Author's Note: And the final act is finally starting in truth. While there are no content warnings for this chapter, the darkness is coming. As always, read and enjoy and if you like to please leave a review.
Chapter 31It took an entire month.
King Thranduil of Eryn Galen sent provisions for a siege and his best herbalists and healers. Lord Bard of Dale sent some of his Esgaroth Fleet to reinforce the Erebor Navy, arriving himself a few days later with two companies of archers to help hold the harbour walls. Orla of the Dúnedain rode into the City with twenty-five Rangers come to help organise and defend the city.
But it was still a month of waiting. A month of Glaes jumping at her own shadow and waking in the night with a scream trapped in her throat. A month of Dwalin trying to get her to tell him what she was planning and her avoiding the question. A month of planning and preparations and the entire city holding its breath.
A month. And a page raced from the harbour walls to the royal palace, flashing past Micoz with a look of panic in his eye that could only mean one thing. Micoz set off at a sprint for Glaes' house.
The news reached the royal household and the commodore's home at roughly the same time, the damning words flying free into the air past frightened lips.
"Red sails! They've been sighted!"
And, across the city, the King and the pirate lass closed their eyes and spoke together, "He's here."
The harbour chain was long in place. Any ship that attempted to cross would have their hull ripped open. Two, rounded forts capped the harbour entrances. And they were full of cannons ready to fire. In the hills leading up to the chain were artillery from the army, prepared to take out mast and sails and men. The Byrd brothers were stationed on either side, fury in their hearts.
Dwalin had stationed men-o-war before the chain, their first line of defence. And, as was his duty, he was preparing to be aboard the flagship. But, before he left, he kissed his wife farewell.
"I do love ye, my Glaes," he reminded her as he gave one last, thorough kiss.
"I know," she whispered, catching his hands and looking up at him, "Don't forget that, before the end."
She prayed he continued to trust her.
She watched him step into the dinghy that would row him out to the flagship and she felt more than saw the figure that stepped up to her side as she watched him go. The chill autumn wind whipped through her wool skirts and cut through her thick shawl on the pier. Her companion stayed silent.
"Well?" She spoke at last.
"The ship is ready," Nori said quietly, "And we have copies of the King's authorization orders. One for the Commodore when he challenges it and one for..." He didn't need to finish the thought.
"Micoz?"
"In the brig. Dragged there very publicly so his spies would see."
"Good."
Laraga watched from the royal balcony.
Red. So much red. It filled the horizon and she wondered just how many ships Drake had brought. Did they truly have enough firepower to take down an armada?
Thorin came up beside his wife, quiet in his fierce tension.
"Maker protect them," he murmured, "I hope we're doing the right thing."
He reached for her hand, fingers interlacing with hers as they watched. All she could do was nod. It was terrifying. She had been horrified at the plan when Thorin had told it to her in the private sanctity of his bedchamber, had had a nightmare about it the first night, but the morning had brought a calm composure.
It needed to be done. If she was going to have a country and a city in which to raise her child, it needed to be done. Her hand rested on her belly, stretched over the baby growing within her. This was the best chance they had for a better future for their child. And she was a mother now. She would kill for her child if she had to. Her baby was worth that.
Here, though, in the privacy of their apartments, she could reveal how very worried she was for her friend and she breathed, "It is so...frightening to know that she is out there."
She looked out, searching for some sign of the woman they placed all their hopes in, but was barely able to see the tiny dot of Nori's ship as it approached the naval flagship.
Glaes was brave for doing it, for proposing this plan and for her unwavering determination to see it through. But the queen still wished that there had been another way. Laraga had barely kept her sanity just being in the same room as her betrayer...she shook as worry for her friend bubbled over.
He wrapped his arm around his wife and held her close, "If anyone can do it, she can. She knows him and he knows her. And if she's willing to walk into Hell to protect us, how could I try to tell her no?"
"Not even Dwalin could tell her what to do," she laughed nervously.
He dropped a kiss onto the top of her head, "We can be brave, too. We have to be. She's counting on us to be brave and we can do that. For Glaes, for Fili and Kili, for Erebor. We can do it."
Nori's privateer ship was a fast thing, sleek and built for speed to do the most strike damage before he got out of danger's way. Usually, when he came out on his ship, he flew his own colours. Not this time. He flew the star-crowned raven of Erebor, and under it a white flag of truce.
"Sorry to spoil your fun, Commodore!" He called across the decks as his ship came up alongside the Warmaster. "But before you try blasting these pirates out of the water, His Majesty asked me to see if their captain had any terms he wanted to declare. Got the King's authorization to act as Parley right here."
He waved the parchment. It was sealed with the blue wax and the royal seal, all nice and official. Tossed easily across the ships, Dwalin caught it and read the King's decree. It was all set and official, properly signed and sealed. That didn't mean he had to like it, though.
But still he called out, "Hold fire! Let them pass."
Nori saluted the Commodore flippantly and Dwalin scowled.
