Junnesejer Nahlot: Kings of the East be silenced

Bruniike: Savages

Dinok losahzid: Death is bitter

Drem Yol Lok: Patience, Fire, sky (A greeting)

Queen of the North

-January 1, 3019-

Freya watched the dwarves and Men of Dale pick up their pace around her. The dragoness had been called to Erebor by Coruwen for a negotiation trial nearly five days ago, why she did not know; but it was dire indeed. Her paws were crossed as her talons clicked against the stone like the heels of one's shoes. She saw the young prince walk by her without a single bit of fear in his step, much like his father who did not fear her. She saw much of Thorin in Odin, even when he was a baby. The dark hair and chiseled features of the king were prominent, but Coruwen's light blue eyes, height, and pointed ears were in their son. She had watched him grow from a small child to the strong young man he was now. He was interesting to her; more than elves or dwarves even.

Odin walked down the steps that led before her feet and he paused, his light blue eyes becoming uneasy. Freya smiled, wrapping her tail around her haunches. "Drem Yol Lok, Little Allfather," Freya greeted. Odin bowed to her, and approached her. "What brings you to me?"

Odin pressed a hand against her paw. "The other lords are beginning to assemble. They are coming to you, Freya," Odin stated, his tone slightly regretful. She wondered why and nudged him a bit with her nose making him yelp. "What? What do you want?"

Freya chuckled, "Little Odin, you sound like your father. A creature of pride and unfathomable stubbornness, you are. Though," She eyed him and he stiffened. "You have your mother's fair face and just nature."

"I know… Gods, I know," Odin hissed. "But, why were you poking me?"

"Why do you lament so? You are a prince, you have every right to be at the council," Freya said gently. Her nose hovered over him, inhaling the scent of him. He smelled of leather and rain, a rather strange combination of things in her mind. The prince sighed heavily and Freya smiled. "It is your father, isn't it?"

"Aye that I cannot deny. I do not understand why he protects me so. I am old enough to fight on my own and protect those I love, yet he still thinks of me a child," Odin admitted. Freya knew the King under the Mountain well, she knew his habits. This situation was familiar. She tapped her claws on the floor in thought. "Why are looking at me so?"

"Your father is a protective man, but he will come around, Little Prince," Freya soothed. Odin leaned into her paw, trying to hide in her great shadow. The dragoness considered him her own grandchild in a way. She loved him dearly, even when he would be old and grey she would love him, even in death. Coruwen's gold hair appeared in her vision, which drew her gaze quickly. She walked beside Thorin, and both held a great noble air about them that Freya had never sensed before. Behind them was Brand and his wife, followed by Thranduil and a red-headed elleth that appeared to be the Captain of the Guard. Fili and Kili came from a corridor behind her and the group formed a semi-circle around her, and the air became tense.

On her head, Freya felt something land. One amber eye flicked up to see Cairn sitting on her nose, watching the people below. "My lords and ladies, there is one reason that you have been called here. The threat of the One Ring has been rekindled in the world. The East is mustering under one banner and the old fortress on the Amon Lanc has begun to march their forces into the forests of Greenwood," Cairn addressed. "We are unprepared for whatever decides to march towards us. As the last remaining force that will stand against Sauron, we must muster enough of a force to withstand the East, Dol Guldur, and the forces that might come from Mordor."

Freya saw the red-headed elleth shift uneasily in her spot and look to the floor. It was truly troubling to think of, but it was the truth. "We aren't the only force, Rohan will stand against Sauron-," Kili was stopped by Thranduil.

"Actually, Rohan cannot fight anymore. Word has reached me that King Théoden has been poisoned by Saruman the White. Rohan is useless," The Elvenking stated sharply. Freya clicked her talons on the ground, watching the King under the Mountain out of the corner of her eye. He seemed tense, though his face did not portray any emotion; his eyes glaring at Thranduil depicted every bit of said tension. Creatures of habit are what elves and dwarves are, she thought snidely. "Gondor will surely not come to our aid; we will be dead until they reach us."

