Chapter 1: The Blue Mountains

It was early in the evening when Lina heard her father shout excitedly, "Thoronsul, everyone, come in here quickly!" She and her brothers, Doni, Loni, and Roni, as well as her mother, Thoronsul, raced into the main room of their home in Minas Tirith. Her father had been Captain of the Guard in Erebor, but after Smaug drove the Dwarves from their home he had come here, working as a smith. Lina had been born the in the year following the Sack of Erebor, and knew nothing of the Mountain. Her elder brothers remembered it vaguely, Doni the best, being the oldest. Lina's mother, Thoronsul, was an Elf. It was a very rare and curious matter for an Elf and a Dwarf to marry, but that had not stopped her parents, and now they lived happily in Minas Tirith with their children.

Lina differed slightly in appearance from other Dwarves. She was slender, and her ears had a very slight point. Her eyes were keener than most Dwarves', and she had a graceful way of moving, much like the Elves. She had the slightly intimidating look of the Dwarves, though, and she was no taller than the average Dwarf her age. She was the only one among her siblings to have even the slightest Elven look, and often worried that other Dwarves would make fun of her, like her second eldest brother.

Loni was a year older than her and teased her all the time about her ears and use of the bow. She knew underneath it all he loved her, but that didn't take the bitter sting out of his remarks.

Doni was her eldest brother, and her best friend. She told him everything, and if she needed advice, she went to him first. He was very dear to her, and protected her from all the curious stares and remarks she got from the Gondorians.

Roni was a few years younger than she was, and a reckless fool. To find him in the thick of a fight in the tavern was not uncommon, and Doni had his hands full trying to keep him out of trouble.

When they flew into the room, her mother following at a slower pace, Goni was waving a scroll of parchment around.

"I just received this message. The soldier who gave it to me said that it was to be delivered to any Dwarves living in Minas Tirith. It's supposed to be urgent, and I thought you would like to hear."

"Well, that would be us. I don't know of any other Dwarves living around here." Loni said with a half-smile as he leaned causally against the doorway. "What does it say, Father?"

Goni read aloud;

Year 2800 of the Third Age

To any Dwarf who formerly lived in Erebor:

Thrain, son of Thror, rightful King Under the Mountain, has established a settlement in the northern Blue Mountains, above the Little Lune. Any Dwarf who was driven from Erebor by the dragon Smaug is welcome to journey there and start a new life. Miners, hunters, masons, smiths, etc. are all needed to help the colony flourish.

Any Dwarves who intend to travel to the Blue Mountains should be advised that it is best to plan to arrive before the fifteenth of October to guarantee that bad weather does not stall your journey. Although the war with the orcs is over, stragglers still remain in the foothills of the Misty Mountains, thus travelers must be on their guard. Do not take the path through Khazad-dum. The Pass of Caradhras is closed off by snow, so any Dwarves East of the Misty Mountains must take the Gap of Rohan. Do not anger the Rohirrim! They have been at peace with us for some time, and we wish it to remain so. Rivendell is a safe haven where you may rest and restock your supplies. Though we are not friendly with the Elves, Lord Elrond will not turn you away.

Balin, son of Fundin

"Thoronsul, I understand if you do not want to go. I can't guarantee thay they would treat you well, especially since Thranduil turned us away when we left Erebor. The lads would benefit if we went, they could learn trades, marry, and start their own families in a few years. Lina might find a husband, and she could always help with any hunting to be done. I could find work as a smith, or possibly in the Guard. It's a long journey, though, and dangerous." Goli said, fiddling thoughtfully with his beard.

Thoronsul laid a hand over his. "I want our children to grow up among their people. If you wish to go, I will not stop you." She smiled at him and he nodded.

"We will leave tomorrow. Pack light, we have along way to go, but you will want clothing for the cold weather." Goli stated after thinking for some time.

"Cold weather? It's April!" Roni scoffed.

"And it will take roughly eight months to get there, assuming the weather is good and nothing attacks us on the road." Goli said, pinning his cloak as Roni's eyes widened. "I will be back in an hour or so. I must go settle my affairs at the smithy." He turned and left.

