Chapter 2: Two dwarves in the library?

The headache from the alcohol and meeting the dwarf the night before put Aghäte in a bad mood from the morning. "What was this dwarf doing here ?! I guess he will be gone quickly," she told herself white she took her time in her bath. She went to the training room to clear her mind. Aghäte wasn't a great warrior, but she had learned to defend herself a minimum. If she had to choose, she preferred a bow to a sword.

Aghäte decided to go to the library only from the end of the afternoon; when she was in a good mood and motivated, and especially when everyone had gone to dinner.

Once she chose several books, Aghäte settled down on her usual table. Candles lit on the table, silence, a little wind breaking in through the window. Aghäte greatly appreciated these moments.

Except that… Two people entered the library, shutting the door behind them loudly. They stuck their backs to the door; sign they were trying to flee. "Again two young elves who created problems," Aghäte said to herself.

She kept it to herself and continued to read as if nothing had happened. The two people stood still and waited to see if the door would open. They sighed in relief at the same time. One of them saw Aghäte in the distance and told the other to follow him.

Aghäte realized they were in fact two dwarves. She could easily conclude they were young from the way they behaved. Young, one with blond hair and the other with dark hair. Nothing to do with the grumpy dwarf of the day before but Aghäte was already beginning to be worried about this meeting.

When they reached Aghäte's table, they sat down at the same table as her and began to touch the books on the table. The blond dwarf, trying to be discreet, took one and enthusiastically showed it to the other. Aghäte spoke up, trying to be as kind as possible, and the two dwarves seemed happy they were no longer being ignored.

- "Can I help you? Do you need something?"

- "No, everything is fine!", the dark hair dwarf replied.

- "We were running away from some elves who were trying to take back our weapons", the blond dwarf explained.

Aghäte didn't have time to tell them that weapons were prohibited here and he continued.

- "You have a lot of books about Dale and Erebor"

- "Oh this one is on Dale in Girion's time!", the dark hair dwarf exclaimed.

- "Ah yes! And this one is on Thrór! Why do elves from here have books on dwarves?"

- "Maybe they admire us in secret!"

Aghäte couldn't help but laugh. Between the excitement of the young dwarves at the books and their discussion, she ends up putting down her pencil and talking to them directly.

- "It seems you know a lot about Dale and Erebor."

- "Of course!", the two dwarves replied quickly and proudly.

- "Dale was a majestic city in Thrór's time," the dark hair dwarf explained. "But Erebor was even more!"

- "Until Smaug comes and destroys everything ...", the blond added, lowering his eyes.

- "And do you know anything about this dragon?"

The two dwarves looked at each other then stared suspiciously at Aghäte.

- "Why do you want to know so much about Erebor and the dragon?", the blond asked.

- "Raaaa what's the matter with you dwarves with Erebor and Smaug ?!" Aghäte pouted, sitting up and crossing her arms over her chest.

The two dwarves laughed at the young woman's childish reaction. And of course, they exaggerated their laughter like dwarves.

- "I thought elves knew a lot more than dwarves," the dark hair dwarf said with a wink.

- "Except that I am not an elf", Aghäte replied dryly.

The two dwarves dared not speak for fear of upsetting her even more. Aghäte calmed down.

- "Well, I'm half elf / half human."

- "Oooh I had never met a mixed race! I thought it didn't exist or that it made monstrous people. But you are very pretty!", the dark dwarf said, proud of himself.

- "W-what ?!", Aghäte exclaimed, frowning.

- "What an idiot! ", the blond dwarf replied, slapping the other on the head. "But it's true that if we look at you closely you don't look like an elf ..."

The two dwarves watched Aghäte very carefully. She was really starting to be embarrassed by the turn this conversation was taking. She had to change the subject.

- "Right. Enough about me," Aghäte said. "Let's go back to Dale and Erebor."

But the dwarves disagreed.

- "Why do you want to know more about Erebor?" the blond asked.

- "Raaa but you're the same as the other grumpy one from yesterday!"

- "The other grumpy one?" the blonde picked up.

- "A dwarf, black hair a little gray, black beard and in a bad mood", she clarified.

- "Have you seen our uncle !?" the dark hair dwarf exclaimed.

Meanwhile, the library door opened violently. The dwarf from the day before barely entered and yelled:

- "You two! We've been looking for you for an hour!"

- "Sorry uncle," replied in unison.

The dwarf walked over to the two young dwarves and noticed Aghäte's presence.

- "You're still here?"

Aghäte decided to provoke him.

- "Yes! And still researching about Erebor."

The dwarf frowned and the two young understood the situation.

- "Uncle, we should go back to our rooms," the dark hair tried.

- "What did you talk to that elf about?" the older dwarf said, staring at his nephews.

- "Nothing, uncle. And she's a half-elf / half-human!" the blond replied enthusiastically as if that changed everything.

The dwarf grumbled and the blond insisted on heading for the exit. Before leaving, the two young wished Aghäte a good end of the evening. As for the other dwarf, he looked her in the eye firmly until he decided to close the door behind them.

"What's going on in Rivendell right now? Where do these dwarves come from?" Aghäte thought to herself. She no longer wanted to continue her researches. In truth, she hadn't even had time to start them, but she put the books away and went to sleep in her bedroom.