#scribedwarf

[quiterespectablyyours]

I have spent some time with Ori. He seems saddened at my decision to leave the Mountain but he knows how much my heart longs for home. I promised I would write him as regularly as I could.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Ori seems to be very pleased with the bracelet he’s making for the Feast. I know it is for his sweetheart, and the amount of effort that has gone into it will surely be appreciated. I wish them every happiness.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Thornirin came to ask me if I could take a look at the craft he was making. I gladly followed him into a little workshop near the library to find that his project was bookbinding. As he did have such an interest in old books, he turns out to have quite some knowledge on the old ways of binding tomes, and he planned to gift the resulting product to Ori to use as a records-book in the future. I thought what he was making was quite splendid, and Ori would probably be honoured to possess such a tome.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Bifur was excitedly telling everyone about the progress on his various projects for Khebabnurtamrâg at supper tonight, which led, as things tend to in this Company, to a competition of some sort, as Kíli then interrupted with a description of the circlet they were fashioning for Tauriel, and then Bofur cut in with the box he was making for Bifur and Tilda’s toys, and then Nori started talking about the scarf he was knitting with Ori’s assistance. However, the very sturdy material makes me think it has more uses than just warming Dwalin’s neck on cold winter nights.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Bifur took me aside as we were leaving after supper, and with a little bit of gesturing and some help from Ori, told me that he was thinking of making beads for the entire Company for Khebabnurtamrâg, on top of the toys for the children — which he says he’s close to finishing, apparently. I have to say, Bifur has a work ethic I can only aspire to.

I told him that I was sure everyone in the Company would love having new beads made especially for them. He seemed very happy at that thought, if his excited gesturing was of any indication, and asked if I would let him incorporate a design of Bag End’s door into the design. I told him he was certainly welcome to do so, though I was curious as to why. He replied that he wanted to design it so that Bag End was on one end, and the Mountain on the other.

I think that’s a very charming design, and I told him as much. He seemed pleased with my answer, and began asking Ori for more drawing paper.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Thorin didn’t show up to lunch.  I asked Ori if Thorin had been seen in the library at all, considering his absence, and Ori shook his head, saying that Thorin had last been seen heading in the direction of the forges instead.

I then asked if he’d seen Thorin’s work, and Ori nodded, saying that the crown was shaping up to be very regal indeed.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Since Ori had deprived me of my one task in the Mountain, I am spending the day stuck to Thorin’s side instead. He has been taking me through the Mountain, introducing me to the cleaning teams. Many of the people on the teams said that they were honoured to meet me. One of the leaders, a Dwarf-woman named Halda, said that Thorin talked about me enough that the entire Mountain is now very painfully aware that the sooner Erebor is restored, the sooner we may marry. Talk about pressure!

Thorin’s face was redder than my prized tomatoes by the time Halda was through with him.

[quiterespectablyyours]

Ori has suggested I return to the library tomorrow instead, as I must have had a difficult time in the guardhouse yesterday and the day before. I will admit, being trapped in there while a snowstorm raged on outside was harrowing especially considering the cold and the relative lack of supplies. We did have a fire, courtesy of Glóin, and between Bofur and Nori we had stashed away enough snacks from the kitchens to keep us from absolute starvation. The issue was more the lack of water besides what people had stored in water-skins, though at one point Bofur tried to lean out a window and collect snow in a bowl. He was pulled back quickly once he started complaining about his arm going numb.

All in all, it wasn’t the best of situations, especially when it came to disposing of chamber-pot contents, but it also could have been much, much worse. The storm could have lasted longer, after all.

I am just glad that I am finally out of the guardhouse. I don’t expect to be sleeping there for a little while.