1. There and Back Again
Memoirs had always fascinated Frodo. As a lad, he begged Bilbo daily to retell the tales of his grand adventure with his doughty dwarven companions.
When Balin paid them a surprise visit, Frodo attended eagerly as the white-beard told of rebuilding the Lonely Mountain and filling the Dragon's Desolation with sturdy stoneworks.
Balin's deep voice resonated with pride for the reconstruction of his forefathers' halls. But Frodo also detected a hint of longing for his people's once-hallowed home, Khazad-dûm.
Now, in the light-shaft's harsh glare, Gandalf sighs and sets down the Book of Mazarbul.
"I fear their end was cruel."
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
