Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from Jenna and Esme; everything else is belonging to Tolkien or Jackson.
A/N: Thank you all so much for continuing to read my story :) Just a couple of notes about this chapter. Firstly, I have no idea how to speak Khuzdul so I used an online generator, I put the translations at the end but they may or may not be correct, I really don't know. Secondly, up until now I have followed the plot of the films but from this chapter onward it will be a mix of the film and the book. Thirdly thank you for the follows, favs and reviews, they make me so happy :) As usual all grammar and punctuation mistakes are my own but I will have a beta from next chapter on thanks to DreamingGalaxies yay! Hope you all enjoy the new chapter. Thank you VanyV for your review I couldn't reply to you but I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter :)
Leaving Rivendell
Jenna's POV
After finishing her breakfast Jenna took a stroll around Rivendell. In the short few days she'd been here she had gotten to know the place rather well. It was amazing how much exploring you could fit into one day when you didn't have the distractions of mobile phones or the internet. On the second day here she found the library. It was unlike any she had seen before, it held thousands upon thousands of books and scrolls and ever the bookworm, Jenna had fallen in love with it immediately. Seeing as Esme had abandoned her in favour of her walk with Dwalin she had decided she may as well make her way there now and hopefully she'd be able to find a book to get lost in for the rest of the morning. As she walked past Lord Elrond's study however, the sound of his voice coming from inside caught her attention.
"This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, it means Goblin-cleaver. It is a famous blade, forged in ancient Gondolin. This, Gandalf, is Glamdring, Foe-hammer, once the blade of the King of Gondolin. They were forged by the High Elves of the West for the Goblin-wars. May they serve you well."
Thorin's voice could be heard then echoing around the large room inside. "I will be honoured to carry such a blade; with luck it may cleave goblins again one day."
"That wish will be granted soon enough on the mountain paths I'm sure." said Lord Elrond. "Show me now this map of yours."
Jenna knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, her mother would certainly have caught her by the ear and dragged her away if she could see her now, but she loved maps almost as much as she loved books and she found herself creeping forward towards the closed study door.
"What's this? Moon-runes! Right here beside the plain runes. They can only be seen by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day when they were written. It seems these were written on a midsummer's eve in a crescent moon, a long time ago." Lord Elrond himself sounded in awe of his discovery.
"Can you read them?" Asked Thorin; failing to fully hide the excitement from his voice.
There was silence for a moment and Jenna found herself pressing her ear against the door to see if she could better hear the conversation inside.
"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole. What is Durin's Day?" queried Elrond.
Jenna listened as Thorin explained that Durin's Day was the first day of the dwarves New Year; the first day of the last moon of autumn. The dwarf was excited to hear this news and spoke about hopefully having the time to reach Erebor by the end of autumn.
"Is there any more writing?" asked Gandalf.
Lord Elrond sighed. "There are none that can be seen by this moon. I would offer you my counsel however if you would hear it? I do not think it would be wise to enter that mountain Thorin. It would do you well to reconsider this quest."
Jenna heard a chair scrape against the floor as someone stood inside the room.
"While I thank you for your counsel and your help, I will not be swayed by it. That mountain and the gold that lies within it is my birth right and I intend to reclaim it at whatever cost." said Thorin.
Sighing heavily again Lord Elrond gave in. "Very well, the choice is yours, though I fear the cost will be higher than you think. In any case, stay at least until morning, the midsummer's eve festivities are being held down by the water, you can enjoy them and I will ensure there are adequate provisions prepared for you to continue on your journey in the morning."
Jenna heard Thorin and Gandalf offering their thanks and realised belatedly that they were already heading towards the door. She didn't have time to hide and didn't want them to know that she had heard the entire conversation so she did the only thing she could think of in the moment and knocked on the door before they opened it, feigning surprise when it was answered only seconds later by Gandalf.
"Oh my apologies, I was just looking for you Lord Elrond, I didn't realise you had company." Jenna lied flawlessly, smiling apologetically at the three males.
