Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 5 of The Second Daughter. I hope that you guys will like this chapter because I worked hard on this chapter. I thought that this chapter was going to be needed. So I hope that I did okay with this one. I added quite a bit to this one changing it so hopefully that it flows a bit better than the last one. Plus Aranduriel harbors a secret that no one knows about her. Something happens and she spills. So enjoy it guys. Without further ado chapter 5.
Chapter 5
Pale Orc Story
The next night after a long day of travels and some hushed talking between the dwarves about the lady elf that traveled with them who were still unsure of why she was with them. They were not sure if they could fully trust her.
"Aranduriel," Gandalf called out to her, as she got off of her horse.
Aranduriel looked over at him tilting her head to the side in confusion. What did Gandalf want with her? She left her bag on her bag on her horse and made her way towards him on agile feet. "Yes, my friend?" She asked, looking into his blue eyes in confusion.
"Come with me. I must speak with you, privately." He said, patting her on the arm.
Aranduriel followed him down a path past Kili and Fili who looked at one another in confusion as the two of them passed by.
The two princes couldn't help but wonder why they were going out on their own and what Gandalf needed to speak with her about.
Aranduriel placed her hand on the tree as she and Gandalf came to a stop that was far enough away from the rest of the company. "What is it, my friend?" She wondered what the wizard had wanted to talk to her about that was so important.
The old man smiled at her. It was a concerning one at that. "I know you are hurt by how Thorin is acting towards you, Aranduriel." He said as he placed his hand on her thin lith shoulder. "You must try to regain your friendship. He is going to need it in the end."
She gave him a look of confusion. She never did like it when he spoke in riddles. It always confused her when he did that. "My friend, you speak in riddles." She shook her head. "Thorin Oakenshield has no wish for us to be friends any longer. That friendship is no longer there." She looked at the ground. "I will be there if he needs me."
"He will need you, Aranduriel. In the end, he will. Do not doubt it."
"Is that all you wished to speak to me about Gandalf, my friend?" She asked, clasping her hands in front of her, locking her blue-gray eyes with his blue ones.
"I trust you will find a way in the end."
Aranduriel nodded her head knowing that she would most likely find a way in the end to get Thorin to trust her again and become her friend. But it was a task at hand that she wasn't sure was going to be an easy one. She sucked her head and began to walk back towards the camp. She knew that they were probably waiting for them to return. Her eyes were glued to the ground as she walked, she couldn't meet the eyes of the dwarves not with what Gandalf told her. Earning their trust was going to be hard enough.
Darkness had come over the land and the dwarves had gone to bed, the only ones that were awake were Fili and Kili who were on watch, and Gandalf and Aranduriel.
Fili looked over and saw Aranduriel messing with something that was around her neck. He couldn't help it, it shined in the fire's light meaning that it was some sort of jewelry that she wore around her neck. "What are you messing with?" His gruff voice made her jump which he thought was different and adorable even for an elf. It intrigued him of what she was messing with. Perhaps it was something that a lover had given to her. But he hoped that wasn't the case, a lover wouldn't allow their loved one, a woman, to go out on a quest.
Aranduriel looked up with wide eyes and the apples of her cheeks went red. She hadn't expected such a question from the eldest Prince.
"Oh, Fee, it seems you have embarrassed her. Kili said as he fiddled with his pipe in his hands putting more tobacco into it.
Aranduriel looked away shyly, her hands still on the red stoned Evenstar necklace that was around her neck.
"Now, I think you embarrassed her, Kee," Fili said looking at his brother with a look of humor. "Now tell me Miss Aranduriel, what is that around your neck?"
She looked over at him. "It's a necklace." Her tone was soft, she wasn't going to tell him any more than that.
Fili nodded head, he wasn't going to press her for more information on the necklace that she wore. He knew that it wasn't dwarvish due to how delicate it was. So it was from her people.
Bilbo awoke not even a few moments later. He wasn't used to snoring nor used to sleeping under the stars. He slowly got up to his feet, stretching out. He slowly walked over to his pony and pulled something out of his pocket. He looked around to make sure that no one was watching him. "Hello, girl, that's a good girl." He said handing the pony the apple that he had. "It's our secret, Myrtle, you must tell no one. Shhh… Sh…"
Aranduriel smiled at the thought. It was adorable that he was feeding his pony an apple that he had hidden.
