#I need Durin to make a snide comment about it

[saurongorthaur9]

I wonder if in-universe, any of the characters are going to comment on Sauron's hair-bow or if everyone is going to just pointedly ignore the fact that the literal Dark Lord of Middle-earth is walking around with his hair done up like a princess.

[ronmanmob]

Tell me one time, Kanuha, someone was mean to you an' how ya make 'em eat crow.

Lovely Questions

People ain't mean t'me--

They didn't make it out of Ron's mouth, those words, but it was a close run thing; so much so that Beth might, if she was minding his face at just the right moment, notice a difference in the customary pause he usually took prior to sharing stories. It was only a fractional thing most of the time, but so common was it that the fact its space was filled by a tilt up of the chin - the preparations for a kneejerk answer - would stick out like a sore thumb to the observant.

And Beth was that.

She'd clock soon as look at him that tilt and how a hand, with a muted jerk that spoke of speed tempered by the want to hide urgency, moved from where it'd sat at rest towards his mouth; blunt fingertips set to rubbing over his lips as he sought a less reactionary, less...What was the shape he wanted? Defensive? Boastful? Dismissive? All of those in some comingled form, most likely. The last thing Ron wanted was for Beth to think he was batting away the question out of hand.

"--Well..." Habitually, Ron's fingers moved off his lips as he spoke to her. They found a new, momentary home at his chin before falling away entirely. "--Ain't too many 'oo'll giv th'biggest dog in th'Manah grief."

Or the most feared gangster for that matter. Cornell got a muzzle in the face last time he had a pop. The cloud of Richardson lads who tried to turn the Carpenter's Arms into their new local met Ron's mate Larry with their kneecaps. And that didn't touch the ne'er-do-wells who Ron took offence to in defence of others. Those he'd taught their errors by means so varied they included everything from a hot poker to his bare fists and yet--- none of these stories were making a break for freedom. He needed something more urbane, something more West End than East, something--

"But-"

There.

Got one.

"I was once judged 'arshly b'cause'a me accent durin' th'intermission ov a pr'duction at Th'Featah Royal, Drury Lane. Some toff f'ort I was unsophisticated, tha' I was ahta place sharin' th'same room as 'im. So I collared 'im 'n spent th'rest'a th'intermission educatin' 'im abaht books 'n covahs 'n judgement."

He left out how this man was followed up with later on; how he was bought out - legally but under no illusions at all about the price to be paid if he tried to rip a Face off - of owning one of the premier bits of real-estate in London's Club Land. And all that, for a snide comment about Ron's cockney drawl.

[lostinaseaoffictionalbliss]

Thorin Is Here

Summary: Thorin arrives at Bag End and Nell has to convince him to let her continue on the quest instead of sending her back home. With as determined as she is will she manage it?

Pairing: Fili X wife!OC X Kili

Warnings: none this chapter

Word Count: 1657

Nell stood back partially hidden by the other dwarves. It wasn't that she feared Thorin or that she didn't want to see him. On the contrary she was trying to figure out how to word her argument. Because if there was one thing she knew it was how stubborn Thorin could be. It would truly take a great argument to convince him to let her come and not order her back to Ered Luin. And she refused to let that happen. So as Bilbo answered the door she kept to the shadows.

Thorin looked up at the grey wizard. ��Ah Gandalf I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way twice, wouldn't have found it at all if it wasn't for that mark on the door.” He took his cloak off and hung it up next to the others.

“Mark? There is no mark on that door it was painted a week ago,” Bilbo exclaimed. He wasn't very happy at the prospect of his door being messed with. Not in the least bit. Gandalf let out an exasperated sigh. “There is a mark I put it there myself, now let me introduce the leader of our company...Thorin Oakenshield.” He looked to the dwarf he was introducing.

Nell could see the scrutinizing look Thorin gave Bilbo from where she stood. “So this is the hobbit.” He circled around him looking him up and down. “Tell me Mr. Baggins have you done much fighting?” Nell rolled her eyes that was a pointless question. “Pardon?” asked Bilbo. “Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?” Thorin came to stand in front of Bilbo and looked down at him.

“Well I do have some skills at conkers if you must know, but...I fail to see why that's relevant.” Bilbo had started out so strong in his answer and then just deflated. “I figured as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar.” Thorin looked to the company with a small smile causing them all to laugh. All, but Nell that is. She bristled up as he teased poor Bilbo. No she didn't think he was fit to fight alongside them nor did she think he could defend himself, but after all the dirty looks and snide comments people had sent toward them she felt the hobbit deserved better treatment.

Everyone moved back to the table they had been eating at previously. Nell took her spot between Fili and Kili and looked to Thorin. So far he hadn't noticed she was there, which she was grateful for as she hadn't exactly figured out what to say to him. “What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?” asked Balin. Thorin nodded his head. “Aye convoys from all seven kingdoms,” he replied. “And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?” Dwalin questioned.

