HI FRIENDS! I know you couldn't find this chapter before. That's because I deleted it not long after I posted it. I realized there were things missing I wanted to add/change. But here is the fixed one. Once again I express my utmost gratitude to you who have supported me and really shared your thoughts on my stories. I know they are all kinda weird. ( I am even considering redoing my zombie fic again...0_o) Enjoy!

Chapter 24- New Problems

Alicia sat at a far table at the inn, The Copper Eyes, eating a hearty meal that would satisfy her famished state. It wasn't overly crowded, but still quite lively.
Suddenly two people had sat at her table, two unfamiliar men who looked like they had a hidden agenda. The one directly in front of her had a crooked smile that was the very definition of smug. The other guy's had a tired half grin as if he was more ready for bed than anything else. Being a large man, that was probably a good thing right now.
"Hello there lad." The first man said. "Having a nice dinner eh? Don't fret we only want a moment of your time see?"
Alicia kept a deadpanned irritable stare, tensed up for trouble.
"We notice yer a quiet sort. Ye know how to keep secrets and keep them well. Yer observant or ye wouldn't always prefer to sit at these tables with yer back to the wall." The man said. "So we've a proposition for ye-"
"No." Alicia deadpanned.
The man waved it down. " Now now, ye must hear me on this. You and I both see how hard we have to work for a few coins, while the dwarves stow away all their wealth in their mountains, living off of our sweat and blood." He started, saying the word dwarves with a clear sneer. " It's not fair that they live so well and we crawl in the mud here for them. They could spare a few pouches of gold for us. Don't you agree?"
"Not a thief." Alicia growled out glaring at them.
"We are not asking ye to steal. We want ye to spy out where it is. Find out where they keep their treasure, report back to us and that's all." The man mumbled out.
Still Alicia shook her head. "You're on your own."
The man narrowed his eyes at her and sighed. " Fine." he said and waved to his friend. " Ye see if ye can convince him."
The other large man yawned, mouth agape with no manners to even cover it. "Listen here boy. We need your skill. If ye don't do as we ask, yer friends will suffer." He paused to see her reaction, when Alicia showed none he leaned in. " We know of your dwarf friends. The healer and his kin? They already have a rough time in this town, the healer being the only reason they're still here. We can easily make things much worse for them and then they'll have no way of supporting their family. Either that or we just kill them off."
Alicia's back visibly stiffened. They were really going to hold the lives of her friends over her head if she didn't do this. They took her silence as a yes. "If ye tell a soul about this, they die. If you abandon the job, they die. Are we at an agreement?" The large man asked.
Still she did not answer, her mind was still going over the details and how on earth was she going to get out of this one. The other man grinned a weasel like smile. " I'll say that we are. Good luck. We should be easy to find." He said as the two got up to leave Alicia in her mental distress.
The rest of her dinner did not taste so good anymore. What in the world could she do about that?! She couldn't steal from anyone without very good reason. Her friends' lives were on the line wasn't that reason enough? Maybe there was some subtle way to tell Gloin what was happening? But Gloin wasn't exactly a subtle guy. His wife could be, for a limited time. She heaved a heavy sigh. This would require precarious steps and copious planning. The first thing that came to her mind was perhaps getting some kind of temporary job in the mountain. It would be something, and there was no way they'd have hidden contacts in the mountain. Still, that meant they'd be lurking just around the corner to...erase...Gloin and his family. The islander couldn't allow that either.
She went to bed, tossing and shuffling about ideas she could use until she fell asleep.

Each day came way too soon. Almost already in a grumpy mood as reality didn't leave her at all and she woke up thinking about the same problems. Her head hit her pillow. If she wasn't careful, the others will sense something is wrong. She had to mask this as best as possible, as in not even hint at her troubles. As long as she was in their company she just couldn't think about the annoying theives.
She refused to ask Gloin for anymore help either since he was clearly struggling just to keep a foothold around here for his faimly. And now their lives were in danger becuase of her. Going back to The Shire was even MORE tempting.
Reluctantly, she pushed herself upward, got herself presentable (manly), and with a hint of a glare on her face, she stomped back to town. Nadhia had left early to run a few errands, leaving a breakfast of bread with butter, some cheese and breakfast sausage under a cover for her. There had to be some other way. While munchign on the bread, Alicia tried to change her way of thinking. If she wanted to outdo a thief, she'd perhaps have to think like one. Theives were opportunistic. They generally didn't care where the loot came from as long as it was optainable. One becomes a thief either out of desperation to survive or simple selfishness. But what other option did she have if she would not find the dwarves' main treasure trove?

