After they finished their embrace, Thorin looked at the majestic Stormveil Castle and exclaimed in surprise and admiration: "In just a few months, you already have such a magnificent city. Your speed in rebuilding your homeland far exceeds my imagination, Arthur."
Arthur stood beside Thorin and did not hesitate to express his gratitude: "If it weren't for the grain and livestock you initially provided, I wouldn't have been able to transform the territory into this state in such a short time. Even if I could use sorcery, I couldn't conjure food out of thin air; otherwise, my compatriots from my homeland would only starve if they came here. Please accept my thanks, Thorin."
He said this, looking at Thorin, who had a 'it's nothing to do with me' expression.
Thorin didn't dwell on it too much but gladly accepted Arthur's thanks.
At this moment, Fili and Kili exchanged glances, then simultaneously stepped forward, bowed their heads, and shouted loudly: "Teacher Arthur, greetings to you! We've come to see you!"
Arthur had to admit he was startled by the dwarf brothers' sudden loud voices, mainly because he hadn't expected them to act like this in front of so many people.
"Uh, how have you two been recently? Have you been practicing Prayers every day?" Arthur asked.
Fili and Kili stood up, and Kili spoke before his brother, saying happily: "Fili and I have already learned half of the Prayers recorded in the Beast Prayers book you gave us."
Fili added steadily: "And we also feel that if we can truly master all the Prayers in that book, we will be able to extrapolate and create our own Prayers unique to dwarves."
Arthur's eyes lit up. If Fili and Kili could truly succeed, then this series of Prayers would be something he had never seen before.
This made Arthur himself itch with curiosity; he had long since mastered all the Prayers of The Lands Between, which was why the dwarf Prayers Fili mentioned held such great appeal for him.
Therefore, Arthur returned a happy smile: "I eagerly await that day. Then it will be my turn to ask you two to teach me new Prayers."
Fili and Kili were surprised to hear this, and Fili quickly said: "Given our status, how dare we teach you, Teacher Arthur, Prayers…?"
Arthur reassured the dwarf brothers, saying: "On the path of learning, the capable are teachers. You don't need to feel nervous; I am genuinely eager to learn the new Prayers you research."
Thorin joined the conversation at this point, looking at Fili and Kili, and said sternly: "Alright, Fili, Kili, since Arthur says so, listen to him."
Fili and Kili, chastised by Thorin, immediately stood at attention and nodded frantically.
"Haha, Thorin, don't scare my adorable students. But this isn't a good place for a proper chat; let's go into the city first," Arthur called out.
The dwarf caravan brought by Thorin slowly drove into Stormveil Castle. This stronghold of the Storm King welcomed its first friendly caravan.
The caravan slowly moved along the cobblestone road, the sound of horse hooves striking the stone surface creating a crisp, pleasant sound that broke the usual silence of the street.
Mills was standing on a street corner inside Stormveil Castle. Today was his turn to clean this street, a job he had found in the Golden Tree Territory.
He had just finished work when he happened to encounter this caravan, his gaze fixed on the sturdy dwarves.
The dwarves on the carriages were dressed in leather armor, their muscles subtly visible beneath their coarse cloth tunics.
Each large cart in the caravan was filled with goods, from rare ores brought from the distant Blue Mountains to meticulously handcrafted dwarf furniture.
Mills imagined how these goods would enrich his life; perhaps that crystal-clear ore could become a scenic piece on his fireplace, or perhaps that carved dwarf wooden chair could add a touch of warmth to his small cottage.
"Perhaps I should buy some dwarf-made toys for Doris and the other children. I remember dwarf toys are very exquisite; I even saw those wonderful children's toys in Lohan before."
Mills muttered to himself.
Thanks to the treasures Rogier had discovered earlier, the gold coins Elrond had sent, and several previous transactions with dwarf merchant caravans, the Golden Tree Territory now had circulating currency.
Even people like Mills, who had only been there for a month, had received their rightful wages, so he had some spare money to buy a few things that could improve his life.
He still remembered that when he received his slightly heavy money bag, his companions, who had also received their wages, showed expressions of disbelief. After all, in his small village in Lohan, working for the lord was a matter of course, and wages were simply unimaginable.
Doris's mother, being skilled in farming, was assigned to work in the fields and received even more wages than him, making her beam with joy.
Other compatriots who were skilled in herding also received their wages. Because there were too many people, there was no shortage of herders, which is why Mills, born in Lohan, chose to be a cleaner for Stormveil Castle.
