Author's Note: Since there aren't many Southron/Haradrim names known, I made one up. While Noro is based off of the Japanese Noborou.


Common Solemnity

Ten years after Frodo and Gandalf had left Arda. Ten years after they had met the Easterling Noro and Southron Korwulf or Kor the news came. It was Borin who entered the hallway off the smithy where he, Noro and Loki had been discussing getting Eomer's permission to make a new horn for the Deep, in case the old one became ruined.

Brown-clad Noro who faced the hallway's entrance was the first to spot Borin. When he turned around he saw the grave look on his cousin's face. What had happened ? An accident in Erebor ? The Iron Hills ?

Just as solemnly Borin delivered the news. "My Lord Gimli, your father...is dead. Three days ago he died in his sleep."

Not Gimli or even Loki, but Noro was the first to speak, "Gloin is dead ?"

His breathing and heartbeat seemed too loud in his ears and he felt Loki's arms slid around his waist as he fell. Dim thoughts swirled in his head: Noro and Father had gotten along well after Father had asked Noro about the Easterlings.

Flashback

Gimli leaned back against Loki patting Kyrie's black mane. Found himself looking at Noro who rode beside Father. The Eastlering was mainly silent, they hadn't even heard Noro introduce himself until they'd left the Shire.

Father asked, "Noro, what is your home like, your people ?"

The now healthier looking, olive-skinned man answered, "My people are of the horse tribes who live on the plains. Like your Rohrrim we are very close to our horses."

"Hmm, Kor did you say that you were half-dwarf ? However did you become friends with Noro ?"

Kor, who rode behind Noro on a grey pony, stated, "Yes, I am from the Orocarni Mountains. The Da- Sauron brought Noro and I together when my party was attacked by a far ranging mumakil. I would have died from trampling had Noro not pulled me onto his horse." Kor's tone when the last was said was quite fond, then the Southron looked embarrassed.

Loki spurred Kyrie ahead across the Rohrric plains as the rise to Helm's Deep came into sight.

End Flashback

How could Father be dead ? It seemed too easy for Father to have died in his sleep, it wasn't possible. Father who had taught him how to wield his axes with Grandfather's help. Father who managed to help Uncle Oin, cousin Balin, Dwalin, Thorin and the others to reclaim Erebor. Helped him to deal with Grandfather's death.

Over his sobs, he heard Loki saying something. It was Father who had convinced him to tell Loki how he felt.

Flashback

He found himself staring at the pendant that Gandalf had given him. The last few times he'd gone to visit Loki had been distant. Even if he did go, how could he tell the jotun and be sure Helblindi wasn't going to break through the nearest piece of ice.

Father's hand landed on his shoulder, "I didn't raise you to give up, neither did your mother." Turned to look at Father, the same blue-eyes looking sternly back at him. "Just tell 'im, Gimli or carve him a jewel first. What's the worst that he can do ? Reject you and try to destroy his pendant so he can't come here ? If he does it's his loss that he can't see how wonderful my boy is."

The gift of a hand carven jewel or trinket to a loved one was one of ancient Dwarven tradition. The amount of time and detail put into the making signified how much that person meant to the carver. Only a few important details for a friend with many minor and important details for the one you loved. To mean that you loved everything about them. It had taken him weeks to find the right piece of emerald, weeks to get the rough carving right and months to make all the tiniest details perfect.

Mirthless laughter left his lips. "I already gave him a piece of emerald carved like a wolf, he didn't react, so I left. I chose the emerald because Loki's always wished that his eyes were green so that he'd have something different compared to the other Jotnar. Except, he already does because besides Frabauti he's the smartest jotun I've met."

White-eyebrows raised, "Maybe it was because he was too overjoyed to think of the words he wanted to say. Go on, tell him 'n if he says no you'll eventually forget about him."

Still nervous, he thanked Father and touching the pendant willed himself to Jotunheim. Loki stood beside the Lake of Blood looked up as he appeared. A soft, "Is something wrong, Gimli ?" echoing across the short distance.

When he walked up to Loki he was shocked to see that Jotunheim's Prince held the emerald wolf. Gimli answered, "No, nothing is wrong, but...why did you keep the wolf ?"

Ruby-eyes looked down at him, Loki smiling faintly stated, "You gave it to me and it's one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. You ran off before I could tell you such."

