Unnur's Line

It started just like any other morning, with the sun rising slowly over the Pelori Mountains and the mist rising up from the valley floor. Nestled in a small valley among redwood trees sat a house like non other. With stone foundation and rough cut logs and round windows looking both east and west. The front door faced a simple small yard with piled wood waiting to be split and piled for burning. Off among some spruce tress to the right of the house was a stable and corral which housed five horses and gear. A small garden lay waiting to be planted in late spring and a well not far from the house glinted in the morning light. The house lay quietly far from any settlement, as was the way the owners wanted it. Birds sang and the chickens started to to make a ruckus in the hen house. "Sienna, go check the hen house" a woman's voice hollard in the House. The front door opened and a young woman in her early twenties stepped out onto the porch. She was still braiding her long auburn hair as she crossed the yard to the hen house. She wore leather breeches and a light green linen shirt rolled up at the sleeves to her elbows, and her worn boots had seen many springs. Sienna had come to the valley as a young child with her Aunt  to settle here. Taking a deep breath of spring air Sienna glanced around the yard mentally taking note of the chores she would have to do that day. Reaching the hen house she unlatched the door and allowed the chickens out and ducked inside to collect the eggs. From the stable the horses whinnied and a smile played on her lips "Im coming, hold your horses" she muttered and chuckled at her own joke. Inside the house Sienna's aunt Dawn stamped into her own worn boots while sitting at the kitchen table. Dawn glanced around the kitchen at the wooden counters and cupboards and the fire burning in the hearth against the wall to the right. Lacing up her boots Dawn looked at her worn hands that a hard life had given her. Life hadn't been easy since she had fled with Sienna, the last of her people into a age where she hoped to find peace. The war of the second age had come to wipe out all her family. Closing her eyes she could still see the ruins and death of her kind. "Dawn" Sienna whispered from the kitchen door watching her aunt sit with eyes closed. Dawn opened them and smiled "Good morning" she replied and finished lacing up her boots. Sienna stared at her with admiration, her aunts long red brown hair lay braided down her back clashing with the blue tunic she wore with her own leather breeches and thick leather belt with knife attached. Walking over to the wooden counter Sienna pulled out six brown eggs she had carried in her shirt into a wooden bowl. "Only six eggs this morning something is getting into the hen house" Dawn eye'd the bowl "Fox maybe" Sienna shrugged as she took a mug down off the hanger under the cupboard and went into the pantry for the water jug. "Don't know, couldn't find any tracks in or around the hen house it's weird. Ajax and Sleipnir are nervous too this morning" she muttered sticking her head out the pantry door before vanishing back in. "Hmm that is strange, I'll have to take a look when I go out see if I can find anything" Sienna came out of the pantry with her mug and a apple in her mouth and went back to the counter setting her cup down. She turned  and leaned on the counter peering at her aunt and took a bite of her apple as Dawn stood to go out to the stable. "Whats the line of Durin" Dawn paused and turned to look at her niece. "Durin's line why you ask" she asked trying to remain calm. "You were talking in your sleep, something about saving Durins line" Pursing her lips Dawn paused trying to figure out how to explain. "Well, it's a old prophecy from the second age that that d line of Durin would parish if not saved it doesn't say when or why" Dawn turned back to head out the door feeling chilled. "Thats not what you said last night, you were arguing with someone telling them that you wouldn't do it" Dawn glanced over her shoulder at Sienna who smiled sweetly from where she stood eating her apple. " It's a prophecy Sienna nothing more" and with that Dawn walked out of the house shutting the door behind her. Walking out into the bright morning sunlight it did nothing to warm the cold feeling in her gut. Durin's line was always held in hight esteem with her people before the end. She could still recall the one time she saw the great gates of Erebor. It was majestic to behold, but alas that age had passed into memory. Looking down the slope into the valley her heart warmed this was home now. Taking a deep breath DAwn crossed to the chicken coop in hopes to spot tracks. Non could be found and she went over to the stable to feed the horses, Ajax stood leaning his great head over the top rail whuffing at her. "Good morning boy" Dawn greeting him and he nickered in reply and she could feel his nervousnesss. Turning around Dawn watched as Sienna sauntered towards her "Here, you didn't eat " and she threw a apple at her which Dawn caught with a slap. Biting into the apple Dawn savoured the sharpness of the flavour fill her mouth. The last  from the winters stock, levels were getting low and they would have to make a trip into town for supplies soon. "Can't you feel it, like something is off" Sienna asked her and nodding Dawn chewed trying