Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise, sadly.
A/N: I am sorry this took me longer than I thought to write (mainly because I had to write a job application and have a cold coming courtesy of the five year olds I work with). This chapter will contain swearing as it is Dwalin and you can't really write him without it. Also Khuzdul is italic and Sindarin is italic and underlined. This chapter is Dwalin as what I have planned next works better with Dis. :) Enjoy!
Chapter 5
Dwalin POV
I stomped through the hallways towards the training grounds, grumbling the entire way. We had just celebrated Ariana's second birthday with us and even though she had loved the presents we had gotten her, her eyes has lit up at the book of Elvish stories written in their fluffy script and the Elvish made blade that had come from the thrice damned Greenwood. "Fucking piece of shit, shiny-ass letter opener sent from the bastard spawn of an orc." I muttered under my breath as I threw a few of our new trainees a look that would have curdled milk. I immediately pulled my axes and started going through a series of warm up exercises, hoping to burn off some of my temper before Thorin came down and poked fun at me for being so touchy.
"What do we have to blame for your charming disposition today?" I growled as Frerin appeared in my line of sight, I'd rather it had been Thorin. "Fuck off." I told him, swinging my axe around and watching him dodge out of the way before drawing his own axe. "Are you still pissed off that Ariana liked the Elvish blade? Let it go cousin. I saw her practicing with the lovely little short sword you made her last night. She said it was easier to wield, it was familiar." I smirked at that, take that you fucking tree-shagging pansy-assed leaf-muncher. I thought as I swung both axe's around only to find them both blocked, but by two separate weapons at the end of two separate arms. "Oh for the love of Mahal, if you can't make it down here in time don't interrupt when I've already started." I growled out at Thorin, who just chuckled.
Instead of him backing out, Frerin bowed out and Thorin squared off against me. "Are you as pissed as I am that the pointy-eared fuckheads are in favour with your sister?" I asked and he sneered, "I really wish there wasn't this rule that if your allies, then you need to acknowledge and visit the new royal children. They wouldn't have come and Ariana wouldn't know they exist out side of stories and I wouldn't have to listen to adad having a curse filled tirade every time she says something in the flowery language of theirs." He snarled out and we soon forgot words in order to lunge at each other and trade blows. It wasn't until we had sufficiently calmed down that I realised Ariana had come down to watch us and was holding the short sword I had worked hard to create, swords weren't my best work.
She smiled and hopped down off the fence and came over to me. "Will you teach me? The Elvish one is a little weird, the metal feels too different right now, too light." She whispered out and I nodded, grabbing a spare sword from the collection at the side of the field and standing next to her. "Alright you ready? Copy me, watching my foot work okay?" I told her and she nodded, studying me intently as I moved through an easy defence pattern, step, block, cut, step, block, swing, step, turn and block. I turned to watch her do it and apart from a little stumble she copied it perfectly.
Unlike the others, she had told me a little about where she had grown up before we had taken her in. She had told me about learning to use a dagger to skin things, to catch fish and to defend herself if needed, she told me that living in a swampland full of dangerous beasties had taught her to be quiet and move carefully and how living on the streets had taught her to pick pockets to survive, but only taking what she need to live. This little girl was far stronger than any of us realised and in time, with the right training she would make a formidable warrior. Not that we were going to put her in that position for all the gold in the mountain.
I moved through several different defence patterns, demonstrating them and making her copy them moving in every direction, making sure they were perfect before I even contemplated raising a sword towards her. I kept my strike slow to begin with, speeding up as the morning wore on, keeping them light in strength despite the speed. I was fully aware that while she spoke, acted and was practically a dwarf, she did not have the same physicality that our children had that made them more resilient to harder hits. We paused as the thirteenth bell rang and I clapped a hand on her shoulder, sheathing the sword and moving her towards the edge of the field.
She smiled up at me, sweat shining on her brow and her hair sticking to her forehead. "Strong warrior indeed, hmm zundushith?" I murmured and she scrunched up her nose at the word. Little bird? I think I was insulted. She signed to me and I laughed, stroking a hand down her hair. "No mizimith you were not. I simply meant that you remind me of a little bird, someone who can fly even without wings." I told her and she frowned, before nodding. I knew that any endearment we gave her would probably be lost on her until she grew older, but I wanted her to have at least some good memories of her childhood.
We moved up into the city and towards the dining halls, she had placed her sword back in the custom made sheath I had designed for her, it strapped across her back rather than her waist as she was so tiny. As we reached the royal dining hall she stilled and looked down the corridor, "What is it little one?" I asked her as she curled into the side of me, wrapping her hand around mine. Grandfather was acting weird this morning, he was muttering under his breath and snapped at me when I spoke to him. She signed slowly against my hand, not wanting anyone who was observing us to see. I frowned and picked her up, hugging her tight. "You can sit with me if you wish, I'll defend you against anything, I promise." I told her and she nodded, grasping one of my braids in her hand.
