Jeweled dolls of Durin

revelations and beginnings [pg]

Tia and master Grieg traveled along the road towards ered luin stopping only when necessary ..very little spoken between them so her mind was able to think about all that had transpired during her departure and the past. Remembering the times she spent with bofur, her family, bofurs workshop, the song he sung in her ear before she left, the packet of letters her father gave to her to open each day while on the road, bofurs eyes with tears in them... Bofur? why was all her thoughts keep turning back to him and why was she still smelling his scent as if he was standing right there? Her heart ached for some reason and as she reached up to touch it she felt the rose pendent that he had carved for her and the scent got stronger. Of course the rose would hold his smell .. the pipe weed he smoked and the warm smell of wood being carved ..that was his smell that made her feel safe and comforted her all these years. She knew thru the upcoming years whenever her heart would ache she would just hold the rose to her nose and the smell of him would ease her pain .

Master grieg came up beside her while she was lost in thought " Are you ok my student..you seem to be thinking hard on something" his eyes showed a hint of worry that maybe he was making her an apprentice too soon for one so young. he knew he had to leave to go to another city to apply his trade and he didnt know how long he would be gone..he couldnt leave her to become someone elses apprentice..so he decided to start it earlier than planned.

"im ok master..was just thinking about my family and friends." she shook her head to clear her thoughts of back home. "master why ered luin and why did we have to leave so soon if i may ask" she queried of him hoping he wouldnt take insult and answer.

" first lesson my young protege... every master at some point must go to a new city to apply his trade for awhile so as to better the clan and reputation. i got a letter from an old friend who says there is a need for a master jeweler in a remote city and to help a clan of dwarves who live in exhile from thier home." he saw the question of how this had happened in her eyes. " long ago in erebor under the lonely mountain lived a king whos home was taken from him by a fire drake from the north and drove his people into exile . it is in ered luin that they have settled now and we are on our way to help them to rebuild our clan." he saw her eyes widen at his words..then she relized he said our clan and her eyes snapped to his . he started to chuckle at her expression" yes .. my clan...im part of this clan too." this gave her more to think about on thier journey " any way lass didnt i see some letters from family that could be read?" she suddenly rememberd the letters and he softly laughed at her sudden excitement. she pulled out the letters and saw on the front of one DAY 1.

My dearest daughter,

im writing to you hoping you are not too sad over our seperation from each other. know that as you travel we all miss you and love you very much but we know you are about to have a fantastic adventure that is waiting to be lived. that is why what im about to tell you leaves me with a heavy heart to say this..especially in a letter when i couldnt say it to your face. your father isnt as brave as he wished on this subject, so i hope in time you will forgive me for what im about to say as you journey to ered liun. I have never told you this...but you are not of my blood..you and tohlm are adopted. Your brother knows but I forbade him to tell you till I felt you were old enough."

Tia rode in shock at the words on the paper..it doesn't make sense she thought. She read those words again..adopted..tohlm knew and never once told her. She folded the letter back up without reading the rest on the page..she couldn't handle anymore right now. First she had to leave family( could they even be called family after this) and friends ( more like one friend..Bofur)journey to a unknown place with a unknown master ..and now to find out she not part of a family she thought she was. Tears started to cloud her vision and her body doubled over as if someone had punched her. Master Grieg heard a sob behind him and when he gazed back he saw his protege doubled over in her saddle. He stopped his mount quickly.