Thranduil had taken his warm bath in his study to offer his rooms to her. Eventually after dressing, and pacing about for some time worrying about entering his rooms and seeing her, he had finally seen the elven ladies leaving the chambers and decided to check on the woman.
Elondir too had found him in the corridor to let him know that all their visitors were now soundly asleep after their banquet in one of the lounges, including the Lord of Dale.
He liked Bard and his children, they were hard working and did not wish to be considered for charity. The man had presented him an emerald necklace tonight in thanks and repayment of the help he had offered in rebuilding Dale after the battle. Bard had also declared that the elven builders would be paid individually for their work now that trade was improving thanks to the woman who ruled Erebor.
He paused outside his own bedchamber doors. It was a strange sensation. And then he gently knocked. But when no answer came he let himself in anyway.
Inside he found her curled up on his favoured chair by the fire. They had dressed her in an elven gown worn by their adolescents, her long raven hair had been let down and she was fast asleep.
He had hoped that she would stir on his arrival. But when she didn't, he carefully gathered her into his arms and moved her to his large bed. At first she had moved in her sleep due to the cold bed, but had soon settled after being covered in several blankets.
He took another look at her as she lay there so small and peaceful in his large bed and quietly moved into his study again, this time leaving the connecting doors open so that she could call for him should she need it.
...
Rolling over in the soft sheets, she awoke and then suddenly realised that she found herself in a bed!
Last night had been a strange blur, and unexpectedly she had enjoyed herself, despite having spent much of the evening in the company of that stuffy old elf! In fact he had turned out to be quite...thoughtful!
She felt well rested, but at that moment she stiffened and her eyes popped open!
Was she in HIS bed?!
She lifted the blankets and sheets and found she was still clothed and breathed a short sigh of relief.
Then slowly she turned over...in case he lay in bed beside her...
Again she was on her own. She let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding.
Suddenly her thoughts flashed back to Thorin and she inwardly berated herself for missing him, when she imagined he was now waking up in the arms of another.
And then she wondered about Thranduil...where had he slept...?
"Do you always wake up each morning to so many thoughts...?"
He spoke quietly from where he sat by the fireplace.
"Good morning..." She whispered, not knowing why she was whispering.
"Good morning," he smirked, leaning back to fill the large armchair and stretch his long legs by the fire. "There is no need to whisper, your secret night in my bed remains just that. And both your advisor and your...dwarf in waiting...remain fast asleep after the nights revelry."
She pulled the blankets up, feeling her cheeks heat up at his words.
"I am sorry I took your bed...but I did initial fall asleep in the chair..." She said quietly.
"You need not be sorry. You are my guest. And yes you did fall asleep by the fire, but I moved you, so that you may rest better. After all...you are now with child." He explained turning away to stir the last of the dying flames and place a fresh log on there to drive away the chill of the breaking dawn. "Besides, I did sleep on the chaise in my study at first, and then I moved here for the warmth..."
"Without sounding ungrateful...are my clothes available..." She looked down at the soft pale, flowing gown she wore. It looked very much like the sort of elvish clothing she had seen so many wearing last night - just perhaps a little smaller! "Not that these clothes are not nice..."
"I believe your dress is dry and hanging in my study," Thranduil did his best to suppress a wry smile. "But those clothes for adolescent elves do become very well indeed...and perhaps your...dress maker might use its design in your next dress?"
Not answering that, she looked around the room, and her eyes immediately were drawn to the sizeable gap in the curtains of the large window.
The soft, pink light of dawn as it broke through the horizon was just visible over the tree tops that were budding in slow preparation for spring.
"That looks beautiful..." She couldn't resist slipping out of the covers and tiptoeing to the window. Neither Rhun-Agar nor Erebor were surrounded by trees like this. "I have never seen a view like this..."
Next, she found him there beside her drawing open the curtains wider.
"That is the beauty of living in the woodland realm," he smiled watching her. She bore such a fascination for the world that gave away just how young she was. Everything was so fresh and new to her, that he wondered how that must feel. His own youth suddenly felt so long ago, and yet seeing her reminded him of it. It was as if she was renewing his very life. "And you would have enjoyed your days had you chosen to stay here after the Battle..."
He followed her gaze now and watched the breaking dawn wondering what may have come to pass, had Thorin died in battle, and had she chosen to stay with him instead.
She glanced over at him briefly.
"But I am of men...and my life so short...I would have been nothing but a...pet to you..." She thought of the painful reality of how one day Rajah, her beautiful white jaguar would also die, long before she was even remotely old.
