I had to rewrite this part multiple times because I just wasn't happy with it. Hopefully this chapter makes a little more sense than Part 1 did. By the way, last night I had a dream of my grandfather, and he told me of how proud he is of me. So that dream became my muse in the rewrite of this chapter.
Note: There will some time difference between what takes place with Inara and what happens in Middle Earth. I figure that the afterlife has no concept of time.
Another Note: If you see words bold with italics (like these), it represents Dark Speech that is interpreted inside of Inara's mind.
WARNING: There is a scene that some may become sensitive to, due to a violation of a person. But mind you it isn't a rape.
So here is Part 2.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or its characters or its events.
One minute, Inara was in her bedroom after putting her children to bed. The next, she finds herself in a dark place. There is nothing to see in this negative space, and there is no light either. Her body seems to be floating, but her night shift keeps in place.
"Where am I?" Inara calls out to the void.
Then a powerful heated wind hits her body. A voice begins to speak in a language she doesn't understand, but somehow her mind translates for her.
"You are now my prisoner, she who comes from another world."
Another heated blast of wind hits Inara again.
"What do you want from me?"
"You saved Oakenshields' life. He and his heirs were not to survive the battle."
Inara starts to become afraid, but is trying hard to hide it.
"So what. They live and nothing can change that." Inara growls out her response.
"You have children with Oakenshield."
"Whoever you are, you are to stay away from them." Inara places a hand over her bump in a protective manner.
"There shall be no more."
Before Inara could reply, a bright fireball appears out of thin air. Heated winds toss Inara about until a streams of the fire grip her wrists and ankles. She screams as her wrists and ankles feel like they are on fire. Suddenly her legs are spread open, and Inara tries her hardest to close them.
"Just who the fuck are you?" She screams at the massive fireball.
"I am one who seeks to rule Middle Earth."
Then a dark shadow figure appears in the middle of the fireball. It now looks like a giant flaming eye.
"No." Inara whispers before trying to free herself from the fire bonds that hold her. "This is not real. This is not real. This can't be happening." Inara starts to hyperventilate.
"I am real. Your unborn child shall be the first of your family to die."
Another stream of fire snakes its way to Inara. It moves towards a place that Inara doesn't want it to go, and soon that area feels like it is on fire. Then Inara screams in agony as the fire enters up into her abdomen. What happens next, causes Inara's psyche to almost break.
A ripping sensation is felt inside, and the fire leaves her abdomen. As the fire stream snakes away from her, she can see a small, white light being held at the end.
"Watch as your unborn child becomes no more."
Before her very eyes, Inara helplessly watches as the bright light is engulfed by the flames and disappears. Tears stream down her face, and Inara knows that her child is gone. She allows herself start to slip away into shock. Just as the she is about to give in completely, a blinding white light destroys the flaming eye before Inara closes her eyes and gives up.
In the bedroom of Thorin and Inara...
Oin had handed Thorin the small wrapped body of the dead child. The old healer still has no idea what is wrong with Inara, but the she-elf and wizard seem to be trying their best to keep the queen alive. As Oin cleans up from the miscarriage, he hears something that causes him to stop.
"I have never seen this kind of poison before." Tauriel says to Gandalf. "I don't know what else to do. We need help."
Gandalf looks down at Inara's prone body, and carefully tries to open one of the closed eye lids. Both Gandalf and Tauriel let out a gasp at the white color that is forcing the natural brown to disappear.
"Is she dying?" Oin asks as he makes his way closer to the elf and wizard.
"No." Gandalf says before whispering in some form of language. "There is another trying to possess her body. We must hurry and call back Inara's spirit before it is too late." Again the wizard whispers in the language, and the crystal in his staff starts to glow.
"What am I doing here?" Comes a voice from a person who was not in the room before.
"Radagast. We need your help." Is all Gandalf says before continuing on with the whispering.
"Oh dear. This is not good. Not good at all." The brown wizard says as he sees Inara's prone form on the bed. "Is the poor woman sick?"
"She has been poisoned, and there is something trying to take over her body." Tauriel says to the brown wizard.
"Right. Let me see her." Radagast says as he too moves to stand by Inara's bedside.
The two wizards work for hours in trying to save Inara. Both succeed in ridding her body of the poison and the thing trying to possess Inara. Tauriel gives Inara a sponge bath, and places her into a fresh shift. Oin has taken the dirty sheets and clothes down to the forges to burn them in one of the furnaces.
Eventually, Thorin returns to Inara's bedside and refuses to leave her for anything.
Three days later...
"We will keep the children with us still." Kili tells Balin in one of the council rooms on the third day since the incident. "Tauriel is more than happy to have them over."
"Of course. I am surprised Dis hasn't wanted to care for them." Balin says to Kili as he moves to collect the papers from the table.
