SO I SAW DESOLATION OF SMAUG.
And it was amazing in my opinion. And has really... boosted my chapter writing. Working on chapter eight as you read this!
So yeah. Everyone go see that.
Thank you, by the way for the one review and three favorites! Can we double those, perhaps?
Comments and critiques are welcomed! In fact, they're most wanted!
Chapter Two; Leith, Daughter of Leuthar
"Well, laddie, there seems to be only one thing to do." Balin said with his thick accent, an unusually mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"I will plan the wedding!" Dís said, the excitement plastered to her face.
Erebor had been reclaimed for nearly a month now. Stone work was being mended, remunerations had been paid in full to the living members of the Company, minus myself, of course, as well as Thranduil, Bard- now leader of the peoples of Laketown and Dale- and Dain for their assistance. All eleven company members had been offered a home in Erebor, and to my surprise, each took the offer graciously, with the exception of Bilbo. Bombur and Gloin's families had arrived only recently from Ered Luin and the Iron Hills, respectfully, and all had been settled into the best homes of Erebor.
Though Bilbo had stayed for the awards and celebrations, most of which had been in his honor, he had left for Hobbiton just after the second week.
"You will be greatly missed, Bilbo." I said, my hand squeezing his shoulder in a friendly manner, Gandalf waiting on his own horse a little ways off, "Are you sure I cannot convince you to stay? It is a great honor to live amongst us Dwarves. Few of us ever welcome strangers into our fortresses, let alone simple folk such as yourself." I grinned toward the end of my sentence, jesting with our poor, serious burglar.
Bilbo simply smiled back, shaking his head slightly.
"You asked me to help take back Erebor, Thorin. And we have. You have your home, and I have mine." He stated simply, reminding me of the speech he gave when I thought he had forsaken us in the Goblin City.
I embraced our burglar one last time, the rest of our Company each getting his own turn with Bilbo afterward.
"Travel well, my friend. You will always be welcomed here if it ever stirs in your heart to see Erebor again."
And with that, we watched Bilbo and Gandalf leave for the Misty Mountain pass. I never saw Bilbo again.
"...And I better send out invitations to our cousins in Ered Luin and the Iron Hills. Dain, no doubt, would want to join us." Balin and Dis were still rambling on about the wedding I was supposed to have. They were, however, missing one very important detail.
"And the dress!" Dis gasped, her inner child slipping through the rough, Dwarven exterior she wore, "I could go shopping with-"
"With who, exactly?" I interrupted, forehead creasing in exasperation, "Because as far as I know, I have no intended yet, and it would be rather foolish to send out invitations to a wedding with no bride."
Both Dís and Balin snapped their mouths shut in embarrassment.
"Then I..." Balin began rather slowly, a small smile forming on his red face, "Shall send out word to all Dwarf kingdoms announcing your search for a queen, and to bring every eligible Dwarf maiden for you to inspect."
"Inspect?" My sister bit defiantly, turning on Balin, "Men do not inspect women to marry them. They woo them."
"Correct!" Balin nodded instantly without hesitation. He had most likely learned, in his many years, that Dwarf women are never wrong, and to tell them they were was more foolish than attacking a Warg with no weapons clad in nothing but the beard on their chin. Most Dwarrows knew that to be true, as did I.
My companion and adviser scurried off before he could make an even larger fool of himself, with a rather determined Dís following closely behind to inspect the announcements before they were sent off.
It reminded me of better days. The few precious years in Erebor we had before Smaug had attacked. Back when we were children with few cares in the world. Before Dwalin had been born, Frerin, Dís, Balin and I had been the kingdom trouble makers. Few Dwarves who lived within the mountain did not know our names.
I yearned silently for what once was. For the playfulness of my sister, my brother at my side. My mother and all her compassion, my father and grandfather so wise and strong. I wished I could look upon these path ways that wound through the mountain and remember games of tag, not fleeing from flames. Look upon the majesty of the front gate and not picture the many bodies we had stumbled upon when we first entered the mountain, locked in silent screams of terror.
