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6 Fourth Age: In Search; [ Kahlin ]
Topic Started: 21 Oct 2008, 01:55 PM (496 Views)
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There were times in every Hobbit’s life when a casual reference sounded more like serendipity than coincidence. For Milo Brandybuck, who had attempted to live his life in Bilbo Baggins’s footsteps, a conversation in a pub about Dwarves in the White Mountains had seemed like just that moment.

Milo had never met a Dwarf before, and he felt this was seriously hindering his capabilities to have his own adventure. After a fortnight of searching up and down the White Mountains, all the while mapping his progress, Milo had come to the conclusion that finding Dwarves was a lot easier when a Wizard wanted you to meet them.

“Where’s Gandalf when you need him?” Milo muttered, throwing himself down on the ground.

It was time for afternoon tea, and though he had no tea with him, he still stopped every day at this time to have a biscuit. While he snacked on the last of his buttery treats, Milo looked over his work for the day. The outlines were rough and nothing was properly labeled, but it was coming along nicely. Soon he would have a map, not only of Minas Tirith, but of the White Mountains as well.

 
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Out a side passage of Aglarond, the great Dwarven city of the White Mountains, Kahlin lead a small party of dwarves down an old path. By "small party", it was very much a small party. In a line traveling behind her were three younglings, the eldest of the group that she cared for. They were about shoulder height to her, and in their teens; for they did not yet have beards. These younglings were hardy, for they had traveled with their fathers to Aglarond in recent years.

They were going to an area of significant importance. Though there were not many trees in the mountains, on the edge of the mountains there were some. Dwarves were not people to needlessly cut living things, for their works were with stone and metal, and they had their secret ways of making fire. But here, there were two trees that had been struck by lightning recently, and the wood was fresh. Every young adventurous dwarf needs a walking stick, and today was the day that Kahlin would teach the younglings the handy craft of carving wood. They still had some years before they would be smiths of metal and stone, for those are tasks learned after long years, but simple carving would be easy for a dwarf youth to learn.

It would also be an important time to teach them a lesson in the care and protection of trees, which was a new idea in this Dwarven realm. The Lord of Aglarond, Gimli, son of Gloin, had an elven friend, who took a fancy to all the natural living things and had once already given a lecture to a dwarf who had cut a tree needlessly. He spoke of Ents, a creature that Kahlin had never met, but they were as old as the earth, cared for the great forests, and had assisted Lord Gimli in the battles that preceeded the Fourth Age of the world. A friend of Lord Gimli was an alliance to be respected.

But now, Kahlin stopped in her tracks. Her ears were keen, and she heard something up ahead. Crunching. Not the noise of footsteps, but the noise of someone eating. Perhaps a fellow dwarf on errand, though perhaps not. In either case, she had the younglings stay quiet while she listened and watched. She stayed a few steps ahead of them, knowing not to leave the youth unguarded in case there was trouble. And there it was… it’s back was turned to her. By it’s thin stature it couldn’t be a dwarf, and there was a mass of curly hair on it’s head. A Halfling, that’s what it was. Kahlin had seen one years before, when the Lonely Mountain had been reclaimed. A Halfling was also to be well respected, she wondered if he was kin with Bilbo the Robber, who played a great part in returning Erebor to Dwarven hands.

Kahlin summoned the younglings to follow her, and went closer to announce herself. She cleared her throat so as to get his attention, and then asked, “Master Halfling, who are you, and what brings you to these parts of the White Mountains?” Though she was certain the Halfling was not here to cause trouble, she was still entitled to ask.
 
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Milo heard a footstep a moment before someone cleared their throat. He glanced over his shoulder and immediately forgot about his half-finished meal. He had found what he was looking for. More accurately, it had found him.

“Master Dwarf,” Milo said, bowing politely, “I am Milo Brandybuck, from Bucklebury in Buckland, within the borders of the Shire. I have come to the White Mountains in search of a Dwarf.”

He bowed again, out of respect, but also to hide the wonderment in his eyes. So this was the race that Bilbo had admired so much. They were not much to look at, but Hobbits were not either. When Milo stood up again, the stars in his eyes had faded somewhat.

“Perhaps I should explain myself a bit more, Sir. I am lately on a journey, an adventure some would call it. While in Rohan, I heard tell that a colony of Dwarves had come to this area. I have never met a Dwarf, but I have heard great tales. My curiosity could not be resisted.”

Milo wondered how far away from the Dwarven city they were, and if he might be allowed to see it. Dwarves were notoriously secretive, yet Bilbo had managed to enter the Lonely Mountain.

“Would you join me for tea, Master Dwarf, if your business is not urgent?”
 
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Kahlin displayed a curt bow to the Halfling, and the youth that had been behind her, but now moving off to her sides to see this new creature followed suit. "Halflings are the most honorable of people, Master Brandybuck. I am Kahlin, of the City in the White Mountains. I take it you are of relation to the Brandybuck of Rohan? It was a Halfling that gained back our beloved Erebor from the dragon Smaug, and it were Halflings that changed the grim fate of this Middle Earth from that of darkness and despair." Kahlin looked at Milo as she spoke, but turned to the young dwarflings as she gave the history lesson. This was a grand experience for the youth of Aglarond, to meet a Halfing, as well as for Kahlin herself, for she had never met one before.

