Coming Of Age – Chapter 7
It was a jovial meeting in the house, made more so when ThoraLee went to the workshop to inform her father and brother about their visitors and new guest.
Erimm was in shock to see the Prince of Erebor visiting his humble home. As ThoraLee introduced Thorin to her father and brother, Erimm wondered what his real purpose was.
Jor was observing his sister when he realize her hair was wet, "Lee? Why is your hair wet?"
Everyone around the table was quiet when Thorin interrupted, "If I may; ThoraLee rescued a little girl earlier from the lake. She revived the child that was drowned. I don't know how she knew what to do but she did, it was amazing." There was nothing but a tone of admiration in his voice as he spoke. Balin and Dwalin exchanged small grins and nods.
Erimm nodded and explained to his guests about their unusual upbringing when they were little.
"So that explains how you are so good at what you do, ThoraLee" Balin complimented her. Lee blushed deeply.
Of course the peacefulness of the house did not last long around the twins, 21 years old or not; Because Lee was getting all the attention, Jor decided to pop a piece of bread at her and looked away before she realized it was him; it was an old prank they played while at the table when they were little.
At first the adults did not see them as the piece of bread landed on her lap fast, startling her.
The gall of JoraLee! In front of guests, no less! She tried to catch his eye.
Taking the same piece of bread, Lee tried to pop it back at her brother when Thorin stood up and it landed into his mug!
Lee blushed immediately as he stared hard at his drink and looked about him, wondering where it came from. She put her head in her hand and tried not to laugh.
"Something the matter, Lee?" her father asked her.
She shook her head, biting her lips hard, not trusting herself to talk.
"ThoraLee?"
She shook her head, "I'm all right."
Then she felt a pop and a grape fell from her head. She looked up and saw Jor grinning.
Pressing her lips together, she grabbed two grapes from her bowl and began to throw it at her brother, one after the other in quick succession. The first he managed to dodge but not the second as he didn't expect it and was thus pelted on the face.
"The two of you stop it this instance! We have guests." Their father glared at them. They nodded and obeyed him, giggling.
"I swear, you two are behaving and acting as if you are still three year olds. I am quite ashamed of your behaviour, in front of guests, no less." He said sadly.
Balin waved his hand and shook his head, "No worried, Master Erimm, why Thorin and Frerin were worse when they were growing up…"
"Balin…" Thorin growled his warning.
"…why yes, those two would really start throwing bones and forks, and once or twice, knives! Until the King forbade the servants from serving finger food. Soup became the main dish most of the time, no thanks to them. Can't throw soup he declared. Not until they were older and much behaved did they began eating solid food again, did you remember those days, Dwalin?"
Dwalin nodded, "Oh yes, until that moment, I have since avoided soup whenever possible." He gave a shiver at the thought of soup.
They all laughed while Thorin tried not to blush, his eyes downward. He remembered all too well growing up with his younger brother, how they gave his parents daily grieve, two overly rambunctious boys. As well as going through several instructors and tutors until the King sent them to work with the King's army that they began to grow out of their childish ways.
"Aye, I should have done so to the two of you. Lucky for you, Lee, the army does not accept young ladies." Their father said.
Thorin quickly changed the subject, he saw the flash of anger in Lee's eyes and said, "Thank you for the food, Master Erimm. Um, I would like to see your work shop, if you could show me?" He asked Erimm.
Erimm nodded and was standing up when Balin exclaimed. Everyone turned to look at him, thinking he had fallen ill.
"That ring! JoraLee, may I see it?" Balin asked as he pointed at it.
Jor lifted his right hand and removed the ring from his forefinger and handed it to Balin, Dwalin leaned over to inspect it as well.
"Hmmm, a most unusual emerald," Dwalin said.
Thorin who was standing by the kitchen watching Lee clearing the dishes shook his head, "It's not an emerald, it's a green diamond; a rare green diamond."
Balin and Dwalin look at him and then brought the ring for a closer look, "indeed, Thorin, it is a very rare gem. How did you know?"
"Because I made it," he said quietly. "And its twin," nodding towards Lee who had stopped moving when she heard his quiet admission.
