Byl walked the corridors and byways of Thorin's halls putting up posters
In beautiful copperplate script the poster read
Lost near Frerin's court
A Zircon Geode
9 inches in diameter
Property of Byli Brokenspear
Large rewards for the finder
Contact the Brokenspear residence
He had little hope of it being returned but you never knew. Dwarves overall were honest folk and honourable to boot.
He called into Skegrim's shop. "Might I place one of these in your window, Master Skegrim?"
"Aye, brother Byl, with pleasure. A Geode eh? Now that's someone's fortune made! I dare say Byli is worried sick at its loss?"
"Sick indeed and in more ways than one!" Byl said cryptically.
"Oh and when you have a boy delivering near my house get him to drop off some fancies suitable for baking into cakes... You know... chocolate drops, honey comb, glace fruit, ye know the stuff I mean"
Skegrim nodded and smiled. "Certainly, Izbad. They will be with you this evening."
He made a mental note to avoid visiting the Izbad for the next few days.
He had eaten one of Byl's cakes before and politeness had made him swallow it down despite the glue-like consistency of the filling.
"Well must be off I've a few more of these to post yet"
Byl waved and went on his way towards the lower halls and Runulf's. "Yes, definitely one behind the bar in Runulf's place." he muttered to himself "Thirsty work putting up posters."
==================
With a firm tread, Hilfar made its way to the DFTC offices. It was a sign in red runes that made him freeze at the spot. He took the note from the wall and read it carefully "By my beard! This belongs to house Brokenspear?" Hilfar reached inside his bag to check if the geode was still there. He looked around, he was alone.
Thoughts whirled in his head. "Byli.. just a boy still, and careless, losing a treasure like this.. Not to mention their involvement in the death of Kandral". Hilfar stood there for what seemed like an hour, doubt ever gnawing. He wanted no quarrel between their houses, both known for their hot headed members. “But just handing in this geode to a careless brat, by Mahal no! I found it fair and square and is rightfully mine.” Hilfar did not feel comfortable at all.
He reached the DFTC offices, but Asfinnur was not in. The bag with the geode felt heavier with each passing minute, greed and honor were fighting their battle in his mind. One of them was losing.
Hilfar walked to the DTFC office No one there... "Bah! Time for a beer!"
He walked down to Runulf's Bar and as he entered the bar those same red runes assaulted him!
Lost near Frerin's court
A Zircon Geode
9 inches in diameter
Property of Byli Brokenspear
Large rewards for the finder
Contact the Brokenspear residence
“Why Master Hilfar...Well met brother... Come...have an ale with me."
Byl slapped some coins on the bar top and indicated to Ranulf for two beers.
“Oh a busy day for me! My lad has lost a geode... Stupid because he is the only jeweler in Thorin's that can actually use it... all the others crack and ruin them... He has indicated that the reward would be great... he is desperate to retrieve it.”
Byl watched Hilfar... his face was pale and sweaty. His demeanour was low and uncomfortable "Are you alright brother?”
“Um Yes Lord... I have a slight fever, lord. I think I must go and lie down.”
Hilfar picked up his knapsack... it weighed on him like a ton of lead... The geode weighed down his spirit.
He dragged his hide slowly from the tavern... "Oh Mahal This really sucks... I can't do this…” Hilfar struggled away.
His mind was in turmoil! He was a worthy and Honorable Dwarf... his mind was in turmoil... the Geode was worth a fortune ... but was it worth his honour?
Twisting and turning for hours but sleep would not come. In the middle of the night he got out of bed and dragged himself to the living hall. On the table lay the geode, staring at him. Hilfar rubbed his temples. "I am no thief, return it already." Hilfar muttered. He looked at the geode again, inspecting its beauty, its splendour, its magnificence. "But the boy will ruin me, hacking with its tinker hammer, you must save me Hilfar!" said the geode. The voice of greed was a very convincing one.
Hilfar snapped out of his trance by a loud knock on the door. Quickly he threw a rag over the geode and stumbled towards the door. "Who in the name of Mahal dares disturb me in the middle of the n....". BAM! Sleep finally caught up with him in a very violent way.
==============
Kandral looked at Thrandili, not a word to be heard.
His warm kind and understanding eyes changed to eyes of disbelief.
He turned away from Thrandili, no longer looking in her eyes, pulling away his hand as well.
