The gate into Labamgarel Zarrakh in a lot smaller than the great gate into Erebor and Nori knows from stories that some of the other members of the Company told when they were inside the Lonely Mountain that Erebor's gates were small in comparison to those of Khazad-dûm. Then again, just about every dwarf settlement still standing apparently pales in comparison to the legendary splendor of Moria. With that lost, Erebor had become the crowning jewel of all dwarf cities. Nori would argue that now, while Smaug sleeps in his pile of gold, that title belongs to Labamgarel Zarrakh.
Labamgarel Zarrakh has existed since before the rising of the sun, much as parts of Ered Luin and the earliest halls of Khazad-dûm have. Unlike those, however, Labamgarel Zarrakh was far enough from the sea to avoid the fate of a great deal of the Blue Mountains at the end of the War of Wrath. The entrance, kept small while numerous fire drakes roamed the world with countless numbers of orcs, has never been expanded like the great gate over the field of Azanulbizar. Three wagons can move through it next to one another easily, allowing for caravans to come and go at the same time, but the tunnel ceiling cannot be more than nine feet high, too small for even a young dragon to worm its way through and easily defensible for all it takes nearly ten minutes to get from the front gate to the inner gate.
The reason for that is far simpler than anyone would think. Many of the early occupants of the mountain built their homes directly into the rock above the tunnel into the great cavern which makes up the bulk of the occupied area of the mountain. Nori has been here a number of times in her life, but she has never gone high enough to see the top. Mostly because she simply has no interest in climbing the number of stairs it takes to get to the very upper levels. Over the years the cavern has been expanded in places where possible, although the early occupants seem to have built homes into much of the outer edge of it. From what Nori understands, the dwarves of old tunnelled into the mountain and discovered that it was naturally almost hollow. She is not sure how much of that she believes, the white stone used to create the seven great towers which dominate it had to come from somewhere, but whether it is a natural thing that has been expanded and used to her people's advantage or not, it is impressive.
The great cavern is lit with lanterns and torches, the white stone kept scrubbed clean so that it reflects the light, and the walls and towers hum with life and activity as dwarves move up and down stairs, ladders and across high walkways built over stone arches that stretch from tower to tower to outerwall. The dwarves here wear light leather armour, sometimes chainmail, scurrying around with light swords and axes strapped to their backs and their beards and hair braided tightly to keep them away from the ladders and pulley lifts that run up through deep grooves in the side of the cavern.
The seven towers rise up as far as the eyes can see, square and solid and connected by a spider web of bridges. Windows are evenly spaced on every level with intricate carvings around the openings, there are beautiful arched doorways to each bridge and the levels are accessed by stone stairs which curl around the outside. Some of the windows are lit up and show clear signs of life inside, many of the city's occupants live in the upper levels of these towers while many others run businesses from the lower floors where the towers are wider. Around the base of the towers is a sprawling collection of buildings, mostly inns, taverns, hostels and the kind of businesses that might smell too unpleasant to be under living quarters.
Nori knows that neither Fíli or Kíli will have seen anywhere like this, Dwalin spent some of his youth in the Iron Hills, as can be heard in his accent, and he has agreed to help Kíli with a few stories and descriptions over the course of the winter, but those are a pale hovel in comparison to the place they have entered. As a group the younger members of the caravan all stop to stare at the scene in front of them, much to the amusement of Asger who lets out a booming laugh, the first that Nori has heard from him since she rejected his offer.
"Quicker we get to the stables, the quicker we all get paid, lads," he bellows to be heard over the sound of another line of wagons which rumbles past on the way out surrounded by heavily armed dwarves with grim expressions.
They must be going east, Nori realises, via South Gondor and into Hârondor. There are tensions between east and west, as always, but there will always be those willing to take the risk so that they can earn that extra good gold.
Asger's words get them all back in motion. It has been a long journey and even though there are those of them who want to find another caravan to join as quickly as possible, they would all rather get paid, find a drink, a meal and lodgings. Nori would also quite like to take a bath. It has been too long since she had more than a basic scrub in a stream. The wagons are not unloaded, all they are expected to do is tend to the ponies they have used for the journey, and then one by one they accept the small pouch which contains the gold payment for their work. Nori and Kíli both tuck theirs into hidden pockets in their coats as Kíli ties the band of fabric about his wrist which has the thieves symbol on it. Nori flicks some mud off a button on her coat and her amethyst eyes watch as a slender youth with the typical silver hair of the Stonefoots flicks the end of his nose twice with his thumb. She nods and points to two buttons, then flicks two more; two thieves and two who are off limits. It is a temporary thing but it will give them maybe four days before someone makes an attempt to get at Dwalin or Fíli's purses. She makes a note to show them how to hide the bulk of their coin, except perhaps a few coppers to stop anyone getting suspicious of the fact that they know how to keep their coin safe.
"Where to first?" Kíli asks.
"Lodgings," Dwalin answers as Nori says, "Ale."
The two boys exchange gleeful glances, as though they are expecting Nori and Dwalin to start arguing.
"We need to stow our gear," he points out. "I'd rather not present too tempting a target to your… colleagues."
"We're good on that front," Nori tells him, "but I see your point. Lodgings first. I know a place."
"Of course you do," Dwalin shakes his head. "I shouldn't be surprised."
"There aren't many places this side of the Misty Mountains I haven't been," she shrugs as she leads them down an alley towards one of the towers. "It's a bit more expensive, but the room for the four of us will be a bit bigger."
"Couldn't we just get an apartment?" Fíli asks, "Asger mentioned them when we signed on."
