Thorin woke up hearing a knock on their door early on the fourth morning since their marriage. At first he thought he had imagined it, but it came again and before he could even think, the door had gently opened and someone had stepped in softly. He groaned and then looking at his bride laying fully nude in his arms, he rapidly pulled the furs up to cover her body and rolled over gently so as not to wake her. Thankfully whatever emergency had prompted this intrusion, they had nominated Balin to take action.
"I am so sorry about this laddie, but you really need to get dressed and come to the Great Gates as soon as possible." Balin wore a sincerely apologetic expression.
'Quiet – she sleeps' Thorin signed and nodded. 'Wait in the parlour – will get dressed.'
Then he gently wrapped her in blankets to keep her warm as the hearth had died, leaving only embers, and moved to sit on the edge of the bed before signalling again to Balin.
'What is the great problem?'
'You need to see – or you would not believe me.' Balin signalled, looking away; while he would happily catch an eyeful of Shobha first thing in the morning, the sight of Thorin with all his morning vitality was more than even Balin with his stoicism could handle.
As Thorin moved towards his wardrobe as silently as he could, Balin quietly disappeared into their parlour. Given that they had not dressed at all in four days now, he had almost completely forgotten where his clothes were.
He emerged dressed from their wardrobe, and Shobha had stirred sitting up in bed holding the fur he had placed over her to cover herself.
"Thorin…?" She blinked sleepily. "Is everything ok?"
He walked over to her and smiled sitting on the edge of the bed, hushing her with kisses.
"Go back to bed for a bit – I have to see to something quickly, Amralime." He kissed her and leant her back down in bed.
"No Thorin – is it something urgent? Are we under attack?"
"Not at all – my beauty. Please, rest a little longer." He kissed her again, stroking her hair. In truth he felt slightly guilty as he had lost control in the throes of passion and used her body more roughly than he liked when they last made love. He had hoped to make up for it that morning after she was better rested until they were interrupted. So he pleaded with her to rest a bit more. "I promise I will be back before you know it. Please my love, sleep a bit longer..."
Once he had soothed her back to bed, he quickly joined Balin as they walked to the gates of Erebor.
Thorin was flanked by several of his personal guard, and they emerged into the crisp morning air in the blinding early morning sunshine. He had completely lost track of time in their chambers. And now his time with her seemed like a blissful dream. He blinked and held his hand over his eyes to shield some of the sun out.
Before him stood a vast group of dwarves, possibly around two-hundred strong, dressed in dark clothing, with olive skin and jet-black hair. As soon as his guard moved aside, standing alert, the entire group came to kneel before him in one swift movement. He stepped forward, flanked by Fili, Dwalin and Balin, and took a better look.
These dwarves looked particularly ferocious, they were heavily armed but only wore partial armour and mail. And they were covered in jewellery, piercings and tattoos.
Balin was right when he had said that Thorin would not have believed it, if he had explained it – he could not believe his own eyes: They were the lost clan of Blacklocks or at least what was left of King Var's people.
Then a large dwarrow at the front of the group called out.
"Hail King Thorin! I am Draeg son of Oreg, one of the former lords to King Var, of the Blacklock Clan. We travel here from the Eastern Mountains of Orocarni, having escaped a great evil to save our young and dams." He remained kneeling low as he spoke, along with the rest of his clan.
"Stand Draeg, and step forth." Thorin commanded. And while the broad dwarf stood, the rest remained kneeling, so he addressed them all. "I thank you all for your reverence, now stand."
It was a long distance from the eastern kingdom. Thorin wondered what had driven them all this way.
Draeg took several steps closer tentatively, before his guards called him to halt, where he stopped and looked up at the King under the Mountain. His eyes were dark, and his hair shaggy, even unkempt. He bore a large scar across his face which ran from his forehead across his left eye and down to his cheek from a clearly vicious attack. It was recent. He had been lucky to have kept the use of his eye.
"Speak Draeg." Thorin commanded.
