Title: Of Fire and Stars (Part 8c)
Author: Ro
Rating: R (for strong language, violence, sexuality and disturbing imagery)
Warnings: Angst, deals with racial bigotry and violence.
Disclaimer: I'm not making any profit off this. With the exception of a few original characters, Gimli, Gandalf, and other characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien (who's probably spinning in his grave as we speak).
Summary: Gandalf finds out what happened to Gimli while he and Thorin's company were away on their quest. Takes place during "The Hobbit", don't like Dwarves or Gimli? Then don't read this fic!
Notes: This is a Book-version, Not movie-version.
More notes: A huge applause to Little My ^_^ ! For being my wonderful beta-reader and for doing a fabulous job of cleaning up and editing this chapter *bows at her feet*!
And a big thank you! To all the people that left and emailed me all the lovely reviews and comments! Thank you very much!
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"Of Blue Moons and Green Leaves"
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"You know where it is, Woman?" Gara asked, looking down at her and watching as a wide toothy smile broke over her heart-shaped face.
"Of course I know where the little troll is. I'll even take you to him!" she said helpfully, stepping away from the tall Man as he looked at his fellow officers and seeing nods of agreement at his unspoken question. May, Terry, and a few others gathered nearby, jaws dropped in disbelief as they watched Ruby motion for the Men to follow her.
"Just come with me and I'll take you to him," she said sweetly to the officers, before loudly calling out for the Dwarf. "Gimli! Gimli!"
She hadn't led them more than a few feet towards the kitchen, when Terry, finally spurred into action, darted over to the auburn-haired Woman.
"What are you doing!?" she hissed, putting a restraining grip on Ruby's arm and looking at the other Woman as if she were mad. But Ruby only ignored the thin brunette, sharply shaking off Terry's hand as she once again beckoned the group of Men to follow her.
In that moment it just so happened that Gimli, hearing his name called and curious as to what had caused so many of the patrons to leave, came out from the large entryway to the kitchen, both Klareoy and Gwen trailing behind him. Gimli immediately froze at the sight of the officers, stopping so suddenly that Gwen actually ran into him, almost falling back with the force of her collision with the solid immovable object in front of her. Luckily Klareoy reached out in time to steady her.
Everyone in the room paused as they stared in surprise at one another, and for several long moments no one said anything. Then Ruby, with an impatient huff, broke the tense silence.
"Well? Are ya all just going to stand there? There he is!" Ruby yelled at the uniformed Men as she pointed at Gimli, who spared her a brief glare before turning his full attention to the main threat in front of him.
"That's a Dwarf?!" one of the Men said incredulously.
With the exception of Ron, Merin and another Man called Rafe, none of the other the officers had ever seen a Dwarf, and even the dark-haired Rafe had only seen one from a distance several years back on a lonely road towards Bree. Small, scruffy-looking, with a long scraggily brown beard, its clothes and hood looking worn and torn-- he had automatically assumed that all Dwarves must look as such as he had watched the poor old thing stumble down the road. Looking back on it, Rafe now realized that there had clearly been something terribly wrong with that creature all those years back, if the one that now stood in front of him was any comparison.
This was not the small Hobbit-sized, short-limbed and round-bodied being, with beady little eyes and a mass of bushy beard of the stories and jokes they had all heard. Nor the wrinkly, swarthy-skinned and ugly old creature, with a long beard that dragged the floor and a large beak-like nose, its greedy and shifty eyes always on the lookout for gold. No, this being was nothing like that.
The strange, stocky, tanned and muscular creature in front of them stood at five feet, much taller than many of the officers would have expected. It wore only a sleeveless crimson-colored shirt and a pair of trousers that had been rolled up to its knees, leaving its calves and broad feet bare. It had a short, neat beard that matched the long mane of dark copper-colored hair that was held away from its shockingly smooth and strong-featured face in a thick ponytail on the back of its head. Its arms and legs were anything but stubby, instead they saw limbs corded with powerful muscles from years upon years of hard labor. No fat round belly, but a flat muscular abdomen; not an ounce of fat could be seen as it glared at them with large dark almond-shaped eyes that flashed with surprise, agitation and most of all intelligence. For a long moment there was only silence as they studied one another.
"Yep…that ain't no Halfling!"
The other officers gave the oblivious Gara an exasperated look, and the Dwarf turned contemptuous eyes to the Man, his expression showing that he thought him clearly an idiot.
"Stay where you are, Dwarf!" Ron ordered, deciding to take action. At his words, several of the other Men began to spread out a bit.
Gimli kept a wary eye on all of them, unconsciously flexing his fingers as he shifted on his feet, as a worried murmur started amongst those who had gathered to watch. Gwen chewed on her bottom lip, nervously twisting her fingers as she peered meekly over the Dwarf's shoulder. Klareoy remained silent and still as she cautiously watched the events unfolding, her dark eyes that darting around the room.
"What do ya think they'll do with 'im?" asked the youngest officer, watching with great trepidation the play of large heavy muscles just under the Dwarf's tanned skin. He did not want to be the first to find out just how much power was coiled in those arms.
"What do ya think, Ferdirand? What does Ocendade do with rampant murderers?" Ron snorted to the young Man before turning to look at Gimli with a sneer. "It's gonna be off to the gallows with you, Dwarf!"
Gimli suddenly had an image of himself swinging from a rope, just like Rowell, sickly pale with maggots dribbling out of his empty eyes. Hanging was a horrible way to die, especially for a Dwarf, whose thicker muscular necks and stronger more reinforced vertebrae meant that it took much longer for them to finally be choked into unconsciousness-- they could still be conscious and struggling for over an hour or more.
His broad hands curled into tight fists, his pulse quickening. No! He would not go willingly to that fate; he would fight them all--every Man in the whole damned town if he had to! They'd have to drag him dead or unconscious to the gallows… but just then an anguished voice rang out, shaking him from his thoughts.
"Noooo!" Gwen cried, stepping protectively in front of the surprised looking Dwarf, her slender arms outstretched as if to bar their way. "Leave Gimli alone! You can't do that--you're lying! Klareoy, R-Ruby…the-they can't, right?!" she begged, turning scared and desperate eyes to the other two Women but still not moving from her position. Many of the officers looked confused and disturbed by the small scared teen's heartfelt actions, while Gimli tried to think of a way to get Gwen quickly and safely out of the way if the officers tried to charge him.
"Step aside! Can't you see we are doing this for your own safety? That creature is dangerous!" said Gara, jabbing a finger at the Dwarf behind her.
You have no idea, human! Gimli thought to himself at the Man's last words.
"No!" Gwen yelled staunchly, not budging an inch.
"Don't be a fool, girl!" Ruby snorted as she rolled her kohl-lined eyes, throwing the teenager an irritated glare before a nasty smirk stole over her face. "Haven't been to the second square lately, have ya? There's an eleven-year-old pick-pocket dangling as we speak (1.)! I was there when they carried him up those steps kicking and screaming as they prepared the rope---!"
Her next words were suddenly cut off as her head snapped to the side with the force of the loud echoing slap that had connected with her cheek. Everyone froze in shock, even the Men, and Gwen put both her hands to her mouth, her large doe eyes wide. Gimli stared in surprise at Klareoy who was glaring down at Ruby, her hand still raised from the blow she had given her. With a startled gasp, Ruby put a hand to her red and stinging cheek before turning shocked eyes to Klareoy, brimming with tears of pain.
"Shut your mouth, Ruby!" Klareoy snarled, when Ruby opened her mouth to speak. "Ya already done plenty enough, ya spiteful snake!"
The disgust and disappointment in Klareoy's voice, the stares of the officers, the strange unidentifiable look in Gimli's piercing gaze, and the fright and confusion now shining in Gwen's large eyes was apparently too much for Ruby to take as she looked around at all the faces staring at her. Her mouth opened as if to say something as her plump bottom lip trembled and the kohl around her eyes began to run. Maybe in that moment as she looked around, suddenly feeling like an outcast, she realized just what she had done.
They all watched as the auburn-haired and red-faced Woman suddenly fled, shoving past them all to run out of the room, tripping over her own heavy skirts in her haste to get away. No one spoke, and when Ruby had disappeared up the stairs, Klareoy turned a dark accusing glare to the Men gathered there.
"As for you all, a fine pack of cowards and bullies! Ya say the Dwarf's a murderer and ya only doin' ya job for our safety!? Lies!!" she spat at them with pure venom.
"Where were you when Gracy was murdered last fall! Where were you when we found Enwa chopped to pieces in that rubbish heap two blocks down!? Where were you when we begged you to stop Crasus!? Where were you when that bloody bastard cut up that child's face!?" she demanded, her dark eyes narrowed with righteous fury as she pointed to a wide-eyed Gwen, who unconsciously put a hand up to touch the disfiguring scar that pulled up the left side of her mouth.
Most of the officers couldn't meet the older Woman's hard gaze, but some just rolled their eyes. Gara finally let out an exasperated sigh before uncrossing his arms and pushing Klareoy out of his way, causing her to stumble a few feet back.
"I've heard enough of your prattling, Woman! Out of the way!" he ordered as he walked past her, his eyes glued to the glowering Dwarf.
Gimli immediately went on guard, then as subtly as he could, he stepped forward and nudged Gwen away from him, She turned to look at him in blank confusion, not understanding his actions, catching Klareoy's eye, he motioned for her to get the teen out of the immediate area. His instincts told him it was about to get ugly.
With a nod, the older Woman quickly grabbed Gwen's arm and dragged the confused girl out of the room; she also knew serious trouble was brewing and it would be no place for the petite teenager when it did break out. They left the group of officers and the one Dwarf to face off.
Gimli eyed the Men warily, especially the very tall, dark-haired one in front of him.
"Why are we waiting here? Let's just take him already!" said Gara, having apparently lost all patience. He stepped confidently forward until he was standing right in front of the Dwarf, who only came up to his chest.
"Wait, Gara! You heard the Captain, we're not to do anything 'til he gets back-- only supposed ta make sure he don't escape!" Ferdirand called.
"Gara, you bloody idiot! Don't get that close, you fool!" hissed Ron in warning, but Gara was not listening as he glared smugly down at his much shorter opponent. The Dwarf still had said nothing, but it glared back up at him with darkly glittering eyes.
