Dear readers, thanks for all your favorites, follows and comments! Lemme know what you think of today's episode :), a double-length Durin's Day special. I'm starting to think of my fanfic as a sitcom rather than a movie, you know, small storylines but the same setting day after day, without beginning or end. Good day!
Chapter 14: A Day to Dance
Durin's Day dawned. The king's first act of the day was to send congratulations to Nori and Lallek by way of some golden gifts, in honor of the first babe born in the recovered Erebor, exactly on Durin's Day. Malin was exhausted, and did not get up until an hour before the celebrations would start at noon.
"Please wear something... different," Balin had begged weeks earlier, "For me."
Malin had consented and Balin had sent her a seamstress with rich maroon and silver material. Malin had nearly driven the seamstress mad, but today she wore the rich, youthful gown, well made and fitted. Her hair had been styled, much to her protest, very elegantly with mithril beads. Even her long beard, usually swept under her chin and into her bun, had been curled and braided and beaded.
"You won't stand out, Malin," Balin had promised, "Everyone will be in their finery. Why, even Dwalin had consented to wear beads in his hair."
Dwalin and Balin were waiting for her outside the ballroom as promised. They looked fine, and praised her beauty, but Malin was not thinking of herself today, however. Today was going to be a very special day for two special someones.
Kili and Fili had become very proficient dancers in a short time, and Malin had made plans, pairing the Prince Fili with the healer Elekh for the first dance.
For the first dance, the young and eligible were lined up masked in the center of the room, males and females with the backs to their partner. Then, when the dance began, they turned around and danced - it was an old, ceremonial and formal dance. Then when the dance was over, they removed their masks and got a close look at their partner for the first time. After that, dances were free and open to invitation.
Of course, the discrepancy between males and females meant that the partners were engaged beforehand by the promises of an intermediary, and Malin had promised both Elekh and Fili (separately) to find them a partner. Elekh, because she was very shy and had no one to recommend her (preferring to forgo the dance altogether), and Fili, being the crown prince and required to join the dance, had begged Malin to secure him a partner so that his mother would not have to.
So Malin lined up her two proteges and went proudly to the side of the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she say a very, very beautiful and regal Dis motioning for Malin to join her beside the tables of food. Malin moved behind the motley emsemble of musicians, squeezing her way quietly to Dis's ide.
Malin reluctantly and obediently made her way there, and bowed before the princess. Dis nodded, regally.
"So you found my son a dance partner." Dis didn't sound displeased (nor pleased, for that matter.)
Malin swallowed and nodded. She did not want to imagine was her Ladyship would think of the presumption.
Dis sighed, "Its just as well. I don't know many people here. I've have very bad luck trying to match my sons. Either they can't stand the girls, or the girls run away at the sight of them... the poor lads just have to make do with a mother such as I."
"Far from it," Malin protested, "They love your dearly, my princess."
"Still," Dis said as she watched the dance begin, "You must tell me what you know of that girl before... if... they get serious. I hear you were quite the expert at royal matchmaking."
Malin blushed, looking aghast at the sarcastic comment.
"Well," Dis demanded impatiently, "Who is the girl?"
"Elekh is an excellent healer," Malin began, "From the blue mountains. Not a noble, but not a poor peasant either. Her father was a tradesman, but her brother brought her here after their parents died in the winter. He is a fine goldsmith."
"What kind of queen will she make?" Dis got to the point directly.
"Elekh is intelligent, capable, and yet very humble. She serves loyally and tirelessly those she loves without a thought for herself. This I have seen."
"Indeed," said Dis, "And so, what do you believe matters more - noble birth or strength of character and wisdom?"
"Many women I have known," said Malin thoughtfully, "Both nobles and those of lesser rank, have such character that they rose to all responsibilities with grace. It is not birth or privilege that makes a person, it is whether they have humility, determination and a strong, brave, and loving heart."
Malin was quiet. Had she offended the Princess?
"Yes," Dis smiled, "That is what I believe as well. Often have I felt unworthy of my position. It is not the person I am born to be, but the person I am made to become, that determines whether I succeed or fail, whether I have fortitude and nobility or I do not. My brother, he naturally had the qualities of leadership that came out as responsibilities were thrust on him at a young age, responsibilities he did not ask for."
"Lord Dain succeeded his father after Azulnibizar," Malin said, "He was so young, but there is said that none equals his wisdom."
Malin quite forgot she was in Erebor for a second, and chastised herself for speaking so thoughtlessly. From now own she would have to praise Thorin's wisdo, not Dain's, though from what she had heard she didn't think there was much of it. Bravery, determination, honour - these were the qualities of the king of Erebor. She did not consider wisdom amongst them. He was quite unfavorable, in Malin's eyes, when compared to Lord Dain.
Dis's lips quivered up into a smile, "Aye. Cousin Dain was a great help to Thorin after the battle last year. Knocked some sense into Thorin, he did."
Malin was relieved, and tried to keep her lips shut as she listened to Dis observe and criticize the dancers and their partners. Thankfully she found nothing amiss about Elekh.
"Might I ask," Dis said after all (Dis was known to be very blunt, inquisitive and straight to the point), "Was there ever anything between you and Lord Dain?"
Malin look surprised, so Dis continued, "It would have made a fine match you know, you being of the royal line, you know."
"Nay, " Malin smiled, "He is much older than I. We grew up as brother and sister in the court. They were like a family to me, and were there for me all those years. I knew for years who his heart's desire was - for my bosom friend the Lady Dsyli. She is a noble of high rank as well."
I miss her dearly, Malin wanted to add.
