Coming Of Age – Chapter 39
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Nogrod lay in the north central part of the mountain range, near Mount Dolmed where the Dwarf-road of Beleriand crossed into Eriador. It guarded one of the only passes through the mountain range. It was home to the Dwarves of Nogrod.
It was agreed upon for the twins to set forth for Mount Dolmed, their inherited kingdom one month after Durin's Day.
With them, Thrain, Thorin, Gloin and Oin were to accompany them. Thrain was to lend his presence should there be any challenges to their names. After all, who would dare challenged the King of Erebor, The Durin King. Accompanying the royal entourage was the Durin army.
Queen Nur, Frerin, Balin and Dwalin were to stay behind in Erebor.
But first, a week after their wedded day was Dis' First Birthing Day.
It was to be a simple celebration amongst the royal family. Dis was learning to walk on her own which was an accomplishment for a little dwarven baby. She was loved by all those around her, especially ThoraLee.
She visited and played with the little one every day. Taking her for walks in the garden grounds while Nur rested in the afternoons, sometimes Thorin accompanied them. Jor would also accompany them as well. Dis became very fond of her new family members and looked forward to her afternoon walks. The weather was cooling as Autumn was approaching but for the dwarves it was a welcome weather to embrace.
After a simple feast of meats, cheese and bread. Nur declared that it was a nice day for all to enjoy, especially for the birthday girl and decided to hold the grand picnic in the big clearing to accommodate the food she had planned for everyone, including the servants and guards.
As the servants milled about preparing foods and things in the kitchen, Thrain decided that the men should go hunt for some wild animals. Thorin and Jor were all for the hunt. Lee chose to stay behind to keep Dis while Nur made preparations for the feast.
"Pwetty fwowers, Wee!" Dis pointed her chubby hand at the flowers. They had walked to the tree where she and Jor had hid from the cousins when they had gone rabbit hunting all those weeks ago…
Near the roots, there were a splatter of wild daisies growing about, attracting the attention of the little dwarven child.
Lee smiled at her, "Yes Dis, pretty flowers."
She plucked a yellow daisy and put it on Dis' curly brunette hair, the little girl giggled delightfully. "Pwetty."
"Yes, you are pretty." Lee smiled as she could see so much of Thorin in Dis; her blue gray eyes with long lashes, her lips rosy red and her hair was the exact color matching to his. She wished she had a daughter just like Dis, pretty as a flower! And she was a happy baby!
She picked her up and spun her around as she laughed happily.
Then Lee sensed something was wrong as she looked about her; the servants had stopped moving and were staring into the woods that connected to the clearing.
She narrowed her gaze as she looked closely to edge and saw something in the grass moving rapidly towards the edge as it broke out of the woods and she saw their fear…
Orcs! There were at least six of them on riding on wargs as they stopped and eyed at the servants who began to scream out loud and scattered about them.
Lee clutching Dis backed slowly so as to not draw any attention found she had backed into the tree.
Dis cried out in fear when she heard screaming about her.
"Shh…quiet Dis! I'm here…stay quiet." Lee whispered to her calmly but deep inside she was quaking like a leaf.
All she was armed with was her dagger which was nothing against six orcs on six wargs!
Thorin and the others were nowhere near at all!
She could climb up the tree with Dis and wait out till the men came back.
There were no signs of the guards, they were all within the palace as the feast had not begun.
The wargs attacked the servants brutally, ripping at them, silencing their screams.
Then one of the orcs spotted her and began to advance at them.
She quickly climbed up the tree but it was not easy holding a child with one hand and trying to grasp the branch while shaking frighteningly.
She was on the top branch just as the warg came upon them snarling and snapping at the trunk.
The orc stood on the warg and tried to slash at her as it grinned maliciously at them.
Dis was crying hysterically by now, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.
"Scawd, Wee!" She screamed, "Mamma!Mamma! Wan Mamma!"
"I know you're scared Dis! I am too, hold on tight to me!" Lee cried.
Dis began to struggle in her panic while Lee tried to hold on to her, at the same time the orc was shaking the tree.
