To wockerjabi and Borys68 - thanks for the reviews! More story to come...

Chapter 36: A Day at the Office

A day at the office. What could it, would it be other than predictably full of the unpredictable yet solvable challenges tha t the son and daughter of Fundin faced on a daily basis as they went about their tasks of ensuring trade, diplomacy and administration under the mountain went as smoothly as possible. There was, after all, only one guest to entertain in the entire mountain, a very affable and easy-to-please Gerontius Took (not including a couple of stray dwarves that could well entertain themselves).

"I've been thinking, Malin," Balin said as they headed to the office, "And I need someone loyal, headstrong, and capable to take over the office whenever, if ever, I am away."

"Why, who could that possibly be?" Malin asked drily, wondering where Balin was going at, "And you're still young. You have a long life before you, my lord."

"Mahal grant that I die old and grey in my own bed," Balin agreed, "But say, if I ever need to be sent on a diplomatic mission by the king, I need someone to keep the office running. Ori is capable, but he doesn't have the head for negotiations and arranging things. And he isn't interested."

Here Balin sighed. How often he had wanted a protege, some young apprentice he could hand over his work to.

"While I figure something out for that, Malin, I've went ahead, my dear, and found a new assistant for administration work, especially to take down correspondence and address inquiries directed at the king. You are still my deputy of commerce, naturally, but I've found room in our office for one more. Hopefully the paperwork will get cleared faster."

Balin stepped into the office before Malin and as he did, he said,

"Looks like she's been here already. Just as well, we aren't the tidiest two dwarves under the mountain."

She? Malin wondered in surprise.

She gaped in shocked and Balin opened the door to reveal a sparkling clean office with a dwarrowdam in the corner, with two large eyeglasses in her hand and peering at a document of average length (floor to ceiling).

"Epher?" Malin exclaimed.

"Lady Malin!" Epher, was, as usual, right on the case. She always was so full of expendable energy. Her dress was too tight as usual, but Balin didn't notice (or mind). He just smiled amicably.

"You know each other?" Balin said, "Epher, this is my sister Malin. Malin, Epher used to live near Dwalin and I in the Iron Hills."

"Yes, Lady Malin had me over for tea recently," said Epher instantly, whilst Malin was a little tongue tied.

Still, Malin always recovered from surprises fast. Malin had to admit, Epher was very efficient.

After several hours, Malin was finding herself with a headache. Epher constantly chattered, and Malin realized that the chatter made Balin smile pleasantly. He was oblivious to Malin's discomfort, and he just merrily went about his work undisturbed by Epher's constant jokes, giggles, even winks. Epher was a good worker, bustling around the office and just being clever, pleasant and nice. But at lunch, Malin made a discovery.

Dwalin popped over when the gong sounded for the midday meal. He took one look around the door as he stepped into the changed thrice-occupied office and his face dropped.

Epher wrinkled her nose at Dwalin's heavy, sweaty odor as Dwalin beckoned to Malin to come to lunch with him.

"I'm going to see the king later," Balin said, "Go ahead without me."

"I can order lunch for the both of us," Epher offered.

Dwalin breathed a sigh of relief when he left the office.

"You know her?" Dwalin asked,

"You know her?" Malin replied with a question,

Dwalin shrugged

"I take it you aren't great friends with her."

Dwalin shook his head.

"She's quite good at her job."

Dwalin shrugged again.

"Scares me," he finally said, "A bit too forward for my taste."

"Did it ever work with Balin?"

"Two of them?" Dwalin snorted, "No. Balin's oblivious. She wasn't barking up his tree either. She did set her sights on Thorin..."

"But the king is..."

"Taken. Uninterested. Doesn't stop a lot of 'dams from trying, though."

"Ah I see... but now she uses Balin to get near the king?"

"Well, it started like that. But she does have brains, and a very good handwriting. And a lot of energy and good humour. It gets lonely for Balin, living with a grouch like me."

"I don't know if I'm going to like the office much."

Dwalin paused,

"I've been meaning to ask if you'd come with me to work once in awhile."

"Sure, why not. I spar on a daily basis, anyway?"

Dwalin snorted at the sarcasm,

"You can come along anyway. We should spend more time together."

This time Malin shrugged.