"Listen here, Dwarf! You're in my town now and we don't take kindly to murderin' Dwarves, Elves, Halfling or anything else for that matter! And another thing! What gave you the right--"
Ron just tiredly shook his head and the other Men watched anxiously as they fidgeted, occasionally looking at one another. For Gara had already made his first mistake when he got into Gimli's personal space and tried to intimidate the Dwarf with his greater height. But his greatest mistake came when the tall human decided to punctuate what he was saying by jabbing the Dwarf in the chest with a finger.
Gara continued to harshly poke the Dwarf as he ignored everything but his own voice and the self-important thrill of lording his position over another. He didn't notice the Dwarf's flashing eyes narrowing dangerously or the deep menacing growl that had Gara's nervous-looking fellows backing away as the creature began to visibly bristle, baring its white teeth. Law officer or not, five pokes was Gimli's absolute limit.
"--and another thing! If you think that you can come here and--EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Gara let out a surprisingly high and rather girlish scream when the Dwarf suddenly seized that offending finger before it could jab him again. There was a sharp snap, and Gara wrenched his hand back to stare wide-eyed at his now very crooked index finger for a long moment before looking back at the glaring Dwarf.
"You bloody little runt! You broke my finger!" he yelled, his disbelief quickly turning to anger. "You little shit! I'm gon--ough!"
Whatever else Gara had been going to say was lost as he suddenly doubled over and fell to his knees, the air knocked out of him when Gimli punched the large Man right in the stomach. That was the catalyst, for with that someone yelled "Get 'im!" and the other Men suddenly descended on him, trying to tackle him to the ground.
He somehow managed to knock away four of his assailants, but by sheer numbers they were able to get hold of him, and they all piled on top of the snarling Dwarf.
"Get off me!" Gimli bellowed angrily, staggering as he was nearly buried under grasping, hitting, grunting and rather foul smelling bodies. Adrenalin and anger lent him the extra strength to somehow keep his feet as the Men tried to wrestle the growling and cursing young Dwarf to the ground.
Using his elbows and a crushing grip on someone's genitals, he had thrown off two of his assailants when another Man joined the other five already trying to restrain him, grabbing hold of his thick ponytail with the multiple braids Gwen had made earlier. He let out another menacing growl as the Man, using his hair as a lever, wrenched his head back.
He jabbed his elbow heavily into the Man's stomach, and his hair was released with a loud "Ooff!" The Dwarf then turned to Ferdirand, who was desperately trying to put Gimli's other arm in a restraining lock, and taking hold of one of the human's wrists he squeezed it hard, forcing the young Man to let go with a yelp of pain. Ferdirand quickly stumbled away, cradling his now badly bruised wrist.
Gimli was making sure to hold back, keeping his full strength in check-- he didn't want to seriously injure any of the officers and he definitely didn't want to give them more reasons to have him executed. But having a wrestling match with a group of Men who were all taller than you was challenging, to put it lightly.
"Get off him! Stop this right now!" yelled Relena angrily from nearby. She had just come into the room, wondering about all the noise.
"Stay out of the way, wench!" one Man yelled, shoving the large Woman back into the crowd of other bystanders when she tried to step in and break up the fight. Later on, the Man would greatly wish he had not done this.
"Wench!?" Said Relena in outrage. Fine! If they wouldn't let her break it up, she'd join in! she thought while taking off all her earrings and bracelets before handing them to a surprised May for safe keeping.
"Hold my gold," she ordered the smaller Woman. Then rolling up the sleeves of her blouse she calmly walked up to the Man that had pushed her and clocked him one right in the face when he turned around, giving him a nasty shiner.
That seemed to suddenly spur some of the other residents of the brothel to join the fray and help the outnumbered Dwarf; some picked up something to use as a weapon, but most just waded in bare handed. Many were surprisingly good fighters with their fists, many having grown up with brothers or from having to deal with rough customers, and many of the officers were confused and unwilling to fight a Woman. Needless to say, within moments the entire room had turned into absolute chaos.
"Ya be leavin' Gimli alone!" Trixy yelled as she furiously beat on Ron with one of her shoes. The blond Man cringed and tried desperately to fend off her attack, without success.
Meanwhile Gimli was still battling it out in the middle of all of this. There was pained scream as one of the officers received a nasty bite, after making the mistake of grabbing hold of Gimli's short beard. Apparently the local constabulary of Ocendade were unaware of Dwarves' penchant to bite when highly agitated. Now the unlucky officer would have a lasting scar as a reminder, as well as something to tell his children and grandchildren years later.
"You're never here when we need ya! Now ya show up when no one wants you!" yelled Terry angrily, brandishing a broom. She'd joined the fray right after Relena, who had just given a particularly hard kick to one officer's groin. The Man was now rolling red-faced on the ground as he clutched his smashed genitals.
Hearing the racket, Sam finally lumbered into the room from the kitchen with a surprised look on his face. He stopped only long enough to see that a huge fight was taking place in the middle of the red-draped main room before wading in eagerly. Grabbing the first uniformed Man he came to by the collar, he bodily tossed him towards the brothel's open front door, causing some of the neighborhood's other residents that had gathered there to watch to momentarily scatter.
Thanks to the brothel's residents joining the fray, Gimli was no longer forced to deal with all the officers at once, letting him better defend himself.
He shook off another punch before he gave one blond-haired officer a head-butt that sent the poor human reeling. Stomping with all his might on the closest available foot, he then broke a nose with a striking blow with the heel of his broad hand. The air was filled with loud crashes, bangs, curses and yells.
Normally Lady D would have been right out at the first sounds of trouble, but at the moment she and the Captain were so distracted by their own loud and heated arguing, that they took no notice of the chaos taking place in the brothel's main room. But others were still coming out to investigate the cause of all the noise, including Merry and Ursla who were just now descending the stairs.
"What in Mordor be goin' on down here!?" Merry demanded in utter bewilderment, staring at the chaos before them. Both of them ducked quickly to avoid a flying chair.
"Get off 'im!!!" Ursla yelled. She had caught sight of Gimli beset by attackers, and immediately she went to her friend's aid, shouldering her way past the crowd of bystanders before Merry could stop her.
Grabbing hold of the hair and tunic of the first Man she came to, she wrenched his head sharply back. The Man hissed in pain and let go of Gimli's arm, turning to face his new assailant.
"Get outta 'ere, ya damned whore!" he angrily yelled, giving her a viscous backhand that knocked her off her feet, causing her to cry out.
"Ursla!!!" Gimli cried. He had heard her cry out in pain, and throwing off his attackers he turned with a menacing growl to the Man that had struck her.
"Rafe! Look out!" someone shouted over the noise.
Hearing this, Rafe turned back just in time to see a large fist flying towards his face before everything suddenly went black. With much satisfaction Ursla watched the Man go sailing through the air, to crash to the ground, unmoving and out cold.
Gimli went to help Ursla up, who was still a bit stunned by the blow she had received, but he hadn't gone more then two steps when he was set upon again by several officers. Luckily, both Merry and the red-haired Bell managed to drag her to the safety of the sidelines where some of the other brothel residents watched, cheering on their battling fellows.
Gimli had just punched another officer in the gut, causing the poor Man to immediately double over and clutch at his abdomen, when he felt someone come up behind him. Spinning around he looked up just in time to see the young Man with the scarred over his cheek looming over him with an arm upraised, holding a short thick club. Then the arm descended, bringing the club down on his head with a loud 'THWACK!' before the young Dwarf could dodge.
For a moment everything went dark for Gimli as a strange hush fell over his ears and sparks flew behind his eyes.
The sound of the club connecting with the Dwarf's skull echoed through the suddenly deathly quiet room. Everyone stared at Gimli, who stood with head bowed from the force of Ferdirand's strike, waiting for him to crumple to the floor at any moment.
But unfortunately for young Ferdirand, the blow didn't have the effect he was hoping for.
For the Dwarf suddenly straightened and shook it's head, breaking the silence with a loud exclamation of "OW!!!"
Gimli gave his smarting head a few more shakes, trying to clear the stars from his vision before reaching up and gingerly rubbing the large knot now growing on his skull. Internally cursing himself for being so careless and not dodging in time, he turned to glare at the wielder of the club with dark menacing eyes, promising certain, painful doom to the one who had hit him.
Ferdirand barely had time to gulp nervously in the face of the glare, before the Dwarf exploded.
"YA BLOODY BASTARD!! I'M GONNA SHOVE THAT CLUB RIGHT UP YOUR ARSE! YA WEAK-ARMED SON OF A--herk!" Gimli's angry tirade was suddenly cut off when one of the other Men came up behind him and grabbed the irate Dwarf in a choking headlock. Another officer seized his arm, then the battle began again as if there had never been a pause. Once again it was pure and utter pandemonium.
"GET OFF ME!!!!!" Gimli angrily bellowed, nearly causing the tapestries to sway on their hangers with the sheer volume of his fury. He struggled against the restraining hands as he saw Gara approaching with his fist upraised and his face twisted with anger; obviously the Man was still upset about his broken finger. But before he could strike, Gimli delivered a powerful kick that sent the Man skidding backwards across the floor.
Just then Draco sauntered into the room, to investigate the disturbance, and he looked down with surprise as Gara slid to a halt at his feet. The officer quickly scrambled to his feet, wincing and cursing, before taking notice of the figure behind him.
Whipping around, Gara made to defend himself against this new potential threat, his temper dangerously up. He was a bit startled to see it was not a Woman but a slender long-haired Man, only a few inches shorter then he, with painted eyes and lips and wearing a soft dove-gray robe.
"You're no Woman!" he yelled, glaring at the slender Man in disgust, who only raised an elegant eyebrow in response.
"Oh! Does that bother you?" Gara sneered, taking note of the irritated eyebrow. "Well, what ya gonna do about it-- whore?" he goaded, his already wounded pride and his own pig-headedness daring the other Man to do something.
Draco still had said nothing, giving the bristling Man a calculating glance before sighing tiredly. He did so hate dealing with morons, especially rude ones.
"As I thought! Ya ain't gonna do noth--!" Gara was cut off, as his head suddenly snapped back with the force of Draco's pale fist colliding with his face, breaking his nose and knocking him back to the floor in a daze.
Draco scowled contemptuously at the groaning Man on the floor as he shook out his hand, before giving the rest of the room, with the battle still in full swing, a rather bored look. Then with a haughty sniff, deciding he had better things to do, he sauntered back the way he had come. Seconds later another uniformed Man, this time thrown by Sam, crashed right where Draco had been standing just moments before.
In the meantime…
"Hit him again ya fool!" Merin cried to Ferdirand, still struggling to hold onto the angry Dwarf.
