I apologize for the delay of this chapter. I have had a lot going on and I did a revamp of what I had previously written. I have several chapters written after this I just have to work through some kinks, and hopefully return to a more regular posting schedule.

We are nearing the end of this first installation. I am already plotting for the next. I hope you all stick with me through this :D

Thank you again for your support. Reviews and constructive criticism is most certainly welcome.

Happy Reading 3

*Thorin*

That next morning, after their amorous tryst in the Hall of Kings, he had walked into his office and was met with a room full people. He paused as he opened the door, looking at them all with a long-suffering glance before stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him.

Dis, Bilbo and Balin were sitting by the fireplace while Fili and Kili were standing by the mantle. Gloin, Dwalin, stood by his desk, their arms crossed as they surveyed the room before them, while Nori was looking at the notes that Ori was showing him, his voice hushed in a whisper as he pointed out certain things to his brother. Every hushed conversation and movement ceased at his arrival.

"Dare I ask who passed in the night?" Thorin couldn't help but huff out a chuckle as he walked towards his desk.

"Bets were placed that your body was never going to be found." Dis exhaled. "Looks like I lost this one, boys."

"In all seriousness, what are you all doing here?" Thorin shot his sister an unamused look before he looked pointedly at the others.

Balin sighed as he stood from his chair before looking over at Nori pointedly. "Would you like to tell him? Or should I?"

"Earlier this week, I lost contact with one of my Dwarrow's who was scouting our northern most mining towns that outskirt the Withered Heath, for any word of strange dwarves that may be venturing in from the Northern Wastes, per your order. I sent my best to locate him and see why he missed his last check in." Nori's face was grim. "They came back just a half hour ago. I summoned everyone here that knows about our current investigation into the White Kingdom."

Thorin rested against the desk as everyone became still. He nodded, encouraging Nori to continue.

"They reached Outpost #5. They saw the smoke from within its walls from the distance…" Dis stood abruptly from her seat, her face pale while everyone exchanged worried looks with one another.

"No guards were at the walls. The gates were broken off their hinges. The buildings were burned to the ground, bodies everywhere. From what they could see there were no survivors." Gasps and outraged grumblings filled the room.

Thorin's eyes flashed as his jaw clenched in anger before he shot Dwalin a look. "Prepare your best and ride out. There were families in that camp, we must be certain there are no survivors, and we must honor the fallen."

Dwalin nodded, his eyes agleam with vengeance. "It will be done."

"Uncle, let me accompany Dwalin. One of our family should be present in case there are survivors." Fili stepped forward; his face set with determination.

Thorin nodded stoically. "Very well."

"We should alert the council." Balin spoke gravely. "Especially if we now have bands of Orcs attacking our Mining outposts."

"That's the thing." Nori interrupted them. "My men were adamant it wasn't an Orc raid. It was too methodical. Weapons and supplies appeared to be raided, as where clothes. Many of the soldiers armor was stripped from their bodies. There were no Orc prints either."

Dwalin growled furiously. "Who would be so bold as to attack one of our outposts?"

"Gather what you can and report back quickly after you have buried the dead." Thorin spoke lowly. "Keep this quiet until we know more."

Dwalin and Fili swept out of the room quickly. No one spoke until they heard the sound of the door clicking shut.

"Did you manage to ask Mistlynn about what she knew about Varric? Or the Iklal Kurdu?" Balin asked as everyone stood in a semi-circle around Thorin.

Thorin sighed. He hadn't been expecting Mistlynn's reaction to his questions to be so deeply entrenched within the emotional trials of her childhood. The importance of the Iklal Kurdu to her people was not known to her, and the mention of the Arkenstone again didn't even garner a second thought from her either. It was apparent that her adad had kept her in the dark purposefully, and he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing as of yet.

"I did. King Varric was, in fact, her Gamul'adad. And she knew nothing about the Iklal Kurdu, expect that her parents and Gamul'adad fought about it right before her Amad's death."

The silence grew heavy in the room. "Do you think this is Mist's Kingdom that is attacking us?" Kili's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it cut through unspoken dread in the air like a knife. "Her Gamul'adad threatened ours, maybe her Adad is following through with the threat?"

