Bearded

Chapter 32

In the days that followed, Gloin, determination on his face, gathered about him those few who were known to have argued in favour of Legolas. Through them he discovered which Dwarrow would be willing to work alongside Elves in the restoration of Minas Tirith and who would be willing to help begin the settlement of Aglarond. But rumours scowled at his back as he went, and many seemed determined to scuttle their plans. He thought much but said little, working steadfastly.

Everywhere Gloin went, he found talk running like fire among the people concerning the enchantment that was apparently now upon himself and King Stonehelm, given that they had both condoned the marriage of Gimli and Legolas. Some held that such a union would never be valid, as Legolas was not a Dwarf. They spoke of amulets and runes of protection. They never had any details about what the aim of this supposed plot was.

Meanwhile, Gloin took the lead in securing supporters for the rebuilding of the gates of Minas Tirith and the Aglarond settlement and ordered things as he wished. He knew this was one of the last things he would do for his people, and for his son. His strength was now beginning to fail him. He felt he should have fallen on the battlefield, in the battle which had taken King Dain, but none of the remaining Heroes of Erebor had been permitted to see the fighting up close. They had been commanded by King Dain to remain as the final line of defence within the Mountain, in case they were overrun. In the end, they had not been needed, as bolstered by the aid of Elves, the Mountain's defences had held firm. It seemed that Mahal had spared him for this final task; to help in securing the future of his people. He recognised it was now the Age of Men and without close cooperation with them, Dwarrow could not prosper.

He had a hard task to govern the people and direct the preparations. Perhaps nothing would have come of it had help not been at hand. The remaining members of the Company were stalwart supporters, as were most of their families. The queen herself had discretely aided in funding the journey the settlers would need to make and had also sent through to Dale a wedding gift; a clear green gem, the size of his fist and cut in the ornate Iron Hills fashion.

Gloin received news from speedy messengers sent up the river to the forest. A number of Elves would be ready to travel with them as they made for Minas Tirith with a view to settlement in Ithilien. A mixed settlement of Dwarrow and Elves would have been too much to hope for, but the distance between Ithilien and Aglarond was only a few day's ride apart.

A great and growing fear was that the populations of the Khazâd would diminish in number if not enough dwarrowlings were born; they feared decline in the manner of the Elves. They had suffered huge losses in the battles and calamities of the last two hundred years in particular and too many dams had lost their lives as casualties of war.

As with all panics which swept through communities, though there was a kernel of truth, emotion drove it. The people held in high regard those wed to their craft and regarded with pity, but understanding those who had lost their Ones. A widow was not expected to remarry, and when one's love was unrequited that was also understood to be a painful state, to be borne with endurance. The sympathy ended when it came to dams who chose not to bear young, without the 'excuse' of widowhood or of being craft-wed or thwarted in love. 'Selfish' they were beginning to be called. Worse still, was when two dams found love, and chose not to have dwarrowlings sired upon them. It seemed that the people in general could hold two abstract concepts in their minds and not worry too much that they were contradictory. Yes, they understood full well that the heart wants what the heart wants, but still felt those who had no desire for young, outside of the 'accepted' reasons, were acting out of spite. 'But!' they cried, 'you would not even need to lie with a seeded one! Just bear the young and we would take them!' Dwarrow revered children, they would not even need to raise them, people argued, simply bear them and loving homes aplenty would fight to love the child.