Kizár Elená Durin · @SilmarilNaro
1st Sep 2015 from TwitLonger
Quest-verse: Return to the Mountain Home.
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sn5vu6
Arrival and greetings at Erebor.
@SilmarilNaro @Gyrfalconsheart @SilmarilAndrast
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Kíli
The road had changed... the last time Kíli had seen this road it had been empty, dark and nothing but an ominous fate looming ahead. Now it was repaired, the ancient statues had been lifted up to stand guard over the road again. In the light of dusk Kíli could see the gates ahead, torches blazing in the night, and lanterns shinning... the Mountain was awaiting them, a Prince and a Princess of Durin's folk returning home.He knew of that expectation through a Raven and a letter from his mother. She had told him what to expect... and that she wanted to see her daughter very prominently in the reception.
That led his eyes to Elenaria... Kizár, the longer they went the more comfortable he became with them being one. Even the deep affection Kélan had held for her was still there, only transformed into the deep, lasting familial bond. "They are expecting us." he said softly, as they reached the bend, and could see the mighty gates even more clearly.
Kizár
Elenaria had been looking at the mountain as Kíli spoke and turned to offer him a slightly worried smile. "I suppose I had best change now..." she murmured before shifting forms. She had felt traveling in her Elvhen form safer, if they had run into trouble. Taking a route that went up around the northern end of Mirkwood made all of them wary of remnants of the orc army. Still the possible orc encounter had been preferable to an almost guaranteed Elven encounter if they had dared to cross through Mirkwood.
Once again her dwarven self Kizár could not help a moment of fussy checking the clothing she wore was looking well. It was a bit dusty and her boots had some mud-stains, but that was to be expected. "One princess, slightly travel-stained, ready to go... I hope that the likes of Grís stayed home though." She grimaced at the passing thought of Glóin's wife.
Kíli
Kíli smiled warmly at her, they both showed the traces of travel, bot their boots and his armor showed that they had been on the road. But that was like it was to be expected. He could not resist hugging Kizár for a moment, just for happiness to having her here.
Maitimo smiled slightly at the scene, then gestured for the entire group to change formation, almost fluently her switched his orders between dwarven and the ancient Easterling tongue for Shangraile, so the entire group made room and formed up behind the Prince and the Princess. "No hiding," he said, directed at Kíli.
Kizár
Kizár took a breath as they started to walk up the gentle slope of the main causeway to the gate, looking up towards the ramparts where lookouts would be watching everyone approach. It was not a busy time of day, so they would be easy to see, and the presence of two tall-folk with notable red hair likely would have been something they would be watching for. There was moment up there, and Kizár grinned slightly, reaching the small space between them to squeeze Kíli's hand.
As they got to the entry itself she saw the guards present were warriors she was familiar with, men under Dwalin's immediate command since he had returned from the East. It was soothing to see them too, knowing Dwalin had made sure his people were in place.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lower light as they entered the mountain, but as soon as she could see clearly she could also see the welcoming party. Thorin was easy to pick out in the middle, Dís on one side of him, Fíli's gold hair standing out on the other.
Thorin
Thorin watched the group approach, lead by Kíli and his... sister. He would not re-visit the angry disputes he had with Dís, his sister was formidable in her anger and she had made it clear that this was her daughter, sister to Kíli. Thorin sighed... he saw Kíli and he could not see him. All he saw was the warrior who had stood up to him on that dark day, the one who was nothing like Kíli, the one who had been confident, strong and utterly fearless... all things Kíli was not and while Thorin had always demanded Kíli become like that, seeing him vanish behind the steel mask of Askíl had hurt... and Thorin felt a loss he had not expected. Deep down he had loved that wild, vivacious, bright dwarfling, and this dwarfling had died that day. The Prince who stood there would one day lead his people to new heights... but he was not the child Thorin had loved dearly. Without noticing it, he drew a little closer to Fíli, the one thing that had been left to him, the one piece of those times that had not been yanked away.
They walked into the light of the torches, Kíli wearing his armor, blade on the back, calm and proud, beside him his sister.... Thorin had only seen her other form, during that angered encounter, now he saw her physically. She was.... she looked so much like Dís when she had been young, it made Thorin almost stagger. The words to greet them failed him, but luckily Dwalin covered that for him, by shouting loudly. "The slayers of Smaug have returned!" which caused the entire crowd to cheer.
Kizár
Kizár smiled brightly at the cheer that greeted them, but let it cover a watchful eye she had one everything. She could see Thorin was trying to hide some unease, and likely to most it would not be noticed. It would be best, she thought, not to make it any worse. She gave Thorin a respectful bow, as would befit a member of the royal family.
"I am glad to return to our home and see it bright and alive beyond what I could imagine after how I last saw it. Your Highness has surely led our people well in clearing away the dragon's influence." She spoke formally, playing up a public image of a young lady giving her due respect to her family patriarch.