Alicia jumped from her thoughts with a start when the door from the kitchen opened. Oin came rumbling in. He nodded and mumbled a good morning when he saw her. Though normally an early riser too, he still looked half asleep for another hour or two. The healer poured himself a cup of coffee in the silence. Alicia flashed a fake smile to him while he mumbled unintelligable. She didn't know whether he was talking to her or himself, so she didn't answer. As an errand boy, Alicia watched everything pass by as if they were potential targets for a robbery, how easy it was to rob some people who got too comfortable in their redundant routines. Alicia shook her head at realizing something. The criminal activity here was so well covered up, that to most, there didn't seem to be anything worse than pies stolen from windows or small trinkets from booths. Those crooks that spoke to her were able to just walk right in and sit down as if the inn had always been such a place of crooked commerce. Was she really dealing with people who knew what they were doing or just bluffing their way around? She ought not to be so surprised since even she walked around as a man when she was and errand boy. On the farm they hardly cared when she decided to show up at work as a male too since most of them knew she worked two jobs. Alicia collected her pay after work, then went back home to finish up the last of the garden. There was something about gardening that was relaxing and made her feel better.
By now the rest of the family had made it back home too. They greeted her with their normal warm smiles and light talk. After words she excused herself to the backyard. Alicia had one last thing to add to the garden, a piece she was also very proud of.

Alicia gently took the herb out of it's little clay pot. " Come on little guy. Yeah I know this is weird and new, take your time I gotcha." She said as she gently worked it out of the pot to transplant it into the ground. "There we go. This way you'll have plenty of room to spred your roots and grow bigger. I look forward to enjoying having your rosemary in my food or hair." She grinned happily, so engrossed in the planting that she did not hear anyone approaching from behind.
"What are ya doing there lassie? Talking to plants now are we?"
Alicia twisted her body around to smile up at the father's skeptical face.
Gloin planted his solid fists on his hips, red head tilited as he looked down at Alicia.
The islander grinned proudly up at him. "Ta-dah!" SHe said with a hand towards the little plants. "I'm making an herb garden for us!"
"And what do we need an herb garden for when we get ours from the other shops about here? Certainly not to talk to them?" Gloin lightly teased.
"Talking to plants actually does help them grow." Alicia said matter-of-factly. " They know when people are around them by their auras or moods and they feed off it too. Good vibes produce good harvest, bad vibes produce bad harvest."
"The wee hobbits grew on ya did they?" Gloin commented. "Becuase that sounds like hobbit talk to me."
"Of course it does." Alicia said with a half smile. "Doesn't change the fact that it's true though. But look at it this way, if we grow our own it saves us a little money on Oin buying them from the other shops. And they smell nice."
"Mmm. There is that." Gloin finally relented. He pulled another pout when Alicia had lifted a stalk of rosemary to his nose to smell it. He shook his head from it. "No. Nope. I know what it smells like. Dinner will be ready in an hour. Ye ought to clean up before then." He said between her giggles.
" 'Kay." Alicia affirmed, still smiling at her little project.