Suddenly, Lee lost her grip on Dis as the little girl slipped out of her grasp in her struggle, her little legs were now dangling on the bottom of the branch.
The orc tried to slash at her little legs, Dis screaming louder!
Unable to control her, Lee grabbed at her dress as she jumped on the warg and faced the orc and as hard as she could she stabbed the orc right into its chest, taking him by surprise.
The orc fell out of the warg dead.
Now, riding on the warg with Dis, Lee was about to jump off when she spotted another Orc rider advancing towards them, this one had a bow and arrow and was aiming at her or rather at Dis!
Bending down low, covering the girl, Lee grabbed the reins and rode the warg towards the advancing orc.
The orc shot arrow at her and hit her on her shoulder, stunning her for a moment as she reached over and grabbed his bow and knocked the orc off the warg with the bow.
Feeling intense pain but she was not giving up as Dis was relying upon her.
"Dis, grab hold of me tight, don't let go of me, you hear!" she yelled out loud as she continued to ride on the foul beast.
As she turned it around, she looked down and saw a sword by its side and pulled it out. The orc she knocked out was on its feet and was running towards her, screaming in anger.
"Yeah, scream all you want, ugly. I'm ready for y..!" Her body jerked forward suddenly, as another pain hit her lower back. Another arrow! She turned slightly and saw another orc rider with a bow and arrow!
She shook her head, she was mad now as she gritted her teeth in pain. "I can take it." She kept telling herself as the pain increased every time the warg hit the ground. Grunting hard she saw the orc on the ground approaching close and held the sword tight and with a big long sweep she swung at it and cut its head off as it rolled on to the grass, its body falling down dead.
Lee began to breathe hard as she pulled the warg short, causing it to stop running and turning it around she faced the orc who shot her in her back. It was readying another arrow as it aimed it at her.
She kicked the beast on its side and the warg took off running but she didn't get close as the orc release the arrow and it struck Lee, this time near her heart as her body jerked again, she held fast on the warg.
Fortunately for her, the hunting party came back as Thorin shot and killed the orc and the warg dead instantly. He also killed the warg she was riding on as she fell off it, holding tightly to Dis.
"LEE!"Thorin was yelling at her, his eyes wide with fear when he saw two black arrows on her and one her back!
She was trying to breathe but it was hurting her badly, her chest felt as if it was burning as there was hardly any air for her to take in.
"Dis…keep safe…" she gasped, as he held her. Jor had stood by her and grabbed Dis holding on to the little child who tried to get back to Lee.
Thorin saw his sister crying still, tears flowing freely on her cheeks, "Wee! Scawd!"
The others who had killed the other orcs and wargs had come running to Lee, saw her injuries began to weep as blood was all over her body.
"Lee! Why!What happen?" Thorin was in tears but he didn't care.
"Had to keep Dis safe…orcs?"
"They're all dead Lee." Gloin was by her side holding her hand. "You did well, you killed two of them!"
She tried to smile at him but her eyes were closing, "Good…"
"No! Stay with me, Lee!" Thorin shook her gently. "Oin get your medicine bag!" He yelled at his cousin.
Oin looked at him and shook his head sadly but he didn't say more, there was nothing to say. He knew her wounds were beyond his medicine bag or his knowledge.
Thorin glared angrily at him, "OIN! GET THESE ARROWS OUT OF HER!"
"I can't, Thorin. It's too late, there are too many…" Oin said softly. "You need to say your goodbye to her now."
"No!" then he looked at her. "Lee, you promised me, we are to be together forever remember!"
She opened her eyes. "I'm sorry Khazad-zukin…I love you…eter…nal…" And she closed her eyes.
"NO!" Thorin screamed out loud! He gathered her lifeless body to him tight as he sobbed hard.
"NO!NO!NO!"
JoraLee held onto Dis as Frerin tried to move Thorin but he wouldn't budge as he held to her tightly.
"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Dis pointed to Lee, "Wanna Wee! Wanna Wee!"
Jor shook his head, eyes full with tears, "Lee's gone Dis, no more Lee." As he put his head on the girl and cried.
