[Folwren]

After Skald had asked who would go give the Lord Elrond their message of wanting to depart, there had been a short pause. Then Rori and another Dwarf, Floin, offered.

‘Another should go,’ Rori said. ‘Three at least.’

‘Well, I’ll go, too, I guess,’ Bror said, half lifting his hand. ‘No one else seems too keen on telling him.’ He glanced briefly at Skald, but his brother either didn’t see him, or intentionally ignored it. ‘Weapons?’ he queried, glancing back towards Rori and Floin.

Rori gave him a look that showed his disagreement with the offer. ‘We’re not going to go execute him,’ he said. ‘I’m sure they have a bad enough impression of us already, knowing how stuck up they can be and how taken they are with looking as fair as they do. No, no - it wouldn’t do to carry battle axes in to Lord Elrond.’

‘What if he doesn’t let us go?’ Bror grumbled.

‘Don’t show off your ignorance,’ Skald replied quietly.

‘I’ll keep quiet, how’s that?’ Bror offered, picking up his cloak and putting it about his shoulders. ‘Then no one will know any more or less about said ignorance.’

The three Dwarves turned and threaded their way through the groups of elves, and the wagons with the refugees in them, and finally came to where the Lords Elrond and Celeborn and others had set up their tents.

‘Excuse me,’ Rori said, addressing an elf who appeared to be standing on guard. ‘Which is Lord Elrond’s tent?’ The elf looked doubtful and Rori gave his reason. ‘We have a message that we would like to tell him.’

‘Lord Elrond is in conversation with the Counsel Maegisil, from the ruined city. I don’t think that he’ll be able to receive you.’

‘Would you go and see?’ Rori asked, putting on a show of patience. Bror cleared his throat to hide the chuckle and dropped his eyes from the elf’s face. For a moment, the elf didn’t move and then he nodded slightly and turned and walked away. Bror lifted his head and the three of them watched him as he stopped by a tent and spoke with another elf standing there. A few words were exchanged and then he came back.

‘It is impossible to interrupt him.’

‘Tell the Lord Elrond, then, (when he is available), that Rori of the Dwarves would have a word with him. . .at his convenience,’ he added.

‘The message will be delivered.’

The Dwarves thanked him and turned to go back. When they reached the other Dwarves, they were received with inquiring looks, for they hadn’t been gone half as long as they expected. ‘Didn’t even see him,’ Bror said, walking across and sitting down beside his brother. ‘He was indisposed.’