Prophecy

The meeting began at sundown. Thorin, Leah, Fili and Kili, all trailed after Dain and two other dwarves into the hall where they'd originally met earlier to discuss the issue of the throne. Suddenly a loud and very familiar voice echoed through the halls.

Thorin smiled as he recognised the voice and turned around. Gandalf came dashing towards him with a guard running on behind. "My Lord, he barged in..." the dwarf guard said, out of breath.

Dain turned to see what was happening and raised an eyebrow at Gandalf. "Always just on time, eh? Let him through." Just behind Gandalf was Bilbo, trailing behind slowly and not wanting to gain too much attention from the dwarves, who he knew could be extremely volatile when provoked.

"Gandalf, Bilbo," Thorin cried out, embracing each of them one by one. "You are both more than welcome to come. Have you sent word to the rest of the Company?"

"Yes, and they should all be here within the week. Your sister will also have been told of the news and be on her way with the others," Gandalf explained.

Dain shook his head and walked into the hall, turning his back on the rest of the group. "We may as well get started. I don't want to be stuck in here all night," he snapped.

Everyone seated themselves at the large table. Leah began to feel her nerves get the better of her; her hands began to shake beneath the table, and not just because of the present company, but what she was about to do. Thorin was beside her and his gaze shifted to her a couple of times as he noticed that she seemed to become a little fidgety. Then her leg began to shake, something he'd never seen before. He reached out and placed his hand on her leg gently and then looked at her with concern on his face.

Leah knew his expression immediately. They didn't have to say words now to understand what each other meant. He'd seen the change in her behaviour and wanted to see if she was alright. She merely smiled back weakly in response and then looked away towards Kili who was sat the other side of her.

Gandalf, who was directly opposite Leah was watching in suspicion. He'd always been able to read people's intentions quite well, and whilst he knew that Leah was completely loyal to Thorin, there was something else that he couldn't quite understand. The nervousness, in Gandalf's logic and mind, meant that she was plotting something, and it was going to be behind Thorin's back. It could only be something that she felt would benefit him as Gandalf believed that Leah would never intend to harm Thorin or bring disrespect to his name. In fact, she'd rather bring them upon herself to save him from it.

Dain got to his feet, being at the head of the table and addressed everyone. "You know why we're all here. Hopefully this meeting doesn't have to go on too long. I don't want to miss any of me beauty sleep. As you are no doubt aware, Thorin is alive and well. Still not completely sure how he managed all this, but it's his right to take back the throne. However, I do have on issue which is something we need to talk about."

Gandalf immediately raised an eyebrow. "Now, Dain, you have no reason to stop Thorin taking back the throne of Erebor. He has every right to..."

"I'm well aware of the laws of dwarf kingdoms, Gandalf!" Dain half shouted. "But I do not trust the woman he's brought with him, and no doubt intends to wed. She's not one of us."

Leah sighed. "I knew this was going to happen..."

"Who I choose to marry, Dain, should be no concern of yours!" Thorin growled back. "Whether she is a dwarf or not should not even be considered."

"I will not see a half dwarf, half whatever the hell she is sitting on the throne of our kingdom, Thorin. See sense! If she were of no connection to you, you would be speaking these same words." Dain's voice was getting higher by now and his eyes kept searing into Leah.

By now Gandalf had shot to his feet. "Leah's race are closest to those of Men."

"Then I'm definitely not going to be sitting here allowing her to weaken the bloodline!" Dain hissed.

"Alright, then!" Leah began. By now her voice had hit full volume in her hatred towards Dain. "Fili is Thorin's closest relative and heir. He can take the throne. I don't want my children caught up in this shit!" She got to her feet and stared at Dain. "I know you hate me, and you know what? The feeling is mutual, Dain. I don't want to be the Queen or have my children dragged through this. Fili can take the throne, so you can keep your bloodline so fucking pure! There's my contribution to this. I'm not sitting here any more listening to you talk about me like I'm no more than a piece of crap on the bottom of your boot!" With those words, she shoved the chair behind her, it's legs squeaking across the stone floor and stormed out of the door.

