If there is one thing I can tell you all, is go listen to "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran, if you haven't yet, and cry. Because it's beautiful and heart breaking and makes me want to give Thorin a hug. Yeah. Go do that. That you to everyone for the comments, faves and etc, but what I REALLY want, more than anything, is someone to critique my writing. I want to know if Thorin seems out of character, or if someone is unlikable or if it's just plain boring!
Chapter Four; Eilis, Daughter of Sigdag
I awoke the next morning feeling fresh and content, reminded of the days before Erebor and what a pleasure it would have been to have Leith there as well. Frerin would have been rather smitten with her, no doubt. He had always been the popular one around girls our age, though she was too young, and had not been born before the sacking of Erebor. I was, after all, thirty eight years her elder, and was only twenty four when we fled to the Iron Hills.
My good morning came to a crashing halt when I remembered my duty as king in finding a bride, queen and mother to my heirs.
As expected, Leith was on my mind. She would be a good queen, she already proved herself in her decision to come in place of her sister, and she said she was good with children... and of course I was already greatly taken by her. My quest seemed done, but five maidens still remained.
I dressed rather sluggishly, at last shrugging my favorite blue vest over my shoulders and exiting my room.
Unfortunately, my duties, which were usually bland and uneventful, flew by before I could blink and I found myself wishing to stay back and work instead of meet with the next maiden. But I was a king and would not break my word.
Maiden number three wore a similar frilly pink dress to the one she had on the first day. Though her light brown hair had been pinned atop her head, the tight curls had begun to fall out and frame her face. She looked anxious, rocking back and forth on her heels with her hands clasped tightly behind her back.
"Good morning." I murmured, keeping to my bow until she spun around to face me.
"My lord!" She giggled, curtsying with her hands splayed out behind her, "I've been so excited to meet you! I came yesterday morning, but that barbarian was here before me, so I made sure to get up extra early to be first!"
"You weren't here long, were you?" I asked, her arm grabbing my own. She pulled me off, though I'm sure she had little clue as to where she was going.
"Oh, only a few hours!" She laughed, a hand hovering over her mouth as she did so.
Though I would usually enjoy such enthusiasm, this had been taken to a new extreme.
"Ah. I see." I managed to choke out, "Please, tell me about yourself."
"Well, where to begin?" She wondered aloud, her index finger tapping at her lips. It was then I noticed freckles dotted along her nose and cheeks, something not often seen on Dwarf women, "My name is Eilis. My mother is Pora, my father is Sigdag. I have three older brothers, Lykag, Mannag and Jarlag, and one younger brother, Caomag. My brothers and mother are at our home in the Iron Hills, but Papa and I traveled here together." She grinned up at me, her bright green eyes boring into mine.
"Who answered the announcement? Your mother?"
"Oh no, no. She was sorely against it." She chuckled, heels clicking against the stone below our feet, "I decided to."
"You are old enough to?" I questioned, confusion building. Perhaps her appearance deceived her.
"Old enough?" She ripped her arm from mine and came to an abrupt stop, bringing her hands to rest on her hips and stamping her foot, "Of course I am old enough!" She began to pout, her eyes holding tears. Then again, perhaps I was right.
"How old are you then?" I stopped with her, my patience wearing thin.
"I'm sixty six years old." She announced proudly, pout all but gone and tears vanquished.
This girl was no older than my nephews before we left for our journey. It took all my power not to bring my hand to my forehead to rub away the newly forming headache. They seemed rather common nowadays.
"My lord, you look troubled." She murmured, her forehead creasing in worry, "Are you alright?"
"No, I am afraid not." I grumbled, unable to hold my thoughts back, "I do not understand. You are still a child, but you decided to come try your hand at marriage?"
"I am not a child!" She argued back, her foot stamps reappearing, "I am sixty six-"
"You are a child and you test my patience! Let your mother decide what you do, from now on, Eilis." I retorted with a snarl.
Her hand was slapped across my face before it could be stopped. With that, she turned on her heel and began running in the opposite direction, crying madly and huffing as a spoiled child.
Though my cheek stung for a few seconds, I was not angry. The child was immature and needed to be taught a lesson. She should not throw herself around in the way she had, especially to a king. Had it been any other Dwarf, they might have taken her up on the offer, and she would be forced into a very early marriage, and, most likely, an unhappy one. She had all her life to find a husband.
With weary mind, I began my walk to the library to report back to Dís and Balin.
I walked with my eyes on the floor, hopefully shooing off any unwanted company as my feet carried me along the familiar stone path toward the library.
One would think that, with his eyes down, one would be more cautious about stepping on feet, but I had spotted the little leather shoe too late and, though I tried to side step, managed to catch their toe with my own.
