Chapter 19

It had been nearly a week with no word from any of the scout teams. The council grew concerned that a larger threat had been waiting for them beyond the walls of Erebor, while Balin attempted to convince them to be patient. The council didn't know how to solve the issue. They didn't want to relinquish their gold, but they didn't want to be the cause of death for their king.

Kaleria sat at the head of the table listening to their half brained arguments.

"Gentlemen," Dis stood and addressed the group. "That is enough for today. We must continue to wait for word from the scouts. Until then, there is no need to argue."

The council gathered themselves from the table and left quietly. Dis cast a glance at Kaleria, but chose to ignore her as she had for the past several days. Kaleria remained seated, staring at a knot in the wooden table.

"My queen?" A voice asked.

Kaleria looked up to see Grollin still in the room with her. The others had long gone, but he remained near his seat, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

She sat up straighter. "Yes, Master Grollin?"

"I have a theory about our king's captors."

"Please share."

Grollin wrung his hands together. "I was thinking about who would want Thorin dead, and the list wasn't very long."

Kaleria eyed him. "Go on."

"Dis would be an option to ensure her son would take the throne." He stated.

Anger bubbled in Kaleria's stomach, but she let him continue.

"Young Fili could have arranged it to guarantee his succession."

"That will be enough." Kaleria stood from the table ready to leave.

Grollin stepped in front of her, stopping her. "I don't think it was either of them."

"Get to the point, Grollin," she growled.

"The one who would benefit the most from Thorin's death is Dain." He stated.

Kaleria thought it over a moment before asking for an explanation.

"Upon Thorin's death, he becomes king. Whether Thorin has intended Fili to succeed him, or not, Dain will not let the throne go without a fight. He gains control of Erebor along with the Iron Hills and becomes the most powerful dwarf in all of Middle Earth."

Grollin painted the picture with each new sentence. Kaleria hadn't truly suspected Dain, but at that moment, he seemed the most likely party to kill Thorin.

"Not only does he control both kingdoms," continued Grollin, "but he earns you in the process."

She flinched at that revelation and glared at Grollin. "I would never marry Dain."

"To ensure the safety of your kingdom? Your friends? Your family?" Grollin stared deep into her eyes. "If Dain becomes king, you may not get a choice on who you marry.

Kaleria's mind flashed over every encounter with Dain, and every story she had heard about him. It seemed plausible that he would kill off his own cousin to gain the throne.

"This conversation remains between us. Understand?" She questioned, sharply.

"As you wish, my queen." Grollin stepped back, allowing Kaleria the space to walk toward the door.

She hurried as fast as her feet would take her without making it look like she was running away. She needed to return to her room and process Grollin's theory. Maybe he was right? Maybe the Durin line had an endless amount of greed that couldn't be fixed by the vanquishing of a dragon.

—-

That evening at dinner, Kaleria sat at her seat at the table, taking long looks at each of her dinner companions. Kili, sitting across from her, was ever the boy prince she had known him to be. He looked up to his uncle and would never betray him. She couldn't imagine him plotting to kill Thorin to secure Fili's position.

Then Fili. He had a heart of gold and knew only how to do exactly as he should. He admired Thorin as the father he never had. He couldn't conceive a plan to kill off his uncle to ascend to the throne. He would be ashamed of the very idea.

Now Dis. She would do anything for her boys, there was no denying that. But killing her brother? The man she argued with constantly, but defended harshly to anyone who opposed him. Kaleria couldn't see it from any of them.

Dain, however, was ousted from his family just enough that maybe he could take it upon himself to kill his cousin and ascend to the throne. She didn't know him well enough to judge, but what she did know of him, made her believe he was capable of the cruelty required to kill off Thorin.

The door burst open as Kaleria had these thoughts on Dain, and the room grew silent in anticipation.

Balin stood at the door breathing heavily. "My apologies."

"What is it, Balin?" Kaleria asked.

"The southern scout team has returned with news."

Kaleria's chest tightened.

"Good news?" Dis asked, warily.

Balin paused a beat. "It is not the news we were hoping for, but it is not the news we dreaded."

"Speak plainly, Balin!" Kili exclaimed.

"They found the village where the group was meant to trade. The entire town had been abandoned, probably months before Thorin arrived there." Balin saw the glimmer of hope start in the eyes of the family. "They didn't find Thorin or the others, but they found signs that they had been there."

"I must speak with the scouts. Bring them to Thorin's study. Make sure they are well fed and given plenty to drink." Kaleria started out the door.

"What about us?" Fili asked from the table.

Kaleria faced them. "Thorin is as much your family as he is mine. If you wish to hear what the scouts have to say, come with me now."

Fili and Kili stepped quickly to follow Kaleria, but they stopped when they noticed Dis remained at the table.

"Mother? Don't you want to know what happened?" Kili looked like a child, confused by the actions of the person he trusted most in the world.

Dis shook her head, the tears welling up in her eyes as she did. "You boys go. I will ask you about it when I'm ready to hear."

They waited a moment before they all stepped out of the room and headed for Thorin's study. Kaleria led her nephews down the hall and into the large room, never glancing back at their faces, afraid she would lose her nerve and start to cry.

—-

In the study, the scouts were standing around a cart that had been brought in for them with drinks and food to satiate them after a long journey. Kaleria waited for them to have a few sips and bites before she began questioning them.

"What have you learned?" She asked the lead scout.

He swallowed the chunk of bread he had been chewing then spoke. "We found what was left of the town Thorin was meant to trade with. As far as we can tell, it had been abandoned long before Thorin arrived. It was a trap most likely."

Kaleria paired this new information with the conversation she had had with Grollin. Dain asked them to make the trade, but did Dain know the town was abandoned?

"Can you tell which direction they went?" Kaleria asked. "We can send another team to track them and find the trading party and Thorin."

The lead scout shook his head. "They covered their tracks well, my queen. And any tracks they did leave trail off about a mile from the start."

"Where could they go from there? We have to figure this out."

"If they go further south, they could cross the river, but beyond the river is Mordor."

"And you don't think a group of thieves, who captured the king of Erebor would be willing to go to Mordor?" Kaleria snapped.

The entire room grew silent, knowing that she had a point. But who would be willing to travel to Mordor and free their king. As much as they loved Thorin, not many would volunteer for certain death.

Balin stepped forward. "My queen, perhaps we should let the other scout parties return before we make any rash decisions."

Kaleria sighed. "Agreed. You are dismissed. Rest easy."

The scouts exited the room, leaving Balin, Fili, Kili, and Kaleria to discuss.

"We will go to Mordor to free Thorin." Kili piped up.

Kaleria faced him. "No, Kili. I can't send you and your brother to Mordor. And I wouldn't. I would go myself before I would allow you two to go."

"But you can't! Your child." Fili glanced at her stomach, then brought his eyes back up.

"No one is going to Mordor!" Kaleria amended. "I don't believe Thorin's there. These thieves have a plan, I don't think it involves risking their own lives."

The group grew silent again, trying to come up with an answer, when the door to the study opened. A guard from the front gate entered.

"What is it?" Kaleria addressed him.

"My queen, the second scout party has returned." He paused. "With Lord Dain."

Her eyes grew wide at the mention of his name. She had wanted to speak with him, to understand his motives and determine whether he would kill his cousin, but she hadn't expected him to be so arrogant as to show himself in Erebor. She needed to see his face. If he was responsible, not even the dragon could stop her from killing him.

"Balin, take the scouts to the council room and compare their information with what we already know." She looked at the guard. "Bring Dain here. I will speak to him alone."