Chapter 30
They were reaching the rocky paths that led to Dale. Much to the bittersweet pleasure of Leanna, they had ridden for a full four days, only camping at night to get rest before taking off the next morning. Bittersweet, because as much as she was elated to see home again, her thighs burned and her body trembled from exhaustion. It was quite the journey.
While her complaints were justified, she was indeed grateful for the efforts of her elven escorts to ensure her journey home was without any incident whatsoever. No orcs or other foul creatures that she had heard from Tauriel's tales, were encountered during their days on the road and for that, she was glad.
As they rode closer to the city, walls of the city gates grew bigger, but the sight of a pile of black filth was piled over and had been evidently scorched, caused a frown on Leanna. Why did they need to go out all the way to burn waste. They passed by another heap and the stench still fowl despite being razed to ashes, made Leanna grimace in disgust.
Without a single thought and an abrupt surge of panic, Leanna kicked the stomach of her horse harder. Digging in her heels, she urged the horse beneath her to ride faster. If there were this many heaps of blackness and foul stench then it could only mean one thing, an attack had occurred in her light of her absence.
She sped past her escorts, ignoring their calls. The panic in her mind was growing as she drew nearer, there had been an attack on Dale recently, and she could tell it was recent since the last residue of smoke was still rising in the air. Was anyone hurt? Bain? Bard?? Why hadn't he told her? She was as upset as she was worried.
She sped through the open gate and did not get far before she was surrounded by the people of the city, excited to see their lady return. She alighted from her horse without care for assistance and was on her way to the lord's quarters when a force was knocked her to ground.
"Leya!" A unison of voices called. Leanna winced as she blinked at the bodies clutching her.
"Sigrid, Bain, Tilda!" She gasped out in relief. In an impulsive and fussy move, she checked their bodies for any injuries and when she found none she held them closely again.
"You're ok! Oh you're alright" She hugged them tightly.
"We thought you weren't coming back!" Tilda cried as she held unto the young woman.
"Oh children, I may have been gone but I surely was planning on returning" Leanna said as she finally rose from the ground.
Around her cries of her return echoed in the crowd that had gathered. She turned around and stilled when she saw the crowd part in two to give way for their Lord. Leanna was not certain how to react to the hard look on his face, she knew deserved just as much for her silence within the last month of her stay in Thranduil's halls but that did not mean it didn't hurt. She opened her mouth to speak when she saw him making his way to her.
"My Lord Forgive m-" Her words were instantly cutt off when Bard grabbed her into a full hug.
"Thank goodness you're alright" He said fiercely, the worry in his voice becoming evident. Blinking away her shock, she reciprocated the gesture. Bard released her and turned towards her quarters, bidding her to follow.
"Come, let's get you settled in, I'm certain you're tired from your journey" Bard said as he led to her quarters which had been kept for her.
"My journey was hardly nothing compared to the recent events Dale has been forced to take part in" Leanna said as she looked pointedly at the to bandage wrapped around his hand.
"An event we handled well enough" Bard ended the conversation before she had a chance to sink her hooks into it. Once she took apart the elements of what had happened, he reckoned she would find out alot more than he wanted her to...
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Her return was intended to happen peacefully, with no intention of causing an uproar of any sorts, Leanna was content with resting in the privacy of her chambers. However, the entire city as Bard would have it, was already in an uproar, preparing for a feast later that evening.
She had come out of the bath when a knock on the door sounded. She made certain she was decent enough and gave the order to enter. Bertha came in beaming, with Sigrid and Tilda on her tail.
"Your dress milady for the celebration tonight" Bertha said as she beamed at the slightly dismayed look on Leanna's face.
"Is a new dress really that necessary?" Leanna brushed her fingers over the light blue dress that had been spread on the bed for her.
"Milord said to give ya all the care I can, that means getting you a new dress" Bertha responded as she took a new pair of shoes to match it and placed it on the vanity mirror.
"While you were away, we had some new people move in! Some merchants from Edoras and neighboring villages are here too" Tilda said beaming. Leanna smiled at the innocent reaction of the young girl.
"Well that is to be expected, Dale's become quite the city in these past few months, rumours of its prosperity is bound to spread one way or another" Leanna responded.
"Yea plus there's this new woman whose been sticking to Da like mud on his boots" Sigrid said with a look of disdain. Leanna smiled at the young girl who was quickly becoming a beautiful woman, she would have to hold her debut soon.
"Your father is available and unmarried, not to mention the most important factor here, he's a Lord. Women in court are bound to flock to him eventually, whether you like it or not" Leanna glanced at her pointedly. There was no reason to go on this argument any further, Sigrid had to learn the ways of court sooner or later and she much preferred it happened sooner.
The girls left to prepare themselves for the coming feast and Leanna was left briefly with her thoughts. She bent to look closely at the stitching on the dress, interested for once in details when the pendant she had forgotten about dangled out below her. Standing upright, she held the pendant in her hand and watched as it glowed with her touch. It did that everytime she touched it.
Her mind unconsciously drifted to the elf who had given her and Leanna wondered what he was up to at this hour. She did not claim to know his ways but at the very least she could predict he was pumposely sitting on his throne, looking down on the world and all in it. She turned to cloak that had been cleaned and hung in her closet and stared at it as her fingers caressed the pendant. Blinking in surprise, she frowned at the mischievous thought that had come to her mind. She had left the Greenwood behind and was certain the self inflated egotistical king would not be needing his cloak back.
Another matter made her lips thin in displeasure. She had been away no more than three months and yet court was already in full swing. Leanna hoped at the very least she would have time before she began dealing with nobles that had risen in Dale. She smirked wrly at the thought, Dale's influence had grown especially with the dragon dead so it was only natural that more people would choose to settle here. If that wasn't a good enough reason, then the rumour of a huge settlement from Erebors treasure horde was certainly a better one.
