.

Balin nodded, "This is Grakarbor, he belongs to Prince Thorin."

Bels turned to Nuin whose eyes became wide as saucers.

"I met Prince Thorin, he was nice." Bels said sadly.

Dwalin nodded, "Yes he is. Now, what happened and how did Grakarbor ended by the roadside near Dale?

Between bouts of sniffles and interjections from the timid Nuin, Bels began to tell them of Lee's unfortunate confrontation with the Cimbollis and their cohorts.

The horrific expressions on the older dwarves' face were unimaginable.

Finally Balin said gravely, "We must hurry to Erebor and inform Thorin, and King Thrain."

They all nodded.

Balin turned to Bels and Nuin, "Little ones, we are going to tell the King and the Queen what happened to Lee," they nodded. "Do not tell anyone you told us what happened. We will take care of everything. Okay?"

Bels and Nuin nodded, happy that they had told the right people. They waved to them as they left the older dwarves and made their way home, their hearts a little lighter.

As for the four dwarves, their faces were solemn as they mounted their ponies and hurried their way to Erebor, Grakarbor in Balin's hands.

…..

Thrain, Nur, Thorin, and Frerin were in the Receiving Halls when word came of their cousins' arrival.

The four had just come back from the sub terrain chambers. Frerin and Nur were still reeling at staggering amount of gold coins in the chambers.

Thorin, the novelty slightly worn out, was waiting eagerly for ThoraLee's return but was also thrilled to see their cousins.

As they entered the Halls, Thorin at once saw their expression and knew something was not right. Theirs were not the looks of happy reunions. They were of sad news, especially Balin and Dwalin.

"Oin! Gloin! It is good to see you again! It has been too long! Balin, Dwalin, I see you have come back safely as well." Thrain greeted them with handshakes.

Thorin and Frerin rushed to them with hugs as they all began talking at the same time, they were excited to share with them of their new found fortune and the Arkenstone.

Balin Dwalin turned to Thorin as they could not contained themselves and asked him about ThoraLee.

Thorin grinned widely, "Balin, Dwalin, you'd never believe it, Lee and I are to be wedded on Durin's Day!" He clapped his hand on Balin's shoulder hard. "I can't believe it but I am truly the luckiest man alive. She is the most amazing woman, so beautiful so smart. If it wasn't for her, we would not have found the gold or the Arkenstone this soon. I can search all over and I'll never find another, she is the one for me. Oin! Gloin! I can't wait for you to meet her, she is visiting her father in Dale at the moment but I tell you, she is one fireball, the first time we met, she gave me a black eye and a broken n..." Thorin stopped talking as he noticed they were not looking excited for him.

"Is something the matter? What is going on?"

Thrain who was talking to Nur by the throne heard Thorin as well; they stood up and came before the new arrivals.

Balin shook his head as Dwalin spoke, "Thorin, I…we are…um…do you remember the little girl ThoraLee saved from drowning in the lake?" he began.

Thorin frowned, "Yes…Bels is her name, why? Is something the matter? Tell me!"

Dwalin nodded, "We met her on the way here earlier…"

They began to tell them what happened to Lee; that despite the fact that there were five of them and one of her, she manage to fend them off as best she could, that she fought bravely against them before she was kicked and stabbed, as they pushed her into the lake to drown her.

Nur broke down in tears immediately as she fell to the floor, Thrain was on his knees by her side, stunned.

Even though Frerin did not know her well, he was still very affected as he leaned forward, his hands on his knees with his eyes closed, shaking his head; she was going to be her future sister-in-law, his brother's wife. On Durin's Day, they were to be wedded. Thorin had been so happily discussing about his impending nuptials that he did not even mind Frerin ribbing him all afternoon!

Thorin was shaking his head angrily, "NO! NO! Grakarbor is with her!"

Balin shook his head, "We found him near Dale, he is in the stables now."

