Title: Iron and Stone
Fandom: The Hobbit
Rating: G
Length: 100
Content notes: N/A
Author notes: Thanks go to Zana, Morgynleri & Icka for encouragement & sanity-checking.
Summary: Just because a description is a cliché doesn't mean it isn't true



Iron is in the bones of Dwarves, as stone is in their blood. Iron that stiffens spines, hardens fists, forges into blades and staves and ladles and cookpots. Stone that sets them firm and solid on and under the earth, that hones the blades of iron axes, that makes heads hard enough to crack the skulls of orcs. The ground itself is their ally, yielding up ore and gems, stone for building, coal and clay and material for making all kinds of wrought and wondrous things. The Children of Mahal are makers and miners, first, warriors second, but never least.