For the nights are dark [Straia / Any]

[Erebor]

We are at war. There will be scars.

"Davos." he tests the name on his lips, but doesn't have time to say anything more before Kavi arrives, and Straia arrives shortly thereafter. He listens to the conversation quietly, politely, absorbing how the adults talk back and forth, and how Davos answers them. He is especially interested in how the boy decides who is worthy of his respect – he watches him decide (correctly) that Kavi deserves deference. He watches him decide (correctly) that Straia is worthy of deference. Although, he has clearly known Erebor's mother beforehand, so perhaps that's no snap decision.

But he doesn't need to study to understand the next words. He's know them anywhere, from Davos or from anyone else, and they never fail to make him smile. "And the Chamber would love to have you." he answers, knowing it's the right answer, knowing that they always want those who are willing to give of themselves, to jump in and serve with their whole heart. "I think you'll like it." he says, giving the other boy a friendly smile.

Erebor himself cannot imagine being anywhere else, or serving anywhere else. True enough, he'd been born to the Chamber, whereas Davos had not. But birth can only do so much; he is acutely aware of that as he pushes himself every day to be worthy of the honors that his birth has conferred on him. He is not one to rest on his laurels, to trust his noble birth and rich Chamber heritage to do all the work for him. No, if anything that heritage pushes him to push himself harder, inspires him to be greater.

He looks to the other boy, wondering what his perspective would be. Erebor realizes quite suddenly that he's never had a friend even close to his own age. Arguably, he hasn't had much in the way of friends, period, and if you consider age to be marked by the way one behaves, he definitely acts far older than his years.

Erebor

Native Prince of the Chamber

warship x straia

The timeline here is breaking my brain XD