Date: TA 2904
Thorin: 158 years old
Lina: 155 years old
The young warriors mingled, talking and laughing. Most were male, but a new crop of powerful female fighters had grown up in the last twenty years. Lina stood quietly, watching them from the level above. It had been years since Lina and Kira had begun a joint operation within the army of Belegost.
With the blessings of Thorin and the council of Belegost, the two female warriors had begun training up a special force of warriors. Lina still commanded the special unit of misfits, but this was to be a special unit set apart from the others. The young male and female dwarves within the unit had been trained in a number of style of fighting and with many styles of weapon. In most combat situations, the group would function more like the solo fighters of the regular army. However, in between battles the group had a secondary function: sabotage. With great secrecy, Lina's special unit assassins had trained this new unit in as many of their secret arts as they were willing or able to impart. Every dwarf in the new unit could now create a great many obstacles for opposing forces, far more effective than what the regular army tried on a regular basis.
Lina's reason for starting the unit of saboteurs was to give the dwarves an advantage in battle. She also had started taking a perverse pleasure in raising the hackles on some of the more proper matrons of Belegost. The males, especially those who had any hand in war, saw the need for any and all possible advantages in war. The only thing that irritated them was that this unit was not technically under the command of the army. The council's blessing had only been that the females could build their unit within the city. The city did not control or own the unit.
For some time now, Kira had become restless, trapped within the city. She, like Lina, was getting frustrated with the ever tightening confines of the growing dwarven society. Lina had the benefit of legally being a free agent, being able to operate independent of any male thanks to Thrain. Kira did not have that advantage. The female warrior was technically still bound to her father. Of late, Kira's father had been attempting to exert a great deal more control over his daughter, trying to force her into a marriage she did not want. Kira, to avoid being forced to hand over the rewards she earned during her adventures, had given any payment she received directly into her best friend's keeping. Lina could only do so much to protect her friend.
So the pair had devised a plan. Lina had recently received word that her mother was ill in the Iron Hills. As the mother and daughter had not seen each other in nearly 105 years, Lina thought it a good idea to visit. The trip was the perfect excuse to get not only her friend out of Belegost, but the entire unit as well. Since the unit was funded entirely by what the two females had earned in their adventures, the city had no claim on the fighters.
Now one must understand the nature of the fighters in this army. Most of them were younger sons who would never inherit or daughters with no male relatives. The unit had provided a safe haven for them all, offering them a livelihood. When Kira and Lina had devised their plan, they explained it to their followers. The dwarves readily agreed to follow Kira wherever she chose to go.
The first part of the plan was simple, escort Lina safely to the Iron Hills, then back as far as the Misty Mountains. Kira and the fighters with her intended to establish a small settlement in the area halfway between High Pass and the edge of the Ettenmoors. The theory was that, in times of trouble, the dwarves moving from Belegost to the Iron Hills or the other direction need only deviate from the main road about a day's march to call upon the warriors. When not needed, the band intended to make raids on the trolls and other foul creatures of the area. As trolls frequently had useful and valuable items in their hordes, the settlement would have the opportunity to prosper. Kira was to be the head of the settlement. This was something agreed to by the entire unit and bonded on. A line of succession was established, using ranking within the unit rather than birthright to create the next leader. Once out from under the influence of the other dwarven societies, Lina and Kira hoped this settlement would eventually become indifferent to what one's gender was, focusing instead on one's own skills.
Lina sighed and clasped her hands tightly behind her back. The plan was just being set into motion. Thorin knew nothing of the plan. For the first time for as long as Lina could remember, she was required to keep a secret from her husband. Once the warriors had gone, neither Thorin nor the council had the power to bring them back by any means. However, within the city, the dwarves were still citizens of Belegost. They had sworn no oaths of allegiance to the city or its officials and so were not being dishonorable in that respect. Lina knew that Thorin would not take the disappearance of nearly a hundred strong and capable warriors lightly. Every dwarf that left Belegost for any reason other than to make brief trips outside the city he felt was a person attack on him.