Lina thought carefully. She hoped the Dwarves would accept her and not poke fun or insult her and her mother, but there was no way of knowing until they got there. That would be sometime in late October or early November. She would need leather leggings, her sturdy Dwarf boots, a tunic or blouse, and a thick cloak. And a spare set of the clothes she had listed. Her bow, sword, and dagger would of course be taken, they were vital.

"Lina? Are you alright?" Doni's concerned question startled her out of her thoughts.

"Just thinking." She replied. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll all be very good to you, and if they aren't, they'll regret it. And we'll get there just fine."

She nodded. "I'm going to need another pair of leggings. Will you go to the market with me? I'm sure you need some things as well."

"Of course. Wait five minutes, will you?" Doni asked, giving her a quick smile.

"Doni, will you go to the market and get a good set of daggers? I won't have time." Goli said, popping his head back through the door.

"Of course, Father." Doni said, nodding briskly.

Twenty minutes later they were in the great marketplace on the third level of the citadel. Lina began to make her way over to the leatherware stall, while Doni stopped at a booth selling swords, daggers and scabbards.

Lina was roughly bumped into before she had gone very far. A man over twice her size looked down at her and snarled, "Watch where you're going, Dwarf!"

"My apologies." She said, bowing her head briefly. It was not the first time that someone had spoken to her in this manner, and it would not be the last.

He glared at her and stormed away through the crowd. Lina sighed. 'At least the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains will be around my height', she thought, and continued toward the leatherware booth.

"There she is! That's the one what stole my knife!" The man who had run into her earlier said loudly, bringing a guard with him.

"Miss," The guard said when he had finally battled his way through the thick crowd of people. "This man says that you stole his dagger a few moments ago."

"I beg your pardon! He ran into me rather roughly and walked away." Lina's temper flared at the accusation.

"There it is, hidden under her cloak!" The man quickly snatched her dagger from its secret hiding place and handed it to the guard, looking smug. Lina supposed he had seen it when he ran into her and decided to cause trouble.

"That dagger was given to me on my thirtieth birthday by my father. I strongly advise you to return it." Lina growled.

"Lina? What is going on here?" Doni asked, stepping between two people in the small crowd that had surrounded the trio. He did not look pleased.

"Oh, your accomplice, shows up in the nick o' time and you both run for it, eh?" The man sneered. ''Good plan, but it didn't work, did it, Dwarf-scum?"

"This man says that she stole his dagger." The guard said, holding it up to show Doni, who was glaring at the man with a look that could kill. His jaw was clenched, and Lina was sure that he was going to jump at the man, but he turned to the guard.

"Nonsense, I was there when my father gave it to her! And besides, my sister would never steal anything!" Doni said, struggling to remain polite. "Would you mind returning the dagger to her so we can be on our way?"

The guard frowned. "That matches her story." He said. He turned to the man.

"Well, they have to 'ave some story to tell, don't they? All planned beforehand, I'm sure. And if 'e's 'er sister, there's even more reason to believe 'e's in on it." He said.

"I can vouch for Miss Lina. I've known her for a good two years, and she certainly did not steal that knife. Her story is true." A man in the crowd said, stepping forward. Lina recognized him as her friend who worked in the stables, Rhebryn.

The young guard nodded. "I trust your word. You are an honorable man, and do not befriend those who do not follow the law." He turned to the man who had run into Lina. "I believe you owe this lass an apology and me an explanation as to why she stole her knife from you."

The man glared angrily, but nodded stiffly to Lina. Doni grabbed Lina's hand and they went quickly down a street that lead away from the market. Lina said apologetically, "I'm sorry about that, Doni, I really didn't try to start anything. He ran into me and before I knew it he was back with a guard saying I'd stolen his dagger."

Doni stopped and turned to her. "I know you didn't, Lina. He was a bad sort, the kind Roni gets into it with at the tavern." He said. He looked her in the eye. "I am sorry I wasn't there sooner. Please, Lina, remember I will always try my very hardest to protect you if you need it. Always."

