Sorry for the long break, got no excuses. Anyway, this is the last chapter. Wow, it's been a long ride, and in English this story is well over 100k long and thus is my longest fic so far.
And let it be mentioned that I base all my knowledge on eclampsia, also known as toxemia of pregnancy, on the fifth episode of Downton Abbey's season three, in which Sybil dies of it (I'm still bitter about it by the way, it was the shittiest plot twist excluding the deaths of the Durins). I didn't do any further research as I covered it so little in this fic, just checked what causes it and so.
Without any further babbling *drumroll* enjoy the last chapter!
Chapter twenty-nine
Where Arya Gets to Hear the Truth
~..~
Fíli and Kíli had gone first to the training hall and then to the library to see if Gimli and Ori were in either of those places, and Gandalf had left for the kitchen, so Bilbo and Thorin were left alone. Thorin would later have to go to the council meeting, so these couple of hours in the morning were beyond precious. Bilbo had agreed to help Ori in the library during the meeting; organising the place took time and not nearly all books had been categorised yet.
"You absolutely have the better job", sighed Thorin. "The council meetings are deadly boring."
"I don't know if you can call constant yelling and declarations of war boring, exactly", Bilbo snorted a laugh and took Thorin's hand. "You know, how about we went back to the bed so you could get something interesting to reminisce while in the meeting?"
Thorin remembered far too well how the last time after a morning like this one he'd been grinning in such a stupid manner that Dís and Fíli (who also took part in the meetings – Kíli was excused as he wasn't the heir apparent) had had to kick his shins under the table to make him stop. But it had been worth it so Thorin nodded and the couple started to head back to their chambers in the royal wing. At the same time Thorin went through just about all the things they would handle in the meeting, and Bilbo advised him the best he could how they could be handled diplomatically.
"You'd be a far better ruler than me", commented Thorin.
Bilbo just snorted. "And poppycock, I just happen to appreciate when decisions aren't made by waving weapons around."
Suddenly something a lot shorter than Thorin flew past them like a hurricane. Thorin and Bilbo turned around to look but only managed to catch a glimpse of brown hair. Bilbo frowned and asked, "Was that Arya?"
"I think it was", replied Thorin. "That's odd. Wasn't she supposed to have a lesson with Nori?"
The couple got their answer when they literally bumped into Dís and Dwalin. Dís swore something they couldn't decipher whilst Thorin helped her and Bilbo back up. Thorin was just about to ask what was going on when he met Dwalin's eyes and understood. Right then, Arya had apparently found out about everything and wasn't very pleased with it.
"Did you see Arya?" asked Dís.
"We saw her running towards the markets just a few seconds ago", answered Bilbo helpfully. "What's going on if I may ask?"
"Of course you may but it's a long story", Dís sighed, "and quite frankly I think it's fairer that Arya hears it first."
"I'll go find her", Thorin told them. Dwalin opened his mouth to object but didn't get to say anything when Thorin continued, "I'll explain her what happened without going into further details and you can fill her in with those once she has calmed down."
Dwalin grunted something nonspecific but agreed. Maybe it was better that Thorin tried it first. At least Arya wasn't just as bound to attack him in her rage as she would've with Dwalin. Bilbo in turn didn't understand anything, but Dís promised to explain him everything once Thorin had gone to find Arya.
"What about that meeting?" Dwalin reminded.
"If I'm late Bilbo can stand in for me", stated Thorin.
"Excuse me?" Bilbo squeaked. "Don't be daft, I'm not authorised for that!"
"You are if I decide so", Thorin announced in a tone that told everyone they wouldn't discuss this matter further. Bilbo mumbled something that sounded like he thought this was blatant misuse of a powerful position, but he promised to do his best and try not to start another war so soon after the previous one. The Battle of the Five Armies had had more than enough blood and body parts for the rest of his life, thank you very much.
Thorin left to find Arya, and just as he had disappeared behind the corner Dís explained Bilbo what was going on. Bilbo hadn't expected to hear anything like that. Arya was Dwalin's daughter? Well that definitely came right out of the blue.
"That explains why she was so upset", stated Bilbo matter-of-factly.
"She wasn't supposed to find out just yet", sighed Dwalin. "And definitely not by me slipping it out to Nori. How much do you wanna bet that the whole of Erebor knows by tomorrow?"
Bilbo snorted again. "Nori wouldn't do that. I admit he does all kinds of shady things but he's also honourable."
