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*A crown doesn't make a King
That's exactly how the next morning found them. Thorin had turned in his sleep and was now facing the remains of the melted statue of his grandfather. There in front of its feet was a black blob, almost invisible from the distance. Yet the sun rays that were passing between the ruins of the gate were enough to cast the shadow of that blob upon the golden floor. Thorin's ears listened to the snoring of his comrades with Dwalin's overpowering everyone else and his eyelids closed once more, but that didn't last long as his half awoken brain was alerted by movement behind him. Someone was walking quietly about, poking around the logs, possibly trying to reignite the remains of the fire pit. Thorin's eyes fell on that dark item which was casting that ominous shadow on the floor and shuddered. Wasn't it too early in the morning to be visited by that particular ghost? He inhaled deeper than usual and felt the pain from his stomach awakening along with him. This was the first night he slept without nightmares and without the pain tearing him apart. Had he known that sleeping amongst his companions would have offered him such peaceful sleep he would have sought them out much sooner.
He pushed with his good arm and came to a seated position. Even though his sleep had been restful and he was deeply grateful that he didn't get riddled with more weird dreams last night, the shadow which was being cast on the golden floor made the usual broodiness return on his face without too much effort. His thick brows came together and his forehead wrinkled. He lifted himself up from the bed with great difficulty and even though the cane would have helped him stand straight much sooner, he denied it. When he turned and looked at it lying next to his bed only derision was visible in his eyes.
He raised his brow loftily and turned his attention to the shadow once more. His heart thumbed in elation when he understood that he was able to walk slightly better than yesterday. He was still visibly limbing and his left arm was wrapped tightly across his stomach, but he was able to do it without the assistance of the cane. One heavy boot clanked on the golden floor with the ever-present traces of his proud military pace and the other dragged behind him trying to offer him what little support it could. Still though he managed to reach the forgotten Raven Crown unassisted.
It was still exactly at the same place he threw it just before going out to battle. No one bothered to pick it up, either because no one wanted to touch his crown or more possibly because no one had noticed it. He kneeled down and grabbed it angrily feeling an insatiable need to spit on the floor for the pain this crown had offered his family all these centuries.
"Thorin?" Bilbo's voice drew him out of his heavy contemplations.
He opened his eyes and sighed deeply. "Good morning my friend."
"Good morning. Do you…do you need any help?" Bilbo approached and his gaze fell on the crown Thorin was holding.
Thorin looked at Bilbo dejected. "Do I look so impossibly weak?" His voice held a tone of disgust towards himself.
Bilbo shook his head vigorously. "No! No...Of course not…" He didn't sound convincing.
Thorin's brow raised slowly and a faded smile appeared on his lips.
Bilbo scratched his head and reciprocated with an uncomfortable smile of his own. "Well, maybe you do look like you need a bit of help. Do you want me to bring over your walking stick?"
Thorin's lips curled down. "No, thank you."
Bilbo pressed his lips and looked at his friend lovingly. "Maybe my arm could assist you then?" He offered his elbow.
Thorin shook his head.
Bilbo licked his lips, feeling troubled by the haunted countenance of the King. "Did you sleep well?"
Thorin's mouth broke into another soft smile and he gazed at Bilbo's eyes. "Yes. I saw such a beautiful dream."
Bilbo frowned. "What was it about?"
Thorin looked at the ruins of the once majestic gates. "There was a large acorn tree next to the entrance, being fed water by the River Running that spewed out of the mouth of the Mountain. It offered its shade generously to the dwarrowdams who washed their clothes at the river shore and strong branches the children could use in order to climb up and have a good view of Ravenhill from its top. Its thick foliage was glistening with the traces of the mist that had fallen over the night as the sun was shining on the leafs."
Bilbo's face lit up. "That was beautiful indeed."
Thorin inhaled gently trying to keep the pain in check. "The oak tree had always been kind of symbolic for me."
Bilbo looked at his hands and nodded. "I know."
Thorin turned his attention to him once more. "Not only did a part of it save my life and protected me for many years, but now one of its children found a home in your pocket."
Bilbo looked up. "My acorn seed, yes."
Thorin's eyes gave off a gentle sparkle which died out quickly. "Do you still have it with you?"
Bilbo eyes grew wide and his hand got buried in one of his pockets. "Yes, I have it...wait" -When that search proved futile his hand dug up his other pocket and suddenly his eyes became void and distant. He licked his lower lip and looked at Thorin's Raven Crown- "You see I thought I had it here before…but…" His fingers traced something invisible, hidden from Thorin's prying eyes.
The King frowned.
Bilbo drew his hand away quickly and then searched the pocket under his lapels. "There see? It was here all along." He said relieved and showed Thorin the seed.
"I suppose you will soon need to leave for home?" Thorin's kind hearted smile touched Bilbo's heart.
He nodded. "I would like to stay in order to nurse you back to health and to make sure you will wear this crown. Then I will go back home. This journey with you changed me as a person, nevertheless I can never belong anywhere else but with my people, in the secure confines of my home. I am a very quiet person at heart."
Thorin tilted his head thoughtfully and his brow filled with lines of worry. "Me too."
Bilbo pointed his finger at him. "That wish doesn't go well with what you are holding."
Thorin offered a dismissive look to the crown and pursed his lips. "Don't you think I know?"
Bilbo frowned. "I wish I could offer some wise words to soothe down the duality I am sensing from you right now."
Thorin's smile uplifted the corners of his beautiful eyes. "I don't require such words out of you my friend, but I want to ask for a favour."
Bilbo nodded eagerly. "Ask me for anything!"