Actually, this position didn't exist originally. Arthur also felt that Stormveil Castle didn't have many residents yet and didn't need dedicated people for cleaning.
This was Kenneth Haight's suggestion. This noble ancient aristocrat said that finding helpful tasks for these Middle-earth humans who had sought refuge in the Erdtree, and paying them wages regularly like the Golden Lineage, would help them adapt better and faster to their new identity as citizens of the Golden Tree Territory.
Although Arthur was unsure if this would truly be effective, Kenneth Haight certainly thought more deeply about this matter than he did, so he readily agreed.
Just as Mills was immersed in the somewhat incredible memories of the past month, Arthur, riding Torrent, spotted him standing there with a broom in his hand and called out with a smile: "Mills, stop staring blankly at the goods on the cart. Go inform your compatriots; I will have these dwarves stop on this street so they can come and see if there's anything they want. Also, please help me notify the Golden Lineage in Morne Castle that the new dwarf caravan has arrived."
Mills was startled, then quickly bowed respectfully to Arthur and immediately replied: "I understand, Lord Arthur!"
Arthur slowed Torrent's pace and came to the carriage where Thorin was, speaking a few words to him.
Thorin nodded and shouted a few words to the dwarf coachmen behind the caravan. The carriages loaded with goods slowly came to a halt, then turned around and drove towards the open street.
Thorin, meanwhile, continued to follow Arthur all the way to the City Lord Hall in Stormveil Castle.
Nepheli Loux was inside, somewhat bored, swinging her battle-axe at the air, treating it as exercise to pass the time.
Upon hearing the door open, she immediately stopped what she was doing and went to greet them.
"Arthur, staying here is truly too boring… Oh, and who is this?" Nepheli Loux was about to complain to Arthur that she truly wasn't someone who could sit indoors all day flipping through documents, but Arthur stepped aside, revealing Thorin following behind him.
Arthur smiled slightly and introduced him to Nepheli Loux: "This is Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf leader of the Blue Mountains. It was he who provided us with our most valuable first batch of supplies."
Nepheli Loux immediately greeted Thorin, "Thank you. If it weren't for the provisions you sent, I'm afraid we would still be starving and plagued by orc attacks. It would have been impossible for Arthur to summon these cities so quickly with sorcery. May the breeze always accompany your journey and guide you home when you are lost."
Thorin, not wanting to be impolite, smiled at Nepheli Loux and said, "I heard Dwalin mention you, Nepheli Loux, the bravest warrior by Arthur's side. I thank you on Dwalin's behalf for guiding him in axe mastery. He went back and boasted about it to his friends."
Arthur looked at Nepheli Loux with some surprise and asked, "When did you guide Dwalin? I didn't know."
Nepheli Loux invited Thorin in while smiling at Arthur, saying, "It was during the time you were guiding the dwarves brothers in learning Prayers. I saw that dwarf practicing axe mastery when I passed by the farmland, so I went over to help him correct some movements and also taught him some small tricks."
Arthur nodded thoughtfully.
Fili and Kili happened to come in with Thorin at this moment and heard Nepheli Loux's words. Kili chimed in, "Those weren't simple small tricks, Lady Nepheli Loux. Dwalin single-handedly defeated five dwarf warriors who surrounded him in the training ground, and that included Gloin!"
Fili also nodded repeatedly. Thorin, hearing their conversation, turned around and smiled in agreement, "Dwalin's expression at the time was so surprised himself; he didn't expect to be able to do something like that."
Arthur glanced at Nepheli Loux, who blinked: "I really just corrected some of his small movements during combat. He himself is an excellent warrior."
Arthur shrugged. Once the dwarves brothers had all entered, the two Banished Knights standing guard outside proactively closed the City Lord Hall's door for those inside the hall.
"Creak—"
With the heavy sound of the door closing, Thorin and the others were all seated.
The chairs for Thorin, Fili, and Kili had been specially adjusted for dwarves, so their physiques would not hinder their conversation with Arthur.
Subsequently, a servant from the Golden Lineage stepped forward and served the prepared premium hot tea to everyone who was seated.
"Change the tea for Thorin and the others to fine wine," Arthur said to the three female servants when he saw this scene.
He still remembered that the dwarves preferred strong wine over these lightly flavored teas.
Thorin, however, shook his head, "Thank you for your kindness, Arthur. But let's enjoy the fine wine tonight; hot tea is fine for now."
