Hello again, it's been over a week but whatever! The next chapter is here and stuff is going down just as planned; it may seem a bit drawl but I hope it covers everything I wanted to go over. Also, PLEASE check out killthepain62's story Welcome Home; she's getting to some interesting parts.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit nor it's characters; I do own my characters though and the artwork I do for the series.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Spring Gathering
~ Four Months Later ~
Winter passed in Forochel far quicker than any others through the recent years though like always the snow hardly ceased and Bilbo had left back for the Shire about three weeks ago. Now spring was approaching as March began and their livestock were preparing to give birth to all the new offspring's this year. Life had not changed in Fovrien; the capital of Forochel and Lian's home. Gordon had a beautiful baby girl with his beloved wife Nora; the woman giving birth to the child a week after they returned. Burv's arm was now fully healed and he was learning to use a bow again; the death of his older brother had weighed heavy on his the first two months but he was determined to live his life. Lian also had a birthday back in Febuaray and was now twenty-five; she suddenly felt so old compared to this time last year.
Both Bilbo and Lian had to once again get used to the constant cold weather, Lian adapted far more quickly than Bilbo though. His poor hobbit feet had no chance and for the first time in his life he had to wear boots to keep frostbite away. Lian valued the company the hobbit provided her; she found that he was easier to talk to than her own kin since he understood her situation a bit better than others. Nellia and Lian had grown close as well though she was still trying to warm up to the idea of having a female companion to talk to; after Bilbo left she did open up more to the woman though.
So now here Lian sat at her desk in her chambers, scrawling ink across the yellowed parchment under her hands; a letter. This one was to Ori though she had a stack of sealed envelopes to her right meant for several of the other dwarves. She took a break to rest her stiff and aching hand, flexing the tendons by making a tight fist then releasing it; the woman let out a sigh as she ran her thumb over the stained and marred Seeder surface of her desk she's had since she was a child. Fili and Kili had already sent at least three letters her way before they even got home while the others sent only one; including Thorin. Her and the dwarf had written back and forth constantly over the last few months, at first it was rather awkward but eventually their letters became more relaxed as well as longer. Sadly he hadn't written her lately and she was anxious to know why.
"Momma!"
Lian turned to see a Nellia holding Rowan in her doorway; the women dressed in a fine purple gown with a thick fur shawl wrapped around her shoulders. The toddler was wearing a dark red dress with mounds of ruffles underneath the full skirt with tiny brown boots and a white ribbon in her hair.
Rowan had shot up in one of her growth spurts and was now to Lian's knee when she stood; her beautiful copper curls had grown out as well to frame her small shoulders. Freckles spotted her nose and cheeks and all of her baby teeth had grown in to show off her pearly whites when she giggled. Lian was absolutely smitten with the child and hardly let her out of her site; the child was spoiled rotten if not by her then the entire kingdom.
"Well if it isn't my little hobgoblin!" Lian exclaimed dramatically, green eyes crinkling as she took the child from Nellia; making obnoxious snorts and snarls while pretending to gobble the child's cheeks. Rowan erupted in a fit of giggles and squeals on her lap; thrashing her legs out as she tried to squirm out of her reach. Finally Lian stopped and planted a big kiss on her curly head before facing Nellia.
"How did the meeting go?"
"Horrible of course, my mother is furious about my choice of a groom and insists that I let the matchmaker decide who I marry." Nellia snorted rather un-lady like, taking a seat on Lian's larger-than-needed bed.
"I don't see what the problem is; Luke is the nephew of Stevvin, the King's Advisor and First Captain. Plus he's the Second Captain now; isn't that enough?" She asked while playing with Rowan's dangling feet. Lian had resigned from her position as Second Captain to have more time to take care of Rowan; she had tried and failed at handling both at the same time and she refused to let Martha basically raise her.
"Apparently she said that Kellen's mother was planning to pair her and Luke together, so as an honorable woman and friend she can't allow for us to wed." Nellia looked beyond bitter; she and Luke had been trying to get permission to start their courtship but Nellia's mother wouldn't give her blessings. Luke's father on the other hand had no quarrels about the matter though considering Nellia was more a suitable bride for his son and more 'proper' than the misbehaving princess.
"Ya could always lie and say yer pregnant with his child." Lian snickered, receiving a nasty glare from the other woman.
"You sound like Luke; he doesn't realize that if we were to have a bastard child or wed without blessings from both sides it will reflect badly on both of us and our child; whenever they may enter this world. He's in a position to where he can't be as carefree as before, it was different with you cause it you're the princess." Nellia huffed, her usually pale cheeks colored with her frustration as she knitted her dark brows together.
"Nellia, don't worry so much about what others think, this is about the both of ya; not the entire kingdom. It's yer life to live; not theirs so stop reading so much into the situation, ya'll end up seeing problems that aren't there." Lian sighed; tapping her boot against the stone stone floor.
