Chapter 17
Ember hurried down the long corridor, trying to find Lindir. She knew where he was headed, the only place he would go when he was upset. She headed to a hidden alcove near her chamber, to find Lindir standing in barely contained rage. "Lindir…are you alright?" she asked quietly, placing a hand on his arm.
"No!" he growled. "You have only been gone a short time, and you have already been bewitched by those damnable dwarves! Throwing food? They embarrass themselves and you!" He was furious at the thought that she had actually been having a good time with the dwarves. They were loud, rude and had terrible manners. To think of starting a food fight in the house of Lord Elrond! He stared down at the beautiful young woman beside him, who he realized was chuckling quietly.
"Lindir…I seem to recall you laughing hysterically the time Melinel and I had a mud pie contest in the kitchen." She grinned at him, her blue eyes piercing him. He swallowed back his emotions allowing her calming presence to warm over him.
"Well…that was different…" he grumbled. Sighing, she took his hand.
"Lindir…please…they are my friends…as are you. Please try to get along it will only be for a short while." He smiled reluctantly, reaching towards her when a voice interrupted.
"Ember, is everything ok?" Kili stood in the hallway with Dwalin behind him. Lindir noticed how Ember's face lit up at the sound of his voice. He pulled his arm from hers and strode away. Ember sighed as she turned to Kili.
"Let's go back to the feast," she said, taking an arm of each dwarf.
"That elf seemed a little grumpy, lassie," Dwalin growled. "Shall I teach him some manners?" Ember burst out laughing.
"Manners? You?" she giggled. Kili and Dwalin both snorted in laughter as they headed back to the banquet hall.
Later that evening, Ember led Thorin and Balin to the garden conservatory. Thorin glanced at the young beauty beside him. After the feast, she had seemed distracted. They had followed her to their chambers where the Company set about making their beds for the evening. After taking a moment to freshen up in the bath chamber, she had quietly requested that they head to the conservatory, where Lord Elrond had arranged to meet them. Thorin had refused Kili's request to join them, and the lad had sulked until Ember had smiled at him while whispering in his ear. Thorin wondered what she had said that had put such a smile on his face, then decided he was better off not knowing. As they approached the conservatory, she bowed low and gestured for him to enter the hall. Frowning, he strode towards Gandalf and Lord Elrond. Balin patted her hand and followed his king. Ember felt her vakha's eyes on her, but she focused on the flowers that surrounded her. She had always felt so at peace here among the rare plants and flowers of the conservatory. The large chamber opened into a large stone balcony that overlooked the beautiful waterfalls of Rivendell. She was turning over her conversation with Lindir in her mind. She knew he wanted more from her than she was willing to give, he always had. But tonight, he had seemed almost…hostile. Sighing, she turned her mind back to the discussion…who was she kidding, the argument occurring behind her between Gandalf and Thorin.
"Our business is no concern of elves." Thorin said defiantly.
"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map." Gandalf was quickly losing his patience.
"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets." Ember rolled her eyes, her king was giving her a headache.
"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves! Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond!" Thorin regarded the Wizard and Lord Elrond carefully. Finally, Ember spoke up.
"My king…would you allow me to look at the map?" She asked quietly. Thorin looked at her in surprise. He regarded her in silence before nodding.
"Thorin, no!" Balin interjected. Ember shot him a hurt look.
"Master Balin, I will not betray my people. You have my word." Thorin quietly handed the map to Ember. She walked away from the group, her eyes searching for the answer which she had suspected from the beginning of the quest. Finally, she nodded, looking back at Gandalf. "Cirth Ithil," she said. Gandalf smiled at her.
"Moon runes," he said with a wink, "of course. An easy thing to miss." Thorin's eyes followed the young girl as she studied the map frowning.
"Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written," she explained. He approached her, looking into her blue eyes.
"Can you read them?" Thorin asked quietly. She shook her head.
"But he can." She gestured to Lord Elrond, then raised her eyebrow in a questioning look. Thorin contemplated her, before nodding his approval. She handed the map to her vakha.
"Erebor." Lord Elrond turned to Thorin. "What is your interest in this map?" Thorin began to speak when Gandalf interrupted him.
"It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text." He winked at Ember, who quickly hid her smile. Lord Elrond lead them to the open area of the conservatory, it faced a side of a cliff, surrounded by waterfalls. A few clouds covered the moon as he led them towards a crystalline table.
"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago." Elrond turned to Thorin. "It would seem that you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight." Ember looked up as rays of moonlight hit the table, causing light to flow through the map. Ancient runes became visible, and Ember smiled. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." Gandalf nodded thoughtfully.
"The start of the dwarves' New Year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf said turning to Thorin, who frowned.
"This is ill news," he addressed Balin. "Summer is passing. Durin's day will soon be upon us." Balin appeared deep in thought.
"We still have time to find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened," Balin stated. Ember nodded at the old dwarf, gazing out at the waterfalls.
"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain." Elrond's tone made Ember turn to him warily.
"Herunin," she said with a slight warning.
"What of it?" Thorin asked gruffly.
"There are some who would not deem it wise." Thorin took the map back, before striding from the room. Balin bowed and followed his king. Ember turned to her vakha.
"Herunin, who do you mean?" Ember asked.
"Gandalf is not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-Earth, Yuula." Ember frowned, before following Thorin out of the room. Gandalf and Elrond watched her leave.
"She has changed," Elrond murmured. "She sees this quest as hers, rather than before when it was theirs."
"Does that bother you?" Gandalf asked.
