Boromir Aesir · @Boromir_Aesir
2nd Mar 2015 from TwitLonger
Stone-verse: Planning to Go North.
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1skuldl
While talking about Kíli's new assistants, he and Boromir discuss visiting Eriador when Thirán returns home.
?@Boromir_Aesir? @Valandhir
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Boromir
There was word going around about two new dwarves coming in with the group of tradesmen who would be serving through the winter. It was talk that drew Boromir's ear straight away as he had concerns about how unknown dwarves would react to Kíli.
Truthfully, such a situation had not even come up yet, and he had to give allowance that maybe - just maybe - a dwarf from the Hidden Kingdom could make contact with Kíli for whatever reason. It all came down to how Kíli reacted, so it was to Kíli he would go to ask about these two that word said he had assigned to assist him.
Kíli
It was the end of another long day in the forge. Kíli was stashing away a few last things. Anvari was somewhere with Elennárë, he did not know what they were discussing but as long as Elennárë did not indicate that she disliked his company, Kíli would not intercede. Thirán was already downstairs to rest - Kíli had worked with him all day, and he knew that the work which had been partially training had worn Thirán out. Arcane exhaustion was something that did that to any crafter. Kíli knew from experience.
When he spotted Boromir coming towards the forge a warm smile shone in Kíli's eyes. He had not seen much of Boromir the last days, which was normal when the fortress was busy. all the more he was happy to see him.
Boromir
The smile Boromir could see on Kíli's face was a welcoming thing, telling him that all time he had been kept away with seeing to things around the camp was something Kíli understood, and that he was glad to see Boromir. Boromir stepped inside and crossed the space so he could greet Kíli with a warm hug.
"How have you been of late? I know with the new group of craftsmen and recent movements across the river I have been rather busy." He spoke, a bit breathless. "I also heard you gained a couple of helpers as well..."
Kíli
Kíli returned the hug, then looked up at Boromir with a smile. "Rather busy, as you can see." The forge was stacked with supplies the troops would have to get tomorrow, to make room. "And with the two helpers Baranor send my way I got a surprise... something... something I would never have believed could happen." He wondered how he could begin to explain who Thirán and Anvari were. Had Boromir ever heard of Azanulbizar? He might... there were some songs about it, though most of them were badly translated at best. "It is quite a bit to explain." he said honestly.
Boromir
Boromir nodded in the direction of a seat nearby. "I will listen if you will tell, barring a night attack striking, or some other emergency, my main duties are done for the day." He said, ushering them over to sit.
Kíli
Kíli followed him over to the corner, to sit down with him. "Anvari is off with Elennárë, she seems to enjoy talking to him and Thirán is resting. We worked on magical blades all day." he said, while settling down. For a moment he wondered how he could begin, how he could begin to tell the story.
"When I was very - a small dwarfling - my great-grandfather King Thrór tried to retake the ancient dwarven kingdom of Moria. It was not that long after the dragon came, he had the main bulk of our people, of our armies still behind him. The battle that followed, the battle of Azanulbizar..." Kíli could not speak that word without trepidation, none of those who had lost their families there could and he swiftly went on. "you may have heard of the battle, there are few songs about it, that I heard even here. 'Children of Blood' for one," that song did not name the battle, but was a fair description of those who had survived, "'Coming home from Dimril Dale'... though that song is not quite as accurate."
He looked at the fire, remembering Azog on the fields outside Erebor. "Two thirds of the armies fell that day, they later said an entire generation was lost on the bloodfields of Azanulbizar. My great-grandfather, grand-father, my father... and one Uncle died on that field. My Uncle Frérin was the younger brother of Thorin, and we believed him fallen and burned with the many other corpses. Only..."
Now he looked up, meeting Boromir's eyes. "The Orcs captured him, him and many other wounded fighters, dragging them down into the deeps of Moria, making them work there. Thirán spoke of Eastern Men holding command over that operation, and that for one does not surprise me. When Azog, the Pale Orc, met his end outside Erebor and the bulk of his forces with him, Frérin led those who were still alive to escape, they fled the Mountains and escaped to Eriador." Kíli could not help but wonder if he would have heard of them, had he returned West instead of going South. "Frérin... he calls himself Thirán now, for those who are Lost lose the right to their true name."
Boromir
The songs Kíli mentioned were passingly familiar to Boromir, as with his love of the history of warfare, he would listen the closer to songs about great battles. Those two in particular had implications of a great battle that was a great disaster, speaking of great loss. He however had not gone looking far into finding what battle they alluded to, so the explanation Kíli gave was something he had little knowledge of.
