Waking the Balrog
Chapter 1:
Bafin yawned as he trudged down the stairs. It was still dim. Most of the lanterns had not been lit yet. Their owners were still snuggled in warm beds except for a few in the gathering places where stories and songs were still resonating through the rooms since the tellers had not yet gone to sleep. Bafin was usually one of them, listening to a song or joining in singing it. He grumbled to himself as he descended the steps. He had been working late last night and still had to rise of a few hours later to return. His boots echoed as they padded across the stone floor. Down passages to his sides thin shafts of light seeped in from lanterns at the pubs.
"Hey Bafin, you old rascal, you finally have come to join us!" a dwarf called from a passage to the right, "A little late, I mind you, but I have an extra pint with your name on it." He continued as he swayed slightly back and forth.
"I wish I could Loir," he sighed looking away from the lit passage where laughter was emitting, "The boss thinks we struck a new vein of Mithril last night."
Loir lifted his tankard, "Then let us toast to you and your new riches you will find, may to spread to me!" he chuckled as he gulped down his ale, "May be you will pay off your tab at the pub soon!"
"I wouldn't count on that," Bafin responded, smirking slightly, "Even rich dwarves need a drink, but I wouldn't worry, with the wages they are paying me and the fact that it might not actually be a vein. I reckon that tab may be growing, but not for a rich dwarf. Well, I definitely need to be going. It will be my head if we haven't found something by the rime the boss has inspected us."
Loir looked a little put out, but seemed to perk up, "Well in case you do loose that head, I'll have an extra head of ale waiting. You seem to need it. Well good night,"
"You mean good morning," Bafin interrupted.
"Good what ever time of day it is, Farewell." Loir swaggered back down the passage humming a familiar pub song.
The hall seemed even dimmer than it had before. (of course Bafin was wandering deeper so it probably was) Bafin continued to trudge along. He began to softly sing to himself to cheer up a bit. Lead by the beat of his footsteps going down the stairs, his voice (which was slightly high for a dwarf) melted into the tune.
"Stone leaving a wonderful sound. Where silvery Mithril can be found. Oh Moria! The finest lady of the hills. May always bless the halls we fill. All of your wonders I want to see. Right in you halls is the place for me. Both elves and men have gone and came But dwarves and Moria are one in the same."
Bafin turned a corner. Leaned against the wall were two figures. As he stepped down the saw them he cocked his head slightly to one side and he stopped singing. It was, after all, very early and dark and not many wandered down into the deep mines at this time of day. The taller one of them lit a pipe, which gave Bafin a glimpse of his face. Actually he couldn't see his face as much as his eyes. Bafin knew who they were because those eyes were hazel in color.
There were only two dwarves that Bafin knew of with hazel eyes. Bafin had always wondered if the rumors about those eyes were true. Some said that it was because their grandmother had a fling with a young elf prince, but he could never really believe it. Mainly because their grandmother was wrinkled like a prune with no teeth and a horse, grumpy tone to her voice, but some said (or at least she said that they did) she was very attractive in her time. Bafin was always too polite to actually ask them. As he stepped closer the other one with the same hazel eyes spun around and looked at him.
"Falin and Kamli. Why am I not surprised that you two are lazing about here instead of getting to work?" Bafin asked casually.
"We were going, but we heard you beeeeeeeeeeautiful singing voice, right Falin, and we could not help, but be wooed to the spot." One of them said nudging the dwarf beside him who grunted, "We were admiring your choir voice. Maybe we could make a choir together," he started to sing, well I guess you could call it singing, even though it was more like a mocking squawk. "Oh Moria! The finest lady of the hills." He returned to his normal deeper voice, "I'm not sure you could join though Bafin, unless your high little voice finally cracks- Ow!" Bafin had finally walked up even to them and had whacked Kamli upside the head.
"Hey!" Falin exclaimed seeing Bafin hit his brother, "Just because you were the one who made the little discovery last night that made us get here this early doesn't mean you need to take it out on us."
Bafin's mood had grown cold again, "I never pictured you as a protective older brother Falin."
"I am not!" Falin answered defensively, "See." He whacked Kamli (who was still holding his head where Bafin had hit him) across the forehead.
"Ah! Kamli cried as he was hit again, "How is this my fault?" He said indignantly.
"You're the smallest, it is always your fault." Falin replied simply, "Come on lets go."
They hoisted their things back over their shoulders and continued down the deep, stone passage together.
(Hopefully I will finish the next chapter soon, be sure to review, pleeeease!)
