Bargain

"Do you think it's possible, Master Gimli?"

The Lord of the Glittering Caves, recently returned to Minas Tirith for the New Year's celebration, and waylaid shortly thereafter by the senior archivist, looked intrigued. "It's not something that I remember ever being asked for, Mistress Tenerië, but I think it could be done."

"Do you think that essence of gum dissolved in purified water would work as a binder? That's what I use when making gold ink."

"How finely do you grind the gold? And how much do you need to be able to write an entire book? I must say that my own people save such precious metals for jewelry or decorating weapons and stick with plain black ink for our tomes."

The dwarf waited while Tenerië retrieved a small codex from a locked cabinet, and placed it on the table before him. "This has thirty folios and it took a piece of gold the size of my baby niece's littlest fingernail to make the ink," she explained. "The particles must be ground fine enough not to clog the pen but roughly enough to provide several highly reflective surfaces. The Record will be at least three times as many folios and twice as large."

Gimli glanced at Tenerië for permission and began to turn the pages of the book. The brilliance of gold on ultramarine blue parchment was jewel-like in effect and he found himself entranced by the miniscule figures, all in gold, that populated the borders of the pages. Carefully closing the cover when he'd finally examined each and every page, he turned towards the waiting woman and smiled. "I'll see that you get what you need within a sevenday of my return home. Your Record will be something that even the greatest of my own people's craftsmen will envy." He laughed as he handed her the codex. "Besides, everyone knows if you want anything done with mithril, you should ask a dwarf."

"But we have not yet spoken of remuneration for your labours, Master Gimli. Surely, you aren't going to provide me with what I need for free!" Tenerië held the small book to her chest and kept her eyes fixed on the King's Friend as she spoke. "I have only a certain budget for the project, so shall we retire to the Laughing Goat and discuss your fee over a tankard of ale?"

Gimli laughed and slapped the haft of his axe. "If you weren't so tall and beardless, I'd swear you were one of my kin, Mistress. That sounds a proper way to conclude our business. But I must warn you that I'm a hard bargainer!"

After taking enough time to put the blue codex back in its cabinet, the two left the archive, Tenerië answering, "Thank you for the compliment, but I deem that you'll find I drive a hard bargain as well."