to figure it out. "I dont know Sienna, we've never had problems except the odd wild animal looking for food." Looking around Dawn could sense that the forest seemed more quiet then usual. Ducking under the corral rail Dawn walked to the shed to feed the horses. Ajax followed her wanting her apple as she ate " You greedy horse" and Ajax nugged her from behind sending her stumbling into the shed. A bright light flashed blinding her and Dawn raised her hand up to cover her face. "You must save Durins line" the voice commanded out of the light and then it was gone. Dawn stood staring and Ajax came and nugged her more gently this time and she hugged the horse. "Im ok Fella" but she wasn't, the rest of the day passed with out incident but the uneasiness grew, something was very wrong. That evening after dinner was done, Dawn walked into the living room to one of the shelving units along the wall and took down the only old book on the shelf. It's cover was stained brown and the pages yellowing as she took it back to her comfy red arm chair by the wood stove and sat down. Inside was the history of the lonely mountain and the dwarvish line of Durin. Resting her palms on the open page she closed her eye's and sank back into the chair calling upon her inner sight. Chanting softly her minds eye opened to middle earth. Fire poured out of Erebor and Dale lay in ruin. She watched Smaug desolate the dwarves and how the elves turned away. Thror was ruler under the mountain at that time and his son Thrain and grandson Thorin. Her sight jumped to Moria and she watched in horror as Thror was murdered by Azog and Thrain gone mad. Shivering Dawn leaped 60 years later to Thorins quest to reclaim Erebor with nephews Fili and Kili. But a darkness haunts Thorin's path by some deep evil and Azog's determination to wipe out the line of Durin. It was clear that she was to interveen somehow. Opening her eyes she stared at the book in sorrow and closed it pages, it had taken great cost to her to save herself and Sienna,from the evil that killed her people. She worried that if that evil knew they were still alive it would hunt them down. "Dawn" she looked up to see Sienna standing in the doorway to the living room a steaming mug of tea in her hands. "I didn't want to desturb you, here" she walked over to her handing the tea to her. "Sit Sienna, I must tell you something important that has come to pass." Sienna grabbed a pillow off the couch and sat on the wood floor in front of Dawn by the stove looking intently at her, with her own tea in her hands. "Long ago a ancient power was bestowed on the womens line of Unnur. The power itself could only be passed from mother to daughter for ages. A great darkness decended upon the line of Unnur seeking to use this power for ill, alas Unnur's line of shield maidens suffered great loss as they swore to use their power for good. In the last battle, your mother begged me to take you and flee Middle earth and go into hiding in order to save Unnur's Line from extinction. I took you and fled into this age in hopes to find refuge. Your my daughter now and are coming into age where the power of Unnur will begin to show. It comes differently to each of us, do not be afraid of it and ask me if you have any questions. Darkness is decending again on another ancient line, this time the Dwarvish line of Durin lies threatened. Somehow we must find a way to save it before it is destroyed forever." Sienna sat quietly sipping her tea with a far off look on her face as the firelight bouncing off her features gave her a haunted look. "What kind of power" she asked quietly looking up at Dawn where she sat sipping her tea. Setting her tea down on the end table beside her chair, Dawn held her hands out over the book in her lap palms facing upwards. She spoke almost in a whisper and suddenly a white ball of light appeared floating just above her palms. It quickly turned to a deep blue then to a teal blue to a mauve grey then back to white before vanishing. Staring in awe Sienna was speechless. "That is just a small part of the power that you will eventually weild, but with power comes a price. Should you over extend that power it will take from you something, many died from exhaustion unable to restore themselves and becomming weak and a target. So you must be very careful" looking down at the book Dawn stood and placed it back on the shelf and stood looking down at Sienna. "I see them in my dreams at night, the line of Durin that remains. Thorin oakenshield, and Kili and Fili. They are traveling to the lonely mountain to reclaim their homeland with ten other dwarves and the wizard Gandalf and a hobbit. Kili and Fili are worried Thorin is acting strange haunted" Dawn paused by the book shelf an d sighed. "inner sight has come early, it can be a gift or a curse, your dreams will continue, watch my child but do not act" she turned around facing Sienna with a stern look. " what do you mean act" it was sienna's turn to look confused. " our power of sight is great but we can also touch and if wanting to be seen, like a white mist with shape...like a ghost. We can speak through our power to the one we are watching. The evil in middle earth must not know that we are still living or we will become the hunted" Dawn had folded her arms across her chest. "you mean if I wanted to speak to kili and Fili I could" she