[piosenniel]

Laurie had left and Pio was sitting in the low light of one small lamp when the Dwarf entered. She came alert and stood, trying to remember whether this had been one of the trouble makers earlier in the Common Room. A niggling memory of him trying to restrain his fractious friend with words returned to her, and she relaxed. This was the friendly one of the group, the one who liked to drink, and laugh, and tell good stories.

She smiled at him, motioning him to come sit with her a while. She sat first, thinking that if she did he would feel more comfortable. She watched him as he made his way to the chair, his eyes on her. He was about a foot smaller than a grown man, and sported the Dwarvish long brown beard. It lay on the light mail coat he wore over his brown tunic. About his shoulders, though the night was warm, he wore a heavy brown cloak. She noted his axe, kept secured in the long black strap that went round his back. Most interesting though were the chiseled features of his face and his bright sparkling eyes, above which he bore a scar that marked him as a warrior who had seen heavy fighting.

He sat, perched on the edge of his seat as if for flight, willing himself to sit there in her presence. She looked at him gravely, though the ghost of an impish gleam shone in her eyes. ‘Well met, Master Dwarf.” Snippets of conversation came to her and brought his name. ‘Bali. Is it not?’ He nodded imperceptibly as she went on. ‘And what might I do for one from glorious Erebor, the jeweled city beneath the mountain?’