Thorin huffed and stormed past her. That was nothing new though, as far as she could make out that was the only way the dwarf knew how to behave. Gandalf gave her a knowing smile before bidding Lord Elrond goodbye and following the grumpy dwarf down the corridor. Lord Elrond smiled at her too and beckoned her into the room.
"So what was it that you wanted to speak to me about? Or was that simply an excuse so they wouldn't realise you were listening at the door the entire time?" Lord Elrond said raising an eyebrow and trying to hide a smile.
Jenna looked down at her feet in embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just heard you talking about a map and I like them a lot." She shuffled nervously on the spot before asking, "Can I ask you something though?" The elf nodded. "Why do you think it wouldn't be wise for them to enter the mountain?"
Lord Elrond smiled kindly before asking her to take a seat at his desk. He sat across from her and for now he simply observed her without speaking. She couldn't help but feel like she was a naughty student who had been sent to the principal's office for a scolding. Eventually the elf sighed heavily and looked away from her and out through the study window.
"I don't approve of the love dwarves have for gold. It can grow to be a terrible sickness. In fact, Durin's line has been fraught with it. I remember well the fall of Erebor and the beautiful city of Dale, it was Thorin's grandfather's gold-sickness that led to the dragon coming and the destruction it wrought upon them. If there is any chance that the dragon Smaug still lives then I would not wish for anyone to enter that mountain but also I worry for Thorin. Durin's blood flows in his veins, he may well fall prey to the same sickness as his grandfather."
Jenna's jaw dropped. A dragon? Was he really serious? There weren't real live dragons in this world, were there? If there were then surely the dwarves would have more sense than to go seeking them out! Without doubt Esme would have more sense than to follow them. Did she know about the dragon? Surely Esme wouldn't be that reckless.
Lord Elrond stood and placed a hand on Jenna's shoulder. "You and your friend are welcome to stay here where it is safe. In fact, I would advise it."
Jenna simply nodded; she didn't really know what else to say. Standing from her chair she thanked Lord Elrond and made her way out of the study to search for Esme. She didn't think it would be hard to convince her to stay once she heard of the dragon but she hated having to tell her friend that the dwarf she had fallen for was leaving on a journey that would most certainly result in his death.
Esme's POV
Esme was over the moon as she made her way back to Jenna's room. She couldn't wait to tell her friend about her kiss with Dwalin. If it weren't for the fact her lips still tingled from his touch she would have wondered if it really happened at all. It was like something out of a dream. Esme had never really believed that the warrior would feel the same about her as she did for him. He had surprised her greatly and Esme couldn't have been happier. Rounding the last corner she came face to face with Jenna who was coming in the opposite direction.
"Oh Jen! I was just looking for you; you'll never believe what just happened! He kissed me!" Esme squealed with excitement.
Esme couldn't stop herself from jumping up and down animatedly as she told her friend her news. She wasn't sure how she had been expecting Jenna to react but she had hoped her friend would be happy, maybe even excited for her. Instead she had paled and looked at her oddly, like someone who didn't want to burst the other person's bubble.
"What's wrong? Has something happened Jen?"
Jenna didn't say anything but instead she pulled Esme down the rest of the corridor and into her room. As soon as the door closed behind them she started to speak rapidly as she paced up and down the room. "Ez, I think you may need to sit down for this. I hate to be the one to put a damper on your happy mood and all I really do and I'm happy for you honestly I am but I just found out that there are real live dragons in this world! REAL LIVE DRAGONS! And the dwarves... they... well they're going to go and wake one or something! That's what this quest of theirs is about! They're insane! I'm so sorry to have to be the one to tell you Ez."
Esme took a deep breath, she knew what she was about to say wasn't going to sit well with Jenna. "I know Jen."
Jenna stopped pacing and looked at her incredulously. "You what!? You know that there are real live dragons here and that they're on their way to wake one? But Ez you agreed to go with them! Why would you agree to go if you knew there was a real, live, fire-breathing, people-eating DRAGON waiting for you at the end of it!?"
