The Return of Durin. (Sequel: I'm in Love With Durin Blood...)

Chapter 21...

Once we reached Dale all of us demounted our horses, elves lined the inner city and the outskirts of the city as well. As we walked they all moved in sync out of our way. "Now what?" I asked Bard.

"They came to our aid..." Bard looked at me. "Brought food and water, The King Under the Mountain sure didn't think of us once he put a crown on his head."

"Bard! Thorin's mind is corrupted right now! Believe me when I say it...he isn't heartless!" I turned to Bard grabbing his wrist. "It's something I've seen before..." My voice trailed off sadly.

"Edlyn, he gave us his word..."

"I know, it will take time...Thorin will live up to his word."

"Ah, Bard! I see you have gotten your- "

We all looked ahead of us at King Thranduil. "This is my friend Edlyn and her family, Ardy along with his daughter Lezarin," Bard said.

"The ones who have a peculiar relationship with dwarves." He smirked. "I have one of my own who can't seem to stay away from them either."

I felt anger building up in me as I looked into his cold, blue eyes. "Her name must be Tauriel." I quickly said. "What is it you require King Thranduil, what has brought you to the ruins of Dale?" I stepped closer to him. He now pressed his lips into a thin line as he looked down at me.

"The dwarves have something of mine white gems, of course, you may just be familiar with those gems Edlyn. I knew I had seen you before..." He chuckled bringing his head up and then turning around.

"You are blind King Thranduil! If you cannot see how much Tauriel loves Kili, I know you have felt that feeling before. The blonde elf, the archer...he is your son." I shouted at his back causing him to stop in place.

"His name is Legolas, whom Tauriel should really be with."

"You can't force that upon a woman...well an elven woman," Lezarin spoke up. I turned to her to see her head drop to her feet. I knew her face was probably as red as her hair.

"I will deal with my people and you shall deal with yours..." That was the last thing the Eleven King said before he walked off into the crowd of all the other elves. Bard, Ardy, and Lez all came up beside me.

"All these King's care about...is themselves." Ardy said. I turned my head to the side.

"They have good in them...both of them have it. Right now, they just need to get their heads out of the past." Ardy turned to me and couldn't help but to smile. I hugged Lezarin close to me and we all began to walk to shelter. I knew that both Ardy and I were feeling the pain of seeing this old city like this. He and Lez went into an old ruined building as Bard went to go find his children. I, on the other hand, sat on an old stone bench the was cracked across the back and pulled out Thorin's letter.

I slid my fingers beneath the gold wax peeling popping it open. I took the paper that was folded up inside and set it on my lap. I then reached in pulling out my ring as well, which I slid on my finger but there was still an item within the parchment. I reached in grabbing what seemed to be a key. It was unusually shaped and had the same dwarven lettering on it like my ring did on the inside of the band. It had twine on it, so I instantly put it around my neck, stuff it in my bosom and then opened the letter.

My Queen,

Though it may not seem like it...you mean everything to me Edlyn. I would not blame you if you never set foot in this kingdom again by the way that I have treated you. My journey starts with a wizard by the name of Gandalf the Grey and my company of thirteen dwarves. Of course, I can't forget our burglar Bilbo Baggins, one of the most important members of our company. We came together to reclaim our homeland Erebor...

The journey My Love does not start there...It started 20 years ago when I made the mistake of leaving you surround by the ruins of Dale. We moved to the Iron Hills where my cousin Dain resided, surely you remember him. Not to long after...we went into battle, marching to the Dwarven Kingdom Moria. My grandfather wanted to reclaim the kingdom, but it had been taken by orcs. So, we fought for it...where Thror was beheaded and my beloved brother was slain. My father was driven mad by the loss of his father and his middle son, we just assume that he died all those years ago. I don't know of his whereabouts and no one else does either. My company survived and now here we are, but the orcs are still after us.

Azog the Defiler or the Pale Orc has not given up on the Durin line. Throughout our journey he has tried to kill us. He wishes the Durin line to be dead Edlyn. Somewhere, the Pale Orc is still out there, he's the one who killed my grandfather! That day at Moria I did everything I could to kill him,in the process he only lost an arm. He came very close to killing me on our journey...which is why Master Baggins is so important because he saved my life. So, maybe it is not a bad thing that you stayed behind all those years ago now that I think about it because I would have put my princess in danger. For 20 years...I have missed you and I wish for 20 more to spend with you but as you know I am in a bad state. My Queen, as your ring says on the inside, I hope the world treats you well in years to come...you hold the key to our kingdom.

With Love, Thorin

I looked up from the letter, my heart felt as if it had been squeezed about a thousand times. All I wanted to do was run back to my horse and ride back to Erebor. My heart was pounding in my head, trying to process all that I had read. "Edlyn!" I heard someone shout. I looked up to see Bard, his face filled with worry. "I need you to come here..." I stood up folding the parchment back up and putting it in the envelope. I slowly made my way to Bard, doing my best to hold back tears. I held the letter to my chest as I looked up at him.

"Yes?"

"Someone has asked for you..." I looked at him puzzled, he turned and began walking. I instantly placed the letter in my robe then began to follow him.