Nori was determined to continue business as usual and as a privateer he was the one most likely to be sent out to negotiate. So he was only too happy to make up a little song about "Parley! Parley! We're on our way to Parley!"
On the Crimson Dragon, the pirates were less interested in the song. But they weren't animals. They respected the white flag of truce, even if they didn't like it.
Mr. Azog grimaced and glared as the swift little ship came in close. He knew the privateer's face, he was a frequent mischief maker amongst the popular ports.
"What terms do you bring?" He called out, eager to blow the annoying man's face off.
Nori grinned and shook a finger at the pirate, as though scolding the massive, scarred man, "Ah, ah! Manners, sir! I don't bring the terms, but I bring the person the King has authorised to negotiate with your captain. She should look familiar to you, though you may not recognize her in her skirts."
Glaes, recognizing her cue, stepped forward with a cocky smile, "The King thought it was a good idea to send a pirate to negotiate with another pirate so here I am invoking the right to Parley."
Her smile turned ever so slightly nasty, "I want to talk to him. And trust me, he'll want to talk to me."
Mr. Azog wanted to slit her traitorous little throat.
"You," he growled.
Glaes' smile only widened at his furious single syllable. It threatened to split her face in two and it didn't reach her wild, unpredictable amber eyes.
"Me," she agreed, letting the privateer help her step up onto the gangplank. She wrapped her shawl more firmly around her as she crossed and she stepped down onto the Crimson Dragon quite calmly even as the part of her that still remembered Azog's lash on the other boys wanted to hide at the hate in his eyes when he looked at her.
But the pirates didn't dare to touch her, not protected as she was under the white flag. Though they were only too happy to snarl at her. She didn't so much as flinch and they didn't know what to do with this cool woman that took a deep breath of the air and dared to smile, "Ahh, it's good to be home."
Mr. Bolg all but growled. How dare she show her face.
But she held the King's degree in her hand, the blue wax clear and there was nothing they could do except look to Mr. Azog. Who stood his ground, arms folded over his broad chest, scarred face watching every move the lady made.
To her credit, she gave him a respectful nod, "Mr. Azog. You look well."
"You look like a proper lady." His voice sneered over the words.
"On behalf of His Majesty King Thorin," she said, sounding bored as anything, "I come under royal authority to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Erebor."
"So?"
"So," she dared to take a step closer to him, "I want to talk to him. And I'm willing to make a deal."
"I'm listening."
She glanced between him and Mr. Bolg, an eyebrow lifting, "If he doesn't want to talk to me, if he refuses to see me, I will hand myself over to your tender care. I've been gone long enough for you to have plenty of time to think about all the things you want to do to punish me for fooling you. He doesn't want me? Then I'll be yours."
It wasn't the cruel, hungry look in the mate and quartermaster's eyes that brought an emotion to her heart, it was the gasps of horror, quickly stifled as they were, that rose from the rigging rats in the ropes above them that brought a pang to her heart. But she couldn't risk glancing up at them and letting the quartermaster see that vulnerability.
"Agreed." Mr. Azog caught her arm and Mr. Bolg shadowed her petite figure as they showed her to the captain's door. The quartermaster knocked.
"Yes, what is it?" The captain's voice slithered under the door and Glaes had to fight against the first real twinge of fear in her heart as she heard him again.
"King Thorin's negotiator has arrived under a white flag and invoked parley," Mr. Azog's gravelly voice rumbled, "She's here to discuss terms."
"I have no interest in negotiating," came the captain's uninterested voice, "My only terms are Erebor destroyed and the treasure mine. They've wasted their time."
Bolg's hands gripped her arms and he growled, "You heard the captain, girl."
She planted her feet and tried to resist his strength as much as she could. Mr. Azog reached dirty, calloused fingers to twist in her hair, sadistic glee in his eyes as he hissed, "I have been waiting to let my lash taste your blood."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Glaes pitched her voice through the door as the men crowded her, desperation rising in her chest as she said, "Because I could have helped you with this, Captain!"
They all heard the captain's boots approaching and Mr. Azog had the sense to release her before the door opened to reveal him. Black shirt, deep crimson waistcoat, black breeches, bright green eyes. He hadn't changed at all.
"Glaes," he all but purred, caressing her name as his eyes caressed her shape, "Darling."
"Captain," she greeted him, savagely proud that her voice did not quiver.
His attention shifted to his officers, "What's all this?"
"She made a deal, Captain," Mr. Azog said, drawing himself up, "Tendering herself into our hands if you chose not to negotiate with her."
"That's quite the risk, precious," the captain said to her quite calmly, as though commenting on the weather, "Still a pirate after all this time?"
"Always," she said with a slight smile.
"Release her, Mr. Bolg."
"Captain?"
"I have changed my mind," Smaug Drake said, velvety and dangerous, "I will discuss terms with the King's negotiator after all."
When Bolg released her, she drew her shawl around herself like armour as the captain stepped to the side and gestured courteously, "By all means, Miss Lokka, do come in."