The Smithy
By Hippy Hobbit
Dedicated to all those who never get enough credit for their work, standing boldly in the shadows of others.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
-Clink-Clink-
My hammer hits the steel and I shield my eyes from the little sparks that fly off. They hit around my feet and I scuff them out with my boot.
The shadows burrow themselves into my eyes and hang, like heavy saddlebags.. It is late. But still, I must work. I have to. The fate of many relies on me.
"Where is he going?"
"He leaves because he knows we have no chance..."
The Northern Ranger... the one who led us to victory at Helm's Deep... he left today. I saw him go. He went through the path in the mountain, through the Dunharrow. It is the place that Gamling says no one ever comes out of.
This caused a stir. We knew that if he left, then we would have no chance to survive. He is the one who taught us the meaning of courage at Helm's Deep. He taught us that every man dies someday, and its useless to run from your fate.
But that seems to be what he himself is doing.
"We will give them a fight like no other!"
They ride on the morn, to doom, and death, blood, and their own fates. I will stay here, for I have no war-horse, no sword. I will farewell them with the women, and ride back. There is no place for a blacksmith in battle. He who wields naught but a hammer and an anvil cannot fight against those with axe and sword.
But I still do my part. I give them their fight. I give them their weapons; their weapons, which might still win us the war. I inscribe to them details, details which tell of the great deeds of their fathers, their fathers fathers, and their people. I encourage them. I make them remember who they are and why they fight.
"Mister Fallon?"
I am torn from my reverie. My eyes flicker towards the door of my tent. Ah. It is only Master Holbytla.
His kindly face causes me to smile. I very much like him. He rode near to me on the way here and oft told me stories of his home and his people.
"Ah, Master Holbytla! I am happy to see you, you know!" I say, for it is the truth. "I hope you have found everything in order with the King's old armor? I re-fitted the breastplate a little. I daresay he was not quite as jolly as you when he was in his youth..."
This causes him to chuckle, and his lovely blue eyes glimmer with mirth, even in these dark times.
"No, Mister Fallon, the breastplate is quite fine- quite fine indeed! I actually came to beg a boon of you, Mister Fallon. My sword seems to be a bit blunt...I daresay it'll be rather hard for me to slay an orc with a blunt sword!" he chuckled again.
I purse my lips. As an esquire to the king, he is not to ride into the battle, he will tell the good king goodbye upon the sunrise, and then ride home with the rest of us. But it is obvious he does not know this, and I cannot bring myself to smother the light in those pretty eyes. So I bend to his side and unbuckle his sword from the belt upon his hip.
"Yes, Sir," I say, quietly, before turning back to my stone to sharpen his blade for him.
I feel his eyes on my back and I know he is wondering why I have become so cold all of the sudden. But both of our attentions are suddenly drawn as another enters my tent.
"Ah! Merry, I am glad to see that you have chosen the best blacksmith in all the lands to help you!" Lady Eowyn. Where in the world there is another more beautiful woman, I will never go. She smiles and winks at me above Master Holbytla's head and I can tell she is the one who has set his hopes up so high. Even if she begs her uncle upon bended knee, I do not think her little friend will see action. King Theoden does not wish for harm to come to his esquire.
But I pass this thought from my head, for it is not my business, anyway. Her comment makes me blush and I wink back over Master Holbytla's head.
"Well...I don't know about that, m'lady..."
"...O! Do not be bashful, Fallon!" she scolds me with a grin. "You know, Merry, Mister Fallon made me my first sword..." and then she launches into the story. I still blush a little as I hear it, remembering...I was only seven, but I worked on that sword for days, trying to make it perfect. In the end, it was far from, but she had been happy, and so was I.
Master Holbytla smiles at me when he hears it, and I blush even more. Lady Eowyn laughs. It is nice to feel so light-hearted in such a bad time.
It is soon that I find Master Holbytla's sword is very sharp. I hand it back to him so that he can try it out and I have to smile at the amazed look on his face. He swings it around a few times and the White Lady and I stand back.
"Oh, thank you, Mister Fallon!" he says happily, and he runs forward to hug me around my middle. This surprises me, so I pat his back and chuckle.
"You are most welcome, Master Holbytla!" I say. "Now, run along and get some sleep. You will have a big day tomorrow!" A day of sorrow and letdowns, and forever good-byes. I do not want to think about it.
"Yes, Merry, run along to bed," Lady Eowyn says, and Master Holbytla thanks me again, before sheathing his sword and running from the tent, happy as a spring foal.
I turn back to the Kings niece.
"It is well for you to take your rest as well, Lady," says I, "We have a long trek back to Edoras tomorrow."
She looks away.
"I do not plan on going back to Edoras with you and the others." She states. I feel my face flush. I know what she means to do.
"Lady! Come now, be serious!" I say, dropping my hammer to the ground, "You cannot fight! Sure, you may as well be fine in the practice rings against men who would not dare to hurt you! But these creatures... it would not cause them sleep to scar up your beautiful face!"
She shakes her head. "You would not understand, Mister Fallon!" she scolds me, and I feel myself shrink back. "It is not that! I wish to fight because I wish to protect my people! It is the same with Merry...I saw how you looked at him when you sharpened his blade... you do not think he will be able to go to battle, and that is wrong of you! Do you not think that it is right for him to fight for those he loves?!"
"I have only a qualm for his safety, and yours!" he say, bending to pick up my hammer.
"You are no better then Eomer!" she spits, and I feel myself shrink back again.
It is silent for what seems to be hundreds of years. I am kneeling on the ground, reaching for my hammer, but unable to find it, it seems. And she is standing in front of me, her eyes boring holes into the back of my head. I shake a little, feeling her awesome power. She frightens me so much, and yet I am so intoxicated by her. My blush deepens ever more.
"B-but, m'lady..." he murmur. She still watches me.
"Yes?" she asks, coldly.
"Y-you have no armor..."
So now, here I stand, the night still hanging from my eyes. She wishes me to make her her armor. And I do it. But it is not what I wish. It is what she wishes for me to do.
And I do it. Because I love her.
A/N: Poor Fallon... please review.
Hippy