I have returned! After much exploration and blood shed with tears, many zombie orcs to fight against and the invasion of aliens from a nearby Keplar... yeah I'm kidding. I was just busy, but making myself sound like a hero just sounds cool. Hither is the next chapter for you. Enjoy my friends!

Six days of traveling on her own she had met Dremard and Nora. One day with them finally brought them to the blue mountains. It was easy to tell why they were called that too. Alicia could see that she had not been far from the right track at all since there was a well worn road in front of her that led down towards a much busier town than Hobbiton. The place was much more populated than The Shire. Nearly every road she could see was occupied with people and wagons passing by. From a distance, the town looked energetic as if everyone had a spring in their step including the animals. It appeared pleasant enough at least.
The closer they came, the more details was added and she could see that there was a healthy mix of both jovial and dour looking folks.
This town had wooden buildings littered all about and people walking every which way. Way off on the opposite side of the town was a slow incline upwards that led to some other large gates. No doubt the entrance to the blue mountains themselves. Her eyes trailed back to the human town. This place looked nothing like the Shire as far as construction. Wooden buildings littered the ground, some decnt looking, some old and shabby.
"Here we are. Welcome to our hometown and the dwarven home Ered luin. We can take ya to the nearest inn if ya want." Nora offered.
"Which way is the sea?" Alicia asked.
Both other humans looked at her oddly. "The sea?" Nora echoed.
Trying to hide her blush Alicia thought of some quick answer. "I was told, since the blue mountains was by the sea, that the town too would be by or near it."
"Hmm, you must follow the gulf of Lhun to reach the sea. That would be another days' ride from here southbound." Nora replied.
Southbound? which way did that lead? Was that right back to the Rangers Post or some other town not far from it? The islander hid her grimace from the others, but inside she was mentally groaning. Either she'd try going that way or she could stay here and raise more money. No doubt it would be expensive just to hitch a ride on a ship somewhere that might be going nearer her home. Wait...but no one from middle earth has ever come to her island before or more poele would know about it unless it was kept under wraps... OH but what if they didn't dare venture out that far and she'd haveto 'row boat' half the way back? She wasn't a sailor. In fact her isalnd was big enough that there wwre people further inland who had never been to the beach before
Alicia turned back to the town. "How do I go about getting a more permanent residence here?"
"Depends on how much money ya got. If you have much, you could get a nice one there on the far left side of town and the further right you go, the more like slums it becomes.
Alicia barely hid the daunted look. No she didn'thave a lot of money, and although the 'slums' looked more like a clustered group of sheds, it still didn't seem like a great place to be if one did have valueables. "Where can I go search for jobs?"
"We'll take you to the town square." Nora deicded.
On high alert, the islander rode into town with her new aquantences. The people here dressed almost the same style and colors were usually of a more darker or earth tone colors. In the Shire people dressed in bright swatches of color, same with her home island though it was a mix of both.
Like they promised, Alicia was dropped off at the town square and directed towards where the job board would be. They had their own business to attend to after all.
They bade a farewell greeting before leaving. Nora gave a knowing smile over her shoulder before turning away again. It was such a simple notion and yet it sparke a flame of enthusiasm in her that she utilized search for a suitable job.
There were jobs as tavern ladies and barmaids, but that didn't sound like something she was interested in again, despite that being where some of her experience was. the job listings were categorized by lowest to highest paying. Farmhand was a good one. She knew a thing or two about that and it fitted perfectly. So did another one, errand boy, that caught her interest. As an errand runner she could get familiar with this town better. So she ripped the job offers off and searched for said employers.
A man working on new fence posts pointed right down the road where the folks would be when she asked for directions. Down to the larger house she went knocking on the door. On the other side she heard the cackling of chickens and stomping feet and even dogs barking. It made her question was she at the house or the barn?
The door swung open where a pompous lady stood, she stepped sideways as if in second nature with a broom in her hand. Alicia was about to say something until she balked and stood frozen in shock as chickens came running by. Then after the chickens came two big dogs and a little dog barking after them.
"Goodness me!" the lady went smoothening out her skirt. " I told him to make sure the back door was closed tightly. This is why! Now how can I help you?"
" Uh, hello. I was interested in a job and was directed here." Alicia went on.
"Ah yes. We do still have openings. Come come, I'll show you around. Watch your step. Hope you don't have any animal allergens." The lady went on.
Alicia tried not to hink too much on a mess it would be to have chickens sneaking in one's house.
She found out the the farmhand leader was a married couple who were a more lively couple, happy to hire her and gave her a tour of the place. She was even given a small shed sized shelter of her own. Inside it was furnashed with nothing more than a stool, a type of chimenea, and the frame to a cot. She was told that all beding maerial was kept elsewhere and she could stuff her own mattress later. The other workers out there mostly kept to themselves, but in general had a neighborly atmosphere about them. They were patient in showing her the few things she was not familiar with and pay was decent enough.
After familiarizing herself with that job for a few days, not to mention scatting off nosy animals from roosting in her home, she used some money to buy clothes that would give her a more male appearance. Satisfied that she looked passable as a young man she looked for the errand boy employer. Being a farmhand was a nice and safe job, but Alicia was an ambitious lady who really reeeeaaaaally wanted to make some money.
He was in an office not far. A scrawny looking older man sitting at a desk organizing letters and scrolls. He took one up-and-down look at her with scrutiny before giving her a few simple tasks.
Needless to say Alicia had no idea where most of these places were without asking some passerby. One place in particular she kept passing up becuase it was so small.
The scrawny man didn't seem dissatisfied or happy about how long she took to complete them, but he didn't fire her either. He was a businessman. In fact, she probably could have walked in there as a lady, and yhe man might still not have cared so long as the job was done.