Thorin looked at his pocket wistfully. "Do you still intent to plant the seed in your garden?"
"Yes, unless you changed your mind and you want it for yourself." Bilbo fished out the seed and offered it to him without any seconds thoughts.
Thorin's mouth opened in a ghostly smile. "If I asked you to plant it next to the gates for me in order to offer the next generation a chance to climb on it and have a view of Ravenhill like I saw in my dream would you do it?"
Bilbo's eyes shone bright. "Yes!"
Thorin closed his eyes. "Do it then master Burglar and let me have something to remember you by when you leave. Acorns grow tall and wide, old and wise. They are a symbol of strength and endurance and by Gods I need that now...you have no idea how much..." He sounded so tired that Bilbo felt the instinctive need to support him becoming almost overpowering.
He came over and engaged Thorin's elbow. "Remember what you told me right before the battle? I have this seed and you have this Kingdom. Now you have both."
Thorin's smile faded quickly. He turned his eyes to the crown in his hand and without any warning he tossed it aside. It clanked on the floor and rolled at one of the corridors, out of sight. The last thing they both heard was another clank from a greater distance, indicating that it fell off one of the bridges and ended up down the chaotic architecture of vaults and open areas.
Bilbo looked up at Thorin petrified. "Your crown…"
Thorin dismissed him with an ease that felt worrying. "Who told you that a crown can make a King or that a King has to wear a crown?"
"This was your grandfather's. It's the crown of the King Under the Mountain." Bilbo frowned as Thorin disengaged his arm and began limping towards the entrance.
"It was Thror's crown, you are right." Thorin agreed.
Bilbo followed Thorin quickly with a dark frown staining his face. "'Tis the Crown of the King Under the Mountain? Did you hear that part?"
Thorin cast a quick glance back at him. "That part I shall rewrite master Baggins." He replied mystically and reached the fire.
Bilbo stopped and placed his thumbs on his vest thoughtfully. "Right now you are really making no sense, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt because you have only just risen from the dead." He muttered under his breath.
Eilin was standing there with a wooden scoop in her hand warming up some milk and preparing some eggs for breakfast. When he approached she wiped her hands on her apron and suddenly felt almost too self aware and tried to smooth down her wild hair. "Good morning my Lord."
Thorin seemed to have barely noticed her. He offered her a vague nod and concentrated on the ruined gates once more.
"Shall I serve you breakfast, Sir?" She asked.
He cast his calm gaze on her silently but it remained only for a brief moment, because the raised voices from the gates soon drew his attention away. She turned to the gates with a frown also as some kind of commotion seemed to be taking place there.
"I must talk to him, please!" A beseeching voice echoed.
Thorin walked past Eilin and towards the gates forcing himself to release the tight grip his arm had on his stomach. The sweat from the effort to keep his head up straight was glistening on his forehead, but he walked over to the entrance proudly and seemingly relatively unruffled on the outside whilst inside he was truly being torn apart.
"The King is not available sir. He is still recovering." One of the guards said.
"Yet, he gave orders for hunt and builders to be send to us. I have to talk to him. Tell him that Bard is here. He will see me. Please, it is imperative."
"I will let his advisor know and when he is available we shall send the ravens at Dale. Now go back on your merry way." The guard's patience was clearly running thin.
"On my merry way?" -Bark harked- "Look, I am here now! Cannot you ask if he can see me?" He tried again.
"No…I told you…" -the soldier began, but a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. The soldier turned his head up and when he saw his King he immediately bowed- "Sir!"
Bard's face broke into a hopeful smile, but the moment he saw the solemn countenance of the King hesitation shadowed his eyes. "Thorin..." He said and cleared his throat.
"Bard." Thorin tilted his head in acknowledgement.
"How are you feeling?" Bard's eyes fell on his body, trying to determine were his mortal wound was.
Thorin squeezed his hand on the guard's shoulder, holding onto him more like a crutch than anything else. "I've seen better days."
Bard swallowed heavily and took off his hat quickly. "We mourned your loss for several days before we were informed that you blessedly survived the battle."
Thorin cast his eyes down thoughtfully and a faded smile brightened up his bleak countenance. "I don't know if I should thank you for thinking me dead..."
Bard seemed at a loss for words and rather embarrassed.
"Nevertheless what you did is deeply appreciated." Thorin continued calmly.
Bard's mouth formed an uncertain smile. "I know we didn't start off at a good footing..."
Thorin closed his eyes and shook his head. "I am really not in the best condition to discuss the mishaps of our first meeting."
Bard nodded eagerly. "Forget about it then. I am not here to remind you of our arguments, but of the past."
Thorin's eyes opened and bore sternly in Bard's.
"Dale had always been Erebor's moon city. Your family has not only ruled your people and this amazing golden city, but my town also. You grew up in Dale, Thorin. The stories I've read spoke of how close your people were with mine. Dale always saw your grandfather as it's King and you know that." Bard's voice turned almost imperative as he began talking.
"I know." Thorin's brow darkened, but he kept any guilt about the destruction of Lake Town away from its new mayor. It was one thing to admit his follies to his comrades and another to speak them on the political arena. His father had taught him well on that front.
"You've send us food and builders and we cannot thank you enough for your help in our time of need." Bard continued.
"But...?" Thorin's deep voice turned dour.
Bard pressed his lips quietly.
"There is always a but, isn't there?" Thorin raised his brow knowingly.
Bard averted his eyes and his fingers toyed with the brim of his hat.
"You are here for the gold again..." Thorin felt no need to play around.
"The moral of the people is broken. We've lost so many in Lake Town. I don't want to burden you with guilt…" Bard began.