"And you know this, how?" Thorin asked. The edge of his voice became threatening and Coruwen touched his shoulder, and the red-headed elleth flicked her gaze between the Elvenking and Thorin. "I did not ask you to come here, Elvenking. This matter is our own; we do not need the aid of the elves."

Freya hummed in her throat, considering if she should intervene. "I am here because I am a part of the Eastern realm, Thorin Oakenshield. I know that your people do not require my aid, but alas our realms are tied together," Thranduil replied, his voice even and calm. The dragoness admired his calm and collection under the harsh gaze of Thorin. However, even those gifted with such dispositions can break.

"Our realms are not tied together at all. In fact, your realm is your own; the only one that is tied to Erebor is Dale and Esgaroth."

"Oh? Esgaroth would not because it awfully far from Dale,"

Freya mentally sighed; men can turn into children in the tip of hat. She had wanted to not intervene, but Coruwen was unable to do anything to stop her husband, and the Lady Captain surely could not stop her commander. Mustering her words, Freya roared, "Junnesejer, Nahlot!" The group stared up at her in shock as her voice rattled the walls of Erebor. She stared down at Thorin and Thranduil in particular. "You are not children, think of this as if the world as you know it will come crashing down in a matter of moments as the thralls of war cut the throats of your men, take your children as slaves, and violate your women! I do not know if you see this as a threat, but I surely do. I know old habits do not die easily, but the dye of war has been cast."

"Forgive me, Queen of the North," Thranduil said quietly. Freya saw him become like a dog, with his head bowed in the utmost respect for her, but Thorin simply gave her a simple nod. Coruwen did not speak, but held her husband's shoulder tightly.

"Let me ask all of you something, what number is bigger? One or five?"

"Depends," Fili whispered.

"Five," Brand replied.

"Five," Freya repeated, holding up five talons and then slowly began to curl them inward. "…One. One army, a true army led by a ruthless man. One man could control thousands, and what purpose do we have?"

Freya looked at the faces below her, all of them greatly troubled, the Lady of Dale had her eyes shut with her face turned away. The room was deathly quiet, so quiet one could hear her great lungs taking in air and letting out smoke in her ire. She felt Cairn on her head, clicking his claws in troubled thought.

"That's correct, we have none. Our purpose to fight fell when elves and dwarves fought against the other; when Erebor fell to my son and the elves did not give aid. The lot of you may have armies of Free Folk, but with so many of them deciding to stay in their trees or hide beneath the ground; this task is not possible."

"Get to the point, snake," Thorin hissed and Freya growled. His insolence was going to be his death one day; that she was sure of. He may have his beloved wife, who loved him dearly but if he went around speaking to her or other great creatures with so much disdain, he was going to end up a dead dwarf.

"Our lands have not fought in years, at least not as one army. Clearly, back-stabbing and pointing fingers are not getting people afar. None of those things prepare young ones for battles, much less some of the men that are many winters old. I am mostly surprised that this land has not fallen apart, and I wonder what holds it together sometimes."

"Love and friendship, I would guess," Coruwen said quietly, looking up at Freya sadly. "For nearly eighty years, my connection to Thranduil has kept this mountain city from tearing itself away. It is one of the few things that has kept you here, and has kept Thranduil and Thorin from killing each other."

"Eighty years, and all of this time you have been holding onto these… Bruniike. I am surprised it is just you, Little One. But let me ask your husband and King Thranduil this, how long can hatred hold two races apart?"

"I would not know, my father simply told me from a young age that dwarves were not to be trusted. I suppose the hatred of our two races has transcended the lapse of time. But Coruwen has shown me that is it is possible to trust the other," Thranduil answered.

"Aye, it is true. My wife has begun to show me the light that the elves possess," Thorin stated. Freya flicked her tail, brushing up against Coruwen and the elleth gave her a bow of her head. Once content with the logic of both kings, Freya let them continue on with their meeting. After her intervention, Thorin seemed rather quiet and Thranduil along with him. It was strange for both kings, who were both known for being rather vocal, to be silent.