Ferdirand was raising the club up for another strike, when he was suddenly struck on the head with a loud resounding 'bong' by a flying (and thankfully empty) chamber pot.
Gimli watched the young Man crumple to the ground, holding his ringing head. The club lay forgotten on the floor, and it was quickly picked up and hidden by one of the brothel's residents.
A moment later the grunting Man who had Gimli in a headlock gave a yell of pain and released the Dwarf, as a thrown boot hit him right in the face. Gimli quickly seized the opportunity to grab him by the front of his blue tunic and throw him over his broad shoulder.
"Take that! Ya lily-livered nose-picker!!!" someone cackled from above, as a hail of assorted objects rained down on the attackers.
Gimli looked up for a moment and saw with great surprise the small figure of Gwen standing on the stairs, looking a bit frightened but determined, with a manic Raden beside her yelling insults as both of them hurled objects with surprising accuracy at the officers below. Then he turned to glare pointedly at the Man still clinging onto his other arm. The Man visibly paled, then with a nervous and apologetic smile let go of his before stepping back deliberately.
"Just doin' me job, ya know. N-no hard feelings, eh?" said the Man, his hands upraised in a sign of surrender, staring nervously at the glaring Dwarf as he backed away. Little did the poor Man know that it was not Gimli he should be worrying about just then, for there were far more dangerous creatures about.
The Man gave a startled jump when a wild-haired Trixy appeared out of nowhere with a shrill war cry and preceded to beat on him viciously with her shoe. She had thoroughly defeated her two previous opponents with her chosen weapon; so fast and fierce was her attack she gave the Man no time to fight back.
Gimli couldn't help a bark of laughter at the sight of the yelping Man scuttling about, arms covering his head, desperately trying to escape his ferocious attacker. He continued to watch for a moment-- this was definitely something he doubted he'd ever get to see again in his lifetime-- before finally turning and wading back into the chaotic battle, still careful to keep his full strength in check.
Meanwhile, Ursla had wiped the blood from her split lip off her chin with the back of her hand. She stared at the red stain for a moment before her face turned into a mask of pure fury. Snatching up an empty bottle from the floor, she held it by the neck then smashed the end of it against the side of a table. It broke with a loud crash and a shower of glass, and she held up the sharp, jagged remains, advancing towards the fray and looking for an opportunity to put her improvised weapon to good use. Luckily Merry spotted her, and realizing that her friend was blinded by her rage and not thinking straight, pulled her back before she could do any harm.
Suddenly a figure appeared in the kitchen entrance.
"WHAT IN ARDA IS GOING ON OUT HERE!?"
Standing there was no other then the imposing figure of Lady Mavis, her chest puffed up, her hands on her broad hips, a large rolling pin held in one of her hands as she glared at the chaos in front of her.
At the sound of that loud booming voice, everyone froze, creating a bizarre tableau for the outraged Woman. Gimli had stopped in mid-punch, still gripping a wincing Ron by the collar of his blue tunic, his broad fist drawn back ready to fly. Raden and Gwen paused in the process of throwing things, and Terry had halted mid-swing with her broom. Trixy froze in her perch on a cowering officer's back, her deadly shoe still in hand, and Sam held an understandably wide-eyed and frightened Merin over his head.
As suddenly as it had started, the fight was officially over as the combatants stepped warily away from one another. There was a yelp followed by a loud 'thump!' and a pained moan, as Sam simply dropped the officer he had been holding aloft.
Just then Lady D, followed by the flushed and red-faced Captain, stormed out from her study, having finally heard the tail end of the brawl. Needless to say both of them looked shocked at the mess and the realization of just what had happened in the large room.
"What's the meaning of this?" Lady D demanded, as she looked around the room with flashing eyes, though from whom she wanted an answer, no one knew. It was clear that the Captain was also just as greatly surprised and angry, though for different reasons than the flame-haired Woman next to him. For him it was the fact that his Men had clearly disregarded his orders, and worse, it appeared that they had been thoroughly trounced!
"Take your Men outside!" Lady D finally ordered, pointing sharply to the open door. The Captain bristled but held his tongue, before harshly commanding his Men to leave and wait for him outside. And with a few groans and muttered curses they complied, the various ladies smugly getting out of their way as they limped out the door. Two Men had to be dragged out, one still unconscious.
Gara made a point of glaring holes through the Dwarf, who glared right back, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. Except for his clothes, short beard and his long hair looking a bit tousled, the Dwarf seemed not much the worse for wear. Relena, Merry, Trixy and several other ladies had gathered and now stood protectively around him, including Ursla who stood directly behind him, her hands resting on both of his broad shoulders. Several of the ladies muttered rude comments under their breath and all glared at Gara-- even Gwen, who stood partially behind Ursla, stuck her tongue out at the tall Man before ducking back behind the raven-haired Woman.
"You better watch yourself, runt!" Gara warned the Dwarf, ignoring the Women as he and the others limped past them on their way to the door.
Gimli eloquently voiced his opinion of Gara's parting words.
"Piss off, shit face!" he called, flipping the Man a rude Dwarven hand gesture.
It was then that the Captain stormed up to them, ignoring everyone except the Dwarf. So menacing was he that many of the Women shrank back a step, with the exception of Ursla, who continued to stand resolutely behind Gimli. Though by the way her hands unconsciously tightened their grip on his shoulders, Gimli could tell that the Captain clearly frightened even her.
"You may have been saved this time, but don't think you will be so lucky the next time!" the graying Man hissed, his sharp eyes seeming to stab right through him.
"You had better watch yourself, Dwarf. Just remember, I've got my eyes on you-- and you won't even be able to fart in this town without my knowing it!" he snarled. Gimli's nose wrinkled a bit at hearing this but otherwise he stayed quiet as he glared right back at the older Man.
Then without another word the seething Captain turned and stormed out after his Men. As soon as he was through the door, young Raden slammed it shut after him, rattling the paintings on the wall and looking entirely too pleased with himself.
"That will teach 'em!" shouted Trixy in triumph.
Big cheers and laughter came from all those gathered in the main room and those watching from the stairs. Relena was now putting on her earrings and bracelets again, having taken them back from May who had stayed out of the fighting earlier. Merry, concerned, had left Ursla and Gimli to go to Lady D's side as soon as the Captain had left. But the older Woman only gave her a small warm smile and calmly put her fears to rest, giving the side of Merry's face a loving caress as they spoke quietly with one another. Mavis and Klareoy began to yell orders, breaking up the milling ladies and beginning to organize the cleanup of the wrecked room.
"You're one lucky Dwarf, sweet cheeks!" laughed Terry, coming up to Gimli as she wrapped her open robe around herself. "That Ruby, I just can't be figurin' what she was thinkin'." She shook her head and looked at him. "Good thing Miss D was here and told 'em that she was the one that ordered ya ta do both Tir and Crasus in-- or you'd probably halfway to the jail 'ouse by now!" she told him seriously.
Gimli was greatly surprised by this bit of news, for Lady D had not told him to kill anyone, though she had personally taken the life of Crasus. The Man had gotten exactly what he deserved, in Gimli's mind. In fact Gimli had no regrets about the fate of either Crasus or Tir, but he was surprised at Lady D taking the blame for both their deaths. Clearly at great risk to herself, she had protected not only himself but Ursla, who would have been named an accomplice in Tir's death. As he was thinking about all this, someone called for Terry to come look at something, and Gimli quietly watched her go, feeling the two hands still on his shoulders shift.
Gimli finally turned and looked up at the raven-haired Woman behind him, taking one of her slim hands in his own.
"Are ya alright, Ursla?" he asked in concern, his dark brown eyes roving over her, looking for any injuries. With the exception of a bruised and swelling cheek and the possible beginnings of a black eye, the sight of which immediately caused a hot burst of anger to flare in his chest, she looked for the most part unscathed.
"It's nothin', I've 'ad much worse. Trust me, I'm fine!" she told him with a smile, seeing the look in his eyes and giving his hand a comforting squeeze. "But I should be askin' about you! You realize you took on near half the constables in Ocendade?" she asked with a laugh, as Gimli chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.
By this time Merry had come back over to them after checking to make sure D was alright, and she gave a concerned hiss seeing Ursla's bruised and now swollen face. In their line of work one couldn't afford any permanent damage that might mare one's face-- a nasty disfiguring mark could mean the difference between a few coins or many cold nights with an empty belly. Luckily Ursla no longer had to worry about that, thanks to the sack of gold safely hidden away in her room, and she tied to waved off her friend's concern as she had with Gimli, but Merry was unfazed.
"We need ta get that swellin' down 'fore it gets any worse! Let's see if Grizalin or Mavis got any raw meat they can spare to put on that," Merry said as she tucked some of Ursla's hair behind her ear and off the side of her injured face.
"She's right, let's be doin' something about that face of yours," Gimli said with an agreeing nod, tugging Ursla along in the direction of the kitchen with Merry following. The three were just about to leave the main room when they heard a voice call out from behind them.
"Gimli."
It was Lady D, standing nearby with her folded black fan in hand. Seeing that she had his attention, she simply motioned for him to follow her before gliding back into her study. Gimli watched her go then looked at his two companions-- Ursla appeared decidedly worried and Merry just gave him a shrug.
"Well… I guess I'll be seein' what she wants," he said, giving Ursla's hand a small comforting squeeze before letting it go and walking quickly after the flame-haired Woman.
Ursla watched the copper-haired Dwarf disappear behind the red-curtained entrance with troubled eyes. As soon as she had seen the blue uniformed officers earlier she had known who they were after and why. Now she worried what Lady D would do after what had taken place just minutes before.
Merry, seeing her friend's worried face, just gave her back a consoling rub before tugging her to the kitchen.
"Don't worry! I'm sure everything will be fine. They probably just need to have a talk, is all. Come, let's take care of those bruises!" she said, and Ursla, throwing one last anxious look the way her friend had gone, hoped that Merry was right.
~~~
Meanwhile, the group of officers stood outside the closed brothel, nursing their many injuries and their shattered pride. Their ears were still ringing from the vicious tongue lashing they had gotten from their Captain before the visibly steaming older Man had finally stormed away down the street.
They were all bruised, some were even bleeding, and their hair and clothes were ripped and in completely disarray. They looked as if they had just survived being trapped in a room with twenty rabid wild cats, and that was not counting the damage that many had been dealt by the Dwarf. Needless to say, they made a sorry sight as they stood in the middle of the street.