"But what if it ruins our lives? He's surely regret ever marrying me and if we had a child, what kind of life would it be if-."
"Hey, I'm telling ya. Stop worrying; Luke may be stupid but he's not so much of a coward that he'd not be able to face what he's getting himself into. He wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't prepared; stop asking and just do it. Yer mother can disapprove all she wants." Nellia let out a heavy sigh in defeat at this and gave a nod.
"I'll try."
"Don't be glum; look at this pretty little thing here. No one can be sad around her." Lian laughed, squishing Rowans' chubby cheeks together in front of the other woman; the child making small sounds through her smooshed lips. Nellia arched one fine dark brow at her before looking down at the child as she began to blow spit and raspberries through her lips; spit bubbles gathering on her chin.
"I'm beginning to think you two really are mother and daughter." Nellia finally said with a small chuckle, taking the child from Lian's lap and sitting back on her bed.
"That means I'm doing a good job." Lian smirked, turning around in her chair to face her desk once more; a bit reluctant to start up again but she was on the last letter so she might as well if it done with. Not to mention it would be rude if she didn't finish her letter to Ori but she was running out of things to write; it's not like a lot happened around her.
"Has anything new happened lately?" Lian enquired.
"I haven't really noticed anything lately due to my stress; why?" Nellia replied; bouncing Rowan up and down on her lap.
"I'm running out of things to write." She let out a long sigh, slumping back in her seat as she tried to wrack her brain for bits of things that would be worth something to write about.
"You never have problems like that when you're writing Thorin." The other woman teased lightly and Lian stuck her tongue out childishly at the woman. She eventually settled for telling Ori about the amount of eggs she ate this morning which was a total of six. She sealed the letter in an envelope and scrawled Ori's name across the front before letting out a groan as she stretched her back.
"Wanna come with me to send these?" She asked Nellia who only shrugged before standing with Rowan propped on her hip.
"I'll have to leave after though; Luke wanted to talk over lunch." She explained and Lian gave a shrug of her own before they left the warmth of the hearth nestled parallel to her bed; not even bothering to grab a coat since she never took it off from when she visited the stables earlier.
They walked down the corridor and then turned a right and descended down the stairs to the Entry Hall where servants were scurry around doing their normal chores and preparing lunch. They walked out of the castle doors and into the courtyard until they walked through the gates and into the town market; Rowan was of course drawing as much attention as always. It seemed everyone was stopping them so they could either doddle over her or give her something; toys, food, clothes, books, you name it.
Eventually Lian just turned them down and moved on without stopping with Nellia chuckling behind her holding Rowan who was playing with a ragdoll given to her. Finally they reached the stairs going up to the top of the outer wall of Fovrien; a stone building was built out on the wall. They approached the said building and Lian reached forward to rapt her knuckles against the wooden shutters covering the window; several noises came from inside until the wooden shutters were yanked open to reveal a rather scrawny fellow. Dark hair was pulled rather halfheartedly into a tie at the base of his neck while the shorter stands hung in front of his slightly too big grey eyes.
"Hey Marvin; just hear to send my usual stack of letters to Erebor." Lian set the stack down on the wooden sill and the scrawny lad quickly snatched them up and before their eyes he had them all wrapped in brown parchment with a thick leather bound around it.
"Do I have any more letters for me that might have come in after I came in last?" She asked, a bit hopeful and she was answered by a thin hand sliding a letter towards her over the counter. Before she could say thanks the shutters were slammed in her face and seconds later she saw one of the hawks take flight from their post with the same thick package in its talons.
"Ass." Nellia mumbled and Lian chuckled a little; Nellia had grown far more outspoken then she was before.
"Okay, I'll take that growth off yer side now." Lian said, taking Rowan from Nellia as the woman tightened the fur shawl around her shoulders. Snow was beginning to drift down then and the two women said their goodbyes and scurried off to their destinations.
Rowan and Lian entered the Entry Hall in a fit of giggles as snow stuck to them thickly; the weather having picked up immediately in the walk home. Rowan shook her copper curls out and melted snow hit Lian's face causing her to cringe away; the warm castle was already thawing their frozen noses and fingers.
She set the child down to stand beside her with their hands clasped as they began to walk towards the Dining Hall. They eventually entered to see Lvaire already halfway through his lunch with Stevvin standing beside him talking; the two men halted though when she and Rowan entered. Her father's face instantly lit up as a bright smile spread over his face, bringing out the laugh lines and crinkle at the corners of his eyes.
"There's my two favorite girls." He chuckled as Lian took a seat with Rowan in her lap; the kitchen maids quickly came out with food and she thanked them before she dug in to the hardy meal that warmed her tummy. She fed Rowan as well though most of it ended up on her face rather than in her mouth.
