Now I feel like a dreadful ingrate. My last two entries have been but heavy-lidded ramblings of a selfish girl tempting Valar to change her fate. So now I feel guilty in recording with happiness something good that has happened - as if I were only happy when things I like are occurring. The company of Durin has returned, every one of them, and are aiding in the work of rebuilding here. Goodness knows there is enough of their own work going on in the halls of Erebor, but I heard Thorin telling Da that their kin from the Iron Hills have come and are at work there even now in the restoration.

It was Bain who came and told me. He was out in the timber yard, working with the others, and I was inside, preparing some ends of bread to take to Tilda and the other littler girls who were playing at the water's edge under the hot sun, when the door burst open and my brother gasped, "Sigrid, come at once. You'll never guess who is here!"

"What? Who?" I asked, banking the fire quickly and wiping my hands on my apron. It felt good to turn from the heat of the fire and feel the fresh air against my hot cheeks.

"The company of Thorin Oakenshield," he grinned. "They have come to help. Isn't it splendid?"

I was shocked. I won't deny how many times I have thought of this, but I had finally succeeded in driving it to the farthest corner of my mind, and focusing on the future again, not the past.

"They're here - now?" I managed, sounding utterly stupid, I'm sure. I was just so stunned.

"Aye, they're in the stone quarry with Da, talking right now!"

"Are they staying?" I asked breathlessly, hurrying to keep up with my brother's long strides as we rushed back toward the quarries.

"I suspect so. They said they were here to offer their aid, and then I ran at once to tell you!"

"Why?" I asked, trying to sound as unconcerned as possible.

Bain regarded me with a grin. "Because you missed them."

I should have denied it, but I didn't, as we slowed our pace, and caught our breath on the rise. A stiff wind had arisen and whipped pieces of hair free into Bain's face, my skirt flapping like a sail in the breezes, pressing against my legs. I clutched at it, and we began to descend into the pale powdery quarry, the ring of chisels and mallets filling the area and the sun gleaming off the newly-cut stone.

I saw them. Clad in their own clothing, unarmed, and peaceable, they stood in the bright sunlight, talking with Da and the stonemaster who has been heading the crew.

Thorin and Fili were the nearest in conversation, nodding, and turning to each other as Da showed them the plans, while the others stood about, bunched together like goats and laughing nosily, or wandering over the quarry and curiously watching the men at work. Bain called out.

"Da!" He waved wildly, and sprinted up, grinning and bowing to the dwarf lords. "It's a pleasure to see you again, masters."

Da smiled. "My son, Bain."
"I remember," Thorin said, giving him a nod. "You've grown."

Bain smiled at this, and turned to me. "My sister, Sigrid."

"Hello, again," Thorin inclined his head, and Fili smiled. "Hello, lass. We meet again at last."

Da looked at me, and I swallowed, suddenly realizing that I hadn't even taken off my apron. What a fool I am. I probably looked like a beggar.

"Hello, Master dwarf. I mean, Prince -"

"Fili." He smiled. "Just Fili."

Thorin gave him a long studying look, but Da broke in."Sigrid, there is a great number of them."

"We hope we are no trouble," Thorin began.

"Not at all. More hands mean lighter work. Would you take them about the camp and see if anyone has room to put them up for the night? One or two in each croft."

I nodded, but stopped short as Thorin objected, "We can sleep outdoors well enough, if you could show us a plot where we wouldn't be in the way."

"No need, our people will happily give you shelter."

"No animosity remains?" Thorin looked out of the tops of his eyes at Da, his gaze cold and unreadable. "It was our people that brought the dragon's destruction on yours."

Da looked across the lake for a long moment, before placing a hand on the dwarf's shoulder. "No animosity remains."

My throat felt tight with happiness, and still does as I write. Just then Kili approached, with Bofur and the other dwarf that is fierce and taller than the rest.

"Hello, then!" he greeted. "I remember you!"

"Hello," Bain and I replied. "Good to see you again," I added, and he grinned.

"Quite a lot of work you've got for yourselves here." Kili waved a blunt hand around to indicate the general city under construction. "We'll be happy to help."

"Can dwarves work with wood and stone? I thought they only worked with iron," Bain said with curiosity. Kili looked affronted.

"Dwarves can work with anything."

"Though not where they're not wanted," the other dwarf growled, and I could feel Bain pull his graciousness out of his pocket.

"Of course you're wanted. In fact, I think we need you," he added quietly. "The city will rise so much quicker with more strong backs and skilled hands."

That is what the dwarf liked to hear, and Kili laughed. "You need our help? Well, then we're happy to offer it."

"The elves have been of great service to us as well -" I began, but too late remembered the unhappy relations that exist between elves and dwarves.

"You know what we say?" Kili dropped his voice so that only we could hear it, and growled in his language, "Ma ôhfûkizu kuthu khathuzh aslônî. Ni ma mahùlchùp agrîfumùn hi ya."

Bain's eyes were wide - was this a curse? I'm afraid I was a little worried as well, but the other dwarf (I remember now - he calls himself Dwalin) translated, "Rejoice not when an elf falls."

Bain looked relieved, and I smiled. But then Dwalin added, "But don't rush to pick him up either."

Kili roared with laughter and Thorin and Da looked up to see what the commotion was about. Just then, Tilda came running up, windblown, and breathless.

"You came!" she exclaimed, and without further ado, flung herself into Kili's arms. Laughing, he hugged her, and gave her a loud kiss on the forehead. "And you look well," she beamed. "Does your leg hurt at all?"

"Not a bit." Kili slapped his thigh to prove it. "Have you... seen her again?" he inquired, a bit hesitantly, casting a look toward his uncle and brother.

"She came about a week ago, with some others bringing timber down the river," I told him. "She did not stay, but said she would return."

Kili licked his lips quickly, and said, his eyes bright, "Thank you."

"Sigrid!" Da called. "You and Bain, go, and introduce the company around the camp. Then we can find out who is most useful where."

"I'm most useful about anywhere," Kili proclaimed, and Fili laughed, falling into stride with Bain and myself, and the others who were rounded up with a shout from Thorin.

The rest of the day we spent in auctioning off dwarves to our neighbors, and the last two, Balin and Dwalin, are staying with us. In spite of their dubious introduction, Bain rather likes Dwalin, I think, and has already exacted from him the promise of lessons with the axe. Balin is kind, and I think we shall get along excellently; at least Da has gotten over his initial anger at the lies he told to him when they were introduced. I must go, this light is probably keeping everyone awake. More tomorrow, perhaps.