Thorin let out a heavy sigh. “They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone.” Nell felt her shoulders slump; she had hoped that their kin would join them. “You're going on a quest?” The Hobbit spoke up. This prompted Gandalf to ask for more light as he pulled out a map and unfolded it. “The lonely mountain,” Bilbo said as he looked over the map. Gloin then spoke up saying his brother Oin had read the portents. It was now time for the reign of the beast to end.

Of course when Bilbo asked what beast Bofur had to make a show of it. “That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne firebreather, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals.” All of this caused Nell to roll her eyes. They weren't supposed to be scaring Bilbo. They were supposed to be convincing him to come with them.

“Yes I know what a dragon is.” Bilbo could be very sassy when he wanted, causing Nell to smile. She was beginning to like the hobbit quite a bit, but then little Ori spoke up. He was such a sweet little thing and Nell loved him like a little brother despite him being older than her, but he really had no place to talk of not being afraid or shoving dwarvish iron anywhere; he didn't even have a weapon. All he had was a slingshot.

Of course in the next moment Nell was finally pointed out to Thorin. “The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just fourteen and not fourteen of the best nor brightest.” While everyone else began making comments about not being dim, Thorin scanned the group and when his eyes landed on her she could see the anger burning in them, the promise that they would speak momentarily. It was very clear in those dark blue depths that he wasn't happy with Nell for being there. A sigh left her, but she kept her head held high. If she backed down now, showed any amount of weakness she knew she would be going home.

Fili spoke up taking the attention of his wife, his voice full of pride. “We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us to the last dwarf.” He slammed his hand down on the table. “And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time,” Kili added to his brothers argument. Nell looked to the wizard in question and seeing the look on his face wasn't so sure about that statement. Of course this only started another argument as everyone tried to find out the number of dragons he had killed. Nell assumed it was zero.

Thorin stopped the arguing standing up and yelling, “Shazra.” His tone was commanding and all the dwarves stopped yelling. “If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have began to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? Du bekar, du bekar.” His speech was moving. Nell felt pride swell within her and the urge to fight reared its head. She could not let Thorin send her back, not now.

A little while later after Bilbo had passed out thanks to Bofur talking about death by Smaug and declined being their burglar, Thorin found Nell. He had already spoken to Balin about the quest and now he was ready to tear into Nell. “Just what in Durin's name do you think you are doing? Why aren't you back in Ered Luin? I can't believe Fili and Kili let you come here."  His voice was filled with anger. "This quest is too dangerous you shouldn't be here.” He was beyond furious that his nephews hadn't stopped her from coming. “You really think they didn't try to stop me? Trust me they did, but as you can see it didn't work,” Nell informed him. Thorin narrowed his eyes. “They clearly didn't try hard enough.” He felt they should have done more to stop her. “I have just as much right to help take back that mountain as any dwarf here,” She replied.

Thorin stepped closer to her trying to to intimidate her with his size and his status. Neither would work. She was used to people towering over her and having grown up around Thorin, plus being married to princes his status didn't bother her either. “No you do not. You are a princess. You're place is at home with Dis waiting on word from us. Not being reckless, acting fearless, trying to join a quest you have no business joining.” Thorin's tone had dropped, but his voice had somehow gotten louder. He was not pleased with how she kept arguing with him.

A small snarl left Nell. “I maybe a princess, but I am a warrior first Thorin and you know this. You helped train me along with Dwalin,” her voice turned soft, “And I'm not fearless Thorin. I am very much afraid, but warriors...heroes they aren't fearless. They're brave. Bravery requires fear, and fear is born of loving something enough that its loss would break you.” She looked to her husbands who were talking and laughing quietly together. “I can't lose them Thorin. I can't sit back and wait not knowing if they are alive or dead, not knowing if you are alive or dead. The three of you hold my heart, my husbands, my loves, the other halves to my soul and you the father I needed,” Nell’s voice cracked as she spoke.  She wasn't even looking to be the hero in stories told by others. Nell just wanted to be the hero of her own story, her husbands’ story if need be, and one day her children’s stories.

A heavy sigh left Thorin. Was he happy with her coming? Not at all. He would never be happy with the idea of her being in danger, but even he couldn't deny she had a point. He had trained her and she was a warrior. It would be wrong to make her sit at home and wonder if her husbands lived. And if they died while she could have done something to prevent it, he knew that would break her even more. “Fine you can come, but you stick with them or me or Dwalin do you understand?” He asked. Nell threw her arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you, Thorin.” Relief flooded through her the moment he agreed. “I said do you understand?” He asked again. She nodded her head again. “I understand,” She replied.

Translations:

Shazra- silence

Du bekar- to arms

Tags:

@e-wolf-98 @ambivertedcroissant @thatfanficstuff @sdavid09

[saucymorps]

Mythril and Gold

Erebor, she remembered the place fondly even if it had been the greater part of many many years. At times in the forge she could almost smell the familiar scent of the fires there, the dark but comforting never ending bottoms of her home under the mountain. Kaila was not born there, no she came from another place far away, and island that had precious stones hidden in its core, her father the leader of it like his father had been a great dwarf king. She remembered the sea its soothing waters, the smell of saltwater all the time but it was also those waters that drove her family from her home. The sea had become too fickle, its waters rising and threating to trap everyone in a water grave with every tide. She had often thought why they had ever made caves by the sea? What did the forefathers think would happen??