"I can't believe this! Do you realize we just had our asses handed to us by one half-grown Dwarf and a crazed pack of whores?!" snorted Merin, rubbing at the visible red boot-print in the middle of his face. He had also developed a limp, thanks to landing wrong when the irate Dwarf had thrown him over its shoulder.
"We're gonna be the laughin' stock of the whole town," groaned one of the Men as he gingerly felt his own black eye, courtesy of Relena.
"They won't get away with this!" snarled another, who had a broken nose and sported an assortment of bruises. "We'll go get the rest of the Men and--" but he found his furious rant interrupted.
"And tell them what!? Are you going to tell how you were beaten black and blue by a nearly naked Woman, half your size, wielding a shoe!?" Ron demanded, glaring at the shorter Man who visibly winced at the memory. They all fell silent, except for Rafe who was moaning as he finally started to come around again.
"Well, that settles it!" declared Gara, breaking the silence as he held his hand with the broken finger.
"What's that, Gara?" asked young Ferdirand, looking up with a wince from where he sat on the ground, cradling his ringing head in his hands. The others also looked expectantly at the tall Man.
"I need a drink," he said with utter conviction. A long pause followed as the other Men just stared at him.
"I think Gara's got a good idea, for once. I'm gonna be at the tavern, drownin' meself in a pint," said Merin finally, as he began to limp away down the street.
And with that the other officers got up and began to shuffle after him, Ron and Ferdirand half dragging the still moaning Rafe along. The people on the street silently watched them go until the sorry group of officers were out of sight, then the smiles and laughter broke out before they finally went back to their own affairs.
~~~
Gimli silently followed Lady D into her study. He had only been there two times before, both times to drag a particularly rough and rowdy customer before the Headmistress who would decide if they were to be allowed to come back or be barred from ever returning.
The richly furnished study had been Master Clot's personal domain, and he had allowed no one except a very small few to step foot in it; now it was Lady D's. A high backed chair stood behind the large and intricately carved wooden desk, which was cluttered with parchment, quills, old books and of course the large heavy ledger book, along with several lit candles. There was a stone fireplace on the right wall where a small merry fire blazed, helping to light the windowless room
Behind the desk was hung a large painting that dominated the back wall, depicting a quiet glen in a thick forest on a sunny day. The canvas, with its fine intricate inlayed silver and dark wood frame, was actually greater in size then the brothel's main door. The painting itself looked more like a window onto the scene than an actual work of art; it seemed alive. No, this was no ordinary painting. This was an enchanted painting, done by an Elvish artist (2.).
As if by some magic, the image would subtly change every time one looked at it; leaves would shift, insects and flowers would appear or disappear as spots of sunlight moved about the clearing. One day a few deer would be grazing between the trees, and the next day they would be gone, but a flock of birds would be among the branches.
Many of the brothel's residents avoided coming into the study for that very reason. They did not understand why the large painting was so different from others, and what they did not understand, they feared. Bewitched! they would whisper. Elvish magic! Only a few delighted in it-- it was not uncommon for young Gwen to spend hours sitting on the floor behind Lady D's desk, gazing at it in wonder.
It was truly a marvel and a mystery as to how the old brothel owner had come to possess such a treasure, for the Elves did not usually willingly part with such precious items. It was extremely rare that one could even be found outside the enchanted halls of some Elven stronghold, like those of Rivendell, Lindon or the Grey Havens.
"Terry told me that you took the blame for Tir," Gimli finally said, forcing his eyes away from the painting and to the statuesque Woman while walking up to the large wooden desk that separated them. "You need not have done so, Lady D. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of--"
But she only turned and speared him with a cool glance that immediately silenced him, then turned her back fully to the confused Dwarf and appeared to study the large painting in front of her.
Gimli was just about to open his mouth and speak again when her smooth voice broke in.
"What I decide to do is entirely my choice. And as long as you are under this roof, you will simply do what you are told, understood?"
"Aye…" he answered after a long pause as he watched her with puzzled eyes.
"What I said to the good Captain is the only thing that saved you from the noose. So keep your mouth shut and be thankful," she ordered, finally turning around to look at him.
Gimli remained silent for a moment, shifting on his feet.
"If I may… What did you say?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity. For he could not think of what could have been said that would have caused the Captain, in front of his Men and everyone else there, to suddenly change his mind when it was so clearly within their rights to arrest him.
"Let us just say that we all have our dirty little secrets… but some are just a little dirtier and…nastier than others," she said simply, cocking an elegant eyebrow.
"To survive in this world you must have something that others do not. Something everyone fears… and that is knowledge. I make it a policy to know things, both the good and the bad," she said with almost no inflection in her smooth voice.
"The good Captain would not want certain…secrets to be revealed to those living in this town, and let us just say that the Captain was the farthest thing from the law before he came here to Ocendade," she said, and now there was a rueful tone to her words.
"Necessity creates strange bedfellows, Master Dwarf. Very strange indeed. That goes for you now as well. Remember this: never cross me. Or you just might find out how much I know of you…"
He watched as she silently turned her back to him once more. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, unable to understand the strange enigma of the flame-haired Woman as he intently studied her back. He knew her words to be no idle warning, yet he detected no malice in them either. She was simply stating a fact.
"You must leave, for it is no longer safe for us nor for you to stay here," she said, breaking the silence and shaking him from his thoughts.
"I want you gone in two days' time."
"I can leave this very day, if you wish," he said quietly, understanding her decision.
"No, two days' time will be sufficient," she answered him, and Gimli noticed a subtle shift in her shoulders.
"There are many here that do not want to see you go; it will give us--" She suddenly stopped, seeming to rethink her words before starting again. "It will give them time to enjoy your company a bit longer…and to say a proper goodbye."
There was another long pause, then she turned her head slightly and he could see some of her pale cheek.
"You may go," she dismissed him finally, before looking back to the painting in front of her. He simply gave her a small bow before turning and leaving her to the quiet of her study.
~~~
A half hour later, Gimli, Sam, Gwen and Raden were in the main room cleaning up, along with a few clientele that had come back. Lady D was still in her study and Ursla was upstairs in her room with Merry, laying on her bed as she held a large piece of raw meat over her eye. The other ladies had also left to go about their own business after Mavis had officially assigned Gimli the task of cleaning up the large room, considering he was the cause of it getting messed up to begin with. Most of the damage had now been taken care of and young Raden and Gwen had insisted that they help and keep him company.
A few minutes earlier a large cart had pulled up in front of the brothel and two Men had struggled to unload some heavy crates, stacking them in the entranceway. Lady Mavis came out from the kitchen briefly to oversee the operation, and give them the full contents of one crate by way of thanks. Since the contents turned out to be bottles of Elven wine from the vineyards of Nimbrethil, they gladly accepted before leaving for their next drop off. She then ordered Sam to take the rest of the crates down to the cellar before going back to the kitchen.
Sam was making a big show of single handedly doing so, while Gimli put the various bits of furniture back to their proper places and Raden and Gwen straightened the red drapes and tapestries.
Gimli had finished moving the low table back into position, and he straightened up to watch Sam take another crate away. There were only a few left, including the one that was empty, its lid askew. It was then that a sudden flare of mischief sprang to life as he remembered a practical joke that Ulfr had loved to play on people (Gimli himself had fallen for it more than once).
After making sure that the coast was clear, Gimli quickly went over to the empty crate and carefully put the lid back on, then moved it over with the other crates, motioning for the confused looking Raden and Gwen to stay quiet.
Just as Sam entered the room, he bent down to grip the empty crate, grunting and straining as if it weighed too much to lift. The hulking Man stopped and took in the scene, watching with some derision as the Dwarf struggled.
"Ha! Who's the weakling now, eh!?" Sam laughed triumphantly. He strutted over and shoved Gimli to the side.
"Out of the way, Dwarf!" he snorted before squatting down to take hold of the crate as Gimli watched with a look of anticipation twinkling in his eyes.
"Now let me show you how it's properly done; ya just get a good grip and---aahh!!!" Sam gave a yell of surprise as he yanked the crate up with all his strength, staggering backwards as his balance was thrown off and sending the crate flying over his head with the force of his pull. A moment later it crashed back to the ground in the middle of the room, just barely missing a middle-aged Man waiting for one of the working ladies to take him upstairs. Needless to say the Man nearly jumped out of his skin in fright.
"It was empty!?" Sam said with a stunned look on his large, rather homely face. Then he turned beet-red and glared daggers at the Dwarf, who by now had fallen over and was pounding the floor in hysterical laughter. Both Gwen and Raden were laughing like mad as well. Sam was understandably not amused.
"You bloody bastard!" he yelled angrily, as he got up and knocked the straw from his clothes.
"For-- forgive me, Sam! Ahahahahah! But I could not help-- hahaha m-myself! Oh Mahal! The look on your face--I nearly pissed myself!" Gimli managed to say between gales of laughter as he sat up, wiping tears from his eyes. Sam was not impressed by the Dwarf's apology and only crossed his arms with an angry snort and a scowl on his broad face. Finally Gimli managed to get himself under control and got to his feet when Mavis and Grizalin walked into the room, both stopping to look at the evidence of Gimli's practical joke.
"Look at this mess!" cried Mavis with a huff. The room was a sight; packing straw was strewn across the floor, and the battered remains of the empty crate lay on it's side near the deathly pale Man, who looked like he was still recovering from the scare of his life. She turned a suspicious eye to Sam and Gimli.
"It was the Dwarf!" Sam quickly said, pointing an accusing finger at Gimli who threw the bald Man an annoyed glance before turning to the two angry Women.
"Forgive me, Lady Mavis, Grizalin. 'Twas a joke, I'll be cleaning it up!" Gimli promised, suddenly feeling like a naughty child under the older Women's disapproving look.
"Well, 'Prince of the Sweepers', ya better be sweepin' this mess up right now! And as for you, Sam! I better see these crates put away yesterday!" scolded Mavis with her hands on her broad hips, before picking up the broom leaning against the wall nearby and handing it to Gimli.
"And when ya done in 'ere, your Majesty of Mange, ya can mop the hall upstairs!" Grizalin snorted, before following Mavis into the kitchen. Gimli gave an internal groan. Sweepin' and moppin' the floors again, at this rate I should be making this a full time job! he grumbled to himself. Sam lumbered off to the cellar with another crate, muttering under his breath about being ordered around and having to deal with troublesome Dwarves.
"Look! I found a tooth!" Gwen chirped, interrupting Gimli's own internal grumbling, and he turned to see her holding up her find.
"I'm still trying ta figure out what this bit is here," Radin said, squatting down to look at a bloody bit of something near the stairs. Gwen came to look briefly over his shoulder before turning away, looking a little green.