Thorin's piercing stare remained locked on his cousin. "When I've taken the throne, Dain, you disrespect her one more time, and I'll make sure you never set foot in this kingdom again."

Dain rolled his eyes. "Is she really worth all of this, Thorin?"

"Do you really think he needs to answer that question?" Gandalf asked.

Fili got up from his seat quickly and followed Leah, calling behind her as she stormed away towards their rooms. She slowed her pace down and turned to look at Fili who had become so much like a brother to her. "I don't think I can take much more of this," she said, her face crumpled in defeat. "I'm trying so hard to be strong for him. God knows I am. I love Thorin more than anything, but I can't keep sitting here enduring everything for him until it breaks me completely. I knew this would come. Dain won't let me stand beside Thorin as Queen, and more than that, he certainly won't allow our children to follow on from Thorin. As his children, it would be their right to be rulers. But it's because of me they wouldn't be able to."

"Leah, when Thorin takes the throne, do you really think he'd stop his own children becoming his heirs? Even if they are not full blood dwarves, they would still be of his bloodline," Fili replied.

"Wouldn't it bother you? They'd then take the throne from you," Leah asked.

"Of course not," Fili replied, smiling. "I would love to see him be a father one day. And, Kili told me what you are planning." The smile by now had drained from his face. "You know full well that neither Kili or myself would watch you go alone. But I wish you could re-consider this. You are so ready to fight for Thorin, but what about what you want? In your fight to see him take the throne and be avenged for his grandfather's death, you're so ready to sacrifice yourself. Why are you so willing to give him up?"

"Because I know that he'd be so much better off without me, Fili. I can put everything back to the way it should have been, and by me staying, I'm stopping his children becoming heirs. His role of King is more important than me." Leah hung her head at that.

Fili scoffed. "You only have to see the way he looks at you. Without his One, he'd be incomplete. You say you love him as much as you do, but could you really do that to him? You bring far more happiness into his life and more purpose than the throne ever could."

"I've never heard him speak truer words," Thorin's voice came. He'd been standing behind them for the last minute or so, in complete silence. Neither Fili or Leah had heard him exit the meeting and come into the corridor.

Thorin approached Leah and nodded his head to Fili as he he watched his nephew disappear back into the main meeting room. "I will not make you stay if it's not what you want," Thorin said, and as he spoke the words, he swallowed hard. Leah noticed the pain in his eyes at those words. "I will release you from the vow if it is what you want..." Tears began to well in his eyes.

"It's not what I want, Thorin. I just want to see you as the person you should be and not held back because of me."

"You are not holding me back, my love," Thorin whispered. He put his hands to her face, cupping her reddened cheeks. "I told you when we met again that I would gladly forfeit the throne if you were not beside me, and that still stands. And I know the idea of going back to change what happened is still in your mind. I am well aware of how you think." Leah chuckled at that. "I just feel as if you are trying to keep us apart."

"I'm not trying to keep us apart, but I'm just admitting to what has to be done. You deserve to have a woman who can give you heirs, and it's obvious that it's not going to be me."

"I already have an heir, and what did Gandalf say? He spoke of a prophecy regarding us. Have faith in that. Whatever is meant to happen, will happen."

Leah put her head to Thorin's chest and sighed, closing her eyes. "I could just go to sleep on you again. Maybe we'd wake up away from all of this, in a different place where things are more simple."

Thorin put his hand against her head and then kissed her brow. "I wish you'd leave things alone. What's been done has been done. It does not need to be changed."

They both entered the hall again a few minutes later. Dain had his arms crossed over his chest, showing that he was still in a very defensive and argumentative attitude. "Thank you for finally joining us again. If you decide to run out again, then Thorin can shove this meeting up..."

"Thank you, Dain!" Gandalf called out. "You could at least try and show the smallest amount of understanding and sympathy."

"Why?" Dain shouted. "She comes here, disrespecting me."

"She only fought back after you disrespected her first!" Thorin shot back. "What else do you expect to discuss here? Or is this just going to be an evening of finding more ways to unleash my wrath."