But a slave who managed to get free of his captivity... "That..." He started, a slightly confounded tone slipping into his words. "Is one very rare tale of fortune. That he find his way of orc hands, and now find his way here? I would have wonder, did he come somehow knowing you were here then?"
Kíli
"Not fortune... strength," Kíli replied. "I cannot imagine how they managed to survive that long, decades in Orc hands. They always dwarves last the longest when taken, but that long..." he shuddered, knowing well enough what it meant. The other question was a good one. "He did not come her blindly. One of the weapons I made for the traders found it's way North. Anvari - he is Frérin's son - recognized my sigil when he saw the weapon in the market at Rivendell. The Lost Ones mainly have to trade with the elves and menfolk, because most dwarves would not even look at them, if not go and destroy their settlement if they found out. Anvari recognized the sigil and when he told his fathers about it, Thirán decided to come here and find out, to either find out if I was still alive, or to punish the imposter for using the sigil."
Boromir
Boromir nodded as listened. To find someone using a craft-mark not their own was a crime punishable by law in Gondor, even if were a foreigner bringing a charge against a citizen of Gondor. "Then it is a glad thing that he found you at the end of his search, and I am glad he came, for your sake as well." He pulled Kíli into a brief hug. "As he came in with the crafters, he will be here for the winter at least, but if he still has people up north, will he have to return to them at some point?"
Kíli
"He will stay for the winter," Kíli said. "both he and Anvari have the arcane talent, though Anvari got most of his training from the elves. And... I already told you that I will have to at least briefly go to the White Mountains in late winter, for at that time we will almost have run out of some of the minerals and materials here?" They had talked of it, and the only source to get cobalt and other minerals for the steel refining were the White Mountains. "I want Thirán and Darghûn to meet. Darghûn never cared about the entire dishonoured notion, and I hope... I hope that Thirán's people can find a better home in the Hidden Kingdom. For, yes, he would have to return North once spring comes. There is an entire settlement of survivors up there and he is their leader."
Boromir
"I would hope they could move down here then, to be able to return to their people, to a kingdom who will not mistreat them..." Boromir spoke, his mind already working. "If they have to head north, will you be going with them?" He wondered. "I find myself wondering what they northern lands are like, but whether I could spend that time away from the war-front would be based on how things are here, by the time spring reaches us." Tales of what had become of Arnor were patchy at best in Gondor, though he knew the northern kingdom had fallen apart. If anything remained of them though, they would be linked to Rivendell, as the Elven haven was a name that came up in a number of tales from the latter Second Age, right through to Arnor's fall.
Kíli
"I had considered going with them - provided I can be spared here." Kíli replied honestly, he knew what duties he had accepted when he became a citizen of this land. "And I hope to talk a few warriors up in the Hidden Kingdom around to going with them. Seeing dwarves who will not look down on them, or try to destroy what is theirs will help convince the others." He wondered if there was anything worth enough that could be used as an argument for Boromir to come with them. Something to gain that would pass Denethor's scrutiny. "As for the North... Boromir, I grew up in Eriador and in my own way, loved it. The lone lands are a grim place, ruins, fallen lands, some settlements in between, of whomever still clings to that land. Hill Men, Dúnedain, dark men who remained behind when Angmar collapsed. Orcs everywhere. Thirán said that his partner, Thórálfr had a debate with the Dúnedain leader, about building more fortified settlements, after the Dúnedain lost one to the Orcs only recently. At least Thirán seems to be on better terms with their leaders than Thorin ever was."
Boromir
The mention of the Dúnedain had Boromir frowning, as it reminded him of tales he knew, on something of a closer level. "My father has told me tales of a Man of the north who came to Gondor and served my grandfather for a while. He went by the name of Thorongil, but my father said that he knew there was more to the man, that he was the heir to the line of Isildur..." Boromir shook his head a bit. "Father had a strong dislike of him, feeling it did Gondor no good to have some who, in his words, seemed like a half-wild stranger coming to claim the throne, no matter how long it has stood empty."
Kíli
Kíli frowned slightly. "I remember Thorongil," he said slowly. "and by his face I'd have said he might have been Arathorn's boy, which means at least the family survived the massacre at Cymarai's wells. That is as much an answer as I could give your father, when he asked me what I knew about this Northerner."
He knew that his view on Thorongil was not neutral, though he did his best to not let it influence his words. "What I could gather back during the Umbar campaign, that he may or might be connected to Tharkûn... Mithrandir that is."