"No. I don't think so. She said her parents were against Varric demanding the Iklal Kurdu." Thorin shook his head. "She told me they were taught from a young age to hate all other dwarf clans, but that her Adad was strict on interacting with the outside world. I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet. It doesn't make sense for him to go against that teaching now."

"It is strange that they would strip Dwarven armor. Or am I mistaken?" Bilbo, who had been silent through the entire exchange, finally spoke up.

"I've never heard of Orcs doing it, that's for certain." Balin gave Thorin a pointed look. "It would make sense if the raiders were dwarves. It would take a hot dwarven forge to melt that armor to make anything of use. No other race can withstand the heat of it otherwise."

"So, it would have to be dwarves, who would strip Dwarven armor from the fallen?" Bilbo asked.

Gloin cleared his throat. "Not necessarily. It could fetch a good price to the right buyer in the black markets, dwarven armor is made custom to its wielder, but it is not unheard of for parted out pieces to enhance other suits of armor if they happen to fit."

"That's a huge gamble to attack an Outpost clear out in the Withered Heath. It wouldn't be worth it for just the armor alone." Nori grumbled. "From their brief sweep of the area, the iron ore was untouched. Just the armor, weapons and provisions were taken."

"Durin's beard." Dis tone was icy with a rage. "All those innocents, dams and their babies, their lives taken for what? Used armor and weapons?"

"We will find out who did this, and they will pay." Thorin seethed through a clenched jaw. "In the meantime, Nori, I want you to double the presence of your scouts, for them to keep their ears to the ground, and their eyes on the markets."

Nori nodded briskly. "It shall be done. I will debrief them after this."

"The council is going to love this." Dis deadpanned. "What are you going to tell Mistlynn?"

"She's very defensive, adamant that our Gamul'adad must have been mistaken." Thorin's frustration seeped out of his words. "I don't think it would be wise to overwhelm her with all of this, especially with everything she is working through."

Bilbo huffed. "She won't like that you're keeping your suspicions from her, If she were ever to find out. In light of everything else that we have found, or of the dreams you are having…"

"She can't know of that." Thorin growled exasperatedly, "Especially not now. We don't even know if they hold any merit."

"The vaults where the Arkenstone is kept is getting steadily colder." Gloin added, his words making everyone's back in the room stiff. "This can't all be coincidence."

"Dreams of Frerin and Vili warning you cannot be dismissed." Dis's voice dropped as her voice shook with a fierceness Thorin knew all too well. "I refuse to believe they would lead you astray, they didn't in this life why would they in the next?"

"Smaug was in my dream as well. What do you suppose his manifestation represented if he was warning me of someone who is supposed to be claiming what is his?"

Bilbo shifted on his feet uncomfortably as he slipped the fingers of his right hand into his vest pocket, a nervous tick Thorin had begun to notice since before Erebor was claimed. Bilbo's uncharacteristic shift drew his attention away for a brief second.

Odd.

Bilbo met Thorin's gaze and pressed his lips into a thin line before looking down at his feet and shaking his head. Bilbo didn't like him keeping secrets from Mistlynn, funny enough when he seemed to have so many of his own. Thorin sighed as he drew his gaze away, back towards those who still stood before him.

'Who knows who he was speaking of. It isn't as if there is a shortage of power-hungry Lords who are trying to make their mark in this world now that an ancient evil has been awakened. We must be vigilant, no matter who it is." Balin made his point firmly. "I am preparing inquiries for Lord Elrond to look into, his library is one of the few that may contain the information we seek regarding ancient stones of power. Whether it has to do with your dreams or not, the Arkenstone is becoming a problem we may not be equipped to handle. We have exhausted all other resources here and at Mirkwood."

Thorin nodded in agreement with Balin's heavy words. Everyone grew silent, except for Ori's continuous scribblings as he finished up his notes of the meeting.

"It can't all be coincidence, everything that is happening, it must all fit together somehow." Kili rubbed the back of his neck as he looked between his mother, Thorin and Balin. "So much has happened just in the past few years, and that catalyst was when Gandalf told you about Erebor needing to be reclaimed and that Smaug had to be slain. Since that meeting with the other Dwarf Lords everything has just continued to get worse." The younger Durin's throat bobbed as he looked at his Uncle pointedly. "Mistlynn is your One, what if this was all supposed to happen so that we could figure out what the Arkenstone truly is? And why her kingdom has been hiding all this time?"