"Oh great King, we have heard of your great accomplishments in reclaiming your Kingdom. But also we have heard that you have since taken an Easterling bride, and united the remaining clans under your name." He knelt again in respect. "After hearing of your great success – it gave us the courage to escape the evil and terrifying sorceress of the East, led by King Var, who died for our freedom and that of Princess Vara, his daughter – although some of our clan still remain trapped within Orocarni under the great witch's guile and there is no helping them."
He paused for a while and then continued, when he was happy that Thorin wishes him to go on.
"We were travelling here to honour our ties to your Kingdom, as from the time of our very own Princess Raena, given in marriage to the great King Thror. And we wished to seek asylum for our Princess, and settlement with any who will employ our services… but we were ambushed."
He then stood and stepped forward producing a note written in Khuzdul, which he held out, as Thorin's guard blocked the heavily armed dwarf stepping forward. Instead one of the guards took the note and handed it to Thorin, which he studied carefully. The note was intended for Var. He read the khuzdul:
We have your daughter, scum.
We ask for your surrender and services as an army.
If you do not comply, the last of your royal blood line will be sold into slavery as a common whore.
Present yourselves before the Misty Mountains no later than 10 days.
He turned the note over and found black speech scrawled on the back – and worst of all that it was written on some sort of skin! Thorin, did not recoil, even though his gut lurched, instead passing the note to Balin, who studied it closely. While Thorin understood black speech, he could not read it, where as Balin had studied it better. The old dwarf took the note in his hand with some disgust, the skin was clearly not animal in origin, but he nodded in confirmation.
"It is the debased form of Barad-dur." Balin reported.
"How did your King die?" Thorin asked.
"He was struck by a group of our own clansmen and fell with many of our guard as we fought our way to freedom. We had no place to even afford him the respectful burial that he deserved, and our Princess guided us to lay him and those soldiers whose bodies we were able to carry with us to safety in a nearby cave in the mountain range. We did not even have time to mourn, as if we had remained for any longer on the mountains our younglings would have perished." Draeg continued.
"How many young did you travel with?" Thorin asked.
"We had twenty five young. Three perished on the journey and during the ambush." He looked defeated when he spoked those words, as though he had unforgivably failed to protect his people.
"Are any of your young hurt or sick?" Thorin enquired again looking sharply at the dwarf.
"Aye, my King, we have three children who are injured. We have had no healers for years."
"Fili, collect Oin and ask my sister to go and wake our Queen. We also need to inform Bombur that we have two hundred to feed." Thorin looked at Fili, who nodded and moved quickly.
"Our dams will not trust your healers –"
"My Queen is a most gifted healer. My own people trust her greatly with their own young here in Erebor. The females of your clan can judge for themselves." Thorin continued. "How was your princess captured?"
"We followed the waterways down to the sea of Rhun, and then back up to Greenwood, it was along that journey that we were ambushed by an orc pack with wolves. It was as we were setting up camp. We were mostly distracted, with such a large number preparing for the night, and caught unaware. Many of our seasoned fighters died that night defending our young, it was then that our Princess and several of her noble ladies were taken."
"And how many days ago?"
"This was two weeks ago. And we thought our Princess was killed. But six days ago we found many of the ponies we bought slaughtered overnight. The note was pinned to the head of one of our night watchmen." He looked down ashamed again. "That was the one night I took some rest. We were lucky to have survived with so few casualties then. But I think they did not wish to decimate our numbers further. We believe that they want to form an army using our soldiers or at least take us as slaves. Of course we will never surrender. We have sacrificed our blood and our King in exchange for our freedom. And we will fight to the death for that now."
"I can speak to Lord Dain of the Iron Hills also and between our kingdoms we can find settlement for your people."
"Please, Sire, I beg of you to help us rescue our Princess. As I said our seasoned fighters are mostly lost or injured. And I myself am no skilled soldier, but rather was one of King Var's Lords. I ran his treasury. Of course I can fight as well as any other civilian dwarrow, but not like a strong soldier. And I swore to our King as he breathed his final, that I would protect his daughter. My wife perished in Orocarni and my son was killed when the Orcs attacked. I live only for my daughter's sake, although our people have appointed me their elder and leader." He sighed, and then looking up at Thorin, he suddenly fell to his feet once more, crouching even lower, and the rest of the clan immediately followed.