The three spent the next couple of minutes in companionable silence as Gimli swept the floor again, and Raden lit up a new punk of the harsh incense that always seemed to clog Gimli's sensitive nose.
Sam had finished putting away the crates and had now retired to his room, and Gimli was preparing to go upstairs to mop the hallway and escape the cloying incense, when someone called from the stairs.
"You there! Dwarf!"
Gimli looked up in surprise to see the two haughty well-dressed Men from earlier, descending the stairs. He had thought they had left hours ago, and with all the goings-on of the day he had almost completely forgotten about them.
"Fetch our things! And be quick about it!" the smaller Man said, snapping his fingers at the copper-haired Dwarf.
"Oh! Let me be fetchin' them for ya right away, Masters!" Gimli said in his best 'stupid servant' voice as they finally came to stand impatiently in the main entranceway.
But the two Men were surprised and puzzled when instead of going to a closet or another room in the brothel, the Dwarf walked crisply to the front door. Gwen and Raden only shared a look but otherwise stayed quiet before turning back to the entertainment. Gimli grandly opened the front door for them, looking expectantly on the ground for the two gentlemen's things that he had thrown out earlier, then appeared mildly puzzled when he didn't see them. Two Men came up to the doorway and stared at him.
"Hmmm…I could have sworn I tossed them out here…" Gimli said, making a point of looking absentmindedly perplexed as the two Men now gaped like fish behind him, apparently realizing what the Dwarf had done with their garments.
It was then that Gimli heard something across the street, and looking over he saw a group of the local children playing nearby in the dirty street with their yellow dog.
"I'm the Elven Queen! And I order you ta eat that clump o' dirt!" ordered a little red-haired girl imperiously. The taller Man's expensive blue and silver trimmed cloak was around her small shoulders, dragging on the ground.
"I don't hav'ta eat no dirt! I'm a wizard!" staunchly denied a little boy with curly brown hair, crossing his thin arms over his chest. He was wearing the smaller Man's gray and cream colored, and now very dirty cloak. The 'Elven Queen' stamped her foot angrily at his refusal.
"I don't wanna play this anymore," whined another little boy, who was wearing the second Man's hat which was far to big for him. His yellow dog sat on the ground next to him, scratching at a particularly insistent itch behind one of its floppy ears with a back foot.
"Oh! There they are!" Gimli said with a laugh, pointing to the group of children, as Gwen and Raden joined them at the door to watch.
"What!" the taller Man nearly screeched, finally recovering from his shock. His companion still stared in stunned silence before being spurred to action at seeing the deplorable condition of his once expensive cloak and hat.
"Hey--HEY!!! You little shits! Give me those! COME BACK HERE!!!" the shorter Man demanded, running out the door and after the now fleeing children and barking dog.
"Nooo! It's mine!!!" the smallest boy screeched, clutching the bedraggled hat, with its badly bent pheasant feather, to his head, the yellow dog cantering happily beside him. The Man pursued them futilely, red-faced and puffing-- he had no hope of catching the street smart children who knew the streets and alleyways like the backs of their grubby little hands.
Gimli, Raden and Gwen watched him go with barely contained amusement, but the tall Man was livid. He turned to glare down at Gimli, who didn't seem to notice and smiled back pleasantly.
"You threw our things in the street!? How dare you!!! Why I should--"
"Did I ever tell you two about the time I punched a Man so hard in the gut, he fouled himself?" Gimli suddenly asked, interrupting the Man's tirade and turning to look at the two teenagers standing beside him.
"Really? I'd like ta see that!" Raden chirped excitedly. Then they all turned to look expectantly at the suddenly quiet and pale-faced Man standing in front of them.
"Um…I think it is time for me to depart, good day!" he said hurriedly, before walking quickly out the door, heading in the direction his yelling friend had gone.
The three turned and looked at one another, shrugging their shoulders, before Gimli reached out and closed the door again. There was a long pause, then Gwen started giggling behind her hand, setting the other two off as both Gimli and Raden began to laugh uproariously.
~~~
Later that day, the remaining residents of the brothel gathered around the long wooden table for dinner. Lady D had officially closed the brothel for that night and the following two days, since it was to be Master Clot's funeral the next day, so until then the two large red lanterns out front would remain unlit.
The smell of rich foods and alcohol filled the air, and the sound of clanking dishes and silverware competed with conversation and laughter as Lady Mavis and Lady Grizalin began to set out the feast they had started cooking since the news of the brothel owner's greatly anticipated death.
"I still don't get it-- where did all the money for this food come from, not to mention the ale and wine?" someone asked at the table.
"That greedy old codger was only payin' us half our wages all these years! Savin' every coin he could lay his grasping hands on, and sitting on his horde o' gold like some fire-breathin' dragon!" snorted someone else in answer.
"Aye! The same be goin' for the wine and spirits-- the stingy coot had a whole cellar stacked high with bottles and barrels. Guess he was hoardin' it like his gold, this is just the tip o' the mountain he has down there. So drink up!" another urged.
"Your attention! Ladies, ladies!" Everyone at the table turned as Lady D got up to make an announcement.
"Now, then. Ladies, Gentlemen-- and Dwarf. I would like to make a few announcements." The flame-haired Woman waited a few moments for everyone's attention.
"Please refrain from dumping the old tub water in the front and side alleys-- do it in the back. That goes for chamber-pots and the same for any cooking scraps; that's what our mulch pile is for! We are running a clean establishment here, ladies. And I want it to stay that way!" she said, the steel in her smooth voice making it clear that this was an order and not a request. She then gave a tired sigh before she moved on to her final announcement.
"Finally. Everyone, please refrain from urinating on Master Clot's body. He is already quite pungent enough as is, and it's making a mess of the floor in the ground floor storeroom."
"'Sides, ya can all piss on his grave to your 'eart's content when the bastard's planted. So ya all better knock it off until then! I'm gettin' tired of constantly cleanin' up after y'all!" interjected Grizalin irritably, as she put a large plate of sliced ham and roasted beef on the table.
Lady D gave a nod, then turned to everyone at the table again and lifted up her crystal goblet of red wine, waiting for the others to do the same with their tankards, steins, pewter goblets, tin cups, mugs or whatever they happened to be drinking out of.
"Now that that's over with, let us make a few toasts-- starting with our dear late Clots-"
"May he rot in Mordor! The bloody scum-sucking piece of troll dung!" someone further down the table suddenly yelled, interrupting her. D raised an irritated eyebrow, waiting a moment until the rowdy laughter had died down before continuing.
"To Master Clots. Who so generously signed in his new will that the 'Red Blossom' and all his assets belong to me!" she said, a twinkle now in her storm-gray eyes and a wicked smile gracing her thin red-painted lips as a cheer went up.
"To those who will soon depart to start anew, elsewhere," she continued after the cheering had died down a little, raising her cup in Ursla's direction.
The raven-haired Woman had already bought back her own as well as Raden's and Gwen's contracts, and had let the Headmistress know that she planned to leave soon. Neither Raden nor Gwen knew about this yet, so both looked greatly distressed at the news of her departure, especially Gwen who looked as if she might cry, but they like most of the others dutifully raised their glasses to Ursla, who blushed and laughed at the attention.
"To honorable young Dwarves that avoid the noose, to live another day," D continued, lifting her cup to Gimli. Once again most of those around the table raised their various drinks with a cheer as the handsome Dwarf laughed and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"And to the brave whores that protect them!" Lady D finished with a laugh, and there was an explosion of laughter and cheers. Gimli added a "Here, here!" laughing with the rest as wine, ale and all manner of liquids sloshed from hoisted glasses before being finally brought down to awaiting mouths. As soon as Lady D had finished her sip and had sat down at the head of the table again, dinner officially commenced.
Urlsa speared a bit of ham for her plate after handing Gimli a bowl of grapes. She popped one in her mouth before suddenly seeming to remember something, and quickly excusing herself she dodged past Mavis and Grizalin as they carried large plates to the table with the help of a few others.
The conversation picked up again as everyone helped themselves to the platters of food and began to eat and talk, about such varying subjects as the weather, the going price for a bag of grain, to the intimate sex lives of the various neighbors and the local Lord's lacking penis size.
"Ya seen that new lad working over by the Grainery? Ouch! He's a handsome one!"
"Aye, he's got a nice bum, too."
"Terry! Girl, you're gettin' as bad as Pearl!"
"Three gold pieces for a sack of coffee!?"
"It's highway robbery, it is!"
"He came home and what did he see? But his wife-- beddin' the butcher!"
"Ha! What did he expect when he married that trollop!"
"Seen them new bolts of fabric that came in from Lindon yesterday?"
"Aye! That shimmery green silk would make such a lovely dress."
"Too bad that gorgeous Elf sellin' 'em don't come with the fabric!"
"Aye! Ya can say that again!"
"Cherry's pregnant again," someone said.
"Again! What's this, the twelfth?" asked another.
"Nay, the fourteenth!" another laughed.
"I'm tellin' ya that Woman is single handedly bringin' Ocendade's population up by half!" Grizalin snorted, coming to sit down at the table.
"I swear the clients that be comin' in are all a might bit strange o' late" said May, sopping up some of the thick gravy on her plate with a piece of bread.
"Tell me about it! I had a Man who 'ad three balls a couple o' days ago!" someone said, from down the table to Gimli's left as the Dwarf popped a few grapes into his mouth.
"That ain't nothin'! I had one once with none!" said someone else with a laugh.
"I had a Woman who came in dressed like a Man, just yesterday! Wasn't until the clothes came off that ya could tell," said a dark-haired Woman across the table as she put a large spoonful of carrots on her plate.
"Well I once had a Man with a crooked knob," said another Woman, holding up a severely bent breadstick as an example and wiggling it for affect.
Draco gave a humorous snort, having just finished a long sip of his wine. "Half the Men that be comin' 'ere got bent knobs, dear."
Gimli just ruefully shook his head as he ate, chuckling to himself as he listened to the conversations around the table. And to think, people thought Dwarves were crass and talked about crude things when they got together, he mused as he deftly cut himself another piece of beef with his fork and knife.
"What about them Elves? I heard they got two peckers apiece, if ya know what I mean," said Fielis, who was an extremely thin Woman with pale strawberry-blond hair.
"Elves ain't got two peckers!" snorted Bell as she passed a bowl of peas to May.
"Two?!" squeaked Gwen, looking up from her plate where she sat next to Gimli. She was still a bit morose after the announcement of Urlsa's leaving and Gimli's impending departure.
