Chapter Text
"Get her out of here now!"
She heard Thorin bark the command as she fought against Fili and Kili as she glared with a seething hatred at the retreating back of her twin brother. He was being escorted out of the Throne room by the guards and an incensed Dwalin.
"Let me go!" Her growl was feral as she tried to claw Fili and Kili's arms off her.
"Lass, get ahold of yourself!" Balin implored. "There is nothing you can do at this moment."
Her jaw was clenched so hard, she could feel her teeth grinding as she fought to control her racing heart. "Please." Her gaze landed back on her father's head, left where it had come to rest on the floor.
She couldn't make out the soothing words Fili and Kili were trying to comfort her with as she watched Thorin drape a cloth over the head while Bifur and Bofur grabbed the chest it had been held in.
"Let's get you back to your rooms with a nice calming cup of tea." She heard Dori suggest gently.
"No!" she cried, "I will not be sent to my room! This is my mess; I need to take care of this. He is my brother. I need to fix this." The words tumbled from her lips in a furious desperation.
"You will do no such thing." She heard Thorin's deep tenor as he approached her quickly. "I want you back in our quarters with Dis. I need to meet with the war council and get this handled as soon as possible."
Her heart jumped into her throat, her eyes beseeching him with her eyes swimming with tears of fear and shock. "No please I don't want you going anywhere near him. Let me go talk with my people. My father was respected by everyone, they cannot be supportive of this."
'We have 5,000 warriors on dire wolves outside of our gates currently and another 25,000 in the plains between us, Dale and Mirkwood. They are following him Mist; he is in full control of that army." Thorin was standing closer to her now, looking at her with a pained yet infuriated grimace on his face.
"Just let me go. I'll stop this. No one else must die."
"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS MOUNTAIN AND THAT IS FINAL!" His deafening roar made the tears leak from her eyes as she stopped fighting and bowed her head in silence. She felt herself go limp as she struggled to take in a deep breath, to steady her reeling thoughts. She was torn between gut wrenching grief and a soul searing rage, she felt it all at once. She heard him sigh heavily before he approached her. He took her from his nephew's arms and led her away for some privacy.
"Mahal Mistlynn." She heard him whisper as he pulled her into a tight hug. She couldn't help the sob that escaped her lips as she melted into him, making his hands grip her tighter in response. "I am so sorry M'eudail."
"I knew it wasn't my father." Her tongue felt heavy and thick in her mouth as she ground out the words.
"I wish you didn't have to see him like that." He whispered into her neck.
"I didn't think Valinn could be capable of this. He was always a blood thirsty tyrant but … not this." Her grip on him tightened as she fought to keep the pain from her voice. She felt his hands travel from her back to cup her face. He brought his forehead to rest against hers so that he could look into her eyes.
"He will pay for this treachery. I promise you." His voice was low and sharp, she didn't doubt the conviction of his word.
"He is here to kill you and your family. Not me. He's a ruthless fighter and does not fight fair. Please, there must be another way." This time, her voice shook. He lowered his lips to hers, still holding her face in his hands. It was a kiss full of unspoken apologies, for the past and for what had yet to occur. She trembled as her fingers clenched onto his armored chest, anchoring herself to him.
"I need you to go back to our rooms with Dis, I will come to you as soon as I can." He whispered against her lips before pulling back to place another kiss on her forehead. She staggered as he stepped back. "Please M'eudail." His pleading whisper was loud enough only for her to hear.
She let out a shaky breath again before nodding in resignation. "I'll wait for you."
He spared her one last regretful glance before his expression morphed into an enraged determination. He turned to face the rest of the room. "Dori, Bifur. Please escort the Queen and the Lady Dis to my chambers. I want you to stay with them until I return. The rest of you, with me."
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Later that evening…
Mistlynn felt guilty that she was not quite capable to hold any kind of conversation with her companions that had not left her side once, per Thorin's instruction. Dis had embraced her the moment they had reached the room. She wished she could just give in to her sorrow and cry on her friend's shoulder, she knew that Dis knew loss well. But she couldn't bring herself to do that.
She had remained by the window seat for the rest of the day, keeping a distance from her companions. A numbness had settled within her, she was unable to process all the feelings that were trying to emerge as the hours passed.
Now that she knew it was Valinn who had orchestrated Argo's death, she felt lost in a raging tide of anger and hate that was beginning to numb her from every other emotion that tried to emerge. Valinn had murdered Argos and their comrades by sabotaging their weapons and sending them after a giant, angry frost drake.
