A few days later Byl and Kandral sat at the table in the Strongbeard vast study which smelled of old parchment, Ereborian leather and Southfarthing pipeweed.
"I thought you two could do with a fresh winterberry ale", said Buhni, as she walked in with two very large frosty tankards, "it's the last of this year's winter stock. I've saved it for a special occasion", she smiled as she set them down.
Kandral didn't look up and was scrolling through some ancient scroll, then mumbled as if making an observation: "No ale in the study!", just as Byl was licking his lips and reaching out for the cold frothy tankard.
Byl looked at Buhni, then at the ale, as if begging for approval to drink it there and then.
"Hmm, shall you gentledwarrows have a break from all this zarb business for a bit?", she said and took the tankards to the main chamber. Byl sighed, looking at the ice cold ales being carried further away from his parched lips.
"Oh, alright then", said Kandral, "I suppose a few cold ones couldn't hurt... but after we start on items 87 master Brokenspear....", Kandral quickly checked the list and read: "marital duties regarding the keeping of animals and stock". Byl rolled his eyes. Why did he ever agree to create a traditional addendum to the zarb covering every single aspect? Would this zarb business ever end? "If we want to get these youngsters married before Durin's Day, as was our plan, then we have a lot of work", said Kandral, "talking about work, how is Byli getting along with his new mansion? I pray it will be done in time?"
"Coming?" said Buhni as she waved the cold tankards from the main chamber. Byl dashed out of the room, his response would have to wait.
After 3 days, Thrandili consented to come out of her room, wrapped in a large cloak. Her face was still swollen and bruised where Durtin had battered it, her arm still ached badly from when he'd dumped her on the floor, and her split lip still bled when she tried to suck up Buhni's nourishing broths. At least the throbbing headache from when Byl smashed the door down on her had gone. The pain and confusion she felt after the attack had cast a mist over everything she felt - love, rage, fear, all dim and far away - but now they were returning, in full force. Buhni had told her that Durtin wouldn't bother her ever again. She needed to know what that meant...
She couldn't keep asking her mother to send Byli away every day; he loved her, not just her pretty face. And the herbal creams Buhni had gently applied to her face had helped reduce the swelling. Taking a deep breath, she looked down the stairs. Voices came from the study - her father and Byl were still discussing the zarb. How much could they possibly have to negotiate? She was well aware that Kandral and Byl were both wealthy Dwarves, and Byli also now had a substantial fortune thanks to the geode. But still, 3 days!
Her mother swished past, carrying 2 large tankards. Thrandili shrank back, unseen at the top of the stairs. A minute later, they all came back out of the study and settled in comfortable chairs to drink their ale. Mmm smelled like winterberry. She liked to drop a piece of peppermint candy in hers, when she was allowed a small mug.
She lifted the cloak hood to partially hide her face and walked carefully down into the main chamber.
"Fodder," she mumbled, trying not to move her lips lest they start to bleed again. "Izhbad Byl." Her mother moved quickly to her, smiling.
"Where'sh Byli? And ish dere any cake?"
Byli sat in the bowl of a tree level with Thrandili's bedchamber. He had laid a bunch of wild flowers on her window sill and he wished for a glimpse of his betrothed.
She came into his sight eating cake very gingerly with her sore lip.
She looked at the flowers and glanced up to the branch he was sitting on.
Without a moment’s thought Byli swung onto the window sill and gently held his love.
"Oh my Thrandili... I thought I had lost you forever!"
Words tumbled out of his mouth. "I don't care that that Durtin violated you... You are mine forever my love. I will stand by you even if he has given you a child... you are my life's dwarf! I will not forego you!"
Thrandili looked closely at the dwarf in front of her. Handsome of face and well muscled.
She noticed a strange protuberance from his breeches and thought, with a blush, that she guessed what that might be.
"Oh Byli... Fear not! I am still a maid. I fought him off. He did nothing to me."
Byli crushed her to him, lost in the realisation that his fears were for nought.
Thrandili wept tears as he crushed her wounds and bruises but she did not draw away from her true love’s hug.
"Go my love"... Our parents are downstairs discussing the Zarb... "We could be discovered at any time."
Byli stepped back onto the window sill and prepared to jump back onto the branch.
Stepping back onto the tree he glanced back at his love...
Her gown had fallen open an inch or two and he caught a fleeting glimpse of the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life!
=============
Byli walked back from the kin meeting his heart on fire and his mind racing!
The Uzbad had acknowledged him and given him the hand of his love... He was betrothed!!!
His love was within his grasp!
Byli regretted that Byl had gone off on his caravan to Rivendell but Business was business.
His mind was racing... he needed a house and not just any house... This was going to be a bespoke number... Two bathrooms... A room for Thrandili to make her music... A study for him... A jewellery workshop... A secure vault for the wealth they would accumulate between them. Rooms for children?
Oh Mahal, she made him so hot with lust!!! Three he thought... A good number to aim for... Maybe four?
Perhaps five... Oh how he ached to hold her again!
Six he decided six was a good number!
He had an appointment on the morrow with one of the finest architects in Thorin's halls... He must get his thoughts straight... This was important! He wondered if he should consult Thrandili?