I clutched at my chest, the breath caught in my lungs. These memories would plague my dreams for all eternity.
Within the next month, a total of seven letters replied to the announcements, and all maidens arrived by the month after that. The day after the last caravan entered Erebor, all women were instructed to meet Balin, Dís, and myself in the banquet hall.
I found myself unable to stop pacing along the stone floor of the banquet hall, rather nervous. I had stood against Bolg, Azog and even Smaug himself and here I was terrified of finding myself a wife. How pitiful.
"Calm yourself, laddie." Balin chuckled, sending a smirk my way, "You have seven to choose from. How difficult can it be?"
"Aye, but there's bound to be a few nutters." Dwalin concluded. The tall Dwarf had not originally been invited, but barged in to the hall just behind his brother on the pretense that he was "protecting the King of Erebor". Dwalin, however, had always been a bad liar. I knew he enjoyed seeing me squirm, and this, no doubt, would be one of those occasions.
My pacing stopped as the guards opened the banquet hall doors and seven very different Dwarf maidens walked before me. I could not help but find myself inspecting each and every one as they marched through the door.
The first one looked rather beautiful- she had red hair, most likely of the Firebeard Clan, and calm gray eyes. She dipped her head nervously when she caught my gaze on her, playing with the folds of her pale green dress.
The next two both had similar appearances: dark complexions with white tattoos adorning their faces and hands. Both had dark eyes while one had blonde hair and the other black. Their overall demeanor was rather... foreboding. It seemed likely they were sisters.
The fourth maiden was much older than the three before her. So old, she could have been my mother by the look of it. Her face was wrinkled, her hair was graying much more than my own, but her hazel eyes seemed kind enough.
The next Dwarf looked bored with the whole situation. Her brown eyes stared straight forward, though she often brushed her dark brown hair from her face. There wasn't much to learn from her walk by, unlike the next one.
This one wore a neutral expression. While she did not seem overjoyed at the aspect at being here, she did take time to look around and marvel at the architecture and tapestries of the banquet hall. Though Smaug had ravaged and burned our oldest and most precious of tapestries, a few were salvageable and hung magnificently from ceiling to floor. But it was in her blue eyes I saw a hint of something interesting- something just out of reach. Just when I thought I could understand what it meant, she blinked the spark away and tussled her blonde hair nervously.
And last, but certainly not least, was quite a surprise. A small maiden dressed in a frilly pink nightmare of a dress, her mousy brown hair bouncing as she skipped, bright green eyes taking in her surroundings. She waved my direction frantically, a wide grin painting her cheeks rosy. She seemed only a child.
With each maiden lined up before us, I decided it was time to introduce myself.
"Welcome maidens from far and near." Dís spoke before I had had the chance to gather my thoughts, "You all, no doubt, heard about the announcement of my brothers need for a queen. We'd like to thank you for arriving with such speed. Over the next seven days, my brother will get acquainted with each of you that stands before him, and at the end of those seven days-"
"Thank you, Dís, but I am quite sure I can speak for myself." I bit back sourly, earning a giggle from one or two of the women.
I kept my eyes before me, but could seen the flash of a glare my sister threw in my direction.
"As my sister was stating, at the end of those seven days, I will chose who I feel will best assist me in rebuilding and leading my kingdom to the full height my grandfather had it before me. Now, without any further intrusions-" I shot a casual glance toward my sister, "-Would anyone be willing to volunteer first?"
Without a moments hesitation, the maiden with blonde hair and those blue eyes that hid a glimmer, stepped forward, her face as neutral as ever.
"If you would have me, my lord, I would like to... hmm." She hummed for a second, "Get this over with first."
"I like that one." Dwalin muttered quietly from behind us as a few jaws dropped in surprise, including my own.