"Ah, pardon me! I should have-" I glanced up to find myself face to face with a wincing Leith.
"Thorin." She chuckled lightly, "You sure know how to leave an impression."
"Literally." I sighed as I took her arm to balance her as she rubbed at her toes through her boot, "I should have been watching."
"That is alright." She smiled, setting her foot down, "I should have been paying more attention myself. How was-?"
"She was sixty six." I sighed, answering her unfinished question.
"You must be joking!" Leith exclaimed, "Who would bring a child to engage to a king?"
"Neither of her parents wanted her to." I admitted, walking at her side as I continued my journey to the library, "She came of her own accord."
"What a fool." Leith mumbled under her breath, "And what an unkind thing to do to you."
"Yes, well, so is the luck of the king." Another sigh escaped my lips, and I wished I was not so irritated in front of Leith.
"Oh surely it is not that bad. You have only just met three girls." Leith argued, walking at my side.
"You are right." I chuckled, glancing back down to her, "I exaggerate. Only two have been complete nightmares."
"Oh please. If you think the next four will be such 'nightmares', as you say, put it to an end and choose the one you are most fond of." Leith batted her eyes innocently, a wicked smile on her lips.
"Trust me, I have already brought the idea up to my sister and adviser. They both enlightened me to the fact it would be very rude to the families that traveled so far." I insisted, glad to think she had the same idea in mind. I was growing fond of our daily meetings and chats, despite the many feelings welling inside from the last two days.
"Yes, that is very true." Leith agreed, her arm finding its' way to my own, "I guess you will just have to endure it."
"I am sure it will be worth it in the end." I smiled, placing my other hand on her own resting on my forearm.
"Oh Thorin." She mumbled, her eyes averted from my own, "I feel so unfair."
"For what reason?" I asked her, hoping it was nothing of my doing.
"Here those girls get only a few hours with you, if that, and I've seen you every day thus far." She admitted, a fair smile reaching her face, "Don't you think that is a little unfair?"
"By my beard, I am sure they do not mind at all." I chuckled back, my worries instantly put at bay, "They did not seem to like me all that much anyway."
"And if one of them did?" She reasoned, eyebrows up.
"Then that is too bad for them, for I enjoy your company far too much to not see you every day." I admitted, more to myself than to Leith.
A bright pink lit her cheeks before she looked away.
"You are far too kind to me Thorin." She said a little louder a whisper.
"Some deserve kindness who do not believe they do." I told her with a squeeze to her hand.
We arrived at the library doors before Leith could answer, so I released her hand and arm.
"I am afraid that I must depart. I have a meeting with my sister and adviser about my last..." I grumbled to myself, unable to complete my sentence.
"I understand." She insisted, bowing before she took her leave.
"Unless you'd like to join me and meet Dís and Balin once more? If you are uninterested in that, you would be free to look through the books. If that is something that interests you." I did not want to say goodbye to her just yet.
"Oh, of course!" She exclaimed, eyes brightening, "We were never allowed in the royal library in Ered Luin."
With that, we began our walk through the library to my meeting point. It, too, had luckily remained intact, far from Smaug's fires. This was greatly appreciated by Ori, who worked there tirelessly since coming to Erebor.
The library was three stories high with multiple staircases curling up to the upper levels. It was here, in the library, where the most wood was used in the entirety of the mountain, with the exception of some scaffolding for the mines deep below the ground. For instead of stone, most all of the bookshelves were made of polished oak, fashioned and beautifully carved by the few woodworkers we had in Erebor. Instead of stone under foot, a great carpet had been made especially for the library. Though tables, chair and bookshelves had been place atop the carpet, if one cleared away the entirety of the furniture, the story of us Dwarves was stitched into the maroon tapestry, all the way up to the founding of Erebor. And in the very center was a picture of the first king of Erebor, Thráin I, five times my great grandfather.
"Of all the magnificent things..." Leith breathed, her eyes looking this way and that, "It's ancient!"
"Well, it's nearly a thousand years old." I informed her, watching the seated Dwarves around us pour through their books.
"Thorin!" I glanced toward the voice to find Ori with his large book out, a quill in his fingers and his other hand waving my direction. He slammed his leather bound book shut, shot his quill in to the ink well and heaved the monstrous thing under his arm.
"It has been a while, my friend." I took Ori's free hand in my own and clapped him on the back with my other.
"Who is this?" Ori asked cautiously, glancing wide eyed towards Leith when he had pulled back from me.
"Ah, surely you have heard that I look for a queen?" Ori nodded vigorously, his braids bouncing.
"So this is the future Queen of Erebor." He concluded, bowing lowly to the floor, "I cannot say what an honor it is to meet you, my lady."
"Oh, no, no, no." Leith quickly grabbed his shoulders and stood him up straight, worry creasing around her eyes, "I am just Thorin's friend. He has not chosen yet."