"If you don't want to have anything left come spring," Nori replies, turning another corner.
The building she takes them to is a smaller one, built flush against the bottom of one of the towers. It is well maintained, white stone with a red tile roof and shutters that have been painted green. There is a sign outside, declaring it to be Nila's Boarding House and Nori knocks lightly, leaning against the wall and scraping some dirt from under her nails with a small blade as she waits.
"Nori!" The door opens to reveal a silver-haired dwarrowdam dressed in black trousers and a loose red tunic. "When did you get in?" She opens her arms, then takes in the state of Nori's clothes and pulls back a little. "You're filthy."
"Just got here," Nori smiles. "Figured I'd unload and get settled. I brought friends," she gestures to them with the little knife.
"So I see," Nila looks the two lads and Dwalin over. "New crew?"
"No crew," Nori shakes her head. "My apprentice, his mate, and his mate's cousin. Apparently my lad couldn't have all the fun. And the other one needed some real life experience," she winks at her old friend.
"Well, you're in luck," Nila says, "I've got one room, it's only got a double bed but I can send a couple of cots in for the boys. Although if you don't fancy sharing, there's always room with me."
"Thought you were married these days," Nori asks with a confused frown trying to work out if Nila got married before or after she started working for Thorin in her first life.
"He doesn't mind a bit of extra company every now and then." Her friend winks.
"Something you want to share, lass?" Dwalin cuts in, his eyes crinkled with amusement.
"Nila and I fooled around a bit the last few times I was here," Nori tells him. "No big secret. We'll have the room, though, and the cots. You boys won't mind sharing, will you?" The two lads shake their heads, eyes a little wide.
"How long?" Nila asks, leading them in.
"Until spring at least," Nori replies. "Got no interest in going east, don't want to drag the lads back through winter. Scuffle with orcs is no place for folks like me."
"Orc shit," Nila chuckles. "You're more than capable of taking a dozen out all on your own."
"I didn't want him to know that," she jabs her thumb over her shoulder at Dwalin.
"You want to keep your secrets from them, don't bring them to meet your friends," Nila waves it off.
The room she brings them into is a sitting room, larger than it would be in the average house and containing a dozen armchairs as well as a comfortable looking loveseat and a heavy desk. A fire burns cheerfully on one side against the chill of the air under the mountain, the bare stone walls covered in heavy tapestries depicting various historical images. There are also a few that are less historical and more instructive for the less experienced among them, and Nori has the pleasure of seeing Fíli and Kíli both blush furiously at one of them.
"Do you like them, boys?" Nila asks, her voice is softer than is usual for a dwarf and it makes the two boys turn redder still. "A good friend of mine makes them in her spare time, when she isn't studying the different positions."
"Nori, what kind of house have you brought us to?" Dwalin asks.
"I run a respectable house," Nila's reply is cool.
"I meant no offense," Dwalin apologises.
"How does boot leather taste, Guard?" Nori grins and he makes a rude gesture at her. "How much, Nila?"
"Because it's you? Seven silver each for the month with breakfast and dinner," Nila replies.
"Done," Nori pulls out her purse and hands over two gold to cover the four of them. "You can get next month, Guard," she tells Dwalin and he nods as Nila pockets the coin.
"It's the attic room," Nila says as she takes two keys out of a box in the nearby desk. "Ditch your shit, then go and find a bath and something clean to wear. I am not having that much road on my furniture. And make sure they know the rules. I'll chuck you out if you don't keep to them, friend or not."
"Missed you too," Nori laughs, leading her little group up the stone staircases.
The boarding house is made up of three storeys, plus the attic room which stretches most of the length of the building making it easily four times larger than any of the other six bedrooms that Nila keeps available. It is accessed through a door beside Nila's room, up a wooden staircase that turns a corner halfway up. One end of the roof space is storage for old furniture and trunks of clothes, the other is the room that Nori, Dwalin and the boys will spend the next four to five months living out of. Nori quite often used to stay in this room when she visited more often. Nila keeps it empty most of the time, it is usually ten silver a month per lodger for this room and more often than not the ones who end up using it are young couples starting out or families who have come to Labamgarel Zarrakh looking for a new start. Which is why Nila keeps a few extra cots on hand.
The large bed is at one end of the room, a long rail stretching from one side of the attic to the other with heavy curtains attached so that they can be drawn to offer a small amount of privacy. A small stove is attached to the chimney that runs up through one side, and there is a sideboard which holds a couple of copper pots, a kettle and a few cups and tankards. There is a pair of worn armchairs with a small side table between them on the side of the room opposite the stove and a wooden table with four chairs is shoved up against a wall to be pulled out if needed. Nori already knows that the two armchairs will be moved to make space for the cots when Nila has her husband help to bring them up a little later.
"Alright," she claps her hands to draw the lads' attention from exploring the room, "rules."
A.N: I have played fast and loose with a lot of dwarf history and lore, but don't we all? I'm ninety-nine percent certain, though, that the dwarves did actually wake up after the elves had been called west the first time. I need to dig into the rest of the extended lore again, but my brain is tired. I figured, since it's Easter weekend, I would give you all something more to read. Did it advance the plot much? No. Did it give me the opportunity to create a place and flex my descriptive muscles? Yes. The school holidays appear to have snuck up on me, which means I might not get as much writing done. Especially as the kids seem to have taken to the finally repaired hot tub and someone needs to supervise so that they don't try to drown one another. You know, sibling stuff.
Also, apparently Nori is bi. Took me by surprise a bit too but let her have her fun.