Misty Mountains ch. 8 the wedding and the aftermath

The caravan had been traveling for a day when they met Arnial on the road on her way back to Erebor for her wedding. She was shocked and surprised to run into them on the road on their way out.

“Fili, what is going on?” she asked shocked when she recognized them.

“Arnial I wish we were seeing you again under better circumstances.” Fili said with a tight smile.

“Oh, my dear we have some bad news I’m afraid,” Balin said bringing his horse right to the front. “The Arkenstone has been returned to Thorin.”

Arnial stiffened “I had heard what he was like when he had possession of the stone before the battle for the mountain. So he has taken to dragonsickness again, is that why you are leaving?”

The dwarves exchanged looks with each other than Fili spoke “It is only a small part of why we are leaving. A dwarf female by the name Dithinia is the one who returned the stone, in exchange Thorin agreed to marry her. They are to be wed as soon as the preparations are completed”

Arnial took a step back as if she had been struck by a hand and she looked away from him for a few minutes, her eyes turned the way the dwarves had come. She reached into her travel bag pulling out a silver chained necklace and stared at it hard for a few minutes, she sighed shaking her head slowly.

“Take this Fili,” Arnial said softly. “I don’t have a use for it anymore I’m afraid.”

“Why not?”

“Because Thranduil was right,” she said stepping past him on the trail. “Be safe on your journey my friends we will meet again.”

“Where are you going?” Seraph asked reaching for her as she passed.

“I have a wedding to attend.”

********

Arnial arrived at Erebor just before the ceremony was to begin, she knew because there was very few in the way of guards at the gate. When she snuck into Erebor through one of the many secret dwarven doors she could tell everyone was gathering in one place deep in the halls. She knew that if the Arkenstone was back and the wedding was taking place it would happen in the throne room, Thorin would want to show off the stone. It was his greatest symbol of power.

She had stopped at the city of Dale to purchase the things she would need a dark cloak, a quiver of arrows, and a bow. She had asked for the strongest arrows that could be forged by man and had been given small arrows made from the same metal as the Black Arrows that had brought down Smaug.

Walking through the halls she took the back stone stairs to the balcony furtherest away from the throne but still overlooking it, knowing the dwarves would all gather much closer for the wedding then that. She walked up to the dark balcony and looked out over the throne room where all of the dwarves of Erebor were gathered. She looked at them and noticed that there was a noticeable few missing because they knew Thorin for what he was an Oathbreaker.

Arnial knew that after today the name of Oakenshield would die and in it’s place she would see the name Oathbreaker take form. Arnial stood in the darkness waiting, she could see Thorin standing before the throne of the mountain the empty place for the Arkenstone had been repaired and was waiting. She could also see a new slightly smaller throne had been erected beside Thorin’s throne, no doubt for the living queen of Erebor.

It wasn’t long before music started to play and the procession for the bride began. At the front of it was the women who had not been good enough for Thorin to marry and behind them would’ve usually been the bride’s trusted ladies in waiting. Oddly enough that spot was empty save for a box two young male dwarves carried slung between them.