Coming Of Age – Chapter 31
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King Thrain's quarters was in utter chaos, thanks to Mored and Pri who were bent on discovering the whereabouts the secrets of Durin's gold and the Arkenstone.
Covered with perspiration, Mored was incensed. He turned around as he stared at the chamber that was Thrain's bedroom, the bed was slashed, sheets ruined, pillows destroyed, feathers scattered all over the floor. Broken personal items, shattered colored glasses and papers strewn about.
Mored was not paying any heed to the utter mess as his heavy doughy chest heaved, his face a dark shade of puce.
"Where is my gold?"
"Our gold, lovie! It's our gold!" Pri glared angrily at him across the room, a knife in her hand.
He waved his pudgy hand over her way, "Whatever Precious, you know what I mean."
"Oh I know what you mean dear. Do you?" She narrowed her gaze at him.
"What do you mean by that Precious?"
"You know what I mean," she waved the knife at him.
He gave her a malicious smile, "I love it when you talk mean and nasty like that my dear."
"Yes I know." She laughed her piggish laughter.
"Where are those two lazy bones?" Mored said angrily as he sat down on a chair and fanned himself. "Ought to make them search for it, if I didn't trust them myself."
"Why don't we get the old dwarves and make them find it?" Pri suggested as she hit the flat side of the blade of the knife on her palm.
Mored looked at her and nodded, "Y…yeeesss…I like that my precious. I like that very much. Why did I not think of that myself?"
"Because I'm the smarter half."
"You wish," He stood up and left the room, coming back a few minutes later with Erimm who whose hands were bound behind him and his mouth as well.
"You're going to find those gold now or I'll cut you down, and you won't see that daughter of yours ever again! Go" Pri prodded him with the sharp tip of the knife.
Erimm glared at her as he moved slowly around the room angrily.
What gold? What in the world are they talking about? The fabled Durin's gold? Yeah that was just that, fable.
Unless…Lee had really found it when she had agreed to help Thrain translate that text script they talked about.
He should never have involved Lee in all these mess!
Gold! Bah! It had never brought anyone happiness but sorrow, deceit, greed, and lust. Looked what it did to my father! He was betrayed by this bastard Mored! If I ever get my hands on a dagger, he will never see another sunrise!
"Oi, there! Search the gold!" Mored pointed the short sword at him.
Erimm turned his back to Mored as he moved away from him…
Where is Lee? I hope for her sake, she is safely away from here…
"Psst!"
He looked about him and took a double take!
Speaking of the minx of his daughter! He spotted her outside the window!
What in Aulë name is she doing out there! He shook his head
He saw her beckoning him towards her.
He shook his head as he turned his eyes to Mored and Pri who were still looking for the gold and destroying the room as they move along.
It was then he spotted Thorin's cousins behind Lee as well.
Erimm breathed easier; at least she was not alone.
Lee beckoned to her father again but he hesitated and began to walk towards the tall window.
As he reached the window, Lee tried to open it but it was locked from the inside.
Erimm turned around and tried to unlock with his bound hands and managed to do so but Pri happened to glance up to check on him and saw Lee standing on the other side of the tall window and gave a yelp.
Mored turned to see what was going on and saw Erimm on this side of the door, Lee and the dwarves on the other side of the door hurriedly ran as fast as his chubby legs could carry and grabbed Erimm just as he managed to open the door.
He pulled Erimm close to him, holding the sword to Erimm's neck as Lee, Oin and Balin stood on the threshold, their daggers held high. Pri hurriedly moved to the other side of Erimm, holding her knife to his neck as well.
"Drop your weapons, or your father dies." Mored warned.
They continued to stare at him.
Mored cut Erimm's neck shedding some blood, "The next time I will slice his neck across so drop it!" he exclaimed loudly. Pri jumped at his unexpected loud voice.
Lee slumped her shoulders in defeat as she lowered her dagger and dropped it, Oin and Balin did likewise, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"Very wise. Pri, go collect them." Mored nodded to his wife.
Pri waddled over to them and picked up the daggers and place them on a table away from them.
"Now since you're here, you'll tell me where the gold is." Mored said.
They did not reply.
Mored began to get angry, "Don't make me kill your father, young lady. Tell me where the gold, and I'll let him live."
Erimm shook his head, his eyes pleading his daughter.
Lee looked conflicted; Erimm glared at her as he shook his head.
Lee shook her head, "Oin, your ring." She didn't have hers as Thorin was still wearing her ring and Balin gave little Nuin his.
Oin looked at her uncertainly.
"Oin, show him…I have to save my father!" She pleaded with him.
Erimm began to grunt through his gag, shaking his head, Oin saw him, telling him not to do it.