"There are mortals who tied their lives to elves..." He trailed off quietly, finding a strange feeling come over him at her reminder of how she would one day wither and die, like one of his beautiful lilies.
She took in a deep breath and silently breathed out slowly. Perhaps her life would have been a simple happy one had she chosen to stay with Thranduil. But she was married to Thorin and even carried his heir, there was no going back.
Besides, she was Queen of Erebor.
"But the mortals you speak of are those from legend...and none of them had great endings..." She thought of the two legends she had heard of as a child. "Maybe we can be tied to each other in a way that is less...legendary..."
He looked down at her and smiled thinking of how for the first time in so long, he had let go of some of the pain he had held on to and carried with him for years.
"I think I would like that..." He offered her his hand, which she took without hesitation. Perhaps they could converse like this more often in future. "I would like that very much indeed."
...
"So you mean that Dain must know about this?" She asked standing over her desk looking at all the gems and gold ore that had been recovered from the theft!
"Aye -" Dwalin began only to be interrupted.
"There is a chance he may not. But legally, brother we cannot accuse him as there isn't enough proof. All we have are the three prisoners who ran the smuggling ring, but then gave the stolen items to another two dwarves in the Iron Hills, who are unlikely to be the responsible party." Balin corrected.
"Well, now they have been rumbled, anyone else involved will hide any evidence and any more henchmen will either lay low or make a run altogether," Dwalin growled angrily.
"Well...now that he has sent a group of his soldiers to march on us, this could be used to our advantage couldn't it?" She looked from Balin to Dwalin. "We ask him to look into the matter. If he refuses, he is complicit in the act."
"That is acceptable." Balin nodded.
"That is perfect." Dwalin agreed.
The door to the study opened and Arvind and Nori quietly entered.
"Bofur says it's been going in for nearly four months," Nori launched in straight away. The truth was he was not so keen to be there is the meeting. He had his finger in many different and rather shady schemes. But spying was one of his favorites. The only problem was spies and those who hung around scumbags couldn't be readily seen entering their Queens study. "But I can't trace any other contacts either. If the loot was being sold on quickly, it would be easier to trace...so I think it stays in the Treasury for some months before being used. Perhaps even bit by bit."
"It is unlabeled ore, so Dain could claim that some of it came from their own mines. It is not uncommon - although most of their minds are for iron ore and coal," Balin added, nervous about making assumptions.
"But I think it stands to reason that I ask Dain to investigate urgently. The criminal party is from the Iron Hills. And it is up to him to ensure his citizens are not damaging his own reputation." She still felt strongly about this. "I will pen a letter right away. Roac can take it. He will tell me that it has been delivered."
"What if Dain doesn't reply, m'lady?" Nori asked out of curiosity.
"Then he is guilty by failure to act. Erebor's loss should be his, even if I took the throne."
"And we also have sight of the platoon now. They mean business - around five hundred strong." Arvind updated the group.
"Where do they even get that many after the losses from the battle...?!" She huffed worried.
"There is no need to fear sister. They are clearly approaching with caution..." Arvind smiled. "I have seen this before, it is more to intimidate or force us to act first..."
"So what are we doing?" She was still worried. She had no desire to send any more of her brothers men or other dwarves to battle again anytime soon!
"There is a small group placed in hiding closer to the road nearby. They are armed to the teeth with explosives and arrows. They will deter their march. And return to warn us." Arvind explained confidently as if it were an everyday thing. There was no need to upset her further. He glanced over at Dwalin.
"If they come any closer, then we are ready for em."
"What about siege scenarios?" She asked. "Do we have enough food?" Then she paused. "I can check -"
"No need lass, we have done that," Balin smiled gently at her, recalling when she was placed in charge to ensuring this once a long time ago by Thorin. "Thankfully, a large batch of grain was delivered last week and we have a stock of fruit and vegetable preserves being delivered this week..."
"It is coming from the east, and General Groin and his men won't be able to intercept that now." Arvind smirked.
"I really don't quite understand what his plan is to be marching on us like that?" She huffed. It really was the last thing they needed. Moving over to the desk, she quickly wrote a brief letter to Dain, addressing it as urgent at the top and then showed it to Balin. "Well, what do you think...?"
Balin placed his spectacles on his nose and inspected her note nodding and handing it back.
Silently she sealed the envelope with Thorins wax seal.
"Now we wait for Dains response..." Arvind frowned.