"You shall not." Thorin assured him with a fiery stare that ruffled Bard's feathers.
"The gold that belonged to the town...the one that Smaug took when he settled in Erebor is the only one we require back only, not a single penny more. Please, Thorin this will uplift the moral of the people. Dale is in complete ruins. Every family is mourning lost members. Women, children even infants. Lake town is lost, we cannot rebuild it. Only in Dale we might have a chance to create our lives again from the start, but we need a spark of ignition. You are a master trader. You know that without money no trade can flourish. We can start rebuilding and yet the town will remain a ghost without the means that will start the trading with you, the Northmen and Mirkwood. I know it's too soon upon your recovery to make such requests, but you reached out to us first. You send us help. That is what prompted me to come find you. When we thought you were dead we mourned for two days and two nights not because we lost the gold, but because we lost our King. Cannot you understand that? I know that right now you can only think of your kin and how to rebuild this golden Kingdom, but the rest of your people are waiting for you to help them too. The people who sheltered and loved you when you were a young boy" -Bard pointed up towards Dale and Thorin's eyes turned to it also- "the same people that trusted you to kill the dragon and bring the Dwarves back in Erebor. Lake Town was growing up with the legends of the Dwarves under the Mountain and the prosperous times of the past with them as protectors. When they saw the Longbeards returning home, hope reignited in their hearts. Don't take the hope away from them, please. I have no personal gain out of this. I didn't even want to be their mayor. Listen, do it for them. Do it for the people whose parents and grandparents lived in Dale when you and your siblings ran carelessly on its roads and they all saw you as their sovereign. Do it for them." -Bard finished with teary eyes- "I beg you."
Thorin raised his brow and leaned most of his weight on the guard who had understood his function up till then and made no move to dislodge his pained King. "Very well dragon slayer. I shall consider your words very carefully."
Bard frowned in disbelief. "What? That's it?"
"It's more than enough for now." Thorin's eyes burned through Bard and no matter their height difference his loftiness easily diminished his interlocutor.
"I thought you would understand. Especially since you almost lost everything yourself." Bard's demeanour took a plunge.
"I understand more than you realise." Thorin rebuked coldly.
"I don't think you do!" Bard made a move towards him. In desperation or in anger no one would be able to tell, because a heavy war hammer fell in front of Thorin and shook the earth in front of Bard's feet.
"That'd be quite enough!" Dwalin thundered. Gloin, Nori, Balin, Dori and Fili came up behind them.
Bard pulled back. "What is all this? I didn't come here to cause trouble. I just wanted to address the man whom my town considers as their King!"
"And you did address him and he told you he will think about your requests!" Dwalin barked.
"Then why do you all come to his defence as if I was about to strike him down? I only wanted to make him understand how dire our situation is!" Bard flared up.
Fili turned to Nori with a commanding voice. "Ready this man's horse and let him ride back to Dale in peace."
Bard looked dejected at Thorin. "Will you send me away without any answers for the men and women that still mourn their lost?"
Thorin sighed deeply. "Ride back with our deepest condolences and let us mourn our own kin without having to discuss gold during these moments of anguish." His tone was austere.
Bard took hold of the reigns when Nori brought his horse. "I thought all this desolation had touched your heart."
Thorin tilted his head up, but he remained haughtily silent.
"It hasn't..." Bard deducted in sadness and pulled himself up.
"Ride well dragon slayer." Balin was the only one who waved and smiled at him.
Bard gave one last sorrowful look at Thorin and rode quickly down the road.
"Well, we came right on time." Dwalin lifted his hammer and emptied it on his shoulder.
"I don't think the Dragon Slayer intended any harm to our King." Balin reasoned with a deep frown.
"This man went through some heavy losses and fought in a bloody war. He could very well be unstable. I was not about to take any risks!" Dwalin raised his brow.
"It wasn't enough for them to have half our hunt and our builders, now they want our gold too! Well, give a man an inch and then he'll ask for a mile!" Nori crossed his arms angrily.
"He was not insolent, brother. Might I also add that their request is not unfair considering what we did to their town." Dori rejoined quietly.
"Oh, come on. If we allow them into Erebor they will take every single penny away." Nori waved him off.
"It is expected to have requests, but not at this moment where we haven't mourned our dead properly." Fili's voice was heavy.
"It is not expected to have any requests. Dale has been destroyed in the past. Expecting us to rebuild it for them and give them gold in order to live in our expense is pure exploitation!" Nori grumbled.
"Speaking in cold blood brother. It doesn't suit you." Balin chastised.
"Speaking out of his pockets as always." Dwalin added.
"Oh shut up!" Nori spat and crossed his arms.
Balin rubbed his face. "What we just did was stop Thorin from negotiating with Dale, which is something that mourning or not must be taken care off."
"Asking for gold when we haven't even buried my brother yet was insolent!" Fili snapped.
"I don't think they know about your brother son and they have their own dead to think off. We are not the only ones who lost people we love." Balin spoke calmly at the young Prince.
Fili crossed his arms and averted his eyes angrily.
"He came here prancing his Dragon Slayer identity, didn't you see it?" Nori pointed at the dust the hooves of Bard's horse were raising in the distance.
"I saw a broken man asking for what belongs to his people, if you want to know the truth." Balin rebuked firmly.
"As long as he keeps his distance from Thorin..." Dwalin warned.
"Adrâb!"* Thorin's heavy voice thundered the command. All his comrades froze and even several soldiers who were carrying bodies for the great pyre, froze in place.
"I am sorry laddie." Balin gazed at the King regretfully.