"Oh hush, Fielis! That's just plum silliness! Elves only got one and let's just be saying that I know from personal experience," Draco said with a mysterious laugh before taking another sip of wine from his dented pewter goblet.
"Between you and Pearl, is there anything in Arda you two haven't slept with yet?" Ruby said snidely, while she poured herself some more ale. Since the incident with the local constabulary, most of the residents of the brothel had made a point of avoiding the auburn-haired Woman, for she had broken an unspoken law of the brothel. And though she tried to tell herself that she didn't care, she was painfully feeling the distance the others were giving her.
"Well let's see now…." Draco said as if deep in thought, not rising to her bait. "No. Not everything. Still trying ta get Gimli here ta put out." He gave the young Dwarf a pointed look, one elegant eyebrow raised.
Ruby just rolled her eyes while a blush rose to Gimli's cheeks as he looked up, causing several of the people around the table to laugh.
"Sorry Draco, but… I, um… I must, uh…save myself! Besides, your beauty would just simply overwhelm me. I wouldn't know what to do except be completely stupefied by your radiance!" he answered, smoothing over his decline of the slender Man's invitation with some charm. Though he found the elegant Man stunningly beautiful, he was just not interested in Draco that way, even though Gimli had had his fair share of both male and female lovers in the past.
"Mmmmm, flattery can get you anywhere!" Draco purred, blowing the Dwarf a kiss with a promising wink. Gimli good-naturedly put a hand to his chest, throwing his head back with a ragged sigh as if faint from being smitten before taking another big gulp from his tankard of ale.
"Oh that's right, I heard about that! Dwarves only love once! So they don't be messin' around like all us other races," said someone further down the crowded table.
"I knew it! Pay up, girly!" Hillry, a lithe young Woman with her light hair done up in a high bun, nearly jumped out of her chair before turning and holding her hand out expectantly to the brown-haired Woman beside her. The Woman snorted and grumpily reached into her impressive bosom and pulled out her money purse, grumbling the entire time as she forked over the money.
"Gimli's a virgin!?" exclaimed Jen in shock from across the table, as the Dwarf groaned as he put his head in his hand. It was then that Ursla came sweeping into the room and took the empty seat next to him.
"Who's a virgin?" she asked, looking around the table in confusion, having caught only the tail-end of what Jen had said.
"Our Gimli's a virgin!"
"Gimli? This one right 'ere?" she asked, pointing to the groaning and slumped Dwarf beside her. "A virgin? Gimli? Bwa, ha, ha, ha!" she laughed, tossing her head back, her hoop earrings ringing merrily. "He be about as virginal as a yowling alley cat! Me sister Myia used ta tell me how they'd sneak away whenever they had the chance and f--!" Her next words were suddenly muffled as Gimli clamped a broad hand over her mouth, giving her an exasperated glare. But it was too late, the damage had been done, for the table erupted into laughter.
"Naughty, naughty! Someone's telling fibs," Trixy said, waggling her finger at the embarrassed looking Dwarf. A snickering Ursla only gave him an apologetic shrug when he released her.
"Ha! I was right after all!" crowed Ema, before holding her hand out expectantly to the now sulking Hillry.
"Damn it all!" she grumbled, before forking the money back over.
"What about Dwarves?" someone asked, which immediately caused warning bells to go off in Gimli's head, knowing just how quickly this topic would turn crass with this particular group.
"Could we please not be havin' this discussion?!" he pleaded desperately. But of course they just ignored him.
"Ya know…I ain't never seen a naked Dwarf," someone said to his left, and he grumbled under his breath before taking a long drink from his tankard, realizing it was a lost cause to try and sway this group away from this particular topic.
"I hear say they ain't got no nobs!" chirped the dark-haired Elisabeth. Gimli promptly choked on his ale, and Ursla pounded his back while the Dwarf coughed and hacked, a concerned Gwen offering him her napkin.
"It's on account they ain't got no Women-folk of their own ta use 'em with. That's why they carve their young 'uns from stone," Elisabeth continued cheerfully, undisturbed by the noise.
"That's just plain stupid!" yelled Raden around a mouthful of food, who was sitting on Gwen's other side. "Have ya not heard what Ursla said?"
"Aye! That ain't true at all! Just another one of them stupid old wives' tales, like how if ya catch an Elf and steal one of his hairs, ya can make 'im grant ya a wish. Pure hogwash!" said Klareoy, with a decisive nod of her head. "'Sides, the only thing you're gonna get from snatchin' some strange Elf's hair is a punch in the mouth and a dirty look!"
"Yah! 'Sides, Gimli's hung like a horse! I peeped on him last time he was in the tub-- nice view too!" Trixy chirped, before suggestively licking her top lip.
"Oy! Ya bloody Tomnoddy!" Gimli yelled angrily, his voice a little rough from coughing, before throwing a warm roll across the table at her. Trixy caught it and took a bite completely unapologetic.
"Can I not have a single moment of peace in this place, without being spied on!?" he groused, beet red with embarrassment and making a mental note to himself to check the washroom for peepholes.
"Poor Gimli, ya virtue just ain't safe in this place!" laughed the exotic Merry from her place beside Lady D. The Headmistress sat regally at the head of the large table, sipping at her goblet of wine as she listened to all the talk with amusement; every now and then she fed Merry something from her plate.
"They're completely silly, but I love hearin' all those tales," chuckled Mavis, finally coming to sit down at the table with a large plate of steamed carrots and peas.
"Let's see now…oh, anyone heard that old tale, that if ya step into a toadstool ring in a forest, you'll be making the faeries mad, cause that's where they dance and revel (3.)? Then they'll cast a spell on ya and you'll be trapped and forced to dance forever! Or they'll make ya go to sleep for a hundred years! Then when ya wake up ya ain't nothing but wrinkles and brittle bones," she said, as she spooned herself up a serving of peas before passing it to the tall blond next to her.
"Or stay away from dark bogs, or old Jenny Greenteeth (4.) will drag ya down and drown ya!" someone said.
"Oh! How about them giant spiders--big as a Man, roamin' in Mirkwood they say," said Trixy excitedly, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Giant spiders? Phaw! Pure imagination!" snorted Grizalin with a shake of her head, as she cut herself a slice of ham.
"Or don't take no offered rides from strange friendly horses in the wilds near any water. 'Cause it's probably a Kelpie (5.), and before ya know it you'll be dunked," said Klareoy.
"Where I come from, Kelpie don't just dunk ya; they drown ya then eat ya!" Terry told them seriously, picking daintily at her plate.
"I hear tell that because Dwarves ain't got no Womenfolk of their own, they sometimes come down from their mountains bent on kidnap and rape, stealing only attractive young maidens to take back to their mountains!" said a thin Woman from down the table.
She had light brown hair piled on the back of her head in a loose bun, and an insulting smirk on her sharp-featured face as she pointedly looked in Gimli's direction, lazily swirling the beer in her mug. Her name was Genny and she was one of the few residents besides Ruby to greatly dislike him, simply because he was a Dwarf. She usually avoided him, making only the occasional insulting comment, and she was also one of Ruby's few real friends at the 'Red Blossom'.
"Well then, if that were true-- which it certainly is not!-- you would be perfectly safe, Genny," Gimli promised staunchly, his dark eyes flashing.
"What ya mean by that?" she asked, a frown crinkling her face as she looked sharply at him, and the other humans around the table turned to watch the exchange with interest.
"Woman, don't you even listen to your own inane babblings?" Gimli snorted. He took a long drink from his tankard before rolling his dark eyes exasperatedly at her. "Ya said it yourself: Dwarves only be stealing young attractive maidens. Therefore, you have nothing to fear from my kind!"
The table erupted again with laughter and even Gimli couldn't help chuckling at his own comeback. Genny's face went red as the meaning of his words became clear to her, she looked as if she were framing a retort, but Urlsa interrupted her before she could say anything else.
"Oh, hush up, Gen! Ya had that one comin' and ya know it!" laughed Ursla from Gimli's side, and the smaller Woman shot her a glare full of daggers before turning back to her plate with a huff.
"Oh! I got one better! Ya got ta watch out for them Elves, 'cause they sometimes come and steal mortal babies, then leave a changeling in its place (6.)!" Terry told them dramatically after the laughter had died down, holding up her hands and wiggling her long-nailed fingers as if preparing to snatch something.
"Aye, I've heard that one!" snorted Ursla with a nod of her head.
"Ya heard about old Man Traze, down the street? I hear say he got snatched bald by some wild Wood-Elf in Mirkwood!" someone snickered.
"Wood-Elf? That old fool's been bald since he was twenty winters! Mirkwood, indeed! He ain't never been out of Ocendade once!" Grizalin scoffed in her nasally voice.
"I got one for ya," said Trixy. "Ever heard that ya can't be leaving a cat alone with a baby, or it'll steal its breath?" she said, before taking another bite of ham.
"But that's true…isn't it?" said Sam around a mouthful of food. Looking up from his plate for the first time since dinner had started.
"Mordor and Ginger wouldn't do anythin' like that!" Gwen said with complete conviction as she sawed awkwardly at a piece of ham with her fork and knife.
"Course it ain't true! What would a bloody cat do with a breath?" snorted Merry as she refilled Lady D's goblet with some dark red wine.
"Oh, I know! He's going ta find an Elf and trade it for a lock of hair, so he can have a wish!" said Relena through a mouthful of mashed potatoes, making the others laugh.
"Aye! 'Sides, cats are good, they be gettin' rid of those damn rats," Ursla said.
Merry gave a shiver of disgust, along with many others around the table. "I hate rats!" she said, buttering a roll.
"I got one for ya!" said Hillry with a laugh, speaking up from across the table.
"It's said if a Dwarf gets caught out in the sun, he'll turn ta stone--(7.)" But she found herself interrupted.
"Don't be daft! That's trolls!" Gimli snapped, slamming a fist on the table and causing the dishes and cups to jump. Suddenly there was silence in the room.
Even though Dwarves were one of the good free-peoples of Middle-earth, many Men and Elves put them into the same class as that of goblin, orcs, and other evil folk. This was not only the ultimate insult, but could not have been farther from the truth. Of course, just like some Elves and Men there were some exceptions; but one bad grape doesn't spoil the bunch! On the whole Dwarves are good people and there is a terrible hate between them and the dark folk. So terrible that over half of the Dwarven race had been decimated in the great 'War of Dwarves and Orcs', trying to wipe out their evil kind from Middle-earth. Unfortunately this sad and dark part of history and other such events were often overlooked by Men and Elves, causing many Dwarves to become even more secretive and resentful of the other peoples of Middle-earth.
