Oh yes, Nonnie, she would have company. Though Dis often believes herself to be alone, she is by no means forgotten.
Dori is always an unobtrusive presence, pouring tea and shifting the plate of biscuits closer to her hand. He knows, far better than most, how she feels.
(She does something similar for him, on certain days.)
Dwalin plies her with far too much to drink, and they laugh and complain long into the night. He ends up snoring on her hearth, and she falls asleep in her grandmother’s armchair, and they both have terrible heads in the morning… but it’s worth it.
Dain brings beer and stories, definitely. He hums quietly under his breath, to make the place less empty. He’s quieter than usual, on those days… but now and then he brings something new, discovered in the moldering archives or in the tunnels. A letter written by her father. Her mother’s harp (desperately needing re-stringing). Her grandfather’s favourite worry-stone, the runes nearly worn smooth. The record of Frerin’s birth, and the list of songs and ceremonies that greeted his presentation.
That always hurts. But it’s a welcome hurt, and a dear one. She will cry when he brings her these things… but then he often does too, and that’s why. That’s why.
Balin doesn’t need to say a damn word. Balin can just look at her with those old, knowing eyes, and she can feel it sizzle in the air between them.
Mizim and Gloin invite her to their rooms, full of arguing and fondness and love. There, Dis will knead dough for the next day’s bread and bicker with Gloin, as Mizim fires off the occasional random snarky comment, and Gimli and Gimris squabble like Dwarflings of twenty. Then when the meal is ready, Gloin will clear his throat and raise a toast to the departed, and Dis will not answer, only hold her glass high.
Later, Gimli will rest his head upon her knee, and she will comb out his hair with slow, soft motions. Her fingers linger in that mass of blood red, soft and thick, as coarse as Fili’s ever was. Not Kili’s, though. Kili’s was smoother.
(She knows he doesn’t care to have his hair fussed with. She knows that not even his mother is permitted this.)
lkjfh;ashdfgaljshdfgsjhasldkfjhasldhfa oh god, THANK you. I am sorta proud of that work, actually, it’s in my top 3 favourites of everything I’ve ever written. *wibbles* so happy that you like it and that you find it worth re-reading!
AHHHHH A FUNERAL FOR DWALIN’S HAIR BAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA oh, poor Dwalin. And there’s Thorin and Gloin and Oin, looking like overgrown yaks, all laughing at him. I’d be drinking too, Dwalin!
I do indeed! Thank you for asking about it, Nonnie!
So the blurb at the top of ch21 is about Dweris, and it goes like this:
A reclusive, reticent and slightly obsessive Dwarrow, Dwerís was the daughter of Nerís, a scribe and poet, and Nár, the great friend and counsellor of Thrór King Under the Mountain. She was a huge-shouldered nonbinary Dwarrow who went by she/her pronouns. She was a mediocre smith but naturally talented with a sword, and through her skill and dedication she soon rose through the ranks in the Ereborean Army. She was justifiably proud of her skills, and practised approximately five hours every day with a variety of weapons. It soon became rumoured that Dwerís was unbeatable.
Challengers appeared, and Dwerís was obliged to see each of them beaten before she could return to her solitude and her beloved training. She had defeated ninety-nine opponents when a comfortable young nobleman, drunk and staggering, was pushed into the ring by his friends. Disgusted, Dwerís left. The noble later sought Dwerís out to apologise for his appalling state and for his friends’ actions, and Dwerís was struck by his sincerity and his way with words. She offered to train him, and so Dwerís was introduced to her future husband, Fundin son of Farin. She often said later that she had won her hundredth bout as well.
Dwerís was killed beside her husband at the battle of Azanulbizar, leaving behind her two sons Balin and Dwalin.
Of the two lads, Balin is the one who looks more like Fundin, and Dwalin is very much like his bulky-shouldered mum. Balin also has his father’s rather more pacific nature… though he has a LOT of his mum’s ferociousness as well, when pressed. Dwalin has something of his dad’s sly sense of humour: immensely sardonic and understated.
Yet Balin preferred to seek out Dweris for comfort and advice, and Dwalin would go to his lawyerish, stolid, sensible father.
Perhaps it was because the young Dwalin needed someone to talk to him about what it was that bothered him, to help him reason out the best course of action, to help him cool his hot head.
Perhaps it was because Balin, so incredibly clever even at a tender age, would likely already know what it was he had to do, and simply needed some silent, unconditional support as he gathered his courage to do it.
Awww, Nonnie, this is an area that I expect is different for each person and/or Dwarf. Some NB Dwarves who are parents might prefer just to be called ‘parent’? Some may prefer ‘Amad’ or ‘Mum’.
Bear in mind please, that I am cis. My thoughts will not address the full nuance of this discussion, and I shouldn’t be taken as an authority AT ALL on this issue. Dweris is my character, sure, but she’s fictional. I would be honoured to take a back-seat to a NB person who has lived this situation, if they feel comfortable speaking about it.