Dis patted Jor's head, "Kay...Jor…kay Jor...Wee seeping?"
Jor shook his head, "Not sleeping…gone…gone…" as he continued to cry more into her body while she patted his head.
Thrain put his hand on Thorin's shoulder, "Son, we have to take her back. Let's go, son." He had tears in his eyes as well.
Thorin shook his head, "She promised me, father. She promised me we'll be together forever…till eternal. She broke it…" he cried again, his shoulders shook hard.
"She is in your heart now, no matter where you go, son. You will be with her when your time comes." Thrain said gently, his heart breaking for his son.
Balin and Dwalin were crying freely as well as Gloin and Oin as they held onto each other.
Frerin was sitting on the grass, his head in his hands as he let tears flowed.
Nur who had been in the palace when word of the orc attack came was kept from coming out, was finally seen running, her first concern was Dis.
When she saw Jor holding her daughter, she felt relieved throughout her body; her baby was all right. But yet, everyone was upset, no…not upset, sorrowful. Then she saw the cousins crying!
Dear Mahal! What is happening? She began counting heads and saw Thorin holding Lee…arrows on her body! Oh no! OH NO! Not Lee! Tears began to form in her eyes instantly!
"Mamma!Mamma!" Dis saw Nur and held her arms out but Nur was not seeing her daughter for once as she dashed to Lee's side and began to cry.
Thrain came around and knelt by her and gather his wife to him and held her as she sob hard.
Later, a few servants came with a litter but Thorin ignored it and stood up, He carried his wife himself to the palace, walking all the way to his quarters. The servants and guards stood aside with their heads bowed as they wept when they saw Thorin with Lee's lifeless body.
When he reached his bed room, he placed her on his bed, then he straightened her arms by her side of the body.
He saw that the arrow behind her was in the way and broke it off and threw it away. Now she was able to lay properly on the bed, as though she was sleeping.
He then gently stroked her cheeks, her lips and leaned over and kissed her softly.
He held her hand and stayed with her the rest of the afternoon and night, he didn't come out of his room nor did he permit anyone to enter…
Dejected and rejected by Thorin, Frerin, Jor and the cousins went to Thorin's quarters' and consoled themselves with beer and talk, and crying.
Jor was staring blankly into the fireplace, he still could not wrap his mind that his sister, his twin was gone from this life, his life. He recalled that this morn, they were happily wishing the little girl her first completed year of her birthing day, and laughingly wishing her many more! He recalled his and Lee's birthing years, all through those years as they grew up together…together! They were never apart! Now, they were to be…forever. He was never to see her again! He began to breathe hard! He clutched at the stem of the goblet hard as the implication was hitting on him.
Gloin muttered, "Did you see what she did?"
Balin stared at him but didn't say anything. Gloin continued, "She stabbed an orc, rode that beastly warg without fear with Dis in her arms and then took the head of the other orc, single handedly, with that blasted long sword."
"She protected Dis the whole time, not a single wound on the little one, amazing." He shook his head as he drank.
"Aye, she is a true warrior. A Khazad zul." Balin raised his mug up and toasted "ThoraLee, Khazad-zul!"
"AYE!" The others raised their mugs up as they looked up and toasted, "KHAZAD-ZUL!"
Then they wept again, they realized they would not see her ever again, for they had come to love her like they would a beloved sister…
As did Frerin, he had never had an older sister and she was caring and sisterly towards him. And she was lots of fun as he recalled the pranks she and her twin played on his cousins, he never had so much fun. And most times, he was not in trouble. And his brother was always happy. Thorin was the most happiest when Lee was around and he liked to see his brother being happy and he had hoped that one day, he finds a woman to love forever. He wanted the kind of love Thorin had for Lee. They were perfect for each other. And now, his brother was alone. Lee had left him. He hoped that one day, they would join together again. In another lifetime, Thorin would be reunited with his ThoraLee…
Thrain was sitting alone in the library. He had been there since everyone had returned from the fields. He sat before the plans he and Lee had drawn up the day before. Her ideas were brilliant and Thrain had liked them. They had planned on implementing them as soon as they reached Mount Dolmed. Now she would never see them through but he would honor her wishes when he arrived there.