Chapter 1:
Bafin yawned as he trudged down the stairs. It was still dim. Most of the lanterns had not been lit yet. Their owners were still snuggled in warm beds except for a few in the gathering places where stories and songs were still resonating through the rooms since the tellers had not yet gone to sleep. Bafin was usually one of them, listening to a song or joining in singing it. He grumbled to himself as he descended the steps. He had been working late last night and still had to rise of a few hours later to return. His boots echoed as they padded across the stone floor. Down passages to his sides thin shafts of light seeped in from lanterns at the pubs.
"Hey Bafin, you old rascal, you finally have come to join us!" a dwarf called from a passage to the right, "A little late, I mind you, but I have an extra pint with your name on it." He continued as he swayed slightly back and forth.
"I wish I could Loir," he sighed looking away from the lit passage where laughter was emitting, "The boss thinks we struck a new vein of Mithril last night."
Loir lifted his tankard, "Then let us toast to you and your new riches you will find, may to spread to me!" he chuckled as he gulped down his ale, "May be you will pay off your tab at the pub soon!"
"I wouldn't count on that," Bafin responded, smirking slightly, "Even rich dwarves need a drink, but I wouldn't worry, with the wages they are paying me and the fact that it might not actually be a vein. I reckon that tab may be growing, but not for a rich dwarf. Well, I definitely need to be going. It will be my head if we haven't found something by the rime the boss has inspected us."
Loir looked a little put out, but seemed to perk up, "Well in case you do loose that head, I'll have an extra head of ale waiting. You seem to need it. Well good night,"
"You mean good morning," Bafin interrupted.
"Good what ever time of day it is, Farewell." Loir swaggered back down the passage humming a familiar pub song.
The hall seemed even dimmer than it had before. (of course Bafin was wandering deeper so it probably was) Bafin continued to trudge along. He began to softly sing to himself to cheer up a bit. Lead by the beat of his footsteps going down the stairs, his voice (which was slightly high for a dwarf) melted into the tune.
"Stone leaving a wonderful sound. Where silvery Mithril can be found. Oh Moria! The finest lady of the hills. May always bless the halls we fill. All of your wonders I want to see. Right in you halls is the place for me. Both elves and men have gone and came But dwarves and Moria are one in the same."
Bafin turned a corner. Leaned against the wall were two figures. As he stepped down the saw them he cocked his head slightly to one side and he stopped singing. It was, after all, very early and dark and not many wandered down into the deep mines at this time of day. The taller one of them lit a pipe, which gave Bafin a glimpse of his face. Actually he couldn't see his face as much as his eyes. Bafin knew who they were because those eyes were hazel in color.
There were only two dwarves that Bafin knew of with hazel eyes. Bafin had always wondered if the rumors about those eyes were true. Some said that it was because their grandmother had a fling with a young elf prince, but he could never really believe it. Mainly because their grandmother was wrinkled like a prune with no teeth and a horse, grumpy tone to her voice, but some said (or at least she said that they did) she was very attractive in her time. Bafin was always too polite to actually ask them. As he stepped closer the other one with the same hazel eyes spun around and looked at him.
"Falin and Kamli. Why am I not surprised that you two are lazing about here instead of getting to work?" Bafin asked casually.
"We were going, but we heard you beeeeeeeeeeautiful singing voice, right Falin, and we could not help, but be wooed to the spot." One of them said nudging the dwarf beside him who grunted, "We were admiring your choir voice. Maybe we could make a choir together," he started to sing, well I guess you could call it singing, even though it was more like a mocking squawk. "Oh Moria! The finest lady of the hills." He returned to his normal deeper voice, "I'm not sure you could join though Bafin, unless your high little voice finally cracks- Ow!" Bafin had finally walked up even to them and had whacked Kamli upside the head.
"Hey!" Falin exclaimed seeing Bafin hit his brother, "Just because you were the one who made the little discovery last night that made us get here this early doesn't mean you need to take it out on us."
Bafin's mood had grown cold again, "I never pictured you as a protective older brother Falin."
"I am not!" Falin answered defensively, "See." He whacked Kamli (who was still holding his head where Bafin had hit him) across the forehead.
"Ah! Kamli cried as he was hit again, "How is this my fault?" He said indignantly.
"You're the smallest, it is always your fault." Falin replied simply, "Come on lets go."
They hoisted their things back over their shoulders and continued down the deep, stone passage together.
(Hopefully I will finish the next chapter soon, be sure to review, pleeeease!)