Elendor
A Concerned Uncle
Ranor pays a visit to his brother-in-law, Balur, concerned for Thari.
Sort Date: no date set
Location: Lonely Mountain
Description: This room is bright for being beneath the mountain. The light shines from outside and gleams off of the copper roof and panels to reflect brightly within. There are a goodly number of dwarves going to and fro, but it is not noisy.
Two dwarves are seated at the center table speaking low. One is Balur, and the other is a dwarf slightly older than him, beard quickly turning from grey to white. They speak low, swiftly, and the elder is now standing. He bows to Balur and turns to walk away.
Ranor makes his way into the chamber. He's a dwarf with oily hair and beard the color of straw, and pale blue eyes that are quick and calculating. His clothes are not lavish, the woodcrafter too poor to purchase embellished garments. He has dark brown pants with a wrinkled shirt, and a thicker, worn tunic over that.
It's as he's crossing through the chamber at a slow pace that Ranor catches sight of the very dwarf he seeks. He shifts his direction to approach his brother-in-law, a thin smile on his face. "Brother.. I must speak with you of something I fear may concern you." He has the beginnings of a bruise on his face, the skin above his cheek growing red and discolored.
Balur stands as Ranor approaches, looking away at something else. His grey eyes go to a voice near and he pauses, looking at his wife's brother. His face reveals nothing but he hesitates for a good few breathes before finally giving a discreet smile.
"Son of Dwanor," Balur says in a smooth greeting. He gestures an invitation to a nearby seat as he takes his own chair. "Do sit. It has been long since we have spoken." There is no regret in his voice at that. "How may I be of service to you?"
Ranor moves to take the seat, not bothering with any formalities. "I thought I might be of aid to -you-.. actually. I'm very worried about Thari. I saw her today, doing something very troubling." He eases back comfortably, stroking his beard absently with one hand. "It seems she's of a mind to disobey you.."
Balur leans back and folds his hands beneath his beard. As Thari's name is mentioned, something flickers in his eyes. His lips press just slightly. "Is she." His deep voice makes it a statement, not a question. "What did you see my daughter do?"
"Well, I must apologize, I did take a moment to watch her ... out of concern, you see. She was acting so suspicious, sneaking about through the Barazin tunnels. I should have spoken up, but I didn't wish to alarm her. Though.. " Ranor pauses, shaking his head. "Now I wish I had, before the entire business got out of hand."
Balur gives a real reaction. A brow lifts. His eyes narrow slightly. He sits up straighter. "Out with it, Ranor. Give me the whole tale. What got out of hand?"
Ranor doesn't smile, but the amusement is around his eyes if one knows the signs to look for. "I don't wish to upset you, brother. My apologies." He still pauses deliberately, "She was sneaking off to see that Barazin man that she's sweet upon. I stepped in when I realized what was happening, insisting that she honor your good wishes, but she refused to return home.. " Ranor shakes his head sadly, disappointment on his face.
And now it is Balur's turn to look amused. His mouth beneath the moustache presses into a bit of a smile-- nearly a smirk-- and his grey eyes twinkle. "And that's when my daughter punched you in the face?" he guesses, nodding toward Ranor's wound.
The younger dwarf scowls, looking up at Balur darkly. "Nay. She did not. It was him. I did nothing more than try to prevent her from making a mistake. But if you do not wish to learn of your daughter knowingly sneaking off with what I am assuming is an ill-intentioned lover.. Then I am wasting my time." Ranor moves to stand, "He certainly didn't seem to think you would care much."
That works. Balur's amusement is gone in a snap and he is waving at Ranor. "Sit down, sit Ranor," he says impatiently and low. "Tell me what Frarin did."
Ranor stands motionless in consideration, then slowly sits again, the amusement returning to his eyes but remaining absent from the rest of his face. "Frarin.. is that his name? Ah yes, she did say that." He continues his game of dragging it out, savoring the moment for what it's worth. "I saw her at his door, heard them speaking of breaking your wishes. That's when I stepped in. I realized her intentions were misguided. This Frarin, he is older.. " Ranor sighs. "Well, of course I told her she couldn't be acting against your will, but she didn't listen. This Frarin stepped in and encouraged me to tell you, made joke of it."
Balur leans back again and is very still and silent while watching Ranor. A brief pause lingers. "How specifically did they speak of breaking my wishes?" he asks in a low and dangerous voice.
"He made light of corrupting her, and spoke boldly of what little respect you have for people. It was then that I insisted she come with me, and Frarin tucked her away inside his home and barred my entrance." Ranor gestures to his face, "You can see where my attempts to interfere got me. I had no wish to exchange blows with him."