Boromir
Mithrandir... that was another name that made Boromir grimace. He had barely met the Wizard last time he had come to Gondor, as he had still been recovering from Minas Morgul, but he knew his brother had been quite fascinated by the old man and what tales he could tell. He also knew it had also raised his father's ire.
"I still remain somewhat curious about Thorongil, but I can carry on without having to meet him... I do agree with one sentiment my father has about him, that whatever claim he might have to the throne does not make up for his lack of presence here. He would need to prove he is worthy of Gondor's loyalty if he ever tried to claim it." He gave a shrug about that. "The Wizard though... I could live with Thorongil far better than I suspect I could tolerate Mithrandir." There was something in that, he did not know where it came from, a suspicion of the old man that had made him want to avoid him.
Kíli
"I do not like Mithrandir either," Kíli replied grimly. "not after he broke is word to Thorin and left us to deal with dragon alone. But if Thorongil is somehow connected to him, he might well be courting death, if you ask me." He understood Boromir's sentiment on the line of Kings all too well. Such a claim came with a huge obligation, with a duty to one's people, and if any heir took that duty seriously he'd be here, fighting on the front lines.
A thought came to Kíli, maybe because thinking of duty, of what he had been raised to, had brought back some things he had forbidden himself to think of, ever since the events at Erebor. "Maybe..." he said thoughtfully. "there is something I could try, if I am considering going North after all. It might gain us a few fighters, it might gain us nothing, or me a duel for presumptions. But it would be worth the risk."
Boromir
Something that could garner a duel? That had Boromir wondering. "What would it be, what you are thinking of?" He asked.
Kíli
"When I left Erebor... there was at least one friend who warned me that Dáin had something afoot. He could not come with me, because his brother lay seriously injured and I told him to stay." Kíli replied, wondering if he was crazy to try, and yet he knew that he should. "And I might have a few other friends left among the dwarves of the North. Maybe. I do not know what they think of me now. But - I could let them know that I am now of the Dead, and like another of my house before me will not let it hinder me to keep fighting the Orcs. Let them know I am not of Gondor and fighting against the Shadow. That I will come North by next summer and that if I have any friends left who'd join me, they could meet me in Eriador." He took a deep breath. "It might bring a few friends down here - or someone to challenge me for presuming. I cannot say. There is one friend I have hopes for, that he would come here, though what else would come of it, I cannot say."
Boromir
"If you wish to take that chance... I would be glad of good fighters who would come, and if you end up with someone challenging you instead... well I will stand in support of you there." Boromir said in response. It seemed to him that Kíli did not want to get his hopes up about this, but all the same was hoping this friend of his would come. Any extra support, even if it was only one or two warriors, Boromir would welcome, and if he had to guess from what Kíli said, whoever this friend was, he would be experienced and at least Kíli's age, or older.
Kíli
Kíli smiled warmly at Boromir, reaching over to hug him. The thought that he'd be there to support him made him feel warmer inside. "I do hope for Dwalin... he helped me when we escaped Goblin town, he got me through it right after, and he never showed any sign of disgust for what he had witnessed. He was the one who warned me too." He said after a moment.
Boromir
"Then he sounds like he was a true friend... I hope he remains so, you deserve to have what friends will stand at your side."
Kíli
For the first moment Kíli did not respond verbally, but simply hugged Boromir, unable to voice what Boromir's understanding meant to him. "Then I will try." he said after a while. "it will mean for me to accompany Thirán and Anvari back North." If they did it right, it could be done within a year, depending on weather and other unforeseeable things.
Boromir
Boromir held him tightly, thinking a little on what he would have to say to his father about this. It would not be easy, but he truly did want to go with Kíli on this. He knew his father would be disinclined to trust command to Faramr, but maybe Baranor? Or one of the other officers? At the least, he had most of winter to work through the details on it.
Kíli
Kíli knew that mien, when Boromir was thinking, planning on something. His words before had indicated that he wanted to come along on that journey. "I am already thinking what your father might consider valuable enough to risk such a journey North." he said after a while.
Boromir
That was a sticking point in Boromir's thoughts, something his father would consider worth letting him go for. "What would that be? I know it might take more than just allies to convince him."
Kíli
"That is what I am not yet sure about either," Kíli said. "what things he would consider of high worth. I know he values the lost knowledge above anything else - but whether he'd deem it worth enough to risk you, I doubt. He is not someone who would believe that rekindling the old contact to the elves is worth it either." The only thing that Kíli could vaguely think of was power, which was right back with the secrets of old. But then, he was not as close to Denethor as Boromir was.