The council had discussed who should be running the kingdom while Thorin hasn't left Inara's bedside. All of this is starting to reach a breaking point.
"She has been making sure that Uncle eats and sleeps while he stays with Inara. Do you think she will ever wake?" Kili asks with a worried voice.
"Gandalf and that brown wizard are not sure. It is up to Inara now, I am sad to say."
Kili looks at Balin before asking another question. "So what is the council going to do? Run the kingdom themselves?"
Balin lets out a huff before answering Kili. "You know they would if they could. However, Fili is Thorin's heir. So it has been decided that he be the one to run the kingdom in Thorin's absence."
"But he is.." Kili gets a light blush on his cheeks.
"I know. But he is needed by Erebor. Normally, I wouldn't suggest doing it. Yet if I don't, we might end up in a civil war with certain council members trying to take control." Balin moves towards Kili and places a hand on the younger dwarfs' shoulder. "Mahal and Yavanna will understand."
Kili nods before opening the door for Balin. Both of them head towards Balin's office first. Once Balin puts away the papers from the council meeting, they head towards the royal halls with a chain cutter tool.
Inside of Fili and Sigrid's apartment...
Fili was just starting to rouse from a rest period after another bout of lovemaking with his yâsith. His body is curled protectively against a sleeping Sigrid. How he became so lucky to call her his, he will never know. Opening his eyes, a mass of golden brown locks fill his vision. Taking a deep breath, he allows himself to become submerged into the exotic scent that is so Sigrid.
A rattle of chains echoing from the main door, grabs Fili's attention. His blood starts to boil, and his dwarf instincts start to build up.
When Fili and Kili were young, their Amad and Thorin had explained to them about marriage and of course procreation. One of the finer points that was made a part of their education was that male dwarves become aggressive and very possessive after sex. Especially if the male has mated with his One. That is why the tradition of placing a locked chain on a married couples' door was started. Too many males would harm or even kill other males who came to congratulate the married couple. Now older dwarves who mate later in life sometimes don't have this problem, but the younger ones always do. They did this tradition to Kili and Tauriel as well after Thorin had screamed at Kili for a few good hours.
Fili starts to slowly pull himself away from Sigrid, and covers her naked form with a blanket once he is out of bed. As he pulls on a pair of pants, he can hear the chain being removed from the door. He moves swiftly towards the living room area, and waits for the trespasser to enter. Gritting his teeth, Fili is ready to let out a snarl to any who enters.
Balin and Kili both know that there is a possibility that Fili is already awake and waiting to attack. That is why Balin plans to go in first. He hopes that somehow he can calm Fili before any attacks can occur.
Before opening the door, Balin speaks softly at the door. "Laddie. It is Balin. I must speak with you. It is urgent, and is of a very serious matter. May I enter? I don't mean you or your yâsith any harm."
As Fili hears this, he tries to fight back the basic instinct to attack Balin. Carefully, Fili tries to speak back from his spot in the middle of the living room area.
"What is it?" Fili growls out trying to keep from sounding too deadly.
"It is Inara, Laddie. She is gravely ill, and Thorin is in a deep grief over it." Balin takes a deep breath before continuing. "They lost their child, Laddie. But that might not be all that they will lose. Right now, the council is trying to decide who should take over Thorins' duties. As his heir it should fall to you, but..."
Fili hears Balin's hesitation and quickly the information he was just given starts to sink in. Taking in multiple deep breaths, Fili tries hard to keep himself calm. "So I am to break the week long tradition. Balin, I don't think I can."
Kili signs to Balin that maybe Tauriel or Radagast could help Fili counter his issue. Balin nods his head at Kili, and turns back to the door.
"Perhaps Tauriel or the brown wizard may be able to make a drink of sorts to help keep you in a calm state while you take over for Thorin." Balin says with a little hope in his voice.
"Very well." Fili replies before heading back to Sigrid.
Hearing Fili's footsteps leaving from the other side, Balin sends Kili to find out if the she-elf and wizard could do it. Till Kili returns, Balin will stand guard outside the door. He hopes that Fili doesn't decide to charge out from the door in the meantime.
Somewhere in Inara's mind...
Inara lets out a groan, and opens her eyes slowly. The light is very bright, and there is a warm, loving feeling coming from it. Her whole body hurts, and Inara can feel that she is laying in the grass on her back. Slowly she starts to sit up, and what she sees around her makes her heart hurt. She is at her grandparents' farm.
Sitting in front of her is the two story farm house. To the left of Inara, is the orchards which has apple, pear, cherry, and a few olive trees. Looking to her right she sees the two large, wooden barns that still look bright red in color.