Mored sneered, "Come on, let's get going! I haven't got all day!" he dug the blade deeper without breaking skin.
Erimm was staring angrily at him, giving a deathly gaze. Mored grew frightened for a moment.
"H…h…hurry up…" he couldn't turn away from Erimm's stare as he began to pale.
Oin still hesitate, "Lee, I...I…cannot…took the oath." He looked down at his feet.
Mored wench his gaze from Erimm and looked from Oin to Lee, "Very well, you leave me no choice…one final chance… the gold or the old man dies."
Oin shook his head as he held the ring tightly in his fist.
Mored nodded as he raised his hand that plunged the sword into Erimm's heart.
"NO!" Lee screamed loudly as Erimm fell to the ground, the sword still sticking out of his chest.
Lee and Balin dashed over to the table and grabbed the daggers, Lee grabbed both Oin's and hers as she flicked one towards Pri landing deadly right into her heart as well as Balin's dagger, killing her instantly.
Mored panicking tried to pry the sword out of Erimm's chest found that he couldn't grasp the handle with his sweaty hands but Lee had gotten to him by then as she pushed him down as she straddled over him and plunged her dagger over his heart holding the handle with both hands . She pulled it out and plunged into it again and repeated it again and again.
Her teeth snarling as Mored's blood splattered everywhere as well as all over her but she paid no heed over it as she continued her assault on Mored.
"Lee!" Balin called to her but she didn't hear him.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks, blurring her vision but she did need to see as she blindly continued stabbing him…
"Lee!" Thorin's voice rang within the room, she did not hear him as well.
"EVIL MAN!" She shouted. "YOU KILL MY FATHER! I WILL AVENGE HIM!"
"LEE! ENOUGH!" Thorin shouted at her.
Finally he came behind her and knocked her dagger from her forcefully.
Her shoulders slumped in total defeat as she sobbed loudly when Thorin wrapped his hands from behind and picked her up and carried her out of the room.
"Nifir! Run a bath in Lee's room now!" Thorin called out when he spotted the bearded dwarf help maid.
She nodded as her eyes widened when she saw Lee's bloodied body.
"Your Highness! Is she…?"
Thorin watched Lee gently and said to Nifir, "She is fine, just in shock. I need to clean her up, put her in some clean clothes. Warm bed, and a good night's rest. She will be right as rain."
Nifir nodded as she left to do his bidding.
"Thorin!"
He turned with her to see Oin catching up with them.
He was holding a cup, "Something soothing and let her rest for the night, I'll leave this in her room."
Thorin nodded his thanks.
Oin hesitated a bit before he spoke up again, "Thorin, I should have done as she bid me to show…him the gold. If I did, Erimm would have lived. I am so sorry."He shook his head.
Thorin shook his head, "No cousin, you did the right thing. She knows it too. Erimm knows it. He died protecting her. You done well Oin." He nodded at him.
Crimm was standing beside him suddenly, he looked as if he had aged considerably as he nodded towards his niece whose eyes were now closed as she lay in Thorin's arms.
"She really needs you now that her father is gone, Thorin. Take good care of her."
Thorin nodded.
Crimm patted his arm and moved away from them and walked slowly towards the King's chambers where his brother's body was.
…
Once the bath water was ready, Nifir left them alone.
Thorin let her down and she stood on her own but he held on to her as she watched him while he slowly stripped her clothing. As soon as she was bare, he did the same to himself.
He led her carefully down into the big black basin where the warm water was ready. Once he sat them down, Thorin grabbed a small cloth and began washing the dried blood from her and washed her hair gently.
When she was cleaned, he washed and cleaned himself, never taking his eyes off her.
They sat in the warm water for a long while. Thorin began talking.
"Lee, I'm sorry about your father," he began softly.
"We found Crimm in the room next door, he was also tied up and was beaten up badly. I think his ribs were badly hurt but he refused to show it to us, saying he was fine. He was more concern about you though. You were so brave Lee and I am so proud of you, so very proud of what you had done. And I hope you don't blame Oin for not doing what he what he swore an oath to the Durin family. You must understand it. Lee?"
She gave him a slight nod.
"He is beside himself, he thought he had done you wrong, for causing your father's death. And you know he did not."
"No," she said softly. "I do not blame him, Thorin. It was Mored's fault. All the blame is on him and now that father is gone…" she shook her head as she leaned against him, closing her eyes.
Thorin stroked her hair, "All is well now. We shall have peace."
"I like that."
Later, cleaned and dressed in a simple gown, Thorin gave her Oin's concoction which she drank dutifully and laid down on the bed, he had also changed into a loose shirt and pants and laid with her until she fell into a deep sleep.
