So sorry this has taken so long, but stuff going on and I went back and basically rewrote this entire chapter, but I think it was worth it. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and added this to your favorites and alerts.
The sun shone in through the glass paneled windows high up on the stone wall encasing the bedroom in sunshine and warmth. Underneath the fur coverings on the bed, a soft yawn could be heard as two hands peeked out pushing the covers down. Elisa lay there for a moment when she smelled something, Is that bread baking she wondered.
She sat up on the side of the bed sinking her feet into the soft furs on the floor, before getting up and making her way to her bathroom where she completed her toiletries and dressed in a simple red dress with black leather boots. Walking into the kitchen/dining area she greeted the two men sitting and eating breakfast while discussing their day's plans.
"Good morning you two," she greeted happily.
"Good morning Elisa. Are you excited about today?" Ori asked.
"Yes, I'm very excited to see Dale and I'm so glad that the Lady Dis offered to go with me," she replied excitedly as she sat down at a medium sized table with four high back chairs surrounding it. She fixed herself a bowl of porridge and a piece of the fresh bread and began eating before pausing about halfway through.
"Dwalin, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course lass, what is it?"
"I noticed yesterday that many of the women were carrying daggers on their belts and some of them even had swords or axes. I was just wondering why that was."
"Well lass, you see when Smaug took over Erebor and our people were forced to flee we attempted to reclaim Moria from the orcs. Before we did though we trained the women or dwarrows as we call them to be able to defend themselves should anything happen. Some decided to just learn the basics but some went on to learn swordsmanship and using battle axes and many to this day still like to go out and practice and keep up their skills. Is there any particular reason you were asking?"
"No, I was just wondering. Just trying to learn more about my new home and the people." She sat there quietly for a moment thinking to herself wondering what it would be like to possibly learn to use a weapon. She decided that she would try to talk to Dis about it and think more on it before she talked some more to Dwalin about it. She failed to notice the look of hope on Dwalin's face as he hoped that perhaps she would decide she wanted to learn and he could be the one to teach her.
"You had better be going dear if you don't want to be late, just leave your dishes and I'll get them for you." Ori said as she stood, kissed them each on the cheek and left out.
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As she made her way down the main staircase that would lead to the front entryway she passed Balin leading what she supposed were elves due to the pointed ears in the opposite direction toward what she thought were the guest chambers. As she quickly hurried along looking away to watch where she was going, she failed to notice the older of the men look back towards her with an odd look.
Elisa arrived at the massive front entryway just as Dis was coming down the last steps.
"Are you ready to go, my dear?" Dis asked.
"Please dear, just call me Dis, now let us be on our way shall we?"
"Yes milady. I am quite excited to see the city of Dale and all the shops and people."
XXX
The road to Dale was about a half mile at most and since it was such a lovely day, they had decided to walk.
"Dis, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course, what is it?"
"Well, the other day I noticed some of the dwarrows walking to outside carrying swords and battle axes. So I talked to Dwalin this morning who told me that some learned fighting skills if you will and he explained that they started to learn after Smaug took over and before the battle at Moria."
"Yes, that was such a frightening time, with the men about to go off to battle and it was realized that it would leave us almost defenseless against orcs, wargs and anything that may attempt to attack us, so it was decided that any women who wished to learn to fight to protect ourselves and our families could do so. As you may have noticed, many of them continue to do so. Why are you asking dear? Are you possibly interested in learning?"
"Possibly, I've never done anything like that so I'm not sure just yet."
"Why don't you go out to the training fields sometimes and just watch a little bit? You can watch the men and women practicing and you can also talk to Dwalin dear, I feel sure he would be proud to teach you in whatever weapon(s) you attempt." Dis said encouragingly.
"That does seems like a good idea, I think I will when I'm not helping Ori in the library."
"That's wonderful dear, I know Ori could really use some help in the library, especially getting it organized. It's huge and one person can only do so much even if it has been five years since we came home."
"Why has no one tried to help him before now?"
"Well, as I said the library is enormous and Ori hasn't been able to get much of an inventory of what is in there and get it in order in addition to being the Royal Scribe."
"Ah," Elisa said understanding, "well I hope I can help him get things in order."
"I hope so dear, oh, here we are in Dale now shall we go to the dressmaker's shop and see about you some clothes."
They walked into a dress shop owned by a fellow dwarrow that Dis knew and trusted and had been using ever since returning to Erebor. Hearing the bell at the top of the door, she walked out of her back room and greeted Dis enthusiastically before turning to be introduced to Elisa.
"Elisa, this is Cissa she is the owner of this shop. Her husband is Joisin and he works in the mines of Erebor."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Elisa. I hope you are well."
"Thank you Mistress Cissa. I hope you are well also."
"Cissa, we are looking for Elisa some dresses and I think some tunics and pants also just in case."
"Of course, let me get my daughter to help me get your measurements so we can have them on hand for any adjustments and special orders later on, and then we'll look at what I already have on hand. If you like you are more than welcome to go ahead and look around and see if there is anything in particular that you like."
While Cissa went to get her daughter and everything she needed to do the measurements, Dis and Elissa began to wonder around looking at various clothes and undergarments. As they looked there was one dress in particular that caught Dis attention. It was a light purple almost violet color with a darker shimmery purple pattern that swirled all throughout the dress, the sleeves were straight and a wide scoop neckline with gold embroidery completed the dress.