The Lord of Dale, Brand, was gifted with his great-grandfather's venerable nature put an idea on the table for the others to work with. "If I may, if we can muster the dwarves, elves, and Men under one banner to fight against Khamûl. Then after the battle and the war, the two races can go back to hating the other with my people being neutral," Brand offered. "How does that sound to you, my lords?"

"I see no wrong with it," Thranduil agreed. Freya smiled at the eagerness of the Elvenking, but saw the conviction in the eyes of Thorin. She mentally rolled her eyes. The proposal of Brand was just in every way; at least to her it was not wrong. She glanced down at Coruwen, who was whispering something in Thorin's ear and he merely ignored her. The queen gave up and placed a hand on Freya's paw much like her son, who was still hiding in her shadow.

"Fine," Thorin replied.

"I am glad to hear your approval upon the matter, King under the Mountain," Brand said with a relieved smile. He looked to Freya, and she gave him a nod. "Is there much more we need to discuss, Lady Dragon?"

"Not to my knowledge," Freya said. She stretched her wings a bit, careful to not bump Odin. The dragoness let the meeting come to an end and watched as Thranduil leave with his female Captain and the boys leave as well. Brand departed with his wife and a man much older than he, leaving Thorin and Coruwen with her. "I have yet to understand why you continue to fight with the Elvenking."

Thorin scoffed, ignoring her. He had become rather set in his ways as of late, he was reverting back to his old self, something she did not enjoy seeing. It was bothering Coruwen as well, for the elleth had become taken back mentally and physically. Under normal circumstances, the lady would have caught both Thranduil and Thorin for their stubbornness. But she had not, and it bothered Freya greatly.

"He is an elf, and he belongs in his forest," Thorin grumbled. Coruwen looked at him, and shut her eyes with her face downcast. The king glanced over his shoulder, and Freya saw a bit of regret in his eyes. Freya nudged Odin away while his parents focused on the other, to which he slinked away into a corridor. The dragoness laid her head down, giving her view of both people she held dear to her.

"Why are you two at odds?" Freya asked quietly, keeping her tone gentle. "What happened to the two people who I knew so well? The two people who did not care for racial differences or the old ways? Have the two of you forgotten what you brought forth?"

"Freya…" Coruwen muttered, stroking the bridge above the dragoness' eye. "It is hard to explain."

"It is not, you are making it difficult," Thorin replied in a deadly tone. "I told you my thought upon the matter, yet you disagree."

"I disagree because it is what must be done, and has the most logical sense."

Freya blinked in confusion; the two had not fought in years… At least not like this. She raised her head, and growled deep within her chest causing both to look up at her. Coruwen covered her mouth with one hand; it was then that Freya saw. Her dear one was…Dying. She knew this fear of the king's, for it was clear to see in his face when he heard his wife cough. With one gentle breath, Freya exhaled over Coruwen and the elleth ceased coughing, yet her hand was painted red.

"You fear her death, King under the Mountain," Freya stated. "Dinok los ahzid-Death is a bitter being. I empathize with you, great king." The dragoness nudged Thorin, and he raised a hand to her nose, giving her a pained look mixed with true fear. She had never seen him truly frightened before. She watched as Coruwen walked off and Thorin let out a shaky breath, placing his hands on her nose with his forehead touching her scales. "Do not despair, Thorin, son of Thrain. She loves you and-,"

"Freya, I am losing her. I cannot hold her anymore without feeling her spirit slip away. I cannot kiss her, or feel her spirit. I am losing a part of myself, I am losing that which I love more than all of the jewels underneath this great mountain. I am damned fool for keeping her shut away."

Freya laid her head on the ground allowing him to look her in the eyes. She let her breath pass over him, trying to calm him. "I know the feeling of losing someone dear to you. But do not distance yourself from her, Thorin. Do want you have always done and love her; love her until the end of her days when she draws her last breath. You are the one she chose to be with over the countless ellyn in this world. Always remember that, and remember that statement when she has passed on into the Halls of Mandos."