Boromir
"That is true, he would prefer putting his trust in something only he could control, not in people who have differing opinions..." There was a hint of exasperation in Boromir's voice as he said that. "If he could claim one of the Rings of Power, he would, no matter what curse was upon them."
Kíli
The mention of the rings of power made Kíli shiver. "My grandfather still wore the first of the seven," he said in a hush, but was cut off from more words when he saw Elennárë walk into the forge.
Elennárë
Elennárë gave the two she considered her brothers an odd look as she heard Kíli's words. "I think that ring is well and truly lost - Elenaria certainly thought as much and she had sixty years in Cardemir." She commented, a bit hesitantly. "But there are other things... She knew where Elenlanta was, but that was just after the quest, so the cave might have been found and raided since then... and I have to wonder what Telpë may have created... or if he is still alive in this world... she believed him alive in hers... and she still had reservations about that magic ring Bilbo had as well..."
She forced herself to stop her stream of half-mumbled recollections, looking a bit embarrassed.
Kíli
"Elenlanta? The fallen Star?" Kíli's eyes widened. "You would know where it might have been found?" He did not comment on the First of the Seven, that ring was lost and it had brought enough pain, enough darkness to his family to never wish it back. "I am not sure who Telpë is..." he admitted, though something inside him said, that he knew, that it was a name he should remember. "And Bilbo..." it was a name that Kíli had not been thinking of in many years. "I wonder if our Hobbit is even still alive."
Elennárë
"Elenlanta was in the troll cave, near the back, buried in some debris. Sting is a partner dagger to it. I would be rather surprised if nothing has found the cave since then and uncovered it." Elennárë started. "Telperinquar, known in Sindarin as Celebrimbor. They - Elenaria and her brother - were planning to go to the ruins of Ost-In-Edhil to find him, and Bilbo... well Anvari told me he has met him. He is old now, but he is living in Rivendell."
She took a moment to seat herself near to Kíli and Boromir. "In truth, it is something Anvari told me about I wanted to speak to you about. He told me there was a redheaded Elf he and his father met a few times, who lived up ice-lands. He'd come south for supplies when they met him... Very tall, even for an Elf, and missing his right hand."
Boromir
Boromir listened, a little bemused at what his sister was saying. Half of it was unfamiliar to him, but the other half was things straight out of legend. The name Celebrimbor for one, he knew that, and reading of some of the histories and legends about the Silmarils made the description of the Elf she spoke of familiar as well.
"Your brother is alive?"
Kíli
Kíli had listened just as intently as Boromir, only to him the legend of Celebrimbor made sense in an entirely different way. "Ost-in-Edhil... Narvi went there to learn from a smith, chained to an anvil in the deeps of the fallen city. I... long ago I had thought I too might go there." It had been before the Quest, before many things, but sad thoughts had no room here. "Thirán mentioned the same elf," Kíli said. "if your brother were alive..." It would be amazing for her, not to mention that it would mean that one of the best warriors of another age still walked this world.
Elennárë
"Two brothers... and Elenlossë, possibly with Cáno." She added. "That was the next step after Ost-In-Edil, going to Himring, as Aelin had confirmed they were there." She bit her lip for a moment. "I would like to see if they are in this life, if I could find Little Star... Losá may not be here in form but I have my link and could share it with Elenlossë... we would finally be together, after a fashion."
Kíli
Kíli looked at her thoughtfully. "Boromir and I were discussing how to convince Denethor to allow him to come with me North, to bring Thirán's and Anvari's people home, and maybe... maybe the one or other friend who'd not mind what became of me." he explained what they had discussed before. "Maybe, if we go, you could come with us and we could try and find the rest of your family." Only this was nothing they could explain to Denethor. How he would react to three Silmarils was not something Kíli wanted to imagine.
Boromir
Boromir had only heard the name of one sister in passing, but it was easy for him to work out that Elennárë was referring to her other sister. Somewhere the Silmaril that was believed to be in the ocean was in fact on land and... with a brother? The legends indicated one other who could be alive and if they were near the sea he could work out who.
"I think then it is a good thing that you have been learning how to defend yourself." He spoke up. "The journey north may not be an easy one, and from what Kíli has said, neither will crossing to the coast be totally peaceful." He held out an arm to draw her closer. "Not that I expect you to be on the front line of a fight, but if anything got around us, you have sword and stave to help hold them back."
Elennárë
"Would it be much of a surprise if I said I had hoped to some day make such a journey, and learning to wield something besides my fire was to prepare for it?" There was a small blush as Elennárë admitted that.
Kíli
Kíli smiled watching them both embrace. And while he felt a certain trepidation about the journey, he suddenly could not help looking forward to it all the same.