Sharp enough for both of us

Balin, son of Fundin, at your service. --- [[Independent rp. pre-quest and during-quest period. prefer tolkien universe but open to au's. please send me an ask if you have any questions. mun is age 24 and utc/gmt -7 hour time zone. i am not associated with any rpg groups and will rp with anyone including multiples of the same character. THIS IS A SIDE-BLOG: Will follow back from "theonewhocouldbecalledking" ]]

[captain-flint]

Middle-Earth Meme: Friendships [2/5]

Bilbo/Balin

[balintheoldwarrior]

"Ha, Balin," Oin exclaimed, "it's good to see you. Would you want to accompany me to the tavern for an ale, before we head out?" ~Oin

"Ohoho you speak my language, dear Oin. I do believe it is your turn to pay." 

[shiredwarf]

"For a dwarf he has some wisdom. I’m not sure how much wisdom a dwarf has, but he has some. But dwarves can always make mistakes. Dwarves can get things wrong. And he gets things wrong, too. He’s the force of dignity for the dwarves. He’s worried about the whole adventure. He takes no pleasure in killing. He’s a dwarf who has seen too much of it in the past. So he does not enter the venture wholeheartedly."

Ken Stott (x)

[paulinawach-art-deactivated2021]

[scarletwitchs]

Top 10 The Hobbit characters as voted by my followers

↳10. Balin

[thaxted]

a.k.a., sneaky bad-ass Santa-looking heartthrob.

[madamefaust-deactivated20210624]

BALIN! Words cannot express my love for this dwarf.

[majes-tea]

An Unexpected Addition

[balintheoldwarrior]

“We were pursued by warg-riders in the Lone Lands.” Balin replied, avoiding the word ‘orcs’ to prevent an even more grouchy Thorin. He inwardly wished the stubborn dwarrow would have just got a wink of sleep last night.

“We were outnumbered and caught off guard in the open plane. The wizard Radagast drew them off to gain us time, but it was a secret path that Gandalf took us through that saved our lives. A path,” he glanced in Thorin’s direction before looking back to Ora. 

“That unbeknownst to us, led straight to Rivendell.” The old dwarf accepted the water skin and took a sip.

“Twas what the Wizard wanted all along, but there were those of us that wished to avoid any contact with the elves.” 

[ora-stoneheart]

Ora looked to Balin, expression composed though she tried to keep the annoyance from showing in her eyes.

Unlike Durin’s Folk, she had grown up in close proximity to Elves. The position of Aglarond in Ered Nimrais necessitated ties to Lorien, Rohan, and Gondor in order to survive. This had made it a rich kingdom, though small, as the main export was jewels from the rich veins of the Glittering Caves. Ora held no hate for them, and while she understood the pain that Thorin and his people had endured she did not blame the Elves for it as many of his kin did.

“They offered you aid, and food,” she said. “Was it really that much of an evil? To accept their hopsitality?”

[balintheoldwarrior]

"Today we may offer the elves thanks, but there is a mistrust between us that has burned since before your time, lass." Balin sighed. "I see little evil in them to be frank, but Thorin's hatred has burned for centuries and I doubt that I will live long enough to see it burn out." 

[palantr]

[hobbit]

[caeldre]

my hobbitquotes

[nervouspearl]

[majes-tea]

An Unexpected Addition

[balintheoldwarrior]

Balin frowned, although he was glad for her company, he was ill at ease with this entire arrangement. Thorin and Ora were two very strong personalities, and to have oil and water clashing on a regular basis would make the journey all the more difficult.

“Ye’ve put me in a dangerous predicament, lass. Do not make me regret the decision.” Despite the gravity of his words, there was no bite to Balin’s words, only the caution of experience. 

[ora-stoneheart]

She nodded, expression serious. “You won’t, Balin. I swear it,” said Ora as they departed the courtyard, she and the elder Dwarf towards the back. THe only one, she noted, who dared come anywhere close was Dwalin - whom she had known when she was younger as well though not as well as Balin. The company was utterly silent until they reached the edge of the valley, their quiet broken only by grumblings about lack of sleep and soft beds and Thorin barking at the Hobbit. Ora pitied him, after Balin explained to her who he was and why he was on the journey. He looked none too pleased about leaving Rivendell, recognizing the look of longing in his face anywhere, and the she-Dwarf made a mental note to perhaps speak to him about the Elves later. None of the others would be too obliging, but she sympathized with him as an outcast in the group.

The conversation picked up that afternoon. Once most of the Dwarves had stopped glaring at Ora long enough to realize she was offering to fill their water skins, they seemed to find their easy rhythm (though it still excluded her). Instead, she took to probing Balin with questions, taking care to avoid sensitive topics. Though, that was nearly impossible with Thorin around.

“Why were you forced to Rivendell if you wished to avoid the Elves?” she asked quietly as she handed Balin back his refilled water skin.