She nodded. He had always stuck up for her, for as long as she could remember. He pulled her in for a quick hug, touching their foreheads together. She sighed. "I didn't manage to get what I needed." She said.

Doni shrugged. "That's alright. We can go back a little later. Now, let's do Father a favor and see if we can find a pack pony or two. Maybe your friend Rhebryn can help us." He smiled and they walked down a side street to the stables.

Lina breathed in the pleasant scent of hay and horsehair as they entered the large barn. Looking around, she saw several fine looking horses, a donkey, and three ponies. "How many do we need?" She asked Doni.

"We need two at least. It depends on the price how many we actually get." Doni replied.

Lina nodded. While her father was not poor, exactly, he was certainly not rich. Doni worked part-time as a woodcutter for extra money, and her mother hunted and sold meat, but that was their only income. Loni wasted his time wandering around town with his gang of young Men doing Iluvatar knows what, and Roni spent his days drinking in the tavern. She went over to the first pony's stable. He ignored her, eating hay as she looked him over. He had a shaggy bay coat, with a mass of black mane and tail.

The next pony snorted and jumped to the back of his stall when she approached. From this distance he eyed her warily. He was thin, his black and white coat dull. 'Recently acquired', she thought. 'Rhebryn wouldn't let any animal in his care get like this. He won't do for us, though.' She continued to the third stall. The dappled grey pony who occupied it stuck its head over the half-door to be petted. She smiled. 'This one's certainly friendly, although geting a bit old.' She turned back to Doni, who was watching her. "The bay and this one would be the best. The pinto is skittish, and in poor shape."

Doni nodded. "I'll take your word for it, horse-mistress. We can wait until your friend returns, hopefully make a deal with him, and stop by the market on our return home."

They sat down on a nearby bale of straw to wait. "Lina, how do you feel about going to the Blue Mountains?" He asked, taking her hand and looking her in the eye.

"I don't know, Doni. I do want to go, but you heard the man in the market. I stand out too much here, people jeer at and pick on me because I'm different. I've never been around any other Dwarves, so I have no idea what they will do." She looked down.

Doni lifted her chin gently with the knuckle of his index finger. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Just keep your chin up, and don't let anyone get to you. Not all people are like that man in the market, and I will protect you. You are very pretty, and I'm sure there will be several Dwarf lads eager to catch your eye." He gave her a mischievous wink.

She shoved his shoulder, blushing slightly. He laughed. Just then, Rhebryn walked in. "Miss Lina, Master Doni." He said with a bow. "How may I be of assistance to you?"

''Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you for coming to my sister's aid in the marketplace. It was very good of you." Doni said, rising. He bowed. ''We are also here to see if we can aquire some ponies."

Rhebryn shrugged at his mention of helping Lina. "Friends should always stand up for one another. Ponies, is it? I suppose you have them picked out, Miss Lina?" He smiled. It was he who had taught her how to judge a horse and how to look after them. He had been very kind to her when she had wandered into his stables one day as she tried to hide from Loni, inviting her to return, which she had, every day. He had taught her all he knew about horses, their care, and training, even teaching her to ride a pony that he had owned then.

Lina returned his smile warmly. ''I think the bay and the dappled grey will do nicely. But, we must know, what is your price?"

Rhebryn rubbed his chin. "The dappled grey is getting on a bit, as I'm sure you noticed, so that will take off a bit. I'm willing to give them to you for, shall we say forty Castar? And I'll throw in a pair of pack saddles, if you like."

Lina nodded. "You are a fair man, Rhebryn." She turned to Doni. "It's a very good price, Doni. We can't get better elsewhere, and they are fine ponies."

Doni thought for a while. ''I thank you, sir. Will you keep them here for us until the morrow? My father or I will be along to fetch them first thing, and we can pay you then." He said finally.

Rhebryn smiled as he shook Doni's hand. "Of course, Master Doni.

