Chapter 10
Lounging, I watch the children prance around Thorin's rooms in excitement. Thorin and my rooms. The children will officially remain in the apartment, but I'm not too keen on having them so far away. We'd been staying the nursery but I officially have been moved here. The children will, again only officially, remain downstairs. It's where all the direct line of Durin children lived during their early years. It's unnatural for me to be so far from them, which Thorin understands. I smile at my family but do not... can not get up to play with them. After the morning Thorin and I had, I'm lucky to still be awake. I suppose it was the interest rate for passing out after the party last night. Shaking my head at the reminder I take my eyes off the three of them and focus on the paper in front of me.
Third Age, year 3001
30 days each month
Arrived: July/Afterlithe 28th
Today: August/Wedmath 5th
Bilbo/Frodo's birthday: September/Halimath 22nd
Max jump distance: 100 miles
Max feel distance: 500ish miles
Kili: West, unmoving
Tapping my pen on my chin, I made sure I have enough to last me a good while, I try to think of what I know. Dates are etched into my mind but time is not stagnant. If I don't pay attention, I could easily just miss a date. I'm not being stagnant either though. Whenever I have a moment to myself, I do a quick jump to better understand my limits. I've at best only been able to travel 100 miles, even though I can feel much further. I say 100 but that's also a guestimation. I've only jumped 50 miles from Erebor but jumping the 50 back drained me significantly. So I assume 100 miles is my limit, maybe a bit more if I practice. I bring my pen to my mouth but catch myself before I start chewing it.
I know Kili is to the West, South West. He's too far for me to reach him but he's alive and not moving from the area. I wish I could glean more information but my gifts are not infinite. I still want to go to the Shire but I 1) have to convince Thorin and 2)Plan... Planning is easier. Between when I arrived and Bilbo's Big Birthday Bash is 54 days. I've been here a week, leaving 47 days to get there. I know its roughly 1000 miles from Erebor to Hobbiton but I don't know how far it is from Hobbiton to Ered Luin. I'll have to find a map... Either way, with my gift alone (without walking) I can make it to Hobbiton in 10 days adding another 3 or 4 to go visit Bif, Bom, and Bof meaning I need at least two weeks of travel time. I continue jotting down my thoughts.
Erebor to (Blue Mountains) Hobbiton: 1200-1300 miles
Travel needed: 13-14 days
Convincing hubby that this is a good idea: Priceless
Thoria giggles, causing me to lift my head and watch for a moment. Setting my pen behind my ear, I fold up the parchment and put it on the table in front of me. The children stayed in their rooms under the watchful eye of Tilda this morning while Thorin and I were... preoccupied. However, the moment the morning was over no one could stop them from bounding up the stairs and demanding to be let in. It was comically inconvenient but Thorin and I dressed and let them in after we firmly closed the bedroom door. 'There is not a single surface in that room I want my children to touch.' Watching the twins hang from their Father's arms, I feel immensely blessed to be able to see this moment. I'd have loved for Killiel to be with us but it's solid 'no's from all around. He can't come up here. Ever. Unless he becomes a guard, I guess... I don't think too much about it because he wouldn't feel comfortable here anyway. This moment however is still one I wouldn't want to miss.
"Look, Mama! Look!" I smile at Thoria as she clammers over Thorin's shoulder for a ride "Look! Look!"
"I'm looking. Is Daddy giving you a piggyback ride?"
"DRAGON!"
"O-Oh." He and I exchange a 'Huh?' look before shrugging. I guess he's a dragon now "Okay."
"I'm you! He's Smaug!"
"Ohhhhhhhh."
"Smaug is long gone, Gehyith." tugging the toddler off his back, he tosses her into the air. Her face shines brightly in glee "But the Eagles of Manwë still soar."
