Embracing the Shadows

Chapter Twenty-One - Burials

She looked down surprised. Kili hands me Thorin's shield and takes his brothers, I lift my head with the shield gripped gently in my mouth as we both move forward, I put my paws on the side of the tomb and look to the crowd, I hop down and place the shield down gently on the side of the stone casket before pulling Dis towards the tomb gently by her dress sleeve. I release her on the opposite side of the tomb before moving to the shield picking it up im my mouth and handing her one side, gently we placed the shield his chest and Dis leaned in and kissed his forehead, I reach down and nudge his crossed hands before giving it a lick as a last goodbye.

We both move back and a song starts up.

A king he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor

And runes of power upon the door

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone forever fair and bright

The world is grey, the mountains old

The forge's fire is ashen-cold

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls

The darkness dwells in Durin's halls

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-Dum

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere

There lies his crown in water deep

Till Durin wakes again from sleep

They cover up the tombs sealing away the bodies of my companions. I move out of the hall and to the throne, I sit in front of it and howl quietly in sorrow. I lie down and rest my head on my paws.

Some time passes before I hear footsteps, Tauriel comes and silently sits next to me, I phase, and look to her. "You are one lucky Elf, Kili is a good man, treat him well and help him rule?" Tauriel smiles and nods. "I will stay for as long as I can, my people are waiting" I tell her she looks up confused.

"You are a ruler?" She questions

I nod "Queen of the wandering Wargs is what some have been calling me, but I prefer the name Elbereth"

Tauriel looks shocked.

"You are Saerilla's daughter?" She asked. I nod

"I am she" Tauriel looks like she wants to know the fate of my mother "She perished though, due to her wounds"

Tauriel respectfully bows her head and is about to speak when footsteps echo through the hall. "Tauriel?" we both turn to see Kili looking broken, I sighed and shoved Tauriel forwards. She pulls him into a tight hug and begins to murmur to him in elvish comfortingly, the doors slam open and Dis walks in stopping abruptly when she sees her son being caressed by an elf while another watched from beside the throne, I stand slowly and move towards her, I kick Tauriel as I pass her and she looks up then speak to Kili.

Dis snaps from her shock "Kili, are these elves trying to abduct you?" she cries, I growl, my senses still very much wolven.

"I would do no such thing" I growled again "I promised to stay by his side until he was ready to rule on his own, I promised Thorin I would stay by him and help him be the best King he could be, don't you dare question my intentions. I have just lost two of my charges and I will not lose anymore"

Dis scowls "You forgot I lost a son and a brother and I will not lose another son" I stalk forward

"I do not forget; I know the pain of losing family. But I don't break promises" Kili stands and moves between us placing a hand on his mother's shoulder and my forearm.

"Stop" He commanded. I turned and moved back to the throne, phasing as I made it to the side of the extravagant seat. Dis shrieked and Kili looked around to find my curled-up body hiding in the shadows of his throne. I slept beside the Throne I had been tied to for days, the night passed and I was woken by Ori scratching his quill over the page of his book. I perked my ears then settled back down with a huff.

Ori laughed "Stay still, I have not drawn a picture of you in this form yet", I made a grumbling sound in my throat that was an equivalent to a cat's purr. He chuckled again.

We were interrupted by Dori running into the throne room "Bilbo is leaving" he puffed running off. I looked to Ori and moved to his side, pulling him up onto my back and running off to the main gate.

"If any of you ever passing Bag End, tea is at four - there's plenty of it. You are welcome anytime." The Dwarves bow and I run up and lick him "Eh, don't bother knocking." I wave goodbye in my elven form behind the dwarves as Bilbo trots away with Gandalf.