Dís grinned at Dwalin as if to say that Bilbo had a point. Dwalin made yet another grunt and left the place mumbling something to himself. Bilbo would've gone after him and apologised to him unless Dís hadn't stopped him and told him it was best to leave Dwalin alone for a while. "Let him clear his head until Thorin has told Arya the truth. At least he'll be fully prepared when Arya wants to know all the details."
Bilbo nodded and sighed deeply. He couldn't even picture how bad Arya had to feel at that moment. "Arya must feel like she's been lied to her whole life."
"Of course", Dís answered, sighing as well. "I did try to make Dwalin change his mind all those years ago, but he was very mulish about how Arya was better off someplace else than the Blue Mountains. Another time I might gloat a lot how I was right after all but definitely not now. There's a time and place for that."
Bilbo gave Dís an empathetic pat on the back and suggested they'd go to the library to discuss this matter further until the meeting would start. Thorin knew he could find them both there, and if there'd be no sign of him within the next two hours Bilbo would know he had to stand in for him. Dís shrugged and agreed. People other than the royal family, Balin and Ori rarely went to the library so they could be at peace. Ori wouldn't gossip about this either even if he happened to hear.
"Do you know what makes me the saddest about this whole thing?" Dís asked when they arrived to the library. Bilbo shook his head so she continued, "I took care of Arya during her first years, so naturally I felt like I had finally got a daughter. If it had been in my power I wouldn't have given her up."
"Oh right, Fíli and Kíli did mention you would've wanted them to have a little sister", Bilbo remembered.
Dís laughed. "Preferably one who could kick both of their arses!"
"Oh, like you did with your brothers?" Bilbo giggled.
"Exactly!"
The two of them laughed as loudly as they dared, after all they were in a library. No one appeared to complain from behind the shelves, though, not even Ori. Dís was quite sure she had seen a glimpse of her sons, but neither of them revealed themselves so she didn't bother herself with it.
Meanwhile Thorin was cursing how fast Arya was with her movements. Not even Bilbo was a menace like this and he had a ring that made him invisible for crying out loud. Alright, Thorin thought, if you were a ten-year-old girl who wishes to hide from others but doesn't know the places well yet, where would you go? Thorin rubbed his temples a long time before it dawned to him.
The training hall.
Thorin was sure Arya was there. No one would realise to look for her from there because the place was so obvious. Thus Thorin changed his route and headed straight to the training hall. He still had enough time before the council meeting (and Bilbo would stand in for him if it turned out he'd be late). Thorin opened the door of the hall and stepped inside.
It didn't take long until he saw Arya sitting by the short side of the hall, left from him. She'd curled into a ball and Thorin vividly remembered Dís at the same age. He walked to the side of the hall and sat next to Arya, hoping he wouldn't scare her. Arya sniffed a couple of times, so Thorin searched his pockets and behold, he found a handkerchief. Bilbo would kill him if he ever found out he'd had one all along.
"Here", said Thorin and passed the tissue to Arya. She gave him a confused look but accepted it and sneezed.
"How did you know where I was?" she asked and passed the tissue back to Thorin.
"A lucky guess", replied Thorin and waved Arya to keep it. "How are you?"
Arya snorted. "How would you think? I just found out my whole life has been a lie! Everyone's just lied to me with their pants on fire!"
Thorin sighed and wrapped his arms around Arya's shoulders. "Dwalin didn't give you up because he didn't love you. He wanted to keep you safe."
"Then why all the lies?!" Arya shrieked with a thick voice. "What about my mother? What happened to her?"
Thorin bit his lip. This truly wasn't his most pleasant memory, even if he hadn't been present when it happened. "Your mother… died a few hours after you were born", he sighed in the end. "Of eclampsia, there was nothing to be done. Óin did all he could but I'd wager not even the Elves could've saved her."
Arya only realised she was crying again when a tear fell on her hand. It was clear then: she had no family. She wrapped her arms around her knees again and curled back into a ball.
"Dwalin wanted to keep you", Thorin told her, "but he was too afraid. He was scared that if anyone found out about your heritance people would treat you differently, even cruelly."
"What the hell would it have mattered?!" cried Arya. "At least I would've grown up without lies!"
"Oh Arya… I'm not the right person to tell you all this", answered Thorin. "Give Dwalin a chance to explain so you'll understand better. I ask this as his friend."
Arya grumbled something Thorin took for a positive reply.
"How long have you known?" she asked.
