"Bilbo, Gloin!" Amayla shouted from her perch on top of the wagon, "I can see Erebor!"
Gloin gently nudged the hobbit who had fallen asleep in the comfortable nest of pillows and blankets that Thranduil had provided for the trip from his halls to the mountain.
"Erebor," Bilbo sighed as he looked up. "It's just as I remember. And I must say that this is the most comfortable way to arrive. By eagle was nice, a bit windy and more than a little disconcerting when you looked down, and I don't even like to think about the barrel ride! No, by wagon with all the niceties that King Thranduil provided, this is the way to travel!"
"And it's better than on horseback with orcs chasing us," Gloin agreed.
"If I'm not mistaken, I believe that Prince Kili and General Tauriel are arriving to escort us the rest of the way," Amayla remarked, nodding her head toward a large group of dwarves on horseback riding toward them.
"MR. BOGGINS!" the ever exuberant dwarven prince shouted as he came charging up.
Bilbo chuckled and shook his head as Kili jumped from his horse into the back of the wagon and gave him a bone-crushing hug.
"Hey Amayla, you take my horse and I'll drive the wagon so I can talk to Bilbo," Kili insisted. "Let's get going. Amad has a reception for Bilbo planned for our arrival and we don't want to be late for that!"
Amayla turned to say something to Tauriel but the elf was staring at the two blond elves leading the large contingent of elves behind them.
"Yoo Hoo! Tauriel!" Amayla raised her voice as she clambered onto Kili's horse.
"We weren't expecting King Thranduil to come, and with Lord Glorfindel?" she asked softly. "Not certain that King Thorin is going to be happy about that."
"I would have warned him had I known."
"Why did they come?"
"Because even though he and Glorfindel are over 6,000 years old, THEY ARE BOTH ACTING LIKE 50 YEAR OLD ELFLINGS!" Amalya answered, raising her voice to make certain that both males heard her.
Glorfindel snorted in laughter while Thranduil ignored his daughter when she turned to glare at him.
Tauriel was nearly frozen in confusion, her mouth opening and closing without any sound coming out.
"Trust me," Amayla assured her. "You don't want to know." She mercifully changed the subject by asking why Thorin sent her.
"The king thought it best that Kili and I take the horse-mounted troops so that we could check for any dangers."
"And did you find any?" Amayla asked.
"No. The way is clear. We should not encounter anything on our way back. You, however, seemed to already to have encountered something," Tauriel remarked, looking directly at the wound on Amayla's cheek. Instinctively, Amayla covered it with her hand, but Tauriel's expression made it clear that she expected an explanation.
"Yes, we did," Amayla reluctantly admitted, "Right before we reached the west entrance of the forest, orcs from the mountain attacked. They got a lucky shot in, but we took care of them. I'll tell all to Thorin when we arrive."
"A lucky shot?" Tauriel said, after giving the order to move out. "So your three day rest in Thranduil's Halls was for your recuperation, not Bilbo's then?"
"Glorfindel was concerned that my wound might have been from a morgul arrow, so Neston insisted on the extra time, just to be certain. But don't worry," Amayla assured her friend, "it was just a simple scratch. A little of Neston's salve and you can barely see it."
"Simple scratch?" Tauriel snorted.
"Bilbo did need some rest too. He got thrown around quite a bit. It was rough for a hobbit of his age. He needed some of Neston's care too. Everything is good and I can't wait to get home."
.
Kili was not exaggerating when he told of Dis' preparations to welcome Bilbo back to Erebor. Amayla smiled when she saw all the banners waving and the number of dwarves lining the ramparts and the bridges leading to the front gate. Scanning the crowds, Amayla's heart leapt when she spotted her husband standing next to the king, arms crossed in his usual stance. Not far away, she saw her children waving and cheering as they approached.
Lord Elrond was right. This is where I belong. This is home and I will do everything I can to protect it.
Dwalin met her as she dismounted and immediately swept her into his arms and sealed her homecoming with a deep kiss. As everyone else was focused on Bilbo's return, no one interrupted them until their children came running up. Amayla's eyes filled with tears as she hugged her children. Even Ardin didn't seem to mind being hugged by his mother in public. Hileag was the first to ask about the new wound on Amayla's cheek, but she just smiled and told her not to worry and sent her and her brother off to greet their grandfather and Glorfindel.
.
A short time later, Amayla found herself in Thorin's private office with the same dwarves who had met following the black messenger's visit. Before they started, Amayla quickly asked Gloin how Alva was doing.
"She is worried about Gimli of course and confused as to why he would have gone to the Blue Mountains, but I'll try to ease her mind as much as I can."
