Absolutely terrible that it took me so long to bring this to an official close. I apologize for that and hope that you have enjoyed. If you would like to read more about Alyse, or even Tirnel, feel free to let me know. If there is enough interest, I could be fueled to write something. Until then, cheers and take care!
"Who will raise the child? Do you think King Tranduil?"
Katun raised her head at Tilda's question as it was whispered to her brother and sister.
They sat side-by-side at a massive feasting table in one of the tents erected in the valley outside of Erebor. There were hundreds matching this one, each one filled to overflowing with men, dwarves, elves, and others, all come to pay their respects to a fallen king. It had been nearly a full month now of funeral ceremonies in total, and Katun selfishly hoped to whatever gods listened that no one else important died for a great while yet. She knew this was terribly selfish and unkind of her, and yet, she couldn't help but think of the list of things they still needed to do to restore Dale and resume life. Katun gave a sigh, moving her gaze among the siblings to gage their response.
First, it had been Jaq, the Marine captain who had first fallen into the world, whose disappearance had ushered Katun's own. The woman had slipped into death in her sleep only a few hours after delivering Tirnel, her half-elven child, into the waiting hands of her adopted elven kin, Lasdir. Katun never remembered Jaq fully, nor could she recall Jaq's lover, Thirischon, but that did not lessen the grief Katun felt when Jaq finally succumbed to the wounds dealt her in the Battle of the Five Armies. Jaq's death represented to Katun the finality of closure to her old life, the one she still could not remember. And it seemed, based on how she also responded to Jaq's death, that Alyse felt much the same.
On the tail end of the ceremonies celebrating Jaq's deeds in the realm, Thrain joined his ancestors in the dwarven halls of their afterlife and they filled the valley between Dale and Erebor to the brim with dwarves and elves alike. Today marked the final day of formal ceremonies and on the morrow the valley would finally begin to drain of many of its occupants. They sat now at one of the last feasts where all would be drawn together in the name of Thrain, King Under the Mountain.
"I don't think that is a question we should ask them." Bard's voice was equally low when he whispered down the line to his daughter. "Neither the king, nor the kin, would welcome such questions from the likes of us."
Katun looked askance at her husband, Bard. They'd been married in a simple ceremony with only the children, Alyse, and a few others present a few days after the final battle. When Alyse had asked Katun if she'd heard singing in the air or bells ringing whenever Bard's passion overwhelmed her, Katun had been unable to answer. Theirs was a quiet love, a consistent love, and apparently a love that made no sense to Alyse although she'd been in full support of the union. While there had never been given a proper honeymoon, the days since their nuptials were with such warmth and affection that Katun now could barely remember what it was like to wake up alone. Bard was affectionate, patient, considerate, and supportive. Exactly what she'd always wanted, even in the life she couldn't remember.
Tilda shrugged at her father's words, filling her mouth with more food instead of voicing another borderline inappropriate question. Reaching beneath the table, Katun squeezed Bard's hand with her own and felt him lightly bump against her shoulder. They were equally curious about this strange child, born from the love shared between a human and an elf. Lasdir, a member of King Thranduil's kingdom, was the closest kin to Thirischon and had known Jaq the best amongst the elves. It seemed logical that he would assume guardianship. However, curiously enough, Lasdir had been seen speaking with Beorn the skin changer, and the old man Katun now knew to be Gandalf the Grey Wizard. They didn't know yet if it meant anything, and none of them, aside from Tilda, were inclined to voice out their curiosity.
"Hello all," Alyse suddenly drew close, dropping one hand on Bard's shoulder and the other on Katun's.
It wasn't as odd seeing her garbed in traditional dwarven noblewoman clothing as Katun might have once thought it to be. The odd woman had carved out quite a life among the dwarves, once acting as a kind of advisor to the old king Thrain and now existing in a grey area with the newly appointed king, Thorin. Even for those like Bard and Katun, who had been shy about admitting to their attraction and had taken quite some time to do anything about it, there was obvious romantic friction between the fiery woman and the dwarf king. What that friction would lead to was anyone's guess, but it was there, as palpable as Smaug's fire had once been.
"Will you come to the halls tonight for the final ceremony?" The way Alyse voiced the question had Katun guessing the human woman wanted a little company while participating in a culture foreign in nearly every way to her own.
Bain nodded towards Sigrid before he answered Alyse, "Fili already invited some of us, so if you're here to invite the rest of us…" He let his words die out over the table, both Tilda and Sigrid glaring at him while Bard and Katun did their very best to keep neutral expressions.
Bard was not blind to the fair-haired dwarf's interest in Sigrid, nor was he unaware of his daughter's growing attraction and interest in the dwarf. It was only by Katun's even-measured advice and insight that Bard found himself accepting of the concept of a potential union between the two. The concept bothered neither Bain nor Tilda, and while both enjoyed teasing their sister, this was the first time any of them had hinted at the relationship with a non-family member.
"Oh?" Alyse tipped her head to the side, and after shooting a calculating gaze between Katun and Bard, she feigned an innocent smile to Bain. "Well then, consider yourself all invited. While Sigrid may join Fili at his uncle's side," Alyse's eyes moved down the length of the massive tent, an almost smile touching the corners of her lips when she spotted Thorin talking with a few visiting relatives, "I will stand with the rest of you." She quickly returned her attention to the table's occupants and gave them a beaming smile, more akin to the confident one Katun so often associated with her.
"Thank you. We will be there." Bard gave Alyse a formal nod, and Katun felt his body relax at her side when Alyse finally walked away. She knew he held no ill will towards the woman, but Alyse did have a way of making nearly anyone tense up for fear of what might lurk in her mind, ready to spring into action through barbed words or quick movements.
"And you," Bard gave Bain a stern look, "should mind your tongue."
Bain had the wisdom to look apologetic before tucking back into his meal. Katun again squeezed Bard's hand, smiling to herself and feeling her heart warm when he returned the affection. With each morning that she awoke next to her husband, Katun remembered less and less of the strange machines or faces of the life she'd lived on the "other side," as Alyse described it. Where this had once given Katun anxiety, it now helped her feel more at peace with the life she had laid out before her in Dale. She had a loving husband, three beautiful step-children, and Katun hoped one day she could welcome another child, one of her own, into their home. But for now, Katun was content. Smiling at Bard before taking a sip of the spiced wine, Katun sensed his contentment as well. Though they had been brought together through confusion and warfare, they had come through as one and at peace.