The loss of Argos, that gaping void of a wound in her very soul had been ripped open violently. All else was lost to her, and she felt the unbridled desire for revenge simmering hot beneath her skin, making her fingers twitch and tingle as she could picture running Valinn through with her own swords vividly.
Her Adad's violent murder kept surging up, adding fuel to the unslakable thirst for retribution by her own hand. No one else's. Just hers.
She had loved her Adad, as a daughter should. But he never voiced any such feeling towards her as she grew up. She had pushed herself beyond her limits to get a reaction out of him, some sort of acknowledgement that he was proud of her achievements, since she had failed him and her Amad and was removed from the line of succession.
She couldn't remember what it was that she had done, no matter how hard she tried to conjure that memory up. All she knew is that her Amad had gone into early labor, and she had been the cause of it. Or so she was told.
She had been desperate to make up for it, but that approval had never come. That was why she had just exiled herself after Argo's untimely death, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that if she had come back without Argos or any of the warrior's she would of have faced his wrath, and worst of all his further disappointment in her.
She didn't know if grief was what she should be feeling in regard to her Adad. It wasn't as soul crushing as Argo's had been and still was in that very moment.
Anger didn't seem justified either. It was a cruel sense of irony that it had turned out to be Valinn who had turned on his own Adad and killed him in cold blood. He along with Argo's were the only ones he had ever claimed and praised openly.
All these thoughts ran through her mind on endless repeat, trying to make some sense out of any of it. She was being thrashed about from one emotion to the next, tossed about like a rudderless raft on an angry sea.
All she knew, for certain, was that Valinn was the enemy; the threat that needed to be eradicated immediately. No matter the cost.
Obviously. She scoffed to herself.
And no matter her Adad's abysmal parenting skills, he didn't deserve to die in such a gross manner. Just the fact alone that it was her twin brother, now a kin murdering psychopath, leading her father's army to threaten and take away all that she held dear, was soul numbing.
Dis had begun to pace, no longer able focus on her needlepoint.
Dori and Bifur still wore their armor and hovered close to the door. Dori and Dis had been keeping the small talk going, trying to keep the atmosphere light, while Bifur was still watching her still figure, worry evident in his expressive eyes.
She couldn't bring herself to even communicate with Bifur, who had become more like a surrogate father to her.
Mistlynn admired Dis for her fortitude and strength.
Here she was, thinking of ways how to drive her swords through Valinn's chest in the most creative of ways possible. And then, there was Dis, whose brother and sons lives were being threatened by said mad man and kin murdering psychopath, talking about ways to convince Bilbo to come and encourage more dwarves towards developing green thumbs for gardening from within the mountain as it had once been done in the glory days of Khazad-dum.
She could not let one of her new family anywhere near Valinn. Each childhood memory, every interaction she had of any consequence she tore apart, searching for any indicator of his impending bloodlust. He had always enjoyed the hunt, a little too much for her taste. He had never showed their father any disrespect, but he had always had a following of the more radical warriors that skulked in the shadows.
And now, came the guilt of abandoning her Adad, leaving him to such a fate made her physically ill. She had allowed Valinn to murder him just as she had let him murder Argos. And she had run away, like a coward.
Her gut clenched and churned as she fought to keep the tears from her eyes. She was done crying, she had too much at stake now. She would avenge Argos, her Adad and all those innocents who perished by his sword. She would gut his wolf before his very eyes before she would take his head and feed it to the crows.
Her eyes narrowed in determination at the vow she made herself. Even if he hated her at the end, she would protect Thorin and his kingdom at any cost, even when she knew in the end it was going to cost her dearly.
Thorin came through the door, interrupting the idle talk. No one spoke as he walked in, his steps slow and deliberate. "The others will fill you both in, thank you for staying with them." He nodded in gratitude towards Dori and Bifur. They bowed in return. "It was our honor." Was Dori's solemn reply before he and Bifur left.
Dis approached him, trying to keep her worry from showing on her face. "What has been decided?" she asked softly.
"We have word from Dale and Mirkwood pledging their aid. Rohan is too far to give any immediate assistance, but they are sending what they can. Rivendale is waiting, apprised of the situation and they will be on standby."
Dis nodded at his, her face relaxing a bit at the knowledge their allies were coming. She cleared her throat, speaking lowly. "She hasn't said much. Hasn't moved from the window. I am worried."
