Within the wooden halls of the capital town of the Tribe of Drownholt, which is somewhat similarly named Drownhold. Petty King Saeweald Morcarson was sitting upon his wooden throne as he held a blonde haired teenage girl on one lap, and a nicely reflective silver plate in his other hand. While at the same time his royal raiders stood guard at the double doors of the hall, and two beautiful and skimpily dressed young women danced around a fire at the center of the hall.
Watching his own nicely combed dark hair, brown eyes, bushy eyebrows, nice jawline covered by a short dark beard that went also over his upper lip leaving his nice lips visible for all to see. Along with this, his muscles being clearly visible as he didn't wear a shirt made his whole look just truly and utterly fantastical. Plus with his beautiful daughter on his lap there, the image within the reflection of the silver plate was truly spectacular for him.
So immersed Saeweald was with himself that the dancing girls with nice tits totally faded into the background for him. To Saeweald they were nothing but items to glorify his own perfection just as his own daughter was, though the girls complaining did take a lot out from the occasion.
"Dad, can I go now? It's not like the painter or whoever from Gondor has yet arrived, so what's the point of me sitting here? Plus this is so boring."
Saeweald didn't look at his whining daughter, but merely changed poses as he continued looking to his handsome reflection within the silver plate, as he said.
"Patients Sini, this is important, I have to get the perfect image of myself ready. And to do that we need to rehearse, and you need to smile and look pretty, oh and maybe if you could hug me with one hand caressing my chest. I think that would make me look even better."
Princess Sini rolled her eyes as she heard these words, though before she could answer the doors to the hall suddenly opened, and gasps and screams of women were carried into the throne room. For there at the entrance stood one of her father's hairy men with a half eaten corpse with maggots and all in his hand.
Seeing it the dancers and Princess Sini screamed.
"Oh my Lord it's a corpse, AHH!"
The women's high-pitched screams were unbearable to Saeweald, so he dropped his silver plate and let go of his daughter as he quickly covered his ears and yelled.
"Ahhhhh, must you yell in my ear Sini, you loud mouth girl!"
Though as the man dragging the corpse approached, the dancers along with Princess Sini were quick to run away to the side rooms of the throne room. While the Kings hands then left his ears as he looked angrily upon the corpse dragging man and asked.
"Oi what's this then aie!"
Corpse in hand the man then came before the throne of the Tribal King and humbly said.
"My King, I bring you grave news."
Then he grabbed the corpse in two hands and tossed it upon the two wooden steps leading to the throne. Maggots flew and scattered over the steps, and an awful smell carried into the King's nose that made his face turn to disgust, as the Hairy man then explained.
"Your son is dead my King. The corpse before you being your son I mean, or so I do believe. For none except you my king and he your son Wiglaf has such fine white teeth, which you can also see on the corpse there."
The King's face didn't change as he heard of this, he merely looked more disgusted the longer he looked upon the corpse, as he then commanded.
"Damn you man, get this ugly corpse out of my sight this instant! My son or not, you cannot just come marching in here with a corpse, you'll make the place stink and mess up my beautiful floor!"
Hearing this the hairy man seemed a bit shocked, but respectfully nodded, and grabbed the corpse. And without care once more started dragging it out of the hall, but then he stopped as he heard the King call upon him once more.
"Oh but wait, Wolfraff my man. Be sure to get your brother Wolfguard and his Wolfgang together, and go find out where those girls of my dead son are. I want them returned to me as soon as possible."
Nodding his head Wolfraff then turned to leave, but then stopped again as his King spoke once more.
"Oh, and do make sure to burn my son's corpse properly, but save the skull. I want it cleaned and made into a cup for me. I think it would make a fine item to remember my son by, that dum sack of horse shit. But more importantly be sure to get those girls quickly, the more time passes and the older they get the less their selling price will be. So move, time is of the essence, especially if some other man has already laid hands upon them, so hurry up. And if you succeed then during the next raid I will let you choose as many war wives as you want."
At the mention of war wives Wolfraffs eyes lit up, he dropped the corpse, turned fully towards the King, straightened his back, tapped his chest and yelled.
"Yes my war chief, it will be done!"
Though his bright expressions soon fell as he realised his mistake, and the king angrily yelled at him.
"King, it's King, not a war chief!"
Wolfraff nodded his head then and said loudly.