"Ranor," Balur says, beginning to sound a bit strained. "Will you please quote me his exact words? Frarin is no friend of mine and you certainly aren't bearing good news, but I have a difficult time imagining any fellow saying aloud, 'Aha, my dear! How I delight in corrupting you!' And, though I haven't seen her in a long time, I imagine that if Frarin were saying insulting things about /me/, my daughter would be punching /him/ in the face. So kindly give me a more exact quote."
"Exact words? Hmm.. something along the line of, 'Do go off and tell Balur how I am corrupting his daughter and inviting her to a secret meeting, I'm sure he'll be grateful for the news.' .. I don't remember his exact phrasing, but that was the general idea. I said he made light of it." Ranor eases back, shifting to a more comfortable position in the chair. "Thari? She was upset at being caught, I think it fair to assume. I probably wouldn't have come to see you at all, but for the punch that Frarin threw at me."
Everything Ranor says makes Balur's brows arch progressively higher, but all he ends up saying is, "Really? You would've kept this secret about my daughter from me if Frarin hadn't punched you?"
"Possibly. I wasn't especially concerned until he grew so aggressive. Thari wouldn't have appreciated me tattling on her sneaking out, and she pointed out that you only prevented Frarin from coming to see her.. not from her seeing him. A loophole in your decree, perhaps?" Ranor shrugs, and reaches into a pocket to pull out his pipe. "Have you a bit of pipeweed, brother? Did you hear? My son is Huskarl."
"No, Ranor, I haven't time to share a smoke," Balur says sternly. "And congratulations on your son. I am sure that he is already turning out to be the same fine quality of dwarf that his father is." He stands and steps away from the table, giving Ranor a brief, crisp bow as if in farewell.
"Children have wills of their own.. you shouldn't let it bother you too much when they get out of line." Ranor says in a slightly condescending tone, the amusement touching his face now as that thin smile returns. The pipe is tucked away again, empty and forgotten. Slowly the woodcarver stands as well. "Good luck, Balur."
"Thank you," answers Balur while straightening. "You will leave the situation with my daughter to me. There is no need for you to interfere. Good day." A brisk nod of his head and the older dwarf turns away, crossing the room quickly toward an office.
Ranor waves a dismissive hand. "I've no desire to -interfere-.. " He says with a rolling of his eyes, then moves off in the opposite direction towards his own home.
Two dwarves are seated at the center table speaking low. One is Balur, and the other is a dwarf slightly older than him, beard quickly turning from grey to white. They speak low, swiftly, and the elder is now standing. He bows to Balur and turns to walk away.
Ranor makes his way into the chamber. He's a dwarf with oily hair and beard the color of straw, and pale blue eyes that are quick and calculating. His clothes are not lavish, the woodcrafter too poor to purchase embellished garments. He has dark brown pants with a wrinkled shirt, and a thicker, worn tunic over that.
It's as he's crossing through the chamber at a slow pace that Ranor catches sight of the very dwarf he seeks. He shifts his direction to approach his brother-in-law, a thin smile on his face. "Brother.. I must speak with you of something I fear may concern you." He has the beginnings of a bruise on his face, the skin above his cheek growing red and discolored.
Balur stands as Ranor approaches, looking away at something else. His grey eyes go to a voice near and he pauses, looking at his wife's brother. His face reveals nothing but he hesitates for a good few breathes before finally giving a discreet smile.
"Son of Dwanor," Balur says in a smooth greeting. He gestures an invitation to a nearby seat as he takes his own chair. "Do sit. It has been long since we have spoken." There is no regret in his voice at that. "How may I be of service to you?"
Ranor moves to take the seat, not bothering with any formalities. "I thought I might be of aid to -you-.. actually. I'm very worried about Thari. I saw her today, doing something very troubling." He eases back comfortably, stroking his beard absently with one hand. "It seems she's of a mind to disobey you.."
Balur leans back and folds his hands beneath his beard. As Thari's name is mentioned, something flickers in his eyes. His lips press just slightly. "Is she." His deep voice makes it a statement, not a question. "What did you see my daughter do?"
"Well, I must apologize, I did take a moment to watch her ... out of concern, you see. She was acting so suspicious, sneaking about through the Barazin tunnels. I should have spoken up, but I didn't wish to alarm her. Though.. " Ranor pauses, shaking his head. "Now I wish I had, before the entire business got out of hand."
Balur gives a real reaction. A brow lifts. His eyes narrow slightly. He sits up straighter. "Out with it, Ranor. Give me the whole tale. What got out of hand?"