"She promised me she will be home before dark!" he glared at Balin. "She promises me she will take care of herself and…and…she had her dagger with her! Balin, you've seen her with it! She is good at it!" He looked at Dwalin, "You should have seen her with the daggers, Dwalin. She is so skill. She can throw it so skillfully for a female, so skillfully…" he faded off as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry Thorin," Dwalin said sorrowfully.

"No!" He shook his head as he snapped, "You are mistaken! Bels is mistaken. She must not be talking about the same person. I must find Lee!" Thorin began to walk away from them.

Oin and Gloin caught him and held him.

"Where are you going to find her? The little girl said she is gone into the waters, the current would have swept her away." Oin said in his gruff voice, he was as much affected by this whole situation as well. They cared for their cousin Thorin very much.

Thorin gave Oin a wild look, "Lee needs me, She's out there by herself, I need her…she is hurt and I need to be with her! Did you hear what she said? They stabbed her! Oin! You know medicine, come with me, you can save her! Let me go!" Thorin began to struggle against them to be freed but they held fast, Balin and Dwalin came to help. Thorin, in tears shook his head despondently,

"Why are you stopping me…My Lee, my love is in danger! She is all alone and I left her alone, I should have gone with her! I let her go by herself! Do you hear!" He cried wildly. Then as his tears began to flow, he nodded to himself and said to no one, "She is my wife…my beloved… rúzín. We took the vows before the Blue Moon four days ago. We are man and wife. She is my wife, don't you know. I love her so much…my rúzín…my eternal sun…" Thorin fell to his knees as he sobbed in his hands Thrain and Nur looked up at him and gasped, as did the others.

But they didn't ask him any other questions, they just couldn't. Their hearts were equally broken by the news.

They had come to love ThoraLee as their own daughter.

Thorin's whole body shook hard as he continued, "Lee…you promised you'll be careful. You promised me!" He cried out in anguish! "You cannot leave me alone! I can't live without you…my ThoraLee." He fell to the ground and cried more.

Thrain after a while became angry stood up and looked at Balin and Dwalin, "Do you know who did this to ThoraLee, do you know their names?"

Balin and Dwalin nodded, "Aye sir, the very same ones that hit her the first time a last week, big dull fella, and his big sister, and friends, I'm sure the little ones knows their names."

Thrain nodded angrily, "Very well Balin, Dwalin, if you don't mind take my guards, invite these… people...here. Much as it angers me but I want I want to meet them before they are sentenced to their death."

Balin nodded then paused, "Your Majesty, might I add something else?"

Thrain nodded for him to continue.

"I would like to have the presence of the little girl and the boy who witnessed the whole thing."

Thrain thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

Dwalin chimed in, "Well, why not their folks? Let the others witness their crime, and soon the city of Dale will know what they had done to ThoraLee."

Thrain looked at Dwalin and shook his head, "Nay Master Dwalin, soon the city of Dale will soon know what these people had done to the Princess of Erebor!"

Their eyes were round as saucers but they did not argue as they all nodded. They agreed with Thrain; ThoraLee were their Princess, Princess of Erebor.

They have murdered someone they had come to hold dear to them, they will be punished. And the punishment would be severe.

Balin and Dwalin left the Halls, walking with determined steps. A squad of guards formed and marching behind them; they had heard what happened to ThoraLee and were ready to carry out the King's orders.

Down below in the dungeons, words spread to them quickly of what happened to ThoraLee, Atum and Hilliem the two dungeon wardens were incensed; they couldn't wait to get their hands on the criminals.

"Nobody hurts our little Lady, Hilliem, nobody." Atum said as he stripped the cells of all the straws from the beds, preparing the cells for the arrivals of the criminals.

Hilliem nodded angrily, "That's right, they'll be spending time in there cold cells, no straw beds, no blankets and definitely no fireplace. They don't deserve any." He gave a firm nod.

…..

End of Chapter 21