She looked at him, "You made this whole ring? All by yourself?" He nodded.
"Thorin?" Balin asked, "How did you come by this rare gemstone?"
Thorin straightened and turned to Balin and said;
"I found it a long time ago here in the mines deep in the Lonely Mountains, while I was working alongside Crimm…"
"Uncle Crimm?" Lee whispered. "But he had always been the Royal Valet in your household…or was he?"
Thorin shook his head, "Not at that time, He was a metalsmith back then and I was his apprentice. We were mining for gems and iron in the lowest level of the quarry, where no one dared to go, and father didn't know about it. If he did, he'd have Crimm's head."
"Aye." Dwalin nodded, well aware of the dangers of being inside a mine where the possibilities of a cave-in were always a constant danger for any miner.
"We were about to call it a day when we found some big rubies and small emeralds but to me they were big at that time. It took us almost all day to dig. And after a while, it became clear that that quarry was dry, so we decided to stop. Then we heard the rumble. The two miners that were with us who had more mining experience had told us not to worry as it sounded in the distant. But the rumble continued and kept getting closer. We quickly left the chamber and begin to run back to the surface. The two miners who were running ahead became separated from us and more so when the dirt fell in between, effectively cutting us off from them.
Crimm saw another tunnel and led us though it. But it was a dead end. I was getting scared by then, I was only 15 years old. So I followed whatever Crimm said. And when he was at a lost, I thought we were done for and all I was thinking was what my father was going to do to me when he found out where I was. I didn't think there wouldn't be a me if we didn't' get out of the quarry. Luckily, Crimm kept his head about and somehow found a small cave to crawl through and it led into a bigger opening that led to the surface. But while we were stuck in the dead end, we spotted something that caught our attention; it sparked when our torches hit it. Distracted, Crimm and I used the pick-axe and chiseled it out slowly until it fell out of a hole. It had cracked into two. I thought it was a very light green emerald. But Crimm was the expert in gemstone and realized it was not an emerald but a rare green diamond. As it was in half, it was not worth a whole lot more than it would have whole. But I was more interested in working on it, giving me more experience.
So Crimm made a deal with me; he let me make it into whatever I wanted and he gets to keep it when I'm done. I thought it fair since he saved my life at that time.
And from that day on, once we finally got out of that place, he never wanted to step foot into another again. He preferred to stay in my father's employment and worked in another capacity. As for the two miners, we never heard from them again."
The room was quiet for a while.
Thorin then added, "It took me a few years to make a design I thought was appropriate for the green diamonds. I first worked with the bigger one than the smaller. The metal I used is a new type of light weight metal we all knew it. The Mithril."
"But Thorin," Balin frowned. "Why did you not use gold instead? Why silver in color?"
Thorin shrugged, "It just didn't look right. The silver was too bright and heavy. So I tried it with the chain mail. I hoped you both like it."
Jor nodded, "I do, in fact, I hardly noticed it on my finger when I work."
Lee nodded in agreement, "Jor is right. It fitted perfectly in my finger. At first I thought it was too big but it seemed as if to magically shrank and wrapped around my finger just right as soon as I put it on."
Thorin smile and said, "Take off your ring." He requested.
ThoraLee did as he asked and removed it out and gave it to him. Thorin began to put it on and slowly it began to fit into his wide thick finger. The others exclaimed. "I don't know how it happened but it was an accident when I discovered it. I left a piece of chain mail in the furnace the night before and forgotten about it. When I did, I thought it had melted because the furnace was still burning extremely hot that morning, but it didn't, when it cooled the metal looked fine so I began working on it, shaping it into a ring. I didn't know what size I should work it into as Crimm didn't tell me what he wanted to do with it. I thought he was going to sell it or something, so I use my finger for size, figuring if he were to sell it, I'd try to buy it from him.
As for the gemstone, all I could think was to make it as smooth as possible. Usually a diamond should have as many facets as possible to show off its brilliance but I don't know, this green diamond was talking to me, as if it's telling me what to do with it. When I was done with it, I thought I had ruined it as I turned it over in the light, it seemed to have its own brilliance without any facets."
Balin, still holding Jor's ring held it up and turned it, and just as Thorin said, it began to flash against the light as it hit as if it has its own facets.