I take a mental picture of this moment. I never want to forget it. Our children are safe and happy. Thorin is smiling. LAUGHING. If I could stay right here, and protect them forever, I would. 'Like a dragon over its hoard.' I think playfully but then wonder... The tiniest whisper from my side halts all movement in the room
"Still in the water?" I stare at my son with my eyes as wide as saucers. My gaze flickers to Thorin and I know we are both shocked. Theodore... He spoke. What's more, he spoke while someone other than Thoria or I was within earshot. I try not to make too big of a deal of it but I'm so afraid to move and ruin it. Thorin must feel the same as he stands stark still with Thoria still raised above his head. Our son tilts his own head before speaking AGAIN and I damn near pass out "Adad?"
Theodore, my reclusive little angel, spoke TO Thorin. I was so shocked by the initial occurrence that I didn't realize that of course he was talking to Thorin. I've told the kids a child-friendly version of events plenty of times and I never mentioned retrieving Smaug's body before I left. Thus, if it had been retrieved, I wouldn't know about it. Theodore does not take his eyes off Thorin and after a moment, the king returns to his usual self. Lowering Thoria to sit on his hip, he comes over to our place. All I can do is wait.
"Inudoy." placing Thoria to sit next to her brother on the floor, Thorin takes the empty seat beside me "Inudoy. Nathith. Sit, and I will tell you the legend of how I met your Amad."
"Now, my children, Hurun ganat."
Thorin's rendition of the Quest for Erebor was very much unlike my own. Yes, the hard facts remained the same but everything was... so much better. He has a way with words. It was like reliving the adventure all over again. Looking over at the children passed out on their Father's lap, I feel a bit...
"Jealous, Atamanel?"
"Left out." I correct, ignoring the fact that he read my face. Sliding over, I lay my head on his shoulder and he lays his on my own. It's a quiet moment and I love it. Snuggling in, I pull Theodore into my lap to distribute the weight a little more evenly "You didn't answer his question though. Is Smaug's corpse still down there?"
"Mmmm. We attempted to locate it for a year or so but it was such a waste of bodies while we rebuilt.
Of course, we'd have no way to retrieve it but even a few of his scales would make amazing armor. The lake is deep... I had not thought of his corpse in some time."
"... I could get it..."
"Thia."
"I could."
"Thia."
"And there wouldn't be any danger either since my other gifts should still hold true. Nothing in the water will be able to harm me. I can even breath under it."
"And yet..." he wraps an arm around my shoulder, stroking the faded scar across my arm "Smaug was able to harm you while in the waters."
"That's because he was doing everything in his power NOT to dwell in the water. I guess he has to have lived there or stayed a while for 'dwell' to apply to him. But whatever, he's dead. The land is peaceful so no one is going to hurt me and it'll be a great gift to the kingdom, right?"
"..."
"You could even mount his head on the front gate. How awesome would that be? Like, sending a message to anyone who approaches saying 'The last guy who broke in here became decoration.'" I poke at his cheek, knowing I'm wearing him down "That's one major way to keep the kingdom protected, right?"
"..."
"A-and! And! You can give some of the material to Tilda as a gift to Dale for the part they played. They'll be plenty." his silence is killing me. Yes, I could do it without his permission but I won't. Thats stupid. I can't walk into the grand hall with a dragon corpse without him being somewhat aware "Even though she lives here, she is still a Princess of Dale and could deliver the items to her people. Strengthening relations is always good, right?"
"..."
"Admit it... Come oooon."
"..."
"Thorin."
"..."
"Tho- Don't be that way. Thoriiiiiin."
"We must test that your gift still persists." He finally looks up at me with a smile and I grin back "It would not do to find that you are without breath at the bottom of a lake."
"Awesome!"