"Tensions are high between all the kingdoms of Arda, that is for certain." Balin nodded towards Kili, "We are lucky that we have managed to obtain the allies we have. We have a good chance to get ahead of this, to weather whatever storm Is headed our way."

Thorin hummed in agreement as he crossed his arms across his chest as he stared off into flames of the fireplace, sorting through all the things he had learned the past couple weeks. Kili was right, there was no way this was all coincidence. It had to fit together somehow, and the more he learned the more he began to realize Mistlynn was an important piece to that puzzle, along with that accursed stone.

"Keep an eye on the Arkenstone and keep me informed of any further changes. Until we know about these attacks, we have to assume the worst and start preparing for the likelihood of war, and that it somehow pertains to the Arkenstone … and possibly Mistlynn." He tried to keep his true emotions out of the words he spoke with a firmness befitting a King. But he could feel the icy fear coiling inside him like a serpent. He had to keep her safe, keep his people safe, but he dreaded to learn what it was going to cost him when the time came. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that cost was quickly approaching and that nothing could truly prepare him for it.

2 months later …

*Mistlynn*

She was warm.

Yet snow surrounded her.

She blinked as she turned her head, her movements sluggish as if trying to wade through some invisible body of water surrounding her. She took a step forward, and she heard the faint, yet distinct crunch of snow under her foot.

She looked down, surprised to see herself barefoot, yet she felt nothing as the snow cushioned her step. Billowing skirts of white silk whipped about her body as the wind snaked around her. Downy flakes of snow blew across her, catching in her eyelashes and hair as she stood there, confused. She looked back up and turned, her movements still slow despite urging herself to move faster.

She was in a massive field of white, not unlike the tundra she grew up seeing in the White Kingdom. She stopped once she saw a line of dark blue ahead, behind massive hills of swelling snowdrifts. The ocean lay ahead of her, stretched as far as she could see on the distant horizon. A hint of salt and the sharpness of seaweed hit her on a sudden gust that whipped her loose curls to flow behind her. She took a step forward, then another.

The sound of crashing waves grew louder as she made her way through the frozen waves of snow before her. The giant drifts grew closer with each step, faster than what should be possible. It was odd, how time seemed to speed up yet slow at the same time. Soon, intertwined with the crashing waves on the shoreline, she heard a voice carried upon the salty body of the wind.

Her stomach twisted.

She knew that voice.

Amad.

Her breath stuttered in her chest as she urged herself to walk faster. The voice was devastatingly beautiful, each note that was carried towards her pricked her heart as its familiarity settled deep within her. Distant memory shrouded with by such heavy pain and sorrow was yanked up from the deepest parts of her with a desperation that made her tremble, despite the warmth that seemed to encase her like a blanket.

She drew closer, walking in between two of the biggest snow drifts that were like a gateway that led to the black sands of the Northern beach, glinting like shards of the darkest onyx against the bright pure blanket of snow. The roaring waves curled and crashed before her, rushing up the shoreline with glistening tendrils of foam, salt and sea.

Grey clouds swelled and churned above her, hiding the sun behind their swollen bodies as snow cascaded down with a heavy silence.

Another haunting note was carried down to swirl around her, as teasing as the snowflakes that continued to tickle her skin.

Waves are crashing

Sing your song

Under the tide, you belong…

She turned quickly towards the voice, the lyrics stirring within her in its own mimic of a wintry blizzard

Quiet the crashing that fills your

mind

Sing to the stone that turns men

blind

Waves are crashing

Sing your song

There, just mere steps away, a dam stood in the crashing surf up to her petite waist. Her silvery white hair flowed behind her, whipping in the breeze that carried the song to her.

'Amad?" she croaked as she raised her arm up slowly as it shook with waves of grief and longing just as powerful as the current of the sea that roared before her. The figure stopped her melancholy song, so that only the sound of the wind and churning sea could be heard.

She felt the breath stutter and catch in her chest as she stumbled forward, arm still raised as If pleading with the figure before her to turn and face her. The cresting wave raced up the shore to meet her as she stepped into the surf, closer to the figure of the female that shared the same curls that danced in the breeze.

She waded into the sea, closer towards the back of who she knew was her mother.

