Two days later, around the middle of the day when sun stood as highest, the Dwarven merchants from Khazad-dûm arrived to Ost-in-Edhil. They were forty in number, all used to the dangers that might show up between their home and the Elven city.

"Lord Frerin, what a surprise to see you among those of your merchant kin," greeted Celeborn in honest surprise at seeing the Dwarven prince. Frerin, who was the younger brother to King Vern I of Khazad-dûm, bowed deeply in response.

"When one gets a message that there was an attack on our kin by outlawed slave traders, and a group from the East comfirmed that some in their group had gone missing around the same time, of course it would fall to the Royal Family to check this out since it was for the sake of finding my nephew a bride and any lost Dwarrowdam is a lost daughter to our race."

"Then I am sure that it will gladden your hearts to hear that while my poor Adad Balder of the Asar family and his friends were not granted a chance to survive, Lord Celebrimbor managed to save me before any dishonor could fallen upon me," Narvi said in a greeting voice as she revealed herself from behind a stone pillar, dressed in a dark grey two piece-dress kaftan and a small silver belt which fit the grey face veil she was wearing, a sign of her being in mourning. She had also braided her hair in many small braids as best as she could do with her hair being cut to shoulder-length. She did a curtsy while Celebrimbor presented her:

"Lady Narvi, daughter of Balder and Ata, of the Asar family."

"My Lord."

Frerin bowed in greeting to her, his black hair braids falling slightly around his face by the movement.

"Frerin, prince of Khazad-dûm, to your service, my Dam. I am sorry to hear about your loss of your father."

Narvi blushed behind the veil as her hand was kissed by the Dwarven prince, she knew that customs was slightly different here in the North but had not expected to be treated like a high-born lady already.

"My clan is blessed with my older brother Odin as the first-born by 30 years before me, so there is no worry for me and my younger brother-sister Loki not having a close-related protector and head of the family."

Frerin, who had lived for 170 years already, understood the way Narvi implied about her family with a such term. After all, his own life-partner Tora was a such Dwarf as well.

"May the Maker bless your clan and comfort them in the news about the passing of your father."

"Does you wish to rest, and talk business later at dinner?" Galadriel offered with a gentle smile, sparing Celeborn some small work.

"That would be much welcomed after this long journey, my Lady."

Bowing, Narvi made a point of carefully moving back into the shadows of the house. Unspoken Dwarven rules requested the Dwarrowdams to generally not allow themselves to be seen anyhow by non-Dwarves, especially by male ones, and while her kidnappning situation would be a seen as a very legal excuse to that Celebrimbor had seen her unveiled face, Narvi wanted to stick to those unspoken rules to keep herself calm despite the inner joy of finally seeing fellow Dwarves again even if they were ones she had never met before. Celebrimbor and his servants were kind, yes, but she had deeply missed the company of her own race since it was rather uncomfortable to be the only Dwarrowdam in a city of Elves. Her still reasonable young age of fifty years also played a part of those feelings.

X~X~X~X~X~X

To be honest, and much to his own private confusion, Celebrimbor was not too pleased over knowing that Narvi would soon leave Ost-in-Edhil to be with her own kin again.

"Perhaps it might be because she is one of the few persons who have not seemed to care for the past sins of my family…"

Or perhaps it was so simple as that Narvi did not know of what really had happened in the First Age, and he had not exactly revealed a lot of the events outside how it had affected his own family members.

"Focus on what they are talking about, silly!" warned Celebrian to his right and gave him a a light kick on the shin under the table to make Celebrimbor stop thinking.

"Sorry…" Celebrimbor whispered back. Celebrian had a good point, as a blacksmith himself Celebrimbor had a interest for the skills that the Dwarves had as metalworkers, smiths and stoneworkers. At the left side of the table, Narvi was sitting with Frerin. Now beside each others, her Eastern dialect was heard more clearly as they talked, that there was a different way she spoke in. After they all had finishing the dessert, Frerin asked:

"Three weeks of business, then we will return to Khazad-dûm, is that a good time for you, my Lord and Lady?"