"Pardon my wording!" She stuttered when she realized what she had said, her eyes boring into my own, embarrassment apparent from the deep red of her cheeks, "I meant no disrespect. I could not find the words."
I shook my head and held my arm out to her nonetheless, jaw clenched. Confounded women.
"So..." The woman and I- she introduced herself as Leith- had wandered to the balconies overlooking the front gate, which was almost entirely repaired. The view was astonishing. The sight of the sun setting with Dale in the distance never failed to leave me breathless. Leith seemed to enjoy the view as well, her eyes wandering over the rebuilt Dale, and as I watched her, I realized that the first order of business would be getting to know her.
"Tell me about yourself, Leith." I said casually. In all honesty, I had no practice, one might say, with the opposite sex. I had never been intended to anyone, and there were so few female Dwarflings my age in Erebor, whomever my father would have chosen would have been from the Iron Hills or Ered Luin. Before Smaug, the only women I had often spoken to were my sister and mother, but once we had fled, there was no time for such commodities. It had always occurred to me that I would need an heir, but with the birth of my nephews, I prepared Fíli to take the throne.
She hummed to herself slightly, not taking her eyes off the greenery. Her blonde hair was rather long, reaching mid back, and wavy. The front part of her hair was braided back to the rest that hung freely, but some shorter strands hung down in her face, which she often brushed away, I noted. She wore a deep green and cream dress made of velvet and accented with ribbons that fit her nicely. She seemed stiff and awkward it in, however, as though such an extravagant dress was foreign to her.
"My father is Leuthar, my mother is Edit, and I have a younger sister, Synnove. I was born and raised in Ered Luin, and traveling here was my first time away from home. My mother replied to the announcement without my consent, and whether you choose me or not, we're living here now." She seemed to mutter the words out, her eyes becoming sad as she stared out over the hills, "I miss my home."
"So you resent me." It was not a question. It never occurred to me an invitation like this would attract poorer families looking to marry off their daughters, even if their daughters had other plans.
"Not in the slightest." She responded, finally turning her questioning eyes on me, "You did not ask for me personally. It was my mothers decision to leave behind all we know for what she wanted. She did not even consult my father."
"But surely you could have disagreed? You aren't of age to make your own choices?"
"I am in my one hundred and thirty first year." She snorted, shaking her head as her eyes wandered once more, "I could have laughed in my mothers face had I wished, but if I had refused, she would brought my sister and..." She paused, blinking as she thought, "She is too naive to be a queen, and I could not run that risk. Not just for my sister, but for anyone else."
I felt my admiration grow for the young maiden standing before me. Still young, she had made a decision not for her own benefit, or her sisters, but rather, she took the well being of Dwarves she did not know in a kingdom she had never seen, and a King she had a likely chance of marrying, whether she liked him or not.
"That's very honorable of you." I murmured lightly, but she only shrugged it off.
"I should not be so selfish." She told me, blinking a sudden ray of last sunlight from her eyes, "Telling you how I feel about coming here. You are being forced to find a wife in order to keep your lineage from failing, instead of finding a woman you would rather meet of your own accord and wooing her for a couple of months instead of days."
"It... must be done." I insisted, "I am only worried that whomever I may choose will not like it here, or even me, for that matter." I nearly gawked when I finished, finding myself admitting my deepest worries to another Dwarf I only just met a few moments ago.
"How could that be so?" She asked, a kind smile forming, "Erebor is very breathtaking, even in the state of repair it is in. Ered Luin is nothing in comparison, and I can only guess that the Iron Hills are the same. My parents were right in telling me I would like it here."
"But-" I began rather cautiously, confused by her sudden change of heart.
"I never said I do not like it here." She chuckled, a mischievous gleam reflecting from her eyes, "But I will miss my home nonetheless. You missed Erebor when you traveled, did you not, my lord?"
"You make a valid point." I concluded, eyebrows raised in surprise, "But please, call me Thorin. There is no need for such formalities."
