As the Leaves of Lorien Fall, Chapter 3
The mirror was now showing Legolas another chamber in Khazad-dum; brightly lit, its windows opened to the west, and the setting sun was shining in over the tops of the neighbouring mountains. There were many long tables set around this room, and dwarven musicians were positioned around the hall. At the top of the dais, Durin and Celebrimbor were seated with many of the dwarven diplomats that Legolas had seen in the earlier image. Legolas could hear the beautiful music of the harps and viols, flutes and clarinets, floating above the hum of many voices. Then he saw the dwarf that King Durin had identified as Gróin enter the hall, leading another dwarf toward the dais...
Celebrimbor was listening half-heartedly to the ramblings of the dwarf beside him, (Gori, was his name?), as the dwarf went on and on about the tolls that Gondor, the new human kingdom in the south were charging for the use of their port on the Anduin. He tried to distract his mind from the dwarfs diatribe by scanning the faces of the dwarves in the crowd, trying to guess which one was Narvi, the dwarf that he would be working with. So far he had not seen any dwarf who looked like he might be named Narvi, but then, it was hard to tell with dwarves, their names so seldom had anything to do with their appearance.
"Its sheer robbery, that's what it is. They know they have us up the barrel, they're the only port closer than Belfalas, and they know it. Smug humans, think they can charge anything and get away with it, just because they come from Numenor! It isn't even all that great of a port, really, just some ledges on both sides of the city, but you'd think it was marvelous at the prices they charge..."
Celebrimbor tuned Gori out again, as he noticed that Gróin was leading another dwarf into the hall, was leading him up to the dais. Celebrimbor found that he had to remind himself to breathe; for this was the most beautiful dwarf he had ever seen. He had never before thought of a dwarf as beautiful, they were not a beautiful people, but this dwarf was. He was squat and compact, like others of his species, but it seemed to Celebrimbor to be the strength of an ancient oak tree, sturdy and steadfast, something to last the ages. His beard shone in the light of the lamps, and his dark eyes gleamed with a black fire that burned into Celebrimbor's soul. He found himself hoping that this was Narvi.
He was. Soon Gróin and the dwarf had reached the table, and, as a servant fetched a chair for the new dwarf, to be put between Celebrimbor and Gori, the dwarf bowed low, and, in a voice like a finely played cello, said, "Narvi at your service." Celebrimbor thought that the simple greeting was more elegant than all the elvish greetings he had ever heard.
He rose from the table, and bowed in return. "Celebrimbor at yours and your families", he said politely, glad that he remembered the correct phrase. King Durin seemed to have sensed the awkwardness behind Celebrimbor's polite words, because he stopped talking to the dwarf on his left, and boomed out,
"Celebrimbor, I see you've met our Narvi! Come here, lad, and sit beside the elf. You two are going to be working together on the West Gate, so you'd better get to know each other now!"
Narvi was soon sitting beside Celebrimbor, and, once the awkwardness had passed, he found it very easy to speak with the dwarf. He had found someone who truly understood the language of the forge and chisel, and the intricacies of the work. Here at last was a fellow artisan, not a bureaucrat complaining about high tolls and the costs of importing materials. He found that Narvi shared his vision for the West Gate, and they began planning it out that very night.
"I thought," Narvi said, excitedly, "That we could have two holly trees on either side of the Gate. They are the symbol of your kingdom, I believe. And it is traditional to have columns beside dwarf gates, but trees would serve better in this case."
"And we could have the anvil of Durin on the door..."
"And the tree of the High Elves, the writing would be in Elvish, of course."
By now the hall had begun to empty, and most of the dwarves had gone. The moonlight was beginning to show in the windows; it must be very late. After King Durin had risen, Narvi offered to walk Celebrimbor back to his chambers, and they left the hall together, still talking excitedly about their plans for the future, and the friendship of their peoples.
Again, the water in the mirror faded, and Legolas found himself looking at stars once more. He had begun to understand why Galadriel had shown him this image, Celebrimbor had fallen in love with one of the dwarves of Moria, just as he had fallen for Gimli. But there seemed no hope for either of them, for the Balrog had come to Moria, and the distrust still tore elves and dwarves apart. But the colours were swirling in the basin once more, and Legolas gazed into it, anxious to learn the rest of the story...
