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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Mar 26 2016, 2:33pm
Post #1 of 8
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Why do fanfics ignore the other Dwarves?
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So I just read another fanfic about poor Thorin being "forced" to find a wife - kind of "Outlander-ish"/wishful thinking, IMO, and the rest of the Company was just as invisible in this fic as they were in the movies! So, I am proposing to remedy that, AND give people a chance to play Dwarf-Matchmaker. Here is a little ficlet where the Company meet 6 Dwarf-maids from the Iron Hills, with a chance for more than Thorin to find love. But the question is, who gets who? Please read and comment so I can finish the fic!
Pretty Dwarf-Maids in a Row
There was a surprising amount of activity near the front gate of Erebor. Two weeks earlier, a fierce battle had been fought for the Lonely Mountain. Dain Ironfoot came with 3,000 soldiers to aid his cousin, Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, and his loyal Company of Dwarves. Miraculously, all 13 members of the Company survived, although Fili was badly injured. Today was the first day since that Oin had allowed him to get out of bed. His right leg was broken when he fell from the tower at Ravenhill. The only reason he was able to move at all was due to Bifur, who made him a set of crutches and a sturdy leg brace.
Fili hobbled over to Balin, who stood near the landing. Lord Balin smiled as the Crown Prince approached. “It’s good to see you out of bed.”
“It’s good to finally be out of bed,” Fili replied. “One more day and I would have gone mad! Have you seen my brother?”
“Not yet,” Balin admitted, “but I’m sure he’ll get here soon. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to miss this!”
“I hope not,” Fili mumbled as he looked down at the main hall, which had been converted into a makeshift hospital for Dain’s injured troops. A few hundred Dwarves lay on pallets and whatever bedding the Company had been able to find. Dain had brought medical supplies and four medics, but much more was needed – cooks, food, bedding, medical supplies, medical helpers and even some stone masons to begin repairs on the front gate. They were coming from the Iron Hills, and rumor had it some of the helpers were Dwarf-maids.
“It’ll be nice to see some pretty ladies around here,” Bofur remarked.
“They are coming for the wounded,” Bifur reminded him.
“Of course they are, but doesn’t mean a Dwarf can’t show appreciation. We fought in the battle too, you know! Just ask Fili!”
Balin had to chuckle at the former miner turned victorious Lord. “We’re all quite aware of your battle heroics.” He stood near Gloin and Dwalin, who looked down in disapproval. Dwalin had already complained that women would be a terrible distraction, and Bofur was proving it.
And it wasn’t just Bofur – Ori, Nori and Dori were also gathered around. “I don’t understand why they would bring women,” Ori said. “Dragging them all the way from the Iron Hills, isn’t it still dangerous?”
“It’s not that hard to understand,” Nori explained. “There’s 13 wealthy Dwarf Lords here, and three are royal. My guess is, the women volunteered – probably hoping to find a husband among us.”
Gloin cleared his throat. “You forget, Nori, that I’m already spoken for.”
“Well I know that, but they don’t!” Nori could see Oin down below, talking to Jeruk from the Iron Hills – the bonesetter who’d treated Fili’s broken leg. “Looks like your brother will get the first chance to meet them.”
“My brother feels he is too old for such things,” Gloin remarked, “and besides, since I have a son our line will continue.”
“I’m afraid I have to agree with Oin,” Balin pointed out. “I’m also too old for such things, but Dwalin here is in his prime.” Dwalin growled at his brother, but said nothing.
“I’m likely too old as well,” Dori joined in, “and Ori is still too young.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to do the deed,” Nori joked.
“You?” Dori looked suspiciously at his brother. “Those ladies are probably looking for a respectable Dwarf!”
“Who says I’m not respectable? I’m a Lord now – oh, here comes Kili. They must be here!”
Kili ran down from the hastily repaired ramparts and approached Thorin and Dain. After giving them a quick report, he ran up the steps to the landing to join his brother. “Fili, you’re up and around – finally.”
“If I didn’t have to hold these crutches I’d smack you!”
“You’d have to catch me first – oh, here they are!”
The first group to enter was a dwarf man with three women. Jeruk ran up to them happily as they approached Thorin. “My Lord,” Jeruk began, “this is my brother Keruk, a stone mason.” Thorin nodded approvingly. Jeruk took the hand of the Dwarrowdam. “This is my lovely wife, Bina, and our two daughters, Betina and Jerusa.” Each woman curtsied as her name was mentioned.