A scream was heard in the night air causing Bilbo to look up scared.
Aranduriel pulled out a dagger that was in her boot, her eyes narrowed as she looked around her heart pounding in her chest. There was no denying what that sound was.
Bilbo quickly moved over to them. "What was that?" He asked softly. He was kind of afraid of what the answer was going to be from the brothers on watch and the highly on guard elleth.
"Orcs," Kili said looking up as if it was something a little bit new to him.
Another scream could be heard making Aranduriel cringe and hold her knife tighter in her hand. Her knuckles began to turn white.
"Orcs?" Bilbo asked in confusion.
Thorin awoke to the word, his body going rigid.
Aranduriel looked over at Thorin. She knew that it wasn't good, she knew that Thorin had seen
"Throat-cutters," Fili stated looking at Bilbo, he moved the pipe from his mouth. "There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."
Bilbo's eyes widened with fear. He didn't want to be on this quest if it was really that dangerous. He could get killed and he didn't even know how to fight.
"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone is sleeping. Quick and quiet. No screams, just lots of blood." Kili told Bilbo adding more in even though he didn't know much about Orcs himself.
Bilbo looked away in fear. How could he do this? It was something that he should have never done. He should have never walked out that door.
The two princes laughed at the frightened hobbit.
"Do you think that is funny?" Thorin asked, looking at his nephews scolding them. Harshly. something that she didn't know about.
Aranduriel sent a sharp look towards the two young dwarves.
Fili felt his heart stop when he saw Aranduriel's look. He never wanted to see that look on her face again. Not when he and his brother were only kidding around with the sandy-haired hobbit. They hadn't meant any harm to him.
Kili looked down at the ground. "We didn't mean anything by it," Kili said softly ashamed of what they had done. They had angered their uncle but not only that they had angered the elven woman that was with them.
"No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world," Thorin said as he went to the cliffside looking down over it.
Aranduriel looked at Thorin's concern washed over her. What did he go through that was causing him to act like this? She hadn't expected him to be so mean to his nephews, to the others yes, but to them, no. Perhaps there was more to Thorin now than she knew from a long time ago. She remembered when he was so carefree.
Balin walked over to Kili and Fili. "Don't mind him, laddie." He said to Kili.
Kili looked up at Balin with a look of confusion. He was concerned about why his uncle was acting this way. It wasn't fair that he was getting the scolding and being told he knew nothing of the world. That may have been true, but it still hurt him to know that his uncle would say that in front of an elvish maiden such as Aranduriel, who most likely had been out in the world on more than one occasion.
"What do you know Master Balin?" Aranduriel said in a concerned tone that surprised the two brothers.
"Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs," Balin told them.
Aranduriel moved closed and took a seat on a piece of wood so she wasn't standing. Her hands clasped together in front of her, she wanted to know more about what was going on with Thorin and why he had turned out this way.
"After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had gotten there first."
Aranduriel looked over at Thorin. She saw the look on his face, it was a somber one. One that she hoped to have never seen upon his face. It told her that someone passed away.
"Moria had been taken over by legions of orcs led by the most dangerous and vile of their race, Azog the Defiler. The Great Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."
Aranduriel felt sick to her stomach. King Thror had passed away in such a fashion? No wonder Thorin was so cold-hearted and hated Orcs.
"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner, or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless, death and defeat were upon us. That was when I saw him. A young dwarf prince facing down the pale orc." Balin had a small smile on his face. "He stood alone against this terrible foe. His armor rent, wielding nothing, but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no song, no feast that night. For our dead was beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then. There was one I could follow. One who I could call King."
Thorin turned and noticed that the company had awoken during Balin's tale of Moria and the great battle that had taken place there. He saw the look that was written across Aranduriel's face. He had never seen such sadness written across her pale face. He walked past the company.
"And what of the pale orc?" Bilbo asked, looking over at Balin wondering what had happened to the pale orc. "What happened to him?"
"He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds a long time ago." Thorin told the Sandy-haired hobbit.
