Title: A tale about friendship, Part 10?

Author: Dís Thráinsdotter

E-mail: Overall rating: M, for violence and orctorment. This chapter: K

Summary: A group of children are told the tale of their friendship with the dwarves in general and the Folk of Durin in particular.

Warnings: The overall rating of this fic is M, as parts of it deals with violent battle and torment. There are also Original Characters in the fic, but no Mary Sues. Unbetaed, all mistakes belong to me.

Disclaimer: I don't own any one of Tolkien's characters, never have, and never will. The only ones I own are the people you have never met before.

Chapter 10, The host gathers

"The children met Thráin" Balin said "who told them that they were welcome. ´I am happy to see you and your aid will be welcome to all of us´ he said. Then the children listened to Nar´s tale and Melian surprised us with the questions she asked. When Nar had answered them Melian told us about the dream she had had and also told us that she had a message to Nar and she astonished us by giving it in our own language. Then Melian said to all of us that Thrór had been sorry, that he should have listened to Nar because then he would have entered more warily. But he hadn't and for that reason things had become horrible.

After Melian had given Nar the message and embraced him Thráin asked Melian how it was possible that she spoke our language and Melian told him. Then Thráin said that now he understood why Melian sometimes during the later half of our stay turned away from us in order to hide a smile at a joke that someone told. She had understood what was said but hadn't wanted to show it. Still she hadn't been able to hide it completely. He also said that he knew that the people of Huor would aid us in the search for Azog, and Boromir replied that the Orc would rue the day he killed their friend.

The Dunlendings were told about what had happened and they were very angry with the Man who they thought had caused Thrórs death with his words. They immediately took the Man and asked Thráin if they should put him to death. He said to them that he hadn't killed Thrór and the others said to him that he hadn't done the killing but that his words had caused Thrór to go to Khazad-Dûm in the first place. But Thráin said to them that it wouldn't bring his father back and finally the Man was fined for what he had said. He was also forced to pay ware guild to Thráin since he was the cause for Thrórs death."

Dáin said, "when the messenger came to Iron Hills and told us what had happened we all wept and tore our beards. My grandfather said that our host was to prepare as quick as may be and go with the messenger to Dunland where the host gathered. Grandfather wanted to lead the host but he was persuaded to stay and father led the host in his place. As we left Iron Hills father said that one of the few good things to come out of it was that we would meet Melian and Boromir again, as they would no doubt be there as well."

Melian said "our foremother Melian wrote in her book that the messengers that were sent also passed places where parts of other Folks lived and told them as well what had happened. As a result of this companies of other Folks supplemented the host of the Folk of Durin because they were infuriated when they were told what had happened to the Heir of the eldest of the Fathers. As the host assembled the chiefs of them asked Thráin about the reasons for the people of Huor to be there and Thráin answered that they were there because he had sent for them and that they had come to help. Thráin said to Melian and Boromir that he knew that they would be willing to fight alongside them but that he thought that they would be of more service as scouts and finders of the emergency exits the Orcs were known to use, and also as healers. Everyone in the Army swore that they would get Azog and make him pay for what he had done. ´One of the things that we did during the time that the Army assembled´ Melian wrote ´was to get to know at least the chiefs of the groups and we came to an agreement about our tasks, that we would be scouting the area around the Orcdens for the hidden exits and also to treat the wounded in the battles to come. We were going after Azog and we would get him no matter what the cost to ourselves would be´."

Dáin nodded. "When we came to the village in Dunland we were happy to meet Melian and Boromir there. Father told them ´father sends his greetings, he would have come here but we were able to make him stay in Iron Hills´. The chiefs of the other Folks looked surprised at us when we embraced the people of Huor and asked us if we knew them. Father answered ´we know them well and they will help us´. Melian and Boromir were present when we spoke about the tactics to use and they would at times come with suggestions. Finally the Army was assembled, all the decisions made that could be made before the battles and we went to the head of the Misty Mountains in order to attack the Orcs.

TBC