Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Save for characters that are not in his works.
A little bit of a filler chapter. So it's a little short. But I think that it'll be okay. The irrational part of me doesn't agree, but it'll be fine.
"You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family."
~Trenton Lee Stewart
CHAPTER FOUR
T.A. 2767
"Nan?"
"Yes, young one?"
"Will we still do this when my family comes?" Nuil asked the dwarf woman, looking up from her book. They were in the library, studying. Dis was not there. She was away, with her family for some formal affair taking place between them and their cousins. Nuil had turned down Dis's invitation to come, merely because of the dress she saw Dis being fitted for. There was no way she would let them make her such a fine, extravagant dress. With gold trimmed hems, and embroidered symbols over the rich and luxurious fabric. If her mother saw the fine dresses she was currently wearing, she would have a fit.
Her family was used to a simple existence, with simple clothing, simple meals, and certainly no hoards of gold lingering around to see. They were hunters, and trackers. But if she was truly honest, fighters.
Nan looked at her with a closed off expression. The dwarf woman -like most dwarves- was greatly talented at hiding her true emotions. "I will still teach you, young one," she said. "There is much to learn when learning Khuzdul. But your mother will be your mother."
"Does that make us friends?" Nuil asked timidly. She did not want Nan to go. Over the progression of slow aching months of missing her family, Nan had become very dear to her. A slow smile crossed Nan's face.
"That would make me glad," she said, gaining a bright smile from the girl. "Very glad."
oOo
The season changed, bringing rain and a renewal of the rolling green hills that surrounded Erebor. The air became warm, with the lusty scent of flowers. There were few who were able spend the bright sunny days outside the mountain, contently soaking under the sun for a few hours. The markets of Dale filled with color and laughter, banishing the dark chill of winter that clung desperately to the white stone.
Flower chains were woven by the little girls of Dale. Nuil watched them from the gates of Erebor, a small longing feeling closing in on her, to be included in the large group of girls. But that was not to be so. Dwarven children, especially royal ones, had no time for frolicking in green hills, with flower crowns, pretending to be princesses. Nuil knew she was no royal child, but Dis was. Dis merely scoffed at the girls, turning back to the block of wood in her hand.
"I don't see why putting flowers in their hair is so joyous," she muttered, flicking wood shavings off her lap. "I also don't see why we cannot do this inside."
"A little sunlight never hurt anyone," Nuil replied, her eyes glued to the girls. "Besides, it's a springtime tradition. Back home we weave flowers into our hair and dance until the next day, drinking and dancing." Dis wrinkled her nose.
"The only good thing I see in that, is the drinking."
Nuil rolled her eyes. "We cannot even drink yet, Dis."
"Hasn't stopped me," she confessed. "Frerin has a terrible habit of not watching where he leaves his tankard." Her roguish grin made Nuil smile.
"Don't get caught."
"I don't intend on it." Dis's eyes lit up suddenly. "Just imagine. When I come of age, I will challenge Thorin to a drinking game, and I will have such a tolerance that it will amaze them!"
"They will say it flows in your blood," Nuil chuckled. Dis beamed.
"I fully intend on being better at something than my brothers, smithing is out of the question because Thorin is so talented at it."
"Frerin can juggle knives," Nuil added.
"How did you know that?" Dis gasped.
"He was gloating after another one of our matches." Nuil scowled, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. After months of training, hours of tears and aching muscles; she had only managed to last a good fifteen minutes before she had a sword pressed to her chest. It was better than the beginning, but it still infuriated her to no end. One day, she would best Frerin.
"Some day . . ."
oOo
It was sunny, not a cloud hung in the blue sky. Nuil could see it from the small window that let a shaft of sunlight fall on the floor several feet to her right. Her eyes were fixed on the window, her hand holding the page of her book, forgotten.
Dis sat beside her, mouthing the words of her book as Nan sat sewing by the door. There were not to be let out of their studies until midday.
However . . .
Frerin burst through the door, interrupting the silence. His eyes landed on Nuil with a hint of amusement in them before he spoke to the three startled occupants of the library.
"Master Nolen has arrived."
Nuil shot up from her chair, disregarding that it toppled over with her haste. Frerin looked pleased by her reaction, a smile crossing his face.
"May I see them?" she asked frantically. Her eyes dancing from Nan and Frerin looking for an answer.
"Go," Nan urged with an indulgent smile. Nuil gave her a smile before dashing from the room. It took her little time to stop before the side doors leading to the throne room. Nuil took a deep breath, smoothing her skirts, remembering suddenly that she was wearing the deep midnight blue dress that Dis has recently made her be fitted for.
Would her father approve?
Would her mother be there?
Ah! But it did not matter, she knew, what she was wearing. Just that after long months of waiting, she was too altogether happy to see them again. There was no substitute for family.
