Chapter Sixteen
Two hours went by, Thorin was about to led the Company back home, when they realized Cyril had not returned to them yet. "She shouldn't be taking that long to go pee! She should've returned hours ago!" snapped Thorin. "Should we go and search for her, Uncle?" asked Fili. "Yes. We'll split up in groups." said Thorin, as he announced the groups that will be paired off for their search. Suddenly, as they done so, an arrow came flying out at them. "DUCK!" shouted Thorin, as everyone ducked. "What in Durin's name is going on here?!" barked Dwalin, angrily.
"Who would be attacking us?" asked Dis. Kili sprinted towards where the arrow had flown at them, and he picked up the arrow, and there was parchment attached to the arrow. "UNCLE! I think you better take a look at this!" exclaimed Kili as he approached the dwarf king, handing over the parchment to him. Thorin opened the parchment, and read it aloud:
Your Majesty,
If you wish to have your beloved back in your life again, hand us over your title, and all the gold in the treasury, and she will be set free!
Anonymous.
When Thorin read this, anger and rage fueled inside him. "We must find her now, and her captors! They will not get away from this!" shouted Thorin. "Luckily we brought our weapons with us! Here, Thorin!" said Dwalin, handing over Orcrist to Thorin. After the groups are separated, they begin their search for Cyril and her captors. As they searched, Thorin didn't understand whoever is doing this, would have problems against him and the family. There was a few suspects he had in mind. He assumed it would most likely be a group of rebellion men from Lake Town.
Meanwhile, Cyril herself tied up to a tree, as Nigel and his dwarves discussed on what to do with her. Already, all of them were in a very drunk state. As she heard them talk, it angered her at hearing their motives behind the kidnapping. "How could you?!" Cyril shouted at them, and their eyes turned to her. "How could you turn on your own King like this?! WHY? Why are you doing this to your own people?!" shouted Cyril. Nigel stormed over to her, as he grabbed Cyril's arm roughly.
"You have no idea the hell I went through hundreds of years go! You don't understand any of this, woman! Allow me to tell you!" barked Nigel, as he sat down on a log across from her. And he began telling his story. "Long ago, the day Erebor had been founded, I was one amongst many of the dwarves who followed Thror to the Kingdom. I've been wanting the title as King, I deserved the title, as those whom close with me, agreed I should become Erebor's King. But instead, the people had chosen Thror." began Nigel. "Nigel, no offense, or anything, I know some dwarven history and of the ancestral line! I may not know you, but you are not a direct descendent of the Durin Line. You are a Longbeard! Only those who are directed descendents of Durin will take the Throne! You of all people should have known that!" snapped Cyril.
"How dare you speak to me that way in such disrespect! You know nothing of dwarven history, half breed!" shouted Nigel. "And you have no right to betray your own people, YOU BASTARD!" screamed Cyril. Suddenly, Nigel punched Cyril as she screamed. "You will die as of tonight! In the mean time, we have business to take care of with your so called King of yours! Alright, lads! You can have your fun with her!" Nigel called out to the rest of the dwarves.
Cyril looked at the other dwarves in fright.
Oh no, they better not! Cyril thought. No soon as the several dwarves approach her, out leapt Thorin and Dwalin from the trees, followed by Fili, Kili, Bofur, Bombur, Oin, and Gloin. "Arrest them! Arrest them all! Let me deal with Nigel!" Thorin instructed the dwarves. Dwalin and the rest of the dwarves tied up Nigel's company, and restraining them, while Thorin angrily approached Nigel, pointing Orcrist at the rebel dwarf's throat. "You traitorous bastard! You have turned on our people! Your own kin! You will pay for this!" barked Thorin.
"No! You will pay for this! I deserve.." Nigel began shouting at the dwarf king, but Thorin interrupted him. "Don't you say it! I know what you're going to say you conniving bastard! Your punishment for capturing the Queen is death!" barked Thorin, as he killed Nigel right on the spot. "The rest of you take the other dwarves to the dungeons! I will deal with them tomorrow morning!" Thorin instructed Dwalin. Dwalin and the other dwarves nodded, as they took Nigel's group of dwarves away.
After that, Thorin ran over to Cyril as he untied her from the tree. Thorin knelt before her afterwards. "Are you okay, Cy?" asked Thorin, gently. "I swear, Thorin I didn't know that was going to happen!" said Cyril.
"Cyril, don't blame yourself for this. None of us knew this was going to happen. Our own people betraying us!" snarled Thorin. "So do you know this Nigel?" asked Cyril. "Unfortunately yes. He's got a crooked mind, always had a crooked mind. He had been after the Throne, since the day Erebor had been founded." said Thorin. "That is horrible. I cannot believe some dwarves can be that crooked." said Cyril. "Some can, unfortunately. Some say, there are even some dwarves whom had joined with darker forces, such as Sauron." said Thorin.
"Oh, Thorin." said Cyril. "Don't worry, Nigel has been killed off. I killed him myself. As for the rest of them, they will remain locked up in the dungeons until tomorrow morning, when I have a trial! Come, lets go back home!" said Thorin, helping Cyril stand up. And so Thorin and Cyril went back home, retiring for the night in their chambers. The next morning, a trial is held and the punishment for the remaining dwarves is life long work in the mines and forges of Erebor. And the dwarves vowed to remain true to their King after that.
Four weeks later…
Cyril had been feeling ill for the past several weeks, beginning with nausea and throwing up. It wasn't until the fourth week that Oin needed to examine her.