Thorin nodded his understanding. "We ride out to engage them at dawn. Go see your boys. I'll see you in the morning."
Dis embraced him tightly before placing a kiss on his cheek. "I love you, brother." Thorin gave her an affectionate squeeze before murmuring he loved her back.
His gaze fell upon Mistlynn's unmoving figure, waiting to hear his door shut behind Dis before he started to walk towards his wife.
Mistlynn was staring at him, her arms crossed in a defensive pose. "Let me go with you."
Thorin shook his head firmly as he approached. "I can't have you in harm's way. It will distract me, and I cannot be distracted tomorrow."
"I know him, and I know how he fights. Let me help."
"He would use you to get to me, M'eudail."
Her eyes flashed. "Let me try to talk to my people! I know he doesn't hold all allegiance. My father was respected by the people. Valinn will be despised among the ranks even if they do continue to follow. They don't have any other choice."
"You can't be sure of that."
"I was sure it wasn't my Adad leading those raids. And I was right."
Thorin sighed in exasperation as he rubbed the back of his neck wearily. "You were right about that, yes. But this is different. This is war Mistlynn. I cannot have you on the field with me."
"It doesn't have to come to war. Thorin, our army has never fought in a battle. We have only ever fought against drakes or snow bears."
"That didn't stop them from laying waste to our mining towns or taking the lives of our subjects. And when most of them are riding Dire wolves and used to slaying frost drakes, I don't think they have much to fear."
"A dire wolf mount does not make them invincible; they know that. When they come face to face with your warriors, and those of Dale and Mirkwood …" she bit her bottom lip, trying to reign in her worry. "I'm sorry Thorin, I just know most of them are young, with little to no battle experience. They won't stand a chance against seasoned warriors. Valinn is counting on his numbers only, not skillset. Dire wolves will only get him so far. He doesn't know of your experience with Wargs, Dire wolves will be no different. You have experience on your side."
"I am focusing solely on Valinn and his ring leaders." Thorin brushed rogue curls away from her eyes before tracing her jaw with his fingers. "I will have his tongue for the despicable way he talked to you. For the filthy names he called you. And for all the lives he took, including Argos and your father." The underlying rage disguised by his calm tenor made shivers run through her.
"It's nothing new Thorin. Such words are meaningless coming from him."
"Such words should have never been uttered to you, and in such frequency that they lost the sting of their poison. His behavior towards you is appalling. I never understood why you were so guarded, so defensive of every kind work spoken to you, until today." He caressed her cheek before burying his hand in her hair on the back of her neck, his other hand splayed on the small of her back. "Never again." He pledged before placing a tender kiss to her lips.
She trembled at the softness of the kiss, she could feel the love pouring from him and soaking into her skin. Her eyes fluttered shut as she breathed him in, allowing herself this quiet moment to memorize the taste and feel of him. Her hands gripped his shoulders as they lost themselves in the kiss, as they so often did.
Their fights were heated, but it gave way to a deeper passion that held way more meaning.
"I'm sorry for what I said about the other day. It wasn't fair of me. I was just so…" she began as she forced herself to break away from his lips.
He shook his head, cupping her jaw and bringing her lips back to his before resting his forehead against hers. "Don't M'eudail. It wasn't fair of me to bring you into that without warning. I shouldn't have let my anger lead me that day. You come first, before everything else."
"No Thorin, you were right. I should have told you. I shouldn't have let my fear control me. I was just so certain I would never hear from them again, that Adad was okay…" she stopped mid-sentence as her voice started to become choked. "I still can't believe that Valinn killed him, killed Argos! I can't…" She breathed in deeply, pushing the wave of pain back down. She shook her head before looking up into Thorin's concerned gaze. "Now isn't the time. We don't have the time…"
"You have me tonight." He whispered lovingly into her hair as he rubbed her back,
"And when I return from burying Valinn six feet under you will have all the time you need to work through this. I am here for you."
She couldn't stop the tears from escaping as they fell down her cheeks unchecked.
"Still? After everything I did, what I kept from you?"
"Yes, Mistlynn." He sighed heavily as he continued to run his hands up and down her back soothingly. "Fili talked to me, after he spoke with you yesterday. I have my own things I need to work on when it comes to us. I have my own ghosts, and you have yours. We are just going to have to work together to navigate this."
She nodded as she felt guilt churn in her chest. She wished with all she was that they had more time to live this life together. But with what she had to do; it couldn't be. She just hoped it wouldn't destroy him, this one last secret she had to keep from him. It was for him, for their family, for their friends, for Erebor.