Arthur sat at the head of the table and looked at Thorin, asking, "Besides thanking me, you must have something else to discuss this time, right?"
Thorin's expression paused, then he smiled, "Indeed, nothing can be hidden from a great wizard. I do have an additional matter to discuss with you."
Arthur glanced at Fili and Kili, noticing their surprised expressions, which indicated that these two dwarf brothers were unaware of the matter Thorin intended to discuss with him.
He thoughtfully asked, "So what is it that's worth you going to such lengths to come from the Blue Mountains?"
Thorin did not answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and touched the warm porcelain white teacup on the table.
As he ran his rough thumb along the cup, he said, "I plan to convene the Ered Luin Council, which is the dwarf representatives' meeting of the Blue Mountains, for the seven dwarf kingdoms, to propose the plan to reclaim the Lonely Mountain."
Then Thorin gestured to Fili and Kili, who were standing up in surprise and about to say something, to remain silent. He looked at Arthur and said, "I would like to invite you to this meeting as well, Arthur."
Now it was Arthur's turn to show a surprised expression. He pointed to himself and asked, "Me? But this is a meeting of your dwarf kingdom. Will my participation as a human not cause dissatisfaction among your compatriots?"
Thorin smiled when he heard this, "If you were just an ordinary human, it would indeed cause dissatisfaction among the dwarves of the seven kingdoms. But don't forget, you have another identity, that of a wizard."
"Wizard?"
Thorin nodded, emphasizing the two words, "Exactly, 'wizard.' In our homeland, the Lonely Mountain, a wicked dragon slumbers. To reclaim the Lonely Mountain, it's inevitable that we will have to fight this fire-breathing dragon. They all know the terror of the dragon; its flames can instantly burn a dwarf to nothing but ash. Therefore, they certainly won't easily agree to my proposal. But with you there, a powerful wizard, the probability of the representatives of the seven kingdoms agreeing to my proposal is very high."
Arthur pondered, "Hmm, Gandalf did mention the Lonely Mountain to me. He should be on his way north now, investigating related matters."
Thorin's eyes lit up, "Gandalf, the grey-robed wizard? If he's included, I'll have the support of two Wizards, you and him! Now the dwarf representatives of the seven kingdoms cannot refuse my plan to reclaim the Lonely Mountain."
Arthur gently pressed his hand down, "Calm down, Thorin. I don't know Gandalf's location right now, and I'm not sure if he's willing to attend the meeting with you."
Thorin also realized he had gotten a bit excited and showed an apologetic expression, "Ah, yes… I apologize, I was a bit too excited just now. Seeing you re-establish a homeland in this desolate land of Minhiriath on my journey made me overly eager to reclaim my own homeland."
Arthur smiled, "I understand how you feel, Thorin. You extended a helping hand to the Erdtree at its lowest point, so I will certainly grant your request. Never mind attending the dwarf meeting in the Blue Mountains, I would even agree if you asked me to face the dragon with you."
Thorin looked up, disbelievingly at Arthur, his voice trembling slightly, "Arthur, are you serious? Even facing the dragon with me?"
Arthur nodded firmly and said with a smile, "What? Is it strange for a powerful 'wizard' to challenge a wicked dragon?"
Thorin quickly shook his head, "No, I just… I just didn't expect you to agree so easily. I had prepared many arguments. Furthermore, you are the first person who is willing to support my plan without me promising any reward."
Arthur said, "As I said, your reward has already been paid: those provisions, seeds, and animals that brought hope to me and to the Erdtree."
Fili then excitedly stood up from his chair and said, "Uncle Thorin, I am also willing to go with you to reclaim the Lonely Mountain!"
Kili didn't speak, but he also stood up, his frantic nodding already indicating his thoughts.
Thorin first looked kindly at his two nephews, then his expression turned serious again, "Sit down quietly first, and listen to me finish what I have to say, Fili, Kili."
Fili and Kili were once again silenced by Thorin.
Arthur made an attentive expression, and Thorin continued, "The dwarf meeting will be held in half a year. Because one of my relatives, Dain, is far away in Iron Hills, even messenger pigeons would take a very long time to reply."
Then, Thorin showed a determined expression, his gaze seemingly already fixed on the distant Lonely Mountain, "After the meeting, regardless of whether the seven kingdoms agree or not, I will gather people and embark on the expedition to the Lonely Mountain!"