Esme looked down at her hands, her reply a quiet whisper. "My mother..."
At that Jenna snapped. "Esme enough! I'm so sick of this. You're letting your guilt cloud your judgement. None of it was your fault! You're being beyond foolish right now!"
At her friend's words Esme felt her resolve harden. "I'm NOT being foolish! I'm leaving with them tomorrow morning whether you like it or not!"
"It's because of him isn't it!? That's why you're following them! Don't throw away your life so easily Ez! I know you care for him but it might not even last. You don't even know him!"
Esme didn't want to admit to her friend that part of her did want to leave with the dwarves because of her feelings for Dwalin. She knew Jenna would think her stupid and childish for rushing in too fast. Instead she made her way over to the door and turned the handle, looking back over her shoulder at her childhood friend.
"I'm leaving in the morning. Don't worry; I don't expect you to come with me!"
Shutting the door behind her as she left, she let the tears she had been holding back finally escape. She had been so excited to find Jenna again when they arrived in Rivendell but now it seemed she had lost her friend forever. Wiping her tears in the sleeves of her dress, she made her way away from the room and back to the balcony where the dwarves had been sleeping for the few days they were in Rivendell. At least she still had Dwalin she reasoned with herself.
In her distressed state, she failed to notice she was being watched. Thorin had been standing in the shadows listening to everything.
Dwalin's POV
Dwalin still couldn't believe his luck. The lass hadn't recoiled from him as he had expected her to; in fact she had wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her in for the second kiss. When they finally parted she had smiled beautifully at him and he had felt like the luckiest dwarf in Middle-Earth. They had spent about an hour together in the gardens just enjoying each other's company and then she had walked back to the balcony with him before leaving to find Jenna and promising to meet him back here for dinner. He had been beaming ever since.
"Dwalin?"
Dwalin looked up at Kili as the young dwarf called him. "Aye?"
"What's happened to your face?" the younger dwarf asked in confusion.
"My face?" Dwalin asked. "What's wrong with my face?"
"Your mouth is upside down! Either that or you're smiling and I'm sure you've never done that before so it must just be upside down." Kili began laughing at his silly joke as Dwalin rolled his eyes at him.
"You're an idiot!"
Dwalin's response was simply greeted by more laughing from Kili, the youngest Durin not in the slightest bit bothered by the death glare he had now fixed him with. Balin chuckled softly from his spot on the other side of the balcony.
"He has a point brother. Not very often we're graced with one of your smiles. It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain young lass now would it?" Balin said, eyeing his brother knowingly.
Dwalin stood up in a huff. The last thing he needed was his brother starting the whole "I told you so." speech he was so fond of making. As he made his way away from the balcony he could hear money bags changing hands.
"Come on Nori, pay up!" Gloin shouted. "You said they wouldn't get it together this side of the Misty Mountains."
Nori laughed at that. "True, I thought the lass would have more sense."
Dwalin shook his head fondly at his friends' antics. Any other time it would have annoyed him but he was too happy right now for anything to bother him, or so he thought. Just as he rounded the corner, he came face to face with Esme. He was just about to smile at her when he noticed that her face was red and her eyes were swollen and puffy, her cheeks were streaked with tears.
"What's happened amrâlimê?" he asked as he took her into his arms.
She clung to him tightly as she tried to regain her composure. Dwalin ran his hands up and down her back hoping it would be enough to comfort her. He hated seeing her like this. Something must have happened to upset her but he had no idea what. If someone had hurt her then they would have him to deal with.
"Mizimel? Please tell me what the matter is."
Esme pulled back slightly and looked at him sadly. "Jenna and I had a fight. She's not coming with us."
