Title: A tale about friendship, Part 20?
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 20, The search continues
"Do you think she was asked that question?" Thórin asked and Gandalf smiled enigmatically. Looking at the young child he said that he didn't know but that it couldn't be ruled out. Dáin nodded and told them that the people of Iron Hills had been there many times along with others and that they had always felt welcomed there. They had seen Melian´s Tomb, on which the text read "Melian Goldenheart Daughter of Huor, Beloved and Missed". The Elves had planted evergreen bushes around it and their flowers have in the summer always given their scent to the area."
When Thráin asked, "What happened then?" Melian said
"Dis took her children with her and became a wandering healer, going from place to place while searching for Thráin everywhere she could think of and then some more places for good measure. Her siblings also searched for him, all except Hepte who took care of the village. In return he organised searches and always asked all visiting groups if they had seen anything that might indicate his whereabouts. At times Dis was asked why it was so important for her to find him and then she answered ´because he is a friend and I wouldn't abandon him.´ I am certain that she would have carried him out of Dol Guldur given half a chance." Gandalf nodded as he had thought so at times as well.
"On one occasion she made her way into southern Mirkwood and in a glade she found an axe covered in what she assumed was Orcblood and also a knife. She cleaned both of them and found that they matched the descriptions that Melian had given of Thráins weapons. She tried to push on but was unable to go any further so she had to go back. She was most worried, Thráin had apparently been able to fight the creatures that were attacking him but they had by the looks of it taken him alive. She wondered why they would do that but found it to be a hopeful sign. If he was still living they had a chance to rescue him. She sent three of her children via Rivendell to Bree where they met Thórin in The Prancing Pony. He was on a trading journey at the time and he was happy to be given them even if he also was worried.
Finally she came to Esgaroth where the people were fighting a fever. Dis and her children were able to treat those who were ill and as the healers of the city were among those who had come down with the fever she was persuaded to remain in Esgaroth. She finally agreed to do that but when she was gathering plants she was always looking for Thráin. The task, and the hunt, was passed on from one generation to the next until it had come to my maternal grandmother Aredhel along with the heirlooms of my mother line. She told my mother and me that the Folk of Durin would return to Erebor, ´then Smaug will be slain and Dale and Erebor restored. That was the reason why my mother and all my aunts remained in Esgaroth, to ensure that there would be healers in the city even after my mother, my siblings, my eldest aunt, her children and I had moved to Dale. Aredhel used to tell me ´the arrival of the Dwarves will be a death knell for Smaug but he will not leave in a peaceful manner. I fear that he will bring death and destruction in his leaving, as he did in his coming. That day you will have to decide which people your heart belongs to and whom you will aid. I could never imagine the price I would have to pay or the pinch I would be put in. But I couldn't act in any other manner." Bard made the suggestion that they would reconvene in the Inn the following day in order to hear the remainder of the story and everyone agreed with him. They had heard many things that they needed to consider but the children were awed by what they now knew about their "uncles". They looked forward to the following morning, when more would be revealed to them.
TBC