"You cannot go on like this, lass, you must be looked at." stated Oin, as he lead her to the healing quarters. Oin began to examine her, and he smiled brightly at her. "I have some good news, dear. You're not ill at all." began the grey haired dwarf. "Then what is it, then?" asked Cyril. "You're carrying child!" Oin replied. "W-what?!" exclaimed Cyril, as her eyes widened at hearing the news. "You're pregnant." said Oin. Cyril knew this was good news, but there was a downfall to her. Her heritage. With her being part dragon, how would her children turn out?
And what would the dwarven community think of it? And how would Thorin feel about the news? All this crossed her mind with worry. "Cy, is there something wrong? You don't seem happy about the news." said Oin, gently. "Oin, there is something I should tell you. As you know already that I'm part dragon." said Cyril. "Yes, yes, I know that. All of us know that." said Oin. "Yes, but think about it, my children will be the same way, not only my birthing will be quite complicated, meaning that I may not survive having the children." said Cyril, sadly. "Oh." said Oin, gloomily, now understanding Cyril's situation.
"And what would your people think, Oin? And Thorin? I'm scared, Oin, I really don't know what to do, and how to approach everyone on the news." said Cyril.
"Break it to them, gently! If a problem arises, they will deal with me personally!" said Oin, smiling at Cyril. "Thank you, Oin!" said Cyril, as she smiled back at the dwarf, kissing him on the cheek. And so that evening, over supper, Cyril decided to make her announcement to the others, and Thorin. She prayed Thorin would be joining them for supper, so he could be there to hear the news.
As she entered the large private dining hall, she could see everyone is there, including Thorin. "Ah, you finally made it! Where have you been, love?" asked Thorin. "I went for a walk, and also Oin took a look at me earlier today about why I've been throwing up." said Cyril. "Well, what's the verdict, Cy?" asked Dis. "I'm carrying child. I'm pregnant!" said Cyril, smiling slightly (and nervously) at everyone. Dis grinned, as she jumped out of her chair, and she embraced Cyril. "That is great news! Congratulations, Cy! This is indeed wonderful news!" beamed Dis.
Even the rest of the company congratulated Cyril and Thorin. However, Thorin didn't say a word, as his features remained unreadable. "Thorin, say something! Aren't you happy about hearing this?" said Dis. "No." snarled Thorin, as he stood up and as he was about to walk out the room, Cyril called out to him. "Thorin, please! Lets talk about this!" Cyril called out to him.
"Thorin, you get your arse back in here, NOW!" Dis demanded to her brother. "How dare you speak to your King that way?!" barked Thorin, angrily at his sister. "The last time I checked you are MY BROTHER! And I'm allowed to speak to you the way I want to speak to you!" Lady Dis shouted back. Suddenly, Thorin stormed out of the Great Hall. "I knew this was going to happen!" cried out Cyril angrily, tears falling down her face, and she pushed away her plate. "You're not going to eat?" asked Bofur. "I just lost my appetite!" Cyril shouted, as she sprinted out of the Great Hall.
"Well, there goes what supposed to be a happy occasion!" grumbled Dwalin. "This supposed to be a happy occasion, damn it! No, my brother being the ass hat as he is, as to make it a NEGATIVE!" fumed Dis. "Maybe I will go and try and reason with him." said Balin. "I better go with you, Balin. There is something I must explain to you what Cyril had told me, and we can explain to Thorin." said Oin, as Oin and Balin left the Great Hall to find Thorin.
They shortly found Thorin standing outside on the balcony, his back towards them. "Thorin, we need to talk about this." spoke up Balin. "There is nothing to discuss, go away and leave me be!" snarled Thorin, with his back still towards them.
"Thorin, trust us, there is something you should know that Cyril explained to me." said Oin. Thorin suddenly spun around, and glared at Oin. "What is there to know? I already know of her situation, Oin! If it were that she gives birth, her chances of survival is not good! You know, as well as the rest of us of her dragon heritage!" barked Thorin. "I understand your concern, Thorin, but you're not the only one who's hurting right now!" Oin snapped back.
Balin stepped forward as he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "The least you can do Thorin, is be supportive of her. Don't distance yourself from her. She needs all the support she can get. The more support she gets, the chances of her surviving the birth, will most likely be good." said Balin, gently. Thorin closed his eyes, and sighed. "Perhaps you're right, Balin. I've behaved rather rashly about this. Where is she?" asked Thorin. "I seen her running towards your chambers, Thorin." said Balin. Thorin nodded.
"Go and talk to her, and help her relax, and work things out. The more she stays relaxed and calm, it would be easier on the child she is carrying!" said Balin. Thorin nodded, as he went back inside to find Cyril.
It didn't take Thorin long to find Cyril in their chambers, as she sat in a lounging chair in front of the fireplace, looking into the flames. "Cy!" spoke up Thorin. "Go away." grumbled Cyril. "Listen, Cy-I must apologize for how I reacted earlier, its just-that I'm worried about you, Cyril." said the dwarf king gently, as he approached her, sitting beside her. "Well if you cared about me so much, you would've never gotten angry in the first place!" snapped Cyril.
Thorin closed his eyes and sighed, and he took Cyril's hands. "Cyril, I really mean it. I'm sorry-if there were was a way you can get through the birthing without complications.." said Thorin. Cyril sat in deep thought, and suddenly a smile appeared on her lips. "I do believe I know a way, but I don't know how you're going to feel about this, Thorin." said Cyril. "Well?" said Thorin. "We'll go to Rivendell for the birthing. Elves are excellent healers, I'm sure they'll help us." said Cyril. To Cyril's surprise, Thorin agreed with her.
"You are right. We will do that. But if you want to go, we must go now, since you are early in your pregnancy." said Thorin. "Should we tell the others?" asked Cyril. "Absolutely." said Thorin, as he pulled Cyril into his arms, and he kissed her. "I'm going to be a father.." whispered Thorin.