"Song of Durin": Eurielle, look it up on YouTube!
Chapter 3
"Fond Memories"
Sunlight shone through the window and caught Torshar in the eyes as she opened them and groaned then rolled over to get away only to end up rolling onto someone's back. Her mind told her not to move because the person below her was snoring lightly and any sudden movements would surely wake them and cause her own death in turn. For the man that slept beneath her was none other than Thorin Oakenshield. It took her a few moments to recall the events of the night before but it did come back. The dwarf prince had turned up at the Prancing Pony and she offered him to share her room since he could not find one.
The blush that had appeared on her face had darkened as she noticed that he slept shirtless and she was skin-to-skin with him. Still… She dared not move; savoring the moment. Since the moment they first met, Torshar had developed a secret crush on the Erebor prince.
Erebor's halls glowed brightly as the young traveler entered its gates. The guard who greeted her with a friendly smile, guided her to the throne room where an audience between King Thror and King Thranduil of the Greenwood was taking place. Not much was said between the two monarchs so Torshar assumed that verbal business had been dealt with but then a dwarf carrying a small chest approached and opened it before the Elven King.
The gems shimmered with a beautiful crystalline light that the versifier realized that they were the gems of Durin I when he offered them to an Elf-Lord in friendship and, it appeared, Thranduil had given them as payment; for what, it was unknown. As the Elf-King moved to touch them, the dwarf closed the chest and Thranduil bid the Dwarf-King farewell.
"My king, the versifier has arrived." The guard announced as they approached the throne.
Thror smiled as Torshar removed her hood, "And by what name do we call you, dear lady?" he asked kindly.
"I am Torshar… Daughter of Yurbir of Valtek and Uriess of Glorlode, my king." She answered and bowed respectfully.
"How is my old friend?!" Prince Thrain asked excited, seeing his friend's daughter alive and well; not knowing the horrific news she was about to reveal.
"I'm afraid, my lord, that my father was hanged for the murder of my mother and my brothers…" a hush fell over all present, "He was hung from the old oak at the center of Valtek… For a crime of which he was innocent…" Thrain had approached her and embraced her as she allowed the tears to fall.
"It is alright, dear one. You are always welcome in my kingdom." Thror stated with a kind, empathetic smile.
Torshar broke from Thrain's grasp to bow again, "Thank you, sire… Forgive me for my outburst."
The king laughed heartedly and dismissed it with a wave, "Not to worry! But we will need you in your best dress and high spirits for my grandson's birthday celebration tonight!"
She smiles widely, "And you shall have it, sire!"
"My son will show you to your room so you may freshen up." Thrain stated and motioned with his arm for a young dwarf dressed in blue to approach. The breath caught in her throat at his piercing blue gaze as he stopped before her.
"My son, Thorin." Thrain stated, "Thorin, my friend Yurbir's daughter, Torshar."
"A fascinating color for eyes and hair on a dwarf. Was your mother an elf?" the prince asked politely.
She shook her head as a small blush appeared on her cheeks, "No, Your Highness… I am all dwarf… I was born sick and my parents prayed by the light of the moon for a miracle. Thautam looked down and smiled at their devotion so he allowed me to live by giving me a portion of the moon's light, as well as the stars… That is why my eyes and hair so shocking to most…"
This made the prince smile, "You are truly blessed, Torshar. I will be honored to have you perform tonight."
"Thank you, Your Highness…" she stuttered and received a laugh from Thrain.
"Thorin, take the poor girl to her room before she has a spell! She needs to rest up before tonight!"
Taking his father seriously this time Thorin offered Torshar his arm, which she grasped unsurely and allowed him to guide her through the kingdom; stopping by the market first.
Saying Torshar was surprised at the sight of the bustling shops and merchants wares was an understatement. She stopped at, nearly, every shop to examine the merchandise. The prince actually had to pull her along before she fell in love with a chair that was being sold by Gimbis "The Swindler" who could sell a drowning man a glass of water. But one place he could not tear her attention away from was "Old Mrs. Turnbuckle's Dress Emporium" where the most beautiful gowns were on display in nearly every shade, hue, design and shape you could possibly imagine.
"Would you like to go in?" the young prince asked.
"May I?" Torshar responded with big doe eyes that seemed to make Thorin melt because all he could do was nod and inside the performer flew.
After about an hour of going through the racks, Torshar finally came across one that she absolutely adored. A navy blue, floor length gown with a square neckline, and matching shoes. When she tried to pay for it, Mrs. Turnbuckle refused to take her money saying, "Consider it a gift for a wonderful performer. I saw you in Dale a few months back and vowed that if you ever visited my shop, I would gift you any dress you desired."
"Thank you, Mrs. Turnbuckle…" the singer smiled and embraced the old woman who returned it with a smile of her own.
When she stepped out of the shop, she was back in her traveling clothes with the dress wrapped up securely and being held under her right arm. Thorin looked up from his boots as her shoes came into view, "I assume you found one?"
"Yes…" she smiled and the pair continued on their way. Before long, they were out of the market and standing before a small pair of doors that were decorated with inlays of gold and silver, along with various gemstones. Torshar subconsciously ran her hand over the aquamarine stones first and smiled sadly, "These were my mother's favorite.. My father favored emeralds where my brother, Thbir, loved rubies and my other brother, Nalor, dreamed of diamonds…" she mused without thinking about whom she was speaking to.
"What of you, Torshar of Whurrak? What gems do you admire most?" the prince asked quietly so not to disturb her soft demeanor.
"Me..?" she giggled, "I've dreamt of gazing into deep blue sapphires…" as she states this, she turned and came face-to-face with the monarch and the blue sapphires she had dreamt of, "Forgive me, Your Highness! I have been rambling and keeping you from important business!"
He smirks, "Not at all… It was nice to see a smile alight your face… You should smile more often." the nobleman stated kindly, making the versifier blush.
"I will have a maid sent to you to draw a hot bath and help you get ready for tonight. I look forward to your performance with great anticipation, Lady Torshar." Thorin smirked as he gently took her left hand in his right and kissed her knuckles then left down the same hallway from which they had just come.
This fond memory made Torshar smile as she lightly kissed Thorin's right shoulder, making him stir slightly. Slowing her heartbeat and closing her eyes to pretend she was asleep with mere seconds to spare before the Erebor prince awoke and looked over to see her bright hair sticking out. He smiled and carefully maneuvered to where he was laying on his back and she was comfortable across his chest.
He began to think of the first time her saw the moonlit woman… At a small performance in Dale's central square… His sister, Dis, had dragged him along on a shopping spree because their brother, Frerin, could not be bothered during training. She had been dressed in her simple traveling clothes that could have probably used a good wash, even though she herself appeared clean.
As the royal siblings approached the crowd, they both only caught a few lines of the song, "A king he was on carven throne,
In many pillared halls of stone,
With golden roof and silver floor,
And runes of power upon the door,
The light of sun and star and moon,
In shining lamps of crystal hewn,
Undimmed by cloud or shade of night,
They shone forever fair and bright,
The world is grey, the mountains old,
The forge's fire is ashen-cold,
No harp is wrung, no hammer falls,
The darkness dwells in Durin's halls,
The shadow lies upon his tomb,
In Moria, In Khazad-Dum,
But still the sun and stars appear,
In dark and windless mirror mere,
There lies his crown in water deep,
Till Durin wakes again from sleep…" Dis was nearly in tears when he pulled her away.
"Are you alright, sister?" he asked worried.
She nodded, "The way she sang that just hit me really hard… I'm alright, brother." The princess assured and took her brother's hand to drag him off to the shops along the square.