This was written for the WritersMonth2021 challenge.
Prompt: Glass
I intended this to feel as if it was part of a much larger story, I hope I succeeded.
On this night there was a great feast in Erebor. The long tables in the dining hall groaned under plates heaped with delicacies from the four corners of Middle Earth, the hall awash in golden light. King Thorin Oakenshield sat at the high table, Queen Shurri beside him, her dress glittering with jewels. The guests of honor sat below, at the table on the King's right: Prince Einar, son of Egil, of the Firebeards. With him was the King's High Councilor Magne and a cousin, Lord Erling. Never before had members of this family dined in Erebor, due to a long-lingering dispute; some unpleasantness in the Second Age.
This was a triumph for Thorin, the result of a long and careful negotiation. As the final battle with the evil in Mordor approached, he had been striving to reconcile the Families. They would need each other in the war that was coming. He was glad Kaylea Wolf was here to share the moment, she was at the table across from the Firebeards, next to his eldest son, Thror. She was wearing the sheer silver dress he liked so much, her only jewelry the mithril beads on the braids that marked her as the King's Woman.
Kaylea caught Thorin looking at her and smiled. She understood the politics only too well, this was a great victory for him. The Firebeards commanded a great army, their help would be invaluable in the coming conflict.
"Ah…could you pass me the bread, my lady?" Thror asked, his cheeks reddening. Kaylea knew the Prince had a massive crush on her. When his mother had told him he would be seated next to her, he had almost fainted with embarrassment.
Just as Kaylea reached for the bread, she saw a flicker at the edge of her vision. A hint of light and motion. Reflexively, she threw herself in front of the Prince, felt something penetrate her shoulder as she scanned the diners in front of her. That cousin, Erling, already out of his chair. Quick as a cat, Kaylea jumped on the table, took three strides, a foot on the opposite table and over the heads of the diners. A white knife glittering in her hand, she chased the would-be assassin through the door of the hall.
Thorin had fought many battles beside Kaylea and was used to how fast she moved, but everyone else in the hall sat in stunned silence, not sure what they had just witnessed.
"Thror!" Thorin called to his son, saw him rise, waving that he was unharmed. Then he was running after Kaylea. He found her just outside the doors to the hall, her foot on the chest of the Firebeard, blood streaming down her dress. A piece of glass protruded from her shoulder.
He tried to kill my son! "What is the meaning of this?" Thorin demanded.
"You need to ask, son of Durin?" Erling spat at him. "Your brother killed my brother! I will be avenged!"
Thorin opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He clenched his fists in anger. The man had tried to kill his son, but this was the oath, the reason it had taken so long to reconcile the two families.
"What is he talking about?" Kaylea asked.
"The blood oath!" Erling replied. "Get off me, woman!"
"Ah!" Kaylea reached up and pulled the glass out of her shoulder. A slim stiletto of a knife, probably concealed on one of the crystal goblets. She handed it to Thorin. "A blood oath must be answered."
Thorin took the knife, eyeing the wound her shoulder. This man had tried to kill his son, and wounded the woman he loved. His anger consumed him. "The answer is given," he said, flipping the knife in his hand, he stabbed the Dwarf through the heart.
Prince Einar and his councilor were among the first to arrive. Magne looked from the King to Erling, measuring his words carefully. "This must be the end of the blood feud. Erling dishonored his family by attempting to harm your son. Your majesty's justice is done."
Thorin glanced at Prince Einar, saw him nod. Too much had gone into this agreement to have it end in blood. With a sigh of relief, Thorin clapped his hands. "Let us return to the table! Guards, please remove Lord Erling and have his body prepared to return to his homeland." He turned to Kaylea. "You should see the Healers, my lady."
Kaylea curtsied low. "It is but a scratch, your majesty. If I may be permitted to change my dress?"
Prince Einar laughed. "That knife went through your shoulder, and you call it a scratch?" He laid a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "I wondered when I heard you had taken a Human lover, but now I understand. I envy you, my friend." He turned and headed back to the dining hall. Guards appeared to remove the body.
Kaylea took Thorin's hand as he watched them go. "Your brother killed his brother?"
"In a manner of speaking," Thorin replied. "It happened in the Second Age."
Kaylea laughed. "I must be more careful, now that I know how long your people hold a grudge!"
Thorin stepped closer, his fingers touched the wound on her shoulder. It had already stopped bleeding. "You saved my son tonight."
"You can thank me properly later," Kaylea put her finger to his lips. "You should return to your guests, and I must change my dress."
Thorin watched her walk away, feeling a turmoil of emotions. Anger at the attempt on his son's life, relief that he had not been harmed and Kaylea was not seriously hurt, regret that he still had a long, boring dinner ahead of him, elation that his agreement with the Firebeards still stood.
He took a deep breath and turned back to the dining hall, the weight of his responsibilities felt very heavy tonight.