“Morning dear! Tea or coffee with your breakfast?”

“Good morning, uh, tea please. Anything interesting in the Moria Mail this morning?”

“No, nothing really. Another Watcher turned up in the Vile Maw, but what’s new about that?”

“Slow news day it seems. I expect Neville’s team will have dealt with that one already.”

“And what are you up to today? Anything interesting, or the same old same old?”

“Oh, same old, I expect. Probably have to clear some more morroval nests out. Mmmm, lovely cuppa, thanks.”

“Oh dear, really? Can’t they get someone more junior to do that now? You’ve been with the company for so long, and done so well for them, they really don’t make best use of you you know.”

“Yeah well, maybe.”

“No ‘maybe’ about it, you always underestimate yourself. You’re ever so good with an axe: always clearing out goblin infestations for friends and family, and none of us understand these new-fangled legendary weapons like you do.”

“Oh, it’s not so complicated, I just spent a lot of time locked away in my room tinkering with them when I was younger, that’s all. I’m not that good, really. I guess I am quite handy at hewing the ol’ greenskins, but there are lots of people younger than me coming out of Rivendell and Thorin’s Hall with all their fancy deeds and titles in orc slaying; I’m a bit old for it all now.”

“Yes, but they don’t have the in-the-field experience that you do; that counts for a lot, doesn’t it?”

“Well you’d think so, but it doesn’t seem to work that way. Anyway, it’s not so bad, I enjoy the work. Ok the pay is a bit rubbish where I am now, and the inventory management is a nightmare, but it’s an easy life. Sure, I could commute to Mirkwood and find a high paying job there, but the travel each day would be a nightmare and the jobs are all so stressful.”

“Well, as long as you’re ok, then we’re ok.”

“Excellent. Well, I suppose I should be getting off; I expect Norris has already started his shift and he’s probably knee deep in more grodbogs than he can handle, as always; it’ll take us hours to de-bug everything he’s done.”

“Have a good day. Oh, and could you pop into Dolven-view on the way home and pick up some bread?”

“Yup, no problem. See you later.”

“Don’t forget your axe, dear.”

“Guh, I’d forget my own beard if it wasn’t welded to my face! See you tonight.”

Human software engineer. Dwarf Champion. Sometimes my various lives seem eerily similar.