"You are welcome here, in the White Mountains, Master Buckland," she stated. "Do any others travel in your party, or are you here alone?" she continued to question. It was most appropriate to invite a Halfling of great esteem into the Halls of Aglarond, the City in the Mountains, yet she must first know of whom she were inviting. Lord Gimli would be glad to see someone from the kingdom of his old friends.

Tea was a weak drink, and not a favorite of the dwarves. Flavored water was all it was. Kahlin preferred her water clear and cold, and not mixed with various bits of dried leaves, save in the few instances where she had become ill in her lifetime. "No thank you, Master Buckland," she answered to him, "Dwarves do not take pleasure in the drinks of those who toil in the sun, but the offer is appreciated. I am in the middle of a lesson at the moment, but if you care to join, I will be taking this group on a short trip to the edge of the forest for a lesson on forestry and carving," she offered.
 
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Milo bowed once more at the dwarf’s praise of Hobbits. “It is a great honor to meet you, Kahlin. Bilbo Baggins, who was a great friend and greater storyteller, had many praises to tell of the Dwarves.”

The Hobbit glanced at the smaller dwarves. If he was correct in his assumption, they were children. Perhaps Kahlin was some kind of teacher among the dwarves. Before he could begin prying, he was presented with another question.

“Yes, yes, I am related to Meriadoc Brandybuck. He is my fourth cousin.”

In short order, Milo was offered what he wanted the most: to see this dwarf realm. Kahlin’s welcome meant he could venture through this land, drawing his maps and perhaps meeting more dwarves.

“Thank you for your kindness. I am travelling alone through this part of my journey.” At the mention of a lesson, Milo perked up again. “Oh, oh I see! Yes, I would very much like to join you. Hobbits do a bit of wood carving as well, and the Brandybucks are charged with keeping up the High Hedge that protects us from the Old Forest.”

As he said all of this, Milo was rushing around to collect his little camp site into his backpack. As he had only stopped for a short meal, it did not take very long. He was still a bit breathless by the time the satchel was on his back.

 
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“Travelling alone, that is well indeed, for we do not gift large groups of travelers to enter our stone halls. But you, Master Buckland, shall experience the hospitality of the dwarves. Lord Gimli will be fond to meet you, for he travelled long with your Fourth Cousin.”

Kahlin nodded in response to the Halflings knowledge of carving. Though Halflings could be of extraordinary usefulness, and had done great things for the dwarves, her pride in the Dwarven race was not daunted. “Perhaps you will learn a thing or two by the hands of the Dwarves, Master Buckland. Aulë has gifted dwarves as masters with the workmanship of clay and stone, wood and metal.”

As Kahlin waited for the Halfling to gather his things, she looked to the young dwarves behind her. From oldest to youngest, they were Falin, Norin, and Lori. They were young still, but they knew the secrecy of the dwarves and had not said a word, in either the Dwarf tongue, or common, though their eyes looked in wonder at the face of another race. These dwarves had not yet been exposed to the other peoples of Middle Earth, and were impressed by the Halfling, and his odd sort of clothing and drink.

“What is the High Hedge, Master Halfling?” Lori, the youngest, and another female, was keen to ask, wondering if he spoke of a great stone wall such as that of the Dwarves had built.

Kahlin looked at the dwarfling with sharp eyes, but spoke nothing else, wondering with the same accord.
 
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Gimli, son of Gloin. Milo nearly fainted then, which would have been embarrassing all around. He managed to steady himself on his walking stick and fall into line with the dwarves. Meeting Gimli would be a great honor that he hoped to receive. Not only was Gimli a friend of Merry’s, but Gloin was a friend of Bilbo.

“I daresay I could learn from the dwarves,” Milo agreed cheerfully. “Your craftsmanship is known throughout the world, even in The Shire. We have some fine examples in Michel Delving.”

Milo was surprised to hear one of the younger dwarves speak. He had been under the impression Master Kahlin spoke for all of them, which he reckoned was a custom of the dwarves. Milo did not mind answering the question, however.

“The story of the High Hay is famous in Buckland,” Milo began. “It is a great bush twenty miles long that protects our land. As the story goes, the trees of the Old Forest are alive. They can talk to each other and move. Long ago, they attacked the borders of Buckland, and so the Brandybucks fought for their homes and their lives. They burned the forest. Ever since, the Brandybucks have tended the High Hedge carefully to keep the trees away from Buckland.”

Milo couldn’t say he was particularly impressed that Hobbits had burned a forest, though he didn’t know of any other way to defeat a walking, talking tree. The Old Forest frightened him, though, as it frightened most Hobbits. He knew of the secret entrance, but he had never used it before.

“Now it is your turn, Master Dwarves. Might I hear of some legendary story of yours?”

