The guards at the gate gave her a weird look, Hellrien thought as she rode past them. And those two by the stables – why did they pause what they were doing and began whispering to each other?
She rode past the stables, prowler skin draping over the saddle bags behind her. It was gloomy in Frerin’s Court. Icy wind raised small puffs of snow in the corners.
”Hello, Wíli”, Hellrien greeted the stable-master.
Wíli muttered something incomprehensible.
Hellrien had to stop her horse. What in Mordor’s ashes was going on? What had happened? Something had happened… she could feel it with her every nerve. Quiet, menacing atmosphere floated over Frerin’s Court. Somebody stared at her by the big dwarf statue in the middle of the courtyard. Hellrien spurred her horse on and continued past the stables to the path leading towards the tunnels and the Stronghold.
As she approached the big door she saw something she had never seen before. An armed dwarf guard was standing in front of the door like a statue. As Hellrien approached the guard raised his hand into a rejecting gesture. Hellrien pulled the reins and looked down from her horse curiously.
”What’s this now?” she asked. ”I’m with The Sworn Brotherhood.”
”I don’t care one whit who you are with”, grumbled the guard. ”But the Blue Mountains belong to Durin’s folk, and your kind is not welcome here. New rules.”
The dwarf raised his head and stared at Hellrien grimly. His ice blue eyes were cold as death. With a shock Hellrien realized that what she saw in those eyes was… hate. Her jaw dropped open.
”What is the meaning of this?” she stammered. ”I’ve just returned from a reconnaissance mission by Vanguard Ranesora. I was away for a few weeks, but they are waiting for my report… and… and I got my stuff there… and my horse… and…”
”There is nothing for you there, woman”, the dwarf interrupted. ”Nothing at all. The last of your kind took their things with them when they left. When we asked them to leave.” The dwarf sighed, his patience growing thin. ”You see, whatever agreement Lord Dwalin had with Dorvairse, he had made with Dorvairse, and not… that Ranger. Many of us were opposed to it to begin with. Your kind in our tunnels – that can invite only trouble, we said. And we were right! There’s not been a moment of peace in the Blue Mountains since you lot settled here. Wizards and warlocks, whole armies cloaked in magic swarming our tunnels, bloodshed and mayhem… I’m surprised you didn’t manage to summon Sauron himself while you were at it!”
The dwarf spat on the ground and continued: ”But there’s not a single dwarf around who believes Dorvairse to be alive anymore. We’ve all heard the rumors. Dorvairse and his wife disappeared into Fornost – weeks, months ago! And most of the rest of you followed suit, rode straight there into Fornost – and none came back. Not a word what might have happened. We waited for a time, but enough is enough. At some point you need to draw the conclusions. There was a big meeting in the Hall of Kings, and the decision was made that Durin’s folk will reclaim the Blue Mountains, and show the door to the rest of your kind in our tunnels. There were not that many left there in the first place.”
”But… didn’t they leave me a message? Where did they go?”
”I have no messages for you. And I don’t care where they went, as long as they are not here, causing grief.”
”May I talk to guard-captain Unnarr?” Hellrien demanded.
”I would not seek audience with Unnarr if I was you, woman! Not if you know what’s good for you. Turn back, woman. Turn back and go home to your own kind. There is nothing left for you here anymore. The tunnels beneath the Blue Mountains were built by Durin’s people, for Durin’s people. We are simply reclaiming what was ours to begin with.”
Hellrien turned her horse quietly and rode away.