"Pardon?"
"How long have you known who I was?" Arya repeated impatiently.
Thorin let out a long huff. "I started to take guesses when you told us you could hear the Song of Misty Mountains. I was completely sure about it when I saw you with Dwalin. You take after him quite a bit, though truthfully you take after your mother even more."
Arya pouted and sniffed a little. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I did think about it, but in the end I decided it wasn't my place to tell. It's best you hear this whole thing from Dwalin." Thorin thought about it a moment and added, "If after that you want to discuss this with someone, go to see Dís. I think she too would like to talk to you when you feel like you're up for it."
Arya gave him an absentminded nod. Well, at least no one was forcing her for anything, which made her feel better. And she might just as well go chat with Dís, after all she had always treated her like a daughter. Still, Arya wasn't quite sure yet what to think about all this. It was clear that her life would change completely, there was nothing to stop it, and she wasn't so sure anymore if she could train under Dwalin's guidance. Maybe she ought to ask Fíli help her whenever she needed aid.
One thing was for sure: she wouldn't call Dwalin her father. She'd much rather jump into the deepest spot of Long Lake with weights in her ankles. Seven hells, could she even call Robb and Jon her brothers anymore? This did explain, though, why Lady Catelyn had never warmed up to her like she had with her other children – Arya had just always assumed it was because she wasn't a lady like Sansa.
And then Arya happened to think about something else entirely: Fíli and Kíli. Did they know as well? At least they hadn't changed their attitude towards Arya in any way even if they did know. This she actually asked directly from Thorin. She had to know.
"No, the boys don't know yet", answered Thorin. "Or if they do they haven't said a thing. But on the other hand they rarely even notice things like this, even if they both were going to spoil you rotten when you were just a baby."
Arya snorted a laugh. "Really?"
Thorin nodded. "Oh yes. You should have seen – or you did see, you just were so small that you can't remember – how Kíli swelled like a bullfrog when your first word was his name. Fíli was terribly jealous."
Arya couldn't help a laugh. Even the mental image was so amusing she couldn't help but. She could easily picture Kíli running around and gloating with a thing like that. Fili would've probably reacted with a bit more dignity but wouldn't have been any less proud. A bit like Jon and Robb that one day, when she had slipped from the classes of Septa Mordane to watch Bran's archery training and hit the bull's-eye with one of the spare bows. Bran had been so angry, but Jon and Robb had laughed and said that Arya should've been born a boy, because as a girl she would've never acceptably become a warrior.
Now there actually was a chance for that too. In Erebor no one so much as batted an eye in the training hall when Arya and Gimli trained together. Even though all Dwalin's other students were boys they took her very seriously whenever they all were present and had a joint training session. No one had underestimated her, at least not after she had disarmed one funny guy with one slash of her wooden sword.
"One more question", remembered Arya suddenly. "What about the portents Óin read about the Company that would retrieve the Map of Moria? It did say 'three humans and a half-blood' but I'm not fully human, am I, and neither is Thalia."
"I've wondered that as well", Thorin admitted, "but I haven't come up with a sensible explanation yet. I'll ask it later from Bilbo and Gandalf, one of them is bound to come up with a solution."
"Okay", Arya answered with a small nod.
Then Thorin had to go. There was still some time until the council meeting and he wanted to spend that time with Bilbo. Arya didn't mind; she wanted to be alone anyway and get her thoughts back in order. Seven hells, what would she tell Jon and Robb? She couldn't really keep this a secret from them, it wouldn't be fair for them, but would they understand? Jon might've but what about Robb?
Ugh, there was no point in worrying before-handed. First Arya would clear things out with Dwalin. Thorin was right, at some point Arya would have to go through this, and she preferred to do it sooner rather than later. It was better to face unpleasant things as soon as possible, so they wouldn't haunt longer than was necessary.
Arya remained at the training hall. Dwalin would come there at some point, and no one would disturb them, because that day it wasn't in public usage (well it was rarely used outside lesson days anyway). Arya dried her eyes from tears and took a deep breath. At least no one was dying, she would survive this.
Dwalin arrived a few minutes after Thorin had left. Arya got up and nodded slightly as a greeting. Dwalin seemed to be quite relieved to see that Arya wasn't in such a mood where she would (literally) use him as a needle cushion.
"We need to talk", said Dwalin uncharacteristically cautiously.
Arya pursed her lips. "We do, yes. Why was this kept away from me? Who was my mother? And why in seven hells no one could just tell me all this?!"