"Yes, m m, my, my king! Yes, your majesty!"
And with these words a smile came to Saewealds face, as he gestured with his hand for the man to leave, and then with a serious expression sat down. The King seemed troubled as he looked around the now nearly empty room with only two Royal Raiders standing at the door looking at him through the eyeholes in their metal helmets.
Then he looked to the floor, and quickly his face brightened up as he saw his silver plate there. Grabbing it, the King then leaned back into his chair, flexed and smiled as he said.
"Absolutely brilliant. Truly my looks honour my ancestors, so good."
***
Within Moria a small archery range had been set up within the first hall, where Gollum was practicing archery with the guidance of Tauriel. At the same time the three others were practicing with old Dwarven crossbows, pulling back their strings, placing in the bolts and then taking aim and firing at their targets in the distance.
Along with this training Tauriel had also begun teaching them all how to fight with swords, by hand or with knives. For Tauriel still held her Elven sword, Elven daggers, plus her Elven bow and arrows with herself and she knew how to use them as well.
Like so under the guidance of Tauriel they had been practicing how to defend Moria for a few days now. Still Gollum more preferred to go outside and smash rocks there with his fists and head. It wasn't easy and would take multiple attempts and a lot of pain, but with no fear and a lot of courage he could smash the rocks hard enough and long enough to break them.
Because of this Gollum found himself bloodied and felt his bones hurting a lot of times, but the pain like everything else merely made him stronger. So as darkness began to set upon the world, Gollum found himself sitting within his garden watching his women building a fire and preparing the food, when he then muttered out.
"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger? Ooh, yes Gollum knows. Gollum knows that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, yes yes, Gollum knows, na na nana naa."
While rambling to himself Ailith and Tauriel looked at Gollum strangely, clearly not understanding what Gollum spoke of. To their ears Gollum's wisdom was missed.
***
Wolfguard and his brother Wolfraff and their Wolfgang trackers dressed in wolf furs and wielding axes and bows were riding up the mountain slope. 12 men strong they were with Master of tracking Wolfsent riding at the lead, while following the faint cart tracks leading up the mountain valley.
Between the forest of Lòrien, and Mirrormere, there was a faint three way forest road. One way led up north to the plains, one was east to Lòrien where the Elves lived, and the last one along which the tracks moved was the forest of Mirrormere that at its end hid Moria.
Seeing the tracks Wolfsent was uncertain, he could not possibly imagine why anyone would dare to go up the mountain path to that cursed place. Still the tracks did not lie, and as he hopped off his horse, got on all fours and began sniffing the smells in the air he could quickly recognise the smells as well going along with the cart tracks. Indeed for Wolfsent, scents never did lie, and so up the valley their path went.
Pointing up towards the valley Wolfsent looked to his party of men dressed in Wolf furs and barked out.
"Hau hau hau, hava bava, Wolfsent smell tracks moving up the mountain there. The chicken poop is also a good indication as the scent is strong within them, woff woff!"
Wolfguard nodded affirmatively as he heard this and commanded.
"Good job Wolfsent, now get on your horse and lead us onwards, and please stop acting like a dog. Your a grown man for fuck sake. Have some dignity and pride my furry man."
Wolfsent not one to argue hopped on his horse and happily continued onwards, though he was quick to still ask.
"Oh, will Wolfsent receive big stake for good job, hau hau hau?"
Smiling happily Wolfguard answered by saying.
"Ai my friend, you'll get your stake, and salt on top of it."
Wolfsent hearing this felt excited.
"Oh, Wolfsent like salted steak, so juicy juicy, nam nam."
With that said the men of the Wolfgang laughed mockingly at their weird tracker as they then headed up the mountain valley.
However unknown to them all their movements had not gone unseen. From the tree tops keen Elven eyes watched them with disdain.
"Uhh, filthy Wild men. They truly are no better than beasts. We should just put a few arrows in their bodies and save this world from having to suffer their ugliness anymore?"
Listening to the tall silver haired Elves words, the smaller Elf ranger was horrified as he asked.
"Lord Celeborn, what are you saying? We can't just attack whoever we want outside the Golden forests of Lòrien. I mean, we can't right? Can we?"
Celeborn gritted his teeth hearing this, though was quick to sigh in defeat and say.