Thorin left her with Nifir, who had agreed to stay with her until his return, he left them and headed to the King's chambers.
As he moved about, he saw the servants had moved Mored's and Pri's bodies. And they had scrubbed as best they could all the blood splattered stain in the chambers as well. He could barely see them at all.
He looked into the bedroom and saw only the bed frame. Servants were milling about the chambers replacing the furniture.
He left them be and went to the Queen's chambers, hoping that his family members would be there.
"Ah! There he is!" he looked up and saw Frerin standing by the door to their mother's chambers.
Thorin smiled at his youngest brother as he rushed to him hugging him happily. "Glad to see you in one piece, brother." He patted him on his back before releasing him and turned his attention into the room.
He saw his whole family inside and was overcome with emotion; they were all right.
His father, mother, Frerin, little Dis, his cousins were sitting down in the living room quarters, looking at him with encouraging smiles.
Nur came to him and hugged him hard, "Thorin, my dearest! I'm so glad you're all right! I have been so worried about you since you left us. You and Lee…how is she?" She looked perturbed.
Thorin nodded sadly, "She is sleeping right this moment, and Madam Nifir is sitting with her. I think she will get better."
"Son," Thrain began. "You and your cousins have done a commendable job protecting the Durin's name. I thank you." He came over and hugged his eldest son.
"Father, we couldn't have done it without Lee's help," Thorin said.
Oin stood up, "He is right, your Majesty. Lee helped us tremendously. Without her, we would not have gotten this far."
"Oin is right, your Majesty," Balin said. "We wouldn't have figured who the traitors in the palace as well as Mored not being a Nogrod at all."
Gloin and Dwalin, who was holding Dis in his arms uncomfortably and nervously, had also stood up and nodded their heads in agreement.
Thrain held his hands up, "Wait a moment, I agree with you all, without Lee, we would not even know the gold and the Stone had been here all along. She is really one of a kind. A true gem and a rare diamond." And then he smiled at them and added, "And she is now the new Queen of Nogrods." He announced happily.
"WHAT?"
They all exclaimed as they looked at each other.
"Father, by right Crimm is the oldest, he is the rightful King of Nogrods." Thorin said.
"Yes, and no…I talked to Crimm earlier. He did not want anything to do with it. He had relinquished all claims to the Nogrod Kingdom and its ruling rights. And as ThoraLee is the oldest of the twins, the crown goes to her. He had no problem with it so ThoraLee is now rightfully the Queen of the Nogrods."
Balin was the first to laugh, then Dwalin, followed by Oin and Gloin and Frerin. Nur who was looking at them as if they had gotten knocked in their heads too hard too many times also began to laugh. Dis upon seeing them laughed decided to do so herself making them laugh more.
Thorin smiled wide, feeling even prouder of his wife now, who had come so far from being just a young impish maiden to a secretly married woman and now…a queen!
Well, his queen is now sleeping soundly in her soft bed safely and soundly.
Wait till she learned of her new status!
He wondered if she would scream or laugh hysterically, probably both.
Thinking of her earlier actions, of her aggressive actions when she killed Mored cold bloodedly, he found that it really excited him.
He had never seen a female dwarf acted like that! And she was his!
A low growl rumbled from within him and he wished he was with Lee at this moment!
"Thorin?" His mother looked at his flushed face. "Are you all right?"
He nodded, "Yes mother."
Then he turned to his father, "What are the plans for Erimm's funeral?"
"It will be according to Lee's and Crimm's wishes. A funeral fit for a royal, for a Prince, I would think."
Thorin shook his head, "They would want a simple funeral, for a simple metal smither."
His cousins nodded.
Thrain shook his head, "It will be as their wished my son."
Thorin inclined his head at his father, "I'm going to check on Lee. I'll see you tonight."
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As soon as he came back to their rooms, Nifir informed Thorin that Lee had not stirred, that she had slept through the duration. Thorin thanked her gratefully as she bade him a good eve and left for the evening.
He climbed into the bed and gathered her to him, she turned to face him and buried herself into his neck and beard as she whispered sleepily, "Is everyone safe and well?"
"Yes, everyone is."
She nodded as she reached up to him and with her hands, she brought his head down to her and kissed him slowly.
"Lee…"Thorin looked at her, he felt very deep urgings stirring within him but he didn't want to pressure her.
"I want you…" she returned his looks with certainty as her eyes began to darken.
Thorin smiled at her, "I love you very much rúzín," he bent to kiss her deeply, his eyes darkening to match her one green eye.
"And I love you my Khazad-zukin," she returned his kisses…
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End of Chapter 31