Crouching in a crossroads over a broken, fallen crystal lamp, prodding the metal frame with one finger, Cyndwin spoke into the shadows but kept her voice low, having learned how it echoes in the stone halls. "Is this why...Dwarves seem sad? All this, fallen forgotten craft and art? Well..not forgotten to them I'm sure, but to so many others?"
The girl straightened and hefted her halberd, looking warily into the dark, staring down several passages stretching down then looking into their opposite numbers climbing up, a look of hopelessness on her face.
She sighed, frustrated. "Now which way, love?"
Xanderian moved slightly to glance at the debris, betraying her position leaning against a wall, deep in the shadows at the edges of the crossroads. Without that motion, noone would ever have noticed her lithe figure in the darkness, save for the pale blue light flowing over the surface of her bow. She held Heartbreaker at the ready, keeping a watch on all approaches as her companion sifted through the ancient wreckage sadly. Bits of lamp, broken decorative stone, shattered weapons and tools...the occasional bone.
As Cyndwin asked her question the Elleth sighed. "Much of the knowledge that went into the crafting of these vast caverns is lost even to the Dwarves. How were these lamps created? What gives them light? Why were they arranged as they were? No one knows for sure any longer, though there are scholars seeking the answers. Whether or not their search proves fruitful is as great a mystery as the questions themselves."
A sound of shifting stone near her caused the young Shieldmaiden to grab for her halberd, but an arrow was already away, gleaming with mystical light as it slammed into a caveclaw that had been hiding in the debris, lifting it into the air and slamming into the far wall. The force of the arrow tacked it brutally to the stone, the arrowhead embedded four inches into the wall. The girl froze and stared at the hideous creature, its razor sharp claws twitching still as it dies.
Xanderian shrugged softly and lowered Heartbreaker, the bow giving a small murmur of satisfaction, almost a last taunt at the dead beast.
The Shieldmaiden grinned slowly. "That's my Rian. There is so much, so much more in this Middle Earth, so much more than I ever dreamed as a child in Rohan, and I owe so much of what I've seen to you! Yes much is lost but so much remains - there is hope - for the dwarves and for us all, yes?"
The Elleth nodded, watching the girl with a deep abiding love..."There is always hope, even when it is hard to see Cyndwin of the Westfold...hope for men and hope for dwarves, for halflings, and even hope for the first born in the days we have remaining. As for owing me for what you have seen, I am in your debt for the same thing, for in your eyes I see everything anew, in your eyes I see things I never have before."
Xanderian drew the blonde beauty into her embrace, kissing her softly while crading the taller woman against her, soothing her in the flickering torchlight..until someone tapped her on the shoulder making uncomfortable Harumph noises. A small group of miners had arrived in the crossroads and seemed very upset that Cyndwin had touched the debris, speaking fast and loud in their own language while pointing and shaking their fists, hammers and axes gleaming in the torchlight.
Cyndwin tensed and jumped at the tap, heart pounding that some came so close seemingly undetected, but before she could react (or overreact) one of the dwarves got a good look at Xandarian and with an exclamation they all now turned to the elf and continuing to yammer but in a more friendly fashion.
The girl watched bemused, slowly relaxing and smiling tentatively at the miners yet still more than a little intimidated by their demeanor. The mysterious words the daughter of Rohan had heard before, "H'rath Karcum" were used several times. After a few moments pause, the Elleth responded to the miners in their own language though several of them seemed quite amuzed with her accent, pointing at Cyndwin and herself several times and repeating a single word, "Aza", which they seemed to be satisfied with even if they were tilting their heads, slightly confused until one shruged and said "Khalam..." which made the others chuckle while making various gestures that seemed to indicate crazy, as well as some other hand signs which seemed to relate to something a bit...private. Finally each of the Dwarves stared hard at Cyndwin as if memorizing her face and armor...then nodded.
As the miners wandered away down one of the passageways the Elleth turned back to her companion and smiled. "All is well...the Iron Garrison knows you now."
Cyndwin shook her head, smiling at Xanderian..."You amaze me...so, what does 'aza' mean? And where are the daughters of Durin? Is it true they carve their children out of stone and have no women?"
The Elleth smiled back as they both gathered up their packs, shaking her head indulgently. "Well...I have never seen a dwarf lady to the best of my knowledge, but Xandilif claims to have done so and that they look identical to their male counterparts, just lumpier. However she also said that even asking about Dwarven women is considered so rude as to trigger violence on a wide scale. I suggest you put them out of your mind as we depend upon the Dwarves for as long as we are underground. We have no desire to cause offense. I could believe that the men were all created by Aule and no intercourse need take place amongst them, but I have never seen proof of such...though I do know their bodies function in such respect much as any other male.."
She seemed to smile slightly at a memory, then dispelled it and continued...
"Aza...the word Az signifies One...Aza means "My one"...it is something of a slang word amongst dwarven warriors indicating the object of their obsession or desires, their personal treasure...usually such as "Mithril Aza" meaning My Mithril or that their greatest treasure is mithril, or Nikul Aza, My Pride, meaning their honor matters most to them in the world. Used for a person it indicates that person is your purpose or treasure, a devotion of a personal nature....mostly."
"The Garrison members understand now that through me, you are allied with H'rath Karcum and they will speed our way, especially if we can be of aid to them in their struggles. And as you are so softhearted and eager for battle, I do not think we could AVOID such things."
Before the girl could ask more questions, especially who this H'rath Karcum might be, the elf had turned and started down the same passageway the Dwarves had gone down previously. "This must be the way my love..." she called back as young Cyndwin snorted and hurried after her, repeating the word she had just learned to herself quietly, a growing blush kissing her suntanned cheeks. "Her Aza...her Aza...."