Thorin turned to realise Shobha had been silently standing to his left with Fili and Dis behind her and Zodar to her side. Dis had done well – she looked very much his Queen even though she had very little time to have dressed. Her love mussed hair had been tamed into a beautiful braid, and she had been dressed in a matching dress to his clothing. No doubt Fili had informed his sister. He took Shobha's right hand in his left, and bowed to her.
"Please stand." Thorin commanded once more.
"Our Queen." Draeg spoke out as he rose.
"My King, I have heard enough. Please might we arrange a medical tent and begin seeing to all straight away? Master Oin is gathering everything we need."
"Would it not be easier to take them in groups to the infirmary directly, my Queen?"
"We would still need to triage who is in need of most urgent review first, and I expect if they were imprisoned in Orocarni, that the young will still have traumatic memories of underground spaces. Is that correct Lord Draeg?" She looked at him with concern. And he immediately nodded.
"How would you know that my Queen?" He looked astounded. "Our young still suffer from nightmares, it took several weeks before they could even sleep under a closed tent."
"I have come across similar things in those who have been injured severely." She continued. "Having their injuries treated in such circumstances will only make matters worse… I would ask from my King that we provide you shelter within Erebor, but I expect it will take time."
"Aye my Queen. None of us would wish to sleep in anything more than a tent at the moment." He could not help but kneel before such a gracious and compassionate Queen, once again, with all his people following. They had experienced horrific treatment at the hands of the Sorceress, and their journey here had at times almost broken him. The kindness she was willing to show was sure to break him to tears.
"Please stand, Lord Draeg."
"Even if you are able to look after our young, that will be enough for me. I will raise an army with who is able amongst our people and return to rescue our Princess." He pleaded once more with Thorin. "We have jewels that we wear, we can trade for weapons and time in the forge to sharpen and repair what we have already."
"How do you know whether she still lives?" Fili stepped forward now. "Forgive me, your Majesty for the interruption."
"It is a just question, my Prince." Thorin nodded. "As my heir said, how can you know this is not a trap?"
"I can not in truth, your highness. But I gave King Var my word, and I must try for the sake of Princess Vara. I do not take this decision lightly for my daughter may become an orphan as a result." Draeg was exhausted. This would be his final venture. If he survived, he only wanted a quiet and peaceful life in which to watch his daughter grown up secure and safe. "She is the last of our royal line, a beautiful, learned Princess of the Blacklock Clan, we can not risk her being sold into slavery or worse."
"I am happy to take some of our soldiers, Uncle." Fili suddenly spoke quietly to Thorin, much to his disapproval. Fili himself was uncertain why he felt so strongly about helping. He had sworn after the last great battle that he would not rush into war without good cause. All he knew was that he absolutely had to save this dam he had never even known existed until an hour previous.
"We will need to discuss this Fili. You are my heir and Crown Prince, there is more at risk than here than may be worth." Thorin grunted at him and then turned to Draeg once more. "Why did you not go to the Iron Hills first?"
"Our old alliance was with Erebor. And my initial intent was to find a King who could provide asylum for our people. I understand if you cannot provide any soldiers to aid in rescuing our Princess, and I understand why. I only require help in provision of weapons and use of your forges. For this we have the finest eastern jewels with which we can pay." He lowered his head.
"Uncle…"
"We will discuss this matter and inform you by evening what help we will offer. In the meantime ask that your people allow my Queen, her guards and healers to look at your people. I will not have her unprotected so I expect all to be unarmed in her presence and her guards will be essential." Thorin commanded finally.
…
The Blacklocks had set up camp in the fields just outside Erebor, the guard had helped them. Some had already gone hunting to bring back meat. They had quickly set up a robust medical tent and Oin had brought a few of his healers to help along with supplies, while Shobha had quickly set to work, speaking with the women and children, who had rapidly come to trust her, even though they treated Oin's healers with mistrust.
Thorin and Dwalin had personally remained to keep her guard, watching on with pride as she had spoken to them in very good Khuzdul, even if it had been fairly formal language although Zodar helped translate some of the Blacklocks' Khuzdul for her as she worked.