Lina woke early the next morning. She washed her face and began to brush her long, curly blonde hair. She did her long, tight fishtail that hung down the middle of her back. She had chosen this style when she was very young, as it was simple, pretty, and kept out of the way of her quiver and sword. A Dwarf maiden's hairstyle changed only when she began courting, and once more when she was married, and letting another Dwarf braid your hair was a way to indicate that they might court you. Lina highly doubted that anyone other than her would ever braid her hair. She was too different, and even though Doni constantly comforted and encourged her, she couldn't help worrying about what the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains would think about her.

Lina dressed quickly in her new black leather leggings and her snug green tunic. She slid her dagger into its secret pocket along her side and went into the main room, her quiver of arrows over one shoulder, and her sword in its scabbard on the other.

Doni was talking to her father as they made a fire in the stone hearth. "...three, but one of them was skittish and in poor condition, so we decided not to get that one. Morning, Lina!" Doni grinned and continued telling their father about the deal they had made with Rhebryn. "Rhebryn said he would take forty Castar for the pair, and throw in two pack saddles. Lina said that was a fair price, so I agreed. We are to fetch them this morning and pay for them then. I got the daggers you wanted, too."

"Good, I'm glad. Thank you for bargaining for ponies. It will be much easier to transport our supplies that way. Loni and Roni had best wake up, we must be off soon. They were good ponies, Lina?" Goli asked with a smile to Lina, who was mixing porridge in a pot over the fire he had made.

"Yes, Father, very good ponies. They will serve us well, and should we wish to sell them when we arrive in the Blue Mountains they will bring a good price." Lina replied.

Her mother glided into the room just then. She glanced around the room and said, "I will wake Loni and Roni. The sun has almost fully risen." She turned and went to the room the boys shared. Lina heard loud protests and grumbling a moment later, and Loni came out, yawning hugely and rubbling his eyes. ''Morning Father, Doni. Hello, Archer!" He said. 'Archer' was an easy way to tease her without anyone realizing; Dwarves did not typically use bows for anything more than hunting, so her use of it set her apart even more, and he twisted anything odd against her. Loni was very clever at hiding any insults from his parents, and as a result they never knew about his teasing. Lina, not wanting to cause trouble, had not told them about it. It had been a few years before Doni had found out, and he told Loni off every time he caught him, but it didn't seem to do any good.

She frowned as he winked and went back to stirring their breakfast. She saw Doni glaring at him out of the corner of he eye. The porridge was soon ready and she spooned it into four clay bowls and gave them to her brothers and father. Her mother sat quietly nearby eating lembas. Lina did not feel like eating that morning.

"Lina, you must eat something. We will not be stopping for some time, and you will need your strength." Goli said. "I am going to fetch the ponies now. I will return before long, and I want everybody to be ready when I get." With that, he set his bowl down, pulled on his cloak, and departed.

Lina sighed and ate the portion of lembas her mother offered her. She did not usually eat lembas, but stuck rather to hearty Dwarven meals, which was one thing that wasn't different about her. She washed the dishes and retrieved her pack from her room, strapping it onto her back. She then went outside to see if her father had returned. She could just make him out down the street, leading the two ponies, who were fitted with pack saddles. Leaning back into the house she called, "Father is coming back!"

Doni and Loni came out carrying bedrolls and great sacks of food. They set them down by the door and waited for Goli. Doni had his usual light mail tunic with his leather tunic on over it, and a rough grey coat. Loni was dressed similarly, with a leather tunic and brown coat. He wore no mail, however.

Roni came out carrying more supplies a moment later, dressed identically to Loni. He grumbled as he set the sacks down. Goli arrived as he did so and handed the ponies' lead ropes to Lina. He began to secure the supplies to the pack saddles with Doni amd Thoronsul's help. Roni leaned on the doorframe with his arms crossed and scowled. Loni, however, moved very close to Lina and stroked the bay pony's nose. He whispered into Lina's ear, "Pointy-ears, be careful while we travel. Prancing along like you do might cause you to stumble and hurt yourself, and we wouldn't want that. But then you could always use your healing powers to fix it, huh?"