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"Dale has most certainly been restored to its finest since last I was here" Gandalf smiled as he looked at the man who had managed to do the impossible. Bard had done well for the people of Laketown and more, rebuilding the city and restoring its glory.
"For that I'm glad, things have finally looked up for the once lowly men of Laketown" Bard responded. He handed a goblet full of wine to the wizard and paused for a moment, remembering Thranduil's words during their first meeting.
"You uhm...you don't have any ill news that would concern us do you?" Bard asked, he needed assurance that the wizard's visit was strictly casual. Gandalf chuckled, understanding the young Lord's concerns, last he had been here, he brought news of war on his heals.
"Rest assured my Lord, I am just here for the wine. Mostly" Gandalf said, mischief filling his eyes as he teased the now famed dragon slayer. "Though I must confess, I'm interested in the rumour of a white rose" Gandalf spoke cryptically but Bard knew well enough whom he was referring to.
"Good fortune smiles upon you this evening, my lady has just returned from a long journey and shall arrive in a moment. Just as Bard had uttered his words, Leanna stepped into the banquet hall, beautiful as ever. Sighting him from her position, she patiently made her way over to him, dealing with well wishers and interruptions along the way.
"My Lords" she bowed once she made her way to him. Leanna looked at the old man beside Bard who she remembered very clearly from the battle almost a year ago. She did not imagine she would be seeing him in Dale again.
"The grace of all roses are put to shame as your beauty shines even in the coldest of winters" Gandalf smiled as he bowed in greeting. Leanna arched a brow in surprise, glancing at Bard who inclined his head requesting her indulgence.
"I did not realize wizards were also gifted with a tongue dipped in honeydew" Leanna smiled as she quietly assessed the maiar before her. She noted the tinge of red on his cheeks and felt amusement grow in her.
"It is a learned skill and quite useful too should one come across a beautiful lady such as yourself" Gandalf smiled in response but his eyes shifted to the neckline of her bodice before looking into her eyes in curiosity.
Her amusement was quickly replaced with apprehension as she caught his gaze lowering to her neckline, which had safely concealed her pendant. She decided it was better to give the wizard some distance and deal with him from then in caution. Just as she was about to speak, a voice interrupted her plans of escape.
"Good evening my Lords" a redhead dressed in an intensely red dress with an exposing bodice had cut into their conversation. Leanna held back a smirk, noting her blatant disregard for her. This must be the lady Sigrid warned her about.
"Lady Merywen, how good of you to join us this evening" Bard said bowing cordially in greeting. The lady in question smiled daintily looking at him from beneath her lashes.
"The pleasure is always mine My Lord" She smiled inclining her head before turning to Gandalf.
"My Lord-"
"A magnificent evening it is for a walk my Lady" Gandalf offered his hand to Leanna. She blinked at the gesture calmly and looked up to the mischief filled eyes and took his hand.
"My Lord, Lady Merywen" she said to the duo, her gaze lingering on the lady flushed red with embarrassment. It was a befitting look considering her entire ensemble tonight. They moved through the throng of people talking and dancing until they were out on the balcony overlooking the vast terrain facing the lake.
"While that was unnecessary, I thank you for your help"
"As I'm certain was the same with you, her perfume was too strong for my old nose"
"Maybe, It was bit much. However I don't imagine you sought me out for pointless chatter" Leanna turned to him, her face easily visible enough from the glow of the well lit hall.
"Yes...you're much different from the last time I saw you" Gandalf smiled. She was direct and unassuming, this alone assured him of her capabilities which he was discovering, were many.
"Two seasons have passed since we last saw each other, a lot can happen in that time Lord Gandalf" Leanna was careful not to give away anything, she was dealing with a being immersed firmly in the world of mystery and magic after all. Like Galadriel, she could not tell what his intentions regarding her was.
"Yes indeed, and while I'm certain you've seen through much, I'm relieved to see you settling well"
"As well as can be, yes" Leanna looked into the hall, smiling at the sight of Bard dancing while he laughed with the youngest of his children.
"And through no small effort of yours, Dale is risen from the ashes and is reborn anew" Gandalf said following her line of sight.
"It was a collective effort, we wouldn't have gotten this far if we all didn't work together" Leanna murmured bluntly. She looked at the wizard that had kept her company through the evening and wondered at the sight of him.
"I've heard tales of your adventures, records of your discoveries and deeds. Standing here now makes me wonder how a man of your stature could move about let alone fight battles..." Leanna admitted. Her stay in Mirkwood was not all distasteful as she managed to sink her teeth into the histories and records of Middle Earth, with Gandalf being one of many names mentioned in the elven libraries.
"Things are not always as they seem my lady, which is the same as I can say for you" Gandalf looked at her pointedly.
"What do you mean?"
"Not many, in fact I do not recall anyone having this much say over the Elven King's action let alone using it to their full advantage" Leanna's eyes widened at the wizard, her face flushing red at his words.
"That was merely a one time event, one I bargained for beyond my boundaries" she smiled wryly.
"From what I hear, it may not have been a single chanced occurrence" Gandalf's eyes twinkled as he watched the guarded expression on her face fall away to more apparent feelings she was experiencing.
"And what exactly have you heard master Gandalf?"
"Only a small group of elven warriors aiding Dale's outer defences against a sizeable band of orcs and while it is better news than anyone would've hoped, i find it too odd that Thranduil would offer unwarranted aid freely..." Gandalf rambled a bit further, missing the swift change on the young woman's face.
"What...?"