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Imladris · 02-17-2004, 06:14 PM

Ori

Ori stared at the cloud in question and stroked his beard thoughtfully. “It looks like a joker’s cap crowned on some hoary head,” he said softly. He smiled when he heard Nali break into a little, singing of a dark cloud that haunted their steps in a playful way. Still…he glanced up at the cloud and chuckled. ‘Twas folly to think the cloud could create some ill for their journey – the only trouble they would likely meet at this time would an elf or two…

“So, Ori,” said Nali with a grin, “you never did answer my question.” He looked at him expectantly, his eyes bright and shining.

Question – what question? Ori though, his mind racing, brows meeting in a perplexed frown. With a regretful sigh, he said, “You must forgive an old dwarf, Nali, for not remembering. What was it?”

“If you had any special traits,” the dwarf replied, gazing into the sky. “See there,” he whispered pointing, “there is a dragon, his wings spread, flying towards us from a billowy mist!”

A smile grew on Ori’s face as he saw it for a vanishing instant, but then his lips drooped and forehead wrinkled a little bit. “I don’t know,” he said, attempting to answer the younger dwarf’s question. “I know much of dwarf lore and song,” he said with a shrug. “I can play a flute whose tone reminds one of loss and sorrow. It is elvish make,” he said with a wink. “From a Mirkwood elf at that,” he added.

Balin

"I fear it would be provoking trouble-" Flori said cautiously, his eyes darting side to side.

"Why?" Balin snapped, his jovial tone vanishing, and several of the dwarves looked up. "What have we to fear from them, hmm?"

“You know as well as I, Balin, that no friendship exists between the elves and the dwarves,” Flori retorted, his kind eyes flashing. “We should go around, so as not to create any more trouble than is necessary. Besides, we should gather our strength for Moria, not for minor inconveniences on the road.”

“It is a matter of principal, Flori,” Balin replied in a tight condescending tone. Pacing back and forth and gesturing wildly with his arms, he cried out fiercely, “I am not going to avoid the elves like a fat hobbit who wishes to avoid a grand adventure. Not only did they humiliate Thorin,” -- a shudder, a frown, a fluttering of the eyes – “but they had the gall to march to the Lonely Mountain when they heard news of Smaug’s death for treasure that they had not earned.” A dark scowl settled on his wrinkled face and he said, lowly, “It would be against our honour not to go.”

“We will gain honour enough,” Flori protested, “if we succeed in resettling Moria. Is that not enough?” he asked looking pleadingly into Balin’s eyes.

“Yes, but this matter with the elves will be like a smudge upon a parchment,” Balin said with a sigh. He bowed his head, his eyes staring at the ground. “We will not go purposely out of our way to annoy them if that’s any consolation, my dear Flori,” he said with a mischievous wink. "We will just go down the path and if the Elvenking takes offense, there is naught we can do about it."

02-17-2004, 06:14 PM	#74
Imladris Tears of the Phoenix Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Putting dimes in the jukebox baby. Posts: 1,453	Ori Ori stared at the cloud in question and stroked his beard thoughtfully. “It looks like a joker’s cap crowned on some hoary head,” he said softly. He smiled when he heard Nali break into a little, singing of a dark cloud that haunted their steps in a playful way. Still…he glanced up at the cloud and chuckled. ‘Twas folly to think the cloud could create some ill for their journey – the only trouble they would likely meet at this time would an elf or two… “So, Ori,” said Nali with a grin, “you never did answer my question.” He looked at him expectantly, his eyes bright and shining. Question – what question? Ori though, his mind racing, brows meeting in a perplexed frown. With a regretful sigh, he said, “You must forgive an old dwarf, Nali, for not remembering. What was it?” “If you had any special traits,” the dwarf replied, gazing into the sky. “See there,” he whispered pointing, “there is a dragon, his wings spread, flying towards us from a billowy mist!” A smile grew on Ori’s face as he saw it for a vanishing instant, but then his lips drooped and forehead wrinkled a little bit. “I don’t know,” he said, attempting to answer the younger dwarf’s question. “I know much of dwarf lore and song,” he said with a shrug. “I can play a flute whose tone reminds one of loss and sorrow. It is elvish make,” he said with a wink. “From a Mirkwood elf at that,” he added. Balin "I fear it would be provoking trouble-" Flori said cautiously, his eyes darting side to side. "Why?" Balin snapped, his jovial tone vanishing, and several of the dwarves looked up. "What have we to fear from them, hmm?" “You know as well as I, Balin, that no friendship exists between the elves and the dwarves,” Flori retorted, his kind eyes flashing. “We should go around, so as not to create any more trouble than is necessary. Besides, we should gather our strength for Moria, not for minor inconveniences on the road.” “It is a matter of principal, Flori,” Balin replied in a tight condescending tone. Pacing back and forth and gesturing wildly with his arms, he cried out fiercely, “I am not going to avoid the elves like a fat hobbit who wishes to avoid a grand adventure. Not only did they humiliate Thorin,” -- a shudder, a frown, a fluttering of the eyes – “but they had the gall to march to the Lonely Mountain when they heard news of Smaug’s death for treasure that they had not earned.” A dark scowl settled on his wrinkled face and he said, lowly, “It would be against our honour not to go.” “We will gain honour enough,” Flori protested, “if we succeed in resettling Moria. Is that not enough?” he asked looking pleadingly into Balin’s eyes. “Yes, but this matter with the elves will be like a smudge upon a parchment,” Balin said with a sigh. He bowed his head, his eyes staring at the ground. “We will not go purposely out of our way to annoy them if that’s any consolation, my dear Flori,” he said with a mischievous wink. "We will just go down the path and if the Elvenking takes offense, there is naught we can do about it."