Ranor doesn't smile, but the amusement is around his eyes if one knows the signs to look for. "I don't wish to upset you, brother. My apologies." He still pauses deliberately, "She was sneaking off to see that Barazin man that she's sweet upon. I stepped in when I realized what was happening, insisting that she honor your good wishes, but she refused to return home.. " Ranor shakes his head sadly, disappointment on his face.
And now it is Balur's turn to look amused. His mouth beneath the moustache presses into a bit of a smile-- nearly a smirk-- and his grey eyes twinkle. "And that's when my daughter punched you in the face?" he guesses, nodding toward Ranor's wound.
The younger dwarf scowls, looking up at Balur darkly. "Nay. She did not. It was him. I did nothing more than try to prevent her from making a mistake. But if you do not wish to learn of your daughter knowingly sneaking off with what I am assuming is an ill-intentioned lover.. Then I am wasting my time." Ranor moves to stand, "He certainly didn't seem to think you would care much."
That works. Balur's amusement is gone in a snap and he is waving at Ranor. "Sit down, sit Ranor," he says impatiently and low. "Tell me what Frarin did."
Ranor stands motionless in consideration, then slowly sits again, the amusement returning to his eyes but remaining absent from the rest of his face. "Frarin.. is that his name? Ah yes, she did say that." He continues his game of dragging it out, savoring the moment for what it's worth. "I saw her at his door, heard them speaking of breaking your wishes. That's when I stepped in. I realized her intentions were misguided. This Frarin, he is older.. " Ranor sighs. "Well, of course I told her she couldn't be acting against your will, but she didn't listen. This Frarin stepped in and encouraged me to tell you, made joke of it."
Balur leans back again and is very still and silent while watching Ranor. A brief pause lingers. "How specifically did they speak of breaking my wishes?" he asks in a low and dangerous voice.
"He made light of corrupting her, and spoke boldly of what little respect you have for people. It was then that I insisted she come with me, and Frarin tucked her away inside his home and barred my entrance." Ranor gestures to his face, "You can see where my attempts to interfere got me. I had no wish to exchange blows with him."
"Ranor," Balur says, beginning to sound a bit strained. "Will you please quote me his exact words? Frarin is no friend of mine and you certainly aren't bearing good news, but I have a difficult time imagining any fellow saying aloud, 'Aha, my dear! How I delight in corrupting you!' And, though I haven't seen her in a long time, I imagine that if Frarin were saying insulting things about /me/, my daughter would be punching /him/ in the face. So kindly give me a more exact quote."
"Exact words? Hmm.. something along the line of, 'Do go off and tell Balur how I am corrupting his daughter and inviting her to a secret meeting, I'm sure he'll be grateful for the news.' .. I don't remember his exact phrasing, but that was the general idea. I said he made light of it." Ranor eases back, shifting to a more comfortable position in the chair. "Thari? She was upset at being caught, I think it fair to assume. I probably wouldn't have come to see you at all, but for the punch that Frarin threw at me."
Everything Ranor says makes Balur's brows arch progressively higher, but all he ends up saying is, "Really? You would've kept this secret about my daughter from me if Frarin hadn't punched you?"
"Possibly. I wasn't especially concerned until he grew so aggressive. Thari wouldn't have appreciated me tattling on her sneaking out, and she pointed out that you only prevented Frarin from coming to see her.. not from her seeing him. A loophole in your decree, perhaps?" Ranor shrugs, and reaches into a pocket to pull out his pipe. "Have you a bit of pipeweed, brother? Did you hear? My son is Huskarl."
"No, Ranor, I haven't time to share a smoke," Balur says sternly. "And congratulations on your son. I am sure that he is already turning out to be the same fine quality of dwarf that his father is." He stands and steps away from the table, giving Ranor a brief, crisp bow as if in farewell.
"Children have wills of their own.. you shouldn't let it bother you too much when they get out of line." Ranor says in a slightly condescending tone, the amusement touching his face now as that thin smile returns. The pipe is tucked away again, empty and forgotten. Slowly the woodcarver stands as well. "Good luck, Balur."
"Thank you," answers Balur while straightening. "You will leave the situation with my daughter to me. There is no need for you to interfere. Good day." A brisk nod of his head and the older dwarf turns away, crossing the room quickly toward an office.
Ranor waves a dismissive hand. "I've no desire to -interfere-.. " He says with a rolling of his eyes, then moves off in the opposite direction towards his own home.
Players: Ranor, Balur
Located in: Erebor