I hope and believe that a Dwarf (or in our own world, any person) can be a mother, and NOT a woman. Because otherwise we start to enter into horrible role and gender stereotypes – or we start reducing the concept of ‘motherhood’ to ‘person who gives birth’ – and that way lies bigotry and bio-essentialism, and casts negative aspersions on the validity of a whole lot of adopting parents and trans people and more.
When it comes to my character of Dweris, however, she is a NB Dwarf who uses she/her pronouns, who dislikes the word ‘Amad’… but she likes the Westron colloquialisms ‘Mum’ or ‘Ma’. She is a mum, she’s Balin and Dwalin’s mum and she loves to be their mum and freely chooses to inhabit that role… but she’s not a Dwarrowdam. If we wanted to get right into the nitty-gritty of her gender identity, we could call her agender with a slight demigender bias.
But yeah, she’s a warrior, first and foremost. Warrior Dweris!
And my own Duchess has a bit of a foot fetish herself! She rubs her head against feet and shoes obsessively. It makes getting up a little tricky sometimes, because you’re just. Um. Okay, kitty, you do you.
AAAAH OMFG OF COURSE, GIMIZH IS TOTALLY PONYO *sings* Gimizh, gimizh gimizh, child of Erebor, tiny little Dwarfling, the terror we adore!
Oh! I love the practice-piercings idea too – does anybody remember those magnetic earrings that were around a gigazillion years ago? I bet Dwarves make use of stuff like that!
(omg everybody, I just got back from swimming with my Dwarfling…and my inbox has asploded again! I love you all, tremendously. But pretty pretty please can we maybe scale it back to one headcanon per person per day? I would like to give them all more time, you see!)
The different peoples of Middle-Earth have their own ways of farewelling the old year and greeting the new. Each race has its own rich customs and traditions to mark the winter solstice and the longest night of the year. Each is as distinct and unique as snow is to fire.
Post-holiday doldrums getting you down? Your family driving you crazy this holiday season? Or did you just have a lovely holiday, and are looking for the perfect treat to top it all off? Don’t care about the holiday season one way or another? Well, we at Sansûkh Productions have the perfect thing to send in the new year.
In short, we are thrilled to announce that this year, @determamfidd did us the honor of writing four holiday themed vignettes and allowing us to release them to you, our beautiful audience, at the same time the text version is posted (those of you who would rather read the fics first, we have a link to the text below). We are so grateful to both her and the cast members who were able to set aside their time this holiday to record lines on (very) short notice. We are so incredibly thankful for all of you, and wish you all the best in this upcoming year.
So, without further ado, you may find the podfic of Midwinter in the following places:
Click here for streaming/download link for the MP3 file.
Click here for streaming/download link for M4b file.
See below the cut for the cast list and full attribution.
Note: I had to go home for the holiday, and I recorded the credits at the last second before I left (while sporting a 100 degree fever). Consequently, I was obliged to re-record some sections on my phone (since I couldn’t bring my mic with me), so you’ll notice some sound discrepancies in the quality during the credits. My sincerest apologies for this, particularly to those folks whose names I failed to pronounce initially. >.< I’ll fix the file when I get back to my apartment, but in the meantime we thought it best to release the chapter in a timely manner. -HD
HERE IT IS HERE IT IS OH MY GOD THIS IS IT AND I AM NOT CALM
(reaction and a lot of flailing under the cut!)
okay – first off, that music is beautiful.
I love your voice, Ricky, your voice is like a salted caramel coffee poured into each ear ❤ As always, your delivery is so nuanced and intelligent and sensitive and clear. Oh whoa, ilu.
OH MY GOODNESS HD, HD AS LAEROPHEN BE STILL MY HEART, HOW MUCH PERFECTION??? HOW? Sardonic and long-suffering, and yet so so so LOVING.
Tiny Legolas! oh my god, OH WOW – you are amazing, @apalatablevastness, so incredibly versatile!!! ALSO ADORABLE OH WOW. “is this how it is?” = my heart exploded.
and you are the perfect mismatched siblings, so sweet and loving despite all that time and dissimilarity and oh my goodness th e dance the d ance HD you have slain me deaded
I would like to apologise for the line, “even the doughtiest Dwarves could not undo such devastation overnight” – that had to be a bit of a tongue-twister, SORRY RICKY YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU
oooooh sound effect for fire, OOOOH
Oh Dis, @grimminsanity your amazing mithril voice. Oh, you only have to speak a few words as Dis, and I am sniffling. You are a wonder.
FRERIN YOU ARE A JOY AND A TREASURE. SUNSHINE DWARF FOREVER ❤
Cully, once again you reduce me to a quivering freaking mess. YOUR GIMLI IS THE BEST, BEST, BEST, AND i LOVE YOU AND HIM. SO VERY MUCH. (also, so much sibling snark, help, i love the pair of you together faaaaar too much, there must be MORE)
GIMRISSSSSSSSSS ❤ Nota, bless you forever, your voice is delicious, and you sibling-bicker like a genius. So much fire and sass!
