Fo.A 19, Nov 24th

The elleth ran through the empty halls, trying to avoid the guards that seemed to be lurking everywhere. Thankfully, she knew the place well, along with every hiding spot; several of which she'd already made good use of.

Voices from behind her told her that they were catching up to her, so she pushed herself harder. They wouldn't catch her this time, she would make it out and go...well, she would worry about that later.

Rounding a corner, the elleth spotted one of her hiding spots. It was a crack in the wall just big enough for her to fit through and where the heavily armored guards could not. It extended back some ways, but she knew it ended in a dead end. She quickly squeezed through and held her breath.

The guards rushed by, not even casting a second glance towards where she was hidden, and the elleth breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back against the cold stone.

"Pretty pleased with yourself, eh?"

The elleth screamed in surprise at the voice, looking toward the back of the crevasse. A dwarf with red hair and a great big beard was lit by the dim light, an unhappy look upon his face. "Brenririel, I thought we were passed you try'n to run off," Gimli said, hands clasped behind his back.

The young elleth looked at the dwarf in shock. "How did you get in here, Ada?" she asked, looking from him to the opening and back.

Gimli grunted. "Not to eas'ly, lassy, and I won't enjoy gettin' back out again, neither."

"How did you know where I would be?" Breniriel asked.

"I'm your father, it's my job to know where you are," replied the dwarf, giving her that look she'd known and loved all her life.

Yes, he did seem to know exactly what she would do even before she knew it herself. He'd told her it was a power that all parents had, and she was inclined to believe him forever after this. "Are we going back then?" Breniriel asked, pouting.

Gimli's eyes twinkled beneath his bushy brows, and he shook his head. "You're enough to drive a dwarf mad, do you know that?"

She smiled sweetly as was her way when trying to get out of trouble, and while it worked well when she was younger, it was less effective now.

"You and I are going to have a little chat, lass. Come with me." Gimli strode past her and managed to wriggle himself through the opening with only minor trouble. Once out, he turned and waited for the young elf to do the same before bidding her walk with him.

"Bren," he said thoughtfully, hands clasped behind his back again. "No matter how hard I try to keep you from growing up, you seem to disobey. Why is that?"

Breniriel smiled as she looked at the only person she'd known as a father all her life. "You ask me to do something that is not within my power to give," she replied.

Gimli chuckled. "Aye, that is the truth of it. If it were up to me, you would still be a wee lass. Then at least you couldn't go runnin' off."

"I am sorry, Ada," the girl replied. "I do not know why my spirit is so restless as of late. It feels like something is coming, though I know not what."

"Hmmm," was all the response she got to that.

They fell silent for a time as they traversed the cavernous halls of the Aglarond and Breniriel watched the dwarves go to and fro about their business of making weapons, armor, shields, and still more things that Breniriel did not recognize. As that walked, she could feel that same feeling of restlessness return, calling her away from this place.

Away from home. From her Ada.

Bren knew that Gimli was not her real father, but he was the only one who had been there for her as she grew up. Now in her seventeenth year, she felt as though there was a destiny forced upon her, whether it be for good or ill she did not know. She did, however, know that it would not be found here, and it hurt her more than she would admit to her Ada.

Seemingly reading her mind, Gimli said, "You still want to leave, don't you?"

Breniriel looked at him, wondering how it was he was able to do that. "Yes," she whispered.

Gimli pursed his lips, nodding to himself. "Come with me, lass," he said, leading her down a corridor towards their living quarters.

When they arrive outside his door, he motioned her inside and closed the door behind him. He told her to have a seat while he walked over to the far wall. Speaking in Khuzdûl, Gimli spoke the secret language of his people, and Breniriel heard a soft click and watched in amazement as he pushed the rock in before pulling it back out again. He turned and brought the stone over to the table and set it down in front of her and backed away.

The stone was hollowed out in the middle and very shallow; red satin linen lay in the center of it, and two long curved knives on top of that.

Breniriel stared at it wide-eyed as Gimli began to speak. "Many years ago, your mother was found outside the doors to this place, holding a swaddled babe in her hands and covered in blood."

Breniriel tore her eyes away and looked up at him. "She had been under the care of a man, Údar, and myself for many years," he said, choosing his next words carefully. "She had...harmed someone close to her, and was not in her right mind. We tried to find out more, but..."