"I've got a letter for ya." Lian said, sliding the parchment across the wooden table until it was halted by her father's hand; he picked it up and examined it a bit puzzled.
"Did ya look at it?" He asked as he flipped around to rip the wax seal open and removed the contents from inside; scanning his green eyes over it slowly.
"No, I just saw yer name and put it in my pocket. Who's it from?" She replied around a mouthful of food, curious as to what it was; it can't be another letter from Uncle Tundain since they'd be here tomorrow. He had sent them a letter about a fortnight ago of their sudden unexpected visit; trading season wasn't until the first week of April. Of course Lian was thrilled and excited to see her uncle and his family again; she treasured these moments when they got together.
"It's from the dwarves." He answered, causing her to stop her chomping and turn towards him; she wasn't expecting that.
"What does it say?" She asked, anxious to know why they sent her father a letter; it was always Lian who received all the letters from Erebor.
"They've invited us to their Spring Gathering of clans; it says 'though you aren't dwarves of any kind, you're still considered to be just as precious as kin. Let us strengthen our bonds and gather in the halls of Erebor on the first day of spring to celebrate new growth and new kinship. Sincerely, Thorin.' " He finished reading.
Lian suddenly sat up, nearly knocking Rowan on the ground; her face turned about ten different shades of red and then ten more of purple.
"Lian? What's wrong?" Her father asked in confusion; not understanding why this news would make her angry but he didn't get an answer as she stormed out of the room with Rowan sitting in the chair she had occupied just seconds ago.
"I don't understand; I thought she'd be excited about this." He told Stevvin but the man just shrugged.
"Women are a mystery to me; why do you think I've never married." He responded.
"Cause you couldn't get a girl to look at you without running?" Lvaire snickered; receiving a nasty look from the burly man as he scowled at the comment.
Lian ran up the stairs and down the corridor until she reached her room; yanking the door open until she finally reached her desk and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment. She hastily dipped her quill in ink and harshly scrawled down the words needed to project her rage. Blotches of ink splattered the paper from her hasty movements and her letters were curved sharply with her growing temper until she finally finished.
'Dear Thorin, WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! You stop writing me and then send THAT my way?! Why didn't you tell me you were hosting a gathering? Did it somehow slip your mind?! Never the less; I will be coming and when I get there I'm going to shove my boot so far up your-." Lian was interrupted in her review of her letter by a silent knock on her door.
"Dear lord girl, what are ya doing in there that requires ya to barrel down the corridors?" Martha barked; walking in with her grey streaked hair neatly tucked into a bun. Martha had been Lian's chambermaid and nanny since she was born; having been her mother's closest friend despite the difference in status. She was about two years older than Lian's father and on the plump side but her jolly appearance hid the demon inside; she could be vicious at times.
Lian had a scowl on her face as she looked back down at her letter; she wasn't just mad about the surprise invitation, actually she would have been excited but her Uncle was going to be here tomorrow. She hardly saw him at all and now she had to choose between the dwarves or family; it infuriated her that she had to decide but she knew what she was going to pick even if it made her sick with guilt.
"Pack my bags, Martha. I'm attending a party." Lian growled, glaring down at the letter in her hands.
It was noon the next day when Uncle Tundain arrived in Fovrien, bringing with him Lian's Aunt and two cousins. Everyone knew when they entered the walls for Uncle Tundain was as loud as an Oliphant with his two sons following his example. Aunt Villox was more of a gentle soul in the family with a heart shaped face and warm hazel eyes as chestnut colored waves fell down her back to her knees.
"Not much of welcome party, now is it Lvaire?" He boomed, fierce green eyes looking down at his younger brother; Tundain stood at 6'3 and had a shaggy mop of dark blonde hair on his head. He matched Stevvin in size and strength; broad shoulders spanning about the width of two and half Aunt Villoxs'.
"I'm sorry; I was helping Lian prepare for her trip." He answered, ignoring the slight snark in his older brother's tone; he'd rather not turn this into a fight. Lvaire guided his brother and his family inside the castle from the courtyard; snow was falling quick and Lian was due to leave in an hour.
"Where's the lass going? I haven't even seen her yet!" Tundain complained, genially distraught that he wasn't going to see his niece after so long.
"We were invited to the Spring Gathering of Dwarven clans and if they don't leave now then they won't make it there on time." Lvaire explained as they walked down through the Entry Hall; the servants' were eating their lunch at the moment so there was low traffic through the castle at the moment.
"Going to some dwarven gathering is more important than family? It's not like can go out of our way to visit like this every day!" Tundain exclaimed, his thundering voice bouncing off the halls and causing ones ear drums to quake.