“Two daughters,” Thorin remarked, “that is unusual.” The sisters had the same hair color, like dark honey, pulled loosely from their faces. Their soft beards were carefully brushed to each side, revealing high cheeks and full lips. Betina was more full-figured than her sister, but both ladies had an hour-glass shape. Their mother was also quite curvy, although her belly was softer and rounder than theirs.
“Yes, I was doubly blessed with dwarf-maids,” he agreed. “Bina and Betina are here to help in the kitchens.”
“Oh, Bombur will like that,” Bofur chimed.
Jeruk continued, “And Jerusa has worked as my assistant in the surgical ward. She’s also a trained mid-wife.”
“I see.” Thorin was a little embarrassed by this information. “Well, I’m sure that will come in handy, eventually. Welcome!” Keruk, Bina and the sisters stepped aside, to make room for the next group.
“Well, kitchen help and hospital help,” Balin noted while Ori took notes. “What do you think now, brother?”
“I still think women will be a terrible distraction,” he grumbled, “although that one is pleasingly plump.”
“Which one?” Balin looked at his brother, but before Dwalin could answer the next group came in.
Two dwarf men and a dwarf maid approached, clearly related to each other. All had hair as dark as a raven’s wing, with dark eyes to match. The men bowed simultaneously. “Danko and Manko, at your service.” Danko stepped forward. “My brother and I are stone masons, apprenticed to Keruk. And this is our sister, Bryn.”
Dwarf-maids tend to be smaller than Dwarf-men; Bryn was small for a Dwarf-maid. She curtsied deeply. “King Thorin, I am a seamstress and laundress by trade, but I wish to be employed in the hospital. I will help in any way I can.”
“A very bold request,” Fili noticed. “I wouldn’t have expected one so small to do that. What do you suppose Thorin will do?”
Thorin raised his brows slightly, but deferred to Oin. The old medic was only too happy for the assistance. The siblings stepped aside for the next Dwarf-maid, who surprisingly came in alone. Another medic ran forward. “My Lord, this is my niece Edna.”
“She’s awfully tall, and a bit thin as well,” Bofur remarked.
“Ah, she’s fine,” Bifur said curtly.
The medic continued. “She’s been training with me, and she’s very strong. She can help get them up and about as they get better.” The hair near her forehead was pulled back into a thick braid, and two side-braids wrapped around the hair that ran down her back, keeping it secured. Likewise her beard was parted and pulled to each side, and worked into fine braids of a mousy brown shade. However, there was nothing mousy about her demeanor. She made a proper curtsy but then stood with quiet confidence in her abilities.
Thorin smiled and gestured for her to join the others. The next two were clearly father and daughter – both had curly red hair and sparkling green eyes. “Rom,” the man said as he bowed, “and my daughter Reva. We can do general cleaning and kitchen work, but we are both musicians. We play mandolins, and my Reva has a marvelous voice. It’s our experience that music can heal the soul, as medicine can heal the body.”
“She can certainly sing for me,” Bofur sighed.
“Yeah, with a set of lungs like that,” Nori added. “I don’t know how she can stand up straight….”
“Oh, Nori!” Dori scowled at his brother. “Don’t talk like that in front of your brother!”
The last two were also father and daughter. “Boak, at your service,” he said as he bowed, “and this is my daughter Tami.” Her curly hair was as yellow as sunlight, pulled back with a large clip and flowing around her shoulders. Her eyes were as blue as the sky, a sprinkle of freckles dotted her nose. Her round face was perhaps a bit on the plain side, but her smile more than made up for that. “We are artisans and crafters, willing to do whatever needs to be done – mending, welding, and all manner of restoration to the walls and furnishings of this mountain. It would be our honor to serve you, my Lord.”
Thorin smiled. “I’m sure there is plenty of work to be done. Welcome!”
“Well, that looks like the last of them.” Balin eyed the two princes cautiously. He’d heard a disturbing rumor about Kili being infatuated with an Elf – perhaps one of the Dwarf-maids standing before them could turn his head. “What do you think, Kili? Do any of them catch your eye?”
