My Prince, My King, My Love

Chapter One

[Natali (pronounced: nuh-tol-ee)]
[Tatsiem (pronounced: tat-see-em)]
[Tsuliem (pronounced: soo-lee-em)]

I was hanging up my laundry in the late afternoon sun, listening to the sounds of nature mixed in with the laughter of my two boys, Tatsiem and Tsuliem, as they played in the nearby field. They were chasing each other around in the high grass that was between two and three inches above their heads. However, I was still able to see their location as they made the grass sway and dance around them as they ran about. I loved my boys, more than anything else in the world. Tatsiem was the older one, only by three minutes though. It didn't make any difference to the two. They had matching short black hair, dark blue eyes that, in the right light, gleamed purple, tan skin, and already reached up to my mid-bicep in height, and still growing. Father, or Gandalf as he is known to most, insists that they received their looks from me, while they received their height (among other features) from their "father". While Tatsiem was straight forward, stubborn, and tough, Tsuliem was calm, shy, and somewhat fragile. Though they both had a love for me and stuck to me like glue. They both loved me dearly and always insisted on protecting me no matter what.
I was drawn from my thoughts by the sound of wood on rock and the familiar sound of a low voice's humming. I smiled while finishing up hanging a few wet clothes up to dry in the sun and by the time I was done, Father had come rolling in on his wagon with a smile on his lips and his smoking pipe between them. He was singing merrily to himself and all who wished to listen. I was standing in place, wiping my wet hands on my apron, and watching him roll up to the house before stopping his horse next to it with a tug of his reigns.
"Hello Father," I called happily while walking over to his horse to stroke his head.
"Hello my dear Natali," Father said to me as he got down from his seat on his wagon, walked up to me, and hugged me. "Oh, how I have missed you."
I chuckled.
"I missed you as well," I told him.
Pulling out of our embrace, Father looked at me curiously.
"Where are the boys?" he asked.
I chuckled again, turned around to face their direction, and pointed them out to Father.
"Playing together in the field," I told him.
We watched as they were playing around and happened to look in our direction. Father and I chuckled at their faces upon seeing their grandfather here to see them. They both came racing over to us, ramming into the two of us upon impact and nearly knocking us down.
"Grandfather!" they called simultaneously.
"Hello, my dears." Father said, dropping to his knees to look at them from their height, "Oh, how you two have grown."
The boys giggled at their grandfather's words. I turned to the house at the realization that it was time for food.
"Come now you three, I'll get food started," I called to the three boys while making my way inside.
Tsuliem quickly made his way to my side, immediately wrapping his arms around my waist, holding on tightly. I smiled and stroked his hair affectionately. Upon reaching the kitchen I started to cook up something to feed a grown wizard, two growing boys, and myself.
At some point through the cooking, Tsuliem had left my side, sitting in the living room next to Tatsiem. The two were listening to their grandfather as he recalled some of his adventures for them, per request of Tatsiem. I chuckled at seeing the wonder, excitement, and curiosity in their wide eyes at hearing their grandfather's stories. I returned back to the food to find it finished. I placed everything on the kitchen table.
"Okay, boys!" I call to the three in the living room, "Food is ready, time to eat!"
Not even a minute after my call, the two young boys had come running up to the table and sat in their seats across from each other in the middle of the table, waiting for permission to start eating. Father came walking through at his own pace, smiled at me, and then walked over to his seat at one end of the table. I took my seat at the opposite end and nodded at everyone to start eating.
After eating I took the boys to get cleaned and ready for bed. I tucked them into bed, wished them a good night, kissed their foreheads, and left. They fell asleep fast, which was to be expected of them after how much energy of theirs they used today. I walked out to the living room to see Father sitting in an armchair, smoking his pipe, and looking deep in thought staring into the fire. I knew the look that was imprinted upon his weathered face, and it usually meant bad news or good news, never in between. I sat down on one of the other armchairs across from him, looking at him.
"Father?" I asked, catching his attention as he smiled reassuringly at me, but I saw through it.
I frowned and looked at him skeptically.
"Why are you really here?" I asked the question I had wanted to all day.
He looked at me and opened his mouth to speak, but anticipating his next words, I interrupted.
"I do not believe that it was just simply to see your grandsons and I. I know you father, I know that look. Why are you here?" I asked sternly, though with no less amount of curiosity.
Father sighed, knowing that there was no way out of it. He looked me in the eye as he answered truthfully.
"I am here to try and convince you to join a group of others and myself on a quest," he told me.
My eyes narrowed even more at him. He was being vague on purpose.
"What kind of quest?" I asked.
"One to reclaim a long lost home," he answered, once again vaguely.
Admittedly, it took me a good moment or so, until I understood what he meant. My eyes widen at the realization.
"Erebor." I nearly whispered, before my eyes narrowed as I looked at him, "That is either great bravery or grave stupidity." I snapped.
Father looked at me with a frown, but I could tell that he understood the reasoning for my strong opinion on the matter.
"They deserve to have their home back, Natali. That dragon has been sitting there for far too long. It is time." he said.
I scoffed.
"Surely you can relate." he said, catching my attention, "You know what it is like to lose your home, your family. To be thrust out of the only life you've ever known and out into the world." he said gently but with firmness.
I simply bowed my head with a frown on my face. I was desperate for any reason to not have to go.
"They need your help if they are to achieve their goal, Natali. They are going to need someone with your . . . special skills." he said, choosing his words carefully.
I knew what he was speaking of: my special power and rare experiences with certain matters. I clenched my hands into tight fists. Looking up at him.
"They do not need me. My boys need me, this forest needs me. I am needed here." I told him.
His gaze softened somewhat.
"Natali, this forest has stood longer than you have been alive, it can care for itself, as can its inhabitants. And as far as your boys are concerned, did you really think that I'd leave them without a guardian while we were away?" he asked pointedly, "I have made preparations for them to travel to Rivendell while we are away, to stay in the care of Lord Elrond."
I looked down, not able to fight with that, knowing that he spoke the truth: they would be safe with Ada. I only had one more chance.
"And if I do not return to them?" I asked, with a shadow cast over my eyes, "Are you prepared to be the one to inform them of my death? They are still but children Father, they wouldn't be able to handle that. It is too great a cost."
"And if we were to succeed?" Father countered, "If we were to succeed, Natali, they would have a proper place to call home. They would have a place to grow, to be around other people, to learn more of their heritage and the world."
Father leaned over and placed a hand on my own, effectively catching my attention to look at him.
"Do it, Natali. Do it for them." he pleaded.
I sat there thinking it over for a moment, before looking back up at him and nodding.
"I'll do it. I'll come." I say, earning a smile and thank you from him.