'Amad, please." She choked, her fingers aching to reach towards her. No matter how far she waded, her mother seemed to drift further away, the blackish waves rising higher as if eager to devour her.

What you piece together

Men will tear apart

Waves are crashing

Sing your song

"Amad! Please, please don't leave me!" Her chest burned as the scream tore from her lips as she tried to reach for her mother, who was now up to her neck in the water. The melody lingered around her, almost too loud in its final note as she fought against the waves that seemed to be pushing her away.

"You cannot follow me, my heart."

She gasped as pain lanced through her as her mother's head disappeared under the waves. "No! Amad, please! I need you!"

"You need to remember who you are." Her mother's soothing voice lingered around her. "Do not be afraid, let your song free."

"I-I can't." She coughed as salty waves poured into her open mouth; her arms still outstretched to where she watched her mother disappear.

"You must. Or they will all be lost."

The waves surged around her, and she felt a heavy presence around her feet, stopping her from walking further. She no longer felt the shifting sand beneath her, rather a void opened up into a black chasm as the watched began to bubble around her. She kicked her feet desperately, panic setting in as she felt herself sinking as the void began to pull down. She gasped and choked as the sea around her began to surge and overtake her.

"Help! Amad!" she screamed, her throat burning with the salt as it poured down her throat, cutting off her scream as she was submerged, bubbles erupting from her still open mouth. Icy claws grappled at her legs, pulling her further down into the darkness as the faint grey light danced above her in dull, shattered prisms.

The warmth that seemed to be shielding her was gone, and in its wake an overwhelming cold seeped into her, making her limbs heavy as ice seemed to swarm and sting her on every inch of skin. She opened her mouth to scream again, but nothing came out. Nothing but a deafening silence that pitched high and heavy into her throbbing ears.

She felt strong hands grip her waist from behind, and she began to kick with a renewed strength as she scrambled to grasp onto anything that would help her break to the surface.

"Mistlynn!"

Her name was being called, as if it was being screamed from the distant shore she was struggling to reach. She fought harder as her lungs screamed desperately for air, the water around her grew thick as molasses as her the stinging in her flailing limbs grew in intensity.

No! She couldn't die like this!

The coldness enveloping her grew icy hot, and the hands gripping her became bruising as the intensity of their strength dug into her flesh. She tried to scream again as she threw her head back. Her throat was raw, the taste of metal heavy in her mouth as she flailed.

'Mistlynn! Wake up! It's a dream!"

A dream?

"It's okay, it's just a dream. Open your eyes."

The voices were growing louder, as if growing closer. She felt as if she was being dragged through the water, the hands gripping her unyielding in their strength.

"That's it, open your eyes M'eudail. I've got you."

Thorin?

"Kili, fetch Oin now!"

Her ears began to ring with an earsplitting pitch as her stomach dropped, her limbs becoming suddenly heavy as if her bones were made of iron ore. A shiver wracked her body as her eyes flew open, her lungs heavy and burning as she gasped greedily for air. She was looking up at a stone ceiling, faint golden light flickering shadows across the arches.

She felt a hand cup the side of her face, a thumb gently caressing her cheekbone as warmth enveloped her.

Mahal, her chest hurt.

She allowed her eyes to shut as she heard multiple sighs of relief fill the silence around her. Her heart thudded loud and violent in her ribcage. She swallowed thickly, the metallic taste still lingering on her tongue.

"That's it. Breathe M'eudail. You're safe."

"Thorin?" she croaked.

She then realized that the warmth surrounding her were her husband's arms and chest as he cradled her to him. Sounds rushed her ears in an abrupt wave of consciousness.

"W-what happened?" she fought the rawness of her throat as she forced out the words.

"Here, I got her some water." She heard Fili's concerned voice somewhere close.

"She will need some Chamomile. I will go make her a pot." Dori's voice somewhere to the left of her.

"And lavender oil! Gimli, please go fetch it from my cabinet in my room." Gemlinn's voice was slightly strained as she huffed, as if she had been running.

Gods. Who was all in the room?

"Here, let's try to get her to take a sip. Her throat is undoubtedly sore." Dis's voice soothed right beside her.