Shobha had worked efficiently checking on all the children and then the dams before convincing the dwarrows to also be examined by Oin and his healers, addressing them directly.
Three of the children had developed infections in the wounds they had sustained from the Orcs, and so after much debate with their parents she had convinced them to allow the children to be moved to the infirmary accompanied by one of their parents all the time. She had arranged a separate bay for them, so they could rest without too many interruptions from the others.
They had diligently washed, stitched and dressed every wound. But Shobha had also arranged to keep a record of all the Blacklocks, listing their names and their families, and taking note of what injuries they had. They had all been travelling far too long and sustained too many attacks in addition to what horrific mistreatment they had suffered in their own kingdom, some had begun to trust her revealing their experiences, which Thorin had listen to personally, standing by his wife, while others had kept quiet, still not ready to open up regarding this.
Dis had gone straight to the kitchens to arrange for large amounts of food to be prepared and brought to serve outdoors. And soon Dain and a few of his remaining soldiers that had remained with him, had helped to set up another large dining tent. And had been just as Fili and Kili had arrived with Bombur carrying carts of stew, bread and pies.
Eventually Thorin had gathered Fili, Kili, Balin, Dwalin, Glóin, Bombur, Dain, and several other senior lords as well as many of his company. Dis and Shobha had been the last to join, but he had waited patiently until they had arrived knowing the importance of what they had been achieving.
….
"I have heard of Var. He was Queen Raena's brother's son." Thorin began. "She spoke little of her kin later on in her life. So it was likely that was after the Sorceress enslaved them, and she lost contact. But I am uncertain as to whether this is a trap or a true threat."
"Either way we should go-" Fili did not know why he felt such a strong need to respond to the plight of this Princess Vara. He imagined a dark skinned, raven haired beauty in distress, and could not fight the urge to mount a rescue.
"And do what Fili? Walk into a trap?" Thorin spat. "You are heir to Erebor. Even if we send help, it cannot risk you!"
"You did not hesitate to put me at risk on our quest here." Fili stood angrily, as Dwalin reached up to calm him.
"Sit yerself down. Nothing is decided yet!" Dwalin pulled him back down.
"No that was different. It was to reclaim YOUR own Kingdom, Fili. We have no proof that this woman is even alive –" Thorin tried again with him only to be cut off.
"I am not having either of you tell me what to do!" Fili fumed.
"ENOUGH!" Thorin's deep voice boomed through the room, causing everyone to instantly fall silent. "We have several other important things to decide first for the sake of these poor people who are here now. Who need our help. What is the situation for food Bombur?"
"We have been fortunate in storing ample for the winter, but the snow eased earlier so we have had surplus deliveries, but they are not wasteful, they have been starving for months if not years." Bombur looked on sadly as he replied.
"And physically?" He looked at his wife.
"They are very malnourished – all of them. And have been exposed to terrible living conditions, My King. As for the children, all are also malnourished, even though they have been prioritised for food. There are three children who have terrible infections from being attacked. One has clearly been bitten by an animal likely a warg, but lucky to have not lost the limb. And this child is the youngest of the younglings among them unfortunately, so I am worried. We wont know whether they will make it for a day or so and even then.." Shobha rubbed her forehead in frustration. Thorin watched her closely – he knew how much she took her work to heart. The little ones in particular upset her when they were not well.
"How do we intend to settle them in the long term?" Gloin asked. "We can not afford to house and shelter them forever."
"They want to settle down somewhere. And start working to earn for themselves, Gloin – they are proud people, and didn't even want to accept our food without paying for it." Shobha replied.
"Well someone had to pay for it." One of the Lords, with grey hair and a salt and pepper beard replied quietly from the back of the table. "There are two-hundred. It will be costly."
"We need some workers for our mines and soldiers in the Iron Hills." Dain replied. "We should be able to settle between thirty and forty."
"And the Blue Mountains could use a fair number to continue services there." Dis nodded in agreement.
"We could train more soldiers here too Thorin." Dwalin added. "Certainly we need travelling guards to escort caravans between the Iron Hills, the Blue Mountains and here, without decimating the numbers of our own official guards."