Balin and Gandalf gave each other a look. There was a chance that he was alive and well and Thorin wasn't going to reason with it.
Bilbo looked at Thorin.
Aranduriel stood up quickly. She swore she had heard a voice in the air. A voice that wasn't a good one. Her gray-blue eyes widened when she could have sworn she heard black speech.
Fili noticed how fast she stood up. "Lady Aranduriel… what is it?" Fili asked, his voice laced over with concern for the elvish maiden.
Gandalf looked at her. "Aranduriel, what is it, my dear girl?" He asked as he noticed the look of concern come across her pale features.
"I could have sworn.." She muttered to herself.
"Arandureil," Gandalf called to her again.
Aranduriel turned and looked at him. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She hadn't heard Gandalf even talking to her once before. He had broken her from her thoughts of what she might have heard.
"What is wrong?" Gandalf asked, looking up at the standing maiden. He knew that she knew something and wasn't going to tell them. He needed to know what she might have heard. If it was something that was going to be putting the dwarves at risk.
Aranduriel looked down at the sitting wizard. "It was nothing. I swore I heard something, but it must be my sleep-deprived mind playing tricks on me." She admitted softly letting out a soft breath. She hoped that her mind was playing tricks on her and that it wasn't orcs she had heard in the distance.
Gandalf looked at the elvish maiden. Perhaps it was her sleep-deprived mind playing tricks on her. He could only hope that. He could only hope that no one was following them. It would be bad in the end.
The dwarves decided to go back to sleep, but Kili, Fili, Gandalf, and Aranduriel were still awake.
Fili looked over at Aranduriel and saw the look of concern that was on her face. He couldn't help, but wonder what she was thinking about. "Lady Aranduriel?"
Aranduriel looked at him. What could he want?
Fili looked at her in surprise. She was scared of something. He could tell by how wide her eyes were. After all, he had been around his brother long enough he was able to tell others when something was wrong. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about." She told him. She wasn't about to worry about the company if it was something that was part of her mind playing tricks on her due to not getting a lot of sleep.
Fili stood up and went over to her. "I know something is bothering you, but I will not force you to tell me, but I do ask you this."
"What is it?" She asked, looking at him.
He took a seat next to her before looking at her his brows furrowed slightly in thought thinking of what he was going to say to her. He didn't want to offend her in any way whatsoever.
She was shocked that he so willingly sat next to her. She could feel his heat radiating off of his body like she was right next to the fire.
"How do you and Uncle Thorin know one another?" He asked, looking into her eyes. He knew that he would get lost in them, but he needed to know the truth of how Aranduriel and his Uncle knew each other. It was making his brain hurt from trying to figure out what they were to each other. Were they friends, betrothed, lovers?
"Your uncle and I have known each other for many many years. A year before Erebor had fallen. 172 years is how long we have known one another." Arandruiel said softly as she clasped her hands together deep in thought about their history with one another.
"You two were friends?" He asked curiously.
"Yes, we were, but no longer. Your uncle wishes to throw that friendship away due to Thranduil's mistake. I won't be making the same mistake as Thranduil." She admitted softly as she looked down, biting her lower lip softly.
"That is why you want to help us," Fili said, going into thought. That was why she wanted to help so badly, she didn't want to make the same mistake of abandoning them. She truly wanted to make things right.
"Yes." She said, nodding her head. "I want to help…. Everyone deserves a home."
Fili looked at her with a small smile. He had to admit that she was quite different that was for sure. Different from the stories that he had heard. "You are certainly different from any elf I have ever heard of."
Aranduriel laughed lightly. "Well, you would think that I would not be part of a company of dwarves and willing to risk myself for you to have your home. I will risk everything…. That is one thing that your uncle does not understand."
Fili couldn't quite understand why she said what she had said. She was willing to risk everything for them? He had to admit that was something that he thought he would never hear from an elf. He was glad of course that she was willing to help out on this quest. He wanted to know more about her. "You hate Orcs…"
Aranduriel looked down at her hands sadly. She pursed her lips together and nodded her head. She never really talked about the reason why she hated orcs.
"Why do you hate them?"