"Enough!" -Thorin hissed behind a tight jawline. Then he turned to Fili- "Show the diggers how to go up to the secret entrance we used to enter this place, son."
Fili straightened immediately ready to take an order. "And do what?"
"Gather the skeletons that have been laying there for centuries. When they bring them down they are to wait for my inspection before taking them out to the pyre." Thorin said feeling slightly better after taking control of that blame game which almost drove him mad.
"As you wish uncle." Fili bowed and walked away.
Thorin turned to Balin. "You said the convoy from the Iron Hills is to arrive later in the day?"
Balin nodded. "According to my calculations they should be arriving any minute now."
"Welcome them home for me." Thorin pursed his lips.
"Very well." Balin crossed his arms.
"The rest of you go and get some rest." -Thorin closed his eyes- "Apart from you Gloin."
The ginger bearded Dwarf-Lord who had remained religiously silent through all this puffed up proudly. "At your orders Uzbâd."
"Follow me to the treasury." Thorin rejoined and without the need to address anyone else he limped back inside the gates.
Balin approached Dwalin as they observed Thorin thoughtfully. "You almost cut Bard in half back there brother!"
Dwalin frowned deeply. "Ain't no one coming near Thorin as long as I am alive again. Not after what happened at Ravenhill."
Balin cringed and scratched his long beard. "I understand, but in the end we must leave him alone. He must rule and he cannot do that with us babysitting him."
Dwalin's brows crossed while he seethed in silent fury.
Several hours later Thorin emerged from the treasury behind a very purposeful Gloin who walked quickly towards the vaults holding several scrolls. His sister was waiting for him at the antechamber of their grandfather's old office, accompanied as always by her maiden.
"I had to wait all noon!" Dis scolded him.
"Why did you?" He hurled back at her not in any mood for niceties.
"Because I need to talk to you about the arrangements you made for Kili's funeral today." She walked up to him quickly.
He pressed his lips feeling exhausted. "Let the boy get some rest Dis. He's been lying cold and untouched for many days."
Her face broke under the pressure. "I wanted to care for him properly before the burial."
"You have time still. It's going to take place in the evening." Thorin shook his head.
She must have seen the defeat of his body posture, because her expression slowly mellowed. "Have you had anything to eat since you woke up?"
He shook his head.
"Eilin made some chicken porridge that might do you some good. You must give it a try. Girl, bring him over a plate now!" Dis ordered.
Eilin turned eagerly to the door, but Thorin's voice stopped her. "No, I cannot eat."
"You can and you will. Even if it's only a spoonful. Go and do as I told you!" -She commanded the girl once more. Eilin rushed out the door before he could stop her again- "You got out of bed way too soon and without the proper nutrition you don't stand a chance of remaining out of it." His sister's voice held the loving tone of scold she always reserved for him.
"Things need to be taken care of Dis. I cannot lay in bed whilst Erebor runs amok." His face contorted in pain as he sat down on the golden gilded chair of Thror.
"And you need to rest, because Erebor won't stand a chance without you." She raised her brow.
"I was resting all night." He rebuked dismissively.
She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You slept on a straw mattress in the middle of the great antechamber, having the frozen air from the mountain at your back, very clever."
"You sound like mother, bless her soul." He cracked a smile.
"You don't push your luck like this!" -She reprimanded him- "you've been burning up with fever only a few days ago."
"Did miss tell-a-tale, spill the story about last night then?" Thorin raised his brow irritated.
"Don't wise up Thorin. She is just doing her job, which is to keep an eye on you when I cannot and she is doing it to perfection!" Dis' eyes thinned.
"I am almost two hundred years old. I don't need a nanny." He hurled back at her.
She rolled her eyes. "A hundred and ninety six."
"It's one thing to care for me little sis and another to set stooges on me from dusk till dawn." His lips pressed testily and his eyes checked on her shrewdly.
"She does the night shifts alone. She is just loyal like that. That's why I keep her so close to me and you." Dis flicked her shoulders.
"Alright, fine! Now do you need anything else before I can get on with business?" Thorin shook his head as she was trying his patience with all this small talk.
Dis' demeanour broke then. "Please Thorin allow me three days to prepare my son for proper burial. Allow me to honour my boy..." Her eyes filled with tears.
Thorin felt his throat closing down and he swallowed with difficulty. "The boy needs to rest." He said abruptly.
"He fought bravely by your side and he fell for our Kingdom. Allow me to treat him like the hero he truly is." Her eyes filled with pain.
Thorin's gaze fell on her trembling lip and his heart clenched. "Very well. Funeral will be in three days as our customs order. Take good care of him."
Dis run up to him so fast that he didn't have any time to react. She sat on his knees and embraced him with such fervour that Thorin felt his throat and his eyes burning up. "Thank you brother, thank you."
His hand tightened on her back. "I just require one favour from you."
"Tell me anything!" She looked at him eagerly and caressed his hair.
That is when the door opened up and Balin entered. He gave a disinterested look at the siblings and moved to his designated desk. "Am I bothering?"
"No Balin" -Thorin shook his head and his brow clouded. His steady gaze fell back on his sister- "I want you to ask Tauriel for assistance."
Dis' mouth dropped open and she looked at him confused for a few moments. "What?!" -She stood up and flayed her arms- "What in the name of Khazad-dum did you just tell me?"
Balin turned to them discreetly and crossed his arms.
Thorin tilted his head calmly. "You are going to ask politely Tauriel to assist you with Kili's funeral preparations, as much as her customs allow of course."