Lina turned to him, glaring fiercely. "You are just as much an Elf as I am, and you know it! I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave me alone." She hissed, turning swiftly on her heel and moving between the ponies so that he could not get colse enough to speak to her. Doni saw her distressed expression and went over to Loni. He spoke to him so quietly that Lina could not hear, and when he stepped away Loni nodded his head to her as an apology. She nodded back, tears pricking her eyes, and they set off. Goli and Thoronsul were at the head of the group, Doni lead the other pony by her side, and Loni and Roni followed, conversing quietly.

'Well, we are off', Lina thought as they left the gates of Minas Tirith for the last time. She said a mental goodbye to the great city as they walked northwest, towards the kingdom of Rohan.

"We make for Edoras. Hopefully we can restock our supplies there." Goli called.

"Doni, how do you feel about going to the Blue Mountains?" Lina asked, studying his face.

He smiled as he looked at her. "I'm worried, to be honest. I don't like seeing you being teased or insulted. If Loni doesn't stop acting the way he does towards you, I am going to become very cross with him." He said, frowning. Lina started, knowing what he meant by 'become very cross with him.'

He frowned even more. "He has no right to treat you the way he does. It's cruel and unnecessary."

Lina's eyes widened a bit as she watched his darken and narrow. She started to tell him it wasn't necessary for him to fight Loni, but he cut her off with a look that plainly said 'no arguments'. They traveled on in silence, broken only by the occasional sneeze from one of the ponies and the vague sound of Loni and Roni's conversation. Lina didn't bother to wonder what they were talking about. Undoubtably some joke or story Roni had heard in the tavern. That seemed to be the extent of all of their conversations.

As the sun set, Goli called for the family to halt for the night. "Doni, find some stones for a fire-ring, Loni, find some firewood, Roni, you unpack the ponies and stake them for the night, and Lina, you can help your mother cook us something to eat."

They all did as they were told, Roni grumbling under his breath, and soon were eating stew around a merry, dancing fire. Lina kept an eye on the ponies as they grazed. She had decided to name the dappled grey Blizzard, as the white marks on her coat reminded her of snow. As the fire died down, the family retired to their bedrolls, Goli taking the first watch.

Lina felt excitement growing inside of her. Maybe this adventure wouldn't be so bad. Except for Loni, there was no one to pick on her, and she could easily avoid Loni. She sighed and fell asleep.

Hey! I've never published a story before, so I'm really excited about this one! I hope the characters make sense to the reader. This chapter isn't betaed, so please forgive any mistakes I made, I try to go over it again and find them, but some might've slipped past me. I'm going to say, if I can get five reviews asking me to continue, I will. If you want to point out anything you think could be better, or any ideas you have, don't hesitate, I love feedback! :D

Lina has been a victim of extreme prejudice her whole life, especially as she is not pure Dwarf. Loni picks on her too, for no apparent reason. Doni loves Lina very much, and tries to protect her. Roni doesn't have a real relationship with her. He spends the mornings sleeping amd complaining about hangovers, and the afternoon, evening, and most of the night drinking. Doni usually has to go drag him home. Lina tries to keep an eye out for him like Doni does for her, but Doni doesn't want her to, fearing that drunk Men might insult her or worse.

Her mother and father work all day and a lot of the evening, so they aren't around a lot. The reason Lina didn't tell her parents Loni was treating her this way is a little complicated. She didn't want to cause trouble, for one thing, but she also worried that Loni would resent her even more if he was punished, which might result in even more insults. She finally turned to Doni after struggling with what to do on her own. He asks, tells, commands, and sometimes threatens Loni to stop, but it doesn't appear to have any effect. His patience is wearing thin, however, and he is starting to consider more violent persuation. °-°

Thanks for reading, and thanks even more for reading my explanation of what I thought were some points that needed to be sorted out. I though about doing various points of view throughout the story instead of just Lina, watcha think?

Thoronsul Belegmegil