31. Too deep
"Still nothing," someone muttered.
"There is more mithril here, I'm certain," Farin said, though he too was beginning to lose hope. "We will find the vein again."
"How much further will you have us dig through rock bare of even a glimmer of ore in pursuit of a hunch?" That was Lófar.
"Ten yards," Farin replied. "If we find nothing, I give up on this vein, and I owe you a year's work in return. But if we do strike mithril, you owe me three-quarters of the rights to this shaft."
A long pause, but finally…
"Agreed. Ten more yards."
*-*-*
Written for RiverOtter's birthday, May 2011
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.
