Aria the Black (Book 2 of the Daughters of Durin Trilogy)

Chapter 14: Erebor's Retaliation

Far, far away from Aria and the Fellowship, Ravonna the White woke suddenly from a dreamless sleep. The Queen lay beside her king, Thorin Oakenshield, watching his breath hit the air in short puffs. They slept in the grandeur that they had reclaimed all of those years ago from the terrible dragon, Smaug. Both had worked beyond measure to rebuild and restore Erebor, and it had never looked better, for it had once again become the center of all trade in Middle Earth. All were welcomed into the mountain, and it was now bustling and filled with life. The line of Durin had been saved, and the dwarven race had come home to their kingdom- their home.

Rubbing her head, Ravonna grumbled to herself, searching for the cause of the disturbance in her sleep. Looking around, she saw a small, black shadow outside the window. It knocked against the glass again and rustled the parchment it held between it's talons. Undoubtedly, it was a message for the royal couple.

Thorin's eyes snapped open beside her, assuming it was her causing all of the noise. "Good morning, my love." Their lips met, the strong king pulling his wife into his bare chest. The covers around them shifted as they continued to kiss, both of them smiling and groaning into each other.

"Thorin." Ravonna broke apart from him. He sighed, falling back onto his pillow dramatically after she had denied herself from him. "No, it's not you." She laughed at his childish antics. "We have a message."

Ravonna got off of the bed and walked over to the window where the bird waited. Her feet silently padded across the ancient stone as she opened it, the bird placing the parchment into her hand delicately and flying away into a nearby tree.

"A raven." She watched the bird flutter away. Thorin looked at her in recognition.

"Aria." he joined Ravonna's side. It was their daughter's signature to use a raven when delivering a message. "Read it." he urged her to open the letter.

"You kept many things from me, Cardinal, and no more will it occur. If it comes to it, the mission comes before my regard to you. I know my duties, and I know what I must do. With or without you." Ravonna concluded, her expression still unreadable as her eyes followed the last sentence on the parchement. But, deep down, both the King and Queen knew this day would come. They waited anxiously, postponing it for as long as possible by keeping Aria in the castle. When this journey came knocking on their doorstep, however, Aria would not be held hostage within Erebor's great halls.

Fear now registered on Thorin and Ravonna's faces. "She knows."

...

At the sound of the royal alarm, all of the leaders' advisers and most trusted friends came running. They met within the throne room, Thorin pacing slowly as Ravonna placed the letter onto the long table beside her.

"You all know why we call." She began. Over the course of her leadership, she had become skilled at making speeches on the spot, although she could never amount to Thorin's craftsmanship.

"We have discussed this before, many years ago." She looked upon the royal assistants and personnel, but her gaze rested upon the remainder of the Company. Her closest friends still stood beside her, and she knew they would help her down to every last ounce of dwarf in their being. Nearly all of them were dead- reclaiming their homeland had been the last adventure they could stomach.

"As you may have suspected, it is our daughter. Aria." Thorin took over, taking Ravonna's hand and giving it a small squeeze. Their love still remained strong, but worry now clouded their judgement and all the Queen could offer him in return was a small smile.

"She is in danger, as is the rest of the Fellowship. Or, rather, she may be the danger. Many years ago, Ravonna and I had discussed the risk of having an heir, and henceforth passing her magic down to it. We were willing to take that risk. We expected every outcome, anticipated every fault along the way, except one."