Gimli had his usual un impressed face as he watched her walk by with a pot of flowers. "Don't see why you gotta make our home so girly."
"It is not girly." Alicia said swiveling her upper body to regard him. "There's nothing very pink here. The girliest color here is probably purple and that's from the lavender, which by the way, is an herb Oin can use. These flowers here are yellow and red." He presented the pot to him.
"It's still a flower, and that makes it girly enough." Gimli grumbled. "And what about those pink flowers groing over there eh?"
Alicia looked over. " Oh, the echinacea. I thought they looked a little more purple-ish, but still, they are for medicinal practices, not just looks."
Alicia merely rolled her eyes and went back to planting them. " You can't deny that I've at least added some good color things."
"You know what adds good color to things?" Gimli started. " Rubies. Emeralds, Saphires and Topaz. How about gold for yellow and amethyst for purple?"
"Alright when you find a way to make mineral flowers then we can use that too." Alicia said casually over her shoulder, having grown quite used to Gimli's grumpy moods.
"There is a way!" He said hopping from the log. " I've seen a few in Ered Luin. Not a common craft being requested but it can be done!"
The islander half listened as Gimli once again went on another boast about the projects of his people. Oin had wandered to their back yard, casting a small smile at his nephew as he ambled to where Alicia had the little herb garden she had also made for him. Alicia watched from the corner of her eyes how he examined them with his own trained eyes before selecting a stalk.
He grunted. "This is a nice gift." Oin said to her. One of the few times he ever really gave out compliments and it made her almost giddy that she was making such a helpful impact.

On break time, Alicia sat in the back yard making a crown of herb stalks she had grown in the little herb garden. The project had a theraputic effect on her too even though she wasn't making it for herself. Once it was done, Alicia walked inside scoutign out her intended reciever. As normal, sitting at his little work desk making poultacies and whatnot before dinner. Quietly she snuck up behind him and gently as she could place the herb crown atop Oin's head and scamper away before he could detct her.
The healer did look up though, looking around curiously then back to his work, not noticing his new adornment yet. Not that she was going to tell him. It was a small vitcory, but still one she counted since dwarves might have better senses than most humans. Alicia decided that she'd continue practicing skills like that.
Alicia helped set the table, having it ready just in time for Gloin and Gimli to come back insde after their little sparring session.
" Aye you are getting better but once again, pay a little more attention to your footing. You're trying to step too wide again." Gloin informed as they made it in.
Nadhia was humming a tune as they all sat down to enjoy the meal, carrying on in old familiar bouting once all was seated.
Nadhia looked up, noticing finally the halo on her brother in law's head. She looked directly to Alicia, sharing a knowing smile with her and also choosing to say nothing.
Gimli was the one to point it out. "Oi Uncle. You've got grass in your hair."
"Grass?" OIn turned up his nose. " How am I going to get grass in my-oh. These are herbs boyo." He had reached up, plucking the ring off his head. His brown eyes flickered straight to Nadhia and Alicia who pointed at each other. "Hmph. Eh." He grunted, dropping it back on his head to continue his meal. Alicia broke out in giggles again at seeing the odd looks Gloin and Gimli were casting at Oin now.

Inside the small bar she walked. keeping to herself and thinking on some choice idly.
Her thoughts were interupted by two voices growing in anger and threat. Her eyes were immediately drawn to them.
Standing nearly in the center of the place was a man and a dwarf. A familiar dwarf with another standing behind him.
She didn't hear all what they were argueing about, only snipets.
"...Always over charging on everything." The man grumbled out.
"And the more you waste my time the more expensive I get!" The dwarf snarked back.
Alicia tried not to be obvious in her staring, just peeking under her hat and over her shoulder.
After more snarky comments, they had finally turned from each other, the man leaving and the dwarf, hands rose to check that all his points were still in place, all his braids not starting to get loose, and sauntered to the bar easily swinging upwards on the human sized lady working there gave him a familial grin.
" Hello fair maiden, hair like woven gold, oh enchanting beauty with brews like no other. This weary traveler has need of your divine drink again." The dwarf dramatised to the barmaid. Finally looking over her shoulders, she saw that it was Nori. Witty Ole' Nori. There was another a little behind him, little nose wiggling as he took in the surroundings as if he'd never been in here before. He didn't look impressed so far.
In turn said barmaid giggled amusedly. " You always come in here with that sweet talk of yours." She laughed at his antics. " I assume you wish for your usual then Master Nori? And will he be having the same young master?"
"I'll just have an ale too." The quiter one behind Nori said with a small smile.
With a short nod the barmaid went to fetch their chosen drinks.
Alicia wondered how long she could sit there before Nori noticed her? She smiled to herself, deciding to find out. Nori certainly would at least offer some ideas. Perhaps she could ask him for help... wait..no. Bad Idea. Especially in a public place.
Well what could she do? Now that she thought about it more though seemed awful shifty to just even hint on to the dilemma she was in right now.
"Already tired of the family are ya?"Nori's sudden way-too-close voice startled her out of her thoughts.
It so happens he very much was close, now suddenly in the seat next to her, his 'usual' in his left hand as he smile a playful grin to her. His friend stood a pace away watching curiously.