"That is amazing!" Dwalin exclaimed as he was momentarily blinded by the flashes.
"I wish I'd make an offer for this very fine piece of jewelry but I can see it is priceless." He shook his head with regret as he handed the ring back to Jor who put it back on.
Thorin handed Lee hers back as well. For a moment, he had a crazy vision of slipping the ring into her finger…not her forefinger on her left hand as most single dwarves wore their rings but her middle finger on her right hand!
Shaking his head slightly, he thought he must have had one too many, "So…the work shop?" He quickly suggested before he really felt addled in his head and said or acted really foolish in front of everyone!
"I'm sorry, gentlemen," Erimm announced to the dwarves. "But I have a delivery to make at the market but I shall return shortly. Jor will show you the way."
Dwalin stepped forward, "Wait, Master Erimm, I will accompany you." Erimm nodded glad of the company.
Dwalin bowed to the rest, "We will return shortly then," and they left.
…
He was examining Jor's swords when Lee stood beside him, "This mil… what it is?"
"Mithril, it's very strong but very light. And I found out it won't tarnish like copper." Thorin explained as he glanced at her peripherally.
Lee nodded as she raised her hand and looked at the ring again, "I'm glad you came by it. Did you have a chance to create more of this…Mithril?"
Unconsciously, Thorin held her hand, they were watching the diamond's reflection being cast into multiple brilliance reflected by the nearby furnace fire. Their eyes were aglow and they were mesmerized.
Balin was budging at JoraLee, wishing Dwalin was here to see his friend.
Their moment was broken when the sound of a laughing child was heard from somewhere outside, Lee pulled her hand back and turned away from him, her mind confused.
"Oh yes, the Mithril…um, no…I have not. Before I was able to try again, my father had been asking about the text script among other things I was required to do. The Mithril was put aside."
"Well, if you have the time now, can you make more? I'd love to see if I could do some etching in it."
Thorin nodded, feeling suddenly inspired; he had a purpose and another idea. The mold for the special dagger he was designing for his father, if it worked out he could make the dagger from the Mithril. Light weight but strong. He wondered if it was worthy in battle and how long the blade would remain sharp without the need of constant honing; something to consider when in battle.
These were the questions he would ask his friends later when they were alone.
ThoraLee asked again, "Can we make your Mithril here?"
Thorin looked into the small furnace and shook his head. "It needs to be bigger, the fire hotter. The only forge I know that has a huge furnace that suits my needs is in Erebor."
"Oh." ThoraLee said, her face fell. She had hoped to be able to watch him forge a new metal; she was always fascinated by new things and discoveries.
"Lee, where are the daggers we made last moon? I thought it was in the case on the shelf." Jor had called out to her on the other side of the work shop. He was standing in front of a work table where they sat and did their work; long line of shelves above the table against the wall of the building.
Lee moved from Thorin's side and picked up a set four daggers from a bag near the furnace and turned to hand them to Jor when she saw her brother was not watching her.
A mischievous glint flashed across her eyes as she turned the daggers and held one. Thorin saw too late her intention.
"Oh!" He yelled a warning but she had thrown one and it wheezed right by Jor and the blade stuck on the wall with a loud thud, the handle right by his side, his eyes wide opened. Then no sooner another wheezed by on the other side of his ear barely missing him.
"Oh my!" Dwalin gasped as Jor was removing the daggers from either side of him. "Thank you, sister," he said calmly as if something like this happened everyday and normally.
"Give me those." Thorin said, he held out his hand.
Pursing her lips, she slapped the other two daggers on his outstretched palms.
He walked over to the table and gently placed the daggers on it, next to her brother.
Lee rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath and turned around.
But before she could pick a piece of jewelry she was working on, suddenly she heard the familiar whistling sound and a thud as the dagger hit the wall in front of her, and soon its twin hit the wall next to it.
Well, she deserved it but what she hadn't expected was that it wasn't Jor that threw the daggers near her but Thorin!
"YOU!" She exclaimed when she found out, watching his smirk.
"Thorin, you could have…" Balin began.
But before he could finish his sentence, Lee had flung a dagger towards Thorin who caught it with his hand easily.