Dis' lips upturned into a sarcastic smile. "Oh, of course. We must respect her customs whilst you are disrespecting ours! What has gotten into you Thorin? An Elf assisting on a Dwarf-Lord's funeral? This is unheard of! What would our forefathers have thought of this abomination? Thror would have never allowed this to come to pass!"
Thorin's arms crossed and gazed at her patiently. "Thror is not in charge anymore. I am placing this as a request to you, but I'd like to be heeded."
Dis jawline tightened. "You make it sound like a request whilst in reality it is an order. An unfair order!"
"Unfair to whom?" Thorin thrust his chin up.
"To my son!" Dis snapped, her heavy boot stomping with force on the hexagon plated floor.
"I beg to differ…" Thorin replied calmly.
"Unfair to me!" Dis hurled at him furiously.
Thorin sighed. "You wanted to take care of Kili as our customs command and I want to honour his memory in the best possible way."
"Ordering a She-Elf to clean his noble remains and dress him up is not honouring your nephew!" Dis threw at him.
Thorin's brow rose slowly. "I am asking you, not ordering you, to accept the woman he loved as your assistant in this morbid custom."
Balin cringed as Thorin's heavy words feel upon Dis like led.
She lost her footing and caught herself on the elaborate desk. "That woman…she is not a simple emissary from Thranduil is she?"
Thorin shook his head. "No."
Dis' eyes overflowed with fresh tears. "Kili loved her?"
"They loved each other. She fought to the last of her courage to save him during the battle." Thorin's eyes held a tone of warning, but his voice was soft and caring.
Dis closed her eyes and her breathing picked up. She cupped her bosom and a sob released from the depths of her throat.
"Dis please ask Tauriel. That would have been Kili's last wish." Thorin urged her.
She raised her hand at him. "Stop. Who in the name of Mahal allowed such a thing to happen?"
Thorin frowned confused. "Who would have tried to stop it?"
"You!" -She barked at him- "You were responsible for my children!"
"I am not responsible for their hearts! One cannot control one's heart Dis, what are you saying?" His head shook slightly in disbelief.
"He fell in love with a She-Elf!" Dis spat almost with hatred.
"And you with a miner, if I remember correctly." Thorin raised his brow in authority. He needed to get his sister back in check as this was getting out of hand quickly.
"Oh, that was low…" She hissed.
He shook his head. "You shouldn't speak, much less use prejudice as a stepping stone to lash out to me! You begged Thrain to bless your union when he was denying stealthily you marrying so low in rank."
"Kilskjald was a nobleman! A warrior!" She cried and a sob raked her trembling chest.
"He was indeed, but so is Tauriel. A brave and loyal woman who loved your son to death." He had to try hard to stay calm.
She raised her hand to him assertively. "Stop! Just stop this nonsense! Kilskjald was a Dwarf and our father did bless our union in the end. He understood how good this man was for me!"
Thorin exhaled and cast his eyes downwards for several moments. Telling his sister the truth about Thrain's decision was not a good idea. He kept the secret for ages, he was not about to reveal it now. "Indeed, then maybe you should be as fair with Tauriel as our father was with Kilskjald." He quietly agreed.
Balin raised his brow critically.
"She is an Elf!" Dis pointed furiously towards the door.
"Overlook race and fulfil your son's last wishes. He would have wanted this..." Thorin tried again as calmly as he could.
"He is right lassie." Balin joined in.
Dis remembered the old advisor's presence. "And you've been saying all this in front of him…great!"
"Balin has known us since we were children. We've got nothing to hide from him. He's been advising our family for almost two centuries." Thorin dismissed her.
Dis inhaled sharply and turned her attention to him. "You've found the wrong time to inform me of all this. This is not going to come to fruition. Forget it!"
Thorin flicked his eyebrow and nodded. "Very well, who are you going to use as an assistant?"
"Eilin." Dis thrust her chin up.
He leaned back and looked at her thoughtfully for a couple of moments. "I will need Eilin in my service for the next four days."
Dis looked up sharply and paled. "What?"
"She is loyal, you said it yourself and I need assistance." He rejoined nonchalantly.
Dis swallowed heavily and felt the earth pulling out from under her feet. "Don't do this to me Thorin." She whispered.
"You shall ask Tauriel for assistance mother of Kili! You will put your egotism aside and think of your son's last wishes. I requested it before, now I am ordering you."He glowered at her.
Dis' body deflated and her eyes welled. "Please Thorin, no…"
"As for your Firebeard maiden, she enters my service until all this menagerie with Kili's funeral comes to an end!" Thorin commanded haughtily. His deep voice gravitated on the chamber heavily.
Dis knew she couldn't escape this ruling side of her brother. She took another step back and more tears run down her face. "You are forcing my hand." She muttered.
The door opened up, but no one turned to look at Eilin who entered holding a tray. She paused uncertain how to proceed when she felt the heavy tension in the room.
"I am not looking to comfort you or me! I am trying to honour your son!" Thorin thundered suddenly.
Eilin felt all the colour draining from her face and held onto the tray tightly.
Dis forced herself to face her brother and wiped the tears with the back of her hand. "An order then?" She stammered.
"An order!" He spat through his gritted teeth.
She backed up to the door and turned the handle. She made one final, fruitless attempt. "Thorin..."
Behind Thorin's eyes there was boiling wrath. "Îmi!"** He spat.
Dis threw the door open and left them without any more words. Silence reigned all around until the door slid shut once more.
Eilin made to leave the tray down and follow her mistress, but this time the King's authoritative voice came for her. "You are to remain!"
She felt cold sweat breaking on her nape. "My mistress…" She pointed at the door.
"You've changed masters temporarily." He replied dismissively.