"Damn you and your honeyed words," He whispered playfully.

Freya chuckled softly, "When your lover has passed, look to your son. He has her eyes, and her kindness."

"I shall, Freya."

"You are dear friend to me, though we have not had the easiest of beginnings. I respect your friendship, Great King."

Thorin took a step back, giving her a firm nod before walking off. She smiled sadly, the best a mourning dragon could. Her great heart shuddered in her chest and a small, crystalline tear slipped from her amber eyes. Bitterly she thought, life is a cruel hearted bitch.

Thranduil sat in his chambers flipping through the pages of an old book with Tauriel standing at the door. After the meeting, he needed time alone and this is where he wound up. Having removed his crown, one might have assumed they were looking at his father rather than him. Oropher was known for not wearing his crown in the presence of others, even of different race. In the back of his mind, he could still hear Freya's booming voice scolding everyone.

"My lord," Tauriel stated firmly. His green eyes flicked up to his Captain, who held her hand on the doorknob. "The queen is here for you." He gave the Captain a nod and she opened the door.

He found it strange that he did not hear the door; he was currently not in his right mind. Coruwen came before him, no longer wearing her diadem or the fine dresses she typically wore. She wore a simple dress that appeared elven by the craftsmanship of it. It made her appear more ethereal in his opinion. Tauriel had left them, and he attempted to stand, but Coruwen raised a hand for him to stay. She looked sickly, her skin ghostly pale.

"My dear, is something wrong?" Thranduil asked quietly as she came to sit beside him. He took her hands and withheld a gasp when he felt how cold they were. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought that her health was one of the many benefactors that caused Thorin's irritation. As he looked into Coruwen's eyes, he saw that they were blank and pained. "Coruwen, my dear, what is wrong?"

"Thranduil, I apologize for my husband's brashness earlier. He…He is not himself as of late," Coruwen replied softly, her voice ever so slightly hoarse. "I came here to ask something of you and to tell you something terrible."

"Your health is worsening, I can feel it," He muttered, stroking her hair. Her blue eyes threatened to spill tears. In his heart, he could help the heartache that lanced through him. Thranduil considered her his own, and to lose to her would be a cruel fate. "But I will let you tell me what you wish to say."

The queen swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. "You all ready can tell that I am starting to return to Mandos. At the most, I have a year to live, at best. With the Easterlings mustering, it may be less than that, and I need you to do something for me."

"Anything," Thranduil pushed away his emotions of grief. "Just name it, my dear."

Coruwen gave him a soft smile, "When I pass, look after my son; look after Odin until you depart these lands for Valinor. He will outlive all of Thorin's line, and even his wife should he take one. All of his life, Odin has known you and trusts you. You consider him your grandchild, and you are the only man I trust with my son's life outside of Erebor."

Thranduil kissed her forehead, how dearly he wished to keep her on this earthly plain. From her eyes, tears slipped free making him only watch as she broke down. Death scared her, whereas most elves would it rather peculiar. In truth, the elves feared that one day they would simply fade away into Mandos and be reincarnated. But Coruwen would truly die, just as Lúthien had done. The queen's imminent death frightened her, and made her force others away. Now, it was her wish for him to keep watch over Odin until he passed on. It was the least he could do for her.

"And as you can tell I am slowly slipping away. I had hoped it would not be like this at all; truthfully I wanted to pass away after Thorin or with him. I can honestly say that I have not regretted this life in the slightest." She laughed humorlessly and he felt her grip his hands tightly. "I wish that your relationship with my husband was not strained, but I cannot change the past. Though I all ready have a man I call father, you truly have filled that space in my heart. And I thank you for it, Thranduil."

