Okay~~ here is the start of the part that was really hard to write. Hard in the sense that I really wasn't for sure what direction I wanted the story to take. So I wrote each little part and it finally unfolded. FYI, it's a multi chapter part, and I think that last chapter is almost 10k words! I hope you enjoy and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Thanks again for reading and for your patience since I'm only publishing a chapter at a time. You're reviews are also wonderful~~thank you so much for taking the time to let me know what you think~~ love you!
Chp 39
As Bilbo opened the large doors, Tauriel was overwhelmed at the sight of so many dwarves. Most of them stopped talking as soon as she and the Halfling entered the vast chamber. She thought to herself, there must be hundreds of dwarves here and she started to feel uneasy. Not just because she had never been around so many dwarves..but just old prejudices...and feeling so outnumbered, she was secretly grateful at least for the small dagger she carried. All of the dwarves of Kili's company had always been respectful and polite, but most of these were dwarves from the Iron Hills and had had little dealings with other races...let alone an Elf, Tauriel darkly thought. She noticed even Bilbo wasn't getting pleasant expressions in his direction and that made her feel like, at least, she wasn't alone.
They walked on the right side of two long columns of benches. As the pair walked they tried to ignore the stares and whispers and Tauriel thought it was wise they chose to keep the dwarves seated as they would be less prone to fighting and drawing arms. As they approached the front of the rows she noticed the dwarves she knew were all sitting up towards the front. Oin and Gloin, sitting next to each other nodded at them as they walked past, Dori was sitting by himself and waved heartily at the two as they passed, Bofur, Bifur and Bombur gave them cheery smiles as well. Bilbo looked liked he was thinking, but muttered softly, "I wonder where Dwalin and Nori are?"
Tauriel and Bilbo approached their seats, which were indeed off to the side of the chairs placed in front of the congregation, and were up against the wall as Kili mentioned. They sat down and Tauriel noticed her chair was up against a tapestry which hung all the way down to the floor. She did happen to see a wooden bow and a few arrows that were partly concealed in the folds of the large fabric. Tauriel sighed internally and felt a little better, now that she had access to a few weapons, in case of dire need. Her many years of training also had her studying the layout of the chamber and the closest exit routes. As she was finishing preparing the plans in her head, a deep, very loud trumpet like instrument was blown. Bilbo and Tauriel observed the dwarves rising to their feet, some slowly and begrudgingly, so they too also stood up.
Kili entered the chamber first, followed by Dwalin close behind him. They reached the rows of benches and Kili chose to walk right down the very middle of the two columns. He had a resolute expression on his face Tauriel noted, but she knew this was a pretty serious occasion and he had to come off very stern for this bunch. Balin, then Ori followed shortly after. Kili reached the large chair placed at the front gathering, but did not sit down. Dwalin, standing close to where Kili's chair was, adopted his preferred pose of arms crossed in front of his chest and legs far apart. Balin sat in the large chair next to Kili's, and Ori, carrying large books and quills, took his place behind the podium which was to the left of Balin.
Kili waited for everyone to get in their places and the voices to quiet down before he began. Before he started speaking, he chose not to sit down, but to walk amongst the dwarves as he was talking, and he made sure to look everyone in the eye. He nodded in Ori's direction, who's quill hovered over a large book, then he started, "My kinsman, my brothers...I want to welcome you to the halls of my great-grandfather, Thror. You answered the call of my Uncle Thorin when our need was most dire, and for that I wanted to personally thank you. Unfortunately, many of our kin's blood was shed on the field outside the mountain, and that will forever haunt the rest of my days, please know that. But it was a necessary sacrifice and we dwarves will always do what is needed for our kin."
Kili emphasized these these last words as he spoke them and looked over at Balin, who smiled and nodded. Kili continued his pacing and speaking, "So to honor the fallen, all the mighty warriors of the Iron Hills, including your King, Dain; and least not, Thror's grandson, Thorin, my uncle...the DIRECT descendent of Durin the Deathless, and even my own brother...Fili, the next in direct line to the throne." At the speaking of the last name, Kili hesitated only slightly, but then resolutely continued, "We are on the after-side of the crest of a great victory. Many orc legions and spawn of filth were utterly defeated and should not trouble us for a long while. But let us not forget, my uncle and my brother gave their lives to finally have our revenge on the foulest orc creature ever spawned - Azog the Defiler, the pale orc, chief Lieutenant of our common enemy and the one who beheaded Thror...is dead!" The dwarves erupted in whoops and deep-throated cheers and Kili looked over at Balin who kept encouraging him on with nodding smiles. When the noise slightly died down, he continued, "Now, let us salute the fallen." Kili bowed his head, as did everyone else in the Hall. After a few moments, he lifted his up and loudly said some words in Khuzdul, which Bilbo and Tauriel of course didn't understand, but the other dwarves repeated after him. Everyone seemed in a heartier mood after that and they all sat down.