"But to train and arm them will cost enough money. And we have not been mining as much –"
"Surely there is more than enough gold in the treasury." Shobha asked astonished.
"Aye but it is not endless… and we have had a few expenses of late." Another Lord with ginger hair replied as Gloin shot him a warning look.
"We will need to house them nonetheless." Thorin replied ignoring the hint at their wedding and coronation celebrations, which were far more low key than many other celebrations Erebor or the Iron Hills had seen before. "I think we should provide stay for as many as we can afford."
"What about my Zarb fund Balin?" Shobha said. "I was always against it – I expressed as much before all this."
"Shobha, that is there to take care of you in the event that something should happen to me."
"I am quite capable or earning, my King... Perhaps we can consider it an investment in our people." She insisted. "They need our help. We need to refurbish and prepare the final fifty apartments in Erebor anyway. Perhaps even create more? It would provide jobs, and therefore bring in more money in the long term. Some of which can be returned back to your accounts then? Like a long term loan…? What do you think Gloin? I don't know a silly idea maybe..."
Thorin smiled at her. He enjoyed the rare occasions she engaged in politics and state affairs. Although she denied experience or the constitution for it – she certain had better suggestions than those who were seasoned in such matters.
"That is an excellent suggestion my Queen." Thorin agreed. He knew that she would have never needed to spend that money in any case, as he would have provided for her without question. It was only due to some strange sense of independence, which had been a custom in her land afforded to their women, that she had continued to work even after his betrothal. And he often disliked it when she spent her own money, instead of letting him provide for her. "Balin, Gloin – will that work?"
"Aye my King," Gloin nodded, a faint smile twitching his full moustache. "There would be ample there to sustain the work needed ten times over with plenty left, from Shobha's Zarb payment."
"So now that's decided – are you going to join them?" Fili pressed again, receiving a stern look from Dis this time. She had heard how her both her sons had almost lost their lives that day on Ravenhill – and she didn't care for anymore warmongering.
"I do not think it wise for you or Thorin to go, lad." Dwalin began speaking softly.
"I am only asking whether you will all be helping these poor people." Fili asked. "No one will be deciding for me – imagine that was Amad - or Shobha?!"
"But the princess may even be dead –" Balin tried once more.
"Where is your honour all of you?!" Fili stood up again and pushed his chair back behind him. "You know how it felt, when your request for help to reclaim Erebor was turned down by Dain. I will not do the same to these poor people who have suffered enough! And they are not just any dwarves, they are our kin. My great-grandmother's and your grandmother's people!"
Dain looked down at his hands silently, as though he had been slapped hard.
Thorin sat completely still at the head of the table, remaining completely calm despite his nephews behaviour. In fact he had never seen Fili this insistent before, other than when Bard came for help after Smaug had attacked.
"Well if no one has the courage to go – then I will help these people myself." And with that he stormed out of the large meeting room.
Dis stood immediately to follow, but Thorin had already started pursuing the blonde dwarrow. As he walked past he allowed his hand to brush softly across his Queen's shoulders, only to have her grab his hand quickly halting him. She hated the thought, but she knew if anyone could protect Fili, it would be Thorin. And it was clear Fili's mind could not be changed.
"Amralime," he whispered as she stopped him momentarily. She looked up at him silently heart filled with dread at the thought.
"You cant send him alone…" she could tell what he was thinking. He would never send his heir unaided. Just as they had fallen in the battle for Erebor protecting him – he would do the same. He nodded in reply, and then kissing her hand gently, he let her go to follow after his sister's son.
Dis looked at Shobha, mirroring oneanother's worried glances, and took her hand squeezing it gently. She too knew that her son was unlikely to be dissuaded in his decision.
...
Dear All, thank you sooo much for reading so far.
special thank yous to EuropeanCupcake, Shetan20, Twiheart12 and dearreader for your kind reviews and support xx - i am so so very grateful.
Sorry guys but Thorin and Shobha still have a BIG fight coming :(
please please cont to leave comments/thoughts or suggestions, or PM xx