It was then he almost choked on his emotions, and pulled her into his chest hugging her tightly. He stroked her hair, trying to ease the heartache. It was as if he was losing his own child, like he was watching his older son's life fade away. He could do nothing but sit and watch like a helpless animal in a glass cage. He heard her take a shaky breath, burying her face into his robe. He wanted to hush her and tell her that he would be fine, but he would be telling her a lie. He was fine at all; he might not see her after the war that awaited them. The Elvenking might find her dead amongst the millions, but he quickly cast that out of his mind. He had seen too many die in his life, too many he considered family starting with his father.

"I hope that you will live to see a brilliant dawn, my daughter," He whispered as he leaned up against the wall with her still in his arms. The saying had not applied to his father or his elder son, both of whom died with the first breath of night. He did not want to utter the words to someone dear to him; in fact he did not want this scenario to happen anymore. He fought to keep Legolas in his life and he had played a few parts in keeping the elleth before him close. Maybe, he thought, fighting was too much.

A lion stood before a great snake with sickly green venom dripping from its fangs like rain. The lion snarled and leapt at the snake, which merely slithered to the side, grasping the lion with its tail and tossing it around. The lion wriggled about, snarling and roaring until its teeth met the snake's tail. The snake howled in pain throwing the lion aside. The lion rose and darted towards the snake, biting its head until blood dripping from the snake's skull. The great lantern eyes of the snake flashed as its teeth bit down on the lion, letting its venom seep into the wounds and it tossed the lion aside where it tumbled down defeated. The lion stood shakily, letting out a weakened roar and the snake hissed-.

Coruwen sat up abruptly, her breath coming out in shallow breaths. She withheld a few coughs as she escaped her bedroom and out onto the balcony, where the wind bit at her skin. All she saw as of late was death or flame. She silently cursed her foresight… She hated it, she hated that it turned into a whimpering child. Her breath escaped her lungs into the terrible, raspy cough that she had adopted these last few months. Her talk with Thranduil had turned into her simply crying on his shoulder for what felt like hours and Thorin had kept quiet around her again. She swept a hand through her hair, trying to calm herself down.

"This is getting out of hand," She whispered, leaning on the rail heavily.

"That it has," Thorin's voice replied gently. Coruwen whirled around, looking at Thorin who was standing in the archway with a blank expression on his face. How he could creep up on her nowadays made her uneasy. It used to be the other way around, and it used to be rather funny. He walked toward her, and pressed a hand on her low back. "I have been a fool."

"In the fact that you are pushing me away?"

Thorin cringed, "Sadly, yes." He took her face with one hand and she saw his concern, self inflicted agony, and true apology all in his dark blue eyes. "I thought if I kept you away from me, I would not be hurt by your death. It seemed to make sense in my head, but I suppose my heart could not take it. Watching you slip away is a fate worse than death."

"If I had to watch you die, I believe I would be rather upset as well. But berating yourself is not an excellent idea, it will poison you and could possibly kill you," She said, trying to make it sound as if the idea of distance was entirely his. She kissed his forehead in an attempt to soothe his worry. "I do not hate you, but you did hurt me by this silly idea."

"And for that I am deeply sorry," He whispered. This was not a saying many heard from the mouth of Thorin Oakenshield; if someone mentioned that he said it, they typically were told they lied. He had his pride, and it was greater than the Lonely Mountain, but the one person he allowed it down around was her. "I understand if you do not trust me anymore… I accept all disdain for me."

"You truly are a martyr sometimes," He gave her a quizzical look and frowned. "I will not hate you; I simply am a bit upset. Think of this; how could I hate the man that fathered our son, stole my heart many, many years ago, and showed me that love is possible even amongst warring races?"

"Point made," He smirked pressing a small kiss on her lips. "Now, tell me, why are you out here?"

"Foresight is truly a unforgiving mistress. I keep dreaming of animals, ones that I call our nephews or son, and they are fighting other creatures or even flame. I awaken before the end for I cannot face them. They are filled with fire and blood, screams and the crack of a whip upon skin."

Thorin let out a breath and Coruwen could not help but sigh. "This is unsettling, just so we are clear on that."