Thorin
Her words... so formal, they reminded Thorin even more of Dís in days gone so long ago. "Your return has been eagerly anticipated by our people," he rumbled as he stepped forward to properly greet them. There were more cheers as the visible tensions in the royal house faded somewhat for a warmer welcome.
Dís followed suit, welcoming her daughter and her son with a warm embrace.
Kizár
Kizár let herself relax as she let herself gladly sink into Dís's arms. Maybe she had been a bit too stiff, letting old memories of past formal events she had experienced get in her way, as well as the memory of how things had been before they left the mountain. She stayed at Dís's side even after being released from the hug, but waved Lossanárë over.
"I feel formal introductions were not of the most import when the mountain was newly taken, so may I formally introduce Lady Lossanárë, sister of the Lady Elenlossë of Himring Island, as well as sister to Lord Russandol, previously of the Dragon Forge."
Lossanárë
"My Lady sister asked that I serve as a an official ambassador on her behalf, and I will say that I am glad to be here, to see Durin's Folk filling the mountain's halls again." She knew well that everyone in the royal family knew that she could recall well the time before Smaug came.
Dís
Dís smiled at the tall willowy elf warmly, she had grown comfortable with the thought of her, and the connections she would bring. Maybe somewhere deep down, if she accepted her little boy as Durin reborn, she could appreciate the links her people had with them... and simply one of theirs was her daughter now, making them all part of the clan. She would never budge from that. "I am very happy to see you again Lady Lossanárë, and you are most welcome as an ambassador on your Lady sister's behalf. You and your family will always be welcome in these halls, as long as they abide."
She cast a glance to Thorin, relieved to see that he was engaged in politely, and somewhat less stand-offishly conversing with Maitimo and Fion. Maybe her brother could connect to the warriors and thaw a bit that way.
Lossanárë
Lossanárë followed the look towards Maitimo and Fion's discussion and smiled gently. "I know everything was strained right after Smaug, but I hope now we can work everything out properly, since we have had some time to calm." She spoke in a soft voice not to be heard by onlookers.
"But meanwhile, we also have with us Master Bilbo, who agreed to join us for the coronation, and... Ciaran Trevelyan, who gave us aid in our investigation into Khaldan. He has become a friend and defender, particularly to myself and Lossanárë." Shangraile had remained quietly in the back of their group, knowing even here in Erebor there would be a measure of suspicion about an Easterling. Perhaps the North was more used to dealing with the outlying territories of the Empire, but most of Durin's Folk had the influence of more western views after the Exile.
Dís
Dís greeted Bilbo warmly as he deserved, he had gone through a lot with her brother - and come out on top, a rare feat. Then her eyes strayed surprised to Ciaran - she had met a few Easterlings during her days as a young Princess, who came as traders, or maybe spies to the North. This one looked fierce, war-like and as confident as all of them did. She cast a questioning glance to Dwalin - who knew more of them than anyone else in the world.
Dwalin walked up to the man introduced as Ciaran - there was something about him, about the face and that scar that rubbed him the wrong way. Ciaran was not an Eastern name either, so it had to be an alias. "I am Dwalin son of Fundin, who was Dwalin Bloodbane once, and now stands as a defender of this land," he said in the tongue of the East, "whom do I meet?" There were forms most Easterlings abided by, and he wanted to know where he stood.
"I am Ciaran, who once was Shangraile, and who now stands as a defender of the Fallen Star," Shangraile replied in the same tongue, raising one hand, their fists met mid-air, in a warrior's greeting.
Dwalin's eyes widened, as he suddenly made the right connections, few could claim to having been inside the Temple of Remembrance, less could claim having been inside the inner halls for two weeks... and now he knew why the face rubbed him wrong. Legend and story... this was a time to prove myths true. "May you always find water and shade, Shangraile," he said. "though it is wise, that you changed your name."
Kizár
Kizár listened to the greeting Dwalin and Shangraile exchanged, a part of her using it as a measure of her understanding of the modern Eastern language. Shangraile had been teaching it along the journey, as they would need to know the current dialect if they carried out their plan to travel that way. She had learned the language that existed back in the First Age through listening to soldiers in Angband, but of all the races Men were the ones whose language could change the fastest.
Looking to Dís, Kizár quietly murmured, " I would be glad to soon retreat to more relaxed surrounds. Do you think the show of our arrival may be wrapped up soon?"
Dís
Dís smiled drawing herself up to her full - if diminutive - height. "Of course, it was a long journey for you." she said. The wish of the Princess to withdraw was something the entire court heeded, it was one of the advantages of being a dwarrowdam. Dís invited the ladies to all follow her, and through the ranks of the still cheering soldiers they walked into the mountain.