Chapter Twenty
Erebor
Lonely Mountain
Thorin woke up from his rest, and stretched his arms, as he noticed Neniel wasn't in the room. "Neniel?! Neniel?!" Thorin called out for her. "She's not here, laddie. She's been kidnapped, as well as Frerin and Autumn! Dwalin, Fili and Kili, and several others are finding them now." spoke up Balin. "KIDNAPPED?! Why didn't anyone tell me this before?!" barked Thorin, angrily. "Because you weren't yourself, Thorin. You have been poisoned. Someone had poisoned your drink tonight." said Balin.
"Someone had poisoned me?! Who would do such a horrible act?!" snapped Thorin. "Dora, daughter of Noran. Does the name ring a bell?" Balin replied. Thorin snarled. "That little-wretch! I knew there was something about her that wasn't right!" snarled Thorin. "She and her father are part of the rebellion dwarves whom are the threat to the family, Thorin. And it's Noran and his rabble that captured Neniel and the kids." said Balin. Thorin quickly stood up. "Thorin, what are you doing?" asked Balin.
"I'm going to find them as well. And if any of them lay a hand on Neniel and the children, I will kill them!" said Thorin, angrily as he threw on his cloak, and reaching for his sword, he bolted out of the chambers. Thorin left the Mountain, and it didn't take him long to catch up with Dwalin, Fili and Kili, and several of the dwarf guards. "Thorin! I thought you would be resting!" exclaimed Dwalin. "I'm not going to rest until we find Neniel. This was all my fault." said Thorin.
Dwalin stopped and stared at his friend. "Thorin, this isn't you fault! This was all planned from the beginning, it was all set up! None of us had seen this coming. And it all began with Dora poisoning you." said Dwalin. "Where is she now?" asked Thorin. "She's in the dungeons." Dwalin replied. "Good. Now we need to go find the rest of them." said Thorin. It had been three hours since they had searched, when they finally came to a forest and they entered. Suddenly, it was Fili who noticed a light a few miles ahead of them.
"There's a light ahead of us-it appears someone has made camp!" exclaimed Fili. "Let me go have a look first. I will give a signal in case we see something familiar." said Thorin. The dwarves nodded, as they waited while Thorin headed towards the light.
When Thorin gotten closer to the light, he peered through the trees and gasped. There he saw Neniel and his children tied to a tree. Both Frerin and Autumn are sleeping, but Neniel remained awake, while Noran and several of his companions were talking quietly among themselves. "Where is your daughter? She should have been here by now?" Thorin could hear one of the dwarves asked Noran. "She must have either gotten lost, or seducing the King!" said Noran.
Thorin snarled when he heard this. Thorin then made a signal to Fili, Kili and Dwalin, and the guards. "We will make an ambush on the count to three." began Thorin. The dwarves nodded. "One!" said Thorin.
"Two!" said Fili.
"Three!" piped in Kili.
And the dwarves jumped out from the trees, as Noran and his group of dwarves are surrounded by the guards, as Thorin pointed his sword at Noran, while Dwalin grabbed a hold of the rebel dwarf leader. "I see that you've found me! You will be sorry for this! Mark my words! This isn't over yet!" barked Noran.
"Its over, you traitorous fool! You are lucky that I haven't killed you nor your daughter for your actions! But I will make my decision on what to do with all of you tomorrow morning, when you stand trial! Guards! Take them to the dungeons!" Thorin barked at the guards. The guards nodded, as they took Noran and his companions and left the clearing. Thorin ran over to Neniel, Frerin and Autumn and freed them. "DADDY!" cried out Autumn, as she woke up and thrown her arms around Thorin.
"My baby girl-I'm so glad you're not hurt!" Thorin whispered to Autumn. "You don't hate mommy?" asked Frerin, keeping his distance from Thorin, as he crossed his arms. "No, Frerin! I don't hate your mommy! Where did you get this idea from?" asked Thorin. "Mommy-I heard her mumbling that you sent her away, and called her a traitor, and accusing her of stealing." said Frerin. "Frerin, that will be enough." said Neniel.
Thorin's heart sank, when hearing this words coming from his son. "Did I really say those words, Neniel?" asked Thorin. "Not to mention you kissed Dora, right in front of me." said Neniel. "Neniel, I was poisoned. That was not me you were dealing with hours earlier. Dora had set this up to turn me against you." said Thorin.
"Is this true?!" gasped Neniel. Dwalin stepped forward. "Its true. Dora confessed to us earlier before Thorin had woken up that she had poisoned his drink." said Dwalin. "Thorin-I don't know what to-!" began Neniel. Thorin took his wife into his arms. "There is no need to worry about her and her father no more. They are in the dungeons, and there will be a trial set up for them tomorrow morning." said Thorin, brushing his thumb on Neniel's cheek.
"What are you going to do, then?" asked Neniel. "I don't know yet, love. Now lets get you and the children back home." said Thorin. "Good idea!" said Neniel. And Thorin lead the group back home. Once they arrived, Neniel had put Frerin and Autumn to bed, and she joined her husband in their bedroom, as Thorin removed his clothing. "After tomorrow everything will be back to normal." said Thorin softly, as he held Neniel into his arms. "I surely hope so!" said Neniel, as she lay her head upon Thorin's chest.
The next morning, the trial began, and everyone attended, including Neniel. Dis remained behind to watch Frerin and Autumn. "Bring forth the prisoners." Thorin announced. The guards brought forth the prisoners, beginning with Noran and his daughter Dora. Dora and Noran both glared angrily at the dwarf king and his wife.
"Are the both of you aware the trouble you have caused is considered an act of treason. Not only you betrayed your King and Queen, but your kingdom as well?" spoke up the Dwarf King sternly "Yes, your Majesty!" both Dora and Noran said together. "Not only you emotionally hurt my wife and children, but myself as well-and for that, I have thoughts of killing you both right then and there." Thorin continued. "Thorin, it would be best if they are dead." murmured Dwalin. "Silence, Dwalin." said Thorin quickly.
"And now I have come to a decision for the sentence. Dora, daughter of Noran, step forward." said Thorin. Dora stepped forward, as her body began to shake in fear, as she awaited for her sentence. "Dora, you will be sentenced to exile-you will no longer be permitted in any of the dwarven realms of Middle Earth-which includes Ered Luin, Ered Mithrin, and the Iron Hills. You will either chose exile or death. Its your choice." said Thorin. "I will chose exile." said Dora softly. "So be it. Noran, step forward." said Thorin.
And the older dwarf stepped forward. "Noran, you too have two choices in your sentence, exile or execution." said Thorin. "Speaking on behalf of both of my daughter and myself, I chose execution. I rather die than to live among you conniving bastards!" snapped Noran.
"FATHER!" shouted Dora. "It appears you both have agreed to be executed then. The execution will began at sunrise tomorrow morning. Take them to the dungeons!" said Thorin. And the guards took Dora and her father away, while Dora screamed curses at her father. Thorin then turned to the other dwarves, as he had sentenced them to years of labor for life in the mines and forges of Erebor. The dwarves agree and were set to work right away, and the trial ended.
"Its time that you need a break for a little while, love!" Neniel whispered to her husband. "And what do you suggest, my queen?" Thorin replied, with a grin. "How about you and I retire to the hot springs and relax?" suggested Neniel. "Absolutely! Its hard to say no to that!" laughed Thorin, and the two of them, hand in hand leave the Throne room.
The End.