Title: A tale about friendship, Part 21?

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 21, Meeting in the Hall of Feasts

The following morning Melian first made her rounds in Erebor to make sure that things were going well with the patients under her care and then went to the Inn where the whole group had gathered. The children were eager to hear what their mother would tell them and asked her "What happened then? Please tell us" and Melian answered

"For me it started on the 17th of September. That night I had a very strange dream and I woke from it with a sense of dread and also knowing what I had to do. In this dream I was walking down a dark passage with very little light and I could feel the dread seeping down the walls as if it was some kind of liquid. All doors were locked save one and I entered through it. I saw an old Dwarf lying in that cell, his arms and legs were bent and I felt angry but at the same time relieved. I knew who he was instantly, the description that my mother had my siblings and me recite until we knew it by heart was accurate with the exception of his injured arms and legs. I wrapped a spare cloak around him and lifting him in my arms I was just opening the door when I woke up. That morning I told my parents that I knew where Thráin was, in Dol Guldur, and that I had to go there. Mother was proud of me but father was most angered."

Bard nodded and said, "Your father was furious, he told me that he didn't want you to go. When I asked him why he didn't simply tell you that you couldn't go, he answered ´because she is keeping her promise and there is nothing I can do to stop it, if I do she will face her foremothers wrath.´ I said to him that things might happen that would make the journey unneeded and he said that he hoped so."

Melian said "I heard mother and father argue about it sometimes during the days that followed. I gathered the supplies I would need: food and drink, healing herbs, cloth for dressing wounds and also a cloak in dwarven size. All my preparations were completed on the 22nd but then father told me to stay and go with him to the great feast that was to be held that evening. To my surprise mother agreed with him and she told me that I would need all my strength in order to face the Necromancer. Some mirth and joy would aid me and give me added strength so in the end I went to the feast with them.

We were halfway through the feast when suddenly there was a clamour at the doors. They were opened and what looked like four Dwarves entered the Hall and one of them was shouting ´I am Thórin son of Thráin son of Thrór, King under the Mountain. I have returned´ and both my mother and I felt very happy. Mother put this ring on my hand securing it with a second ring and told me to show it to him, and to ask the questions." She showed the ring to all of them, which made the children feel awed, and Balin smiled. "I was making my way to the doors where they stood when I heard the Raft elves call them ´vagabond Dwarves who have molested our people´ and I said to myself that I didn't believe that to be the truth. I was certain that they were hiding something.

The Master asked if what the Raft elves said was true and Thórin answered ´it is true that we were wrongfully waylaid by the Elvenking and imprisoned without cause.´ I nodded when he continued to say that neither lock nor bar could keep them from returning to their own. The Master looked unsure of what to do but I knew what I should do at least. I showed Thórin the ring and asked him who had given it, to whom it had been given and why it had been given. When he answered the questions I told him how it had been passed down from mother to daughter until it had reached my mother and greeted them. By then I knew that one of them wasn't a Dwarf but I wasn't sure what kindred he belonged to. I mistook the two young Dwarves with him to be his sons which made them giggle but I said to them that they were so alike that I had been sure their kinship was as I said.

In the meanwhile there was a growing clamour both inside and outside the Hall of Feasts, and after a while the Master decided to yield his chair to Thórin and the others were also given seats at the High Table. It was then he told me to bring the remaining Dwarves into Esgaroth and that I was to take them to the main guesthouse near the harbour. While he said this he gave me the key to the house. ´I will do as you say´ I said to him and also told Thórin where the house lay and how to go there. Together with some others I went to where the rafts were moored."

Gandalf looked at Melian and said "I spoke with Bilbo later and he doesn't remember hearing you asking Thórin any questions" but Melian smiled and said

"Considering the din going on inside the Hall I am certain that a hoard of Oliphaunts would have been able to pass unnoticed. The Master had to all but shout to make himself heard" and Bard nodded in agreement.

Balin smiled as he remembered that evening. "You came to us together with some men who were carrying litters in case they were needed which they fortunately weren't, and the first thing you did was to bow and name yourself to us, then you invited us into Esgaroth. That invitation was one I was happy to accept for all of us and with a hand from you or one of the Men we got to our feet and walked to the bridge and into the city. The people who had gathered in the square greeted us with great cheer, we were given food and drink by them and later we were shown the way to the guesthouse where we found good beds. You treated our bump- and thump-marks, which we needed at the time and examined us to make sure that we weren't injured. Looking at the children he added "your mother was very kind to us and she also astonished everyone by being able to get Bombur on his feet alone, something two men hadn't been able to do. By the looks of it she would have been able to carry him into the city at need. Thórin looked stunned when we told him later."

Bard added "when Melian left the Hall she said to the Raft elves that if she saw them closer than three yards from the guesthouse they would be thrown into the prison for the remainder of their stay. They looked quite shocked and asked me if she meant it. ´She does´ I answered ´so don't try anything´. There was also much singing, both inside and outside the Hall, as people sang the old songs about all that would happen when the King under the Mountain returned. It was for that reason the Master had told Melian to care for all of you and although she was visibly seething she took the task. She was told to make sure that you had everything you needed and promised to do so. She said that she was going to the guesthouse to let some of our people in so they could make beds, light fires and open the windows to let in some fresh air. Everyone was happy to see you but I think that Edrahil was the happiest man in Esgaroth because his daughter would remain in the city for a few more days. When he heard about what had happened he was glad that his daughter didn't have to face the Necromancer but also sad because of what he had heard.

TBC