The night had passed by slowly as I stayed up thinking of what was to come. The next morning I woke up and made breakfast while Father woke up the boys. After breakfast, I bathed the boys and did the chores around the house while Father played with the boys. I let the boys off on their chores to spend time with their grandfather before him having to leave again, not knowing when or if he'd ever get the chance again. After everything was finished, I had Father distract the boys long enough for me to get everything packed and ready for the boys to go to Rivendell. I had planned to take them and then do a turn around to the location of the meeting Father had called. It would take about five days minimum for me to get from home to Rivendell and then there to the meeting location.
I had everything packed for both boys and myself. The boys and I were standing together to see Father off. He was going to leave ahead so as to be there to see that everyone arrived at the correct house. I was going to go ahead with my plan and then meet them there.
"Goodbye, Grandfather!" Tatsiem and Tsuliem chimed together while waving their hands at his shrinking form.
"Goodbye, my dears! I shall see you all soon!" Father called back.
I placed a hand on either boy's shoulders and lead them inside after Father had disappeared out of sight beyond the horizon. I had them sit on the couch while I knelt down to their height to speak.
"Mommy?" Tatsiem asked.
"What's going on? What's wrong?" Tsuliem asked, finishing his brother's thought.
I looked at them with a serious look, I knew that they would understand somewhat, they were very smart boys.
"Tatsiem, Tsuliem, I need you both to listen to me very carefully, alright?" I asked in means of having all of their attention on me and my words.
They both nodded.
"Mommy is going to be leaving for a long while. So are you two." I started, trying to keep it as simple for them as I could.
"We're going on an adventure?" Tatsiem asked with excitement.
"Yay! Adventure!" Tsuliem exclaimed in joy with a huge smile.
"No, no, no. Not an adventure. And we, won't be going together." I said sadly.
They both looked at me sadly and confused.
"We don't understand, Mama." They said in unison.
I sighed.
"Ok. Mommy is going to be going on a very dangerous quest with grandfather and some other people. It is too dangerous to take you, but I can't leave you two here either. I am going to take you to Rivendell where you will stay with Grandfather Elrond, do you understand?" I asked, hoping that I simplified it enough so they could understand it even a little.
"Yes Mama," they said in unison, a hint of sadness in their tones.
"You'll be back, right Mama?" Tsuliem asked with hope in his eyes, Tatsiem's eyes matching his brother's.
I hesitated. I knew that when on this journey, I could end up dying, not able to stop it. However, they didn't know that, and I didn't want them to worry about me not returning. I smiled, though a little sad.
"I promise that I will try my hardest. Understand, that while I may not look like it, Mommy isn't that easy to kill. Okay?" I said, with a more happy note.
They smiled.
"Ok, now I have already packed your bags. We'll be leaving tomorrow night, alright?" I asked them.
"Yes, Mama." the boys said together.
"But, Mama?" Tatsiem started with a confused look on his face, "How are we to get there? Are we going to walk?"
I smiled as I looked at them.
"No, I have someone that I shall call upon to aid us on our journey," I informed them.
They still looked confused but nodded anyway, thinking that they'd find out tomorrow.
"Now then, let's get you two off to bed," I told them with a smile.
They smiled back and hopped off the couch, following me to the bathroom to wash up and go to bed. I went to bed that night thinking of the next day, hoping that everything would go as planned. If only I knew what tomorrow was to bring.