Part IV

Eorwyn entered the Grand Hall of Erebor and had to stop by the entrance, all her senses suddenly overwhelmed. Torches and candles lit up the chamber; loud voices rang, bouncing off the walls and the cavernous ceiling; the smell of roasted meat and bread and pastries mixed together filled her nose.

"C'mon, Eorwyn!" Ada grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her after herself. "There's the apprentice table. And I see Amri saved you a spot."

Eorwyn was grateful for the presence of her friends. She wouldn't have moved on her own, she'd been so stunned. Ada continued marching ahead, and Eorwyn's feet carried her without her participation.

"Oh look, there's the royal table!" Nis loudly whispered into Eorwyn's ear.

Eorwyn saw the King and his sister sitting in the head of a large table at the back wall of the hall. The King's nephews, and Gloin with his spouse sat on the sides of it. Mistress Algun sat to the King's left, absorbed in a lively conversation with Lord Balin and Dwalin. Eorwyn's heart clenched in acute sympathy towards the Dwarven maiden. She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for the needlemaster to appear so merry. Although, perhaps Eorwyn just didn't understand what the maiden was going through, Eorwyn reminded herself. It could have been utterly different among the Dwarves.

"We're over there, the eight's table from the royal one," Nis said. "I'm not supposed to sit with you, I'm not a chief apprentice, but I think Ada had asked for a spot for me, and I will soon get the promotions, and—"

"Move, Nis!" Ada was now pulling them both by the sleeves.

At the table the girls immediately started arguing where each of them was supposed to sit, and Eorwyn just stood there, waiting for them to decide. They always argued, but it was never malicious or hurtful.

Someone gently touched her shoulder, and she turned.

"Sit with me?" Amri asked, and Eorwyn smiled at him.

The Dwarf was always a welcome company. He had a light-hearted and amiable personality. Eorwyn also felt they had a similar experience of being somewhat alien to the Dwarves of Erebor and those who'd arrived from the Blue Mountain and Iron Hills. Amri was from the Eastern Dwarves, from down South. There was a prejudice, which Eorwyn had learnt about in Erebor, against the Eastern Dwarves, especially from the Redwater clans. Amri himself seemed unburdened by it. To think of it, he seemed perpetually optimistic and jolly.

Eorwyn took the chair near him and politely smiled at the other eight apprentices. She'd been friendly with most of them, or at least had acquainted them. As part of her studies with Master Svuir, she had to interact with most of their masters and apprentices of all grades.

She looked around the table, and her mouth watered. She'd never seen that much food - and of such obvious deliciousness!

"What would you like to start with?" Amri asked with a laugh.

His plate had food piled on it, and he held a leg of some large fowl in his hand.

"I don't know," Eorwyn said and laughed as well.

She was catching the mood of the revelling crowd. While she was stretching to grab a bird leg for herself, Amri loaded her plate with some root vegetables that smelled deliciously of garlic and herbs.

"Let me pour you some mead," Amri said.

"No, no, I can't, thank you." She shook her head and covered her glass with her hand. "I get ill from meads and spirits."

"Oh, I've never encountered this before." Amri gave her a dramatic squinted examination that made her giggle. "I know tots sometimes get sick from excessive drinking. Have you lied to us and you are secretly an infant?"

Eorwyn snorted and shook a chicken leg at him. He suddenly leaned ahead and bit into it with gusto. Eorwyn gasped and pulled it back. He wasn't letting go.

"Thief," she muttered, and he grinned, with his mouth closed now, his cheek rounded.

Eorwyn took another piece of meat from the platter and started on her dinner. A familiar apprentice, a girl named Asta, who was in the wine trade, asked her about the latest news from the Court of the Exchequer. Others joined the conversation, which flowed smoothly.


"Do you dance?" Ada asked Eorwyn couple hours later.

Nis and Amri had disappeared a while ago. Both were excellent dancers and popular with the opposite sex. Eorwyn caught glimpses of them in the crowd and could see them being invited to a new dance as soon as the previous ended.

"I know a few dances of Men," Eorwyn said wistfully. "But I can't dance like that!"

She watched Amri move fluidly and confidently on the floor. Nis was dancing a third dance with the same partner in a row. As far as Eorwyn understood, if the pair didn't separate after three dances, it was time for gossip to start.

She could also see Prince Kili dance, seemingly, with every girl in the Hall. His brother remained seated. They said his leg was still healing, although no permanent damage was expected to remain. Several of the initial Company members were present. Nori and Dori had already come to greet Eorwyn. Ori, Oin, and Dwalin had waved to her.

"You should try the next dance," Ada encouraged. "You don't need a partner for it, everyone will be dancing together. And you'll just follow the example. No one will see if you make a mistake."

"I feel like everyone will be watching," Eorwyn said. "After all, I'm the only non-Dwarf here. I'll embarrass myself."

"You won't know if you don't try," Ada pressed on.