"Nah, just taking a break to myself is all." Alicia replied indolently. "How have you been?"
" Livin' one day at a time." Nori jerked his head in thanks, absentmindedly taking a small pull from his tankard. "My brother Ori here needed a break from his nose stuck in various books and the like. So I brought him into the town for some fresh air. Are you not thirsty? Share a drink with me will ya?"
A drink, yes. That's what she wanted to begin with. Besides, If she bolted right now anyway Nori would definitely see something was up. "Hard apple cider sounds good."
Nori grinned even more so, waving the barmaid and requesting politely for one. He waited for Alicia to enjoy her first pull in patient silence after a small toast.
"Ori. This is Alicia. Alicia, my youngest brother." Nori introduced.
Ori made a polite bow towards her. " At your service Miss Alicia. May we sit here?" He asked. Though Nori had already made himself comfortable in a seat. Alicia smiled at the quieter dwarf's manners. "Please join me." she said.
Ori took his seat beside his brother. She noticed that every now and then his hands fidgeted as if he was nervous or missing something. Thankfully the barmaid helped with that when the drinks came.
Nori knocked back his drink with more gusto than Alicia's tentative sips. She watched as some of the drink spilled out the corners of his mouth.
"So.." Nori started again after a satisfied sigh. " I assume you're getting some good pay as a lad still? Considering you still dress as such."
"I get more than I would normally. I try to give a little to Nadhia for letting me stay, but she keeps refusing it."
"The dwarrowdam has a kind heart."
"Yeah. I just don't want to feel like a leach so I try to help out in other ways."
He turned to face the bar again. "Odd to find you at the tavern. Lookin' for more work or hiding from trouble?"
"Listening to word on the street about new job opportunities." Alicia said easily. It wasn't a complete lie. Sometimes the tavern had more news on things than the news boards.

