« Tell them Erebor is ours again. » Thorin said with a beaming smile. These words were so sweet. Even now, several days after their victory, it was still hard to believe. « Tell them to pack their things and to come back home. Tell them we are waiting for them here, in the glorious halls of our ancestors. »
Dwalin, who was standing in front of him, nodded slowly, but there was a smile on his lips too.
« I will, Thorin. » He said pleasantly. « Don't worry. They will all know the dragon is dead, and they will know how you killed Azog. They will know how bravely their king fought for the survival of us all. »
Thorin felt slightly ill at ease, to hear Dwalin talk about him with such fervour. He didn't see himself as a hero, not even after his epic fight against Azog. He was just a man who had managed to stay alive, and he didn't think he deserved more praise than Balin, Nori or Bombur, or any other Dwarf that had survived the Battle of Five Armies.
« And there is something else, too. » Thorin added, lowering his voice. « It's about Lau... »
But suddenly he was interrupted by loud footsteps coming closer. He turned around, and spotted his nephews. One of Fili's arms was wrapped in a thick bandage, and Kili had a deep cut in the small of his back. Standing was still painful for him, but he was smiling all the same. Thorin considered them for a while, and thanked Mahal once more. If he had lost any of them, the grief would have been unbearable.
Both young Dwarves looked up at Dwalin.
« Balin told us you volunteered to go to the Blue Mountains to bring them the
good news ? » Kili started enthusiastically.
« Aye, I did. » Dwalin agreed amiably.
« Wonderful ! » Kili exclaimed, as his smile widened. « Here. Can you give this to Mother ? » he said, pulling the rune stone out of his pocket. « She gave me this before I left, and now I'd like to give it back to her. And tell her I kept my promise. »
Dwalin cautiously took the stone in one of his hand, and patted the young Dwarf on the shoulder with his other hand.
« She will be happy to hear it. » Dwalin said.
Then Fili stepped forward, his long blond hair shining in the sun. He had braided it neatly, and he truly looked like a prince of Durn's line. Thorin was proud of him, proud of the man he had become. His only regret was that Dis' husband was not here to see him.
« She's never been interested in gold or jewels. » Fili said, looking at the heaps of gold surrounding them. « But she loves playing chess. We used to play together for hours. So here I found this for her. » he said, handing Dwalin a small chest. The warrior opened it, revealing the most beautiful chess set Thorin had ever seen. The small checkers were made mother-of-pearl and onyx, and they had been carved with exquisite details. « Shell like that one. »
« Yes she will. » Thorin said, smiling. « We used to play together, too, before the fall of Erebor. She always won, but Frerin was even better than her. »
Thorin refused to let sad feelings about his younger bother invade his thoughts.
« Don't worry, lads, your mother will get your gifts. » Dwalin said. « I'll be more than happy to tell her how bravely you both fought. »
Fili and Kili looked at each other, and then they smiled.
They deserve to be happy, now, Thorin reflected fondly. Their whole lives were shaped by the hardship our people went thought, but not anymore.
They both hugged Dwalin and wished him good-luck for his journey, then they walked away again, leaving Thorin alone with his old friend.
« So what were you saying, before they interrupted us ? » Dwalin asked when bith lads were gone.
« Laurelin... » Thorin said. « I've got a special message for her. »
Dwalin nodded. They had nevert talked openly about it, but Thorin knew that his friend had guessed the truth. Dwalin may be a warrior and a brute, but he was also clever and shrewd – and he knew Thorin well.
« What do you want me to tell her ? » He asked, very seriously.
« Tell her... » Thorin sighed, trying to find the words that would convey hope and confidence to Laurelin, without betraying any of the feelins he was having for her – because he didn't want her to find out though Dwalin. He wanted to tell her when she would be standing in front of him. « Tell her that I didn't forget anything. »
Dwalin lifted one eyebrow.
« Just these words ? Nothing more ? »
« She will understand. The rest... well, I'll tell her more once she'll be here, but for now it will be enough. »
« As you wish. » Dwalin agreed.
« Make sure, also, that Laurelin will be safe during the journey that will bring her here. » Thorin added. « Keep a watchful eye on her, and help here if need be, please. I know you, and I trust you. You're the only one I can ask this of. »
« I would die rather than to see any harm befalling her. » Dwalin replied fervently, and Thorin knew his friend was sincere.
They exchanged a few last words, and then the moment had come to separate.
Thorin felt a strange feeling as he watched Dwalin walk away. The warrior was his best friend, and they had shared so many adventures their bond was as strong as a brotherly bond, and now that Thorin was suddenly alone – after so many months living in close companionship with Dwalin – he felt very lonely, very vulnerable. Yet at the same time he was happy, because Dwalin would be bringing good news to the survivors of Erebor who dewelled in the Blue Mountains and who waited eagerly for news from their king.
Thorin was impatient to see Laurelin's reaction when she would see Erebor again. He wanted to be there at this moment, at her side, ready to be there for her if the bad memories of old threatened to overcome her.
Of course it would take Dwalin at least five or six months to reach the Blue Mountains, even if he travelled at speed. And then it would take even longer for all the Dwarves to travel to Erebor. Thorin knew a whole a year – or even more – might go by before he would see everybody again. It would be a long wait before he would be able to see Laurelin again.
Mahal protect him, and protect my people when they will undertake the long journey home. He prayed silently.