"Alright, one question at a time", asked Dwalin. "We decided to keep your heritage a secret to keep you as safe as possible. Do you recall Balin telling your brothers in Azanulbizar how there are many Dwarves who think we shouldn't mate with people from other races?"
Arya nodded again. She did remember that conversation, and very clearly too.
"That's why it was kept a secret", Dwalin told her. "I didn't want anyone to hurt you because of your heritage. The princess Dís disagreed with me, she always thought I should've kept you." Dwalin laughed drily. "I simply hate it when she's right."
"What about my mother?" Arya demanded, arms crossed. "Thorin told me she died of eclampsia."
Dwalin sighed. "Like too many women before and after her. Your mother's name was Brianna and she was a merchant's daughter in a village near Ered Luin. Thorin and I used to trade with her father a lot. Brianna was a unique woman, completely without prejudice, even recklessly so. You take after her so much."
Arya suddenly recalled the dream she had had at Beorn's house. The young woman who called her "her little wolf". It had to be her mother.
"Did you love her?" asked Arya with a tiny voice. She almost jumped when Dwalin sniffed loudly.
"You've no idea how much. Thorin, Dís, the lads and Balin were the only ones who knew about us. Balin even arranged matters so that Brianna was able to visit us so that it appeared a regular business trip. And that was when we – we were careless and I got her pregnant.
"We decided to keep it a secret together", Dwalin continued. "Thorin sent a letter to her father, claiming she had fallen ill and we'd keep her with us until she'd feel better. Her father was worried but he trusted us. Brianna stayed with us until you were born. It was the most tiresome time of my life, especially because she and Dís became friends. All the pain I had to go through with Thorin, imagine."
Arya giggled at the mental image. Knowing Dís those months sounded like absolute terror. After seeing Dwalin's face she became serious again. The worst was still ahead.
"The night you were born everything seemed to be fine", Dwalin continued the story. "Brianna was a bit groggy but Óin assumed it was simply because she was getting ready to give birth. None of us thought even for a second of the possibility of eclampsia, especially because Brianna seemed so normal after it was over. I'll always remember how she insisted that you'd be named Arya and how she called you her little wolf."
Well that truly did explain Arya's dream. Now she was only bothered by the fact that she only had got these dreams after she had borrowed Bilbo's ring. That she didn't tell Dwalin, though, it would just worry him for nothing. Dwalin wiped his eye and told her how the same night Brianna had fallen ill and how only after the seizures had begun Óin had realised it was eclampsia. At that point there had been nothing to be done.
"Óin did his best but nothing could've saved your mother", Dwalin finished.
"Yeah, Thorin said as much", said Arya grimly. "So what happened after that? Thorin told me my first word was Kíli's name, so clearly you tried to raise me for a while but…"
"Well, mostly it was Dís who looked after you", stated Dwalin. "She didn't trust my skills at all. Whenever you cried she shoved me off screaming, 'Out of my way, butterfingers!' But I kept you until your fifth summer. You grew up faster than Dwarflings but slower than human children, so you started to gain attention. And at that point I got scared that someone might try to hurt you. I met Gandalf, we talked about it, and he agreed to take you someplace safe."
Arya rolled her eyes when Gandalf was mentioned. Of course the Wizard had his fingers in this matter as well, why was she even mildly surprised? Dwalin put his hand on Arya's shoulder, and she didn't shake it off, which amazed them both.
"There hasn't been a single day that I haven't regretted giving you up", Dwalin said firmly. #I'm not expecting you to forgive me for many, many years, but I still hope you'll give me a chance to try to be a father for you. Mahal knows I owe it to you."
Arya slightly bit her lip. She truly was not going to forgive Dwalin anytime soon, but she had to admit that now that her family was completely split up and he had explained himself, the thought about him as her father was not entirely repulsive. Arya was still mad at him but she also understood everything better. In a way she also understood why Dwalin had given her up in the first place.
"Fine", said Arya eventually. "Fine. I'll give you a chance to fix things. At first I demand for permission to go to your biscuit jar whenever I want."
"Now see here young lady, that is out – oh, you were joking", Dwalin realised upon seeing Arya's grin. "I think I deserved that."
Arya nodded empathically. "No, I'll ask you first before I raid that jar, I promise."