"Then you should not worry, Thorin." She corrected calmly, playing with a braid from her hair, "You seem to be a very noble and kind King. One who would not willingly take a wife merely as a trophy, but as a friend and ally."
"I- I hope to be all those things." I could hardly find the words to speak as Leith showered me with a speech on attributes I did not think I possessed. Was I such an open book that I could be read in a matter of minutes? Or was this perhaps a unique trait she held?, "Is there any last thing I should know about you?"
"I fear I am rather boring." She chuckled, "But I have a soft spot for dogs and children. I babysat my cousins quite often back in Ered Luin, and our dog, Etna, came with us here. She was one of the pups of my first dog, Chrishna."
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.
"I have never had a dog before." I thought out loud to myself, thinking of the days when Frerin and I would beg our mother for a puppy.
"Never?" Leith gazed at me, shock widening her eyes.
"Never." I shook my head with a laugh, "My mother did not like dogs. We came close to convincing her at one point, but then my younger sister, Dís, was born and she put a stop to our begging. She had heard of too many instances when children were bitten or attacked by them, and was worried Dís might get hurt. And then after Smaug... there was no time."
"You have a brother as well?" She asked innocently.
"Had." I corrected, keeping my emotions locked with. I had many years to hide the guilt I felt behind Frerin's death, and I would not allow it to appear again, "He was killed in one of the wars against the Orcs."
"Oh... I am sorry for asking. I should have known since he was not present in the banquet hall." She looked uncomfortable, as if she had somehow insulted me.
"You did not know." I insisted.
"But your sister, Dís. You love her, don't you?" She began almost as soon as I went to answer her.
"Despite our irritable remarks, yes. Of course." Nothing could bring me to loath my sister. Not after the hell I had put her through as a young man, "Why?"
"I can tell she loves you very much." Leith said softly, gaze caught on the horizon in an unwavering stare, as though she could see beyond Dale and to other worlds, "I saw the glances she gave you when you spoke. I often give my sister the same ones. I would do anything for her. She's been through much, hasn't she? Your sister, I mean."
"Yes." I answered slowly, unaware of why or how she knew so much.
"Oh." She blinked and her trance was broken, "It sounds as if I'm prying. I am just...well aware of those around me." She insisted, glancing toward me, "I always have been. It's well apparent in her. Her hardships."
"Really?" I answered, thinking back to the short amount of time she had seen Dís, "How so?"
"How she held herself. When she spoke to us, I could see how proud and strong she is by how she stood, but when you began to speak to us, I saw the weight of the world fall on her shoulders. It was almost unbearable." Leith recollected, eyes searching an invisible scene before her, "And the way she looked at you. You may have only seen the sarcastic and annoyed glances she sent to you, but when you were unaware, she looked at you as though you were her savior. A drink of water at the end of a desert. Like you were the last of her kin." She paused, looking back at me. I could see it in that moment: that searching, thoughtful gleam in her eye. The one I had seen earlier, "I have made you sad."
"No." I insisted, shaking my head slowly, "You are merely remarkable."
Remarkable indeed. I knew these things about my sister. I had fought through the same emotional battles as she. But was this all apparent to someone so briefly exposed to our home and lives?
"And you are right." I continued when she had not answered, "Losing our mother to Smaug was the beginning of it. As children, when Erebor was attacked, our mother had run to go find Dís. When neither returned, I went myself and found her face to face with the dragon as he tore through the gate we stand above. I grabbed her out out of his path, but not before his fire burned one of her arms nearly beyond repair. In my grief of losing so much, I laid the blame of our mothers death on my sister. I made the next few years of her life miserable. The murder of our grandfather and loss of our father tore us further and further apart. It wasn't until Frerin died that I saw what a terrible brother I had been to her. She was devastated. She stopped eating, and I started to believe I would no longer have a sister as well. To this day, I believe she owes her life to Airíli, the Dwarf she married. He made her smile again. He gave her two sons. And then he died at my side in battle. And now her sons as well..." I trailed off, my chest aching.
