Return to the Blue Mountains

Chapter Seven

 Chapter Seven

When Rori's tears dried up Thorin took her from the bedroom, closing the door behind them and he went out into the street. He stopped the first dwarf who passed him and asked him to fetch Thrim and then Ris's relatives.

The young dwarf ran off, his previous task forgotten as he hurried to do his king's bidding.

Thorin set about relighting the fire and boiling some water, while Rori sat down at the table.

The rest of the day pased in a blur as friends and relatives came by to pay their respects to Ris, and his relatives stayed and accepted their kind words. Rori felt like an interloper, as though she wasn't entitled to share their grief.

When she was left alone with her uncle Pel for a moment, he smiled encouragingly and took her hand.

“He was waiting for you, you know? We all think that's the only reason he lived this long and I guess this proves it.”

“Don't say that!” she felt as though he was blaming her.

“It's true,” he said. “Dad spent the last few decades worrying that he hadn't looked after you and your mother, and wondering what became of you. I think seeing you and the wonderful woman you had become, finally gave him the peace he needed to let go. This is a good thing, Rori. He's with Ma now, and that's all he's wanted for a very long time.”

Rori smiled at his kind words, though her eyes were still shining with as yet unshed tears.

That evening the funeral was held by the entrance to Thorin's Halls. The funeral pyre was built high and Ris placed upon it. Dwarf royals are entombed upon their death and any dwarf who is rich enough can do the same, but most chose cremation.

Dwarf funerals are generally a cheerful event, or at least much more cheerful than we are used to. They are a celebration of the dwarfs life, rather than a mourning of his death and the memories of Ris flowed freely among those present. It seemed that almost everyone had a kind word to say about him and had fond memories to share.

If anyone needed to know something, it was Ris they went to and every week he held what you might call 'court' in the tavern, where he would tell his stories to anyone who was of a mind to listen.

Although her tears were never far away, it warmed Rori's heart to know that he had been so very loved and cared about.

As the torches were lit, everyone grew silent as the bearers approached the pyre. As king, Thorin raised his tankard high in the air.

“To Ris!” he called as the torch bearers set alight to the pyre.

The crowd copied his cry and raised their tankards, their way of wishing Ris well on journey to the afterlife.

Rori watched the flames and a small smile formed on her lips.

“Thank you, grandpa,” she said softly, unlike the other cheers which were echoing around the valley. “I love you and I will miss you.”

Thorin approached and put his hand on her shoulder.

“Do you want to wait until the end?” he asked. Dwarf funerals usually only die down when the pyre begins to burn out, but Thorin knew from bitter experience that it was easier to celebrate the life of someone you that weren't close to, than that of someone you loved. Although Rori had not been close to her grandfather for many years, she did still have a great deal of affection for him and he knew that this must be hard for her.

Rori shookher head and so they went back to his rooms where they spent a quiet evening.

III

Over the next few days Thorin went about the town with Thim, finding out what needed doing and what projects had been or were being put into effect. He offered what help he could, though the whole the town was doing very well, considering that so many of it's residents had left.