watched as her aunt nodded her head. "Yes but it would cost you, we cannot afford to be reviled Sienna, watch don't act that is a order" and her aunt walked out of the room leaving Sienna to ponder her words. Looking down at her tea in her hands she remembered watching the brothers joke around with each other while watching the pony's and smiled. Washing her mug out and hanging it up Dawn gazed out the small window at the darkness that had descended and  bit her lip. Sienna coming into her fore sight early worried her as she knew that she may witness what she would not want to see. Both women retired for the night as morning would bring new challenges and chores that would need to be done. Dawn lay in the heavy dark silence of her room listening to the crickets outside, she couldn't sleep how was she going to save the Dwarves from destruction from almost the same evil that had attacked Unnurs line. She couldn't remember when she fell asleep but Dawn found herself racing through the mist to come out standing in the forest late at night. Moonlight glowed in the sky lighting the forest floor where it peaked through the tree tops. She stood barefoot in a silver gown that reached her feet. mist poured around her as she walked. Her hair was loose around her shoulders as she listened to the night. Peering though the tree's she could make out firelight and talking and she walked quietly to the forest edge. The Dwarves lay sleeping around the fire and Thorin sat leaning against a rock his arms folded across his chest and eye's closed in rest. Kili and Fili sat by the fire smoking their pipes quietly talking about the journey ahead of them and Gandalf sat leaning against a tree. Walking out of the tree's Dawn made her way over to where Thorin sat and stood in front of him watching him. He had dark hair with streaks of grey that reached past the shoulders of his fur jacket, his beard cut short in memory of his haunted past. He opened his eye's and looked right at her but not seeing her. His grey blue eye's narrowed as he shifted where he sat and he looked past her to where Gandalf sat. He held a commanding presence and she felt her heart drop,so this was Thorin King under the mountain. He was stubborn and powerful and looking over at Kili and Fili he was a incredible role model for his nephews. Turning back to look at him, he was staring at her like he could see her and she froze, but then he shut his eye's again. "He doesn't see you but he can sense that something is here" the old voice spoke in her head and she turned to see Gandalf looking at her. "Why have you summoned me here wizard" Dawn asked and walked over pausing in front of Gandalf. " You must know that Thorin must finish his journey and reclaim Erebor,. he is unaware that he is being hunted." Dawn looked back at Thorin. "And what do you want me to do about it, I cannot stop what has started Gandalf." she watched as the wizard blew a smoke ring into the air and it dissipated. "No, but Thorin is unaware that his arch enemy Azog the defiler lives and has put a bounty on his head. He wants the line of Durin dead and will stop at nothing" shifting where she stood feeling the stones under her feet. "Azog,... that filth" Gandalf nodded and Dawn shuttered remembering the pale orc and his power. "Hmm, Azog  will stop at nothing I fear if he wants Thorin and Fili and Kili dead then it is dire, I still do not know what this has to got to so with me Gandalf. I am not even in this age, and my kin are all but dead. I cannot risk myself or my niece to the evil knowing where we are" Gandalf sighed. "I'm not sure of the role you'll play but alas when the time comes you must save Durins line, and Thorin must live" Dawn frowned and looked down at her feet before looking back at Gandalf. Tuning Dawn walked back over to where Thorin sat and knelt down to peer at his face, he looked peaceful and haunted. Reaching over she touched his face and he slowly opened his eye's and looked right at her. They widened as she stood up but he made no move but sat staring and she smiled and woke up in her bed in her room. Morning light filtered in through the curtained window and lay pondering Gandalfs words. Getting up Dawn looked around the room before getting dressed, things were defiantly going to change and not for the better if they were going to called upon to do something against Azog. Walking out into the kitchen Sienna had left her a tea on the counter steam still rose from it. grabbing it  Dawn went out onto the front porch in the morning sunlight and looked down into the Valley. Birds sang and Sienna was in the corral brushing Sleipnir her grey mare, who stood quietly enjoying the attention. Sleipnir  and Ajax were magnificent both standing at 20 hands, both horses had walked out of the forest one day just shortly after midsummers eve a few years ago. Ajax whinnied at her and she smiled from the porch, and Sienna looked up and grinned, Dawn finished her tea and set the cup down on the porch railing and she crossed the yard to the corral. "Good morning" and Sienna nodded, "I brushed Ajax already for you" and Dawn patted the horse as he walked up to her and rubbed his mighty head on the front of her tunic. "Thanks, you sleep ok last night" she asked and Sienna paused in her brushing. "No, something is wrong and I don't know what it is. I keep feeling this