After a year with us she had grown only a small amount, one good year not really making up for 6 bad ones. She had filled out though, looking more like a child than a half starved waif, but she was delicate like many female children of men were. I walked into the room and moved to sit down in my normal seat, glancing over at the king from the corner of my eye. He did look like the gold lust was particularly bad today, well it must have been to cause him to snap at Ariana, she was generally his reason for breathing. Thorin dropped into the chair beside me, causing Ariana to jump and shy back slightly and him to narrow his eyes slightly. I nodded at him over Ariana's head and then used my chin to point at the king.
Thorin frowned, something he had been doing a lot of lately and nodded. We would speak about this later clearly, "Namanith, Dis was wondering if you would accompany her down to the forges after lunch, she want's your help with a piece of silver work and apparently our fingers are far to fat to do it." He said, scowling down at his fingers and I chuckled. While it was very likely that Dis had said this, brutally honest as she was, I doubt she had said anything of the kind. Although he tended to be as subtle as a troll with a cold on a good day, Thorin did have his moments, although not half as often as the average dwarf. Ariana smiled over at him and patted his hand.
He smiled over at her and she giggled when he tried to tickle her. "Oi, keep those fat fingers of yours to yourself. I don't need them near me." I groused and Ariana carried on giggling, her mood lighter than when we had walked in. It wasn't until after we had sent Ariana off with Dis that he cornered me, shoving me into his chambers and rounding on me. "What's is this about my grandfather? Why did Ariana flinch away from me? What did you do?" He shot the questions out at me and I bristled at the last one, poking a finger into his chest.
"Let's get one thing perfectly clear here, cousin. I would rather jump into dragon fire than harm Ariana. I would submit myself willingly for punishment if I had." I snarled out and he nodded, raising his hands to placate me. Like fuck that's going to work now. I thought viciously as I paced in front of him. "We were walking up to the dining hall when she suddenly stopped and curled into my side, trying to hide and curled her hand around mine. Down the corridor was the king. I was confused, normally she ran straight for him, but she wasn't even looking at him. It was like when she had arrived all over again. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that he was acting weird this morning, muttering under his breath and snapped at her when she spoke to him." I sighed and wiped a hand over my face.
Thorin stared at me for a moment before his body seemed to deflate and he slumped down into a chair near the fire. "I thought I had been imagining it, that Frerin and I were wrong. We thought he had been acting stranger than normal, but he has either been spending his free time in the forge or the treasure hall. I had hoped his gold lust wasn't going to turn into sickness so soon. Adad received a missive this morning, the elves are coming again. Thranduil and five others, they want Grandfather to return the jewels of Lasgalen. If his gold sickness is so great that he wont speak to Ariana in kindness then I fear for what he will do, we cannot afford a war with the elves. Pointy-eared green munching bastards they may be, but wood elves are skilled and vicious. The blade they sent Ariana was a starter one." He huffed out.
I nodded, this turn of events was worrying, if the elfking thought we were being offensive then he could and probably would start a war. "If your grandfather doesn't give those gems back and Thrandy perceives it to be a threat or offensive, I wouldn't put it past him to start a war with us. Although if he is fond enough of Ariana to send her gifts for her birthday, maybe he will grant us grace to get her out of the path. She doesn't need to be exposed to this." I said as I sat down heavily next to him and he nodded, both of us jumping at the knock on the door. "Enter."
We both breathed a sigh of relief when Frerin walked in, only for us both to jump up when he revealed a rather impressive red mark that was sure to bruise by the morrow. "Nadadith, what happened?" Thorin asked moving over and checking his face. Frerin sighed, "I questioned the king. I asked him which gems he wanted prepared for tomorrow. He said he would see to it, I said that I didn't mind helping and he struck out at me, yelling and cursing in Ancient Khuzdul. I only caught a few words and they sounded like 'thief' and 'traitor'. Thor' I think he's really losing it." Frerin's eyes were glazed slightly and it reminded me that he was ten years younger than Thorin, twenty younger than me. Seeing his grandfather break was difficult for him.
Thorin sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We were just talking about this, apparently he snapped at Ariana for just talking to him earlier and it has scared her, although it hasn't quite undone all our work. If he doesn't give those gems over tomorrow, we will have no political relationship with the Greenwood I don't think. That is the only reason there has been no war, we need each other but they can go elsewhere for what we provide." Thorin grumbled and then stood, pacing in front of us. "For the foreseeable future, Ariana goes nowhere near grandfather without one of us with her, I don't care if he seems to be having a good day or not, I will not risk her." We nodded and I stood, "I need to go back to the training fields, I've been gone too long as it is." I moved through the rest of the day in a fog, barely remembering anything and waking from the haze when I realised I was in bed. I shook my head, hoping tomorrow I would be back on top form.
I stood with Ariana out on the battlements the next morning as we awaited the Elves to arrive, she was excited to see them again and when I asked why she simply said she liked feeling tall when they carried her. I frowned, but could understand why she liked feeling bigger than us for once, she was so fragile in body compared to our children. She clapped as the huge antlers of that monstrous creature the king rode came into view, darting down the steps and rushing out to receive them. "Fucking elves, don't see what's so special about the leaf-eared tree-shagging grass munchers. Their all cold and hairless." I groused as I walked down the stairs after her, several of the guards chuckling at my words.