"You blame yourself." She whispered, a look of pain upon her face that mirrored those feelings I held hidden inside.
"Of course I do." I said sadly, eyes falling to the stone work at my feet, "I was not strong enough to keep those safe she truly loved."
This Dwarrowdam that stood before me had changed talk of the love for my sister into a confession of the deepest parts of my soul in a matter of minutes.
A hushed silence fell over us, but it was comforting in an odd sort of way. Calming.
"Well, Thorin." Leith began, backing away from the rails she had previously been leaning against, "I believe you are more than strong enough to protect your sister, and this kingdom, from any further harm. You should not doubt yourself so much."
I had no response as I stared back at her, heart racing from my recollections, from admitting my fears and short comings.
Unsurprisingly, Leith smiled a sad smile, her hands grasping one of my own.
"I'm afraid I'm keeping you from your duties." She said after a moments hesitation, her hand slipping from mine as she signaled to the appearing moon, "And my parents will be wondering."
"Of course." I murmured, eyes still searching hers. I carefully reached for her hand and planted a kiss on her knuckles, earning a small smile in return, "Until next time, Leith."
"Balin, I think we need to send the others away." I had stumbled across my friend and sister deep in conversation in the library. It began as more of a tease to my sister and Balin, having already gone through such work only to send the others home only after the first day, but I feared meeting the others. And I was already fond of Leith, despite the short amount of time in her presence.
"What?" Dís snapped, both she and Balin looking up as if they had seen a ghost, "You're settled on the first one already? But you haven't even met the others!"
"And they traveled all this way, Thorin. Would you send them away so soon?" Balin included, pulling anxiously at his white beard.
"What need have I to look further?" I asked them, truly contemplating my joke, "Leith is kind, level-minded, already admires Erebor-"
"Thorin." Dís tried to interrupt.
"She is already making decisions based on the needs of others, and values them far above her own." I exclaimed. Yes, it seemed a shame to send the others home, but Leith had the makings of a fine queen.
"She sounds fine, Thorin, but-" She shook her head with a sigh, "She is an Ironfist."
I narrowed my eyes at my sister, unable to believe her. The silence that fell between the three of us was startling.
"You are sure?"
"Yes. We asked all parents of those who came, just to make sure." Dís said sadly, "She does not seem like one of them by the sound of it."
Ironfists. Of all the Dwarf Clans of old, the Ironfists had been the most warlike, starting disputes over the pettiest of complaints. Though they did not get gold sickness like the rest of the clans, they were greedy beyond comprehension. They were also well known for their distrust and hatred of strangers. Leith, of course, did not show any of these undesirable qualities, more the exact opposite, but if word got out an Ironfist had become part of Durin's line?
For when Mahal made The Seven Dwarf Lords, each got a wife, with the exception of Durin. So it has been a tradition for Princes and Kings of the line of Durin to take wives from other Clans, just as Durin had. But the Ironfists, along with the Stiffbeards, Blacklocks and Stonefoots, had been put further into Middle Earth than the Longbeards, Firebeards and Broadbeams, and for many centuries had never intermingled.
"I will... make my decision when the seventh day is up." I concluded, turning on my heel and heading toward the throne room to take my mind off of this nonsense before Dís or Balin could stop me.
Pronunciation;
Leith- "layth"
Leuthar- "loo-thar"
Edit- "ee-dit"
Synnove- "sin-nove"
Etna- "et-nah"
Chrishna- "krish-nah"
Yeaaaaaaaaaaah buddy. Chapter two done! And for those of you reading, I have a total of twenty nine chapters if you'd like to follow a long, but that's only with a rough outline. I originally had more. I cut the original ten Dwarrodams down to seven because I was getting bored with them, unfortunately.
But yes! Review my lovlies and I will see you next time! Don't forget to go see the Hobbit: DOS!
~The Penned Tekrid