Chapter Three; Fallon, Daughter of Brennus
After my morning duties had been completed- overlooking the construction, taking complaints or requests from my people, and the likes -I began my slow trek through Erebor toward the banquet hall. It had been decided, by my sister of course, that for the next six days, whomever wished to go next would arrive at the banquet hall doors, and whichever maiden was there first was given that day.
I was slightly surprised to find the dark skinned woman with white tattoos and blonde hair waiting stiffly near the large metal doors. Unlike most of the other maidens, instead of a dress made of cotton materials, she wore a thick brown and tan animal hide jacket and pants, despite the warming weather. Her blonde, nearly white, hair was not braided or held back by any bands, but instead hung loosely around her face. The tattoos were circular and were accompanied by a few straight lines that littered her forehead and cheeks.
"Good morning." I bowed when I had reached her, the best smile I could muster plastered to my face.
She nodded with a grunt, but said nothing more.
Though I held my arm out to her to begin our walk, she merely glanced at my extended elbow and made no attempt to take it.
With an awkward nod, my arm fell back to my side and I began to walk in no particular direction, relieved to find her following not far behind. I slowed my pace to let her catch up and began my questions.
"What may I call you?" I asked after a moments hesitation, glancing her way. It wasn't until then I noticed how extremely tall she was- a good half a head higher than myself.
"Fallon." She muttered, eyes straight ahead.
"Ah, Fallon." Her named felt rough on my tongue, "What is your family like?"
"Family travel." She grunted, her large steps echoing around the walls, "Never stay one place long."
"What would you do if they happened to leave after- if I chose you?" I corrected myself, a little curious as to her family line. I had never seen a Dwarf so dark skinned and tall.
"I follow." She said, my eyebrow quirking up. There was no sense to be made in this conversation.
"What about your family? How many are there of you?"
"Father Brennus. Mother Gwyrtheryn, small sister Morcant, small brother Riounus. So..." She paused, counting on her fingers. She held up the number seven but stated, "Five."
"Mmm." A strangled sound came from my throat. What I found interesting was that the son, Riounus she had said, shared the same name ending as their father. That was very common for the Broadbeam, Firebeard and Longbeard clans.
"Do you know what clan you are of?" I prompted as we descended stairs toward the front gate.
"Clan? No clan." She concluded, "Lost to mind long ago."
"Ah, I see." They were nomads who had no understanding of normal Dwarf customs, an unknown family lineage and she was unwilling to stay if her family left. One down, five more to go.
"Well, thank you, Fallon, for your time, and I look forward to meeting your sister." I managed a painful smile as I bowed and, before she could say anything- if she planned on it -I turned back up the stairs and started for the library, where I knew Dís and Balin would be awaiting me.
"I don't know why they even came!" Dís grumbled rather loudly when I had reached the library and told them of my brief encounter with Fallon, "I could hardly get a word from their parents. They could not even understand Westron!"
"May we excuse them?" I suggested, my index and thumb pinching painfully at the bridge of my nose. A splitting headache was beginning to form, "I honestly doubt her sister will be any different."
"Do you think that would be best, upsetting people like them?" Balin pointed out, his mouth a thin line as he emphasized "them".
"Point taken." I sighed. I knew little of these people, and offending them could prove to be disastrous, "I need air."
I left my sister and Balin behind, making for the front gate with quick steps.
I was beginning to doubt that I had made the right choice, letting Balin and Dís send out announcements. I needed an heir, but finding someone suitable to be Queen seemed an even more impossible task. Had my father been alive, I might have asked him what he did, though he was much younger when he married my mother.
I stepped into the welcoming hall, the hall that had been flooded with gold during our quest to vanquish Smaug. Of course, drowning him in burning liquid gold did nothing but anger him as he shot out the sealed gate toward Lake Town. Had it not been for Óin, Bofur, Fíli and Kíli, those who had been left behind, I may not have even gone back-
I shook my head as I made my way uneasily across the floor. Those times had passed, and reminding myself why I would not have saved those men, women and children of Lake Town left an unsettling clench in my stomach. In reminded me of my grandfather, when I was nothing more than a mere Dwarfling, assault Dís for evening looking at his gold.
The thoughts that often brought me nightmares began to recede as I got closer and closer to the front gate, and recognizing a familiar blonde head just inside the gates.
I quietly walked up behind, stopping a few steps before her.
"Why don't you go out instead of standing in the way?" I asked, amusement leaking into my words.
Leith nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around and bowing when she saw who had startled her.
"My l- Thorin!" She corrected herself, "I did not mean to block your way, I was just... too afraid to go alone, but it's very beautiful so I thought I might look."
"Would you like me to join you?"
"You do not need to, I can go myself, I am just... new to Erebor and Dale, and it is a bit frightening. We did not often see Men in Ered Luin." She explained, a nervous smile pulling at the corner of her lips.
