Extra long chapter because I have hit 15 followers for this story!
Chapter 5
"An Accomplice? Impossible!"
The versifier could not understand why her longtime friend would tell her that he did not write the letter that was clutched in her hands when it was obviously written in his hand. Perhaps this was a cruel joke that was being played by Gandalf who seemed to know something no one else did. But he had been her friend for nearly as long as Thorin had and she gave him no reason to turn on her in such a manner as this. It was then and there that Torshar decided she would abandon the idea of love and friendship for it only brought her more heartbreak. Heeding Thorin's words, she decided to return to Whurrak, after clearing her father's name in Valtek, there she would live out her days in peace. She would abandon her old friends to the fate of whatever lay before them on their quest for the Lonely Mountain.
Dropping her arm to her side then opening her hand to allow the wrinkled paper to fall to the floor, Torshar quietly grabbed her cloak off the rack and silently walked out the front door of the hobbit hole. The night air had a tiny crisp of chill as she readied then mounted her pony.
Before she could gallop off a voice stopped her, "Where are going?" she grimaced and turned her head to find, Bofur.
"I'm going to Valtek to clear my father's name then home to Whurrak. Thorin doesn't need me or want me on this quest so there is need for me to stay. Give my regards won't you Bofur?" she asked with a sad smile and rode off when he nodded that he would deliver her message.
As Bofur returned to the dining table, Thorin gazed at him questioningly but dismissed it as he riled the spirits of him men until Balin stepped in, "You forget the front gate is sealed! There is no way into the mountain…"
"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." The wizard stated as he twirled his fingers and produced a heavy key of steel with Dwarvish runes inscribed on it.
The sight of this key took the prince's breath away, "How came you by this?"
"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain… For safe keeping. It is yours now." The old man uttered kindly as he handed the key to its rightful owner.
"If there is a key, there must be a door…" Fili, Thorin's blond nephew spoke absentmindedly.
The conjurer smiled slightly as he used his pipe to point at Thror's map of the Lonely Mountain, "These ruins speak of a hidden passage, beneath the lower halls."
"There's another way in!" Kili, Thorin's brunette nephew and Fili's brother stated with a hopeful smile.
"Well, if we can find it but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But, there are others in Middle-Earth who can." Gandalf and Thorin then exchanged glances, "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful, I believe that it can be done." The old wizard voiced then looked around for the versifier.
"Where is Torshar? She would know the safest paths to take at this time of year." The men began to look around for a few moments until Bofur couldn't take it anymore.
"She's gone… To Valtek, to clear her father's name then she was going back to Whurrak…."
"How do you know this?" Balin questioned.
"I stopped her outside… She told me herself and asked me to give her regards to Thorin before taking off on her pony back."
Mithrandir stood and went into the hallway, "Why would she do such a thing?! To go back to Valtek is suicide! She knows that!"
Thorin stood slowly at the scared tone in the wizard's voice, "It is my doing… I told her to go back to traveling and performing while we took on this quest…"
"How could you say that?!" Gandalf demanded.
"I did not know she would go back to Valtek!" the prince shouted back.
Carefully, Bilbo intervened, "Why would it be suicide for Torshar to go to Valtek? Isn't that where her father is from?"
"Yes, Master Baggins, and that is where he was executed for the murder of his wife and two sons. That is where she will be executed as his accomplice." The nobleman of Erebor explained with a grim look on his face.
This threw the hobbit for a loop, "But she didn't actually help him… Did she?"
"It is said that they are both innocent…" Gandalf mentioned as he lit his pipe; smoking seemed to help him think.
"My father knew Yurbir and said he would never even conceive the thought of killing the woman he loved! Or the children she bore him!" the prince shouted in defense of the man he actually knew nothing about.
The company sat quietly, letting all of the information sink in. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, Ori finally spoke up, "Maybe there's a way to prove her innocence, as well as her father's…"
"How?" Oin asked from across the table, "The law of Valtek is that if an entire family is killed, except for two members, then one is deemed the killer and the other is an accomplice."
"Didn't Torshar have an uncle?" the youngest member asked.
"Aye, but he was in the Iron Hills at the time of the murders so it was impossible for him to have committed the crime." Gloin answered.
"Balin, you knew that city better than most, what became of Torshar's uncle after the execution of his brother?" Ori wondered, hoping beyond hope that there was a way to save his best friends' sister.
The elder dwarf sighed, "He became the head of the elder council because shortly after Yurbir's execution, the previous elder became mysteriously ill and died."
"What is the uncle's name?" Gandalf inquired, now completely involved in the conversation once more.
"His name is Harar." Balin responded.
The wizard's face seemed to pale at the name, "We must ride out tonight! Hopefully we can catch Torshar on the road! Quickly, get your things together!"
"Not until you explain what is going on!" Thorin shouted.
The second the shout left the dwarf's lips, Gandalf turned and shadows erupted from him, "If you wish to save the life of your oldest friend, then I suggest we do not delay any further!" the shadows then retreated, "Please, trust me Thorin. Harar is not a man you want to deal with alone. He dabbles in the dark arts of witchcraft and I fear if Torshar enters Valtek… She will never walk out."