"But what?" Bren asked, her eyes beginning to brim.

Gimli sighed. "She asked that we execute her to keep her from harming anyone else, and asked that I would take care of you." Gimli stroked his beard, now colored with tinges of grey. "I attempted to honor her wishes."

Breniriel let out a choked gasp. "You killed her?"

"No," Gimli said, turning and looking at the knives. "She killed the guards after desecrating their bodies. I tried to find her, but she had disappeared without a trace." He looked up at the one whom he called daughter. "I did my best to care for you as she asked," he said, "though, I must ask your forgiveness in keeping this from you for so long."

Breniriel was overwhelmed with emotions, and she looked from Gimli to the knives, to the hole in the wall, and back. "Why?" she asked past the lump in her throat. "Why now?"

Gimli eased himself into the chair opposite her, folding his thick fingers together. "Because I know that you are going to keep trying to leave, and as much as I would prefer you stay, I cannot hold you here forever."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, these were your mothers, and now they are yours. You're going to need them if you are going out on your own."

"But why tell me about my mother?" Breniriel asked, wiping the tears from her eyes, still confused.

"She's still out there," Gimli replied, and last I know, she killed four dwarves. Mahal knows if there have been others, and I'm not sure how she'll react if you ever stumble across her."

Breniriel was silent, unsure of how to wrap her mind around this. What was she to do now? Ada had given her permission to leave should she so choose, but now, she wasn't so sure she wanted too. The world outside these stone walls seemed so much scarier as she looked upon the knives in the stone box.

What now? 

She didn't know.

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Isimil watched as the clumsy man reeled in another fish, chuckling to himself. This would be the easiest job he'd had in months, which would be an improvement to be sure.

Though, things hadn't gotten much better job wise with that cursed Black Tree popping up and trying to convert everyone. It had put a real damper on things. Still, there were still plenty of people willing to pay someone to take care of a rival or friend, and Isimil was happy to provide the service for the right price.

The man he was watching began to swear up and down when the line snapped, and the fish got away. Isimil shook his head, unimpressed with the man and his outburst. Such displays of emotion let your enemy know how they could get to you, and Isimil didn't give into such things.

Throwing the rod on the ground, the man waded back into the stream with his boot, and much to Isimil's surprise ended up catching a fish in it. "Well I'll be an orcs uncle," Isimil muttered under his breath.

The large man, obviously pleased with himself, tossed the fish into the basket and waded back into the water, pulling up four more fish over the next half hour.

Isimil could hardly believe what he was watching and found himself transfixed by the sight before him. He made a mental note to ask the man how he did it before he killed him.

"August!"

Isimil looked around for the source of the voice, seeing a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, with long black hair done up in braids and carrying a basket. Isimil was both frustrated by this unwanted intrusion and intrigued by the girl. She had a small round face and light brown eyes, and she carried herself with a lightness in her step.

The man turned around and smiled. "Annette! I have a good haul!"

The young woman laughed, setting the basket down next to the other one with the fish and nodded. "You've done well. Went back to the boot I see." She smirked.

August made a face, jutting his chin out towards the rod with its broken line. "I don't know why I even bother with that thing anymore."

Annette giggled, taking a seat in the grass along the bank of the river, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Please continue, oh mighty fisherman," she teased.

Isimil rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead. This was supposed to be an easy job. In, out, get paid. Now he had to worry about this girl in addition to the dimwit fishing with a boot. He supposed he could kill her first since her back was turned to him, then he could lure the man into the forest and kill him there. Well, no use waiting.

Isimil crept out from his hiding spot among the brush, drawing his dagger as he slowly moved into position behind the woman. He told himself it wasn't anything personal, he just needed to get paid. Raising the dagger high, Isimil struck.

What he failed to see until it was too late was the boot as it flew the air, hitting him square in the face, knocking him over. By the time he got the boot off his face, Isimil was looking up into the eyes of August, and he was none too happy.

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NEW FACES!!! WOOOT!!!

Sorry for the late update. I'm back to work doing half days and had some other things I was doing (like getting paid to beta read and help someone with their story ;D).

For those of you who have been wondering about Gimli-ta dad! (hehe see what I did there?)

For those of you who had been wondering about Bren- ta daughter! (okay, not as good)

Sound off below and let me know what you guys think! :D