The co-rules of Eregion nodded in agreement.

X~X~X~X~X~X

Since it still was some hours before it was time to sleep, Narvi and Celebrian used a chance to look over the city. In the warm twilight, it seemed like a rain of soft gold and red had fallen over the marble and stone houses, the gardens and trees adding a gentle green to all the colours.

"It is always beautiful to watch the sunset from here, no matter how many times I have seen it in my life," Celebrian spoke gently as she stood in her full height. She was shorter than her mother's 193 cm in height, but where Galadriel was sharp, her silver-haired daughter was more softer in personality. Granted, Celebrian was only about five-hundred years old, but she was not exactly an shelted and naive young She-elf. A wee bit spoiled perhaps, but that could be blamed on her social rank as the second highest-ranking lady in Eregion.

"Indeed it is beautiful, if one were to ignore that your parents' house is a bit too tall if you ask me," Narvi joked with a sly smile behind the veil, making Celebrian laugh a little bit. It had not taken long for them to become friends the day before when Celebrimbor had brought her to meet Celeborn and Galadriel for a quick meeting. Celebrian was a warm-hearted and kind lady.

"I guess that is true for people that is of different heights. Of course, it is a such long time since I was so little that I had to be carried by my parents to see this kind of view."

Narvi could tell that the Elven princess did not mean to offend her, and simply smiled at her. Then she saw Elrond standing behind one of the inner pillars, a faint blush on his cheeks as he glaced towards the back of Celebrian. The Dwarrowdam might still be young in years, but she could guess why he was blushing like that. Oh well, it was not hard to see why people would fall in love with Celebrian. Not just her beauty, but her warm heart as well.

"Elrond?"

It was Celebrimbor. He had whispered quietly, knowing that it likely would be a while before Elrond could come to Ost-in-Edhil again to see Celebrian. And poor Elrond was far from the only Elf who held feelings for her.

"I know that I have a very little chance of winning her heart or even catching her eye despite that I have been chosen as a herald to Gil-galad...despite that my birthfather is Eärendil and my mother is Elwing of Doriath, I know that many people does not truly trust me, even after all those years, because of that Elros and I were raised by your paternal uncle and aunt."

Celebrimbor gave Elrond a warning glare, he knew that Maglor and Maedhros would be aghast if they had heard Elrond doubt himself in that manner. Instead he simply gave the young Peredhel a light smack in the back of the head, in a manner that greatly reminded Elrond about how Maedhros would show her displeasure over something he and Elros had done, while saying:

"Don't be silly, cousin. Do not let the past still haunt you like that. Now go and give Celebrian that rose-scented cream for her hands that I saw you doing earlier today. Off with you now!"

A gentle push in the back, and poor Elrond nearly fell forwards before he found his balance again.

"What...no, wait!" protested Elrond to a smirking Celebrimbor as he found himself nearly face-to-face with Celebrian, blushing so hard that no one would have blamed him for fainting if he had done so. And yet, Elrond managed to offer her the small box which contained the rose-scented hand cream without a sound before he hurried away.

"He is awfully shy, that one, huh?" Narvi commented as Celebrian, in her gentle ways, tried to follow after Elrond to thank him properly for the gift as she had guessed why he might not have trusted himself to speak without making a fool out of himself.

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Before she followed Celebrimbor back to his house, Narvi took time to tell Frerin of what had happened after that the outlaws had attacked.

"It pleases me much to hear that it will be seen as a honest mistake, for I feared that my kind host would be seen as having dishonored me by saving me," Narvi spoke in clear relief.

"Nay, my Dam, no one would think that it was done in ill deed. When it is to save a life, proper behaviour is the least thing people would think of. Or far more lives would be lost to the world."