She opened her eyes slowly as she felt Thorin tilt her upright before a cup was placed gently against her lips. Cool, sweet water filled her mouth, and she began to drink greedily, eager to soothe the ache and wash away the taste of metal on her tongue. She felt Thorin's chest shudder as he let out a breath of relief.

"Thank Mahal." She heard him breathe out shakily as she raised a hand to grasp onto the cup. She felt the warmth of Dis's fingers against hers, and she felt like sobbing in relief. It must have been a terrible nightmare, bad enough for Thorin to call everyone into their bedchambers.

She felt a rush of embarrassment as her face flushed red and hot. She shuddered at the contrast as she shivered again, the cold biting her exposed arm and legs.

She opened her eyes to see Thorin and Dis looking at her with fear and concern in their eyes. She swallowed again as she felt her stomach sink in dread. She glanced over Dis's head and saw Fili, Bilbo, Dwalin and Bifur standing behind her, their faces tight with worry.

She felt her brow furrow as she frowned. She looked over Thorin's head and saw Gloin, Bofur, Nori, Balin and Ori standing vigil over her with the same look etched in their faces.

Gemlinn quickly approached with a blanket in her hands before she crouched at her feet and laid the blanket over her bare legs.

"She's having a bad case of the cold sweats. We don't want her catching a chill." She fussed as she tucked the blanket around her legs. She than realized she wasn't in her bed, rather she was laying on the floor on a plush carpet, in the main common room of the royal suites. She blinked rapidly as she looked back up at Thorin as the horror of the situation settled heavy in her gut.

"Why are we not in our room?" She whispered, unable to hide the incredulous embarrassment from her shaking voice.

She felt Thorin's grip on her tighten. "You were sleepwalking." His voice was low and gravelly. "I woke up to you screaming. Bifur found you wandering down the halls. He stopped you in here, when you tried opening the main doors."

She shot her gaze towards Bifur, who nodded towards her, a gentle yet sympathetic smile on his lips.

"I-I am so sorry." She stuttered as she fought to keep her eyes from filling with mixed tears of embarrassment and frustration. "Did I wake all of you?"

They all exchanged looks before nodding.

"Ye were fight'n Bifur, so I 'ad ta stepp'n and help'm stop ye." Dwalin rubbed the back of his neck as he looked off to the side, not willing to make eye contact with her.

Mistlynn couldn't help but bite her lip as she felt her face turn a bright shade of red.

'No need to be embarrassed, my dear." Balin was the first to comfort her, his tone soothing. "There has been a lot going on. A lot of stress. We have all had night terrors. Haven't we?"

She felt Dis rub her arm comfortingly as she took the empty cup from her aching fingers.

"Aye. I caught Bombur once sleep walkin to the kitchen. He had managed to get a butcher knife and was swingin it around all fierce like. He was dreamin about those trolls that nearly roasted us." Bofur chortled in amusement. He didn't even have his hat on, and his hair was sticking haphazardly on top of his head as if desperate to escape his warrior braids. "He nearly chopped off Nori's beard and nearly scalped poor Dori. Durin's beard! Do you all remember that?"

Quiet chuckles filled the room as everyone began to add in their similar stories to nightmares in attempt to put her at ease. Mistlynn let out a shaky sigh as she leaned further into Thorin's embrace, lifting a still heavy and trembling hand up to grasp the deep v neck of his night shirt.

She heard pounding footsteps drawing close before Kili ran into the room, breathing heavily as Oin followed closely behind him. Seeing her awake and cradled in Thorin's arms, Kili let out a big sigh of relief, the fear in his honey eyes melting out almost instantly.

"Thank the maker." He gave her a winning smile as he approached to stand beside his mother, who stood up to let Oin kneel beside Mistlynn.

"I am so sorry, Oin. But I am ok. Really." She couldn't keep the pleading out of her voice as he opened his bag before reaching for the hand that was still gripping Thorin's shirt.

"Let him check you, just to be sure Mist." Thorin's voice rumbled deep in his chest, against the side of her head as she turned her face towards him.

"I am fine. I just want to go back to bed." She insisted, her voice stronger as she forced herself upright. "I am so sorry that I woke all of you."

"Do ye sleepwalk often lass?" Oin asked, as he attempted to look over her.