"Do ye wish me to take this up to the ravens Princess..?" Dwalin asked.
"There is no need..." She opened the window , popped her head out and called out into the air. "My Lord Roac!"
"I donnae think he'll hear ya -"
But Dwalin was cut short as the large raven swooped in gracefully and perched on her desk, as if it had done that before.
To their surprise the large bird stretched out its wings and cocked it's head before cawing loudly almost like it was performing some sort of avian bow.
"Greetings to you too, good Sir," she bowed her head with a smile before walking over to a small table in the room that held the tray of tea and cake. Picking out a large chunk of cake, much to Dwalins disapproval in the background, she held it out for the large bird. "And might I say you are looking very magnificent today..."
"Um - Shobha - I don't think you should risk - it's got quite a sharp beak -" Arvind initially tried to step forward to keep his sister away from the particularly large claws and beak but the giant raven cawed at him and jumped onto her shoulder putting its wings out, almost as though trying to protect her! "I mean no harm! She is my sister!"
Arvind put his hands up halting in place.
"No need to fret, good Sir, he is my brother and only worries for me..." She offered the bird her cake but first the Raven hopped back onto the desk as if it understood.
Arvind was shocked to see, despite the size of the creature, it had not misplaced a stitch on her clothes where it had landed, clearly in a light manner.
The bird cawed as it accepted her cake and bowed it's head before cawing several times. But despite grasping the cake in its claw it didn't eat it.
"Oh! Well, then I offer my congratulations," she beamed turning to them and explaining. "Roac has found a mate, and she has laid two eggs! So he will be taking his cake back to her, while she sits on the eggs!"
The bird cawed again several times.
"I can ask another of your fellows to take my message...I would understand you need to stay -"
But the bird cawed again at her several times.
"Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is a very urgent letter to Lord Dain. If he does not care for it, we may come under attack..." She began. There was a reason she had asked for Roac. He was particularly fast at flying but also extremely good at spying! Dain would not realize that he would be spied on. "Now do not take risks snooping around. You must be back for your mate. Until then I shall give her more seed later on."
Roac extended his leg out to her so that she could tie the message on securely, before cawing and hopping to the window with the cake in its other claw.
"Thank you - we owe you a debt..."
The bird bobbed it's head at her.
"Remember no risks now! Stay safe my dear Lord Roac!"
Arvind seemed to visible sigh, for he had been worried by the bird. He didn't understand the dwarves use of the ravens over carrier pigeons or messengers. But the ravens had also seemingly welcomed their Rhun pigeons to roost amongst them without any fuss, so perhaps his sister was right to trust them also.
He had often seen her talking to various animals or pets that were housed around their father's palace, but until now he had not believed they were truly communicating.
"Right, now that I have caught up with a few things I must go an check on my other friend..."
"Ye know that beasts Cannae be yer friends, Princess..." Dwalin chuckled.
"That's funny because last I checked you are Thorins friend aren't you?" She laughed.
"Speaking of friends...where did ye disappear to during Thranduil's feast?" Arvind raised his eyebrows in a mockingly suspicious manner. "Dori complained that you had undone your hair and rumpled your dress..."
"Och Aye? I didn't think ye liked all those thin-cocked poncy elves...but are we saying one caught yer eye?" Dwalin teased.
"I found a library, since everyone else was enjoying the ale and the pipe weed, thank you! And then I fell asleep!" She couldn't hold her cheeks back from heating up under their teasing and scrutiny.
"Leave the lass alone, between the babe she must grow and our kingdom, the lass has enough on her plate without needing to juggle the added advances of an amorous elf!" Balin rolled his eyes at the others, coming to her support.
She had not told even Balin about the night she had spent with Thranduil, or waking in his bed.
He had suspected something had come to pass between them, but had not pressed her for more. Of course he did not suspect any impropriety at all. But all the same would not push her for details in the way the others did.
"Come on...let us get on with our day..." She smiled as they all headed out into the corridor and she hurried towards the stables to see her beloved pet.
She had only just finished feeding Rajah and brushing his coat when two of Thorins guards rushed in.
"My Queen, you must come with us - it is most urgent!" One panted after saluting her.
She wanted to laugh at how the dwarven guards loved tradition so much that even in an emergency they began with a formal greeting.
"What is happening? Is something wrong?" Suddenly she began to worry about a possible attack from Dain.
"Hurry my Queen, a woman has arrived at the great gate, your majesty..." The guard paused. "She claims to be your mother..."
...