The king was off the elk-deer creature thing as soon as it had stopped and his eyes seemed to unfreeze as he saw Ariana, clearly she had a way with kings and making them normal for a moment. She bowed to him and he nodded his head in return. He spoke to her in that flowery language of his and she smiled nodded, her hands signing what she wanted said. "She said she is enjoying the stories that you sent, that the language is a little different to watch she knows. Also that her sword has yet to see any training as she's still learning how to use a short sword and yours is a little big for the moment." I added on the end and she turned to look at me scowling and I raised an eyebrow, it was.
The elf king nodded, "The stories are written in Silvan, not Sindarin. The dialects do vary, but are easy enough to follow if you are talented enough." She beamed up at him as he smoothed a hand over her head, "Also the sword was sent with the intent that it not be used right away, but when you were sufficiently trained. I offer the service of one of my trainer to teach you how elves fight, in the safety of the Greenwood of course." He sent me a sly look and I knew that at some point we would have to take her to the fucking forest for those lessons, we'd be guilt tripped into going.
I grunted and gestured for them to enter the mountain, Ariana darting over to hold my hand. "The king will see you in the throne room, you can see Ariana again afterwards if you wish." I told them as I pointed them in the right direction, knowing they vaguely knew their way. Thrandy nodded and walked away, Ariana tugged on my hand as soon as he was gone. I want to watch, I need to. She signed and I frowned, she really didn't, but I wasn't going to argue with her. We slipped out on to one of galleries and looked down on the Elves approaching the throne. "Grandfather doesn't look well today, he looks like he did yesterday. He isn't going to do it is he?" Ariana asked me and I looked down at the scene before us, shaking my head.
It played out just as we had feared, with Thrór keeping the gems and Thranduil storming off towards the entrance of the mountain. Ariana tugged on my hand and we both hurried down after them. Ariana darted ahead of me, her size giving her an advantage, she reached the great elk thing long before I did and as I stood to the side trying to catch my breath, she was focused on Thranduil as he approached. "Out of my way child." He snapped out at her and she flinched, but stood her ground. "No I shall not move. I am sorry that my grandfather has decided not to honour a request you have made, but don't take it out on me. If it were up to me I would give you those gems. You aren't the only one he has wronged recently in this mountain." She snapped something out to Thranduil, her voice loud and every dwarf in the vicinity turned to stare at her.
Thranduil stared down at her as well and I growled, tears were welling in her eyes and I really wanted to stick my axe in him for making her cry. Thranduil moved towards her and she moved away from him. "I am sorry for detaining you Elf King, I hope your journey home is a safe one and I apologise for the wasted journey." She spoke again and moved over towards me. He seemed to stare at her, the coldness of his eyes confused and a little hurt as she refused to look at him. In the end he nodded, speaking once he was on his creature. "The offer to have lesson's in the Greenwood is still valid, despite today's occurrences. Also I am the one who owes you an apology, Lirimaer. You are right, I should not have taken it out on you." With that he rode off with his company.
I turned to find most of the mountain staring at Ariana, who turned to face them, a Thorin like scowl on her face. "Just because no one had heard me speak, didn't mean that I couldn't. Now go about your day, unless you have nothing better to do than stare at an eight year old." She snapped out and suddenly there was a flurry of activity around us. I sighed and led Ariana back up to her area of the royal chambers, the tension in her shoulders belaying how calm she was appearing. I let her go as she darted into the bathroom, sitting in the armchair as Thorin, Dis and Frerin entered the room, Frerin showing a truly tremendous shiner.
Thorin sighed, frowning when he heard Ariana's sniffling coming from the bathroom. "The elf king to the slight as we perceived it, he was angry and snapped at her. It looked like she then told him off good and proper, however now the whole mountain and beyond will know that not only does she speak, but it is not only our language she speaks in. There are many who hate the elves passionately and I dread what they will try if they find out about this. She was very shaken by the whole situation today, not just the snapping, but also that your grandfather didn't honour his word. I think she fears he will not honour other words as well." I whispered to them and Frerin frowned.
Ariana came out of the bathroom, darting over and curling up on the seat between Frerin and Thorin, her eyes red and face flushed. Frerin shushed her and pulled her close to him, "None of us will let you go, you know this don't you. You are a child of the line Durin now and we will not let you leave easily. I think I speak for us all when I say that I would rather die before seeing you hurt." He said and she flinched at his words. "I don't want anyone dying for me. I want you all to lie so I get to keep you." She murmured out, slowly falling asleep under the soothing motion of Thorin's finger's stroking her hair. I looked over at her as a rock seemed to settle in my stomach. "I have a bad feeling about all of this." I whispered to the room, a sense of foreboding settling in the air.
A/N: Lirimaer - Lovely one.
I realise that this ended rather abruptly, but I want the rest of this plot line to be in Dis' POV. I think that will also include a certain red scaly beastie who may or may not breathe fire. And it will contain Kidnapping (of epic stupidity on the part of the kidnappers) and Thranduil being the worlds biggest asshole. Hopefully it will be up at some point within the next few days ;)