Dis' Story - Part 39

She would never speak again.

Not out loud.

The Burglar, who her family had befriended, had already left with Gandalf when she arrived but had promised to return again one day. 

(A year or so later, he did, accompanied by Gabdalf and Balin who had fetched him. He was a curious creature called Baggins and he watched her as she walked about her mountain, still dressed in black. He could find no words to say to her. The Wizard had approached Dis, but he could not think what would be appropriate to say either).

So it was with all.

No-one could even think of beginning a conversation with her. 

She would only turn and gaze at you with her empty brown eyes.

Those eyes burned through you.

You felt ashamed to be there.

You felt ashamed to be alive and living while her family had died and gone.

~~~~~~~~~~

It took years to fully restore Erebor.

In that time, Dwarves had arrived from Ered Luin and were happy to be home and rebuild it while showing their born-in-exile descendants around the Mountain where they belonged. 

Dain Ironfoot was crowned King under the Mountain and the Greatest Dwarf Kingdom of Middle-Earth flourished again.

Dain made the ten Dwarves of the the quest who had survived the battle his specials lords.

The Ten Lords were honoured and respected throughout Erebor, Dale, and the newly constructed Lake Town of Esgaroth (the previous town having been destroyed by an angry dragon).

Over those years, these Ten Dwarf Lords grew and aged and governed their people well.

Wars and battles were still around to be fought and new alliances were there to be forged. 

Wealth and splendour was abundant.

Yet there was still one whisper among the Dwarves.

For Erebor was still the home of Dis.

She wandered the Mountain alone, only ever seen in black, with a face as pale as moonlight and hollow eyes that peered at you hauntingly, as though you were not there and were only echoes...no more than echoes...that pained her as she recalled her past.

But whenever a young Dwarfling crossed her path, Dis would stop and gaze at it and a weak smile would curl her lips for a brief second until the child left. Then the smile faded completely and Dis would revert back to being an emotionless ghost, walking about and keeping out of the way.

"Who's that, Mama?" A child would whisper.

"That is Princess Dis, daughter of Thrain II,"

"She looks sad,"

"She is sad," 

"She looks lonely,"

"She is lonely,"

"Why?"

"She lost something,"

"What did she lose?"

...A pause...a sorrowful sigh...a mournful face...

"Everything,"

~~~~~~~~~~

No-one knew where she slept, if she DID sleep.

Dain never saw her return to her house.

Nearly all of her days were spent at the tomb, before her resting family as she guarded them.

What went on through her head was unknown to everyone.

Not even I know... For I do not have the heart to ask her...