Dwalin pulled her back into his embrace. He knew how excited she had been to find her friend again and could understand how upsetting this news would be to her. Thorin had already made it clear that Jenna wouldn't be travelling with them even if she had wished to anyway but Esme did not know this and he wasn't going to be the one to tell her. Instead he did the only thing he could do, he held her tight until she had stopped crying and then carried her back to the balcony where he had left his bedroll. The other dwarves had gone down to the Midsummer's Eve celebrations so they were alone for now. Laying her down, Dwalin lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer to him.
"Hurun ganat amrâlimê." He whispered as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.
The sun rose early the next morning and the dwarves were already packed and waiting to leave. Esme had changed back into her travelling clothes and though Dwalin would miss seeing how pretty she looked in her dress, he had to admit that the clothes Dori had arranged for her were far more practical for travelling in the wild. He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Turning to him she smiled widely at him.
"How are you feeling this morning amrâlimê?" he asked.
She tilted her head to the side as she looked at him. "I'm alright. What does that mean? That word; you said it last night too."
Smiling he took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss on the back of it. "You must start to learn our language. You are part dwarf, you should know a little at least."
She rolled her eyes at him. "That didn't exactly answer my question you know!"
Dwalin simply smiled in response, walking over to the packs to double check that they had everything they needed for the rest of their journey. The Misty Mountains would be difficult to travel through, they were fraught with danger and it wouldn't do to be unprepared. Esme followed him over to where he stood by the packs.
"When will we be leaving?" she enquired.
"Thorin said sunrise." He grunted in reply, straightening up suddenly from the pack he had been inspecting to look around the balcony. "Where is Thorin?"
Jenna's POV
Jenna sat on her bed glaring angrily at the opposite wall, she couldn't recall a time when she had felt angrier. How could Esme be so careless with her own life? She couldn't pretend to know what it felt like to have your mother disappear right in front of you at a young age but Cadence hadn't really been a great mother to begin with had she? Esme had always blamed herself of course but how much of a risk was she willing to take to find her again? Had she simply forgotten what her mother was really like? Was it even about Cadence anymore for her, or had it more to do with that brute of a dwarf? How her friend could even contemplate following him on this mad man's endeavour was beyond her. A hard knock on the door snapped her out of her unhappy musings. Perhaps Esme had seen sense and changed her mind. Swinging her legs off the bed, she made her way over to the door and opened it. Of all the people she had been expecting it certainly hadn't been Thorin.
"Oh. Hi." She said in way of greeting.
"May I come in?" The dwarf asked politely.
Jenna really wasn't sure what the dwarf could possibly want with her but she stood aside nonetheless and allowed him entry. "Is there something I can help you with Master dwarf?"
He looked her up and down and then walked slightly further into the room. "I have to confess to eavesdropping I'm afraid." He admitted sheepishly. Jenna wasn't really sure what he was talking about so she remained silent and allowed him to finish. "I was taking a stroll yesterday when I heard raised voices coming from your room. I thought perhaps there was something wrong so I stopped to see if I could be of assistance. I overheard your conversation with Esmeralda."
Jenna thought about shouting at the dwarf for eavesdropping though given her own actions the previous day she really couldn't judge. "Right." She really wasn't sure what else to say to the dwarf. "If you're expecting me to apologise for saying you lot are insane to be going on this adventure then you have another thing coming!"
Thorin actually grinned at that. "Seeking an apology was never my intention."
Jenna crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the dwarf. "Ok, if you don't want an apology then what do you want exactly?"
Thorin sighed and sat down on the armchair beside the bed leaving the pack he was carrying down on the floor beside him. "When I heard you argue with Esmeralda, I realised that you care deeply for her in much the same way that I care for Dwalin. I misspoke the other night when I said she was like Cadence. I simply didn't want my friend to get hurt. I realise now that you don't want your friend to get hurt either. I came here to assure you that we will do everything in our power to keep Esmeralda safe. As dwarves we hold women in high regard and would do anything to protect them."
Jenna scoffed at that. "And can you protect her from a dragon!?"