"If you want, I'll talk to her too," Amayla offered.
"I think she'd like that, lassie."
.
As soon as the doors were shut, Thorin turned to Amayla, "Why is he here?"
"You mean Thranduil?"
"Of course I mean Thranduil! You didn't warn us that he was coming!" Thorin growled back.
"I apologize your majesty, but when I sent the note saying that we were staying a few days in Mirkwood, I didn't know he was coming. It was a last-minute decision on his part, and it wasn't my place to stop him." She paused for a moment, staring at the table in front of her as she tried to come up with something other than the real reason she believed that Thranduil had come. "There are events unfolding across middle Earth and it's vital that Mirkwood, Dale and Erebor are agreed upon our roles."
Sneering, but excepting Amayla's words, Thorin motioned for Amayla to report.
She looked everyone in the eye before stating very calmly, "Bilbo's ring is the ring that Sauron is searching for. With it, he would regain his full power, thwarting the power of the elves, and spreading his evil reign over all of the Middle Earth."
The room was silent as everyone pondered Amayla's news.
Balin was the first to speak, "Did Bilbo bring it here?"
"No," Amayla replied, shaking her head. "He left it behind in the Shire with his nephew Frodo, but Gandalf asked Frodo to take it to Lord Elrond for safe keeping. Frodo was attacked by black riders called ringwraiths from Mordor, similar to the one who came here, but with the help of Aragorn and Glorfindel, he made to Rivendell shortly before Gimli, Gloin and I arrived. Our timing was fortuitous as other representatives from across Middle Earth were there. Lord Elrond held a meeting to determine the rings fate, as even he did not want the ring to remain in Rivendell. It was decided that the ring had to be destroyed and that the only place to do it was Mt. Doom."
"Could it not just have been melted here, in our great forge?" Balin asked.
"I suggested just that," Gimli answered. "But the elf lord was adamant that it could only be destroyed in the fires from whence it was forged."
"But Mt. Doom is in Mordor!" Fili pointed out. "How can it be taken there without Sauron finding it?"
"Does Elrond ask for our forces to march against Mordor?" Dwalin asked.
"No," Amayla assured him. "Not to go to Mordor."
"Then what?" Thorin asked brusquely.
"What I'm about to say must be kept in complete secrecy. It cannot be spoken of to anyone outside this room, except Thranduil and Glorfindel who already know," Amayla stated, waiting for everyone to nod in agreement. "Frodo is taking the ring to Mordor."
"WHAT?" "FRODO!" "HE'S JUST A CHILD" Thorin, Dwalin, and Fili shouted.
"He is a young, especially by our standards," Amayla retorted, "but he is an adult hobbit, and he is not going alone. Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir of Gondor, several other hobbits and Gimli are going with him. Gimli will represent all dwarrow."
All eyes turned to Gloin, "And I could not be more proud of him."
"We are telling everyone that Gimli went on to the Blue Mountains on business for the king instead of returning. Even Alva can't be told where he is really going," Amayla added.
"Several hobbits?" Dwalin grumbled. "They do not belong in the wild!"
"I remember you saying the same thing about Bilbo, brother. And he certainly proved you and the rest of us wrong," Balin replied, patting his brother's hand.
"Aye," Thorin nodded in agreement, "If he is anything like his uncle, Frodo will complete his mission."
"Why didn't you go, Amayla? or Glorfindel?" Fili asked.
Amayla took a big breath and slowly exhaled. Without looking at Dwalin, she reached down to stroke thigh. "I assumed I was going, so did Glorfindel. We were both quite upset when Elrond told us that we wouldn't be. We argued with him quite a bit, believe me! But in the end, Lord Elrond pointed out that I belong here, in Erebor, with my family and my troops. And he was right." She leaned into Dwalin who put an arm around her, pulling her in and placing a kiss on her temple.
"However," she continued. "Glorfindel and I had a role to play in helping Frodo and the others through the Misty Mountains. Gandalf and Elrond hoped that by the two of us leading a large contingent of Elven soldiers and protecting a hobbit, that word would reach Sauron that the ring was being taken to Erebor."
Amayla looked directly at Thorin who leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard, but said nothing.
"How could you be certain that Sauron would find out?" Fili asked.
"From Saruman," Amayla spat out, face twisted with disgust. "He has joined forces with Sauron. He imprisoned Gandalf after Gandalf told him about Bilbo's ring. Luckily Gandalf managed to escape, but Saruman's and Mordor's spies are everywhere."
"And we certainly got the attention of the orcs and goblins living in the mountain. They gave us a chase, but it was nothing we couldn't handle," Gloin bragged.