She bend her knees and crossed her hands in front of her apron. "As you command, Sir."
Thorin closed his eyes and rubbed his face.
"That was a noble thing you did there laddie." Balin smiled.
Thorin's voice came back muffled. "I have forgotten the ease with which she can anger me."
"You held it on very well, but she doesn't know everything. If she knew maybe she wouldn't have been so adamant against the Tauriel." Balin raised his brow.
"Neither will she know...now silence!" Thorin pulled his hands away and gave a vexed nod towards the frozen maiden.
Balin nodded in understanding. "Come lassie bring the food over. I will force him to eat it."
Thorin's lips curled down. "I am sorry you had to hear all this."
Balin waved him off as Eilin placed the tray on Thorin's elaborate office.
"I've been with you for centuries, you said it yourself. There isn't one thing I don't know about you or her. Well maybe there are some things that Dwalin knows better, but I will never admit that to him." Balin harked.
Thorin smiled and his eyes fell on the maiden who stood by the door. "Take her down to the service quarters and give her a room. Choose some clothes for her that bear my sigil, if there are any."
Balin raised his brows. "Your sigil? You are taking this more seriously than I thought."
Thorin twisted his lips. "When you finish with the girl inform everyone that Kili's funeral will take place in three days as is ordered by our protocol. Per request of his mother."
Balin nodded. "Of course."
Thorin kept his friend's eyes thoughtfully for a few moments before speaking again. "Give Dis some time and then check to see if she is alright."
Balin's face softened by degrees. "My pleasure." -He then engaged the girl's elbow who looked partly lost, partly flustered- "Come on lassie, I'll get you dressed according to etiquette. You are in the service of the King now."
Eilin gave a troubled look at the King above her shoulder as the door slowly closed behind them.
When Balin opened the door to Eilin's new room, her mouth dropped open in surprise and awe. "Oh...damn..." She whispered.
"You look absolutely flabbergasted." Balin smiled at her.
She forced her mouth to close. "This is a proper room."
"What do you mean?" Balin frowned and entered the small, but very well organised service quarters.
She took an experimental step inside too. "I mean this is not a common place to sleep with other servants."
Balin took some logs and threw them in the small fireplace. "Of course it's not."
"But I've never slept alone." She frowned, understanding how strange that must have sounded to the old royal advisor.
Balin turned to her with a teasing smile. "That didn't sound very proper."
Her teeth nibbled her lower lip and her eyes avoided his. "I meant that I always slept in common rooms. I never had a room of my own."
Balin tried to start up the fire as the room needed to warm up before she could manage to settle properly in here. It was freezing cold. "Well, you are in the service of the King now lassie. You cannot sleep in the common rooms with the rest of the servants."
Her fingers started playing with the end of her apron and she gazed around. "How in the name of Mahal did I end up here?" She muttered under her breath feeling totally unequipped to deal with what was happening.
"Did you say something?" Balin turned to her, finally managing to light up a good fire.
"No master." She bowed politely.
"I am not your master. He is in the royal office probably trying to convince himself to eat your porridge." Balin chuckled at the thought.
She cast her gaze to her apron timidly. "I hope the King enjoys my food, Lord Balin."
Balin sighed and went to the cupboard. "I can assure you the King right now is unable to enjoy anything."
Eilin cringed regretfully. "I have figured that already, Sir."
Balin raised his brow and looked through the clothes that were hanging in there. "This hasn't been opened since Rótha, Thror's personal maiden was living here."
Eilin looked up surprised. "I am staying in the quarters of King Thror's first maiden?!"
Balin raised his brow appreciatively at her. "You are King Thorin's first maiden, where did you expect to reside?"
Eilin rubbed her face, wanting in some manner to cast away the disconcerting feeling that was abounding in her stomach. She shook her head at a loss for words.
He shuffled through the clothes, trying to find something suitable for her. "Why do you seem so surprised lassie? You are apparently doing a very good job, else you wouldn't have ended up in Dis' servitude in the first place."
Eilin shook her head and touched the soft orange quilt that was covering her large bed. Two stone carved nightstands were on each side of it. A small but adequate fireplace, whose chimney was splitting in two thick metal pipes. One run the length of her floor under the polished wooden floorboards heating it up adequately. The other was travelling upwards to join other chimneys through the domes until it spewed its smoke for the first time in centuries on top of the Lonely mountain. Two small orange easy chairs stood on either side of a table and behind them was the cupboard that Balin was shuffling through. Another door was next to the cupboard. The room had no windows as it was deep underground, but she couldn't have cared less. This was the first time in her life that she was offered a place of her own. When she was living in the villages, they usually told her to sleep in the stables amongst the horses and the pigs. Back at the tavern they made her sleep along with the rest of the female servants, some of whom were getting paid for more personal services on occasion.
"I honestly don't know what I did to deserve all this." She spoke under her breath while her eyes feasted on her small quarters, seemingly not getting enough of them.
Balin pulled out a set of earthy breaches, a white tunic and a vest with brown fur on the collar and scrutinised them. "Apart from being at the right time in the right place you must have done something extraordinary to grab Dis' attention. What was it?"
Eilin sat at the edge of her bed. "I was working at the stables, Sir. One fine morning the Princess with the two noble daughters of Master Fain rode past me as I was taking out a war ram for feeding. I saw something golden sparkle in the air as the princess' pony galloped away from me. A golden bead had fallen from her beautiful raven hair and I picked it up. I admire her so much" -she looked up wistfully- "she is so beautiful."