Frerin could understand why Narvi had been worried. Dwarrowdams did have very strong rights in Dwarven society because of how rare they were, and being dishonored was a strong matter for them. With not every Dwarrowdam choosing to marry, those who did so was seen as extra blessed even if they had the great misfortune of never carrying a child into the world. Blessed with children or not, a happy marriage was still a important way of reminding fellow Dwarves that things was well between a young couple.

"So...it is true that because I am in mourning, there is absolutely no chance of me coming a royal bride?"

Narvi felt that she needed to be really sure on that, so she had asked Frerin in a such honest way that he could tell that she was not out for becoming a future queen, simply wanting information about what she possiby would expect.

"Aye, neither a future queen or even a royal concubine, as your mourning period will be over when it is past Durin's Day and both of those special ladies for my nephew have to be chosen before that day. But even so, you will most likely be granted royal protection as a official thank you for coming to Khazad-dûm despite what happened on the way there."

Giving her a respectful bow, Frerin then returned to the guest chamber he had been given. Narvi, in turn, made a eastern Dwarven hand sign that was meant to protect the much older Dwarven prince against any dangers of the night.

~X~X~X~X~X~X

The next three following weeks passed quickly. Business was done well on the markey place, especially as the Elves of Ost-in-Edhil knew better than remind the Dwarves about what had happened between their races in the First Age or they would lose a valuable trading partner.

"Lady Narvi, I hope that you have been pleased with your stay here in my home."

It was the day of depart, and Narvi had just finished packing her few belongings in her travel bag. With some unexpected help from Celebrian and her ladies-in-waiting, Narvi had sewn a extra travel outfit that could be useful.

"I am more than well pleased for being allowed to stay here in your house and household, lord Khelebrimbor. By the standards of the Eastern Dwarf Clans, I now have a life-debt to you which can only be repaid by me saving your life in turn one day in the future. If not me, then perhaps a possible descendant of mine in the future. This small silver hammer is a sign of that life-debt."

She handed him a small earring formed as a hammer, which Celebrimbor accepted with a understanding nod before fasting the small hammer in his right ear. He had already holes in his ears since a couple of hundred years back, and it was easy to simply change his normal stud silver earring with the silver hammer, which was shaped like a drop earring. Checking so the silk scarf did cover her lower face properly, Narvi then bowed in farewell to Celebrimbor before taking her travel bag on her back and entering though the front door to her kin that awaited outside.

"Farewell…" Celebrimbor mumbled for himself, voice spoken so softly that it could have been a mere whisper. If Frerin found it strange in that sorrowful way the Elf-Lord looked at Narvi, he said not say anything. Dwarrowdams were so rarely seen by outsiders that he found nothing to complain about, Celebrimbor had gotten an extremely rare chance to befriend a Dwarrowdam despite how things first had started that meeting and by the look on his face, had greatly enjoyed that chance.

"My nephew will have his bride chosen at the end of autumn if you wishes to send a wedding gift to the happy couple for the wedding later in winter!" Frerin called over his shoulder to the co-rules of Eregion, as he took the lead on his own pony. Checking so Narvi was sitting comfortable in the carriage she ad been placed in, the Dwarves left Ost-in-Edhil for the road leading to Khazad-dûm, their home in the Misty Mountains.

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Author's note: Vern is a male name meaning "Of the alder tree" in Old Norse and seemed to fit for a Dwarven King. A kaftan or caftan is a variant of the robe or tunic, versions of which have been worn by several cultures around the world for thousands of years. The kaftan is often worn as a coat or overdress, usually reaching to the ankles, with long sleeves. Dam is the Swedish word for Lady, and seeing that female Dwarves are called Dwarrowdams, I think it could be their way of saying "my Lady." Tora is a old Norse name, a female version of Thor. I imagine that Frerin might be a traditional Durin family name given to the second-born royal son once every few generations. Those who know about Norse mythology, probably will recognize the earring as a Mjölnir pendent, and seeing that the Dwarves are famous for their war-hammers, it seemed to fit.