Children of Erebor

Chapter 37

.

Thrain and Fundin were summoned from their chambers to the Receiving Halls, a stranger had arrived in the dead of the night and had insisted on seeing the Queen of the Grey Mountains.

"Who is this stranger?"

"He said he is expected, Your Majesty." The guard bowed before Thrain. "He gave his name as Mogul the Black."

"Mogul the Black?" Thrain repeated. "I..."

He was quickly interrupted by the very wizard who not so gently nudged the guard aside with his staff, "Off you go now, my good man." He made a slight bow before Thrain and said, "I am Mogul. As you can see, I come in peace, and I am here on urgent business."

"What urgent business? I am not familiar with you...wizard!" Thrain said in surprise. "I have no dealings with wizards."

"Yes, yes, yes...I am well aware of it, and I understand that you have an ailing Queen within your Palace." He gave the dwarf a narrow eye as he leaned against his staff.

"Well...how, how did you...?" He looked over to his cousin and turned back to the black- clad wizard. "It's the truth." Thrain sighed. "She is poisoned, and unless you can heal her...?"

"May I see her first?"

"What's going on, father? Who's this?" Thorin had entered the Halls to join them as he took in their new guest. "Who are you?" He looked up at the tall figure.

"Ah...you must be the Prince...Thorin." Mogul glanced at Thrain for acknowledgment. "There is not much time to waste, so if you want me to help her, lead the way."

Thrain held his hand up, "I do have one more thing, Mogul."

The black wizard paused, "Yes?"

"There is another...one who is poisoned as well. Will you help him?"

Mogul narrowed his eyes, "Who is he?"

"King Thelor of the Iron Fist."

The wizard thought for a moment, "I have not come here to heal everyone, just the Queen." He took a deep breath before he continued. "But I will see what I can do...after I have seen her."

Thrain inclined his head, "Thank you, Mogul." He nodded to his son.

"Come with me, we must hurry." Thorin nodded as he led the way.

"I have been hurrying from the Grey Mountains, laddie." Mogul muttered.

Thorin arched his brow, "The Grey Mountains?" The wizard nodded as they made their way up the many stairs leading to the guest quarters. "You have been traveling since?"

Again, he nodded, "Yes, yes..." He looked about him and saw more stairs and almost sighed, "Dear me, so many stairs! Do you ever get lost wherever you go?"

Thorin looked about him and shrugged, "Not at all, it never occurred to me. I guess it's because I grew up here, I knew where I'm going." He smiled. "Erebor is my home, and I know each and every part of this place." He spread his hands about him. "It's the only home I have." He said softly.

Mogul stared at him. "You've never been away from here?"

"Oh, I have, but not for long. I have always yearned to come home."

The wizard paused for a moment at the top of a set of stairs, "Thorin, what if you were to ever ask to sacrifice something you love?"

Thorin looked at the wizard closely, "Why do you ask this question? Is there something you're trying to tell me?"

"No...no, just a curious one." He shook his head and continued their way, "No matter."

Thorin continued to watch him before he followed, "I don't understand..."

"Come, come...we must hurry." He urged the Prince who after giving him another odd look, led the way.

…...

Mera had almost dozed off when she heard the door opened and saw Thorin entered and a stranger.

"Who is that?" She asked him, eyeing the wizard suspiciously.

"Mera, he is here to help Jul, his name is Mogul."

"But he is not a ...he is not like us."

"I am a wizard." Mogul smiled at the dwarfling as he bowed slightly to her. "I presumed you are her guardian?"

Mera frowned at him, "No."

Thorin tried not to smile but he shook his head, "He is trying to help, Mera."

Mera glared at Thorin, "I don't trust him."

"I meant no harm to your sister, I am here to help her. I came all the way from the Grey Mountains."

Mera's eyes widened, "You did?"

He nodded, "Rode my horse day and night. I was told by a... special friend of mine that your sister needs my help."

"Who is this friend?"

"She is a witch; her name is Runa."

"Runa, never heard of her." Mera shook her head.

"Well, many has not and never will. She no longer exists as she is now in the world beyond us."

"She walks with Mahal?"