"Especially once Mirkwood's forces joined us," Amayla reminded him.
"Aye lassie," Gloin agreed. "They were handy to have around."
"I take it that was how you got this?" Dwalin asked as he gently ran a finger next to the new wound on her cheek.
"Tis just a scratch, a warrior's mark of honor as you like to say, husband," she responded, softly leaning into his touch.
"A scratch that would have been a lot worse for Bilbo had Amayla not shielded him the whole fight," Gloin stated.
"I seem to recall you covering his other side," Amayla smiled back.
"I am proud of both for bring Bilbo here unscathed," Thorin stated, straightening up and drawing everyone's attention to himself. "But I am worried about your diversion causing Sauron to look toward us."
"It is clear after the visit by that black messenger that Sauron already has us in his sights, Thorin," Balin pointed out.
"And we've been preparing for an attack from the East for months now, Thorin. All dwarves capable of handling a weapon have been assigned to a unit. Their training is sound and will continue until the time comes. We're ready," Dwalin declared.
"Ready for an attack from the East, but from Mordor?" Thorin questioned.
"Our plans with Mirkwood and Dale are sound," Dwalin answered.
"Your majesty, even if Sauron wanted to send his forces against us, they would have to go through Gondor and Rohan first. No easy task," Amayla insisted. "And if Sauron were to empty Mordor, it would make the way much easier for Frodo. His mission must succeed, for all of our sakes."
Thorin sat back in his chair again, sighing audibly, "So are there any special actions we need to take?"
Everyone looked at each other, shrugged and shook their heads.
"It would seem that the most important thing is to make certain our ties to with Mirkwood and Dale remain strong, your majesty," Balin said, hinting at the thing Thorin least wanted to hear.
"Aye, I know Balin," Thorin sighed again, rubbing his temples. "And you're going to advise me to meet with Thranduil. But as far as I know, the treaties are all in intact. Do you think he wants to make changes, now? Now is not the time to be renegotiating treaties!"
Sensing Thorin's growing concerns, Amayla knew she had to calm him down, but she needed to do it without mentioning Dis. "Your majesty, I don't believe Thranduil visit is anything nefarious. Based the past few days in his halls, I believe that adar recognized Bilbo's advancing age and just wants to celebrate his return to Erebor."
Thorin squinted at Amayla in disbelief, "I find it hard to believe that the elf king would care that much about a non-elf."
"Adar knows how much Bilbo means to me. And it is also an opportunity for him to visit his grandchildren. He did point out to me that it has been some time since they visited him. Let's just say he's mellowed somewhat."
"Hrmpf," Throin grumbled, rolling his eyes.
.
"It does not matter, Thorin," Balin counseled. "You can have formal talks with Thranduil tomorrow, but as I think we are done here, tonight we should go spend time with our burglar. I know you're eager to give Bilbo his gift."
"What did you make him, Thorin?" Gloin asked.
"Since he won't wear any jewelry and insists on only wearing his hobbit clothing, I figured the only way to show his proper rank and get some jewels on him was with dwarven buttons, encrusted with sapphires."
"Let me see 'em," Gloin insisted, motioning with his hand for Thorin to hand them over.
Knowing Gloin's stubbornness and expertise in gems and wanting to show off what he had made, Thorin quickly reached into his coat and pulled out a leather box. Everyone at the table turned or strained their neck to get a good look at the set of golden buttons nestled inside. The rune of Durin was raised in the center with a large sapphire glistening in the middle.
Gloin pulled out one button and lifted it toward the light, squinting to examine it thoroughly.
"Aye, these are well done, very nice quality in the stones," Gloin nodded his approval before handing the button to Fili who was nudging him to see it. "Did Dis make them?"
"Do you think that I'm not capable of making them myself!" Thorin barked back, insulted at the question.
Before Gloin could say anything, Fili answered for him, "Sorry uncle, but these have amad's markings all over them."
Thorin glared and sat back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. Amayla had to bite her lips to keep from smiling. "Dis did do some of the sculpting, but I came up with idea and picked out the stones and I did all the polishing!" he pouted.
Balin stroked his beard, covering a smile of his own, "So, Amayla, if there is nothing else . . .?"
"Lord Elrond had a few thoughts on some military matters, but those can wait. It would probably be best for me to go over them with Dwalin first anyway."
Amalya felt a very sensual squeeze on her thigh as Dwalin leaned forward on the table and agree with her. "Aye, there's no reason to keep the rest of you from the party. We can just go over it ourselves."
"Agreed!" Thorin nearly shouted, banging his hand on the table and grabbing the box back from Gloin. "Let's go!"
Fili, Gloin, and Balin quickly joined him while Dwalin leaned back and leered at his wife.