So Erebor became her home, a cave was a cave she found out, this place she liked better not as humid or wet. Kalia and her family were welcomed warmly by the house of Durin, though she had no title now but she was happier that way here she could just be a normal child. Well mostly normal child, she often found herself playing with the younger sons of Durin. She tended to mold in better with the boys anyways, not that she had much option dwarven women were rare. She knew of maybe a few handfuls of girls around her age, it wasnt that they werent being born it usually was their families were moving around too much so she never saw them, or the other option. She had come in a bit later in life to Erebor, the teenage years by dwarf standards, it was when everyone it seemed started growing a beard accept Kalia.

Somewhere in her line it just phased out of the women, not all the women it seemed to selectively pick a generation at a time. It had been a few generations gap when as Kailia grew older she never got even a hint of stubble. Her other relatives treated her no different from her cousins whom also sprouted handsome beards but outside of the family circle it was different. At first, Kalia was often mistaken for human child, that snuck away from those visiting from outside and constantly brought infront of Thorin's grandfather. Before too long everyone knew of the beardless dwarf and her family couldnt hide you from the snide remarks and comments. But Dwarf gods made her strong for a reason and she took it all without even showing them she cared. She did care some, but her father had reassured her to just let them talk one day she would really show them beard or not how true a dwarf she was.

So that lead Kalia down an odd path. She was no warrior, oh she was trained to fight and she would gladly but half the battles were for petty reasons, reasons she couldnt understand and wanted no major part in. No she found an odd comfort in metal work, not kitchens or weaving or traditional woman things, metal. There was just something that drew her to changing different rocks into something more refine, pure, and beautiful. So Kalia trained hard, going from smith to smith eager to be accepted but rejected each time. Who would want a rejected dwarf? Still didnt stop her and finally the kings very own personal smith took her on. She had a sneaky feeling the sons of Durin had a part in that, as besides her family they also were the few not bothered by her looks. One day she would thank them properly.

Kalia had left a few years before Smaug attacked, she had wanted to learn all she could about smithing and was saddened when her home was taken over. Split apart news was hard to come by if her family or the Durin clan were well. Finally she had gotten word that they had all gone to the blue mountains and were safe. Now she was working in rivendell, rather odd place for a dwarf concidering the bad blood that existed between them but for her....that wasnt her fight and Elrond was actually a decent person. The elven smiths were a pleasure to work for and never once mistreated her as most of her knowledge she shared. The basics anyways, she still kept a few trade secrets like they did as well.

It was nearing evening as she was trying to finish her work. Custom this custom that, sometimes the pickyness of elves drove her mad. Their attention to detail about how they wanted something often made her curse in dwarfish, if they wanted it that specific why dont they just make it? Hammer of the metal rang out in this lower forging area but she still couldnt mistake the sound of the horns. She looked up rather confused as this had been happening alot lately.

"Looks like Lord Elrond had to fight off wargs again," One of the elves that worked with her said.

"Little late for a usual patrol though isnt it?" Kalia pointed out as she put the metal back into the fire. With an old rag she wiped her hands off, almost there blade was just about perfect. The sound of hushed voices caught her attention, she expected another tall figure to come from behind the bushes but when two dwarves did she was stunned.

"Fili? Kili?" Kalia asked suprised as she did not expect a dwarf let alone these two. They rushed to her quickly hugging her.

"Lia!!!!" Fili smiled as he hugged her tight. "We wondered whatever became of you!?"

"Grandfather said you had just moved on but we didnt expect to find you here!" Kili added as you were passed to him next.

"No, I did Ive been all over middle earth humans, other dwarves, and here, I was planning on coming back soon but what brings you here?" She asked confused as they really had no business here.

"Wait till we tell Uncle!" Kili shreiked as he couldnt contain his excitment and bolted back the way he came.

"Glad to see that hasnt changed," Kalia laughed before picking up on what he said, "Wait Thorin is here?!"

"Yea Thorin, Balin, Bofur, Dwalin just about everyone is," Fili smiled he leaned in closer to her so the other elf couldnt hear. "We are trying to reclaim Erebor," He stated with a sly grin. Kalia wasnt sure she liked that answer as she looked at him, "Talk more later come everyone will want to see you!" Fili said taking her hand and trying to drag her away.

"Fili....Fili wait...let me finish this first, you go on and I will see everyone at dinner," She laughed motioning towards the blade that needed to be pulled outo f the fire.

"Fine dinner then!" Fili yelled back as he followed after his brother.

Kili couldnt contain his excitement quickly darting past everyone much to the older dwarves frustration as he found Thorin. "Thorin, Thorin!! You arent going to believe who we found!" Kili said excitedly as he jarred his uncle from his rant to Gandalf. "Kalia is here, shes here working in the smith!" He grinned like a cat.

@hymnsroleplayfun