Balin brought her the clothes over. "Dis is indeed extremely beautiful and she was always considered one of the most wanted dwarrowdams of our kin. She takes after grandfather Thror along with Thorin. Both her and her brother had raven hair in youth, but time and worries tainted Thorin's with several streaks of silver whilst Dis was much luckier and retained their beautiful colour. Dis' brother Frerin took after their mother's fair complexion and hair, much like Dis' son Fili."
Eilin smiled at that little bit of precious information about the King's family.
Balin pursed his lips as he continued. "So what happened to the golden bead?"
Eilin touched the soft leather of the vest Balin had brought her. "Instead of giving it to my supervisor I decided to approach the Princess when she returned from her ride to give it myself."
Balin crossed his arms patiently."Did they allow you to approach?"
Eilin's mouth formed a small uncertain smile. "I sneaked when no one was looking. When they noticed me I was already presenting her with the bead. Next day they took me out of the stables and led me to her chambers. I was asked to comb her long hair. I had no experience in combing through hair that had so many braids, but I tried my best to please her. You must understand that I was never trained to be a maiden. I am a stable girl and a tavern waitress." Her lips turned down disappointed.
"It takes practice to be perfect. Nevertheless I have seen nothing but proper manners from you since you arrived. What you did with Dis was truly honourable. You could have kept that hair bead. I suppose it had studs in it?"
Eilin shook her head vigorously. "Yes, diamond studs!"
Balin pursed his lips. "Selling it would have offered you a new start in life."
Eilin's well formed brows creased above her alabaster forehead. "I may have been a peasant all my life, but I am no thief, Lord Balin!" She seemed heavily offended even at the thought of doing such a thing.
Balin smiled reassuringly. "That's exactly why you are here at this moment and not at Fain's stables lassie."
Eilin offered him a long look and then turned her attention at the beautiful breaches of her new uniform. On one trouser leg there was a sigil sawn with a thread of a slightly deeper colour than the fabric. It was discreet, but clear enough to be distinguishable. She looked at the lapels of her tunic and they had the same hexagon plated sigil stitched up. "King Thorin's sigil?" She looked up at Balin.
He smiled sweetly. "Indeed. Be proud to wear it lassie. It's a rare honour."
She felt her eyes watering and looked away quickly. "I am more than proud Sir. I am in debt for life..."
Balin's eyebrows creased as he spoke after a small silent moment. "Wearing the King's sigil means that you answer to no one's orders but his. No one else will be allowed to ask you to serve them. Soon people are going to start rolling in, either from the Iron Hills or from all around Middle Earth. You must maintain your stature through the upcoming turmoil. That means you must learn to deny, you must lift your head up proudly and you must learn to respond to people who might wish to slight you." His voice sounded austere.
"Now you are scaring me." She whispered.
"I am not supposed to scare you, but to prepare you." Balin raised his brow.
Eilin looked at her fingers and smiled. "I will try Sir."
Balin observed her quietly for a long time before speaking again. "How did you end up in the Iron Hills in the first place?"
Eilin inhaled deeply. "I used to work in a tavern close to the village of Bree. The owners found me at their doorstep when I was a baby and decided to give me a chance." She tried not to sound too bitter.
"The Prancing pony?" Balin asked.
Her eyes sparkled when she understood that he knew these lands well. "No, the Forsaken Inn. A day's ride east of Bree. You know it?"
Balin smirked. "Sure do."
She offered him the first wide and honest smile. "I suppose Maria and Thomas -the owners- were not so bad to me. They had five children of their own to raise and only the Inn as a source of income. Having to feed an extra mouth must have been hard. They could have chosen to drop me in the river and forget I ever existed, but they took me in."
"You were raised a …"
She interrupted him. "…a servant, not their family. I slept down in the kitchens when I was cooking and cleaning or amidst the other female servants no matter that their professions became intimate with the proper price, at times. Mind you Mister Balin, I never did something like that, even though it was hard not to notice what was happening sometimes right next to my face!" She straightened her body proudly, but her voice had a taint of embarrassment in it.
Balin nodded. "I would have never believed something like that for you."
Her body slowly deflated. "It's easy to fall into that profession when you don't have any money and you are working amongst prostitutes, you know. But I never gave in to the peer pressure no matter how penniless I ended up being."
Balin frowned. "Your adopted parents asked you to work like one?"
She flicked her shoulders and her lips curled down. "Finally they did, yes. They needed the money. I cannot blame them."
"Sweet Mahal." Balin shuddered.
She frowned at her hands. "I never accepted to be touched by men, but in the end they finally got me well and good." -She offered the room a vaguely bitter smile and the sarcasm was clear in her voice- "I am not pure anymore and it wasn't by choice."
Balin's brow darkened.
She offered him a brief gaze of deep embarrassment. "I was forced. You know that is nothing unusual if you work in such places."
Balin pulled up straight feeling abhorred.
"Don't act so surprised Lord Balin. I mean you are Dwarves. You have different customs and different attitudes towards women. Men don't respect their female counterparts as much, especially in these dark taverns which become home to the most unlawful specimens of Middle Earth."
Balin composed himself, but after that revelation his attitude became much more careful towards Eilin. "How did you leave that tavern?"
"After what happened I was fed up I suppose. Gathered my things, which was nothing more than a few pennies and some tattered clothes and hit the road one night. My adopted parents told me that I was something between a Dwarrowdam and a woman. In my clothes there was this small waistband that had the Firebeard sigil on it. When I ran away from the Forsaken Inn, I decided to try and join one of the Dwarfish cities that were surrounding us. I was hopeful that at least the Dwarves would take me in with open arms. I was delusional like that always...Nobody takes you in with open arms. You have to fight for your paradise, right?" She smiled bitterly.