Eorwyn was tempted. Despite having none of the spirits she felt as if inebriated. Her cheeks burnt, and some sort of mad excitement bubbled in her.

Still, she thankfully didn't forget all caution. She shook her head.

"You go dance, Nis. I'll watch."

The Dwarf maiden tried to argue more, but the next dance was starting so she got up and walked away.

Eorwyn squirmed on the bench she sat on. Honestly speaking, Eorwyn simply loved dancing. When she knew she wasn't observed she'd dance to the tunes in her head. She'd loved listening to Men sing and play music when she was a child, but it had been years since she had a chance. She had no talent for music, but delighted in listening to her present companions who seemed to hum and sing whenever they could.

"Could I have this dance?" a low voice came, and Eorwyn looked up.

She didn't know the Dwarf. Judging by the opulent clobber he was one of the high lords.

"Forgive me, I don't dance," Eorwyn answered hurriedly.

"What she means to say, she doesn't know this dance," Ada's voice came from behind the Dwarven lord. "You can put your rune in her dance card."

Ada pulled out a small piece of parchment and a graphite stick out of a small sachet on her belt and handed it over to the Dwarf. He quickly scribbled something and passed the paper to Ada. He then gave them both a bow and left.

Ada flopped on the bench near Eorwyn.

"I've had two dances with Lord Kai. I wouldn't advise it. He'd stomped my feet three times."

She wiggled her red pointed toe shoes, making them peek from under the hem of her dress.

"Brute," she muttered, and Eorwyn snorted.

"What's a dance card?"

"Ah right." Ada passed the parchment into Eorwyn's hand. "It's your escape route. If you don't want to dance with a Dwarf, or don't like a tune, you make them write down their initials, and then you can invite them to dance later. If you decide to, of course."

Eorwyn looked down at the paper where Dwarvish runes spelled one name.

"You are supposed to put it there," Ada pointed at a long wooden table on the side of the room. "Those who want a dance will find your card and leave their names. And then you come back and peruse your options. Here, let me take yours as well."

Ada got up and picked up the paper out of Eorwyn's hand.

"I'll go dance with that cute apprentice from the goldsmith guild, and in half an hour we'll see what catch you and I have gotten. Deal?"

"Deal," Eorwyn answered.

She quite liked the custom. It left her a lot of freedom - and just as Ada had said, an escape route.

"And don't be shy to go and look through the cards," Ada said with a chuckle. "I bet Amri wouldn't mind if you put your name into his card."

Eorwyn gave her friend a confused look. Ada laughed louder and walked away.


An hour later Ada was back with two goblets and their cards.

"Oh Maiar be merciful."

Eorwyn stared at her card. So many Dwarves had put their names on it that some of them had to write on the margins, and between the lines, on both sides of the parchment.

Ada snickered and patted her shoulder.

"Now the trick is to figure out who's who here," she muttered, examining her own, no less full card. "Have you put your name on any?"

"No!" Eorwyn squeaked. "I've been here the whole time. And besides, why would I? I can't dance!"

"Nonsense." Ada gave her a dismissive wave of her hand. "Go for the next dance, it's easy. You just follow your partner's steps. You'll learn in no time."

"No, I really can't! I'll misunderstand something and-" Eorwyn started when Ada interrupted her with a loud squeal..

"Are these… the King's runes?! King Thorin wants to dance with you!"

The Dwarven maiden poked Eorwyn's card with her index finger. The two runes were intertwined, written in his usual confident manner. Eorwyn had seem them myriads of times before, on his papers.

"Oh I envy you so much! They are all after your influence in Dale and Erebor, and you get to choose whoever you want to dance with! I wish I was so important!" Ada sighed.

Eorwyn stared at her bewildered. 'Important?'

"Oh, and a half of the Erebor Heroes do! Makes sense considering your history!" Ada continued moving her fingers on the card. "Look, Lord Dwalin! Oh he's so… ooph!" Ada pressed her hands to her chest. "Too old for me, of course, but nonetheless! I didn't even know he danced! And Lord Balin of course. And look, Idri, that charmer from the miners guild! He's such a rake they say. And Prince Kili! Oh he's enthralling! And-"

"And somehow our little snowdrop is still sitting." Amri's voice made Eorwyn lift her face.

She smiled at him.

"And I'm intending to keep it this way."

The Dwarf grinned and suddenly leaned forward, almost bumping his nose to hers. His shiny eyes, the colour of strong coffee, were right in front of her.

"C'mon, labamrazkh, let's dance. I won't let you stumble."

He stretched his hand, and Eorwyn swallowed a knot in her throat. And then she exhaled and put her hand into his palm.

"Just don't complain when I step on your feet," she muttered.

Amri barked a joyous laugh.

"Even if you do, you're so light, I won't feel anything, labamrazkh."


P.S. 'labamrazkh' = (Khuzdul) snowflake