Thorin stood from the chair and walked over to her placing his hand over his heart. "I promise you I will not put Esmeralda in danger if I can help it. I plan to take her to her father as I promised I would. Once we reach Laketown I will arrange for an envoy from the Iron Hills to come and take her the rest of the way. I give you my word, Esmeralda will not be anywhere near Erebor."
Thorin sounded so sincere that she couldn't help but soften. While she still thought the dwarves were crazy she felt relieved to hear that Esme wouldn't be going to that mountain. Not that it made it any easier to let her go. Thinking of Lord Elrond's words earlier about the gold-sickness however made her worry for Thorin and the other dwarves. She didn't know them well but she didn't want to see anything bad happen to them either if it could be avoided.
"Thorin, why are you doing this? It's madness. Can't you just walk away?"
"No I can't, but it's not something you would understand I'm afraid Miss Jenna." Thorin bowed his head to her then and walked towards the door to leave.
"You forgot your pack." She pointed out as he was turning the handle.
Thorin didn't look back at her as he spoke. "That's not my pack, it's yours. You are welcome to come with us if you wish to travel to the Iron Hills with Esmeralda. The choice is yours, though you'll have to change quickly if you are coming with us, we're leaving in ten minutes and you can't travel the wilds in a dress."
With that he walked out and closed the door behind him without waiting for a reply.
Esme's POV
The dwarves had just started to get restless when Thorin reappeared. They immediately shouldered their packs and Esme followed their example and prepared to leave. She couldn't pretend that she wasn't disappointed that Jenna hadn't come to say goodbye. They had been childhood friends, best friends, and the thought of leaving things the way they had the night before really upset her. She found herself wishing she had gone back to the room last night and at least tried to patch things up so they could have parted as friends. There was no time to go and find Jenna now however as Thorin seemed to be in a hurry to get going.
"Come on, let's go. I want to cover as much distance as possible before sunset; we'll make for the Misty Mountains. You know the paths better than I do in these parts Balin, you can lead the company for now." Thorin shouted.
With that they made their way from the balcony they had been sleeping on back down to the bridge they had arrived at just a few days previous. Lord Elrond and some of the elves Esme had come to recognise during their stay were waiting for them when they descended the stairs into the courtyard. They bade them farewell and wished them a safe journey. Esme sighed as she looked back towards the stairs once more then turned and followed the dwarves over the bridge. They were halfway across when she heard a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Esme turned so quickly she stumbled and would have fallen over the edge of the bridge if it weren't for Dwalin's quick reflexes. He steadied her and she watched in shock as Jenna approached the bridge and spoke quietly with Lord Elrond before making her way towards the waiting group. The elf didn't seem too happy about whatever was said but he waved goodbye to them all the same before turning and making his way back inside the beautiful house.
"Glad you decided to join us Miss Jenna. Balin, lead on." Thorin smiled briefly at Jenna and then continued across the bridge.
Once they reached the other side, Jenna fell into step beside Esme. She made no attempt to speak to her however and they walked for some time in silence before Esme eventually decided to break it.
"I'm glad you came." She admitted.
Jenna glanced sideways at her and rolled her eyes. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't? You're all I have in this world Ez."
Esme smiled at her friend. "I know. Hey Jenna? What were you talking to Lord Elrond about?"
They had reached the top of the valley now and Jenna turned to look back down at the last homely house. "He didn't want me to leave. But I told him you have to stick with family and in this world I guess you guys are my family."
With that they turned away from the view of the valley and followed Balin as he led the way. Esme observed them all for a moment as they walked along. The dwarves were in good spirits, laughing and joking as they went along, Gandalf with his ridiculous looking hat was strolling along taking no notice of any of them with poor Bilbo running along behind all of them huffing and puffing while he tried his best to keep up with the fast pace the dwarves had set.
"Hey Jen?" Jenna looked at her questioningly when her friend called her. "I don't know about you but I think we have to be the most messed up family I have ever seen!"
TBC
Translations:
Amrâlimê - my love
Mizimel - jewel of all jewels
Hurun ganat amrâlimê - rest well my love