Chapter 18
Encouraged by Nalin and the silent support of his comrades Gimli slowly began to awaken to life as it went on around him. The group of would be travelers found out too late that the Iron Hills severely lacked in pack mules. Gimli couldn't help but be glad at the temporary delay; it gave him a chance to finally do his real work, and the only love he had left.
Nalin silently entered into the workshop, closing the door behind her. No one looked up from their work save Merin who happened to be working beside the doors. Merin flashed his cousin a brief smile before returning to his task. Nalin smiled back, inwardly admiring him for his skill at creating his own magnificent set of axes at so young an age. His talent at the forge may even surpass his brothers' one day. Nalin patted his shoulder affectionately before moving deeper into the workshop. Intent on their tasks Nalin had to squeeze past the line of dwarves. All of them busy crafting their own works of art. The fire from the furnaces glinted off of helmets, shields, axes, and swords, each piece its own masterpiece. Nalins' eyes narrowed, she couldn't see Gimli, he could almost always be found in the forges at the heart of the mountain, experimenting, inventing, and creating new materials the likes of which the dwarves had never before seen.
Nalin finally reached the end of the room and made a slow circle still trying to locate Gimli. Finally she spotted a small door hidden behind one of the larger furnaces. Nalin shrugged and tried the door, it opened. Rather than the blast of furnace air she expected the room was cool. As a matter of fact, she frowned, it was downright cold. The sounds of hammers on metal faded into the background as the door closed. The light was clear and as Nalin looked up she could see the natural skylight that filtered light onto the solitary figure leaned over a worktable. Gimli stood with his back to his cousin, working quietly and delicately. Nalin moved as silently as she could to Gimli's side; what she saw made her breath catch. White Mithril was what Gimli worked with, the most precious metal on Middle Earth, slowly working it to encase the purest crystal Nalin had ever before seen. She had to look very hard to realize it was crystal and not just air. Finally, in the center of the crystal was Gimli's most prized possession, the three hairs of Galadriel, the Lady of Lorien. "Oh Gimli!" she breathed, unable to stop herself. Gimli stopped his work and turned towards her, his expression was unreadable, "yes Nalin?" Nalin moved towards him, "the elf gave you a great gift in that crystal Gimli." Gimli nodded and turned back to his work. Nalin screwed up her courage again, "what are you making?" Gimli didn't turn from his work, "a fitting place for the hairs of Galadriel Nalin." She took a hint and didn't press the issue. Gimli however wasn't finished, "what do you want here?" Nalin breathed in, "Gimli, you have a visitor." Gimli looked up, for the first time in this conversation his interest was perked, "who?" When Nalin didn't respond right away Gimli set his tools down and grasped her shoulders, "Nalin who is it?" Nalin met his eyes, "Gandalf wishes to see you Gimli." At this news Gimli's shoulders seemed to slump a bit but his eyes were still bright, "Gandalf! He will be most welcome here. Show me to him!" Putting a cloth over his masterpiece he followed his cousin out the door.
Encouraged by Nalin and the silent support of his comrades Gimli slowly began to awaken to life as it went on around him. The group of would be travelers found out too late that the Iron Hills severely lacked in pack mules. Gimli couldn't help but be glad at the temporary delay; it gave him a chance to finally do his real work, and the only love he had left.
Nalin silently entered into the workshop, closing the door behind her. No one looked up from their work save Merin who happened to be working beside the doors. Merin flashed his cousin a brief smile before returning to his task. Nalin smiled back, inwardly admiring him for his skill at creating his own magnificent set of axes at so young an age. His talent at the forge may even surpass his brothers' one day. Nalin patted his shoulder affectionately before moving deeper into the workshop. Intent on their tasks Nalin had to squeeze past the line of dwarves. All of them busy crafting their own works of art. The fire from the furnaces glinted off of helmets, shields, axes, and swords, each piece its own masterpiece. Nalins' eyes narrowed, she couldn't see Gimli, he could almost always be found in the forges at the heart of the mountain, experimenting, inventing, and creating new materials the likes of which the dwarves had never before seen.
Nalin finally reached the end of the room and made a slow circle still trying to locate Gimli. Finally she spotted a small door hidden behind one of the larger furnaces. Nalin shrugged and tried the door, it opened. Rather than the blast of furnace air she expected the room was cool. As a matter of fact, she frowned, it was downright cold. The sounds of hammers on metal faded into the background as the door closed. The light was clear and as Nalin looked up she could see the natural skylight that filtered light onto the solitary figure leaned over a worktable. Gimli stood with his back to his cousin, working quietly and delicately. Nalin moved as silently as she could to Gimli's side; what she saw made her breath catch. White Mithril was what Gimli worked with, the most precious metal on Middle Earth, slowly working it to encase the purest crystal Nalin had ever before seen. She had to look very hard to realize it was crystal and not just air. Finally, in the center of the crystal was Gimli's most prized possession, the three hairs of Galadriel, the Lady of Lorien. "Oh Gimli!" she breathed, unable to stop herself. Gimli stopped his work and turned towards her, his expression was unreadable, "yes Nalin?" Nalin moved towards him, "the elf gave you a great gift in that crystal Gimli." Gimli nodded and turned back to his work. Nalin screwed up her courage again, "what are you making?" Gimli didn't turn from his work, "a fitting place for the hairs of Galadriel Nalin." She took a hint and didn't press the issue. Gimli however wasn't finished, "what do you want here?" Nalin breathed in, "Gimli, you have a visitor." Gimli looked up, for the first time in this conversation his interest was perked, "who?" When Nalin didn't respond right away Gimli set his tools down and grasped her shoulders, "Nalin who is it?" Nalin met his eyes, "Gandalf wishes to see you Gimli." At this news Gimli's shoulders seemed to slump a bit but his eyes were still bright, "Gandalf! He will be most welcome here. Show me to him!" Putting a cloth over his masterpiece he followed his cousin out the door.