That Dwalin could agree with, and after a quick hug Arya left the training hall to find the lads (all four of them). She had to talk this through with all of them. At the same time she was happy that reconciliation had been put in motion. One day yet Arya could forgive Dwalin, she was sure of it, even though that day was still far away. Nori had to wait until tomorrow now, this was too important.
Arya found Fíli and Kíli from the library playing tiddlywinks with Gimli (very loudly because at some point Ori scared them all by yelling, "SHUT UP!"), but Robb and Jon seemed to be still in Dale. Well, they just had to wait for their turn then, Arya didn't care in which order she talked to the boys.
"Fíli, Kíli, we need to talk", Arya said as a greeting after getting over Ori's yell. Fíli and Kíli shared a quick glance before Fíli suggested they'd go to their chambers for this. Arya had announced she wanted to move there permanently, or alternatively to Robb and Jon's quarters now that Thalia had left.
The trio sat on the sofa of the drawing room and Arya turned to face the lads. She told them what she had just discussed with Thorin and Dwalin, and that she wanted to know what they could remember. Kíli was completely baffled and Fíli started to laugh.
"I had some inklings", he admitted, "but no one confirmed them and I didn't ask, so I didn't want to bother you. I could've just as well been wrong. But now that you mention it I do remember how smug Kíli was when your first word was his name. Or actually it was just 'Kee', but you know Kíli."
Kíli shoved his brother off the sofa. "Shut up, idiot."
"Ow!"
Arya had to giggle when Fíli grabbed a cushion and hit Kíli with it a few times. Now life started to feel like normal again.
"I apologise for this twat", Fíli said to Arya. "Yeah, and I remember that when you were just a few months old you really liked pulling my moustache."
"You didn't want to let go at all and you'd start crying whenever someone tried to make you", added Kíli. "I remember that too. You had good lungs for such a tiny little runt."
Arya and Fíli shoved him off the sofa single-mindedly.
The rest of the day Arya spent finding first Balin and then Dís and asking them about her past. Robb and Jon wouldn't be back until dinnertime, so Arya killed some time with this. Balin hadn't been very actively in Arya's life when she had been a babe, but he still warmly remembered the time when she had thrown up into his beard. "You simply gurgled happily", hummed Balin. "No one could ever be angry with you. I also remembered how content you were whenever you could throw food at Thorin's face."
Dís had a lot more memories and the first thing she told was how she used to sing Arya the same lullaby she had sung the first night she had spent in Erebor.
"You liked it", said Dís and caressed Arya's hair. "Although I must admit I wasn't expecting it to be the song you'd hear Misty Mountains sing, but there are worse options."
"Maybe it impressed me so deeply when I was small", suggested Arya. Dís rubbed her chin.
"Who knows, maybe that is the case."
Then Dís shared all the embarrassing memories, though they were more embarrassing to Dwalin and Thorin than to Arya. From her point of view there was nothing to be ashamed of them. It was quite normal behaviour from a baby to wet her poor father who just tried to bathe his little one, and throw all possible food at Thorin's face.
"I've never seen either of them, especially Dwalin, as red", Dís made a smug laugh. "And I haven't even told you about the times when you peed on one of their faces."
Arya finally managed to talk to Robb and Jon after the dinner. She asked them that they'd go to their quarters because no one would bother them there, except maybe Grey Wind, Ghost and Nymeria if they felt like their humans were neglecting them. Jon raised an eyebrow at this; Arya was rarely as serious.
The direwolves were lying in front of the fireplace without a problem even though it was so hot. Arya did ask why the fireplace was lit anyway, as it wasn't really needed now that it was August. Robb mumbled something that sounded like he got ridiculously easily cold, considering that he had spent all his life in North.
Arya's nerves were back. What if her brothers wouldn't understand? Thankfully Jon knew, at least sort of, what she was going through. Ha, Sansa had been right all those times she had said that Arya had to be a bastard, after all, because whereas the other Stark children resembled Lady Catelyn Jon and Arya took more after Lord Eddard. Though of course Arya didn't really take after Ned, not now that she knew the truth.
"What's the matter?" worried Robb. "You were so quiet during the dinner."
Jon agreed with his brother. Arya hadn't even taken part in throwing the china (of which Bilbo was thankful) which wasn't normal for her. Usually Arya always caused some kind of mayhem and was under everyone's foot.
Arya squeezed her eyes shut before she said with hardly audible voice, "I'm not really your sister."
It took a while from Jon and Robb to understand what Arya had just said.
