The Dame of Dúnedain

Moria

Ten years later...

June 13th, Fourth Age (38)

Alaina and Legolas both stood with their fifteen-year-old daughter in between them. They were all squinting at the targets that sat thirty feet ahead of them. Nuntari and Alaina both held throwing knives in their hands and Legolas had his arms crossed. 

"I just want to keep throwing knives, I'm not even good with the sword," Nuntari complained, grabbing the tip of her knife and throwing her arm and the knife at the target, hitting very close to the center.

Alaina chuckled, "I'm proud of how good you've gotten with the knives, Nuntari.. but you should practice your Sindarin and sword skills.."

Nuntari groaned, throwing another knife. Legolas muttered something about how shooting a bow is better cause Nuntari and Alaina to laugh. It was an ongoing argument about whether or not Alaina or Legolas' way of fighting was better. Nuntari looked at the knife, "Okay.. but what if I was in a fight, I wouldn't have time to change the way I hold the knife, would I?"

Alaina only nodded, "I quickly learnt that in battle, it's better to do this." Alaina threw her knife up in the air in about a foot and then grabbed the tip as it fell back down, using the momentum to throw her arm forward, hitting the target dead center, only the handle was sticking out.

Nuntari smiled and Legolas scoffed with a small grin on his face. Nuntari got ready to toss the knife up in the air, "Careful," Legolas and Alaina both warned at the same time.

Nuntari threw the knife up in the air and reached for it, throwing her arm back causing Alaina to stumble out of the way as the girl threw the knife dead center at the target. Alaina clapped and Nuntari stood tall. 

Alaina turned towards Legolas, "But in all seriousness, we would continue to speak Sindarin around her. She eventually pick it up."

Legolas laughed at Nuntari's confused face, "Indeed."

"That's unfair!" Nuntari stomped causing Alaina and Legolas to both laugh out loud.

"Learn to speak the language," Alaina demanded now, "Learning to fight can wait, it's easier to pick up a language when you're younger."

Legolas nodded, "Remember when Gimli tried to teach you dwarvish?" He laughed causing Alaina to scoff.

"I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Our dwarven allies will appreciate it," She said, looking at Legolas like 'you should learn it too'.

Legolas shook his head, "I'm not learning Khuzdul, Alaina."

Nuntari looked at the two back and forth, only picking up some of the words. "Why are you guys talking about Dwarvish?"

Alaina chuckled, "Come on, let's go back to the castle, I'm supposed to be receiving requests at the moment.." She says, turning to Nuntari, "And you, need to practice your Sindarin."

Nuntari sighed, beginning to walk back to the castle through the city. Alaina and Legolas walked together, greeting some villagers who spoke to them as they walked through the streets. 

Alaina was laughing at something Legolas had said when they entered the castle, seeing the people who stood in the throne room Alaina walked down the aisle. "Once again Lord Trefor, I will not arrange a marriage between your son and my daughter," she spoke, walking past Lord Trefor to her throne.

Lord Trefor clenched his teeth, "My queen... there's no one better to marry her off to, my son is very respectable and it would be a great alliance."

Alaina sat in her chair lazily, leaning into the corner of it, her facial expression twisted. "Only, I don't need an alliance with you. You don't have to live in my kingdom, you get to." Alaina noticed the many nobles that sat around the room.

Legolas stood by her side now, leaning his bow against the throne. Nuntari was no where to be seen. Alaina took a deep breath and stood, "I want all of you to listen to my words. I am not interested in a match for my daughter, she and she alone choses."

The nobles all began to whisper as Alaina sat back down and watched as Lord Trefor looked frustrated. "Do you have something you actually need or is that all you came to grovel about?" Alaina asked, resting her head on her hand, looking rather bored.

Lord Trefor reluctantly bowed his head, "No, my queen, thank you for your attention," he spoke before walking out of the throne room.

The door opened up for him causing him to stop in his place as five kingly-looking dwarves walked in. He got out of their way and continued to storm out. Alaina sat up straight now as the dwarves walked down the large throne room.

The whispers of the nobles changed topic to the dwarves and Alaina saw in the corner of her eye that Legolas protectively put his hand on the throne behind Alaina. By that, she knew that he knew the dwarves that walked in.

And by the way that they walked and the sigils that they bore, Alaina could tell that these were the dwarves of Erebor. And at the helm of the small group walked Thorin III Stonehelm. He was at the council of Elrond before the War of The Ring.

If Alaina could remember correctly, he was the son of Dain II Ironfoot, who was king of Erebor after Thorin Oakenshield died in the Battle of The Five Armies. Dain was Thorin's cousin so the kingship fell to Dain when Thorin died. 

Therefore, his son, Thorin III Stonehelm, had become king after Dain died in the battle of Dale during the War of The Ring. 

Alaina figured that the dwarf next to Thorin III was his young son of age thirty-six, Durin VII. Behing them were other dwarves who Alaina couldn't place.

Alaina instantly stood as Thorin reached the steps up to the throne. Her eyebrows raised as the king of Erebor bowed to her. "Queen Estel, how good is it to finally meet you.."

Alaina smiled kindly, stepping down the steps and bowing to the king, "King Stonehelm, the pleasure is all mine," she was offered his hand to which she gave hers and got a kiss on her knuckles.

Alaina took a deep breath and walked back up to the throne, "What is it you've come here for, King Stonehelm?"

The dwarf smiled, "Call me Thorin, please.. and if it wasn't to look upon your rumored beauty," he paused as Alaina chuckled, "It is to let my son tell you, like he's told your brother and every other ruler in this world what he has planned for the future of Moria."

Alaina's facial expression switched completely at the name 'Moria'. She almost started laughing but had to stop herself as Thorin stepped backwards and his son, Durin VII stepped forward now. 

He bowed, "My queen, I've come to tell you that myself and the men that follow me plan to take back Moria," he paused watching Legolas and Alaina's reactions. 

Footsteps followed down the steps as Nuntari walked in, joining her mother and father by their side as Legolas spoke, "You want to take back Moria?" He asked with a disgusted face.

"Retake and rebuild the great city," Durin spoke confidently.

Legolas and Alaina thought back to when they had to go through Moria with the rest of the Fellowship. Alaina was snapped out of her thoughts when the image of Gandalf falling off the bridge of Khazad-dum flashed through her mind. "It's not a city, it's a tomb and a home for Goblins, cave trolls and other sorts of orc," she snapped.

During raised his chin ever so slightly. It went silent for a moment and Nuntari was finally caught up on what was going on. Durin looked as though he was hurt by her words. "My queen.. we are going to take back the city whether you approve or not. We simply wanted to give you the option to be a part of it and get a share of the great amount of mithril that lays in the mine."