For all the innocents from her kingdom that had been lied to and misled, misguided for their entire lives for centuries. A deep burning anger churned with the guilt, making her clench her jaw in a sudden wave of furious despair. It wasn't fair, how her brother was robbing her of her life, all because of his greed, his twisted aspirations.
Thorin nuzzled her jaw, mistaking her inner turmoil for sorrow. He wasn't wrong in that sense; it was just over the wrong thing.
"I'll come back to you Mistlynn. This isn't my first battle I've faced, nor will it be the last."
"I know." Her whisper was faint as she raised her hand up to the side of his face before running her fingers down the braids starting at his temple. She played with the wedding beads she had given him, the ones that were her parents that she had always carried around her neck to keep them close. She hoped he would draw comfort from them after tomorrow, to have a piece of her to carry with him in this life as a reminder of the beautiful, fragile thing they shared between them.
Her chest ached; her sorrow was so heavy on her heart. She hoped this one last night with him would give her the strength she needed to power through tomorrow and give her the courage to do what needed to be done. She was her Amad's daughter; she would not bow at the brink of defeat and despair.
"Make love to me Thorin." She breathed in the underside of his jaw before tasting his skin with a flick of her tongue before caressing again with her lips. She could feel his groan rumble in his chest under her hands as she slowly pushed his heavy jacket from his shoulders, making it fall into a heavy heap on the floor.
"Are you sure?" he tilted her chin up to look up at him, his touch gentle.
"Yes, Thorin. You're the only thing in my life I am sure of. I need you. I need to feel you around me; to feel you inside me. Make me forget everything else but us." Her tone became desperate as she clung to him, her need for him sudden and all-consuming, aching for his touch in every sense.
His brow furrowed in concern. "Mist…" he began.
"Please Thorin. We will talk later, I promise." The words came out choked as she grasped his face in her hands, then guided his lips to hers with a desperate fervor.
He gave in under her ministrations, letting her take what she needed. Where she ripped his shirt and trousers off with a savagery bordering an anguish, he felt emitting from her very touch, he calmly removed her dress with worshiping hands, caressing the curves of her body.
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The next morning.
He awoke with a start.
The room was dark and cold, the fire reduced to glowing embers in the hearth. He went to rub his face with his hand but found his hands restrained above his head. "What in Mahal's name…Mistlynn?" he called into the dark room.
He squirmed to sit up quickly, his hands were bound firmly at the wrists, the rope was over the back of the headboard and appeared to be weighted down with something heavy. He pulled hard with an angry growl trying to lift the weight up over the headboard. He was met with an unyielding resistance as whatever it was got stuck against the bed and stone wall.
He scanned the room, his eyes adjusting to the dark. She was gone. Luna too. His heart leapt into his throat at that realization. Last night was her goodbye, she had been planning to go face her brother alone.
An enraged growl ripped from his throat as he threw his body forward, desperate to get free from his bindings. "MISTLYNN!" he bellowed as the headboard rattled with the force of the weight. For several moments, he fought against them in vain.
He chuckled darkly, despite the situation he found himself in. She was determined and resourceful, his wife. If he was being honest with himself, he had been expecting her to try something, but this took it to a whole different level.
The skin on his wrists protested at he renewed his struggle savagely. He turned around on his back to plant his feet against the headboard and threw his full weight back, pulling with his whole strength. The bed rattled and groaned in protest but refused to break. He bit out a savage curse as he wrapped the rope several times around his forearms and heaved backwards. He heard several loud cracks as the headboard rattled under the immense pressure, but still refused to give in.
"GUARDS! He bellowed as he started to kick his feet against the headboard. He knew the probability of him being heard through the thick rock walls was slim to none.
He ignored the burning bite of the rope on his wrists as he kicked and thrashed, praying that Dwalin or Balin would notice his tardiness sooner rather than later so that he could intercept Mistlynn before she reached Valinn.
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Meanwhile...
"He is late." Balin paced in the armory. "Most irregular."
Thorin's most trusted circle of warriors and advisors were waiting dressed in their full armor, their worry growing as the minutes passed.
"Maybe he's saying goodbye to Mistlynn?" Kili grimaced uncomfortably.
"He would have done that last night lad." Gloin grumbled, shooting Dori a reproachful glare as he was elbowed in retort.