"What?" snapped Jon. "What do you mean you're not? Of course you are, don't be daft!"
Arya's expression told them both, however, that she wasn't pulling their leg. Robb placed his hand on her shoulder and asked her to start over. "Tell us everything, don't leave anything out."
"I – I found out today that in truth I'm Dwalin's daughter", answered Arya. Nymeria raised her head and seeing her girl so sad she walked next to the sofa and put her head in Arya's lap. "I asked about this from everyone whom this has concerned, that is Thorin, Dís, Balin, Fíli and Kíli, and I've no reason to doubt the truth of their stories. And none of them would joke with a matter as serious as this."
"Well, no", Jon and Robb admitted simultaneously, not knowing what else to say.
"But how did you grow up with us then?" asked Jon. "And why did Dwalin give you up in the first place? Oh Arya…" Jon moved a bit and hugged Arya. Robb quickly joined them. This was hard to believe, but on the other side, whatever the truth was, this wouldn't change anything between them. So Arya was their adoptive sister, what did it really matter? She was their sister after all, were they bonded with blood or not. Besides, now that their family was split up, they had to stick together.
"How are you feeling?" asked Robb.
"Surprisingly well", replied Arya. "I've managed to process this a bit already, and I kind of understand Dwalin's motif to give me up. He was scared that some Dwarves would try to hurt me if they found out I was half human. I'm still mad at him though."
"Well of course", opined Jon. "I'd be too. Damn I feel like punching him right now… But who was your mother? Or is."
Arya told them what Thorin and Dwalin had told her and found herself again in the middle of a hug. Humph, she didn't need any pity here, even though she didn't have a mother. Besides, she had Dís who was the best mother in the world.
She was, however, happy that her brothers had taken the news so well. She had worried in vain and was now a bit ashamed she had ever doubted them.
"So, 'little wolf'", Jon flashed a mischievous grin. "I need to start using it."
"Oh no you won't!" Arya screamed and gave him a shove. Jon just laughed and ruffled her hair.
"By the way", said Robb suddenly. "How about you stay here for the night? Let's ask Fíli and Kíli here too and celebrate all night that we have a new family."
Arya burst into tears again and hugged Robb. That had to be the best idea in a long time. Now she didn't worry about anything anymore, and it was the loveliest feeling. It was like a heavy stone had been moved from her heart. The trio went together to find Fíli and Kíli and Robb told them about his idea. The Dwarf brothers agreed instantly.
"Absolutely, but let's go to the kitchen first", said Fíli. "Let's get some treats and then celebrate all night."
"That was the plan", grinned Robb. "Let's go now, let's start the celebration right now. And no adults allowed."
"We are adults", Kíli reminded him, pointing at himself and his brother.
"Sod it, you know what I mean."
And so they went to the kitchen and returned arms full of cupcakes, blueberry pie, different kind of cookies and freshly pressed juices (Fíli told them, however, that he wouldn't touch the ones with apple even with a ten-foot pole) to Robb and Jon's quarters. Arya was allowed to decide what they'd do, so she started a fierce pillow fight. Though they soon found out it wasn't so fun without Thalia.
"This was quite a day", Jon stated when they had achieved truce. "We'll never get bored here, that's for sure."
Fíli and Kíli left to drag their mattresses, blankets and pillows back to the Stark sibling's quarters. They ran into Thorin and Bilbo in passing, and the couple was rolling their eyes, suggesting that why didn't the children just sleep in the same room. Kíli replied instantly that there was nothing fun in that.
"It's a lot more fun to drag mattresses back and forth."
"Well, that's your business", hummed Thorin. "Is Arya well?"
"Quite well, yeah", answered Fíli. "Still processing it but it'll get better with time."
Thorin and Bilbo nodded and left the boys to fight with their mattresses. At last Erebor had returned to her regular routine.
~..~
Meanwhile far away in the South, in the dark land of Mordor a spirit with no body stirred and felt alive. There were disturbances in the magic of Middle-Earth that didn't go unnoticed. The unnamed evil studied his surroundings and waited. His servants had better bring good news from Moria. He needed that girl, and the Ring. He wouldn't accept failures. Soon, very soon Middle-Earth would sink into darkness with no return. And he, Sauron, would rule this land at last. The Ring had to wait a while longer, it was lost, but the girl he needed as soon as possible. Sauron looked at the land in front of him and even though he didn't have a corporeal body, much less a mouth, he smiled.
This was only the beginning.
