Shadow-tamers were once powerful and strong people. Who could command even the darkest of beast with only a word. There were once many, but now they have faded into memory.
Or Have they?
When Trix Grimm is found by an old friend who asks for her hel...
The blacksmith just shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to hire you." Trix didn't need to read minds to know he meant. He wouldn't hire a girl. "Maybe try down the road."
Trix scowled but nodded insulting the man would get her nowhere.
The blacksmith walked away leaving Trix standing in the street. She ran her hand through her hair and cursed softly.
Before she turned and walked towards Aasimar.
Unknown to her. A dwarf was watching the interaction curiously.
He knew no girl would try to get a job in a blacksmiths unless she knew how to smith.
He shrugged and turned back to work. But something about the girl stuck in his mind. He sighed and placed down his hammer. Cursing himself as he followed after her.
He found her standing next to a horse far too large for her. Softly talking to it.
"I know Aasimar. I know."
He sighed again, damn him.
"Lass."
The girl turned.
Thorin was shocked by the girls appearance. She didn't seem to be very old. She couldn't have been older than his nephews. He could see scars peaking over the edges of her shirt. But what really startled him, were her eyes. Her eyes were bluer than any Sapphires he had ever seen in Erebor, and they were streaked with gold. She herself was stunning.
Trix turned startled. Her shock turned to confusion when she saw a dwarf male standing before her.
He was taller than her and had long black hair that was starting to streak with grey and a short cut beard. And brilliant blue eyes.
She bowed her head, "Master Dwarf, can I help you?"
The dwarf looked at her, "Do you know how to smith?"
Trix nodded confused, "Aye. Why do you ask."
He nodded his head back to the blacksmiths. "A girl who asks for work in a blacksmiths either knows what she's doing or is desperate for work."
Trix smiled and patted Aasimar's flank, "Well, I am both Master dwarf."
He stared at her a moment longer, "Come. I will vouch for you."
Trix felt her jaw drop, "Really? Why?"
The Dwarf shrugged, "You remind me of someone. Now come."
Trix didn't need to be told a second time. She followed after the Dwarf.
She watched as he called out to the blacksmith.
The blacksmith wandered over. Eyeing Trix as he did,
"Master Dwarf, is she bothering you?"
The dwarf shook his head, "No. I'm vouching for her as a Blacksmith."
The blacksmith looked shocked. He opened his mouth, Trix assumed to try and persuade the dwarf not to do this.
But seeing the look on his face, he closed his mouth. "Fine. But if she causes trouble both of you are out."
The dwarf nodded. "Fine."
Trix looked at the Dwarf in shock. That was a steep risk to take for someone who you didn't know.
"I'm done for the day."
The blacksmith nodded and turned away.
Trix followed the Dwarf.
"You didn't have to do that."
The dwarf just looked at her. "Do you have a place to stay?"
Trix furrowed her brow at the change of topic, but sheepishly smiled. "No?"
The dwarf sighed deeply, "Follow me. You can stay with me for the time."
Trix felt her eyes widen, "thank you Master Dwarf."
"Do not thank me. Show me I have not made a mistake."
Trix nodded determination clear on her face.
------
The next three years. Trix worked with the dwarf. She never asked for his name, and he never asked for hers. It was a simple life. And Trix loved it.
Every day the pair would go and work in the blacksmiths. The pair developed a strange relationship. The dwarf became protective over Trix. And Trix was certainly fond of him, he reminded her a bit of Paladin. Just more gruff.
The blacksmith had taken back everything he had said against Trix when he had seen her work. Even the dwarf had been impressed.
She made elegant but sturdy blades, often with designs across them. People would pay even more for the blades.
Trix never stopped getting in trouble much to the dwarfs chagrin.
One particular day early into working with each other. Trix had been left alone in the shop. She was sketching up more designs for blades and working on tempering a sword.
When some of the other younger blacksmiths came in. Trix ignored them. But they were determined to talk to her. They flirted and when Trix shot them down in every way she knew. They got mad. And tried to attack her. Trix fended them off easily. They had never been trained with swords and she had. It had ended when the Dwarf came in and scared them all off.
He had called Trix nothing but trouble. But She could see the glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
Another time Trix was thankful for the Dwarf was when he taught her how to braid her hair.
It was a small thing. But he had watched her struggling to keep her hair out of her face when they worked and that night. He had sat her down and braided her hair. It was a simple but effective set of braids.
One larger four strand braid went down the center of her head. With two smaller five strand braids on the sides keeping the hair up and out of her way. The Top braid only stayed close to the scalp for half of the head, after that it was a free failing braid. The two braids on the side went as far along the scalp as they could. There was also a smaller braid that went behind her left ear. The dwarf had told her never to remove it. He had even made a bead for it.
Trix all in all loved it. She learnt how to do it quickly thanking the dwarf profusely for teaching her how to braid. The dwarf just shrugged off her thanks.
Trix watched sadly as the dwarf slept. She had been still for too long. She needed to move on.
She had seen visions of a minotaur near Fangorn. It needed to be delt with.
She sighed deeply dressed in the same outfit she came to middle earth in. She placed a note on the table along with a small bag of gold as thanks and a glowing blue vial.
"Until I see you again, Master Dwarf."
The soft whispers of her ancestors swirled around her head.
She sighed deeply and shouldered her bag, and snuck from the room.
Once she found Aasimar, she rode out of the small town, and she didn't look back.
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