Aranduriel let out a soft sigh as she messed with the ring that was on her finger. "My mother…" She said softly as she looked at the blue stoned ring that was on her finger. "My mother decided to go out and visit her parents in 2509 and she went through Redhorn Pass in the Misty Mountains…" She swallowed the lump in her throat. "The passages are riddled with Orcs and goblins… But on the off chance they are usually clear and safe… my mother was captured and tortured." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "My brothers and I went out when we had gotten word that our mother hadn't gotten there. Finding her in such a way… with a poisonous wound that could have killed her if it wasn't for my father… He healed her…" She shook her head. "My mother was never the same. My father couldn't get her to smile anymore. Within the year she sailed to Aman."
Fili looked at her. He couldn't believe that she had gone through something like that. Something so dangerous and hurtful. Perhaps she had more reason than his uncle to hate orcs. He put his hand on her long thin hand.
Balin turned in his bag. He had learned something new about Aranduriel that he had never known and he was going to have to tell Thorin to ease up on her.
Aranduriel got up to her feet, removing her hand from under his. She swallowed the lump in her throat, missing the heat from his hand on top of hers. "I am disturbing you from your watch." She told him to move away from him and walked towards the cliff. She crossed her arms as she looked out trying to see if there was anything out there. She heard heavy footsteps from behind her.
"I want you to stay away from my nephews," Thorin said with narrowed eyes. He didn't want her to make his nephews act like dwarflings. "I do not need a woman causing problems for them and keeping their mind off of what the task is at hand."
Aranduriel looked at Thorin. He thought that she was going to be a burden to Kili and Fili and be a distraction because she was a woman. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You are concerned with your nephews. Why have them on this quest if you are afraid that they are going to get hurt?" She questioned cooly.
Thorin growled. "You know nothing." He hissed at her, snapping his teeth at her. "You have no one to care for."
Aranduriel shook her head. "That Master Oakenshield is where you are wrong. I have someone in Imladris that I care for all of the time." She said with narrowed eyes. She thought of Estel who was at home with her father and twin brothers. She had to admit that she missed that boy. He was growing up and he was turning into a fine child. Soon he would be in his teen years and that would mean he would be causing some trouble. He would be wanting to go out on adventures and be with her twin brothers.
"Tell me how am I wrong? I am trying to protect my nephews. I don't want them to have anything to do with you." He growled out narrowing his eyes at her.
Aranduriel shook her head. "Well, you cannot stop them if they wish to talk to me, Thorin. I am not here as a distraction. I am here to help you. You would not be able to make it through Mirkwood without me. Thranduil will try and stop you Thorin and you know it as well as I do."
"You are messing with something that you have no idea what you are messing with."
Aranduriel turned her attention towards the other cliff. "So are you… to retrieve the stone that has caused problems for your family. My question is, is Arkenstone so important to you?"
Thorin glared at her. She knew nothing of the stone or what it meant to him. It was his right. Reclaiming his homeland from Smaug was something that he wanted to do. Reclaim the gold that lay inside the mountain and give it out to those who need it. "You know nothing."
She shook her head. "I know nothing?" She laughed a scoffing laugh. "The Arkenstone is a curse. It is a beautiful stone, but it doesn't mean anything. Will you do what your grandfather did and hoard the gold?" Her head tilted to the side knowing that she would get under his skin about that. But what she stated was true. She had heard it and she had seen it too.
"You know nothing!" He yelled, causing his nephews to look over.'
Aranduriel moved away from him. "Fine if you think that way, Thorin. I will do what you ask." She walked away and went towards her bag and tried to get some rest before the sun rose. She would not allow what Thorin said to plague her mind. If he wanted to think that she knew nothing then she would just allow that. She could only hope that Thorin was going to be the stronger one of the two. Stronger than his grandfather ever could have been. She crawled into her sack and bundled up. Thorin always thought the worst of her was something that she couldn't bear. She wanted to be friends with him again. Perhaps her going on this quest was a bad idea.
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This is the end of Chapter 5. I hope that you all enjoy it. Please let me know what you think. I tried to add a lot more to what I had already written and I even changed a lot of it around. So I hope that you guys like it a lot more. So please let me know in a review let me know what you think. I will try to update soon again with a new chapter. Until next time.