Dis, satisfied with the answer, continued on to other topics of conversation. Malin stood at her left, keeping Dis company but secretly amusing herself by observing young Gimli. Gimli hated dancing, and was hiding from his mother. Thankfully, he had missed the first dance and was now being engaged in a wary but involved argument with Bifur in iglishmek over the superiority of axes or spears behind a dark pillar in a nearby corner of the room. Ghiza smiled over at Malin in search of her son.
"You should be well acquainted with the workings of the royal court," Dis remarked,
"Aye, I grew up with it," Malin said.
"I did not," said Dis, "Life was all exile for us. This kind of life is... very different for me."
Malin felt a pang of guilt - Dis, the princess, had been living in deprivation with her people whilst Malin enjoyed the luxuries of Dain's court.
"The truth is, " said Dis, "If Thorin or my father knew what Balin had done as a young man, sending you away, they would have considered it a great betrayal of our people, a desertion and an act of cowardice. Father would have refused to send me away. As it is, your presence and absence went unnoticed. Besides, Balin was young and had just lost his father. He did his best."
"Aye," Malin nodded, her thoughts jumbled in confusion, "Does the king approve of my presence?"
"I dare say he has no say on the matter," Dis replied, "What's done is done, and Balin and Dwalin are of too much value to him personally for him to differ with them. But I think he is hurt that they kept it from him, that they did not consider life with our people sufficient for you."
Malin felt as if she was going to sink through the floor. Why did life have to be so complicated? Thankfully Dis's attention returned to the dance.
The dance was going well. Malin had probably been more nervous that the couple themselves, but so far it went well. Kili had also been paired, by Dis, with Dis's handmaiden, who was slightly older than him and was tolerant of him but immune to Kili's charms.
When the dance ended, Fili, knowing of no other dwarrowdam and being shy to make new acquaintances, danced with Elekh again. And then again.
Then the dances for the youth ended and the free dances began. Couples danced together as a rule, but anyone else could dance with, literally, anyone else. These were cordial dances of friendship and loyalty. Gloin and Ghiza were dancing together, and would probably do so the whole night, forgetting anyone else in the room. Bombur wasn't fond of dancing, in fact, he'd much rather eat the whole night, but Bofur forced him to take Iga for a dance. Poor Iga, she loved dancing but Bombur did not. Bombur wouldn't have minded if she danced with the whole of Erebor, so that's what she did, after the first dance.
Malin consented to dance with Bofur, who then danced the next dance with Dis, the two making a comical mismatch. Malin, after one dance, decided to go for some ale. However Oin and Bifur were waiting in line to dance with her. Both of them danced really well. Then Dwalin for one danced as promised, awkwardly, and then Balin with much grace. And then Ori, who had been put up to it by Dwalin.
Oh dear, Malin thought, When am I ever going to get a rest?
Malin was one of the most popular dancers that day, for she danced on and on and never seemed to tire. Most would have thought the highlight of the night would be the dance with the king, which was quite a thing to be sure. She wanted the mountain to swallow her in the endless dancing, fearful the whole time of the king demanding the reason behind her disloyalty to her people. She half-expected him to end the dance halfway and accuse her of treason. But Thorin face was blank and grim. Thankfully no words passed between them, and, glancing at Dis, she felt as if they did not hold any resentment regarding the past. Then all was forgotten when Malin was approached by Dori.
She blushed as she rarely did.
Oh dear, Malin thought, This is awkward.
The whole crowd was looking, especially those who had observed the momentous sword battle. Malin didn't think that Dori would want to dance with her. Perhaps he was doing so because all the Company did, because she was the sister of one of their own?
That was a lovely dance, Malin had to admit. Dori was a good dancer. And very pleasant company, for he had insisted that Malin should rest and eat, and even brought her a selection of meats, cheese, pastries and a glass of wine. After all, Dori insisted, she deserved a rest after ten dances. She didn't have to say much to him, thankfully.
Then the chatter, dancing and music paused as the king got up to make a long political speech about the reclamation of Erebor, praising and thanking his faithful companions who joined the venture, etc. etc. Malin didn't listen much, as she was busy eating.
Oin then came up to her the moment the speech was over and said, "Might you consent to another dance with your aged cousin, milady?"
Malin smiled back politely and joined the dancing once again. Dis had danced as much as was a duty, then Thorin rescued hey requesting her presence on the dais. All the dwarves sighed a sigh of disappointed as she left the dancing - it could be said that she was the most greatly admired of all the women in Erebor. She then sat willing with Thorin as he sat and stared at the celebrations, looking in nothing in particular and brooding soberly.
"Don't worry about me tonight, Balin" the King had insisted earlier, "You have a good time. You too, Dwalin, you deserve it."
Dwalin was chucking ale down his throat, as much ale as the air he breathed. Balin danced a little, but mostly sat and listened to the music with a smile.
Actually, since dwarf women are few, both group and pair dancing worked with each song, so many males would dance in groups around the hall together if they did not have a partner. There were those who stayed in that circle the whole night, though things were jolly there as well.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" Malin inquired of Elekh as they left the hall just before dawn. Elekh actually blushed and replied positively and sweetly.
"No doubt the princess will be demanding an interview with you tomorrow," Malin teased, whilst Elekh recoiled in horror,
"She is a wonderful woman," Malin said to Elekh, "It is wise for her to be your friend, if not anything more."
Before Elekh could protest at the teasing, Malin was gone.
In her room, Malin looked at herself in the brass mirror and sighed. She had to admit that she was beautiful, all glowing and flushed. But today came once in a long time, and tomorrow, she would not be Malin, Queen of the Dance but simply Malin - plain, simple Malin who had a draconian mountain of paperwork to go through.