.
When the door shut, Dwalin grabbed Amayla and drew her into a deep kiss. As he pulled away and started nuzzling her neck, he whispered, "Saying that you needed to talk to me about military matters, that was a brilliant move to get rid of them."
Amayla moaned as Dwalin's lips moved down her chest, "It wasn't a move. I really do need to talk to you about things."
"Fine, but not now," Dwalin insisted.
"Shouldn't we go back to our quarters, luv?" gasped breathlessly.
"Don't trust our children not to interrupt us there and I don't want to wait that long," he murmured as his hands started lifting her tunic.
She looked into his darkened, lust-filled eyes and gave up anything thought of delay, reaching to loosen the laces on his trousers. In a flash, they stripped off each other's clothes and Dwalin placed Amayla on the edge of the table, positioning himself between her legs. So lost in each other, neither of them heard the down opening.
"MAHAL'S BALLS! DWALIN! AMAYLA! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!"
Amayla let out a squeak and pulled Dwalin down closer to her in an attempt to cover herself up.
"I think it's very clear what we've doing, Thorin!" Dwalin barked back.
"Can't argue with that," Fili groaned as he covered his eye and quickly turned around.
Flustered, Thorin kept starting, "BUT HERE? IN MY COUNCIL ROOM! WE'VE BARELY BEEN GONE!"
"It was empty," Dwalin shrugged.
"THAT'S NOT A GOOD REASON!" Thorin growled finally turning his back after a nudge from Fili.
"Well, that's the only reason you're getting, so if you two don't mind, could you please JUST LEAVE!"
"BUT THIS IS MY ROOM AND MY TABLE!"
"Agreed your majesty," Dwalin drawled, "but unless you want to watch what is happening on your table, I SUGGEST YOU LEAVE!"
"But - but – Fili left one of Bibo's buttons in here . ." Thorin stammered.
"I did not! I gave it back to Gloin!" Fili countered.
"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! WE'LL BRING IT! NOW LEAVE!"
As soon as the door slammed, Amayla started giggling, "Do you think it was wise to talk to the King like that, my luv?"
"Don't care Amralime. Only care about continuing what we started."
"Sounds good to me!"
.
Some time later, Dwalin an Amayla joined the party and gave Bilbo the missing button. Thorin glared at Dwalin as Bilbo showed off the buttons to Amayla.
"I should have the two of you thrown in the dungeon for the night," Throin growled in Khuzdul.
The threat did not have the intended effect upon Dwalin who simply shrugged and smiled lustfully.
"In separate cells!" Thorin added.
Dwalin smirked, replying "I'd love to hear you explaining to the jailor the charges against us."
Thorin's face turned bright red and his eyes were bulging from his head. He took a step toward the still grinning Dwalin but stopped when Amayla got between them.
"Your majesty, we apologize for our recent actions. It was completely inappropriate of us. We promise that it was never happen again and beg your forgiveness."
Thorin bowed his head to her. "Thank you for your apology, Amayla." He then glared at Dwalin who only broke when he received a hard elbow in his side.
Dwalin huffed, but bowed his head and mumbled, "Sorry."
The two continued their staring contest until Bilbo interrupted them, "I don't know what is going on and I doubt I want to know, I just want to go get something to eat!" He grabbed Thorin by the arm and pulled him toward the food.
Dwalin laughed out loud despite a slap on the arm from his wife and headed off to the keg of ale. Amayla shook her head and turned as someone called her name. She quickly joined Caileen and Tauriel near the food table, with Caileen giving her a huge hug.
"I'm so happy you're back! We missed you! All of us, especially Fili the last couple of days. Your husband was becoming unbearable!" She turned to Fili who was walking up with an ale in his hand. "Aren't you happy to see Amayla, Fili?"
Fili froze and immediately turned a bright shade of red. "Of course, it's good to see Amayla . . . I mean, I didn't really see her, um you . . . I just know that Dwalin is really happy you're back . . . not that I saw Dwalin being happy . . . I, um, just would guess he is." He suddenly started drinking his ale and didn't stop until it was empty. "Think I need another!" Spinning on his heels, he nearly sprinted away, leaving his wife and sister-in-law staring at his back with their mouths handing open.
"What was that?" Caileen asked, astonished.
"If that had been Kili, I might be able to figure it out, but that was very unlike Fili," Tauriel pondered.
Both of them turned to Amayla who was biting her lips. She quickly turned to the food table, "Oh muffins! Did you make them Caileen?"
