Iron and Oak

Chapter Eight

Thorin leaned on the wall, watching her as she sat close to the fire, laughing with Balin.  Fili, Kili, and Ori sat near to her feet, Dwalin by his brother. They listened as she spoke of first hearing rumor of the quest, her trip to Dain's court, and her sojourn at Lake Town. She laughed at their incredulous looks as she recounted the order in which the first three were freed from their barrels. The look on Thorin's face when he realized she had been in Laketown wasn't quite so amusing. Ori told her of their night with the trolls (with not a word about the buried treasure), and Kili proudly recounted his perfectly executed headshot of an orc on a charging warg. He was less proud when Ori mentioned the shooting of the warg that brought all the others upon them.  

She shook her head in disbelief as she listened to Balin tell of other amazing sights and treacherous moments that had made their journey. Thorin noticed Dwalin's eye upon him, and when he rose and left the fire, Thorin sighed to himself and followed him. Esja quietly tracked their movement then turned her attention back to Fili, who had just asked her what she remembered of the dragon, Smaug. 

She worried the edge of her veil, looking into the fire, "The smell of burning flesh. The sound of his roar." 

"What about the beating of wings? Could you hear the very fire of his breath?" Kili asked. 

Fili kicked his brother's boot, "Let her speak, Kili," he said. 

Esja smiled at the brothers, "Surely you've heard your uncle speak of it enough times to have thought you were there yourselves?" she asked. 

"He never speaks of it!" Kili exclaimed. 

Balin removed his pipe from his mouth and pointed it at the younger brother, "He never speaks of it because he lived it," he said. "He knows you want to hear the tales of bravery and dragons, but what he remembers are fire and death.  They aren't children's stories to him!" 

Esja put her hand on Balin's knee; he looked at her and sat back, shaking his head.  

Fili punched Kili's shoulder when he would have said more and added, "We just want to try and understand what we're up against."  

Ori nodded his agreement, "It would be nice to hear more than the songs," he said. 

"The songs?" Esja asked. 

All three younger dwarfs nodded at her, and she looked quizzically at Balin. 

"Ask Thorin," was all he would say. 

Esja looked at the three young dwarfs, "You've told me tonight of some of your trials on the road to Erebor. You've spoken of places and enemies I cannot comprehend. How would you explain to your friends at home the cave of the Great Goblin? How would you show them the way to approach a skin-changer? How would explain to them the right way to escape the dungeons of the elvish king Thranduil deep in the forest of Mirkwood?" she asked. They sat in silence, "There are many things in this world that defy description, even to the most skilled of storytellers," she said, looking at Balin. "Long before we had Smaug in our memories, this one would tell us stories of Azaghal and the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, and Durin VI and the waking of the Durin's Bane in the depths of Khazad-dum. His stories would hold us spellbound and listening for hours. After Smaug, the stories of bravery and ingenuity in the face of doom held only the smell of blistering death and the sound of ruin to those of us who survived." Esja looked back to the boys, "Do not judge them harshly for their silence.  Instead, think on what your answer would be to the young ones when asked about a cave in the Misty Mountains on a storm wrecked night."  

Fili watched her in silence, as Kili asked, "So there is nothing more you can tell us?" 

Esja's veil jingled as she lowered her head, "There is nothing I can tell you that would benefit you. You were brave enough to come, and that will serve you better than any account I could give you."