Lady Red Cloak

Across The Room

As far as I was aware, it was a normal night like any other - entertaining guests as they drowned their sorrows in ale and smashed their heads together, a tradition I had never taken part in due to a soft skin gene on my mother's side. Whenever we'd meet others, Dwalin would be furious when they tried to do so as he saw it as an attempt to intentionally harm me, but that was never the case

It had been exactly 192 days seen I'd last caught sight of the man who'd raised me claiming 'the company is no place for dwarrowdam'. It had taken much convincing for me to stay within the blue mountains, the world was so wide and vast yet I'd seen so little - all the poetry in the world couldn't stop me from wanting to explore but without Dwalin's permission, I was hesitant

"And as the thunder clapped across the shadowed skies, and the heavens opened upon the lonely mountain calling the children of Aulë home - the burliest of our kin set out on a mighty adventure to reclaim our homeland" my feet carried me throughout the tavern as I fed the hopes of my kin with stories, old and new. Some came just for my tales instead of the drinks "it is said that Smaug the terrible quivered at fear of Thorin Oakenshield's axe as it glimmered in the gold"

My hands slammed down on a table full of little children with their parents sat on the ends of the table "As it swung down into the dragon's armoured neck, decapitating the great horror in one mighty swoop! Blood ran through the main hall of Erebor announcing the company's success and safety for all dwarven kin to return to their rightful place" cheers echoed throughout the building, we were very proud folk of where we came from

I myself had never seen Erebor as it had happened 171 years ago, the next Durin's day would be my 80th but the stories I told were that of which I was told as a dwarfling , Balin refused to let me sleep without a tale of some sort. The pair had took care of me before I could even remember, I knew they weren't my real folks but it was enough. No one had asked them to take me in, but they did - and I owed them everything for doing so

"Another story!" Ale splashed across the wooden floor just missing the hem of my skirt. My eyes flickered to the barkeep who would be the deciding vote of whether I would continue - he kept me on a strict schedule due to my age so I didn't work overtime and that customers treated me with respect. Everyone's nerves were on high alert awaiting news from Thorin's company but it didn't help tensions here

I got one solid nod from the owner "we all remember Bofur, don't we? With the strange hat - I remember when I was a kid how he'd flop it on my head and pull faces just to hear my laugh. He used to tell me all the stories he'd heard on the wind, he'd make the best stew on Durin's day! Anyone else remember?" A few tavern-goers raised their hand muttering agreement but no one helped tell the stories

Any story I told after that, no one helped carry it. It didn't matter which of the 13 it was about - they'd lost hope "those 13 are risking their lives for us! Who are we to give up on hope when they're doing so much for us...truth be told, none of us know whether they're alive or not, but it's best until we hear more to assume they lived" silence fell throughout the whole place, only utensils being put down could be heard

"Who are we to call ourselves dwarves, if we can't even trust to rely on our own kin?!" The man brushed down his beard and stood on the table "this dwarrowdam, whomever she may be has been trying for weeks, months maybe, just to keep us in high spirits and we can't even give her a proper response? It's shameful!" I smiled slightly and bowed in gratitude, the room slowly rose in applaud...maybe I did have an impact after all?

Out of nowhere, a dwarf in armour burst into the room "the birds- they're returning to the mountain! It's time! The company, they made it...we can go home" my hand gestured to the newcomer as everyone stood, proof of good news just as we needed it. I would see Dwalin once again, but what toll the journey took on the group, I couldn't tell...

But they'd made it...