The next few days are more or less spent coming up with an elaborate scheme to get Smaug's body back into Erebor. The act itself is easy but very few people are aware that I can do it. With a bit of help from the Balin, we discuss it loosely but I've already come up with a plan that my husband won't approve of sooooo I don't ask. I have to make it look like Smaug's body just... appears. I need a crowd big enough to bear witness to this, so it doesn't look like I'm summoning dragons. Guards are always around and plentiful. The only room large enough to accommodate the body without causing damage to the new structures is the treasury, which doesn't have a lot of traffic, and the entryway atrium. We choose the latter as an eventual drop-off point since it's near the jeweler's stead but far enough from the mines that a sudden collapse within them due to the weight shift is unlikely. In addition, the atrium is a busy place in the mornings and evenings but not during the day or after dark.
I know Thorin isn't fully aware of how quickly I plan to pull this off but this is my mission of the week. He won't be happy that I did it but the pros will so heavily outweigh the cons that he'll have to just suck it up. Preparations (Finding a location, focusing on verifying my gifts still work, and locating Smaug's corpse) fill my mind all week. I can't jump to dead things but I do remember there was a boat beside us as we died. It takes quite a few tries, it is a ship graveyard down there after all, before I find what I'm looking for.
The once great dragon is now nothing more than an armored sack of bones. I have to move him a few times, as over the years the sediment began to reclaim him, but all is ready. Despite all the planning, this event is not meant to be a big show and I make sure it isn't. In fact, it was so easygoing, I was sure something would come up but nope. I convince Thorin to go on a beautiful evening stroll with me to look out of the Atrium over the revived city of Dale. He is suspicious from the get-go, a lovely guy, but quickly agrees when I tell him that I solved our missing dragon problem.
"Thia, if you do what I believe you are planning..." He can only imagine what insanity I've planned. Heh "..."
"Can't a girl simply go out for an evening walk?"
"Nothing is ever 'simple' when you are concerned."
I would have preferred to feel the sun on my skin but it's a lovely walk regardless. When we return, I remark on a random default that used to be in the gate. I'm loud enough for the guards to hear, and their eyes move to look. Thorin squints his own eyes at me but reminds me of Smaug, his defeat, the fact that we can't get his body. Yada yada. Moving towards a corner that blocks me from the guard's view, I make a flippant remark to the effect of "I wish Mahal would be so kind as to drop Smaug's body on our doorstep.' It's a little underhanded but considering that Vala tried to make me a walking incubator, I don't feel too bad about using his name. Thorin's eyes widen, figuring out what I'm about to do half a second too late. I jump and deliver the body behind us on the open bridge before returning to my spot with an 'Oh my!' All hell breaks loose but the alarm is thankfully delayed due to the reaction caused by the smell.
"Oh my God.." It didn't smell like anything under the water. Or maybe I just couldn't smell it? I don't know but the hairs in everyone's noses are burnt off now "That's rank."
"THIA." He doesn't yell but... oof. If he could strangle me without hurting me, he would. Taking a deep breath, and immediately regretting it, he quickly moves to clean up my mess. Not the dragon, but quickly pushing the narrative that I have the creator's ear in the cruelest way possible. He places his hands on my shoulders and swings me to face the decaying corpse, making me a human shield for him against the smell. Talk about rude "Mahal must have heard your wish, my love."
"Uh... ugh.. Y-y-yeah."
"Look a little closer, honey."
"... Nice."
He has never once called me 'Honey' and we both know he's just being downright evil. My stomach churns but it's punishment of my own doing. It might be late, but a dragon suddenly appearing on their doorstep probably had a few guards wetting their pants. Even if it was dead. Frightened cries of disgust quickly become joyous ones of equal disgust as word spreads like wildfire. It takes us an hour to return to our room and many more to wash the scent off. My name once again became the talk of the mountain. In the morning my husband confirms that I smell only of him and the mountain gives me another title. It makes me laugh: Mahal'th favzar.
Another chapter. Another exchange I won't give details about. The next one though... I could be persuaded. I just don't want to spend all my time writing smut. Still! I'm making sure Thia makes her mark on Erebor. Love her or hate her, she's always on a mission.
Amad- Mother
Adad- Father
Inudoy- Son
Nathith- Daughter
Hurun ganat- Rest Well
Mahal'th favzar- Mahal's favored