 
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The young dwarves had all eyes on the hobbit as he spoke, for now he was speaking to all of them, and not just to Kahlin. A bush protected the lands of the Shire? Well, wasn't that an interesting though. Why would they not build a wall of stone and metal? Strong and long lasting. Trees had no power over stone. None though spoke, for fear of offending the Halfling that was held in such high esteem. At their young age, they knew well the stories of the Halfings that were taught to them; of Bilbo Burgler Baggins, and more recently, of Frodo the Ringbearer.

Kahlin nodded, the craftsmanship of the dwarves was far spread. They were secretive, though they were well known peoples, for the work of their hands through the ages of the earth. Armor, metal, stone, and jewels were long lasting. Kahlin smiled, though it was mostly hidden beneath her beard. "And you will see more of our craftsmanship before your stay is complete," she answered. She doubted the full glory of their work could be held in any Halfling gallery, and Milo had yet to see the grand city of Aglarond. New as it was, and yet it had been carven from older tunnels. The dwarves did not create the glittering caves, for those were as old as the life of the earth, yet they had been the ones to delve into them, and make them a sight for the Kingdom of dwarves, and to the eyes of anyone who graced the opportunity to see them.

"Let us continue on our way, and you will hear your tales of old, for there is much teaching to be done this day," Kahlin answered, clearing her throat. Her voice was deep and loud. "Bah, the trees of old are none to contend with. They have minds and thoughts of their own, and will not risk toil. That is why we must be careful in our choosing and taking, especially so near the ancient forest of Fangorn. Stories arise from the depths of that wood, that no dwarf dare enter, for the trees have a bitter hatred toward us, bearers of the axe." She looked at the dwarflings as she spoke the last bit. She had known no dwarf to dare enter the forests of Fangorn to their north, save Lord Gimli, with the company of elf and man. Those though, were times of great peril, and the need had been dire. Kahlin knew that she herself would never dare set foot there.

She began her walking again, allowing Milo to join them on their lesson, and heading down the path to the small wood.
 
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The company of dwarves was like being in a strange land, Milo thought. Though they were closer in appearance to Hobbits than elves were, but they were nonetheless very different of mind. Milo sensed this almost immediately, and he wondered if they found him just as unfamiliar.

“Then you, like some Hobbits, believe our Old Forest and Fangorn Forest have some ancient relation to each other?” Milo pressed.

He hurried after the dwarves, his walking stick coming in handy in this terrain. Dwarves might be made for the mountains, but Hobbits were better suited to grassy fields and rolling hills. He managed reasonably well; however, as this was not the first time he had traveled through rough lands.

“I have heard stories of Fangorn Forest, but the maps are as woefully vague as maps of the Old Forest. I thought about going there myself, after I’ve spent some time here, of course.” Milo gave a little laugh. “I’ve saved up too many curiosities over the course of my life. I wonder if I’ll have enough time to see every place I’ve dreamed of seeing.”

But the Hobbit didn’t really want to speak about himself, although about Hobbits in general he would not mind so much. What he really wanted to know was more about the dwarves, though like Kahlin had said, they were secretive.

“The heart of a Hobbit stays with his home, which has made us seem, I’m afraid, rather reclusive. If I may, Master Kahlin, do dwarves often go on great adventures like Thorin?”

 
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"The ancient forests all have their relations," Kahlin started. "It is told that the elves awakened the trees, and if the trees in Fangorn are like those of your Old Forest, which move and act on their own accord, then they must have their relations. The forests are fearsome things." Kahlin did not wish to ever enter those forests, and her words made the young dwarves think alike.

Well enough for the halfling, Kahlin was not walking her full speed. The dwarflings were yet small, and they were not as fast on foot as Kahlin with her strong legs. She noticed how despite the quiet nature of hobbits, in the rocks and rubble of the mountains, he made a bit of clatter as he stepped. It would not have suited for a hunting party, but Kahlin did not much mind today, for she was just with a group of children, heading towards the grove of trees. Not far away from here, no. At the roots of the mountain.

"You dare enter Fangorn, Master Buckland?" Kahlin questioned. As dwarves delved deep into the mountains, Kahlin decided that perhaps hobbits were similar to elves, and loved the green places of the earth. "I do not think even the elves hold detailed maps of those forests. They change. The trees move, the paths shift, the river chooses it's course. The only thing that may remain is the boundaries, but within them, nothing is solid. That is why I chose rock and steel. Ages it stands the way it is molded, and though the Glittering Caves may seem to have a life of their own when the light shines against the jeweled walls, they are stationary and only move under the touch of the Dwarven tools."

Kahlin wondered at the Halfling's question. There had not been a great adventure since the days of Smaug. "We dwarves are always about the lands... though we often move in quiet between our realms. I say such a party as Thorin's has not existed since his days, but that does not mean there are no adventurers. It was an adventure itself, in coming to Aglarond, for the Glittering Caves had not been used as a city for many years. A refuge perhaps, to make short stay in when the Deep was in use, but we have shaped it. Yes, and it shall remain so for years. The ages will not make short work of destroying Dwarven halls."
 
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