"I have an idea," Dwalin said, "Send for Ale. We'll have a picnic lunch in the training grounds and you take the day off from Balin."

"All right," said Malin, "But promise me I won't be bored."

"While you do that, I need to stop by the king's office."

"Stop whispering," ordered Thorin as his two nephews irritably. They were very good at whispering and he didn't have good hearing. It was a source of frustration to him that they were always mumbling exciting and no doubt cheeky things to each other and that he could never hear them.

Kili blushed and looked away.

"What's gotten into you, Kili?" Thorin growled in his gravelly voice, not one to keep his opinions to himself.

"Nothing." Kili looked deflated.

Thorin tried to say something nice. He thought of,

"You did us proud, both of you. You have fulfilled diplomatic responsibilities and I hope to charge you both with more of them to come."

Fili winced.

A knock sounded at the door and Dwalin came in.

"You sent for me?" he asked the king.

"Yes," Thorin said, "Fili and Kili need the day off. Take them to the training grounds and let Dori and Gloin loose at them."

Dwalin grinned while the princes said nothing.

"Are you sure you don't need the day off as well, Thorin?" he offered,

Thorin closed the door behind his exiting nephews and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh I see," said Dwalin, "Enjoy your peaceful afternoon."

"Wait," said Thorin, "Fili and Kili haven't been up to anything in a long time, in fact, hardly anymore. I was glad at first, I thought that maybe they're growing up. But..."

"But they've been too good," Dwalin understood, "You need your time alone. I get it."

"They are good lads, good heirs." Thorin remarked, then dismissed Dwalin, "Good day."

Malin enjoyed the spectacle, grinning as Gloin and Nori charged at Fili and Kili full-on. The son and daughter of Fundin were both stuffing their faces with sausages baked into bread, and it was good.

"This is my first winter in Erebor," Malin said, "What was the last one like?"

"Too busy, much too busy," Dwalin said, "Recovering from injuries, rebuilding ruins..."

"And what did you do during the winter in Ered Luim?"

"Make plans, practice fighting, repair work, smithing," Dwalin shrugged, "Traveled some winters. The world is lovely in winter."

"I never go outside during winter," Malin said, "Winter in the Iron Hills was snuggling around the fires visiting all the dwarrowdams, knitting for the children, singing, dancing, ale, making sweets, eating preserved meats..."

"Life at home," said Dwalin, understanding, "Balin and I didn't have a comfortable home. I cooked, but it isn't the same. It was a bachelor's hideout."

"I would have been alone, save for Dain and the rest of the family. There were always new babies, or little toddling ones or coming-of-age grumpy dwarrows," Malin sighed, and confessed, "I miss them. The warmth of home and family. It would be nicer, here, say, if you or Balin had a family of dwarflings for me to spoil."

Dwalin's mouth curved up into an involuntary smile, but it disappeared when he noticed Malin looking at him.

"There's someone special, isn't there?" Malin asked knowingly.

Dwalin turned red.

"Hurry up," Malin said at last, "You don't have to tell me, but do it quickly. You aren't young."

Dwalin grinned and poked her, she shrugged it off,

"No, not me. You. Please do, Dwalin. It would be great to have another lass in the family."

"There used to be Ma," Dwalin said, "Until Erebor fell."

"Are our family quarters still in existence?"

"Buried in rubble. Thorin said this winter we could excavate more of the Northeast side, including our old home."

"I'd love to see it."

"Maybe we'd move back - but its a huge suite."

"Enough for a large family?"

"Shut up!"

Malin ceased her teasing and changed the subject, noticing Dori come into the training grounds.

"What did the king do with Ori's book?"

"Hmph?" Dwalin missed the question, being slightly lost in thought.

"Ori's account of the Quest and Battle."

"Still in the Throne Room, I would think, " said Dwalin, "Do you want to read it?"

"Yes," said Malin, "You never tell me what happened."

Dwalin shrugged, "I could tell you."

"Then do."

"Another day."

Malin hid a smug smile. Yes, she would have Dwalin and Balin over for dinner. She would serve a cask of beer - not too light, like ale, not too heavy, like wine. Just heavy enough to loosen their tongues but light enough for them not to fall asleep. She wanted to know what really happened.