[majes-tea]

Thorin decided to adjust to the newcomer’s existence via the method of , apart from keeping a close watch on her, pretending she did not exist. Balin was fond of her, that much was clear, and he would not kill her nor let her be killed so long as his friend saw some value in her,but he could not see it himself. He took to harassing Bilbo to relieve his frustration, or at least, that was partly it, another part of him, a protective, instinctive part of him, wanted him at hand at all times while there was a stranger in their midst.  He glanced in her direction when she asked Balin of Rivendell, but said nothing. 

[balintheoldwarrior]

“We were pursued by warg-riders in the Lone Lands.” Balin replied, avoiding the word ‘orcs’ to prevent an even more grouchy Thorin. He inwardly wished the stubborn dwarrow would have just got a wink of sleep last night.

“We were outnumbered and caught off guard in the open plane. The wizard Radagast drew them off to gain us time, but it was a secret path that Gandalf took us through that saved our lives. A path,” he glanced in Thorin’s direction before looking back to Ora. 

“That unbeknownst to us, led straight to Rivendell.” The old dwarf accepted the water skin and took a sip.

“Twas what the Wizard wanted all along, but there were those of us that wished to avoid any contact with the elves.” 

[majes-tea]

A Chance Meeting

[majes-tea]

There was a movement in Thorin’s jaw as he stared at Ora long and hard. At length, he sheathed his own weapons. He looked between Ora and Balin then away from them both, toward the road that they would travel.

“Very well. She is your responsibility Balin. Should she harm one of us, you will be held accountable as well.” He did not wait for their opinions, but stepped past them to finish making his own preparations for the journey, ignoring eager questions from the younger dwarves and the hobbit that now crowded them. 

[balintheoldwarrior]

“If that be what ye wish, then so be it.” Balin bowed to Thorin as he pushed by. He felt apprehensive about bringing Ora along, not because he mistrusted her, but because of the way Thorin and her got along about as well as oil and water. He knew even if the worst should happen Thorin would not really have to heart to harm him, but he did fear for Ora’s sake. 

[ora-stoneheart]

As Thorin left Ora gave a small sigh. It as going to be along journey, and the looks the company was giving her did not help - even Balin held apprehension in his eyes. Though she would never admit it out loud, it hurt, and she was silent as she went to get her gear. She did write a note to lord Elrond. Not to tell them where they were going - though she suspected he already did - but to thank him. She wrote a second to Arwen apologizing for their fight, and lastly grabbed her pack and swords to strap them to her hips.

When she returned the company fell silent, and Ora had to fight a smirk. They had obviously been talking about her, and the Hobbit stared as though she had two heads. She was no stranger to Halflings, having visited Bree and the Shire before, but evidently this one had never seen a she-Dwarf. She stuck close to Balin, and helped him when his hands were having difficult tying his. He was as fit as any of them, but Ora knew any Dwarf who had seen as many battles as him would have some aches in their joints.

“Thank you, Balin,” she said, placing a calloused handon his arm to stop him when he went to move away. “This means the world - not just to me, but to my people.”

[balintheoldwarrior]

Balin frowned, although he was glad for her company, he was ill at ease with this entire arrangement. Thorin and Ora were two very strong personalities, and to have oil and water clashing on a regular basis would make the journey all the more difficult. "Ye've put me in a dangerous predicament, lass. Do not make me regret the decision." Despite the gravity of his words, there was no bite to Balin's words, only the caution of experience. 

[lawrencvs]

[thelionsonofdis]

The Hunter Becomes The Hunted: Born to Die

[majes-tea]

Thorin let out an audible sigh and looked about ready to fall over, but he did not. He smiled instead, his thick brows raised in relief. 

“We thought you lost, but it seems the blood of Durin is strong in you.” He stroked Fili’s hair. “And I am glad of it.” 

[im-an-angel-with-a-bow]

A wry, raspy laugh that turned into a snort of incredulity escaped Kili’s lips as he responded to his brother’s remark,

“If only you could see yourself, Fili; the pot is assuredly calling the kettle black. A long story condensed: heroic older brother is left behind when Orcs attack, the rest come to tell his uncle and family about his absence, idiotic younger brother races towards older on foot, leaving the rest to gather ponies. The younger brother unwittingly gets grazed by a poisoned arrow, rest of the family catches up, all find the older brother. Once transported to their home, the younger realizes the arrow that grazed him and the one embedded in his brother are both poisoned and tells everyone else before succumbing to the poison himself. Then…”

Kili paused, the water, wood, light, and agony of his seperation with Fili still fresh in his mind. He unconsciously squeezed Fili’s hand tighter and gazed slightly to his left, knowing that Fili would be able to tell that he omitted some details. He concluded his tale with,

“The brothers’ uncle was somehow able to bring them back from the brink of death…although one was closer to that edge than the other, I believe the other would have followed him to the end.” He locked eyes with Fili, hoping that his brother would read everything that he left unsaid with those implicating words. Kili winced at Fee’s failed struggle to rise, and decided against doing the same for the moment. As Fili knocked their heads together, a small smile formed on Kili’s face as he whispered,

“Nadadel.”