"No, I have been meaning to see Dale for a few days now. And yes, the Dwarves of Ered Luin and the Iron Hills are not quite as open to other races as we are. But after the battle, it would seem rude to exclude the Elves and Men after their assistance." I stated, holding my arm out for her to take. I was surprised when she did not.
"Aren't you shunning your duties of finding a wife?" She wondered, biting her lip.
"No, I have already met one today. Fallon." I let out a sigh, forehead throbbing once more.
Seeing my discomfort, Leith slipped her own light green sleeved arm under mine and prompted me forward toward Dale.
"Which was she?" She finally asked when we had begun our walk.
"One of the dark skinned, tattooed sisters. The one with blonde hair." I said, relieved to be outside of Erebor for the first time in weeks.
"Oh." Leith's nose scrunched in distaste, "I did not like the look of them. But I should not judge them by their looks."
"No, you should not, but her personality was definitely... unique." I grinned.
Leith smiled with me but said no more.
On the outskirts of Dale, I finally found the courage to speak my mind.
"You did not tell me you were of the Ironfist Clan." I said lightly, glancing down at her.
"You did not say in the announcements you only wanted women of specific clans." She bit back rather quickly, her smile falling.
"That is not what I said-" I retorted, not wanting to upset her.
"But that is what you meant." She turned her head toward me, lips pursed, "We had a wonderful time yesterday, though you knew not of my heritage, and you seem to be enjoying yourself now, even with that knowledge. I see not why my clan matters."
"You are right." I sighed, shaking my head angrily to myself, "I was foolish to mention it."
"Just do not judge a book by its binder, Thorin." Her smile appeared once more and I felt my foolishness disappear.
The merriment of Dale had returned almost completely by now. The peoples of Lake Town had settled rather well with the posterity of the old Dale citizens. The lives of men were short, and unfortunately for those who escaped Smaug's wrath upon Dale, none were alive to see the reclaiming and rebuilding of Erebor and their home. But as mentioned, their children and grandchildren, fed the tales of the once booming city of Dale, flocked here when news reached their ears.
"It's beautiful." Leith breathed at my side, clutching to my arm as if it were a dream.
She was right- the sandstone color of the city, once turned black by Smaug, had returned anew and the vibrant colors of the red tiled roofs and flags stood out among the dull colors of the walls. The cobblestone roads and streets were almost entirely intact when rebuilding began, and the feeling of them underneath my boots was strangely familiar to me. Frerin and I often came to Dale with our mother as children to get fitted for outfits and the likes, but I found it hard to believe I would remember all those years ago.
"Ered Luin was never this colorful!" Leith murmured, her eyes taking everything in as quickly as possible. Before I could answer, she darted off to one of the stalls, investigating the produce that was freshly grown on the fields surrounding Dale. Though the dragons scorch marks scarred the fields many years ago, the ground had taken nutrients and become fertile once more.
"We never get fresh fruits either!" She exclaimed, examining the apples and oranges, "Everything is imported from the Shire and other towns near by, and even then they're very expensive and far past ripening. Ered Luin is much too cold to grow anything."
"Would you like some?" I stepped up to her side, the woman behind the cart bowing as I appeared.
"Oh no, I could not ask you to do something like that for me." She shook her spread hands at me, smiling all the while.
"Miss, please." The cart owner insisted, motioning to the fruits, "I would be honored."
"Alright..." Leith mumbled uneasily after a moment, glancing from me to the owner, "But only one."
She eyed the fruits until she plucked one from the stand she found suitable and, without a moments hesitation, bit into the red apple.
Her eyes widened as juice dripped from her lips.
"It's so juicy!" She laughed, hiding her mouth with her free hand.
I chuckled with her, turning to pay the shop keeper, but she held her hands up as I held a coin out for her.
"Anything for you, my lord."
"Take it." I ordered- these people were still poor and needed every coin they could earn, "Please."
With a reluctant smile on her lips, she took the coin, thanking me before I was dragged away by Leith, who still munched on her apple.
That was how the rest of my day was spent- enjoying each and every stall in Dale with Leith. It was not boring, but, instead, was a nice day away from duties, which I'm sure Dís carried out in my absence. Which I would probably never hear the end of.
"Thank you Thorin." Leith sighed as we walked arm in arm back to Erebor as the sun began to set behind the mountains.
"It was my pleasure." I reassured her.
She flashed another of her radiant smiles before we walk in silence back to the front gates.
"If you do not choose me, Thorin, we can still be friends, yes?" Leith asked suddenly as the shadow of the mountain fell over us, "You make me feel as if I never left home."
I smiled down at her as we stopped, a tender beat to my heart.
"Of course."
And with that, we parted ways once more.
Pronounciations;
Fallon- "fahl-on"
Brennus- "bren-nus"
Gwytheryn- "gwi-there-in"
Morcant- "more-cant"
Riounus- "ryu-nus"
Wooooo, another chapter up! Hope you all are enjoying! Please don't forget to favorite and comment, as I love hearing your feed back! c:
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~The Penned Tekrid