She opened the door, it barely whispered above the voices coming from the throne, were gathered was her family. At least . . .
"Papa!"
They turned, her father beaming at her from a tired smile. He spread his arms wide, as she ran to him. He twirled her around in the air and set her on her feet, taking her face between both his hands.
"My little one," he murmured. "Ai, you have grown."
"Hardly," she replied smiling. Nuil turned to her mother, finding that she too looked tired, but happy.
"Mama!"
"Nuil," Meldamar said, embracing her youngest. "Look! What is this?" Meldamar held part of Nuil's skirt between her fingers, inspecting it. "So fine . . ."
"It was a gift," Nuil explained, "from my friend."
"Not some ordinary friend," Nolen said. "Princess Dis."
"Our Nuil, friends with a princess?" Nuil turned seeing her brother, Nilwe smirking at her. "What a thing." His voice held disbelief and mocking in it. Nuil scowled at him.
"Come now, little brother," Nurgon said. "Do not tease her. We have yet to hear of what she has been up to since papa and Noledhe's departure." Nurgon winked at her, bringing a smile to her face. Nilwe pulled her into a bone crushing hug.
"But I missed her so!"
"Nilwe!" Nuil cried. Nilwe let her go, ruffling her hair. She turned her gaze to the rest of her family. Slowly the smile that had once been on her face faded.
"Where is Noledhe? Nedoheen? Nogoth?"
"They could not come dearest one," Meldamar said softly. "Our home could not be left unattended."
"But-"
"There was no other choice," Meldamar said firmly, her eyes drifting towards Nolen with a hard look. Nuil knew that look well. It often meant that her mother was not happy. Nuil bit her lip and nodded.
"Well!" King Thror boomed, gaining their attention. "It is good that your family is here, Master Nolen. Now you can begin your duties and we will see little Nuil's face lit with a smile more."
Nolen glanced at Nuil, a smile tugging on the corners of his lips at the kings words. With his left hand on his chest, Nolen bowed towards King Thror. "I look forward to it."
oOo
The morning after their arrival in Erebor, Meldamar took to inspecting their dwellings more closely than her late night survey with tired eyes. She wore a frown as she went from room to room, opening chests, cabinets and doors. Nuil trailed after her, eager to explain how the stove in the kitchen worked, or where to get water.
Finally Meldamar stood in the living room, hands on her hips.
"It will do."
"I miss windows," Nuil added softly, picking at her red dress. It was a simple cotton one, much more suited to her tastes. Meldamar smiled at her.
"So do I."
Mother and daughter spent the day in the markets, buying rugs, ornaments and other things for their home. Meldamar told Nuil that it was to make their dwellings more like their home in Arnor. Which, after everything was in place, did.
The next day, Nuil introduced Dis to her mother. Dis was so taken with Meldamar, that it took both her brothers at dinner time to take her away. She later confided in Nuil that she felt like Meldamar was everything she imagined a mother to be. Nuil was very proud to have her mother after that. It was a common occurrence to see Meldamar with both girls in tow while doing business in the mountain. Nan would join them, and Meldamar was glad for the female company of someone so close to her daughter.
It did not take long for Meldamar's skill with the needle to gain her acclaim. Her embroideries were some of the finest that could be seen and eventually bought in the kingdom. Meldamar worked with other dwarven women, in a small sewing hall, making her pieces. And finally after all her years of hard work, Nuil's interest in the art grew. Meldamar was very pleased.
Both Dis and Nuil would sit in the sewing hall, in their spare time, and sew listening to her mother tell the others about her life. " . . . before I met Nolen, I was the best seamstress in our village." Meldamar sighed. "It was my embroidery that brought him there. He wanted to know who had made his cloak."
"What is so special about a cloak?" One of the older dwarven women asked.
Meldamar smiled. "Apparently he believed the raven stitching was good luck, it had saved his life."
The dwarf women grunted with approval. "Ravens are good," one murmured thoughtfully.
"Yes," said another, "they are bearers of news."
"Or ill omens," another said. They all 'tsked' darkly at her words.
"We will say it was good," said Nan from beside Meldamar. "It is not often that fate brings two together in such a good way."
"Fate or ill will?" said the old dwarf woman. "A sign of both good and bad on you."
"I like to believe that it was a good sign," Meldamar replied firmly. "If Nolen had not come, I would have married a man who held no love for me."
"You are indeed blessed," one said.
A little short chapter. But not that I mind. I was writing chapter twenty-four last night and started chapter twenty five before realizing that I put two events way out of order. :P Fail. So now I have to go switch some stuff around . . . (dramatic sigh) work, work, work. I will be watching the movie to refresh my memory because there was some miscommunication between my brain and fingers.
To my lovely reviewer: IceheartsChill- you hit the mark, just a little too soon. Your suspicion is- well, you'll read soon enough. :)
Read, enjoy, Review!
~filimeala