Kili continued to walk around the rows and started to speak once again, "Now, we must discuss the events of yesterday." At this, the dwarves all got perfectly quiet and attentive. "Let me detail what happened. My chief lieutenant, Dwalin, a life long friend of Thorin, was brutally attacked by some of those who believe that it is not my right to rule." Kili emphasized those last four words loudly. Tauriel, who had been silently watching the proceedings, shifted in her seat slightly because she could perceive a slight change of tension in the room. She saw Kili walk over and position himself right in the middle of the two columns of seated dwarves. He paused and then said very loudly..."Am I not of the direct line of Durin?!" As he said it, he turned and faced each direction. Tauriel thought this was a very direct approach to take...but perhaps, this was the way with dwarves.
The dwarves seemed cowed, momentarily. They were afraid to look around or grumble, lest they be judged as an instigator. From this, Balin surveyed the room and thought it was time. He nodded in Dwalin's direction and Dwalin left the room quickly. Only a short while later he returned, the two prisoners Wott and Grule in tow. They both had stout iron handcuffs and chains on their wrists and ankles. Tauriel also perceived that these dwarves didn't appreciate seeing their kin in handcuffs and again, low grumbles of muttering came from crowd. Balin stepped forward, "Now, since we have not crowned the next King yet, our culture dictates that everyone has a say in what happens to these two. Wott and Grule, do you agree to abide by the decision of this congregation today?" Wott solemnly nodded and continued to look downwards. Grule, though, scanned the faces of crowd defiantly, then loudly, almost sneeringly, said "Yes."
Balin then said, "Okay. Now we must hear the facts of this incident." Kili paced up to the front and did sit in the chair now. Dwalin cleared his throat and began first, "I took three dwarves to the West Guard room. I thought I would be deploying them as guards for the envoys of treasure that were heading to Dale. When all of sudden, one of 'em caught me unawares, and hit me in the back of the head!" (He had said that last part rather fiercely) There were some mutterings in the crowd. Balin stepped forward and said, "Dwalin, which one hit you in the back of the head? Is he present?" Dwalin walked over and stood in front Grule, who was definitely shorter than him, glaringly, he said through gritted teeth, "This one...right here!" Balin replied, "Aye. Yes...but tell EVERYone what also he said!" So Dwalin turned around and addressed the gathering, "He said - that all of you would never bow down to a lesser relation of a no good, corrupt, elf-loving FEMALE heir to the throne." With that last exclamation, there were many gasps among the crowd and Tauriel felt many eyes turn her way, as she knew that most of the dwarves had picked up on that "elf- loving" part. She shifted in her seat and wished she could disappear behind the large tapestry behind her. Balin then described what happened next. "Myself, Kili and Ori happened to be close by in the hallway when our Halfling friend," he looked over in Bilbo's direction, "came running out of that very same room and yelled for help. We entered the room to see lady Tauriel," he nodded towards Tauriel, "bravely keeping Dwalin from being further injured, as Wott had grabbed a sword off the wall, threw it to his brother Nott and almost aimed a fatal blow on him!" Again, there were more gasps from the crowd.
Balin continued, "The three of us entered the room right then, and to help protect his chief lieutenant, Kili had no other choice but to grab the weapon nearest him, which happened to be a bow and arrow. With this he shot Nott in the throat." Disbelief and hurt seemed most of the dwarves expressions, Tauriel noted, as for the moment, they were no longer all looking at her, but up at Kili. Balin continued, "There was some further scuffling, but these two were finally subdued. Then Nott was rushed to the infirmary where we weren't sure if he was going to make it or not." Again, more gasps from the crowd, plus they also looked around the large hall for Nott's presence, and not seeing him, they started to mumble again.
With this, Balin nodded at Oin who stood up slowly and said, "I am afraid I must report that I...was not able to save him." The words hung in the air momentarily as the gathered group of dwarves were in stunned silence. The words still seemingly hung in the air, as Oin strided up to the front of the rows, a few of the dwarves started yelling and stood up, obviously very miffed that their future king had murdered one of their own. Kili tensed up and by this time, Oin had reached the front by where Kili, Ori, Bilbo and Tauriel sat. He looked over at Dwalin and the latter, who had the loudest voice, shouted, "Quiet down!" Those standing looked around then grumpily took their seats. Everyone looked towards the front again when Oin clapped twice.
From the opposite side of hall that Bilbo and Tauriel entered, suddenly a heavily bandaged dwarf, who was supported by two dwarves on each side slowly walked to the front of the gathering. Again, more gasps, until that dwarf made his way to the front of the crowd. One of the handcuffed dwarves cried out in surprise, "Nott!" Tears were flowing down his face as he realized his brother was not, in fact, dead. Grule just stood there in disbelief. Nott motioned for his aides to help him walk over to his brother where the two hugged for a long moment. Wott then exclaimed, "But...how can this be? He said he didn't save you..." Nott again motioned for his aides to help him continue walking. To everyone's amazement...he went to stand right in front of Tauriel!
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