Getting up from her spot, she discovers that she is just outside of her grandmothers' flower garden. Inara also discovers that she is wearing a teal blue, spaghetti strap sundress that she had worn once before at her grandparents. With bare feet, Inara walks carefully on the grass covered path, but stops when she hears a baby cry. There, about 12 feet in front of her is a dirty-blonde haired, brown eyed baby boy who looks to be about a year old. As she makes her way towards the babe, the boy giggles and starts to crawl away.
"Come back." Inara says as she attempts to go after the boy.
As she gets closer to the babe, a female voice calls out.
"Stop!"
However, Inara keeps going after the child who has now left the garden.
"Inara, you must stop!" A harsher, male voice calls out.
As Inara comes out of the garden, she stops dead in her tracks. The little boy is in the arms of a tall female wearing green. Next to the female was a male that was very muscular and had tan skin.
"Who are you?" Inara asks carefully, watching to see if they might harm the child.
"They are Yavanna and Mahal." Comes a male voice from behind Inara.
Inara turns to look behind her, and she sees a male dwarf about Fili's height. He has sand colored hair and beard. His hair is adorned with many braids and beads.
"And who are you?" Inara asks the newcomer.
"I am surprised you aren't shocked by my appearance. I am Vrili, father of Fili and Kili. At your service." The dwarf gives Inara a bow along with a cheeky grin.
"You are their father." Inara stammers out to the dwarf who nods his head. "So where am I?"
"You are where you wish most to be." Yavanna says before whispering something to the child in her arms.
"Why would I want to be at my grandparents' farm?" Inara asks as she looks to the woman.
"It is a place that you find most comforting to you." Mahal says to Inara.
"So am I back where I am from or am I dead?" Inara finally asks even though she fears the answer.
Vrili comes up to Inara, and takes one of her hands in his. "You are in between the world of the living and the Halls of Mandos."
"I don't understand." Inara says to Vrili.
Mahal moves towards Inara before speaking. "You were being poisoned by a dark drink so that your mind would become weak as well as your body. When you finally became weak enough, Sauron attacked you. Not only mentally, but physically as well. If it wasn't for two of the Istari, you would have died just like your child."
"My child." Inara says just before she realizes that the child Yavanna is holding is the one she lost. Her eyes start to go blurry from the building tears. Then a sob racks through her whole body.
Vrili pulls Inara into a tight hug, and helps guides Inara's body to the grass as her knees give way.
"Can I have him back?" Inara asks but sees Mahal shake his head to mean no. "Can I at least hold him? Please."
"You can't Inara." Vrili whispers to Inara.
"Be glad in knowing that your son no longer suffers from the poison. And that he will be safe and loved by me and my husband till you and Thorin join him sometime in the future." Yavanna says to Inara.
Inara allows herself to cry some more before Mahal moves to kneel just in front of Inara.
"I wish to give you a gift, my honorary daughter." Mahal says to Inara before placing a hand over her heart. "I give to you the lifespan of a dwarf. That way you may continue to share in the hardships and greatness with your One. Once you leave this place, you shall be the age of 135 in dwarf years. May you have many more."
Inara feels a warmth spread through her whole body, but the tears still flow down her cheek at a slower rate.
Mahal stands up and goes over to Yavanna. He takes the child from her, and whispers something to her. Then Yavanna walks away from Mahal, and soon comes to kneel before Inara.
"Sauron has caused great damage to you and your ability to have more children with your One. Let me give to you a gift as well." Yavanna places both of her hands on Inara's lower abdomen. "May you be healed from the damage, and be allowed to give life to many more children with your One."
Again Inara feels a warmth, but this time it is pooling in the spot where her child should have been.
"Thank you." Inara whispers to Yavanna before the woman moves away.
"It is time for you to go home now, Inara." Vrili says as he helps Inara to stand up again.
"But I don't know how." Inara whimpers. "I am lost, and I don't know where to go."
"Close your eyes and focus on the voice who is calling out for you. Follow it, and it should lead you home." Vrili wipes a few tears from Inara's cheeks. "Give my love to Dis and my boys. Let them know that I love them, and that I am so proud of them."
Inara nods her head at Vrili before looking back towards Mahal, Yavanna, and her lost child.
"He will be safe with us." Both Mahal and Yavanna say to Inara.
"Go. He is waiting for you." Vrili says before letting go of Inara. He takes a few steps away from her. "They are all waiting for you." He moves towards where the other three are standing.
"Goodbye." Inara says softly before closing her eyes and willing herself to hear Thorins' voice. She hears his voice, but it sounds like it is from underwater. Then Inara hears a few voices that she hasn't heard in a very long time.
"We will see you again. Go to him." These voices say, and Inara knows that these voices are her two brothers, her father, her mother, and her grandparents. All of them are dead.
"I love you." Inara says just before feeling like she is falling.
Back in Thorin and Inara's bedroom two weeks later...