Mogul shook his head, "No... not quite. When wizards and Runa, who is the only witch in the Council, leaves this earth, she travels to another existence, your Mahal lives in another existence … another place that when your people dies, they meet up with your creator."

Mera listened with a deep frown, "I don't understand, it all sounds the same but yet not quite."

"Well, that's exactly what it is. The place my friend Runa went is in one place while your Mahal is in another."

Mera shrugged, "I guess so, will your Runa meet Mahal?"

"Perhaps, I do not know." He smiled softly at her. "Now, will you let me take a look at your sister? Will you let me help her?"

Mera nodded, "As long as you will not lead her to neither places."

Mogul nodded, "I will try to fulfill your wishes, but it is entirely up to her healing process."

"Then you may see her."

"Thank you, khazad'r," he inclined his head.

Mera smiled at him; pleased that a wizard knew the dwarven language.

Mogul approached the large bed, she was not what he had expected; this Queen was so young! Only a mere child herself, yet there was something regal around her he sensed.

Dark hair surround her head, not the typical female dwarves he had seen which were heavily bearded, although he had to admit, she was still young, her beard might come later in life as most females of her breed tended to have.

Still, she was attractive at the moment.

Then he was reminded of the fact of her unique birth marks; her dragon scales on her arm.

They were now covering up to her shoulder and had appeared silver, instead of the green one, the one Runa had shown him. How odd.

Could it have something to do with the poison?

Waving his hand over forehead, he sensed darkness and evil within her. Yes, the poison was still inside her body...wait, there was something else within, something pure that was fighting against that darkness!

Suddenly Mogul was cast off from her as his eyes were opened and he flew backwards!

"OH!"

Thorin and Mera were at once by his side, "Are you all right?"

"What happened?"

"I am fine...I think." Mogul said as they helped him up. Mera went to retrieve his staff which landed across the room.

"Look, Mogul, look at your staff." Mera called out.

Thorin and the wizard stared at it in amazement, Mogul's staff was glowing at the top where the crystal was.

"Why is it doing?" Mera asked.

Mogul took the staff and felt its vibration and turned to Jul, "It's her. She is healing on her own."

"What? What do you mean?" Thorin had asked.

"The dragon scales, they are not just birth markings, she has some real dragon in her, and because of it, she can heal herself." He realized her true powers.

"Real dragon?" Thorin said. "Will she turn into a dragon?"

Mogul shook his head, "I don't think so, Thorin. In a sense, she is dragon."

Thorin frowned as he turned to look at her, "What?"

"Do not look so surprise, Your Highness. She is still a dwarf. She will always be one."

"But you said..."

"I know what I said, but only in blood."

"I don't understand..." Thorin shook his head in confusion.

"You have to understand about what her mother did before she was conceived...eighteen years ago."

Thorin gave a disbelief laughter, "If I didn't know better, wizard, you're trying to tell us that her mother had consorted with some darkness and drank the blood of a dragon in order to conceive a dragon child. I do not believe such fairy tale." Thorin shook his head as he turned away.

"That is exactly what Rhain did."

"Who?"

"Queen Rhain, she was Jul's mother, King Vallor's wife."

Thorin frowned, thinking hard, "Why did her name sounded familiar?"

Mogul raised his brow, "Don't you know?

"Know what? I have heard the name from somewhere but I don't know. Tell me, wizard."

"She was the daughter of your grandfather, Thror's youngest brother, Gror."

"What?" He stared at the wizard in disbelief. "You are lying! I don't believe you! My great Uncle was lost in a battle...along with his brother Fror."

Mogul shook his head, "Is that what you've been told?"

He nodded, "Since I was young."

"Alas, it's not true."

"Why would my grandfather lied to me? What reason would he have?"

"As to that, I don't know." He shook his head and produced a book and handed to him, "This was written by the Queen of Stiff beards. It seemed she had been keeping record of her people's history, including that of Durins."

Thorin looked at the thick book and then up at him, "The Queen...?"

"Yes, she is also your Aunt, Thorin."

"What? I don't understand."

"Jul is the niece of Thrain, which makes you and her, cousins."

Thorin shook his head, "Impossible! It can't be! You are lying!"

"He is not, Thorin." Suddenly, Thrain appeared from the doorway. "He speaks the truth."

.~~.

…...

The End

Children of Erebor