Kelda is a nobleman's daughter of Dale, whose parents died when she was very young. Her father, Ormod , was a very kind and good nobleman of Dale. His wife, Lecia, Kelda's mother, was a good woman too. Kelda was the second child born to her father and mother, her brother, Bron, was 10 years her senior. Ormod and Lecia hadn't expected to have another child, for they were growing old, and Kelda's mother thought she couldn't have another child. The pregnancy went well, but the birth took the life. Lord Ormod loved his wife, and the heart ache of her loss slowly ate away at him. Kelda's father eventually died when Bron was 17, and Kelda 7. Bron was left with his father's fortune, and he handled the affairs as best he could, but he was not very good with finances. He didn't invest the money well, and by the time Kelda was 18, he had squandered most of it, and they were in a great deal of debt. To his shame, he needed Kelda to marry into a wealthy family, and he began to spend much of his time making sure she looked beautiful and desirable in every way.

He would sell items of their household, paintings and such, and give her money to go buy new outfits in the market. He would push her to it, telling her that if she didn't marry a nobleman soon, she and he would starve. Kelda knew that their plight was because of her brother, but she honored her father's memory, and respected her brother, and did as she was told.

One day, when Kelda was at market buying a dress, she noticed a funny-looking dwarf from the corner of her eye. She turned to look at him more closely. He had a large, brown, woolly hat, a bulky and brown sir coat, and a dimly-colored scarf. His hair was a deep brown, and it was braided into two huge braids, on each side of his head. He had long and thick side-burns, a tuff of a beard, and a long, and a curled mustache. He was carrying a wooden box, strapped to his shoulders, and it was full of wooden child's toys. Kelda watched him pass her by, and he was whistling a merry tune, when he noticed she was looking at him. He stopped in front of her, and smiled cheerfully at her. And Kelda could see his deep, brown eyes sparkled.

"Well, hello there, me lady!" he greeted her happily, taking off his funny hat in respect to her station. This revealed his somewhat messy hair, and his bangs fell down on his forehead as he lifted the hat. They rested playfully there, and Kelda thought him rather adorable with such an un-kept mane.

Kelda smiled happily back at the dwarf, and giggled a bit. His smile was so bright, and his attempt at a bow was quite clumsy, but adorably earnest.

"Hello!" she replied, sweetly. She curtsied a bit, as was custom for a noblewoman. "I don't believe I have seen you hear at market before!"

"Oh, aye," the stout man began, putting his hat back on. "I haven't been here for a month or so," he replied with a nod. "I've been perfecting my craft in my horse figurines," he concluded, gesturing to the wooden crate he carried.

Kelda's eyes grew wide with excitement, and she gasped with delight.

"Horses?" she asked excitedly. "You carve toy horses?"

The dwarf laughed happily at her child-like joy, and nodded.

"Aye, me lady! That I do!" he affirmed happily, and Kelda thought his laughter the most wonderful laugh she had ever heard. "Would you like to see them?" he offered.

Kelda nodded enthusiastically. The cheerful dwarf reached down into his crate, and lifted out a small, wooden horse, which appeared to be mid-trot. He had painted it white, with a grey mane, and it was so detailed, the mane appeared to be in motion. Kelda beamed with delight at the toy, and she gently picked it up out of the dwarf's hand.

"He's beautiful!" she exclaimed softly, her eyes full of wonder at the craftsmanship.

Kelda had loved horses from a young age. Her father used to take her horseback riding in the meadow beside the lake. It was her favorite activity to do, and that time she spent with her father was her dearest memory of him. When he died, the two horses they owned, Daran and Turion, were her comfort. And sadly, as they fell into debt, Bron was forced to sell the horses. Kelda's heart was broken for a very long time after that, and her love of horses became her way of remembering her father, and the beautiful horses she had shared with him. This particular wooden horse looked very similar to Daran, and that especially made Kelda's smile bright.

The dwarf smiled at her, thinking to himself how beautiful her smile was, and how much her green eyes shined with happiness at the site of his toy. He suddenly noticed the sun shone on her chocolate-brown hair, and it made it glisten in the light. He noticed the color of her lips, the deep pink they were, and the faint blush in her cheeks. She was a lovely girl, and the young dwarf desired to know her name, and everything about her.

"How much, Master dwarf, for this lovely horse?"