Kili seemed to be studying the Dwarf-maids carefully. Finally he shrugged. “They’re alright, I guess.”
Balin was disappointed until he noticed Fili, whose eye was fixed on one of the maids. He even started to follow as they walked away. “You must be blind, Kili. She’s so beautiful!”
“Praise be,” Dwalin muttered.
All of the Company turned expectantly towards the Crown Prince as Kili asked the question: “Which one?”
*****
So, there you have it. Six Dwarf-maids, not quite enough to go around even with the age/marital status figured in. So, who should end up with who? Help me figure this out!
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MyWeeLadGimli
Lorien
Mar 26 2016, 4:40pm
Post #2 of 8
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Fili, Kili, Nori, Bofur, Bombur, Dwalin
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I mainly stuck to the ones who seemed more interested in your story, and Dwalin and Bombur just to fill spots. Dori wouldn't want Ori to marry so young, and doesn't seem interested himself. Thorin seemingly has no desire for a wife in the films, since he says Fili will be king. And if Balin and Oin were planning to find a wife, they'd probably have done so a long time ago.
Just as an aside, in the book most of the Company were probably more or less asexual, since Tolkien says the majority of Dwarves have no interest in the opposite sex. I've always thought that was an interesting quality which kind of set Dwarves apart.
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wizzardly
Rohan
Mar 26 2016, 7:56pm
Post #3 of 8
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Most fanfic is written by teenage girls who are only concerned with PJ's "hot" dwarves.
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Mar 26 2016, 9:06pm
Post #4 of 8
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I'm re-using the two sisters from another fanfic I wrote. In that fic, Betina married Bombur and Jerusa married Fili. So that leaves Bryn, Edna, Reva and Tami. But really, I could throw the door open and say any of those Dwarf-maids could end up with anyone that you selected!
It makes sense that Dwarvish men would accept that they are unlikely to wed, since there aren't enough Dwarf-maids to go around. But the description I've read, something like "When they see the one they just know, and if they can't have that one, they won't have anyone else" suggests to me that Dwarves ARE interested in the opposite sex, but can keep that passion suppressed. That's part of what bothered me about that other fanfic I read; the Dwarves acted like typical men, and the women were worse! So it seems to me that Dwarvish women would have a great advantage, but would also shun all other offers if "the one" didn't return her affection. I wonder if Dwarish women would ever feel pressure to marry SOMEONE, to keep the race going. Something to think about, for sure.
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MyWeeLadGimli
Lorien
Mar 26 2016, 9:53pm
Post #5 of 8
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I think they wouldn't marry to keep the line going
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From Appendix A : "For not all the women take husbands: some desire none; some desire one that they cannot get, and so will have no other. As for the men, very many also do not desire marriage, being engrossed in their crafts."
To me this suggests that many Dwarves have no interest at all, and the rest set their hearts on one person no matter what.
As for your four left over, I'd match Reva with Bofur, since they're both musically inclined, Tami with Dwalin, since she seems practical, which suits him, Edna with Kili, since she's tall and thin (and thus more Elf-like), and Bryn with Nori because I couldn't think of another reason.
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Mar 26 2016, 11:25pm
Post #6 of 8
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If a good percentage of the species doesn't procreate, the species will die out - I wonder if Tolkien realized that? I realize they are a longer-lived race than men, but still! Maybe some of them really do come out of stone every now and then
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MyWeeLadGimli
Lorien
Mar 27 2016, 3:15am
Post #7 of 8
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Dwarves are in population decline
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I don't recall where exactly, but it's suggested that the number of Dwarves are so few in the Third Age because of these reasons, as well as because there's a natural gender imbalance.
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Apr 25 2016, 3:25am
Post #8 of 8
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Well I like your suggestions, but after thinking it over I've decided Kili & Edna won't get together. Kili's fallen for that she-Elf, so like Thorin he's going to end up not marrying at all. I considered pairing Dwalin with Edna, but then after reading what you found decided maybe Edna will just be a dedicated nurse and not take a husband. Or maybe she'll end up with Bifur later, I dunno. Anyway, this was just going to be fluff, but then I started watching "Mercy Street" and "Outlander," so I think there's going to be an infectious epidemic in the hospital ward, and an attempted murder between hookups . Now I just gotta figure out how Dwalin is going to meet Tami, haha!
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