The Halls of the Mountain Kings

by Kicollette

For Thorin Oakenshield, the after life was everything he had been told, and more. He would have rested in eternal peace had it not been for one last responsibility - finding Kili's ghost. He will need the help of old friends Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves in his search. Several OC. No slash.

36. Tea Time

The Dwarves set up camp on the rocky, barren ground. A dense fog began to roll in to the little valley.

"We brought coal, more than enough to warm up stew and make tea." Balin said with determined cheerfulness. He set himself to work while Bilbo and Dwalin took a watch, and Dori, Ori, Bofur and Bifur were tending the ponies. The animals had been leery of the Warg even before the attack, and now were dangerously skittish.

Raven, Smudge and Warg stayed apart from them.

"Come closer, dear girl." Balin called out to her.

"No, thank you. The ponies need rest. Warg will keep us warm." she replied.

Balin gathered up a mug of tea to bring her, but Gandalf interceded. "Let me, please."

Gandalf quietly approached Rhavaniel. She shook her head, and Gandalf turned to leave.

"No offense, I merely do not like Dwarf tea." she informed him.

"It is a tad bitter." Gandalf conceded, sipping it himself. "Not the way Tatyar Elves would prepare it, certainly. How much do you know about Tatyars?"

"Only what little I learned in school, and I did not go far in school. I know a bit of their history, and heard they made minor contributions to philosophy and music. It was a Sindar curriculum, after all. Every other tribe is but a footnote."

Gandalf smiled. "That is true of most tribes. But Galadriel's people have retained a great deal of knowledge from the Tatyars - books written by your people, about your people. I could arrange for you to see them."

"I do not see the point." she replied.

"It would help you to understand yourself, I believe. You see, the pure Tatyar did not rebel from or fear the call to Valinor. They decide that they could learn more from this imperfect world than from the perfection that was offered. They cherished the lessons that would come, even though they knew the price would be high. They took risks, but out of great thoughtfulness, never recklessness. Amenolyë, your grandmother, expected to outlive her husband. She knew that Man was mortal, and vulnerable to corruptions. But she loved Khamûl. To experience love was, to her, worth the risk."

"So, my grandmother was not merely swept off her feet by a handsome prince? She was thoughtful in her choices?"

"She was. You are like her, I think."