The Shadow Walker

85. Return of the Shadow Walker

The table erupted with angered shouting. I glanced at Dwalin, and he met my gaze. He gave a single, silent nod of support. I returned his nod gratefully, then turned back to the mess of arguing Dwarves.

"Silence!" I yelled, standing.

They froze and looked at me.

"We are the government of Erebor, not a bickering rabble of children," I said. "Let's act like it, and talk through our concerns one person at a time."

* * *

It took hours. They expressed, one by one, their doubt in my reasoning, and told me exactly how stupid my idea was. Finally, Dwalin calmly listed the reasons an alliance made sense. So finally, hours later, they reluctantly agreed to let me propose an alliance.

Getting permission to propose said alliance in person was a whole battle unto itself, but we'll skip the particulars and just say I got that, too. I was scheduled to leave the day after tomorrow. My maids began sewing me dresses like mad, until I had a decent travel wardrobe.

The hectic preparations during the day helped to keep my mind off Legolas. But nothing could distract me that night, when I couldn't fool myself into thinking I wasn't alone. I missed him, badly.

"Legolas..." I whispered into the dark. A tear slid over my cheek, landing on the pillow with a light thunk. Eru, I was being so stupid! Who was I, trying to convince Thranduil to approve of an arranged marriage? He would take one look at me and know exactly what I was. A runaway. A thief. An almost-assassin. An imposter under a crown.

I let out a shuddery sigh and pulled one of my overstuffed pillows down so I could hug it to my chest. But it was too cold, too soft for me to pretend it was Legolas.

But if I was silent, I could almost imagine his voice. His beautiful, silvery voice singing softly into the darkness.

May it be an evening star shines down on you...

* * *

The next day, I got up early with an idea and made some loose plans, then met with the Court for breakfast as usual. I told them nothing. Afterwards, I told Larika I had a horrible headache and wanted a couple hours to take a nap. She gladly complied, the sweet thing. And I got dressed in my all-black outfit, pulled my hair up under a scarf and covered my face. I checked myself in the mirror, and couldn't help but smile.

The Shadow Walker had returned.

It wasn't hard to guess where they kept the Arkenstone. After the death of my father, uncle, and great-uncle, they decided against burying it with them, and returned it to its traditional place in the throne, over the head of the sitter.

What was hard was making a distraction big enough to lure the guards away. And then running into the throne room and getting the Arkenstone out. And getting myself out. But, you know, old hand for The Shadow Walker.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going!?"

I froze, then turned around slowly. "Hey yourself!" I pulled off my scarf. "I mean never mind that I'm your Queen. I go wherever the Mordor I want."

The guard paled. "I..um..." He dipped into a deep bow. "I am so sorry, Your Highness. Please take no offense, it's my job to guard the throne room. And...the Arkenstone." He glanced at the throne, and his eyes bulged. "It's missing!"

"Shh..." I held up the pouch I'd stowed it in. "It's safe. I just need to borrow it for a little while."

He gulped. "I...don't think..."