The stout man blinked, realizing the pretty girl was addressing him now. He looked to her, as if awoken from a trance, and quickly composed himself.

"Oh! Well, I usually charge 5 pieces of silver for them," he began slowly. "But…I should like to give this one to you, as a gift for appreciating my work so."

And he smiled a charming and warm smile at her, and Kelda suddenly felt her cheeks flush.

"Oh no, Master Dwarf!" she replied, with surprise. "I could not rob you so! I insist that I pay for him."

Kelda reached for her purse, not thinking about the fact that she only had enough money for a dress. She began to pull it out, but then she remembered that fact, that she only had enough for the dress. She stopped pulling it out, and the dwarf saw her smile fade.

"Oh, I am sorry, Master Dwarf," she apologized softly, embarrasment in her voice. "I cannot pay you after all for this lovely toy. My brother only gave me the money for a new dress..."

Kelda began to put the horse back into the wooden crate, her eyes seeming to glisten with tears. The kind toy maker stopped her hand with his larger one.

"As I said, my lady," he began again gently. "Consider him a gift."

He smiled softly at her, as if to wipe her forming tears with only his smile. Kelda looked to him then, and his smile made her heart flutter. She had never seen such gentle eyes from anyone else, other than her father. This dwarf was so kind to her, and for no reason. He had nothing to gain from it, contradicting what her brother, and others, had always told her about dwarves. Her smile returned to her features, and it was full of gratitude and a softness that made the toy maker desire her name badly.

"I cannot repay such kindness, Master Dwarf," Kelda began softly. "But I thank you, with all of my heart, for this little horse."

The dwarf's smile became bright again, and his eyes laughed.

"But you can repay me, Lady," he began, a twinkle in his eye.

Kelda looked to him with a puzzled expression.

"You can give me your name," he said sweetly. "And I'll consider the debt paid."

Kelda giggled, delighted by his playful proposition.

"It is Kelda," she beamed. "Kelda ,of the house of Ormod."

The dwarf took off his hat once more, and bowed as low as he could, his untamed bangs falling over his eyes. Kelda once again, thought his adorable.

"A pleasure to meet such a beauty of Dale," he said kindly, his smile bright as the sun.

Kelda blushed slightly, just from the fact that he called her 'a beauty'.

"I should like to have your name too, Master Dwarf," she began, beaming at him. "to know whom made such a wonderful wooden horse."

"Bofur," the dwarf said with a nod, and he put his hat back on. "Bofur, my lady."

"Bofur," Kelda repeated softly, even his name sounded kind and playful. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure was mine, my Lady Kelda," Bofur replied kindly.

They both looked at other for a second moment more, no words exchanged, as if they didn't know what they should say further. But they didn't wish to stop the conversation, so both stood there for a moment, just enjoying the other's smile.

Kelda sturred first however, remembering that she still needed a dress and her brother might come looking for her soon.

"I'm sorry, Bofur," she began softly. "But I must be going now. I still have a dress to purchase. "

Bofur nodded and smiled.

"Of course, my lady," he said with an understanding tone.

"Kelda," the girl said sweetly, her eyes soft.

Bofur felt his ears turn red, and he was very thankful his hat covered them.

"Kelda," he repeated softly. "Be careful with that horse, he's a wild one," he joked, his eyes twinkling again.

Kelda giggled, and held the wooden horse close to her chest.

"I will," she beamed. "Thank you again for him."

Bofur grinned and nodded to her.

"Not at'all," he replied kindly.

Kelda turned to leave Bofur, but she looked back to him suddenly, her eyes shining with happiness.

"I hope to see you again soon, Bofur!" she called out sweetly, making her way to the dress market.

Bofur, rather thrilled that she wished to see him again, smiled his biggest smile at her then.

"Aye, Lass!" he called after her. "That we will, I promise!"

She waved at him, and he replied with one, and then she was lost in the crowd. Bofur stood there, looking thoughtful. The dwarf children of Erebor had always appreciated his wooden toys, but not in the way this girl had. She treated his work with the utmost care, affection, and respect. And for the dwarves, their craft is their life. They take the utmost pride in it, they live to improve it, and to have a human girl honor him so, both surprised and delighted Bofur. And she was so lovely and kind, so vibrant, with a smile that made him want to dance. Bofur hoped with all his heart that he would see little Kelda again very soon.