The kings jewel

5 - The battle of the five armies

I sat in front of Thranduil, securely wrapped inside his cloak on his elk Moose. We were riding through the ruins of Dale. The golden armor of the elven soldiers shining in the bright winter sun. Suddenly there was movement in one block, a slight rift being made for a darkhaired well looking man to step through. He eyed the elves around him carefully, making his way through the soldiers. Stopping in front of him, he looked at my husband: "My lord Thranduil. We did not look to see you here."

"I heard you needed aid." Thranduil said, pointing towards the wagon with food behind him. Quickly the hungry and traumatized faces around us lit up, making a ring around the food to get their fair share. I couldn't help but feel horrible to see so many people in need, only able to imagine the horrors they must have faced. I jumped down from Moose, instantly regretting it, as the cold made its way through my thick robes. Climbing on the wagon myself, I started to give out food, much to the surprise of my people and Thranduils amusement.

"You have saved us. I do not know how to thank you." I heard the dark haired man say. But my husband, the stiff man he was around others dismissed his gratitude rather quickly: "Your gratitude is misplaced. I did not come on your behalf. I came to reclaim something of mine. There are stones in that mountain that have been stolen from me." With a nod of his head, he ordered his army to march towards the mountain, riding Moose with his people.

The other man ran behind my husband, calling out for him: "Wait. Please wait!" Thranduil did indeed stop, turning his head ever so slightly towards the human next to him. "You would go to war over a handful of gems?"

Without looking at him, Thranduil answered: "The heirlooms of my people are not likely forsaken."

"We are allies in this." The man pleaded, rougher this time. "My people also have a claim over the riches of this mountain. Let me speak with Thorin." That made Thranduils head turn and even though I was not able to see his face, I knew the questioning look on his face far to well. "You would try to reason with the dwarf?"

"To avoid war? Yes." Came the simple answer.

***

Some time later, I found myself in Thranduils tent, desperately wrapping his cloak around my shoulders to find at least some warmth against the cold air. Usually elves weren't as affected by the cold than humans were, so my husband quickly gave me his robes when he saw me freezing. But I was an exception to that. My long life in Rivendell making me rather fragile against the cold. "Meleth." Thranduil pleaded. "You should have stayed home."

"And let you ride to war alone? Nonsense. I will grow accustom to this weather. I am an elf after all. This should not bother me to that extent it does." I argued back, earning a low huff from my husband. Our discussion was quickly interrupted, before he could retort anything. Gandalf and the human man that I learned to be Bard stepping inside the tent.

"You must set aside your petty grievances with the dwarves. War is coming. The cesspits of Dol Guldur have been emptied. You are all in mortal danger!" Gandalf thundered through the tent, making me, Bard and even Thranduil flinch at his words. Bard stepped forward. "What are you talking about?"

"I can see you know nothing of wizards." My husband rose from his seat. "They are like winter thunder on a wild wind, rolling in from a distance, breaking hard in alarm." He handed a goblet of wine to Bard and then to me, before he poured himself one as well. "But sometimes, a storm is just a storm." He said, looking Gandalf straight into the eyes.

"Not this time." The old wizard held against. "Armies of orcs are on the move. These are fighters. They have been bred for war. Our enemy has summoned his full strength."