He clenched his fist firmly, and shut his eyes, as if he was controlling something very powerful from bursting out of him. "I see", he said at length in a whisper, lowering his head.
A great many thoughts raced through his mind, but he remained silent.
Just as Thrandili seemed to want to say something he uttered: "I want you to depart from my hall", spoken firmly in a steeled yet soft voice, looking as if all emotion had left him.
Thrandili could not make out any words, shocked to her core.
"You have made your choice... go to him", he turned and looked her in the eyes again and she could see tears had trickled into his white beard. With great effort he turned himself, pulling the bed-sheets over his shoulder facing away from the dwarf girl.
He clenched his eyelids as if he wanted to block out everything. He was hurt, felt humiliated. Once again he had shown emotion and once again he had been crushed. He felt angry, he wanted her to leave the room, leave his hall. "She did not even trust me to handle it, she put me aside, she... ", such thoughts raced through his head. Anger bubbled up and he did not wish to see her again. As the seconds passed he felt love and regret fight with feelings of anger and humiliation, he loved her, she was his tiny cloud after all.
"Depart from my hall. You have made your choice...go to him."
Everything stopped - breath, heart, thought. Thrandili stood by her father's bed, shocked past belief. "'Adad - you can't! You don't mean that!" She reached for his hand again, but he pulled away.
Then feeling returned, and there was no holding back the storm of grief and rage. "I did what I had to do!", she shouted. "And you're lying! You never tried to help us! You don't love me! You just love - that!" She swept her arm in the direction of the study, where waited an ever-growing mountain of books and scrolls. "That's all you've EVER loved!" She bent over until her breath ruffled Kandral's hair. "You want to live in the past because you can't change anything there. It's like some perfect gem, like one of Byli's zircons. It's safe for you there. But 'Adad, I can't live there."
She wanted to hug him, but she was too angry, too hurt, and so she left the room, and went to Buhni, and hugged her tightly instead. "He's sent me away!"
==================
With a groan Hilfar slowly opened his eyes. A sore head and a numb jaw, he took quite a punch. His room was hardly touched but the geode was gone "Mahal, why give me such a gift only to take it away again!? Why?"
Hilfar looked around for any sign or trace of the burglar but found none. He went outside and strolled a bit through the corridors, he came across a familiar beard, master Brolin. He was looking around for something until he spotted Hilfar. "Hey, have you found it?"
Hilfar frowned. "Found what?".
Brolin looked surprised. "Have you not heard? There is a geode lost right here in Thorin’s Halls!
Many are trying to get their hands on it. It’s a fortune!".
Hilfar sighed deeply, feeling miserable. "Say, what happened to your eye!?".
Hilfar walked further. "Accident," he mumbled.
“All I need is a dwarrow that knows how to track that burglar.” Hilfar thought. His little stroll ended up before the house of Augir. He knocked, hoping Skaril would be there.
=============
Kandral heard Thrandili's shouts. Like daggers, they cut his heart. Firmly, he closed his eyes and bit his lip. He would not respond. Or maybe he should? Had he been too hard on the girl? Her words rang through his mind... "You don't love me!". He heard Thrandili rush out of the room.
"Oh my little girl... ", said Buhni, comforting, as she held Thrandili as close as she could. "You know your father... his honour and hard mind blind him... he loves you child, more than you will ever know".
Hanfrere, who was in the kitchen with Buhni, handed Thrandili a bowl of stew, her ultimate comfort food, but the young dwarf shook her head as she was still buried in her mother’s arms. "I'll talk to him... 'Amad will make things alright". As Thrandili stayed in the kitchen with Hanfrere, Buhni marched toward the bed-chamber.
The healer, Augir and Kandrin looked on at it, as if it was a play they would rather not witness, each trying to find another matter to turn their sight and thoughts.
Buhni entered the room and closed the door. Shouting could be heard, yet no one in the other chambers of the hall could clearly make out what was said. The couple had a row, a row like they never had and never would have again. Buhni had little compassion for Kandral's condition and Kandral seemed to shout like his heart was that of a young buck. Suddenly there was silence. A good minute later, Buhni left the chamber and shook her head. She looked at Augir and beckoned him. "He will not listen to reason", she said as she let out a deep sigh. "Please get master Byl here... maybe his friends... Byl and yourself will make him see reason", she added, then slowly walked to the kitchen again.