"I fear for her. Her power could be of great use to the quest. I only hope that Master Oakenshield will not try to use it…or her, to his advantage. Her training will need to begin immediately." Gandalf nodded his agreement, and the two friends headed back into the homely house.
Upon returning to the chambers, Ember found the dwarves circled around a fire. It took her a moment to realize that the fire had come from a wooden table that sat in the middle of the living area. She shook her head, thankful it was not one of her vakha's favorites, as she sat down beside Kili, who wrapped an arm around her shoulder. The mood was quiet and contemplative. She shook her head, a soft smile on her face, as Bofur decided to fry some sausages. "Would you care to go for a walk, Kili?" she murmured quietly. He nodded and they rose together to leave the room.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, nadadith!" called Fili, with a grin.
"Do something I would, duzkakeh!" Dwalin added as the company roared with laughter. Kili gave them a dirty, embarrassed look as he followed Ember out of the room. Balin watched them go, before pulling Thorin aside.
"Thorin, there is something we need to discuss," the old dwarf said softly. Thorin looked at his old friend with curiosity. "If I am not mistaken, this news about young Ember being a Firestone is not entirely good." Thorin appeared puzzled.
"What do you mean, Balin? She's a dwarf, how can that be.." he trailed off as he understood what Balin meant. The older dwarf nodded as he realized Thorin understood.
"Technically, the house of Durin is outranked by the house of Firestone. Thror took the throne when Daror was killed in battle, and his son Derain was only a babe." Thorin frowned, knowing what the next words Balin spoke would be. "Technically, Ember could claim the throne of Erebor."
Far away, in the ruins of an old watchtower, a pair of yellow eyes belonging to Azog stared out into the black night. His pale skin gleamed in the moonlight. A large white warg growled beside him. He turned as he heard his scouts returning. An Orc lieutenant came forward slowly.
"Khozdayin…Dorguz…zuranimid." The Black Speech rolled nervously from the mouth of the Orc, as the Pale leader glared at him.
"Kurv vadokanuk?" The Pale Orc asked quietly. "Shakutarbik vandokanuk?" The lieutenant shook his head slowly. "Gothizub nargzab vadokanukul!" He pierced the smaller Orc before him with his left arm, cut off by the Oakenshield filth long ago, now replaced with a metal claw. He tossed the Orc over between the stone pillars, where several Wargs proceed to tear him apart. "Khozd-shrakhun gud sha kilyash-zag. Zidgar obod tung nash ru khobdud!" Azog roared in fury as the rest of the Orcs rode off into the night to fulfill his request.
Ember led Kili out into the warm night in Rivendell. They stopped in a gazebo that stood beside a large waterfall, the stream cascading gently below them. He sat down on a stone bench, and pulled her towards him. She gazed down into his eyes, no power in them, just hope and love. She gently stroked his cheek, caressing his beard, running her fingers through his hair. He smiled up at her, weaving his fingers into her long hair, almost silver in the moonlight. "When I first saw you…" she murmured softly.
"Time stood still," he finished. She widened her eyes and he chuckled. "I felt it too, vol kaon." He kissed her softly, pulling her gently onto his lap.
"Kili," she whispered. "Miz azyung, miz torak…miz hrun." His breath caught and he pulled back, his eyes shining, a warm smile on his face.
"I guess you don't need lessons in Khuzdul," he chuckled. "Hrun?" She smiled as the word lit a glow inside her. "I have wanted to call you that all day, vol kaon!" He kissed her more passionately, his tongue teasing hers. Breathless, she pulled back.
"We…probably should speak to Thorin and Lord Elrond before this goes any further." She looked at him oddly as he began to roar with laughter.
"Vol kaon…I am pretty sure they already know!" Raising an eyebrow, she punched him playfully in the shoulder. Neither of them saw the dark eyes of Lindir watching them from the shadows. He turned away in anger as the young couple pressed their lips and hearts together again. Ember nibbled on his bottom lip, as Kili moaned in pleasure. "May I braid your hair, vol kaon?" He whispered. She smiled softly, as his fingers gently wove an intricate braid into her blond tresses. Ember had never braided her hair, as most of the Elves preferred to style their hair down and she had wanted to fit in. Kili secured the braid with a silver clasp from his own hair. He stroked her cheek before pressing his lips to hers once more. "Now you are truly mine." She smiled into his kiss before resting her head against his chest. Kili held her close as her breathing became deep and steady. He gathered her into his arms, carrying her back to her room. He gently laid her on the bed, covering her with a blanket for warmth. He hesitated, before laying down beside her. Wrapping her in his arms, he sighed happily before closing his eyes.
"Men lananubukhs menu, Kili," she murmured dreamily. He kissed her brow gently.
"I love you too," he replied as he drifted off to sleep.
Cirth Ithil - moon runes
vakha - guardian
herunin - my lord
nadadith - little brother
duzkakeh - lover
Khozdayin…Dorguz…zuranimid - The Dwarves, Master, we lost them
Kurv vadokanuk - (is the) Whore dead
Shakutarbik vandokanuk - (is the) Dwarf dead
Gothizub nargzab vadokanukul - My Master wants them dead
Khozd-shrakhun gud sha kilyash-zag. Zidgar obod tung nash ru khobdud! - the dwarf scum will show themselves soon enough. Send out word there is a price on their heads!
Miz azyung, miz torak…miz hrun - My love, my soul, my One
Men lananubukhs menu - I love you
Okay, reviews needed! I own nothing except Ember...
Also...the next chapter should have more to do with her power. Let me know your thoughts!