"Maybe he slept in?" Bofur offered a very unlikely scenario.
"How about we draw straws for who gets to go retrieve him." Nori suggested, none too eager at the idea of having to go interrupt whatever it was that was keeping their King.
"Och, ye bunch of ninnies!" Dwalin growled. "I'll go fetch him!"
Fili ran quickly after Dwalin. "It's not like Uncle to be late for anything, especially for battle!"
"It's not. Either she's changing his mind on the entire thing…"
"Doubtful." Fili growled.
"…Or somethin' is wrong." Dwalin finished as they picked up their pace towards the royal chambers.
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Fili rushed to the doors, pausing momentarily, bracing himself for whatever was to greet him on the other side of the doors before he pushed them open.
The sitting room was dark, however now they could hear muffled shouts of colorful Khuzdul curses coming from the other side of the bedroom doors. Dwalin and Kili looked at each other with their eyebrows raised.
"You first lad, blood thicker an all tha'." Dwalin shoved him forward.
"Me? You're his cousin! And you've known him longer!"
Dwalin huffed in relented irritation as he walked up to the door and banged his fist loudly against them. "Thorin! Yer late! The whole war council is awaitin!"
"Dwalin! Get in here now!" Eyes widening in surprise, they burst through the door after hearing his livid shout with their weapons drawn. They were not expecting to see a naked Thorin, panting heavy in exertion as he fought against the rope that bound his hands to the now wrecked headboard.
"Witches teeth! What is going on!" Dwalin growled in surprise as he and Fili rushed to cut Thorin's hands free.
"She bound me to the bed when I was asleep and left Mahal knows when." Thorin spat as he flew out of the destroyed bed and started to quickly dress. "Luna is gone, her weapons are gone. She has gone ahead of us!"
Fili felt the color drain from his face. "She's confronting him." The words were heavy and sour on his tongue.
"The Lass is goin ta get herself bloody killed." Dwalin cursed as he quickly grabbed Orcist as Thorin finished pulling his boots on.
Thorin continued to growl curses and threats under his breath as he finished getting ready. He grabbed Orcist from Dwalin's outstretched hand and rushed out of the room, with Dwalin and Fili following closely on his heels.
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He was so angry he could barely think, let alone see straight. He couldn't believe she had managed to sneak out with Luna without one person seeing her. Dwalin was thoroughly berating the guards that were on duty. They swore not one soul had left Erebor, let alone the Queen and her Dire Wolf.
It didn't take long for Thorin to put on his battle armor, only adding to his thunderous and intimidating presence. Everyone who knew him could sense his seething ire was a carefully crafted disguise for the fear that was threatening to paralyze him. She was out there, alone, to face her maniac brother.
The stress in the room was palatable. While the wise guarded their words, others allowed their fear and outrage to float on the surface.
"This is most suspicious." One of the council members blustered. He was the only one who was even daring to speak up about the queen. "We knew nothing of her kingdom, she volunteered no intel, nothing! And now we have a massive army just outside our gates breathing down our necks, threatening the lives of our king and his heirs. The timing of it all seems so … convenient."
Thorin paused as the room became deathly still and quiet. "What…exactly…are you implying?" his tone was quiet, measured. It was deceiving, and everyone knew it. Everyone knew of the saying, 'beware of the still waters, for they run deep and wicked cold.'
Balin stood and walked towards the councilman and the King, knowing full well he was near his breaking point. Thorin turned slowly to face the room as he finished strapping Orcist to his side.
He adjusted his gauntlets before raising his eyes to stare at the offending dwarf. "Are you saying my One, the Queen, helped instigate our current political entanglement?" His eyes were slits, cutting into the shorter councilman as he towered over him.
"Come now, you were so open and honest with your thoughts just moments ago? And you now have my undivided attention." He clenched his gloved hands into fists, drawing the dwarves' wide eyes to them.
"Forgive me, my King. I misspoke. I am just concerned for our people."
"My WIFE is currently out there trying to take control of her brother's army for the sake of our people and allies, and she is alone. She is a warrior, bound in honor to me and our kingdom and you dare question her fealty? You are wasting my time spouting such heresy from your mouth when you know absolutely nothing." He seethed menacingly as he took another step closer.
The dwarf bowed his head, unable to hold the Kings gaze. "Forgive me, your majesty." His voice trembled.
"Is there anyone else here who wants to waste my time with meaningless talk and baseless accusations, or shall we go to the Queen's aide and put her brother in his place?"