There and Back Again

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Spreading Lies

It had only been a few days since the dwarven army had marched out of the mountain to defeat the army that was coming their way; things had been tense since the King had ridden out for war and the royal family did their best to manage. 

Thalia was almost relieved for a break as she took five minutes for herself, she had been running the mountain in Thorin's absence and she didn't envy the work that he did. 

There was so much to be done with the army away and Thalia was glad that she had Dís to help her with everything that was happening around them.

The mountain was filled with tension and Thalia hated the lingering tension that came with waiting for the nightmare to descend on them which was the war. 

Walking through the quiet halls of the mountain, Thalia hoped that things would be better once the war was over; each day she had read reports on the war that had broken out across Middle Earth. 

There seemed to be no place truly left untouched by this darkness and Thalia feared how bad things could get; she feared for her children and what would happen if the darkness won.

"I heard that she wasn't just sleeping with the King on that journey," whispered a voice making Thalia pause, she was silent as she waited to hear what else this person would say to taint her name next when she had done nothing of the sort. 

Thalia knew that there were few that would dare blacken her name especially when it was clear that Thorin intended on making her his Queen; she had feeling that this was happening because Thorin wasn't here. 

"The bastards could very well be anyone's and she's passing them off as King Thorin's," the voice continued to whisper to another, it made Thalia's stomach turn and that was one thing that she would not stand for. 

They could say whatever they wanted about her and drag her name through the mud but they would not speak ill of her children; they were Thorin's and she would never do what they were suggesting. 

Stepping into the room where the conversation was taking place, Thalia wasn't even surprised to see Lady Harga at the source of this; she should have guessed it was her from even outside of the room.

Lady Harga and the maid looked around surprised at the sight of Thalia, the maid looked rather nervous about being caught while a smug smile formed on Lady Harga's face at the sight of the other woman. 

"Shouldn't you be elsewhere?" Thalia asked focusing on the maid, she wanted to deal with Lady Harga in private and she hoped that everything was going to be okay. 

The maid quickly mumbled her apologises before she scurried towards the door, she felt so embarrassed at being caught and she couldn't believe that this was happening when she had never believed the whispers that were going around. 

"And if I catch you spreading any of her filth you will truly know my displeasure," Thalia warned the maid, her attention didn't move from Lady Harga who seemed quite pleased with herself. 

Thalia could only imagine what else had been said and to who; she didn't want to consider how bad the rumours about her and the twins were. 

Lady Harga sipped on her wine, she had known that eventually the rumours would reach Thalia and she was even more pleased to see her handy work up close and personal. 

"Are you not in the least bit sorry?" Thalia asked moving further into the room, she honestly didn't know what Lady Harga wanted to achieve by spreading such vile lies and she wasn't going to allow her to think that this was going to get her what she wanted.