Thorin was quite proud. The betrayal of the Elves the day Smaug attacked and the leaving of so many of his kin after the Battle of Azanulbizar were personal betrayals to him. He would not understand the need for Kira to leave. Thorin had accepted Lina's status based on his father's acceptance of her. While he had no problem with Kira as a warrior or in any of the other positions she held within the city, she was first and foremost bound to her family. As she had male relatives living, she was bound to them. The knowledge that she was to hurt her own husband made her sick to her stomach, but she did not know what else to do.
A gentle hand touched Lina's shoulder. She turned to see Kira there. Her friend's face was serious. Kira knew what her choice was costing Lina, but both felt there was no other option.
"It is time." Lina nodded and whistled shrilly over the gathered warriors. They understood her signal and shouldered their packs. The unit formed up and moved out through broad double doors on that level, exiting the city. Kira patted her friend's shoulder and went to join the warriors. Lina still had one more thing to do.
Still feeling ill, Lina moved to let Thorin know she was beginning her journey, but not that she was the only one who would be returning. He was reading over old accounts of the attacks on the old dwarven settlements in the Grey Mountains. In recent days he'd become obsessed with the idea that every dragon had a weakness, and he was searching for Smaug's. His blue eyes rose to meet her as she entered the room, shutting the door behind her. She tried to hide the uneasiness with a smile.
"Kira's not coming back is she?" His simple question stunned Lina. The pen he'd been holding was placed back in its stand as he rose.
"No, she's not," Lina answered softly. There was no way she could lie bald-faced to him.
Thorin's jaw tightened and his hands balled into fists at his side. Anger began to show on his face as Lina watched. She stood silently, watching him. To speak now would only enrage him. All she could do was wait and hope that he might at least understand, even if he did not like it.
"You would lie to me in order to help another female leave the city?" Anger, betrayal, and hurt all came through in his hoarse question.
"I never lied to you. I simply never told you the truth," Lina answered evenly. This was true. Never had she lied to Thorin. That was one thing she could never, would never, do to him.
"Why would you hide this from me?"
"Kira is trapped here. By our laws, she is bound to her male relatives. What she rightfully earns with her blood, sweat, and tears becomes theirs. I cannot stand idly by as she is treated thus. When she came to me for help I gave her my word to help in any way I could." Lina stopped and watched Thorin for his reaction. He was silent.
A knock on the door startled them both. Thorin motioned for her to open the door. Once opened, a young page took a step forward.
"The warriors are ready to depart, My Lady," he told Lina, bowing.
"I understand," she answered. "You are dismissed."
The page took himself off and Lina closed the door once more. Turning, Lina saw that her husband had moved. He was opening a small box on the mantle of their fireplace. Taking something out, he closed the lid and approached Lina. His manner had changed. The anger was gone and replaced with resignation.
"The road back will be dangerous without Kira or her army," he said finally.
"Yes."
"Be careful," he whispered, pulling her suddenly into his arms. "If the city of Belegost must lose some of its number, do not let it be you."
Lina wrapped her arms tightly about his waist. His familiar scent filled her nose, calming her as it always did.
"I had this made for you," he said softly, pulling back. In the palm of his hand lay a simple ring of smooth, clear stone. Lina took the ring from his hand, turning it over in the light.
"It's beautiful," she murmured. Thorin slid the ring onto her hand, settling it over the edges of her glove.
"Whatever else you do on this journey," he told her, "stay safe. All the dwarves of this place may leave as long as I have you beside me."
Lina knew how hard it was for Thorin to let the dwarves leave. She had seen it the day so many had chosen to go to the Iron Hills rather than continue with his father in exile.
"I will always return to you," she answered, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. Thorin held her tighter for a moment.
"I love you, Lina. May the Valar guide and protect you all." With that he drew back from her.
"And I love you, Thorin," she replied. Her hand brushed his cheek before turning to leave. The door shut behind her with a dull thud. Lina's heart still felt heavy at having hurt her husband. At least he now knew the truth.
A/N: I'm so happy that you guys liked the last chapter so much! I enjoyed writing it. As for this chapter . . . I'm not 100% happy with it, but it does what I want it to do. Writing this chapter has been my only distraction from the issue I mentioned a chapter or two ago. That issue, however, is still present and I'm not sure what's going to happen. So it continues to distract me. We are getting closer to Lina's involvement with the quest to reclaim Erebor. I'm getting a few things set up still.