Thorin holding Inara's clammy hand in both of his. He has shed many tears over the past two weeks. Even though he has a kingdom to run, he can't seem to leave Inara's bedside. Fear of her possibly passing away is what keeps him here.
Dis had come by early that evening with food, and information on how Fili is doing with running the kingdom. Yes, his nephew was able to keep sane after only having three days in his marriage chambers. That had all the councilors in an uproar, but somehow the brown wizard was able to make a potion that allowed Fili to keep his wits. For that Dis, and even Thorin, are grateful for. Thorin even more so since Fili was able to discover who was poisoning the queen. The culprit has already been executed, but his accomplice is still out there in Middle Earth, running free.
Frerin, Durin, and Aliena are still staying with Kili and his family, which for Thorin is a good thing. With Inara laying here, and Thorin still trying to keep himself together, neither one are able to take care of their children at this point. Little Durin in his constant worrying is making himself sick. So Oin has had to pressure Thorin into allowing the boy some time with Inara. Each day, after lessons, the little boy comes in and crawls up onto the bed to lay next to his mother. He sometimes even tells her about his day, knowing that his father is listening in as well.
But tonight, Thorin is even more worried about Inara. Since she hasn't really been getting any food, and they are barely able to get her to drink anything, Oin says that she might not survive the night.
So Thorin is sitting next to his wife, on the bed. Leaning over, he places a kiss on her forehead before allowing his forehead to rest against hers.
"Please come back to me." He whispers gently. "Our children need their Amad. I need you as well. Men lananubukhs menu."
Thorin keeps repeating these words long into the night until half past midnight something changes. It is a slight change, but Thorin notices it immediately. He gently slides the back of his hand against the side of her face, and he sees her eyelids begin to twitch.
"Inara? Amrâlimê?" Thorin whispers while watching Inara's face.
A groan comes from Inara, and soon her body tries to move.
"Easy, Amrâlimê." Thorin says soothingly, as he watches Inara's eyes begin to open.
"Hi." Inara tries to say, but it barely comes out.
"Don't speak just yet." Thorin says as he keeps brushing his hand against Inara's face.
Inara weakly attempts to bring a hand to his, and he quickly takes it in his. He gives it a kiss, and gives her a watery smile.
"I am so sorry, Inara. So sorry. I had to bury our son. He was born too early, and Oin said that he was already gone by the time he was born." Thorin's face was now covered in tears. "I don't know if you could ever forgive me."
Inara makes a gentle shh sound, and is crying also at their loss.
"I should have protected you both better. If I did.."
Inara places a finger to his lips in a gesture meaning for him to be quiet. He nods his head, and moves to place a kiss on Inara's lips.
A soft knock on the door alerts Thorin and Inara that someone is coming in.
"I see that Inara is awake." Gandalf says from his spot by the end of the bed. He gives Inara a smile. "It is good to see you again."
Inara gives Gandalf a nod before trying to speak again. This causes Thorin to place a hand over her mouth.
"Don't speak till I come back with something for you to drink." Thorin says before moving off of the bed, and heads towards the kitchenette in the living room area.
Gandalf takes this opportunity to speak with Inara via his mind.
'You went to the netherworld. Didn't you.'
'Yes.'
'You understand that Sauron was the one who caused this.'
'Yes.' At this point Inara's eyes start to swell up with tears.
'I have spoken to Elrond and Galadriel about this attack. They believe you might have many more like it.'
'That is fine that you spoke with those two. Perhaps we will be able to find a way to keep this from happening again. I met Mahal, Yavanna, Vrili, and even my dead son.'
At this point, Thorin returns to the room with a glass of watered down wine for Inara. He helps her to take small sips from the cup, and eventually the glass becomes empty.
"Thank you." Inara's voice comes out as a graveled whisper.
"I will go let Oin know that Inara is awake, and perhaps have Bombur bring up some light flavored broth as well." Gandalf says before leaving the apartment.
"I have missed you." Thorin says as he moves to sit next to Inara. He pulls her into his arms, and holds her close to him.
"We will defeat the darkness." Inara's graveled voice says to him. "Blame the evil of this world for the death of our boy."
Thorin kisses the top of Inara's head before speaking. "I know that we hadn't picked a name, but I named out boy Théodor. You spoke of the name so often, and I was hoping that we would name the bairn that if it was a boy."
"Thank you." Inara says to him. "I am sure that he is with Mahal and Yavanna; where he will be safe and loved. We will see little Théodor, again."
Thorin gives Inara a squeeze with his arms, and gives her another kiss on the top of her head.
Hope that this will satisfy you all. I had to keep the tissues handy for this chapter.
Selene
In the next chapter we will get to see how Fili handles Sigrid giving birth, and Frerin gets himself into big trouble.