The mirror was now showing Legolas another chamber in Khazad-dum; brightly lit, its windows opened to the west, and the setting sun was shining in over the tops of the neighbouring mountains. There were many long tables set around this room, and dwarven musicians were positioned around the hall. At the top of the dais, Durin and Celebrimbor were seated with many of the dwarven diplomats that Legolas had seen in the earlier image. Legolas could hear the beautiful music of the harps and viols, flutes and clarinets, floating above the hum of many voices. Then he saw the dwarf that King Durin had identified as Gróin enter the hall, leading another dwarf toward the dais...
Celebrimbor was listening half-heartedly to the ramblings of the dwarf beside him, (Gori, was his name?), as the dwarf went on and on about the tolls that Gondor, the new human kingdom in the south were charging for the use of their port on the Anduin. He tried to distract his mind from the dwarfs diatribe by scanning the faces of the dwarves in the crowd, trying to guess which one was Narvi, the dwarf that he would be working with. So far he had not seen any dwarf who looked like he might be named Narvi, but then, it was hard to tell with dwarves, their names so seldom had anything to do with their appearance.
"Its sheer robbery, that's what it is. They know they have us up the barrel, they're the only port closer than Belfalas, and they know it. Smug humans, think they can charge anything and get away with it, just because they come from Numenor! It isn't even all that great of a port, really, just some ledges on both sides of the city, but you'd think it was marvelous at the prices they charge..."
Celebrimbor tuned Gori out again, as he noticed that Gróin was leading another dwarf into the hall, was leading him up to the dais. Celebrimbor found that he had to remind himself to breathe; for this was the most beautiful dwarf he had ever seen. He had never before thought of a dwarf as beautiful, they were not a beautiful people, but this dwarf was. He was squat and compact, like others of his species, but it seemed to Celebrimbor to be the strength of an ancient oak tree, sturdy and steadfast, something to last the ages. His beard shone in the light of the lamps, and his dark eyes gleamed with a black fire that burned into Celebrimbor's soul. He found himself hoping that this was Narvi.
He was. Soon Gróin and the dwarf had reached the table, and, as a servant fetched a chair for the new dwarf, to be put between Celebrimbor and Gori, the dwarf bowed low, and, in a voice like a finely played cello, said, "Narvi at your service." Celebrimbor thought that the simple greeting was more elegant than all the elvish greetings he had ever heard.
He rose from the table, and bowed in return. "Celebrimbor at yours and your families", he said politely, glad that he remembered the correct phrase. King Durin seemed to have sensed the awkwardness behind Celebrimbor's polite words, because he stopped talking to the dwarf on his left, and boomed out,
"Celebrimbor, I see you've met our Narvi! Come here, lad, and sit beside the elf. You two are going to be working together on the West Gate, so you'd better get to know each other now!"
Narvi was soon sitting beside Celebrimbor, and, once the awkwardness had passed, he found it very easy to speak with the dwarf. He had found someone who truly understood the language of the forge and chisel, and the intricacies of the work. Here at last was a fellow artisan, not a bureaucrat complaining about high tolls and the costs of importing materials. He found that Narvi shared his vision for the West Gate, and they began planning it out that very night.
"I thought," Narvi said, excitedly, "That we could have two holly trees on either side of the Gate. They are the symbol of your kingdom, I believe. And it is traditional to have columns beside dwarf gates, but trees would serve better in this case."
"And we could have the anvil of Durin on the door..."
"And the tree of the High Elves, the writing would be in Elvish, of course."
By now the hall had begun to empty, and most of the dwarves had gone. The moonlight was beginning to show in the windows; it must be very late. After King Durin had risen, Narvi offered to walk Celebrimbor back to his chambers, and they left the hall together, still talking excitedly about their plans for the future, and the friendship of their peoples.
Again, the water in the mirror faded, and Legolas found himself looking at stars once more. He had begun to understand why Galadriel had shown him this image, Celebrimbor had fallen in love with one of the dwarves of Moria, just as he had fallen for Gimli. But there seemed no hope for either of them, for the Balrog had come to Moria, and the distrust still tore elves and dwarves apart. But the colours were swirling in the basin once more, and Legolas gazed into it, anxious to learn the rest of the story...