He takes the little box carefully, as if it might bite. “Cousin…? To what do I owe this welcome, if exceedingly unexpected, gesture of goodwill?”
“I fancied a visit,” Ossë replies simply, lips curling into a faint grin. He paces a small bit around the area, curiously inspecting the forge. It has been literal ages since he has last willingly entered such a place. “You had a tour of my home and my workplace; do I not get that same honor?”
He gestures towards the box and chirps in amusement. “Go on, it is nothing that wondrous. I thought perhaps you would like some pearls and abalone shells to work with.”
Sauron gave pause, eyeing Ossë and his train of waterweed-tangled hair as the dripping visitor picked at his rows of tools, arranged by purpose and size. “Naturally the same honor is extended, Cousin. I am only curious as to why… you have never taken an interest in my habitation before. I assumed it was distasteful to you.”
He lifted the lid of the chest gingerly. He seldom worked with pearls. They rolled pleasingly around his fingers, clicking against the nacreous abalone.
“I have no idea how to work with shell,” he proclaimed, raising one to the light, “I assume they turn to a pile of quicklime if you fire them… Are they especially fragile? Hells, what fiddly work these must make to carve! I’m going to need a very small file, and a very gentle clamp…” He stopped himself, rubbing his chin. “Well! You’ve set me with quite an interesting challenge. Shell and pearl– very different from what we are used to here,” he shut the lid, making short bow, “I thank you for the gift. They are beautiful. Is there… anything in particular you wish to see while you are here? I would hate to be a poor host.”
MisbehavingMaiar: Tumblr Archive 