[wolfofthebluemountains-blog]

Heti did not feel the need to add anything. Kili’s explanation seemed enough to her, anything she would have to add would be redundant. Later, when the spirit of Death was long gone from this place, she would tell Fili how scared she was. Though she knew he knew, still she felt it needed to be said aloud. Not now, but when they were alone, when they could comfort one another in private. 

For now, she just stayed by his side. Close enough that he could reach out to her for comfort easily. Her hands rested in her lap, for she thought the gentle touch of Kili and Thorin was sufficient. She did not wish to overwhelm Fili.

[thelionsonofdis]

At Kili’s words about following him into death, Fili’s eyes widened for a moment, and then he did the only sensible thing he could think of.  He used his remaining strength to lift his free hand, move it across his own body and smack Kili as hard as he could on the chest.  ”You moron.  If I died, you’d have to be the king one day.”  He seemed to ponder this, then pulled a face.  ”Actually, never mind, probably better if you did die with me.  Heti’d be a far better king than you,” it was a tease, but more than half true, probably.

He put his arm back where it was and slipping his hand into Heti’s.  He felt ill and weak.  He still trembled with fever and the pain of the poison, but he smiled at his family warmly.  The pain was temporary, and they were all worried enough.  ”Thank you all,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

[balintheoldwarrior]

Balin returned with some of his herbal solution and dripped a bit of it in Fili's mouth. "That's quite enough messin' about now. Ye'd best just focus on feelin' better alright? Drink up, there's a good lad." Balin's temper had flared back down as the boys seemed to be improving. I lost every black hair left on my head to these boys, he thought with a wry little smile beneath his snowy beard. 

[majes-tea]

A Chance Meeting

[ora-stoneheart]

Balin’s words stung, but Ora showed no indication. She needed this, her people needed this, and if she had to blackmail her way through it than so be it - she knew nobles in Aglarond who had done far worse. 

Truthfully she didn’t want to cause any of them harm, she just needed the gold. Ora was sick and tired of seeing them suffer, rejected from everywhere they went including the Blue Mountains. The only place they had found any sort of refuge was in the Iron Hills with Dain Ironfoot, who had been a close friend of her father’s as well as a friend of hers, and many refused to go to the Elves though they had been allies of Ered Nimrais for centuries.

Lowering her dagger, she sheathed it and raised her hands in a small sign of peace. “Please,” she said, voice so soft even Balin and Thorin would have hardly heard it.

[majes-tea]

There was a movement in Thorin’s jaw as he stared at Ora long and hard. At length, he sheathed his own weapons. He looked between Ora and Balin then away from them both, toward the road that they would travel. “Very well. She is your responsibility Balin. Should she harm one of us, you will be held accountable as well.” He did not wait for their opinions, but stepped past them to finish making his own preparations for the journey, ignoring eager questions from the younger dwarves and the hobbit that now crowded them. 

[balintheoldwarrior]

"If that be what ye wish, then so be it." Balin bowed to Thorin as he pushed by. He felt apprehensive about bringing Ora along, not because he mistrusted her, but because of the way Thorin and her got along about as well as oil and water. He knew even if the worst should happen Thorin would not really have to heart to harm him, but he did fear for Ora's sake. 

[majes-tea]

A Chance Meeting

[majes-tea]

“There is no place in my company for kin-slayers and sell-swords!” Thorin sneered, pressing the blade closer despite the knife held to his own stomach.

“Give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand.” If Ora had been an elf he would likely have killed her already, if that meant receiving a wound himself or not, as it was, he was still loathe to shed the blood of another dwarf, even one that was in his eyes, a criminal. 

[ora-stoneheart]

A low, almomst animalistic growl escaped Ora as her eyes went cold, staring into Thorin’s with icy fury. Fifty years she had been called a kinslayer falsley, but never had it burned her so much as being called one by one who knew the truth of her innocence an simply refused to believe it.

“I did not kill my brother,” she hissed as more Dwarves appeared, evidenly drawn by Thorin’s shouts - and, curiously enough, a Halfling of the Shire who looked incredibly confused. In fact, most of the company did.

She had been in such a position many times before and while Thorin was a king he the same mistake everyone did - leaving her legs free. Taking a chance, Ora kicked out hard into his stomach and the second his dagger had slipped away even the tinest bit she thrust downward with a fist and grabbed the hand to wrench his fingers painfully away from the weapon. However, rather than attacking him she simply held her dagger out between them to keep him at a distance.

“Now, will I be informing Lord Elrond of your departure?”

[majes-tea]

“If death is your wish!” Was Thorin’s reply, despite the fact that he was clutching at his stomach with her dagger pointed at him. He waved the others away, especially Bilbo, but was exasperated to find that none of them would move. 

[balintheoldwarrior]

Balin rolled his eyes and made his way through the others. He put a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "Let it go, Laddy." He lowered his voice so that the others couldn't hear him. "She might not be trustworthy, but she is not the kinslayer you would believe. She is my friend. I think we should bring her along." 

[hobbit]