"Yes I know, Galadriel my lovely wife always does tell me not to act as some barbarian. But still I do much desire to see those Wild men driven far away from us, so that I would never have to see their filth ever again. Or better yet would be to see them laying on the grass with my arrows piercing their bodies, their filthy blood painting the green forest floor red, and their savage bodies should be used as the forest's fertilizer for that is all that those beasts are good for. Oh how I long to see such a day come, but alas for now I must endure and hold back my arrows."
Hearing his Lord's words the Elven ranger shook in fear, this Lord of his was dangerous.
***
Tying their horses to trees close to the lake of Mirrormere, the Wolfgang then slowly and cautiously under the cover of darkness climbed upon a small ridge line. From there they could see above the small trees and bushes that were scattered around the deep dark lake that beautifully reflected the stars above on its surface.
Watching over the lake and it's surrounding landscape their eyes then turned to the noticeable white light coming out of the gates of Moria. The faint dirt road led to the stone steps that led up to the large gates of Moria there. And still after thousands of years a mighty large Dwarven face with a crown a top his head could be seen there above the gates.
For the 12 Wolfgang members the sight was truly incredible. Next to the gates on both sides they could also see large broken statues of old Dwarven axe wielding warriors. Sadly the statues were broken, though their splendor was still not lost on the men, especially as it all was partially lit not only by the starlight, but the white lights coming out of the gates of Moria.
And as they looked upon the gates they were then stupified to see the two girls they were looking for happily running out from there with buckets in hand. It seemed a miracle, but Davina and Maud the daughters of their Kings son were happy and looking well.
Dressed in their simple dresses they ran to the lake side and began to fill their buckets as they washed their faces and drank water from the lake.
The Wolfgang knew not what had happened or what was going on here, but Wolfguard was quick to snap at the sight of the girls and say.
"Those fools, what are they doing? Running out of Moria so uncaringly, don't they realise that they risk awakening the ancient evil within. Quickly men get them, if that beast awakens then not even the Elves of Lòrien will be enough to stop it, if the legends are to be believed. And I for one am not taking any chances here, now go."
Sitting at the lake side Davina and Maud basked in the cool waters of the Mirrormere with their bare feet, as they bathed their feet within it and took in the beautiful sight of the stars above. Laying down upon her back Davina looked up into the stars and there with her sister at her side felt at ease.
Living up in the mountain valley they were mostly protected from any harsh winds by the mountains around them, and up in the valley hardly any mosquitos or other bugs could be found. Only short grass, trees and some bushes grew here, animals were few to be seen also, and a peaceful silence rained over the valley.
For Maud this all made it seem like a dream come true. Here their life was without any worries, especially as Gollum was capable of providing for the four of them on his own. They merely needed to do some simple tasks and once their home was fully built then life would truly be easy here.
Davina on the other hand seemed a bit worried as she looked to her sister and worriedly asked.
"Maud can we go back now? I don't like it here, it's too silent and dark. It's scary, especially without Gollum around."
Maud wanted to refute this and say her sister's worries to be unfounded. There weren't any dangers here to be found, especially with the Elves of the Lòrien surely keeping all bad things from coming up the mountain valley. In her opinion Gollum's fears were unfounded, but although she wanted to ensure her sister of their safety here, her attention was quickly taken by the sound of a branch snapping.
"Snap."
Hearing this Davina too looked towards the source of the sound only to then see a familiar face come out of the bushes accompanied by many other big men. Seeing it Maud asked.
"Wolfraff, what are you doing here?"
Wolfraff stopped then just a few meters away from them and showed them to be silent as he quietly said.
"Shh, keep your voice down. You're grandfather the King sent us here to come and take you home. We have horses waiting just a little ways away. Just tell us where your mother is and how many enemies there are and will take care of it."
Maud was not happy to hear this as she quickly stood up, as did Davina. Coming to stand before her shorter twin sister protectively, Maud then said.
"No, we refuse. Were not going back to Grandfather just to be used as his tools to gain more power and money for him. We have found new lives here and this is where we will stay, and that's that. Now leave, you're not welcome here. I don't want to see you, grandfather or anyone else if your only desire is to take us back to be used as some tools. We have feelings you know, and dreams, we are not just your tools to be used."
Wolfraff was taken a back by the usually well behaved girls words. Though Wolfguard was not amused as he pushed his brother aside and forcefully grabbed Mauds hand and said.