Caileen and Tauriel exchanged looks with Caileen nodding to the tall elf. In a flash, Tauriel grabbed Amayla's muffin out of her hand just as she was about to take a bite. Amayla tried to snatch it back, but Tauriel simply held it over her head so that Amayla had no possibility of reaching it.
Caileen put her hands on her hips, narrowed her eyes at Amayla and stuck a finger in her face, "No muffin until you start explaining!"
Blushing, Amayla scrunched up her face and covered her eyes before peeking out and motioning her two friends in. "After the meeting, Dwalin and I stayed behind to discuss a few things."
"Discuss?" Caileen snorted skeptically.
"Well, we were alone, and we really missed each other. Before we knew it, I was on the table and Dwalin was . . . well . . . you know. And then Thorin and Fili walked in and caught us."
"You were . . . " Tauriel waved her hands, "in the King's council room on his table?"
"Well, it was empty," Amayla replied weakly.
"That is not a good reason!" Tauriel scolded. "You're lucky he didn't throw in the dungeon. Thranduil would have."
"You know, for an elf, you sound a lot like Thorin," Amayla sneered.
"Poor Fili! No wonder he was so flustered!" Caileen whispered loudly.
"Poor Fili? I was the one exposed for them to see!"
"And whose fault was that?" Caileen retorted.
Amayla pouted, "I thought you two were my friends!" Amayla pouted. "At least give me back my muffin!"
"Did I hear you say muffins?" Dwalin roared as he threw an arm around Amayla.
"Not that you deserve any," Caileen responded with a glare, "but help yourself."
.
After some time of eating and telling stories, Hilaeg and Lin walked up and joined them, with Amayla wrapping an arm around her daughter.
"Amad?" Hilaeg asked. "Aren't Aduadar and Lord Glorfindel old friends?"
"Yes, my sweet, very old friends. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that Aduadar is acting very strangely around him."
"Thranduil, strange? How can you tell, Hilly?" Dwalin laughed sarcastically until his smashed into his side, causing him to drop his muffin.
"Lord Glorfindel has been telling Princess Dis some funny stories and Aduadar keeps interrupting him and making remarks in elvish, but I don't know the dialect. I'm not sure what he's saying, but I don't think it's very nice."
Amayla sighed and shook her head, "Sometimes, my sweet, very old friends can be idiots."
Dwalin and Caileen both turned to stare at the two blond eleves who had sandwiched Princes Dis between them. Caileen look at Amayla with a questioning expression while Dwalin scowled at her. Amayla just drew her lips together and threw up her hands.
.
.
Several days later, Helaeg was helping Dwalin make dinner while Amayla and Ardin set the table when there was a knock on the door. Amayla opened it to see two very tall and very forlorn elves standing outside.
Crossing her arms, Amayla simply looked up at the two waiting for an explanation.
Finally, Glorfindel broke. "Can we have dinner with you?"
"So neither of you is eating with Princess Dis tonight?"
"She is having dinner with dwarf named Veddeg," Thranduil spat out.
A huge smile split Amayla's face as she stepped aside and said "Come in."
.
Amayla sat back at the end of dinner, smiling as her son and Glorfindel battled over the getting the last of the food onto their plates. "Ardin, if you give Lord Glorfindel the last of the potatoes, he might be willing to give you the sparring lesson you've been wanting."
The two looked at each other and shouted, "Deal!" at the same time.
"What about you Hilaeg? You made this wonderful meal; do you want a lesson too?" the golden elf asked.
Hilaeg smiled meekly at him, but shook her head no. "Actually, I was hoping that Aduadar would play some chess with me."
She gazed up to Thranduil who beamed a radiant smile down to her and covered her hand with his. "Nothing would give me more please, mir nin."
Amayla quickly grabbed some dishes and rushed them to the kitchen, anxious to hide the tears that threatened to spill out. Dwalin was but a few steps behind her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"What is it, my luv?"
"Nothing really, luv."
"You can't hide your tears from me."
"I'm just so happy," she said as the tears began to flow freely.
Dwalin turned her around and hugged her tight, bringing his forehead to hers.
"We are blessed, and I will do whatever it takes to keep our family, Erebor, and the rest of Arda safe," she declared.
"And I will be by your side the whole way, my luv."
.
.
.
*********** Author's Notes ************
Sorry that I've been gone for a while. I told myself that I wasn't allowed to post anything until I had the story finished. I didn't think it would take so long, but I finally managed to do it! (Hooray to myself!)
This chapter is my attempt to cross-over with LOTR canon. I said many chapters ago that I wasn't sending Balin to Moria so I'm going with this group giving the Fellowship some cover to get through Moria. And I always like writing some loving between Amayla and Dwalin!
Many thanks and Happy New Year to anyone still reading this!