AUGH @the-dragongirl, your Mizim!!!!! That is one in-charge Dwarrowdam! And you, STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE LIKE A PRO, YOU FAB FAB PERSON!
Ohhhhhhh, gdi, Oin and Gloin together – @balinisballin and @gremlinloquacious, you are delightful and dwarvish perfection itself, I laughed aloud at your opening lines!!! (ALSO the ‘Elves charge like maddened pigs’ line – HALP TOO FUNNY)
FLUUUUUUKE, YOUR BALIN ❤ You have tripled my need to hug you until you squeak. You’re amazing!
(ahdglajshdgfalsjdhfgaksjhda FRERIN THE WORLD LOVES YOU TOO, YOU UTTER STAR)
Excuse me, Battlepig. EXCUSE ME. YOU. ARE. AMAZING. How dare you. How DARE you be such utter spot-on incredibleness. I am gasping at hearing you as Dain. GASPING. You’re stupendous, just in that first line. Holy hannah, I am floored.
Riza, your voice is so warm and friendly and gorgeous and BOFUR. SO BOFUR, the MOST BOFURISH. It’s like getting an aural hug!
AVIIIIIIIII! Avi, you are the most wonderful Stonehelm! THERE YOU ARE, BUTTERKNIFE, IT IS WONDERFUL TO HEAR YOU AT LAST!
ohhhhh the humming, ohhhhh the humming, shivers, shivers everywhere, my spine is all a-quiver
AUGH GULLS, GULLS IN MINAS TIRITH AUGH – how amazing is this soundscaping???? EEEEEE
@cagethesongbird – your Boromir!!! I am now UNCONTROLLABLY excited to hear you read his older self – you are completely tone-perfect, brave and proud and oh, it is AMAZING, you are so so brilliant! And you capture his wounded youthful pride and his complete devotion so utterly well, I am bowled over and in awe of you. the description of the Yestare celebrations!!! oh my GOD *bows down to you* Captain of the White Tower, I am so SO happy to hear you at last!
KEN KEN KEN MY KING! *wibbles all over you* AUGH AUGH YOUR ARAGORN, HELP, I HAVE A PROBLEM, IT IS TOO AMAZING, my heart is trying its damndest to BREAK over all that noble weariness, all that conflicted sorrow and longing to belong, all that heaviness and wisdom… AUGH AUGH AUGH also you should always speak in Elvish bc hot damn
folding. paper. folding. paper. The attention to detail in the sound design, the creasing paper and the soft whoosh of the wind around the tower – I just need to love on that for a few seconds <33333
Oh my goodness Ricky, you can hear how much FUN you are having with the Hobbity exposition!!! SO PRIM, SO TWEE, OH HOBBITS ❤
asldjgfsjaldhfgalsjdfga FROOD! My dear Antipodean Hobbit, how I adore you (and your beautiful accent!!!) you are absotively, posilutely GORGEOUS. And oh, your understatement is SO PERFECTLY FRODO – his unassuming bravery, his cheekiness, his unspoken baggage when it comes to being packed off in Brandy Hall, and his unconscious defence of Rorimac, and aargh, my heart, you are a gem beyond compare. (Also I snickered far,far too loudly at ‘you’re not serious.’ bwaaahahahahahaha, THE MOST STRAYAN OF DELIVERIES, my dearest Frood!) ❤
And itty bitty teeny MERRY! oh my god, you’re completely PRECIOUS I AM GONNA SQUEAL, you will destroy me with pure concentrated ADORABLE! I actually let out a squeak at ‘SHOVE OVER!’ and oh help me @ “I’m invited to the Party, but not the adventure. D’you think Mr. Bilbo might take me to see Dwarves and that?” YOU ARE ILLEGALLY CUTE. I ARREST YOU IN THE NAME OF MY SANITY. ‘Aooowwwww but MUM!’ = I EXPLODED.
Once again, @themadmanwithablog, you make me lightheaded with how wonderful you are – your humour, your warmth, your exasperation and intelligence and briskness and beautiful voice! I was smiling like a loon at every single one of Bilb’s lines, they were all utterly wonderful. Special mention HAS to go to ‘Yes, of course you do, I remember you advising against it quite well indeed.’ *Standing ovation* Bravo!
EEE PARTY MUSIC PARTY HOBBITS
holy heck, @strongenhelm – I am now convinced you are either Sir Ian McKellen himself, or you’re holding him hostage. YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOICE, GOOD GRAVY. From the first word, I can SEE GANDALF in that moment, the millennia weighing on him, all his weary humour and care. And I adore the little laugh on ‘approve’ awww. Your timing is stupendous, whoaaaa, I am flattened in awe. SERIOUSLY.
oh noooo no that can’t be the end already NO AARGH I LOVED IT I LOVE YOU ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH. I have ascended and am now a being 100% composed of sheer admiration for all of you. You astound me. Thank you.
The different peoples of Middle-Earth have their own ways of farewelling the old year and greeting the new. Each race has its own rich customs and traditions to mark the winter solstice and the longest night of the year. Each is as distinct and unique as snow is to fire.
Aw Yiss 