The anger in Gimli's deep voice caused Hillry to give a frightened start; she had never felt the Dwarf's ire directed at her before. Several of those gathered took notice of this, including the sharp-eyed Ruby, who snorted under her breath before taking another gulp of her ale.
Gimli immediately softened when he saw Hillry's startled reaction; he hadn't intended, to snap so hard at her and realized that she had meant no insult, just telling something she had heard. He gave a tired sigh as he rubbed a hand over his eyes, feeling bad for scaring her and embarrassed at himself for being so thin-skinned. He felt Ursla's slim hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze before he finally looked up again.
"Forgive me, Lady Hillry. I meant not to snap so. It is just… I fear I have a sore spot that I didn't know about, forgive me," he said with a small apologetic smile. She gave him an answering smile, understanding his gesture and letting him know that there were no hard feelings on either side.
"Ya think that one's silly-- where I come from in the north, they say ya can tell a Dwarf because they got feet like a goose. Or even better-- their feet be on backwards (8.)!" Mavis laughed, smacking the table in her mirth and immediately dispelling the dark mood. The talking and laughter returned as she ladled some dark gravy over her thick slice of ham before passing the bowl to the person next to her.
"Feet like a goose!? Ha! Backwards? And here I thought us carving our children from stone was utter rubbish!" Gimli laughed heartily at the sheer preposterousness of it and so did many of those around the table, Ursla nearly choking on a sip of her ale as she laughed. Two noticeable exceptions were Ruby, who sulked sourly as she picked at her plate and May, who remained quiet and unnoticed, looking a little hurt by all the talk.
After all, until Gimli had walked through the door of 'The House of the Red Blossoms" and completely destroyed almost everything she had thought she knew of Dwarves, she had believed implicitly all the stories she had heard. Her world which had been so clear in black and white, was now confusing in shades of gray. She was now feeling quite stupid for so blindly believing them before.
The meal went on as they all continued to laugh and talk until the wee hours of the morning. By then the food had long been eaten and the dishes cleared from the table, but the alcohol continued to flow. Until even that eventually slowed to a stop, mostly because the drinkers had either left to continue to party somewhere else, or had simply passed-out or gone to bed.
~~~
After carrying upstairs, then putting to bed a thoroughly drunk and mumbling Ursla, Gimli managed to get her to drink a mug of water before she fell completely asleep. He made sure that she lay on her stomach and had the bucket handy by the bed, just in case.
He had never seen Ursla drunk and didn't know how she would handle the hangover later-- Ursla, like Myia, was apparently a heavy drinker and if she was anything like her younger sister she would need that bucket eventually. Gimli had spent quite a few mornings in Black Hollow, after a long night of dancing and heavy drinking, with a sick Myia hunched miserably over a bucket or the ground as he rubbed her back and held back her long raven hair. He never could understand why she always drank so much, knowing that she would only get sick later. Even Ulfr had been stumped at why she did it-- being Dwarves they could naturally hold their liquor a lot better than a human. Humans were strange like that, he supposed.
His self-appointed task done, he found himself unable to sleep, a strange restlessness creeping over him. Making sure that Ursla was resting comfortably a final time, Gimli decided to go downstairs and practice his forms in the courtyard under the stars. After picking up his two single-bladed axes, he carefully crept out of Ursla's room, making sure to quietly close the door after himself.
He walked down the empty hallway, his heavy footsteps sounding terribly loud to himself as he passed the various doors. Some were closed, others open, and every now and then he'd see the light of a candle under the edge of a closed door, or hear the sound of talking or loud snoring coming from some rooms. At the end of the hall he descended the narrow stairwell that led into the kitchen, but he was brought up short at the bottom of the stairs by what he saw.
The fire in the cooking hearth had long since burned down to smoldering embers, and the only light in the very dark kitchen was from a single lit candle on the table and the soft blue light from the stars coming through the distorted glass of the windows. But even without the candle's pale light he would have been able to see what was in the kitchen clearly.
Sitting at the table was none other than Ruby, apparently lost in her own thoughts as she gazed unseeing at the small candle's flame, the light adding flickering sparks of gold and red to her rich ringlets of auburn hair. Cradled in her pale hands on the table was a large mug, and Gimli's sensitive nose could smell the sharp bite of the clear Elven alcohol from it. A stoppered ceramic jug sat on the table next to her.
It was then that she happened to look up from nursing her drink to see him standing there in the weak light of the candle. His Dwarven eyes glowed a rich bronze, reflecting the candle light like those of a cat (9.), and she gave a startled jump before recognizing him. A nasty sneer spread over her heart-shaped face-- Gimli could tell she was a bit drunk by the glassy sheen of her eyes and the flush of her cheeks. It also looked as if she had been crying earlier by the slight puffy and red look to them.
"What, come ta take care of me for that crow-haired, horse-faced bitch? You're just her damned pet-- her dog! She's probably fucking you, just so you'll do her dirty work for her! Tell me, how long have you been obediently heeling for her and her vermin sisters? Eh?" she snorted, before turning her face back to the candle.
"Ursla… That back-stabbing, two-faced…diseased… cow! She thinks she…she's--she's so bloody--better than…" Her voice trailed off as her lips curled in a snarl at her dark thoughts.
Gimli said nothing as he watched her, wondering if she was really so drunk or a bit mad. With a sharp intake of air Ruby seemed to come back to herself, her head turning jerkily to him again.
"Or did you just come for your own revenge, eh? Is that it? Are ya going ta teach me a lesson for what I did? Make me apologize for helping you almost get hanged? Make me beg? Threaten to chop me into pieces--maybe twist off my head with those filthy hands of yours? Like ya did ta Tir!" she hissed defiantly, even though her glare flickered nervously from his face to the two axes he still held in his right hand.
But instead of the anger and scorn that she had expected, maybe even hoped for, he looked at her with confusion and something she couldn't place. Finally he just snorted and rolled his eyes before stepping away from the stairs and heading through the dark kitchen to the large doors that led to the courtyard.
"What? You think you're better than me too!?" she suddenly demanded, jumping to her feet and knocking her chair back, causing him to halt and turn around to look at her again.
"You do, don't you? Both of you! You and that noxious cunt, Ursla!" she spat, wobbling a little on her feet as she jabbed a finger upstairs in the direction of Ursla's room. "You--you think you're better than me and my kind. A…Dwarf! A dirt-rat--a-- what do those damned spoiled Seelie (10.) call your pathetic kind? Na-naugrim….a dirty naug?" Her voice was suddenly sickeningly sweet, making the already derogatory term sound like something utterly filthy.
It made Gimli want to step forward and knock that nasty smirk right off her face but he quickly put the notion out of his mind, realizing that Ruby was deliberately trying to provoke him.
"Hmph! Why am I even speaking to you!?" she continued, glaring at the still silent Dwarf. She could see the stiffening of his shoulders and felt a small thrill of victory, knowing that her words were finally hitting their mark and hopefully causing damage. She might not be able to fight with fist or sword, but Ruby had always been proud of her ability to cut and maim with words.
"The truth hurts, doesn't it? You and the rest of your worthless dirt-grubbing kind are nothing but vermin-- the laughing stock of Middle-earth! No better than orcs or goblins!" she suddenly burst out with a nasty laugh as she leaned over the table in front of her.
The flickering light of the candle lit her face from below, causing the dark shadows to jerk and dance, twisting her heart-shaped face into an ugly mask as she waited for his denial and angry words. The silence stretched between them for long moments as they looked at one another in the nearly dark kitchen, then Gimli finally decided to speak.
"What terrible thing hurt you so, Ruby? What happened to twist you into the spiteful being you are now?" he asked her quietly, and his question knocked her off balance.
"You are beautiful, Ruby…but it's only a mask for the ugly bitterness within," he continued, an undercurrent of sadness in his deep voice, and a look of pure pity in his eyes which glowed an eerie bronze in the light of the flickering candle.
In some part of Ruby's inebriated mind, his quiet words and the compassion in his eyes hit home and held up a mirror in which she had long refused to look. She greatly didn't like what she saw, for with an angry shriek, she slammed her fists down on the table and knocked everything off the table. The candle went out and they were immediately plunged into darkness as her mug and the ceramic jug of alcohol smashed to the hard flagstone floor of the kitchen.
"Mark my words, Dwarf! No matter what you do, no matter who you know or where you go, you'll still just be a grubbing MUD-RAT! AND NO ONE WILL CARE! NO ONE!!!" she screamed in the darkness. Her lips trembled, pulled back over her clenched teeth as her wide and wild eyes searched the darkness for him, full of hate, anger and most of all a deep fear. It made her look like some trapped animal searching for an escape, prepared to lash out at anyone in its fright.
For long moments they stood silently in the dark, with only the sound of Ruby's heavy breathing filling the room. She could hardly see anything; the soft blue starlight coming through the windows was not bright enough for her eyes to see by; the Dwarf however was able to see quite well as he silently studied her. Finally the silence was broken again by Gimli's quiet voice.
"That's right… I'll still just be a grubbing mud-rat, and you'll still just be some old lonely whore with a heart of venom…alone in her misery."
The words seemed to strike something deep inside her, and all her anger drain from her as she visibly deflated where she stood.
"You know nothing!" she finally managed to choke out, angry tears now falling unnoticed from her eyes, causing the kohl around them to run.
With that he finally turned away from her, not wanting to even look at her anymore. A few moments later he could hear the heavy swish of her skirt and her unsteady footsteps as she stumbled quickly out of the room, groping the walls, harshly biting her lip to keep back her sobs.
After her clumsy footsteps had faded, he opened the back door and walked out into the cool night and starlight.
~~~
Gimli stood shirtless in the small courtyard in the back of the brothel, taking no notice of the cool night air as he moved. He appeared as if he were dancing as he went through the forms that his mother had taught him so many long years before and that he knew by heart, with only the starlight for illumination. That posed no problem for his dark accustomed eyes; only the goblins and other evil folk had night vision to rival a Dwarf's.
He had finished another series of complicated forms and was holding the final pose, which was an artful looking defensive stance that could instantly be changed to an offensive one, when he heard a small voice call out to him.
"Gimli?"
"Aye?" he answered as he dropped the pose and straightened up. He looked over his shoulder to see Gwen leaning uncertainly in the dark doorway behind him, fully dressed and not in her simple nightgown.