Balin's frown deepened, but he remained silent wanting to hear this girl's story.
"I had the choice of going to the Blue Mountains, which was the closest to me. Unfortunately though it was the house of the Longbeards of Erebor and I found the prospect of approaching these legendary Dwarf-Lords as intimidating as returning to that hellish tavern. Khazad-dum was taken over by Orcs, the Grey mountains were abandoned and the Orocarni of the four clans was too far away to venture into alone as I was."
"What about Nogrod or Belegost, the home of the Firebeards. You had your parent's sigil with you, right?" Balin's voice was quiet.
"I didn't want to even try to search for my father or mother. I was a cast off. They abandoned me. That meant that they didn't want anything to do with me. I would never impose myself to them and cause them more grief." A single tear running down her cheek.
Balin sighed deeply. "A noble mind duels inside that pretty head of yours lassie."
She smiled bitterly and wiped that tear away quickly. "Thank you."
"So that left you only the Iron Hills, habitude of the Dwarfs that fled Ered Mithrin. Wasn't that as terrifying to you as meeting the Longbeards of Erebor?" Balin tilted his head with a sweet smile, feeling rather charmed by this young lady.
"Equally dreaded yes" -she huffed- "but the choice in the end was taken away from me. I travelled for a long time in difficult hard roads alone. I slept in the open and ate what I could hunt. I became an almost feral creature. I was running around the Dunlands for several months, slowly forgetting what I originally wanted to do when lady luck smiled down to me for the first time since I was born. A family of immigrating Dwarves found me in the Dunlands. I was trying to steal some food from them. One recognised my small stature and they approached me slowly by offering me food. You must understand that I was so hungry then I would have followed even Orcs home if they gave me something to eat. When I felt my hunger satiated enough I began to talk. I told them my story and reassured them that I was half Dwarfish by showing them the small belt that I still had in my possession. They took me into their company and used me as a servant. They were making their way to the Iron Hills, relocating house."
Balin raised his head. "That's how you ended up in Dain's care?"
She shook her head. "No, master Fain took me in and he was kinder than the rest of my masters. He allowed me to work in the stables and sleep with the animals, which might sound atrocious to you Lord Balin, but it is very warm and comfortable. If you exclude the nasty smell." She scrunched her nose.
Balin smiled. "Nothing can sound atrocious to me lassie. We were driven out of this Kingdom wearing only the clothes that we had on us. We roamed the empty wastelands for years before settling in the Dunlands ourselves years prior to your birth. Out there in the wild with no home, no money and no food, there were no Lords or Kings between us. We were all equally striving to make a living. I was keeping logistic books in many taverns along the way. My brother was axe training anyone who cared for his services and became a paid soldier several times over. Even Thorin was working as a swordsmith, servicing lesser men than him, as he is quite excellent in forging swords. Many found him equal to the Elvish masters, so he sold his trade on several noble homes in order to make a living. We slept in the wild for many years. Nothing can make me cringe, since I've been through it all."
She pressed her lips and frowned at him. "Is that why you are so kind towards me?"
The corner of his mouth tilted up. "Maybe. I've seen too much darkness in life and I know how to appreciate everything worthy that comes along my way."
"I am worthy?" She frowned and held his gaze searchingly.
"You are a kind soul and a bright minded, honourable girl who also happens to be very attractive." Balin smiled kindly at her.
She felt her cheeks glowing red. "That is why all this seems so unbelievable to me Lord Balin. I am not used to being treated like this."
"You mean like a Dwarrowdam?" Balin raised his brow.
Those words took a moment to sink in. Slowly she offered him a nod and a shudder run down her back. "Like a dwarrowdam, yes." She muttered feeling her eyes welling up again. Never had anyone treated her more kindly that this Dwarf-Lord. Not even the Dwarfish family that saved her from the wild or master Fain. Except maybe for Princess Dis.
Balin pressed his lips thoughtfully. "I think you should start getting used to this treatment. Now down the corridor and to your left are the common hot springs of the servants. They are naturally heated by the volcano rivers under the mountain like all the other springs. Use them to take a bath, change your clothes and go up to royal offices. You must always be ready to serve the King."
She straightened her slim body eagerly and nodded like a small child nods happily to a request from their parents. "Yes Lord Balin, straight away."
He pointed a finger at her before opening her door. "And fix that wild hair of yours lassie. Make a couple of good braids to keep them in check, alright?"
She nodded happily and the door closed. Then she was suddenly alone with her thoughts and the crackling of the wood on the hearth. Her eyes feasted around the small beautiful room that was hers and she glared at the key on her door almost surprised that she had the ability to lock the world outside. Resisting the sudden urge to do so at that moment, she stood up and opened the door next to the cupboard. A small toilet with a faucet was there, allowing her a newfound privacy that seemed almost improbable to her. She felt her chest welling dangerously again and her mind overflowed with the darkness of the road she had to walk in, in order to get here.
Instead of letting every negative emotion take a hold of her she shook her head and looked back at her new clothes. Energetically she picked them up and taking the key of her room she went out in search of the hot springs, making sure she locked the door behind her. Instead of mopping in misery of her nightmarish life up till now, she was going to do the best she could to please the people who were giving her a second chance in life and she was not going to let them down. With a new fire burning in the depths of her heart she walked decisively down the corridor, not caring anymore to raise her hood in order to hide her voluminous ginger hair and her hairless face.
She had to learn how to walk proudly and it was going to be a long road in order to manage that, but very much worth it.
A/N:
* Stop (command)
** Get out (command)
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