She let a small smile play on her lips. " Speaking of, is Ered Luin hiring? Do they even hire humans?
Ori blushed a little when her eyes fell on him. He seemed to stare at her wide-eyed at first then quickly looked away when he noticed his stare.
Nori smirked. "Yes they hire humans from time to time. But, we are protective of our women. Not without extremely good reason would we let our women take dangerous jobs. Not to say they are meek minded in the slightest mind you."
"Of course." Alicia's lips quirked upwards. " They're just the ones that are the main baby makers."
Ori blushed even more so.
Nori wagged his finger at her. " So easy for you humans to joke about. When you're population is one in three, you'd want to protect your women too."
Her head tilted back in better understanding now, not joking about it anymore.
"Our women can defend the gates just like any other. But it is not done often." Nori elaborated. "And, should a human choose to come work in Ered Luin, they must take a vow of secrecy."
"Vow of secrecy?" Alicia looked back to him.
"Aye. It's nothing too complicated. You stand before our king Thorin, repeat the vow to him and he accepts you into his kingdom if he finds you trustworthy of course. That's not to say you're never allowed to leave again, just that you keep our secrets, OUR secrets." Nori went on.
"Oh. Have people been trying to steal your secrets often then? And, if I'm not prying too deeply, why do you keep so many from the world?" Alicia asked.
"Periodically throughout history." Nori shrugged carelessly. " But here recently, it's happened a wee more frequently. So a politician on Thorin's royal council suggested we do that with newcomers from now on. And for the second, it has always been our ways. Our maker Mahal is a bloke that keeps to himself most of the time. And it isn't easy finding a truly trustworthy heart anymore." He took a short pull. " I personally don't give a daaaaandy, whether you knew or not."
"Damn. The word you're looking for is damn."
Ori blinked in shock. Poor guy looked as if he might have a heart attack right there.
"AN' here I thought you were a lady." Nori joked.
"I'm Leto right now."
"Then don't talk to me like that boy or I'll knock yer teeth out." Nori grinned. "Pick yer poison."
Alicia chortled quietly at Nori's joking around. She always enjoyed his brutal sense of humor.
Ori frowned a little at his brother. " But we know who she is and ought to address her respectively."
"We are addressing her respectively. We are respecting her boundaries in her identity confusion." Nori teased casually.
Ori merely heaved a resigned sigh, his own face smoothened into neutral expression, having known how best to deal with Nori's antics.
Another question popped in her mind then. "Hm...but why? What's in it for them if they knew these certain secrets anyway?"
Nori chuckled quietly. "People like to think every dwarf is a walking gold statue and they want a piece of it."
Now Alicia was understanding it thus far. " Is it true?" She smirked jokingly.
Nori shrugged. "Maybe. Most are made of copper around here though." He glanced at her a second. There was an odd glimmer in his eyes, one that was absent of the typical mirth that was usually there. His brother too, had a forlorn look about him. He may not say much, but his face, unlike Nori's was easy to read. Alicia wasn't sure if it was a hint meaning to change the subject or some problem they were going through. She took it as both, looking back at the shelves behind the bar where rows of tankards and glasses were.
"How would one go about arranging that meeting with Thorin for the oath?" Alicia asked.
"There's a couple ways to go about it really. You could put in a request and they'll schedule it during one of his meetings. There's another dwarf that usually frequents the markets here in the mornings. He likes to find the newest knick knacks about. Balin, son of Fundin is what he goes by. One of his duties is to post news from Ered Luin on the message board too. That includes job listings. White hair and beard, easy to distinguish and hard to miss him when you're searching for him."
Alicia noted it all mentally, dipping her head in acknowledgement. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Nori."
"My pleasure Leto. Whatever the blazes that means." Nori burped.
Alicia mutely laughed. "It means hidden or forgotten."
Ori nodded once when it all made sense in his head. Nori merely flicked his brows in minor interest.
Alicia finished her drink. It did help a little when it came to preventing a tension headache from overthinking.
Her gaze flicked back to Ori then, not wanting him to feel left out. "So are you enjoying the day off from your work thus far?"
Ori blinked once. "Yes thank you. I, well, I didn't really want to come..." He slumped his shoulders. " Nori dragged me out here."
Nori snorted in humor. "Had to. Otherwise you'd never get out of yer mouse hole on your own."
"Can I help that I am only as worried as you or anyone else?" The young brother replied. " I am trying to help like you and everyone else and it doesn't sit well with me to just not help where I can."
"You're a fidgeter Ori. Nothing sits well with you for long."
Ori made a one shoulder shrug and pulled another drink from his mug.
"So." Nori muttered. " You haven't seen anything suspicious happenin' again 'ave ya?"
Alicia stilled, staring at him with a blank expression. Did he know...?
"While we did catch a good handful, not all the crooks were stopped." Nori began to elaborate, making her more tense. She knew that thanks to the thieves.
" Ori and I are here not only for a drink, but for further investigation. We need to make sure all have been brought down. You wouldn't happen to have seen or heard of anything relating to Thorin's Thirteen?"
Alicia inwardly sighed. It wasn't the exact same predicament as hers, but that didn't mean the two weren't related. Still, someone could be watching her right now. Should she take the risk in telling Nori about it? There were just too many people around. The likelihood of not one of them being a spy was just too great. "I haven't yet. You think the rest would still be in the town?"
"That we don't know for sure either, but we mustn't assume." Ori answered. " On our way from the mountain, people still look at us like we were bullies. Though, I believe they are starting to suspect something has just been brought to light. They are not so tense around us. But it is very delicate."
Alicia looked between the two. " I always hear how hard it is to get dwarves to trust people outside their race. That people had to move mountains just to gain it. You two seem to be doing it reverse."
Ori let a small smile show. " You still need to move mountains." He half joked. "However, we're supposed to be better than the 'oppressors' they believe us to be. Why should others work so hard to gain our alliance if we do not show that we are worth the trouble?"
"Is it?" Alicia couldn't help but ask on a more serious note. She wasn't sure if she liked the way Ori had phrased that just yet. "Humans only have so much to give."
"And dwarves do not like to give too much." Ori said. "But things can change. If we only keep trying then eventually it gets easier until it's done."
Alicia also smiled now. Ori did not mean to sound as if dwarves were these mighty gods that people needed and owed them. He simply wanted a change for the better. She leaned back in her seat. " I admire your aspirations Ori. But, it is naïve to believe that people are just going to get along."
"Hmph. We can't even get along when it comes to sharing an inn around here." Nori grumbled.
"That may be so." Ori replied. " But if we keep doing the same things, hoping someone is going to come around and change it, nothing will happen. Because that someone is thinking the same thing as us. And then the real enemies win."
"So you want to re-establish an alliance?"
Ori pursed his lips, shaking his head. " No. I want real friendship, real peace and commerce."
"Isn't that what an alliance is?"
Ori looked away for a moment, and she could tell he was looking back in time at some event in his life. "Alliance just doesn't mean love any more than war means hate."
Nori shook his head, but there was a subtle shine in his eyes that hinted at pride in his little brother. Alicia too would have been very proud to have a brother like Ori. His words, had re ignited a floundering fire in her. One she hadn't even noticed was depleting since the talk with the thieves. "You're right Ori. I wish more people thought like you do."
At this, the younger dwarf's cheeks burned with a redness like shining cherries. She only smiled more because now he looked cuter than a spotted pup in a red wagon.
" I will keep an eye and ear out for anything." Alicia promised.
Ori suddenly seemed unable to speak, while Nori bobbed his head. "Aye. The more the merrier. Speaking of, I got something for ya." He pulled from his pocket a bottle with a small hose and pump attached to the lid.
Alicia's eyes flicked up. "I smell that bad?" she joked.
"It's scent killer." Nori replied. "Don't want too many people starting ta recognize you. It's potent, so you don't need it too much. If you walk around as a man, now would be a great time for it."
Alicia pocketed it safely in her jacket. " Thanks Nori. That's great."
"Speaking of, ya got any more of that pecan pie made?" Nori smiled.