"Gwen, I thought you were in bed long ago. What can I do for you?"
"N-Nothing, I was just watching," she said. Her eyes followed him as he walked back and put his two axes down on the step, before picking his shirt up from where he had tossed it earlier and pulling it over his head.
"Um… I never really got ta give my proper thanks. I--I would like to repay you for your kindness. If not for you, Crasus would still be comin' around…" Her soft voice trailed off, and she bit her bottom lip at the memory of the abusive Man.
"Pray, think nothing of it. It was an honor to help," Gimli told her seriously as he sat down on the step, giving her a smile.
There was a long moment of silence as she watched him take out his hair tie and refasten it, and with a surge of pride she saw that the many braids she had done earlier were still there. Coming to an internal decision she stepped away from the door frame to stroll over to him, making a point of swinging her hips, trying to put on a seductive air as she had seen so many of the other brothel residents do. Gimli, hearing her approach, glanced up at her as she came to gracefully sit down on the stone step next to him.
"I want to give you a proper show of my thanks," she said, leaning back on her hands and trying to coyly flip her hair. Gimli just looked at her blankly, watching her sudden strange behavior. Gwen felt an embarrassed blush rise to her cheeks when she realized that it was clear he had no idea of what she was trying to offer. Quickly, she tried a new approach.
"Would you like, you know… I want ta thank ya proper like. For what ya done for me," she said, sitting up again then picking up one of his large hands and placing it over one of her small breasts. "If you want…no charge, o' course." She attempted to give him a seductive smile.
He blinked in surprise, then gave her a sad pitying look and carefully pulled his hand away from her chest and small hands. Here he was thinking he had it bad, yet here was this waif of a child-- not even a full Woman and the use of her body was the only way she could think of to repay someone. At least he could fight with his fists and axes; she didn't even have that.
"It's my face, isn't it? I'm ugly…" she said, her smile crumbling before she turned away, hiding her scarred face in her hands.
"Nay, you are wrong! You are lovely…too lovely for someone such as I."
"But that's not true!" she cried in denial, shaking her head. "Look at me! These scars…no one will ever want me! Master Clots even said so. No one will pay good coin for some cut-up whore!"
But Gimli just shook his head, giving her a small smile as he gently rubbed her back.
"Not so! Clots was a gold-grubbing piece of troll shit; listen to nothing that fool said! Never let anyone judge you because of your scars, Lady Gwen. If they do-- then they are fools and not worth your time!" he told her earnestly.
"We all carry scars. Some on our skin…others on our hearts. It is those scars that make us who we are, always reminding us of what we have survived."
He reached over and gently picked up one of her pale hands, marveling at how small and delicate it looked in comparison to his own tanned and callused one. He then brought it to his lips and reverently kissed the back of her smooth knuckles.
"You should not be sad, my Lady Gwen. For one as sweet as bee pollen on a summer wind and as lovely as a moon-lily on the first day of spring… sadness does not suit you. Only laughter and light does," he told her, a roguish smile on his lips before releasing her hand.
A pretty blush rose to her scarred cheeks as a shy smile pulled at her rosebud lips before she meekly hid her face in the material of her blue skirt with a twittering giggle. Gimli gave a good-natured chuckle at her reaction, pleased that he had made her feel better.
A hushed but comfortable silence descended over them, with the exception of the constant noise from the town around them, until Gwen perked up and seemed to remember something.
"Oh! I know!" she suddenly chirped excitedly. "If I can do nothing else, let me at least tell you your fortune!"
"I don't--"
"Oh please! I want to do something," she cried, twisting her fingers in her lap.
"Oh alright," he relented, not able to stand up against the full power of those big watery eyes.
Gwen gave a happy squeak, and Gimli couldn't help but smile at her infectious cheer. It still marveled him to no end that after all that she had seen and been through, the petite dark-haired teen could still stay so sweet and innocent.
"I don't have to get up and do some sort of dance or stand on my head, do I?" Gimli asked, trying to sound serious while looking at her sideways with one copper eyebrow cocked.
"No, no! Of course not, don't be silly!" she giggled.
"Well… alright. But no funny stuff!" he growled at her, giving her a long suspicious look, making her giggle some more.
"Promise!" she laughed, before scrambling up and dashing back into the dark kitchen.
Several long minutes later she came back with a steaming mug of tea and a small cloth that held some crushed tea leaves, and sat back down next to him on the step before handing him the earthenware mug. She then explained that her mother had worked as a laundress at one of the big inns in town and had done fortune telling along the main street for extra money. Her mother had made sure to teach her daughter how to tell fortunes as her mother had taught her, and so on.
He now did as she instructed, holding the mug of steaming tea in his broad hands after she had sprinkled a pinch of the crushed tea leaves into it, and she put her small slender hands over his as she chanted under her breath, her eyes closed in concentration. She sat next to him closely, their knees touching as they partly faced one another.
As she continued to chant, Gimli let his brown eyes wander about the small courtyard with its one large tree, its thick roots pushing up and cracking the flagstones at its base, surrounded by the bits of broken pottery and glass that littered the ground. The drab and ill-repaired buildings to either side and at the back of the courtyard acted as walls for the otherwise open bit of space. Short alleyways strung with clotheslines led between the buildings to the street in the front.
The sounds of Ocendade filled the night air: a couple arguing heatedly in the building across the way, the continual loud wailing of an infant in the building on the left, a rowdy group of boys running down one of the narrow alleys playing with a leather ball. A Man was singing loudly nearby as a cat yowled in heat somewhere, while dogs barking in the distance competed with the chirp of crickets. One didn't need the sensitive ears of an Elf to hear the veritable orchestra of sounds that always filled the air in this lower section of town.
As he continued to listen and watch, a gust of wind caused the branches of the large tree that loomed overhead to gently sway. Then as if plucked by invisible fingers, a single leaf broke off and fell, twirling in the wind. It gracefully fluttered and danced in the breeze, and Gimli watched with some bemusement as that very same leaf came to land right in his mug of tea.
It just so happened that that was the exact moment Gwen's chanting finally stopped and she opened her big dark eyes.
But instead of seeing an image of Gimli's future or the image of some great future love of his life in the tea, she saw only a slender jewel-green leaf happily creating ripples in the otherwise calm surface of the tea.
She stared confused, not understanding what she was seeing.
Leaf… Green Leaf?
She gave a blink, Green Leaf? Whatever could that mean? That couldn't be right…
"That's so strange, it always worked before. I-I did it just like Mother taught… I must have done something wrong," she said out loud to herself in confusion, before looking up at the Dwarf with wide apologetic eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry Gimli! I'll try again-" But Gimli just laughed and gave her a winning smile, soothing her anxiety.
"That is quite alright, Lady Gwen! I'm sure you did it right, but perhaps it just does not work for Dwarves, eh?" he said with a shrug. "I thank you for the gesture anyway, but perhaps my future is best left in the mists of mystery."
He then gingerly plucked the dripping leaf from the steaming liquid, holding it up between his thumb and forefinger, and admired the deep emerald green color of its long elegant shape, with its intricate ribs and veins of lighter green. Putting the mug of tea on the step between them, he continued to study the leaf, twirling it gently by its stem as a strange little shiver suddenly danced up his spine.
"Gimli?
"Aye?" he asked, Gwen's sweet voice shaking him from his thoughts as he finally let the leaf flutter to the ground.
"What you said about before…about my scars?"
"Aye," he said, still not looking up from gazing at the slender leaf now lying dejectedly on the ground by one of his booted feet.
"Does….does that go the same for your scars?" she asked quietly.
That gave the young Dwarf pause and he finally turned to look at her, watching as she softly traced a large scar running along his broad bicep until it disappeared under his red shirt. Her large doe-eyes turned up then, looking expectantly at him, waiting for his answer.
All was quiet for a time, as the two sat on the step studying one another while a playful breeze tugged on their loose hair.
"Aye, that goes for mine too," Gimli finally answered, watching as a small smile tugged at her lips.
Though they were as different as two beings could be, they both looked at one another with complete understanding just then before finally turning their gazes up to the lightening sky. Sitting in companionable silence on the stone step, with Gimli's steaming mug of tea between them, they watched as another day slowly arose in the east, over the crowded rooftops of Ocendade, painting the sky with brilliant pink and gold.
Anyone catch the foreshadowing of a certain Elf in Gimli's future ~_^ ?
Alright, now for some notes!
(1.) Disturbing, but true. Children were being executed like adults up until this last century in many countries and it's unfortunately still happening in others.
(2.) I made this completely up, but I figured that with all the power and magic that some Elves are capable of (look at Celebrimbor and the three Elven rings of power), why should there not be some truly awesome Elvish painters ~_^ ?
(3.) In folklore of Europe (especially Ireland and Scotland) it is said that faeries often dance in the circles in the grass. These are usually hazardous for mortals to step into, leaving them vulnerable to enchantment.
(4.) A folk tale told in parts of the British Isles of a malicious and hideous water faerie (or hag, depending on the telling) with green skin. Told to keep children away from bogs, rivers, and other bodies of water.
(5.) A Scottish water faerie, usually seen in the form of a young horse, near rivers and streams.
(6.) Just an old wives' tale told in that part of the region. As if an Elf would want a mortal child, *snort* of course they wouldn't! This was just a way to show how people who don't understand something will usually wrap stories and legends around it as a way of explaining. It's also to show how over time the mysterious and fading Elves will evolve into the mysterious "faeries" in people's legends and minds, as the magic of Middle-earth fades and the world of Men takes over.
(7.) I owe this from a discussion on Axe_Bow a while back. In some old folk tales from certain regions it was said that Dwarves cannot appear above ground during the day, for the sunlight would turn them to stone. Boy have they got Dwarves wrong O_o!
(8.) More folklore about Dwarves. This is another tidbit that I got from a discussion on Axe_Bow, about old folklore from different areas like Germany and Scandinavia.
(9.) I think Dwarves having eyes that glow like a cat's in the dark is a perfectly plausible idea. It only makes sense that they would have highly adapted night-vision thanks to living underground. I love this idea! I owe this great idea to Lisa Williams (I swear she knows absolutely everything about Tolkien and is a wonderful resource for ideas), who threw this out on the Axe_Bow ML. Thank you for the great idea ~_^!
(10.) In this area of Middle-earth (to the west of Bree) this is a negative and derogatory term for Elves. Seelie is a Scottish name for the faerie. I was looking for a derogatory term for Elves in the books, but just couldn't find any, so I had to come up with something. So this is my own idea and not to be taken as canon.