Yes, he still intended to go through, although it would be slightly delayed. What with the funeral to arrange. Now, it would just be JoraLee, he would be ruling the Nogrods alone. The young dwarf would certainly need all the help from Thrain now.
He sighed heavily.
She was so young.
He should not have to be burying one so young and one so full of life. Indeed, her life had just begun.
Only 21.
My poor son. My poor Thorin. It was not fair to him that he never had the chance to spend the years like he did with Nur.
They had known each other less than one year, wedded less than one year. Thrain shook his head. They wedded on Durin's day not a week ago! Thankfully they had that secret wedding. He was glad they did not listen to him and Nur and waited.
He felt great sorrow for Jor; first Erimm and Crimm were cruelly taken, now his twin sister, ThoraLee. Life was just not fair. Mahal was not fair to them.
Thrain bent his head as he rubbed his face warily, "Oh Mahal! Why? Why did you take such a young life away from my son? It's just not fair, not fair at all. They are good people, they deserve longer lives, they deserve to live longer lives than I have. Not fair, just not fair at all."
He stood up and left the library and walked slowly to Nur's quarters, his heart was heavy…
Nur was still weeping as she tried to console her daughter.
"Wanna Wee? Mamma Wee?" Dis was tugging at her mother's hair.
Nur smiled sadly at her, "I'm sorry dear, Lee is gone, no more Lee."
"No Wee?Mamma?"
"No Lee, my dearest. Oh dear!" Nur cried hard as she put her daughter down in her crib and went to the chair.
"Poor ThoraLee! Why Mahal? Why did you take such a young heart with you? She doesn't deserve to go yet! My son needs her. They have so many years…many more years. Not fair! It's just not fair to do this to him!
He loves her so much, so dearly! Can't you see?" Nur glared tearfully at the darkening sky outside the windows in front of her.
"You took away the one thing that matters to him, the only thing that matters to him! They are good people. They loved each other so much. Is that it? You didn't like that they love each other so much you had to separate them?"
"Nur? Are you all right?" Thrain stood before her looking concerned.
She looked as her husband and went into his arms right away and sobbed uncontrollably.
Thrain held her tightly as he wept with her, "I know dear…I know….our poor son…"
"Not fair! Thrain! She shouldn't have gone just like that! She is too young!" She cried more.
Dis sat in her crib and began to cry when she saw her mother crying.
"Mamma….Mamma…"
They walked together to her and held their daughter closed to them, wiping her tears as she fell asleep in their arms, safely…
In the darkened room, Thorin stared at her, she looked as if she was asleep, sweetly and soundly asleep and that any moment, she would open her eyes and awakened. But he shook his head; she was never waking up from this sleep. This is sleep of hers was forever. He could not say good bye to her yet…nay, forever. He could not say good bye to her at all.
No…not ever…
In fact, he didn't say good bye to her when she drew her last breath.
He stroked her now cold hand but he didn't feel it. He thought that if he held her hand, he could provide heat for her, keeping her warm.
"Lee, you can't go yet…we have so much to do! Your kingdom in Mount Dolmed awaits you, I wanted to take you to the big forge in the Lonely Mountains, your wedded gifts, I have not made them yet! Lee! Why couldn't you wait? And our children? What about our children? Yes, I would even have twins with you. We will raise them just like you and Jor. They can be as bad as you and Jor. I want as many twins as you want. Girls, they would look like you. They would have your beautiful eyes and your face and your smile." He raised her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"Our children will be as horrible as you will be, Balin and Dwalin will try to teach them manners. Oin and Gloin will train them weapons. They will learn archery just like you did.
Our children will be the best in everything! They will be loved by all." Thorin could not go on as tears began to flow again.
"I miss you, rúzín. I miss your voice, why are you not talking to me?" He closed his eyes as he let dreams of her took him beyond this room…
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End of Chapter 39
Wow! Not an easy chapter to write, killing off one of my main characters! But it was necessary to branch into the next story and eventually leading to almost canon Hobbit. Yes, there will be one more chapter left!
J.