creepy dark shadow at night, and last night I watched Kili and Fili and they are really worried about Thorin" Dawn nodded while leaning on Ajex who stood patiently. "I know, we have our work cut out for us Sienna." Dawn walked over to the gate in the corral and opened it and walked out with Ajax following her. "Hey you, I'm going to need your help boy" she muttered to the horse and he whuffed butting her with his head. Dawn turned around grabbed onto Ajax's main and with a leap was astride his back. Leaning down she felt the horse bunch up and with a powerful leap Ajax leaped and took off across the yard at a full gallop down into the meadow. Once in the meadow Dawn leaned to the left and Ajax spun  around and raced back up into the yard. Sienna had come out of the corral with a awed look on her face as she watched her aunt ride her horse. "Wow, I didn't know you could ride like that" Dawn smiled and leaped down patting the horse. "All shield maidens  can ride, I bet if you got on Sleipnir she'd know just what to do" Sienna glanced at her horse who had followed her out into the yard. "Ok" and with that Sienna turned and mounted on Sleipnir back and with a yell the horse took off across the yard, pivoted in the meadow and galloped back. Sienna's face was flushed when they came to a halt in the yard with a big smile. "That was incredible  how does she know what I want. I wonder if I could shoot my bow from her back" Dawn smiled, go work with her and try" she replied as she went back towards the house. "aren't you going to put Ajax back in the corral" Dawn looked over her shoulder as the horse stood eating the grass in the yard and shook her head. "No I don't think he's going to go anywhere" and she continued on to the house. The day passed uneventful as both women worked but a uneasiness began to stir in Dawn's heart which grew as the evening fell. After dinner was done and the dishes cleared and put away Dawn walked into the living room which faced the north side of the house. The house was built backed onto a rock outcrop surrounded by forest. In the living room against the far wall stood a tapestry of Middle earth that hung from the wood beamed ceiling to the floor. Looking upon it Dawn pondered while Sienna watched from the dinning room door. Reaching up Dawn pulled down the tapestry coughing as dust filled the room. Behind the tapestry was a stone wall as Sienna walked into the room to watch her aunt, she placed the tapestry on the floor off to one side and stood facing the wall. Placing both hands on the wall Dawn began to chant in what Sienna thought was Elvan and her hands began to glow. It spread to the wall and hung there and there was a click and a arched doorway appeared in the stone wall and she gasped. Dawn shook her head slightly and stood back looking at the door, then pressed on the rock and it swung open to reveal a dark passage leading off. "Dawn" Sienna whispered and her aunt looked at her. "Come child" and she motioned to her and grabbed the nearest candle and strode off into the passage. Sienna hesitated at the entrance, the stone was smooth and cool to the touch, she heard her aunt call her and so taking a deep breath she followed and walked down the hall her boots echoing a bit. She passed three doors and then another arched doorway into a huge room, Dawn muttered and the room burst into light and Sienna felt her mouth drop. A large antlered chandelier hung over a large oak round table top that sat upon the stump of a large tree rooted into the stone floor. The candles burned and a huge fire burned in a hearth on the left hand wall flanked on either side with armour resting on racks which glinted in the firelight. On the far wall stood a huge shelving unit with books and scrolls and maps and on the right wall swords and pikes,  and other weapon's rested. Around the room comfortable chairs sat with chests and candle holders. "what is this place" Sienna asked as her aunt went and sat down on a large wooded carved chair by the oak table. "Armoury and war room or whatever you want to call it, the other rooms you passed are bedrooms. I built them in hopes that I might find others that  survived, but alas I didn't and so I closed it up not wanting to remember" her voice echoed a bit in the large room. "so why now to show me" sienna eye'd her aunt as she lounged in the chair looking around the room. "Something is coming Sienna, I can feel it growing like a cold wind blowing down from the mountains. Thorin and his nephews are walking into something and the time is coming for us to intervene" Dawn got up and strode over to the hearth and warmed her hands facing the fire. "Azog" Sienna whispered feeling a chill run the course of her body and her Aunt turned to look at her. "you know of the pale orc" she asked and she nodded looking around the room again. It was Dawns turn to shiver, Azog was the commander of great orc legions. Thorin would be thoroughly tested to come out of a battle with him unscathed. "You want some wine" Sienna asked walking towards the arched doorway they came through. "Yes but there is a cellar over here" and Dawn got up and walked over to another small door that Sienna hadn't seen. She opened the wooden door and vanished inside coming back out with a bottle before shutting the door. "Go get some glasses my dear" and Sienna went to retrieve two glasses.