Her body shook as she shivered, her nightgown still drenched in her sweat that made it cling to her skin. "N-no. Never." She murmured; her tone distant as she looked down at her hands that were still slightly shaking. "I was just dreaming of my Amad. I was trying to reach her in my dream."

Thorin rubbed her bare arms with his hands, in an attempt to both comfort and warm her. He shot his sister a look over Mistlynns head, his eyes darkening with worry and fear of the unknown.

Bilbo cleared his throat, an uncomfortable sound as he seemed to have a silent conversation with his comrades. Mistlynn was too preoccupied with sorting the scattered details of her dream, she didn't catch the looks that passed between everyone at the mention of her mother.

Dori rambled in quickly, balancing a tray with a steaming pot, tea bags and a jar of honey. "Sorry for the delay." He huffed. "This will do the trick though. My own special blend. Chamomile and lavender. With a hint of honey. That should do the trick, my dear."

"I'll help bring the tea to her room. Thank you, Dori." Dis took the cup of tea once Dori had finished preparing it. Thorin wrapped the blanket around Mistlynns shoulders before he helped her stand. Mistlynn sighed as she felt Thorin's arm wrap around her and lead her from the room, with Dis following close behind with the hot tea in hand.

The room was buzzing with their friends hushed voices as they talked amongst themselves of what had happened. Mistlynn could hear their whispers of concern, and her ears burned hot as her mortification grew. Thorin and Dis had yet to speak to her, but from how Thorin was holding her in his protective grip, she knew his mind was racing.

She could feel that ferocity spark against her as his energy seeped into her from where their skin touched. She despised the vulnerability she was feeling in that moment. She wasn't this weak, needing to lean upon him just because she had a nightmare.

"I am ok Thorin. Truly." She muttered as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.

Thorin grunted in response, his grip unyielding as they continued to walk.

"You were screaming for your Amad." Dis spoke gently. "Was it a memory?"

Mistlynn shook her head vehemently. "No. Not a memory. Just a dream." She knew it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more of that fact than Dis and Thorin, but they didn't press her further.

They reached their quarters finally, Thorin stepping forward to pull the door open for her. He guided her in with his hand on the small of her back. Dis stopped at the threshold, her eyes gleaming with sympathy and worry as she held out the still steaming cup of tea. "Here. This should help you fall back asleep. Let me know if you need anything, both of you."

"Thank you, Dis." Thorin's voice was rough as he took the cup from her hand. "We will see you in the morning."

Dis nodded, crossing her arms over her chest before walking back towards her quarters. Thorin shut the door, the lock echoing loudly in the room, louder than Mistlynn remembered it being before. He then stepped closer, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before he held up the cup of tea for her to take.

"Are you sure you're okay?" his deep, gentle voice eased over her frazzled nerves like a balm and the unease within her subsided.

She nodded as she sighed wearily. "I am more embarrassed than anything, Kurdun." She took the mug and took a generous sip, humming as the sweet herbal tea soothed her sore throat.

"Don't be." He was attempting to mollify her with his soothing words and soft touch as he rubbed her back. It was working.

She downed the rest of her tea quickly before placing the mug on the side table in their main sitting room. "Let us retire. I am exhausted."

She allowed him to lead her to their bed without further words spoken between them. Once they had slid under the blankets, he drew her close to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She settled into his warmth, yet her mind refused to quieten. She could tell by his breathing that he was far from sleeping himself, his thumb caressing her shoulder as the silence of the room enveloped them.

So many things were left unspoken between them, and it pained her that she couldn't bring herself to tell him of the dream, of how her Amad drowned in the sea without a fight, the words of her song listlessly floating in her mind without purpose or understanding.

She could still faintly hear the haunting melody of her mother's voice, and she couldn't help the shudder that passed through her without warning. She felt Thorin's grip on her tighten immediately as a hum rumbled in his chest. "It's alright, M'eudail. You are safe. Sleep." His warm puffs of breath ticked the shell of her ear before he placed a comforting kiss on her neck.

She nodded stiffly as she willed her body to loosen in his arms, pushing her Amad's voice back into the dark crevices of her better forgotten memories. She gave into the safety and warmth of him, and she allowed her eyes to close.

"I love you, Thorin." She sighed softly, and she felt herself finally drift off into sleep as she barely registered the tenderness of his reply as he whispered his returned love into the silken curls of her hair.