"Oh, my apologies then, miss." Ori's nose was turning a bright red in embarrassment, his fingers disappearing into his knitted, fingerless gloves as he fidgeted, "I will be on my way then. Goodbye Thorin!"
"That was Ori." I chuckled to Leith, pulling her back onto our route, "He was one of the younger members on our journey to reclaim Erebor."
"Oh dear!" She gasped, worry appearing once more upon her features, "Had I known, I would have shown him greater respect-!"
"Had you done that he would have been even more embarrassed. He would rather be treated as an equal, not a superior." It was true, of course. I would not lie to Leith. Though all the members enjoyed the fame and glory in the first weeks, they slowly became themselves once more, content with their lives as they were before.
"If you insist."
We found Dís and Balin seated at their usual table toward the back of the library. Balin was looking around calmly, but Dís was buried deeply in a book, her gaze locked intensely on the words before her.
"Dís." I stated, hoping to catch her attention.
"Finally," the dark haired Dwarrowess grumbled, book still up to her nose, "You are late. You must have been rather taken to this one. Now aren't you glad you didn't send them all-?"
"Actually, he was with me." Laith interrupted, her face once again contorted into a worried mess, "I am sorry I kept him so long. I knew he was meeting you."
Dís' book was slammed to the desk rather loudly, earning a few annoyed glances from those around us. Her wide blue eyes turned slowly on Leith.
"Pardon me." She breathed quietly, sending a glare to someone who shushed her, "But you startled me."
"Dís, Balin, you have seen Leith, but I think you have yet to meet her." I motioned for the two of them to stand up.
"Aye, that's correct." Balin stepped forward, his sleeves brushing against the floor as he did a sweeping bow, "I am very pleased to meet you, miss Leith. Thorin says nothing but wonderful things about you."
"I have told him he says too many things, but he refuses to listen." Leith curtsied to Balin, "And am I correct in believing you journeyed through Middle Earth with Thorin to retake Erebor?"
"Why yes, of course you are right." Balin chuckled, coming back to a standing position, "What an adventure that was."
"I can only imagine." Leith sighed, "I am truly jealous of the sights you beheld."
"Yes, they went and left me behind." Dís sighed, folding her arms across her chest, "I was thoroughly enraged, of course."
"Dís, it is wonderful to finally meet you!" Instead of a curtsey, Leith pulled my sister into a warm embrace, one she was not quite used to, "Thorin has told me all about you, and I have even heard some fantastic stories about you from around Erebor."
Dís looked rather surprise by the news, as did I. Fantastic stories? Either Leith was hearing stories from a drunk Dwarf or she knew who to flatter.
"But what you've been through." Leith murmured, pulling back from Dís, forehead creasing. This I knew to be true honesty, "I do not envy you your pain, but you are a strong Dwarrow, and I greatly admire that of you."
Dís seemed stunned to silence, simply searching Leith's blue eyes in wonder.
"But do not let me interrupt your meeting. I know you have much to discuss." Leith began to back a way, bowing shortly to the three of us, "Until tomorrow, Thorin."
I watched her retreat, a fond smile coming to my mouth.
"Well, I see what you mean." Dís huffed, falling back into her chair, "She's adorable to say in the least."
"And quite smooth with her words." Balin chuckled, winking my direction, "One might say you have fallen under her spell, Thorin."
"Spell?" I questioned, wondering if he was jesting or serious, "What kind of spell could she weave?"
Dís and Balin shared a knowing glance but spoke no more of the matter.
"So, how was this Eilis girl?" Balin changed the subject, and though I still wondered what they thought, I decided not to pursue it.
"She is sixty six years old." I mumbled, pulling out a wooden chair along side my sister.
"What mother would bring their child of that age to become a bride?" Dís gasped, her fingers stopping their bored drumming against the desk.
"Her parents didn't bring her." My own fingers began their restless dance against the wooden table, "It was her idea."
An uneasy silence fell over the table.
It was a few minutes before Balin's hand patted my own.
"Better luck tomorrow, laddie."
Pronunciations;
Eilis- "eye-liss"
Sigdag- "sig-dag"
Pora- "poor-uh"
Lykag- "lie-kag"
Mannag- "man-nag"
Jarlag- "jar-lag"
Caomag- "kay-o-mag"
Yup. That's chapter four. I just finished working on chapter eight... so if I do two to three chapter for each week of break, we'll be up to chapters eight to eleven! A good place to be, I believe, as there's nearly thirty chapters. That would put us about half way! Guess I better start writing. Not sure when I'll post the next chapter if I decide to before Sunday. Oh well, playing it by ear!
Thanks and please review! c: Remember: critique critique critique.
~The Penned Tekrid