Dis and I continued training. We both mastered swords well enough and then I wanted to learn archery. I picked it up almost instinctively. It just came natural. While I enjoyed it and became extremely skilled at it, it still wasn't my first pick. I discovered my weapons of choice during the spring festivities of Dale.
Everyone attended the festival. People came from far and wide to sell and trade in the famous market. We all started out in a big group. Thorin, Dis, Frerin, Dwalin, Balin and myself and of course, our parents. Dis and I broke from the group. We had no interest in looking at the caged animals with everyone else. We wandered through the marketplace, looking at new gowns and slippers. I just so happened to glance up and saw a strange looking man selling weapons a few booths down. I couldn't resist. I grabbed Dis' arm and dragged her with me. We, well I, viewed his inventory for a few minutes. Dis was uninterested.
"Now why would two young ladies such as yourselves have a need for my weapons?" the strange looking man scoffed. I merely rolled my eyes and ignored his sarcasm. That's when I saw them. Two of the most delicate and beautiful weapons I had ever seen.
"What are these?" I asked in amazement.
"Those, my lady, are sais." I had never heard of them before. They were silver and had beautiful etchings along the blade. I was intrigued to say the least. "They come from the East. Far beyond the borders of Middle Earth."
"How much?"
"What?" he looked shocked that I would even ask.
"I don't believe I stuttered. How much for them?"
"I don't think a young lady should bare such a delicate yet lethal weapon." he stated.
"Are you refusing to sell them to me because I'm a girl?" I asked furiously.
"Yes. I will not sell them to you." he said bluntly.
Our group had found us by this time and had been watching for the last few minutes. Thrain approached the man and the boys flanked him. I had a feeling that I was about to get my way.
"What is the problem here?" Thrain asked the man in a low growl.
"There is no problem, your majesty." He lied.
"You liar! Tell them how you refused to sell me these weapons because I'm a girl!"
"Is this true?" Thrain asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, your majesty. I do not think a young girl would be able to wield the sais. These are delicate instruments. Delicate, but lethal. I fear the girl would hurt herself more than anyone else if she tried using them."
"Fine." Thrain stated.
"WHAT? I shouted. "Are you serious?" Thrain raised his hand to silence me. I complied, fuming with anger.
Picking up the sais and examining them Thrain continued. "I wish to by these weapons from you." I looked up, he winked at me.
"Yes, sire. That would be ten gold coins." He knew that Thrain would give me the weapons in the end, but he could not refuse a King like he refused a young girl. He handed the weapons to Thrain who then handed them to me. I smirked at the salesman. He grimaced. The sais were rapped in a black velvet cover. Thorin approached me, he wanted to examine the weapons thoroughly.
"These are amazing! I have never seen anything like them!" he stated. That's when it dawned on me, I had no one to teach me how to use the sais. No one in Middle Earth would be able to teach me for the weapons were not of Middle Earth. I would have to teach myself. And I did.