If she did have any of that pie, Alicia would have smothered it in Nori's face. Firstly, the scent killer may work in killing her scent but it smelled awful to a human. Dwarves obviously didn't notice it. Secondly, if she got a coin for every short white haired person she had mistaken, she'd be making good money. There was a lot of old people walking around in this town. Why she probably already missed the one she was looking for!
"White hair and beard he said. Easy to distinguish he said. I bet he knew this was going to happen." Alicia grumbled aloud to herself. "Nori I'm gonna punch you in yer big, pointy nose."
She sat there, on an outside bench, people watching, making fake conversations in her head as they passed by until her eyes fell on a small booth. Alicia nearly jumped. Standing there, turning over some trinket in his hand was another old man. White air slightly spiked up with a long forked beard that rivaled Gloin's. Dressed in a large tunic sashed to his waist, breeches tucked into large pointed boots. Could that be him? And if not, what was a thirtieth 'sorry. I thought you were someone else?'
Alicia got up and checked herself, clearing her throat and hiding away the scent killer. She turned back to walk to the man, only to find he was gone. "Wha?" Alicia frantically looked about, finally seeing a white head quickly walking away. Alicia paced after him. She weaved around people, trying not to look to suspicious when she had to squeeze by others just to be keep up her eyes on the man she was stalking.
He finally stopped at another stand, greeting the merchant as if old friends. When Alicia was close enough now to see his face, she slowed down to a near stop. That was the guy she saw Dwalin walking with when she first came here! She warily glanced at his hands just to make sure he didn't have any hidden sharp tools within easy reach. Okay. Quick inquiry, then leave.

She checked herself, making sure her guise as a man looked convincing and believable. She cleared her throat, testing her voice before she mustured up the courage to go and speak to the dwarf looking at a few wares. Casually she approached the white haired dwarf, being sure to be in his line of sight.
She approached him but not too close. "Pardon me sir." She said in her mock man's voice.
Balin's brown eyes peered up at her from under his bushy white brows that quirked up in curiosity. Had she not had the habit of watching Gimli's nose, she might not have even noticed the elderly dwarf's own nostrils wiggle when he looked up. Alicia hid her smirk.
"What can I help you with?" Balin repied in a practiced politeness.
"Um..." She mumbled before finding her words again. " I was told you knew of job offeres in Ered Luin?" She still spoke in her fake male's voice.
There was no missing the curve of his lips in a rather amused smirk as he watched her with analytical eyes. " Aye. There might be some. The kitchens are always looking for extra staff."
Alicia's lips curved back downward in disinterest. "I was told you post new jobs, have you already done so?"
"I was going to do just that." Balin said as he waved a rolled parchment that was hidden up his sleeve. Alicia Made sure to keep a distance. Who knows what else he might have?