"I did not run off, earlier that day I swore to go help Borin with the gates of Minas Tirith and I'd nearly forgotten of it. Why have you been so distant lately ? Was it the carving that scared you off ?"

Loki frowned, "No, Gimli, it was not the carving. It was...it is my father is trying to push me to court those I have no wish in." The jotun crouched, those strangely beautiful eyes earnest, "They are...not like you. They seem to think that if they kill the biggest bear they can find...every single time...that it will eventually impress me. Instead it just sickens me and when I say so none of them even try to understand. Unless, they pretend to until they can boast about themselves. You do not assume or do such things. I care not that my father will not approve, I love you, Gimli."

Well, Father had said to just tell Loki, "I love you too, Loki."

End Flashback

Without Father, he would've just ignored it and dismissed Loki's distance as the jotun taking up Helblindi's 'bug' attitude towards him.

Borin asked, "Noro, did you wish to come with me to arrange for the journey to Erebor ?"

Noro, "Of course, I will. I am happy that it was not Sauron who took him."

Noro walked past them and Loki's forehead pressed against his as he sniffled. Loki was crying too or he would've been if they hadn't been freezing on his cheeks.

Ice spread under them as he heard the jotun's words, "I-I'm so sorry, Gimli. I d-don't know what to say, but he was a great dwarf. I wish my father could have been more like Gloin." A wavering smile, "Do you remember when we went to see your parents for the first time ? I swear I thought he was going to kill me."

Weak, rough, laughter left his lips as he remembered it.

Flashback

Once again, he was watching Loki frost over from nerves, except this time they stood before his family's rooms in Erebor.

Loki asked, "Gimli, what if he does not think I deserve you ? I mean, what are we going to do ? Are we really going to take the dwarves who wish to leave and go ? It isn't right. You have met mine, no matter what I think now, I should meet yours."

Gimli shook his head and replied, "He likes you enough that he persuaded me to ask after you in the first place. The only thing that he can not like about you now is your appearance."

Normally, Loki was far more rational than this. Well, it was not as if he could blame Loki as he'd been startled to meet Frabauti in Jotunheim. That had truly been an awkward meeting.

A nod and deep breath from Loki later, he opened the doors to the twenty foot wide rooms. The rooms were dark-grey mountain stone and what bit of furniture wasn't carved from the mountain had come from the surrounding area, mainly Dale. Father and Mother sat on the couch at the far side of the room directly across from them.

Mother, in a grey-tunic and pants, her greying black-hair and beard loose, was the first to get up from the dark-green couch. She greeted, "Welcome home, Gimli. You finally get to go on a quest of your own and end up saving even more then your father did. Not only that, but you finally met someone that you actually like. It is good to finally meet you, Loki. I am Brokkr, Gimli's mother."

The confusion that flitted over Loki's face was brief, he didn't blame his love for feeling that. Even for himself it was hard to impossible to distinguish male and female dwarves most days. Still at Mother's words Loki relaxed further...then Father, with a glare on his face, rose to stop before Loki with his axe in hand.

For once Loki actually looked scared of something shorter than him. An echoing crash as Father took Loki's feet out from under him with the axe's haft. Ice glittered in the lantern-light as Loki unsheathed an ice-dagger and slashed at the axe. Father blocked the strike, blinked impassively down at Loki...before smiling.

"It's good to meet ya, Loki. How's the Insulting Icicle ?"

"Still annoying, one would think being a jotun would make one more...see through instead of stubborn."

Father chuckled and helped Loki get up. "Stubborn's a good thing when it comes to any dwarf much less our Gimli."

End Flashback

His voice thick, Gimli found himself saying, "I-I know, N-Noro is right, at least, Father died how he wanted not by someone else. H-he's with Mahal and the others now."

Slowly, numbly, he rose and made his way out of the glittering caves. The light reflecting off all the jewels and metals it seemed far too bright with the news he'd gotten. The dwarves moved aside as he passed, they looked in shock as well. Most of their families had grown up knowing his family. It was why they had come with him to the Glittering Caves to prove to Father that they could claim something too.

Ana slammed into his chest, tears stained her beard as she demanded, "Tell me it isn't so, Cousin ! Tell me that my father lies, tell me that he lives."

"I wish that I could Ana, but I can not. He is dead for the three days passed."

How odd was it that Ana could summon grief wails when she could remember him for only seventeen years, yet he'd known Father his whole life and couldn't manage one. If they wanted to make it in time for Father's entombment they would have to leave tonight.