Estateillio

Aftermath

• Silence had fallen over Erebor after the death of Smaug. Before there had been noise, the dragon had roared and the mountain had shaken, and now the dwarves had gathered and waited for any sign of their companion. What they had not expected, was the song.

• Beautiful, haunting notes echoed through the empty hallways and seized their hearts and they halted and listened and when they faded they took a darkness with them that the dwarves had not known was on their hearts.

• And then Thorin quietly bid them follow him and they slowly descended into the heart of the mountain to find out about the fate of the dragon and the elf.

• The latter they met on the way with ash on her clothes and a golden liquid dripping from her nose and she stumbled and seemed exhausted, but with a clear and strong voice she told them: "Smaug has fallen and the curse of the dragon I have lifted."

• And then she staggered and leaned against a wall. "Do you have some water?" A water skin was quickly provided.

• "Then Erebor again is free", Thorin declared and then, almost morose, he addressed the elf, "Our thanks, my lady." It was the only time he would ever call her such.

• "It was a pleasure, Thorin Oakenshield", she replied and some unknown emotion passed over her face, "though I would advise to send messages to your kin quickly, lest the orcs decide to attack the mountain and take it from you again."

• "What little orcs there are here, we can take care of ourselves", the dwarf king huffed and Estateillio returned the water skin to Dwalin and retorted:

• "But not the army that is gathering in Gundabad and neither those that dwell in Dol Guldur, though I have word that the white council will take care of them at least. You have no allies here that can help you. The men of Esgaroth hardly have the skill or the equipment for battle and the elves of Eryn Galen will hide in their forest and wait for the storm to pass."

• And with these words she brushed past the group, gave Bilbo a small smile to acknowledge his courage and disappeared into the hallway whence they had come.

• Thorin scowled and though he wanted to ask how she knew of the threat, his pride got the better of him and he lead the company into the heart of the mountain where their prize awaited.

• Meanwhile, Estateillio returned to the door of Durin and rested her tired body.

• "Rendo, what progress makest thou with Dol Guldur?"
• "Rendi, Suilan le. No 'how farest thou?' or 'Smaug is dead'?"
• "Well, the first I know, because thou art talking to me, and the second thou seemest to know already. So why waste time?"
• "Ever the practical one, Halieth. We have not yet reached Dol Guldur, for we ran into some unexpected trouble crossing the Hithaeglir. We should arrive in two days though."
• "Will you be needing help?"
• "If you can make the journey from Erebor to Dol Guldur in that time, then feel free to. Though I doubt that, even for you that would be impossible."
• "We can always try."
• "Is there naught else you can do to keep thee from boredom?"
• "We could travel to the Iron Hills. A message would need to be carried there anyways and if Thorin does not relent and send a raven, we could do that ourselves."
• "Thou art expecting a war, Hráven."
• "Gundabad orcs have attacked us in Eryn Galen and Esgaroth. Thranduil interrogated one of them and he spoke of war. His son and the captain of the guard are currently investigating the matter and scouting in the North."
• "I know Thranduil. Surely he did not command such."
• "He did not, they are going against his will and I hope he will see reason once he learns of what exactly is coming, though I do not really believe in it."
• "And thou wantest me to talk to him, I assume?"
• "Thou knowest me too well, Elrond. If thou findest the time, then yes, I would ask this favour of thee."
• "I will see what I can do, though with Dol Guldur we will have to deal first."
• "And when this whole ordeal is over, we'll come and stay in Imladris for at least half a year, Nestyo, at least I'll try, for the others I cannot speak."
• "I'm looking forward to it, Esmya."

• Elves did not need sleep, though they could choose to do so from time to time, and so when Bilbo approached her, she heard him early and when he came into view, she was already standing again.

• "Greetings, Bilbo, what brings you here?", she asked almost cheerfully and her very open and relaxed posture threw him off for a moment, for it was so very different to the elf he had met in Mirkwood and who had singlehandedly killed a dragon.

• "I came to see how you were. You seemed very exhausted earlier, my lady", he answered honestly and Estateillio laughed lightly.

• "None of that Lady-business, young one, here in the wilderness I hold no title but my name." She undid the leather strap and the clasp that had held her hair and smoothed out stray strands, before putting parts of it back again using the latter of the two.

• "There are questions on you mind, young one", she observed, "Come on, don't be shy, I don't bite." And her grin revealed two rows of pristine white teeth and the hobbit was pretty sure that at least her canines were slightly pointier than normal.

• Still, he was curious and she had encouraged that and so he asked: "When you talked to Smaug, he called you 'child of Angband' and talked of a darkness-"

• Her expression turned sombre and her jaw tensed and all the cheerfulness and openness and relaxation from earlier faded. "It is not a happy story, young one, though it is nothing I have kept secret amongst my kin. If you truly wish to know it, then sit and I will tell you of Angband and the horrors of the first age of the sun."

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Hope you enjoyed!
AT
P.S.: Suilan le means I greet you.