"I think this would look lovely on you tonight at the dinner Elisa. It's elegant enough for this type of dinner with the guests that will be there, but it's not too much. Also, I think I have just the right circlet that would look perfect with it."
"It is lovely. Alright if you think so Dis."
Cissa and her daughter had walked out at that point ready to take measurements and prepare Elisa enough clothes to fill her closet.
"Lady Elisa, this is my daughter Cilla, who will be helping me. Now did you find anything in particular you like?" she asked noticing the dress they were standing next to.
"Yes, I like this dress and would love to try it on to see if it is possible that it could be ready in time for dinner tonight, possibly?"
Cissa looked at the dress and then Elisa. She held it up to Elisa taking the length of the sleeves, the length of the dress and the way it fit against Elisa waist and bust.
"Well from the looks of it milady, I would say that this dress should only need very minor if any alterations and I have been doing this since I was a young girl working with my mother when she was a dressmaker. If you'll follow us milady into the fitting room we'll get your measurements and then try this dress on."
Elisa followed them into the dressing room and got undressed leaving her undergarments on while the measurements were taken. Once that was complete Cissa helped her with the dress and led her outside to where Dis was and to get a better look in front of the three way mirror. It was a perfect fit and needed no alterations at all.
"You look lovely my dear, all you will need now is that circlet. That will be perfect for tonight, now we need to find you the other clothes you will need and I think that we will be done." Dis said smiling.
"Cilla, please help the Lady Dis and Lady Elisa with the other things they need while I have this prepared to be delivered to Erebor for them."
Elisa took a moment to look at Cilla. She was Elisa's height which was average for a dwarrow, she had blonde hair the color of wheat all the down to her waist, her eyes were hazel colored that had a twinkle to them when she smiled. She seemed to be a bit shy but was probably more talkative around people she knew.
"Are you enjoying Erebor, Lady Elisa? Cilla asked shyly almost in a whisper.
"Please call me Elisa and yes it has been very interesting so far. I'm adjusting fairly well to all the numerous hallways and stairways and finding my way around. Also, everyone so far has been very polite."
Cilla smiled, "Don't worry, once you get used to it you know it like the back of your hand."
They continued to talk while they found Elisa everything she would need and made sure that any necessary adjustments would be made quickly so the clothes could be delivered hopefully the next day. Dis had walked up at this point from talking to Cissa.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might like to take a walk around some more of Dale before we head back to Erebor, Elisa.
"Of course milady, it was nice talking with you, Cilla." Elisa said with a smile.
As they left the shop, Dis noticed that Elisa and Cilla seemed to feel at ease with each other and hoped that perhaps they would become friends over time.
They walked around Dale as Dis showed Elisa where different shops were and where various people had lived before Smaug had destroyed Dale and what was there now. She also told Elisa about Bard who was now King of Dale and what had happened leading to Bard becoming king.
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They finally decided to return to Erebor to get ready for the dinner. They parted ways at the main staircase and Elisa headed upstairs. As she walked in she saw that Ori and Dwalin were already there and sitting in the living area talking.
"Elisa, there was a dress delivered for you and I've hung in your room for you dear." Ori said smiling.
"Thank you Ori."
Just then there was a knock at the door and since Elisa was already up she went to answer it. Standing on the other side was a young dwarf who was carefully holding a velvet case that she suspected might be the circlet from Lady Dis.
"A-Are you the Lady Elisa?" he asked very politely but nervously.
"Yes I am. May I help you?" she asked with a smile.
"Yes milady, I am Gimli son of Gloin and the Lady Dis asked me to bring this to you, she said that you would be expecting it."
"Thank you very much, Master Gimli," she replied which made Gimli feel like he was the most important dwarf alive coming from such a lovely dwarrow such as Elisa. Blushing, he bowed and hurried off down the hall.
"Who was at the door?" Dwalin asked noticing the case in her hands.
"That was Gimli son of Gloin. He delivered a circlet that Lady Dis thought might look nice with my dress tonight."
Dwalin looked over at Ori then smiling as if reliving some old but fond memories.
She turned and walked into her room to begin preparing for that night. She quickly took a bath to clean up before beginning to dress. She began to make several small to medium braids all over the sides and back of her hair, afterwards she took the braids on the sides leaving her family braids and pulled them all around to the back where she began twisting them together with the ones at the back into one big twisting braid which she tied off with a small ribbon. She then reached for the circlet which was silver and consisted of loops consistently weaving in and out of each other with a small tear shaped blue crystal at the middle to lay over the forehead and settled it securely on top of her head.
She stood up and turned around to look in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance she walked out of her bedroom into the living area where Dwalin and Ori were waiting for her having gotten cleaned up and ready themselves.
"You look lovely dear," Dwalin said, "Are you ready to go?
"Yes, I believe so," she replied and with that they walked out the door and headed to Thorin and Bilbo's chambers.
Please read and review-no flames. Constructive criticism is always welcome. If you have any questions or ideas (love to hear them), please let me know either in review or PM. Again, this is not beta'd so apologies for spelling or grammatical errors.