Dain chuckled, enjoying watching Thorin become so easily infuriated and all though this human woman. She truly seemed to have him completely wrapped around her little finger. In Dain's mind, Thorin had become brainwashed through his feelings for this woman, and was ready to overlook his responsibility of producing a full blood dwarf heir.

"What is even the point of calling us all here?" Kili asked, raising an eyebrow. "You said that you would let Thorin take the throne. What else is there to discuss?"

"Just how much he hates me and doesn't want a half dwarf sitting on the throne because it's watering down his precious bloodline," Leah sneered across the table. Her green eyes bore into him. "So he's going to do everything he can to wear me down so I run away."

Dain laughed. "It's already started working. It didn't take long for you to run out of that door like the little girl you are."

"I just wanted you to think you'd got to me..." Then she mumbled profanity under her breath.

Gandalf stood again, sighing and closing his eyes. "I did not come here to listen to you both act like petulant children. Dain, you have no argument here to keep the throne from Thorin. As for their children, that will be for the decision of the councils."

"And do you really think the council will allow this, Gandalf?" Dain asked.

"I am willing to wait until the time arises. We are discussing heirs that have not even yet been conceived," Thorin said, leaning forward. "Leah and myself have not wed yet.""Thorin is right. I don't believe there is anything else we need to discuss here," Fili pitched in. "The throne will go back to him and one way or the other, an heir will come from the line of Durin. Whether his and Leah's child or myself."

Dain ended the meeting in exasperation, knowing that Thorin's will was like that of iron. There was no way he was going to see sense here. His vision had become completely blinded by Leah. As he left the room with his guards by his side, he leaned over to the one on his left. "Keep an eye on her. I want her gone from the kingdom, one way or the other."

Thorin, Leah, Fili, Kili, Gandalf and Bilbo all stayed behind in the meeting hall where they'd all sat before Dain and his guards. Thorin explained the complete set of events to Gandalf, from when Leah had attacked Azog up until their meeting again in Erebor. "So, she has the ability to travel through time also?" Gandalf asked. "My dear, you have serious gifting. But it beyond my level of comprehension as to where this came from. But I have to warn you; do not use this gifting impulsively. Who knows what consequences could be brought about through this."

Thorin looked towards Leah, and instantly she knew what he was saying. I told you so.

Gandalf stepped towards Leah, looking into her eyes and studying her closely. Her demeanour and behaviour were all falling into place. She was planning on going back in time to change everything, even if it meant she never see Thorin again. "May I speak with Leah alone?" Gandalf requested. He never broke eye contact with her and remained in front of her as the rest of the group filed out of the room.

Leah was growing nervous now. She looked down, finding it hard to remain such intense eye contact with the wizard. "You know what I was planning, don't you?" she asked.

"I have my suspicions, yes," Gandalf snapped.

Leah was surprised at his sudden attitude change towards her. "How could you consider this? The prophecy of you and Thorin is something which should not be altered. And it's as though you are doing everything in your power to go against that!" By now Gandalf was becoming incredibly angry with her. "Your stupidity will be the undoing of a great kingdom. You do not realise how important you are. Your name will live on through history. And your children. Both of them."

Leah looked at Gandalf with hope in her eyes. "Both?"

Gandalf sat down at the table. "In your world, I found old texts which talked about your rule with Thorin. You have a son and daughter, twins. I should not speak on your future, but if this is the only way to make you see that what you are doing will impact upon this kingdom more than you realise, then I will continue on as much as I need to."

"Fili spoke about me being Thorin's One," Leah said softly.

"And that is true. Aule created dwarves, and even pre-destined their life partners. Aule may not have created you but he has made sure that you and Thorin remain together. Leah, you must see this. Your stubbornness can match that of any dwarf, but your impulsiveness is something which you must keep in check. And, as for Azog, he will be seen to in time. You need not worry there."

"How did you know?"

"I know many things, Leah. Do not concern yourself with the manner of this revelation, but know that I'm aware of it. Now, leave it alone."