001 - video

[histori]

[Ori is having a bit of difficulty working his 'smartphone'. There's a bewildered dwarvish face on the screen, face screwed up in confusion as he tries to fix it. A jumble of confused letters appear on the screen and his frown deepens. Finally, the screen clears to just Ori's face, young, pale, his braids messy and his beard unkempt.]

I-I think I'm lost. [His voice is pitched high with nervousness, his stutter more prevalent.] S-something is f-following me, I keep seeing...shapes and f-faces and things in the m-mirror.

[Ori's voice cracks, dropping to a whisper. His eyes are glittering with moisture.] I-I just want t-to go home. I d-don't want to die, I don't want anyone to die!

[The screen suddenly shifts and it becomes apparent that the young dwarf has thrown it across the hall. There's muffled sounds of crying for several minutes before it finally shuts off.]

Comments

video

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh, Ori. This would be a lot easier if you hadn't tossed the device across the hall.]

Ori? [Her voice is gentle, but loud enough to be heard from a distance. Or so she hopes.]

video

[histori]

[He recognizes the voice and struggles to pull himself together, wiping his face on his sleeve as he crawls across the hall to pick the thing up again. His eyes are red and there's still tears clinging to his eyelashes, but he's managed to stop crying at elast.]

M-Milady.

[inafadingcrown]

[Poor thing. This place can get to anyone, but it must be especially hard for him, innocent as he seems. She keeps her voice calm and steady.] Where were you, when last you knew?

[histori]

I-I... [He twists his sleeve between his fingers.] I was tr-trying to get back t-to my room...

[video]

[summerlord]

Ori. [He pitches his voice to be heard; a gentle command.] Ori, pick up the device and answer me, please.

[video]

[histori]

[The crying stops on a soft gasp, and after a moment Ori goes to pick it up.]

L-Lord Elrond. [He mops at his face, leaning against the wall and pulling his knees up to his chest.]

[video]

[summerlord]

Ori. [His expression is soft.] What troubles you, Master Dwarf? [As if the answer isn't obvious, but if he can just get Ori to talking.]

video;

[redheaded_rock]

Hey? You okay?

video;

[histori]

[There's a pause before he answers, his eyes red and tears still streaking down his face.]

I-I'm not sure.

video;

[redheaded_rock]

Just take a breath. What happened?

voice;

[longestnose]

Ori...where are you.

Do you know the way to the forge?

voice;

[histori]

Um... [Ori sniffles.] I-I don't know.

[He takes a couple of deep breaths.] Wait. Maybe I'm not lost.

voice;

[longestnose]

No, you aren't. You are a dwarf--we don't need any sky to tell us where we are.

[He is speaking carefully, quietly, trying to work him through this.]

video

[woodlander]

[ What?



What? ]

I know your face, Dwarf.

[ She sounds uncertain, though not hostile. Not this time. ]

Do not look into the mirror. Come to the gardens. There is naught that will harm you here.

video

[histori]

[Ori doesn't recognize her; he hasn't reached that point in his life yet, after all. But she seems fairly willing to help and he's had good experiences with elves thus far.]

I-I...I'm not...s-sure how to get there.

video

[woodlander]

[ He’s one of Kili’s friends. She’s sure of that. The responses from the others only confirm it, and she is used to people not recognising her by now. That, she accepts. ]

Perhaps I could find you – unless your friends are already doing so?

I would not see you come to harm.

[briefly]

Ori - that's your name, isn't it? [She may have snooped on other conversations, woops.] My name is Poppy. Would you like me to come find you, make sure you're safe?

[histori]

[The young dwarf hesitates a moment, glancing around before giving a small nod.]

[briefly]

All right. You don't have to tell me anything, just - let me see what's around you so I can get a better idea of where you are.

[northerner]

If you stay where you are, one of us will come to you. You needn't fear your death.

[ not that the ship is safe, but robb's pretty sure pointing that out explicitly is not the way to go. ]

[histori]

[Ori swallows and nods at that.] I...I w-won't die here, I already know that.

[He has a much worse fate.]

[northerner]

[ join the club ori ]

Has someone come to you? One of your friends, perhaps?

[coy]

You're not going to die, okay? It looks like people are going to come get you. [ aw don't cry little guy.]

caroliiiiine <3

[histori]

[Ori sniffles, wiping his nose on his sleeve.] I d-don't like this pl-place.

oriiii

[coy]

It's okay. You're going to be okay. We're all in this together, just remember that. [ cue an encouraging smile.] I'm Caroline. What's your name?