"Now Tundain, we did spring this on them rather suddenly; I was even taken off guard by your sudden decision to come visit. We can't expect them to stop their lives mid-stride just because we're here." Villox tried to reason with her angry husband; her soft voice like a whisper in the wind compared to Tundain as she placed a small hand on his bulging forearm.
"This is a major insult! We have come all this way to spend quality time with our family and they shun us away as if they're better than us!" He seethed, he did not dare throw his arms around like he often did in his tantrums; he may be a hothead but he was always careful not to hurt the dainty woman beside him.
"We are nor shunning you! Why must you always try to make things seem like a personal vendetta against you?!" Lvaire finally snapped, like he always did; he may have a high tolerance with others but his older brother always brought out the worst in him. This was how all of their visits ended the past twelve years; they always ended up bring up past problems which of course ended up leading to-.
"You were always so self-righteous because you were father's real son! I was just the filthy commoners son that mother had before!"
Yes, Lvaire and Tundain were only half-brothers; same mother but different fathers. Their mother was married before to a bartender but he was killed when an out-of-town group of thugs got too drunk, leaving her with their only son to take care of. She later met Lvaire's father; Rvaine and married him so her son would have a healthy childhood. Some say that the marriage was purely political since the king needed a bride and she would have been crazy not to accept him for his standing but Lvaire truly believed that his mother grew to love his father despite the circumstances. Anyone who knew them would know that; even stubborn Tundain.
"I never treated you as anything other than my brother! Why must you make everything a competition?!" Lvaire bellowed.
"Why must you always act like I'm not worth your tim-."
"Shut it!"
All went silent as they stared at Villox, her round little face red with anger as her soft hazel eyes sharpened dangerously. The two sons, Kelik and Sampson, both took a step back in unison for they knew not to be in close proximity when their mother was angered.
"Every time, every damned time you two come together you just fight! Well not this time! We're going to be a happy family with no arguing of any kind. Do you understand me?!" Her voice ended in almost hysteria as it reached a high pitched shriek; causing both men to flinch at the daggers being thrown their way from her glare.
"Aye." They both murmur.
"I can't hear you~!" She sang.
"Aye!" They repeated louder, causing the small woman to clap her hands together and like a flip of a switch she was back to her gentle self again.
"That's wonderful! Now let's go see Lian before she leaves; I want to at least see how she's grown!" With that Villox was off towards where she knew Lian's room was with her two sons snickering behind her at their father and uncle. They were both the spitting image of their father but still had certain qualities that related them to their mother.
Sampson was 6'2 with dark blonde hair and the same burly build as his father with a square jaw and deep set brows to go with it. He however had his mother's hazel eyes and lips along with her patience which had been poorly displayed a moment ago.
Kelik had green eyes and stood at 6'1 but was leaner than his beefed up brother and father; his temper was tamer than his father but it was still there. He had dark brown hair like his Uncle and had a thinner jawline due to his mother's genes. Both of the boys resembles Kili and Fili in a way but far more obnoxious and violent; Kelik was twenty-five and Sampson was twenty-three. Tundain and Villox had trouble having a baby in their first years of marriage but eventually they came up with two sons.
Villox came up to Lian's door and gave a small knock for good manners despite the impatient fidgeting of her sons behind her. After a loud 'come in' she opened the heavy wooden door and stepped into the room just as Lvaire and Tundain walked up beside them.
Lian was sitting on the side of her bed facing away from the door with Rowan sitting on her right knees; the woman was currently wondering whether she should bring an extra pair of clothes when she reached the warmer climates. She was staring dazedly out her window as she thought, running her eyes along the diamond patterned window; lead lines separating diamond shaped pieces of glass from being one.
Oil lamps were lit and hanging off the stone walls of her room and throwing a warm glow across the rich wood floors as the hearths fire kept the room warm. Red drapes hung thickly on each side of her window as well as either side of her four posted bed, thick fur covering the large straw mattress. Her leather bag was sitting beside her with her belongings tucked inside as well as a few for Rowan; Martha insisted on coming so she wasn't helping her pack like she was going to, instead she was packing her own things. Gordon was coming as well since her father didn't want her going with just her and Martha to defend themselves against possible groups of bandits or more. She thought he'd be more upset until she realized that he was bringing his wife and child along to the party; she didn't know how they were going to work this out.
"Lian?" Villox said, drawing the attention of the girl and she turned around to see her Aunt, Uncle, Father and two cousins in her door way looking in on her.
"Aunt Villox!" She exclaimed, a smile immediately brightening up her face as she stood but her everyone asides from her dad were staring straight at Rowan with their mouths wide open.
"Lian had a baby!" Sampson choked out.
"Lian had a baby?!" Aunt Villox nearly shrieked, covering her mouth with both hands while still staring wide eyed at the child in her nieces lap.
"Lian got married?!" Tundain bellowed while Kelik just gaped in front of him. Oh boy.
Rowan be like: ಠ3ಠ