milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Many good-byes were said this night just past. Gimli's were not among them; he's been pursuing his apprenticeship under Mount Etna these past weeks, so that his work with mithril mail might be truly impressive when the custom starts coming in.

Tonight, though, he's back. And he's after a beer, and perhaps a place by the fire.

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"No matter." Gimli waves a hand expansively. "I've spent most of my time of late studying at a forge elsewhere, though I return every three days. I'd assumed it was my own failing, really."

"Oh, well, that sounds ... nice," Oats says lamely. He frowns. "Studying?"

He'd gotten the impression somewhere along the line that when one was forging one's own weapons, all apprenticeship was over.

Gimli nods. "My folk were charged by Mahal in the beginnings of our race with discovering what lore and craft we could, all throughout our existence. He did not say we might cease in this after our deaths. I have taken an apprenticeship with a fellow called Hephaistos, whose knowledge of smithcraft is as far beyond mine as the light of the Sun is beyond that of the stars of night. It seemed appropriate."

Oats is impressed.

"Well ... he must be very good, then."

Sadly, the book on the Greek pantheon that he as borrowed from the library (by way of the bar), is sitting unread on his desk upstairs.

"He is indeed," Gimli says firmly. "Though that does remind me- I've an axe or two waiting for someone who'd be interested..."

He looks guilty.

"I did mean to come out and try to work those bellows ..."

Gimli snorts. "They're still there, you know," he says. "I'm not likely to go anywhere for a while."

"Do you suppose I still could, then?" he asks, trying to disguise his eagerness and probably failing. "I don't know if I ever mentioned, but it seems that an axe is rather more essential here than I'd thought."

"But of course. When did you want to give it a try, hmm? TOmorrow, perhaps?"

He smiles, that distinctly Oats smile-- there and gone again in an instant, but bright and real.

"That sounds wonderful. Is there any, um, time in particular that would be best?"

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