A short chapter, and posted early as well, today, dear readers, then back to normal tomorrow. Day after, there's a long Durin's Day Festival story, with more Dis! Also, I may or may not take a short writing break after that to plan the next leg of the story. BoryBorys - Yup, that's right. Malin basically is a ward of Balin, until she married or he dies, in which case she become Dwalin's ward. If she's widowed then she's on her own.. yippee?

Chapter 12: Aftermath

Gimli polished his axes with concentrated enthusiam that night. He was in a good mood, despite the fact that his mother was not. Ghiza had heard that Gloin had started some fight in the training arena again. She was furious, and getting more angry at him because he had sent Gimli home for dinner but had not shown up himself. The shaft of the loom thumped dangerously with a foreboding, regular rhythm. A click of exasperation sounded from Ghiza as she had realized a mistake she had made. In the intervening silence that follow as she fixed the mistake, the front door swung upon and in walked in Gloin, drunk.

"Ghiza, my dear."

She scowled and did not turn around.

Gloin was insufferable when he won a bet. He got drunk, and got into fights mostly with bartenders for refusing to pay their "exorbitant" prices. He came home all knocked up and frothy. Ghiza was used to this.

"What happened today, Gloin?"

There was a dangerous note in her voice.

He laughed, a deep bellowing laugh than came from his tummy. Walking over to the loom, he put his arm around Ghiza,

"Your friend, Balin's sister, she beat Dori in a fight. I won some bets."

"Something about some dwarrowdam he insulted, Ma." Gimli added in, not wanting Gloin to beat him to the best bits of the story.

"Hmm..." Ghiza said slowly, then smiled sideways at Gloin, "At least a dwarrowdam taught you fools a lesson for once."

"Oh, my jewel, you've taught everything I need to know," Gloin said teasingly and when Gimli looked up, the two were kissing, loudly.

"Oh ma, pa," Gimli covered his eyes, "That's gross."

"Someday you'll understand, Gimli," Ghiza said, not looking at him, "When you find a dwarrowdam you fancy and she fancies you."

"Never!" Gimli proclaimed, "I'm a bachelor for life."

Gimli excused himself to go look for his friends.

When the door closed, Gloin shook his head,

"Looks like we're not going to be getting grandchildren."

Ghiza pouted and frowned, then her face lit up with a smile,

"We're not too old for another child, you know."

Gloin grinned back.

At the Drunken Miner, Gimli was having an ale to himself. He nursed it gently, observing his surroundings. Usually he chugged down a couple of ales before you could say "Axes of the Dwarves", but today, people were giving him weird looks. The barkeep was especially sour.

When Gimli paid up for his one ale and was about to leave, the barkeeper growled, "Yer pa furgot to pay for his drink, and of top of that he started a huge ruckus which resulted in a huge mess."

"I don't know..." Gimli said slowly, fingering to the axe at his waist. He smiled at the barkeeper and spied a quick exit route, "I don't know about my pa. Maybe you should come around and see him tomorrow. Good day, sir."

Gimli was out of there before his sentence was over, but a hand pulled him back. Bofur had just entered the pub with two young, plump dwarrowdams.

"Gimli!" Bofur yelled enthusiastically, "What are you doing here? Where's your pa?"

"At home," Gimli said defensively, "How about you, sir?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Gimli saw the barkeeper striding towards Bofur's back.

"Me?" Bofur's laugh rang out, "I own this place."

"Excuse me, sir," the barkeeper said politely to Bofur, "That young lad's pa didn't pay his bills earlier."

"Aww shucks, Griff," Bofur laughed and clapped him on his back, "Don't be so serious. It's on the house, aye, Gimli?"

"And what about the mess earlier? I had to scrub the floors!"

"Take the night off," Bofur suggested, "Get some rest. I'll take care of things tonite."

"Thank you, sir!" Griff was all smiles now and he made his way out.

"And now, lad, " Bofur put his arm around Gimli's shoulder, "Had dinner? Nevermind, come have another one. Eat with my nieces Drof, Grof and I."

The two eldest daughters of Bombur smiled shyly at Gimli from their table. Tonight was their special night out with Uncle Bofur.

"Err..." Gimli shifted uncomfortably, "I'd better get going."

"I don't think your ma and pa will want you home any time soon," Bofur teased,

"How'd you know?" Gimli gasped,

"I know your pa, is all." Bofur chuckled, "Kili and Fili are on their way to join us for a second dinner. It's something we learned from the hobbits."

Gimli had a reasonably tolerable evening that night. Between Bofur, Kili Fili and the two giggling dwarrowdams, he hardly got a word in edgewise. The food was good, and as for the ale, well, no one was going to complain at Erebor's only drinking house.