Balin frowned at them, "Really, you are beginning to act just like…" a dagger whistled by him, cutting him off.
Well, if you could not fight it, why not join them? So, Balin pulled the dagger out of the wall near him and turned to throw it near Lee who, like Thorin, caught it by the handle easily.
Thorin nodded his head, showing that he was surprised and impressed with her skill. Lee smiled back as well as flung another dagger towards him as fast as she could, trying to catch him by surprise.
This went on for some time as all four dwarves began to work in tandem, flinging daggers at each other, passing to one another, as the other catching it easily, showing off their quickness and skills.
All until the door to the workshop opened and Dwalin and Erimm, his errands completed, entered.
Thora who was standing directly across from the door opened and was momentarily distracted, did not see the dagger thrown by Thorin but as it was not aim directly at her but by her side, it hit her right ear and sliced the top of curve of the lobe opened.
"OH!" The men yelled as they all saw the dagger cut her and blood began to spill.
"Lee!" Jor dropped his blade on the floor as he ran to her but Thorin who was closest to her was by her side already and covering her bleeding ear.
"I'm all right, guys," she tried to bat them off her. It didn't hurt much but there was a lot of blood on her hand already.
Grabbing a cloth that was laying about, Thorin put it on her ear to soak the blood and kept it from spilling more.
Dwalin and Erimm who had came in by then had rushed in to her side asked Balin to explain what they were doing to cause the latest accident.
"I said I'm fine. See, it's stopped bleeding. Just need to patch it up and I'll be good as new." Lee assured them again, she was not use to so many male dwarves being so close to her.
"Are you sure, sis?" Jor asked, deeply concern; he had seen the cut and it was deep, he looked at Thorin who returned the look and shook his head.
"Um, Lee," Thorin began. "The cut is deep and it needed to be stitched."
"Stitched?" She muttered "I'm not going to that Dango who claims to be a healer."
"Who is Dango?" Thorin asked.
"A dwarf healer who thinks he knows all about herbs and medicine but he knows nothing..." Erimm shook his head. "My brother knows more than that fake does."
"Well, it's too far to get to Crimm." Thorin said.
"Thorin, you can do it." Balin said. "You've patched many an injured dwarf in the mines."
Thorin nodded. "Do you have needle and a good strong thread?"
Lee shook her head, "I'm not letting him work on my ear," she made to push him away but he didn't budged.
"You can trust him, Lee," Balin assured her. "I have seen him doing it many times when the time was needed."
Dwalin nodded, "He can do it, Lee."
She closed her eyes for a moment, the pain was increasing in her ear and opening her eyes again, she nodded, "very well."
Thorin gave her a small smile as he straightened, looking at Jor, "I need something to numb the pain, um, plenty of linens, needle and thread."
JoraLee nodded and then made to leave but paused and turned back to Thorin and asked him, "Um, we don't have anything to numb the ear…"
Thorin shook his head, "No worries, we'll take care of it.
"Thorin, let's take her out of here, I think the house would be a better place to patch her," Balin suggested.
Thorin nodded, "You are right, Balin." He straightened up and guided her.
She shook him loose, "I can walk. It's not my legs that are injured."
Thorin shrugged, "Fine by me, I was trying to help."
"You've helped enough, trying to take out my ear!" She glared at him; the pain in her ear was beginning to throb more and she shamelessly lashed out at him.
Thorin arched his brow at her, "I didn't mean to! It was an accident, we all saw it. Balin, tell her it was an accident."
Balin would rather not get involved between the two shook his head, "I didn't see it, really."
"Chicken…" Lee muttered at him.
Balin eyed at her and saw the pain in her eyes and realized she was in pain.
"We need some wine…make that lots of wine, "Balin muttered.
"Why?" Lee asked. "Starting early, aren't we?"
"It's for you, to get you somewhat numb from the pain," he replied.
"Oh."
"It'll help. Not much but it'll help." Thorin added.
"I can take the pain," she assured him.
"We'll see," Thorin said.
….
Twenty minutes and three glasses of wine later, Lee was giggling as Thorin was trying to keep her still.