"Don't argue with us girl. You're a Princess and like everyone else you have your own role to fulfil, and you will do it whether you like it or not."
Maud tried to pull away as she hissed at the man and yelled.
"No, let go of me you brute. I refuse, I don't want to go!"
Davina too quickly stood up to try and pull her sister away from the man. Though no amount of struggling from the two young women were of any use as they were quickly grabbed by the men, tied up and carried to the horses. While at the same time 8 of the Wolfgang's members led by Wolfsent and his supers smelling skills moved onwards towards Moria.
Like a beast the large man walked on all fours with his nose stuck to the stone steps as they slowly moved towards the gates of Moria. Though as they came to the gates they hesitated, the sight before them was amazing, many massive pillars lit by strange shining crystals could be seen leading further into the first hall, but this was not their concern.
More than anything the men feared the beast hiding within, the beast that their mothers had told them about as a bed time story. Even a few songs were made about it and the tragic fates the beast had set upon the Dwarves within Moria.
Still Wolfsents nose was not wrong, Ailith was further within Moria, and so onwards they went. Along the way it could be seen that not only was the place lit, but it was cleaned as well, there was no dust or any debris to be seen along the path lit by stones that they followed.
Still the stones were quite beautiful which was not missed on the men and so a few of them tried to take them, but the things were too high for them to reach. And strangely as they walked a few ten or so meters within, the crystals behind them started to turn red, and as they did the others soon began to react as well, and one by one the long row of pillars lit by white stones turned red.
The Wolfgang hesitated.
"What's that? What's going on boss?"
Wolfguard though held his cool.
"Calm down everyone, I'm sure it's nothing. Some strange Dwarven magic I guess, but we all are well and that's a good enough sign for me. So come on men let's head onwards, we still have a job to do here. Though don't touch those stones, or anything else, we don't know what type of magic or curses may lay upon them."
Then as they came to the end of the first hall and made it up the stairs, and to the long narrow bridge they all stopped. Before them at the center of the bridge stood a half naked humanoid creature with only old pants as his clothes, and muscles like some troll in human form.
However further beyond the creature, on the other side of the chasm there they saw her. Ailith stood there at the top a pile of logs with an elf at her side it seemed.
Wolfraff was confused, a creature tall as a Dwarf, well groomed and having a body like a troll, and a beautiful red haired Elf, plus Ailith, just what was going on here? What were these three doing here together? Was the Elf a prisoner of this beast as well or something, but then why did the Elf hold a bow and a quiver of arrows at her side?
Well for Wolfraff it didn't matter, he might not have been a great friend of the Prince, but there in the distance he could see the Princes woman, and two other fools. None of them should have been within Moria, they were all mad fools for being here, for risking the awakening of the beast within.
Thinking of it all Wolfraff felt distressed as he ran to the bridge. The other members of the Wolfgang watched him in wonder as they themselves hesitated to move further. Wolfguard most of all seemed worried as he yelled to his brother.
"Wait brother, that small Elven creature man could be dangerous!"
Wolfraff though didn't care. Stopping just a bit before the creature he yelled to it.
"Get out of my way creature, you don't know what it is that you're doing. By being here you endanger us all. Now give my dead Prince's woman back, or face the consequences."
The creature was not moved by his words though. It merely gritted his perfect set of teeth and clenched it's fists, as he asked.
"Where are my women?"
Wolfraff was taken a back by the question as he asked.
"What, you're women? Are you mad? You just cannot take women of royal blood or claim them for your own. That is not possible, It's a sure path to death, it's pure madness!"
The creature hearing this huffed in disdain. He was not backing off it seemed and so Wolfraff was then quick to take out his two axes, as the creature slowly began to approach him, as it angrily roared out.
"Madness you say? No this is Moria! Gollums Kingdom!"
And then before everyone's eyes Gollum took two incredibly fast running steps towards Wolfraff, and then got down and slid along the stone bridge towards him. And before Wolfraff even realised what had happened he felt his legs suddenly having been kicked out from under him as he flew in the air, and then a follow-up kick came to his balls as he flew off of the bridge.
Only pained screams could then be heard and Ailiths screams of terror as Wolfraff fell down into the dark chasm below.
"Ahhhhhhh fuck, my balls!"