"What sort of job were you looking for?" He asked, gesturing for her to walk with him. "Perhaps I might inquire about it for you?"
Alicia did not have any particular skill that a dwarf would find extremely valuable out here. Maybe if they were near the ocean. She merely shrugged. "Higher paying jobs."
Balin pursed his lips at the lack of information to go off. " The better you are at your craft, the higher the pay. What is your craft?"
"Farmhand." Alicia said meekly. She knew dwarves had no interest in taking care of plants.
"Well, a weaver might suit you better. I don't know if the wine brewers are hiring but I can ask." Balin offered. For scary 'old arse man,' he was really being nice.
"They pay good?"
"They pay accordingly." Balin answered looking up at her. He then passed her the papers. "Have a look see while I take the old news down."
Nodding she did so. There didn't seem to be too much available as far as good paying jobs. There was mining, in which the miner would keep a small sum of the materials that were dug up. " What do they mine?"
"Copper mostly. Aluminum, and occasional other finds." The dwarf answered.
Alicia went down the list. " Scribe?"
"Aye. If you can write, some councilors and merchants look for lads to keep track of their inventory." Balin said. Though Alicia did not miss his accentuation on the word Lads.
"Storage transfer, merchant escort." Alicia heard escorts and body guards could make good money. She had some training under her belt to help with that.
Balin's head tilted slightly as his eyed her. "You know we are rather protective of our women and do not give them jobs that could harm them too severely."
"Yes. I can escort them." Alicia replied easily.
"I believe the merchant would rather have a proper lad do that than another young miss." Balin smiled knowingly up at her.
'Uh oh. Did he see through her disguise?' Judging by his raising brows and smile, he did.
"Working as a brewer can earn you good pay given time too." He added.
So, he saw through her guise after all.

Alicia hid her exasperated sigh. She didn't know whether she'd laugh about this or groan in frustration. She was already in a rather dangerous situation! It seemed that there wasn't really going to be much option for her other than cooking or sewing or whatever 'safe job' that was going to prevent her from resolving her troubles. The job could be lower paying than the ones she had now and she would only have a certain amount of time before the thieves would be losing their own patience. Alicia flashed a small smile as she handed back the papers to him. She didn't want him thinking anything more of her than some girl trying to get more money.
"Thank you for your time." She bent slightly in a small bow to Balin before leaving him to his own.
Well that was a waist of time! Even if she did take the job, that meant she could even be putting the other females that the dwarves were so protective of at risk, and the way Balin spoke so adamantly, that was going to result in consequences she couldn't afford. Plus, after she makes it into Ered Luin, what kind of excuse did she have as a brewer or weaver to go near the rooms where they kept their 'treasures'?
Alicia scowled as she walked down the street racking her mind for some sort of solution. How was she going to get out of this one if she can't even bring herself to take the first step?

Unbeknownst to her; she was still being watched until her back finally disappeared from view. How peculiar, he thought. Though not an expert, she had a good idea of how to blend in with the crowd and use disguises. What kind of job was she looking for exactly? Balin lightly hammered the lists on the board, reading it once more for the fourth time to make sure all was clear and no mistakes. The very last one spoke of troll trouble. He wrote it last because he did not have very high hopes of anyone taking the job anyway. The elder turned on his heel again. Other troubles were on his mind, like these odd segregation laws the councilors are suddenly trying to shove down Thorin's throat.

Finally! Not perfect but better than last time. I know I might have made Ori sound a little different than normal, but that is also because this is after the quest and it had failed. So he's seen a few things these past years. Being an artist he is also very observant too. Aaaaand so is Balin! Typical. XD XD

Well, thank you again and I hope your holidays are not too stressful.