"Hold still or I'll likely sew you ear to your head," Thorin took another deep breath as he tried to hold her still. He wished his friends were here to help hold her but they were more interested in smithing than watching him patch up a torn ear. Thorin was left to tackle a drunk and squirming ThoraLee by himself.
Lee laughed again, "That will be funny! But you won't do that to me, will you, Thorin?" She turned to look at him.
Thorin turned her head back again, "Please! Hold still or I'm going to clamp that head shut."
She started to laugh hysterically at the image in her mind, she almost fell out of the chair but Thorin was quick with his reflex and caught her by her sleeve, kept her from falling flat on the wooden floor.
"My head is spinning, is your head spinning? Oh my gosh! This room is going around in circle…around and around…and around…wheee…whoa! Need to stop the house from moving, Thorin! Seriously, I'm feeling really dizzy. Ooh!" She was flailing her hands about and above her head swinging wide, almost hitting Thorin in the head who luckily saw her hands and ducked in time to avoid them.
"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts!" She shook her head, trying to bat his hand from her head, he was holding the thread and needle.
Thorin was getting frustrated; he was seated by her side on the chair in the kitchen,
"Here, drink more of this wine," he poured her another glass.
She shook her head, "You're trying to take an advantage of me aren't you?" She took another deep drink, finishing the glass.
Thorin arched a look at her and thought to himself; at the rate she was imbibing, she would have passed out in no time and might make his job easy.
"More?" He asked as he poured more.
"No more, I don't think drink I can more," she shook her head as she picked up the glass and drained it. She stare at him, "You very funny man. Nose purple in your eyes."
Thorin shook his head; she was not making any sense…must be getting drunk. She began to speak in what he thought was elfish tongue.
Didn't know she could speak elf language, again, it shouldn't surprise him.
Thorin was smiling as he poured one more time; he figured one more glass and she was done for.
"Hey, are you trying to be nice…I mean very nice…you know like very girlfriend and boyfriend nice?" She tilted her head to look at him, and almost fell over, if not for Thorin still holding her.
Thorin frowned at her, "Uh, no, we're not like that, Lee. Come on, let me get to your ear.."
"No!"
She shook her head, spots of blood splattered about her and him.
"I want to know what you think of me."
Thorin arched a brow at her; great, she's really drunk! Wished she'd just pass already…
"Thorin?" She eyed him. "Don't you like me?"
"Lee, you're really drunk and you don't know what you're talking about, so stop."
"Stop what?" She pouted. "I like me…no, I mean, I like you. Uh, do you?"
"I what?" This was getting ridiculous.
He poured more wine, "Here, drink more."
She giggled, "You are a naughty dwarf! Trying to get me drunk! Shame on you Thorin." She batted her eyes at him. Thorin blushed deeply and groaned deeply, she was such a minx.
"Lee, please, let me work on your e…"
She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his suddenly!
Thorin's eyes flew wide opened; well, that wasn't expected! And not unpleasant as he deepened the kiss…and realized she hadn't responded…
He pushed her away from him and began to laugh deeply; she had passed out. Finally!
Thorin stood and picked her up, surprise to find she did not weigh that much at all. He looked around and saw a door that led to what he thought was a bedroom and stepped into it.
He was right; there was a neatly made bed among other typical bedroom furniture inside so he laid her down on top of it, moving her so she was lying on her side, the injured ear facing up. He went back to the kitchen to gather up the supplies and brought it back into the bedroom and began to work on her ear.
Sitting beside her, he was able to patch it without her squirming about or screaming in pain, something he had dreaded when he realized he had do it to her. Normally, when he patched a fellow dwarf, they didn't scream, they took the pain. But ThoraLee was not a man; she was not used to this type of pain. He was glad the wine helped although he was not looking forward when she woke up as he knew she was probably going to have a hangover. Then again, he would be gone by then. As he watched her lay asleep, he couldn't help himself and reached up and touched her cheek, slowly stroked it along her smooth and soft jaw.
Reluctantly, he left her and went to the kitchen and cleaned his hands, washed the blood off his hands.
As he left the house to head to the work shop, he saw that it was getting late; it was time to head back to Erebor.
…..
End of Chapter 7