=============
Kandral crawled out of bed the next day, his head booming as if a herd of wild aurochs were running their spring stampede while howling wolves were on their tail. He held his head gingerly as he bent over the edge of the bed. "Oh, my poor head", he whispered to himself.
"Good morning gembeam!", shouted Buhni while merrily hopping to the chamber mirror and putting the reflection on full blast.
"For the love of all things bearded, woman, keep it down and dim that mirror!", Kandral replied, shielding his face as if the very light burned him.
Buhni snorted at him: "If you think you're getting any special treatment, master Uzbad, then you've got another thing coming. Drinking like a stripling, dancing like a hobbit at a birthday dance.... making a fool of me and Thrandili. You are in luck. Master Byl is off with the Rivendell caravan this week, as you'd be in no state for further zarb discussions. Now head to the kitchen, I've put a mug of harskharhshalk ready for you.", she added with a grin.
Harskharhshalk, the very name made him gag. Dwarves had been using it for generations as a treatment for alcohol hangovers and an antidote to discomfort following overindulgence. A very unpleasant, very foul looking, foul reeking, foul tasting drink that contained raw eggs, fish oil, peppers, mustard seeds and onions. Kandral was convinced Buhni prepared it for him as a punishment for his earlier misbehavior. Mumbling and grumbling he made his way to the kitchen and stared at the pint containing the concoction for a good five minutes, then pinned his nose with two fingers, and downed it.
"Good boy", Buhni chuckled as she walked into the kitchen. "I've made you a full breakfast too, sausages, eggs and.... ", but she was cut short as Kandral rushed to the outhouse. "Uzbads... they don't make them like they used to", she giggled.
=============
Thrandili sat on her bedroom window seat for a long time after the betrothal party was over, just dreaming there in the dark. Her mother's white lilies in the garden below gave off an intoxicating perfume. Images of the evening crashed around in her head - Buhni smiling proudly, her father dancing (oh the horror! Could she ever forget that image now...) Gildoin for once not ogling the lassies but instead playing his great music; guests coming up to her with congratulations and hugs; the fine gift of pipeweed from Oininen's stores; Orthi and Pritta (next season's wedding perhaps?), a blur of faces, names, words.
But mixed up with all of that - Byli, her betrothed. Finally, she sighed and gave herself over to just thinking of him.
This was an unexpectedly frightening place. Everything had changed! Not least herself. When she thought of him, she went all warm and tingly. She got up and paced around the room, then sat down again. Something crawled in her belly, a twining snake of fire and longing, and she wanted to grab Byli, and - and - hit him! No...she didn't want to hit him. She wanted to hold him, but not gently like before. She wanted to hug him so hard that they would be forced together, and become one.
She jumped up again and stamped around the room. Her father's loud snores rumbled from below. Dawn crept through the homestead, and still she could not sleep, and still the images of Byli flamed her with desire, the feel of him in her arms, his breath on her mouth. Finally, exhausted, she fell across her bed and slept. Yet, in her dreams, he was still there.
================
Byli sat in the foundations of his house.
He was amazed by the progress the dwarven labourers had made already.
The back wall was rising and the footings were in place for the other walls already!
He stood in the area that would be the master bedroom.
"This is where I and my love will make our union complete!" he muttered.
Oh he felt so horny... "She will club me for sure here! Or I will club her!"
He grinned at the thought.
He looked over the site... Windows lined up over in the corner, bricks and stones piled ready to lay.
Ooh he ached to hold his love in his arms... Ooh he ached to undress his love and discover more!
He wished he was more experienced of girls... He was a virgin and unsure of himself but he knew his purpose in life was to give pleasure to his love.
He thought back to that little glimpse of her skin he saw... Just a night ago... The flirt... She did it on purpose he was sure!
Oooo Mahal it had worked... he was on fire for the dwarf!
Byli couldn't wait... "You are mine now Thrandili and I love you!"
"Oh my love! We will make such fine music together!"
He had never considered himself musical but perhaps a gene from Great Grandpa Bilge had transferred to him... He would persevere with the old lute he had acquired. Such a lovely tone.
He dreamed of Thrandili as a lute laid in his arms ... Oh my love I will play you so well!
((And with that we close this RP thread. Superb story everyone, thanks for joining in!))
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Cast in Alphabetical order
Augir Hammerfist and his wife Hanfrere
Broinur, Master healer
Buhni, Wife of Kandral (Don’t mess with her!)
Byl Brokenspear, Izbad of Durin’s folk (second in command)
Byli, Byl’s firstborn son, Hunter and Jeweller
Durtin, Dirty Durtin, a nasty piece of work
Hilfar and his father Ullfar
Kandral Strongbeard, Uzbad (Lord of Durin’s folk)
Kandrin, son of Kandral
Midarin Goldneedle, Master tailor, married to Kazzili Foonaviul (a werewolf)
Rogvier Skegrymul, son of Skegrym (roving sellsword)
Skegrym, Bahrûn (medical herb specialist), Spice Trader, Father of Rogvier
Thrandili Daughter of Kandral and Bhuni
Ullfar father of Hilfar