"If they were about butterflies and unicorns, I would not be unsettled and out here, now would I?" The king laughed at her snide remark. His laugh brought a smile to her lips, for if she laughed, she would cough. She was all ready exhausted from earlier, and could not take another outburst. "I missed your laugh."

He eyed her curiously, still with a smile on his face. "Did you now?"

"I did, i hear our son and the boys laugh, but rarely do I hear the sound of my husband truly laughing. You," She held back a smile as his hand crept up her back. "Are one of the few men I have been able to see pull off a fake laugh without sounding humorless. A true gift, in my book."

"How do you know I am not faking it right now?" He pulled her face closer to his and she giggled.

"Because you're being playful and you would not fake a laugh around me."

"And I thought I had you pegged."

"I have known you for eighty years. I am fairly confident I know pretty much everything about you, and if I don't I can surely find out." She pulled away from him and cast a smirk over her shoulder at him making him follow her.

She could only get so far away until he caught her waist, pulling her backward and onto the floor with him on top of her. She laughed, but was halted by him kissing her. "Then tell me one thing that you know," He teased.

"Red gives you a headache," She stated and he narrowed his eyes, trying to justify that answer. Two lean fingers began to twirl a light grey strand of wavy hair around while he thought over her statement. "Don't think too hard, you might hurt yourself."

"Shut up," He quipped, as she tried to sit up, he pinned her back down causing her to gasp. "I know one thing that annoys you,"

"Oh?"

"You have a tenacity to play favorites with the boys; you tend to favor Fili over Kili."

"So what? Fili is far calmer than his brother, and doesn't act like a twitter pated idiot around girls." Thorin chuckled, poking her sides and she leapt away from him, gripping her sides. "Not funny."

"Oh, but I find it funny," he laughed.

"It hurts," She complained. "It is like being poked with a sharp stick."

"And how would you know that?"

"Elrohir and Elladan used to poke Arwen and I when we were in our lessons with Erestor. They thought it was funny, Arwen and I did not."

"I was testing to see how fast you could move."

Coruwen stared at him in disbelief. "Testing, that was a bloody lie."

"Is it?"

"Yes, you were doing it because you thought it was funny." He moved towards her and grabbed her waist when she tried to move away. She looked up at him, his dark blue eyes playful. She leaned up, stealing a small kiss from him with his roughened hand stroking her jaw line. She smiled as his hand drifted off of her face. "You are a terrible man."

"Am I?"

"Yes, yes you are." He touched foreheads with her, simply looking into her eyes as they brightened with true happiness. A sight she figured he must have not seen in a long time. She could have easily lied to him and said she was happy, but she had forgotten what it was like to be this way with him. For the longest time, when the days of Odin's youth had passed into memory, their happiness and joy had faded. The days had become grim with no song able to fix anything. "It has been a long since we have enjoyed the other's presence like this… What happened?"

"Sauron happened, love." Thorin sat beside her with her head on his shoulder. "I suppose we tried to fix it, but could not because we knew these days would only come."

Coruwen's smile faded as she nestled her face against his pulse. "I cannot even remember when we last laughed or last sat alone like this. But then again, it may be the last time for a long while."

He shut his eyes, resting cheek against her head. Her heart ached when she thought of that. Yes, it would be that longest stretch of time where they would not be able to take a comfort like this, one so simple. Her thoughts whispered one thing, "War is coming."

A/N: If you guys figured out the vision, I accept all hatred towards me and some that will coming towards me eventually.

Ok, that aside, I have been watching WAY too much Game of Thrones and thus quoted Robert Baratheon in this chapter when Freya spoke about the war that is coming and I took the House Stark reference, i just simply reworded some of it. I also quoted Arnbjorn from Skyrim about Blue giving him a headache, (I really need to stop procrastinating.)

I am sorry for the lateness of all of this, I have a cold and thus cannot focus my brain long enough to write.

Thank you all for joining this far, it means a lot to me and I thank you from the bottom of my little writer heart.

Review?