This jolted Thorin through the chest as he turned to address the company, "Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Bifur, and Bofur will ride with Gandalf and myself to Valtek tonight. The rest of you will stay here until we return." He ordered. Before he could turn away, Ori stood.
"Thorin, I wish to go as well!" he cried.
"I am sorry, Ori. I have taken a great risk by bringing you on our dragon quest, I am afraid this will only endanger you further."
The young one would not accept that as he made his way around the table to stand before his leader, "I am going! Torshar was my responsibility…! I promised Thbir and Nalor that if anything happened to them that I would take care of her in their stead…" tears began to fall and he quickly wiped them away, "Please, Thorin… Let me come with you…"
This simple plea and show of loyalty tore at the prince's heartstrings as he placed his hands on the young dwarf's shoulders, "Alright… You may come with us, but follow my every order. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Ori answered seriously, making Thorin smile.
"Alright, saddle the ponies. I want to be on the road in ten minutes!" he ordered. Those in the party stood and quickly went outside.
Exactly ten minutes later Thorin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Fili, Kili, Ori, and Gandalf were galloping out of the Shire, heading north for the Blue Mountains. The cover of night was excellent for them due to their need to stay camouflaged as they approached a fire a couple of hours into their ride.
Gandalf slid off his horse and knelt down next to the dying embers, "Still hot… This fire was simply a means to keep warm. Torshar had no intention of stopping to sleep."
"How can you be certain it was Torshar?" Thorin asked.
Gandalf pointed out an unusual shape in the hoof prints, "The pony she goes everywhere with has a star-shaped deformity in his left hoof… Making his prints unmistakable… And the reason she named him 'Starry Night'." The magic master in grey chuckled.
"Knowing the muse, she probably didn't stop for long… Let's keep going." The nobleman ordered softly and gently nudged his pony into a trot. Another hour passed and then another and then another, pretty soon the sun was on the rise and a stone gate stood before the entourage. There were very few soldiers on the perimeter walls which made Thorin wonder, 'What if they were attacked in the night? Would they survive?'
"Halt! Who goes there?!"
Gandalf urged his horse forward, "Gandalf the Grey and some friends of mine! We are here to see Harar! By invitation!"
"You must be referring to the hanging! Of course, the Lord Harar would invite you! Raise the gates!" the soldier ordered and the wooden draw gate was raised enough for the wizard and his party to pass under.
"Remind me, sir, who is it that is to be hanged?" Ori suggested and earned a stern look from Thorin.
"Why that traitorous Torshar of course! The daughter of the man who killed his wife and sons… But not her. She was his accomplice!"
"Where was Lord Harar at the time of the murders?" Dwalin wondered aloud from the back of the procession.
"He was visiting a friend in the Iron Hills… Dain, I think it was…" the soldier answered and directed them to the great hall to meet with the Lord of the city.
The entourage got their ponies into a stable then met up at the entrance to the square, where there was a plain view of the gallows at the southern gate; all of them help worried expressions. Thorin's heart was racing faster than the waterfalls of Rivendell as he spoke, "Gandalf, Ori, and myself will go speak to Harar. The rest of you spread out and find out more about what happened that day. Remember, Torshar's life depends on us finding answers." The groups then split up.
The great hall where the elders held council was nothing compared to Erebor, in Thorin's opinion; but then he was a bit biased. As they entered an old dwarf with grey hair and a matching beard, wearing a blood red tunic, black trousers, silver toed boots and bore the crest of the city, which was a dragon curled around three eggs that represented kin (family), courage, and hope.
"Ah, Gandalf! I had no idea you were coming! Welcome to Valtek! Welcome to Dragon's Cradle!" the dwarf greeted warmly.
"Greetings to you, Lord Harar, these are my companions, Thorin Oakenshield and Ori. We were traveling through your beautiful city when we overheard something that did not sound quite right… Is it correct that you are having a hanging take place in the square this afternoon?" the cunning wizard asked.
Harar turned with a sigh and began to explain as he made his way to his seat of power at the head of the empty council, "It is true… A traitor has returned to face justice."
"'A traitor'? There has not been a traitor among the Dwarves for centuries! Let alone one in Valtek!" Thorin stated, playing along with Gandalf's plan.
"To which I agree, Master Oakenshield… Ninety years ago my brother, Yurbir, went mad and killed his wife and sons… His daughter, Torshar, was the only survivor. Does that seem a bit coincidental? Of course, I was in the Iron Hills visiting my good friend Dain, your cousin, when it occurred so you can imagine the heartbreak I came home to! But by the laws of this city, she was deemed an accomplice." He seemed to choke up on his words, "Can you imagine a seven-year-old girl! An accomplice! The elders ordered that after her father was hanged that she would be next. Instead of allowing that to happen, I told her to flee. It was the only way to save her… Now she returns that kindness by coming back to face her accusers!"
"And today her sentence will be carried out…" Ori said sadly.
"Not unless we stop it." Thorin declared.