It wasn't so hard, navigating the town, as the shops were far apart enough and identified by the business signs hanging out, and the streets wide enough to give a wide berth to many horse wagons passing by.
She had a small parcel to deliver to some lady down the way who worked at a mill. On her way there, agrevated voices cuaght her attention. Voices if different accents she had never heard before till visiting this new land. just ahead of her was a small group of people, dwarves and humans. They glared at each other angrily.
" You had best step aside laddie." A dwarf with many beads and shiny things in his hair and beard.
"If trouble is what yer tryin' ta prevent, yer doin' it wrong."
"My family is not yours to judge! My home and business not yours to meddle!" One man yelled back.
"And a fine job you do with both!" The dwarf shot back. he glanced at the woman stganding in the back, a grin slowly stretching his hairy cheeks. "Can't ye tell tge lady ain't happy where she's at? Now if she had a real man to take care of her she'd want for nothing."
"Stop looking at my wife like that you animal!" The man stepped between, gripping his wood axe tight which, judging by his build, he knew how to weild.
"Look who's talking. Where'd she get those new bruizes eh?" the dwarf mocked.
Alicia frowned in worry at the scene before her. The smart ting to do would be to walk away, or in her case walk around. they stood between her and her destination after all. As she watched though she began to see that more people had gathered around in a small encircling crowd, dwarves on one, humans on the other. They began spitting out insults of all kinds that seemed to have nothing to do with the issue at hand but rather old insults the folks had kept to themsleves for a while.
Things were getting heated until another loud voice boomed over them all. Over the heads of most the dwarves she saw yet another one, glad in fur and greys and a bald pate. " What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded. He swept his steely glare over the dwarves and landed on the humans. This one was well known, as the crowd parted to give him space along with a much older dwarf with an impassive and calculating gaze.
"Your kin are getting bolder by the day!" the same man ordered. " They threaten to take my family and business."
"It's not our fualt you cannot make your monthly rent! That's just business. I was about to offer an alternative." The dwarf with all the decor in his hair defended.
"An alternative meaning my wife you scum!?" the man yelled. just like that the argument was about to take place again before the bald dwarf barked at them to shut it. H ehad to shove back the dwarf and the man before they got in each others' faces.
Then the old dwarf behind him spoke up, looking through an old book in his hand. "When exactly is your rent due?" he asked the man.
"At the end of the month." he mumbled angrily.
"So you are a week past." The old dwarf said and casually turned to the offending dwarf. " And you are?"
"I am the rent collector of course!This is the third month in a row he has been late on his due, never paying them until we come knocking on his door. I come offering to strike a new deal that might be beneficial to the both of us. His wife came up with the idea of a small cut of their goods to us in payment instead."
The white haired dwarf did not look impressed. instead he pursed his lips and looked the other up and down before saying, " You are not Master Seridus, who is the only one permitted to collect rent. Were you even working for him you'd have shown me the papers proving it by now. Taking another man's wife is not how we collect rent in Ered Luin. Such ways are severly frowned upon by the king." The old dwarf sneered over his shoulder.
"You arse-licker, thinking to shake me. Get your old arse out of my face-"
"My old arse will be the last thing you see, begging for it to return and not leave you rotting in a cell!" The old dwarf whirled so quickly back on him that at first all Alicia saw red and white. In the next second his sharp quill was at the carota arteryof the opposing dwarf. He had an equaly angry look on his pale face. On his right side the bald dwarf was growling at the others that tensed as if to defend their friend.
The tables had turned in just those few words. The offending dwarves finally backed away, grumbling in disgruntlement as they dispersed.
A few of the humans had stayed, not happy still. Some of them even looked down at the two new dwarves as if it was still their fault.
"Your kin are getting much too arrogent." The man complained. " Many times I have seen this happen around the town."
"I do profoundly apoogize for the misconduct of those scoundrels and shall have them brought to justice now that I am aware of them." The old dwarf replied easily. " Your wife is to be cherished, gaurded and happy." He turned to look at her. " You've every right to tell the gaurds about the next unjustified adornment on your fair face milady, whereever it comes from." Without waiting for another word from the grouchy man he turned on his heels down the road with the duanting gaurdsman beside him. Alicia blinked out of her stupor when she realized they were coming her way. She swiftly ducked between the space of two buildings to go around them instead of in front of them. She went all the way around the building, peeking around the buildings to memorized them a little better. Those two dwarves needed to be avoided as much as she could. One knew exactly what to say when to say, the other knew exactly who to punch and where. Anyone could throw out threats, but when it actually made people back off meant either the person was just some trash talking fool to be ignored or they were in a high enough positin to carry out those threats. The latter is what she was leaning more towards. She spared a glance at the woman who had an all-too-familiar look of something that just dawned on her too.
It felt like this place was getting more and more hostile. She'd have to keep her head ow and her eyes open.
Upon finally reaching the point of destination, the lady expecting the delivery was a quiet and neighborly sort, a nice refreshment from the near street fight that almost happened. Alicia given a kind tip and she scurried off back to the old bussiness man's office. Taking the scenic route of course, Alicia people watched in case anymore unusual 'shows' want to happen.
Her days' pay was collected and finally she was released from work to go back home. And by home, that meant the shed sized little houses that the farmhands got to live in so long as they were employed to that farm.
"Out out out!" Alicia said shooing away some lose chickens again before going to stoke the fire to life and having a small meal, she sat on the cot, thoughts of home drifting her to sleep.

Yes! So she's made it finally, and things are already happening fast. There's a lot of notes from different references in the making of this town. The slums is like a south American vibe, the farmhands was a way of life back when African American/Chinese slavery was still a thing. Now why would I use that? There is a method to my madness, have patience with me still please.

On that note I've a question: Is the pace of my story going too slow?

Thanks for readings and those lovely reviews!