Blida

[A letter in a beautiful, neat, upright hand.]

His youngest child to Bóurr son of Bíld of Erebor, greetings.

[What remains of this sheet of parchment is a disaster of ink, large segments written and then entirely crossed out, five or six aborted attempts. At one point the writer even began to write in another language before blotting that completely out; in other places the handwriting, usually so neat and upright, becomes disjointed and chaotic before smoothing back out into tiny letters, very, very small.]

Dad Father 'Uddel To the most worthy of honor and love of all fathers, greeting.

[Underneath one of Bíld's prettily-drawn filigrees is a drawing of a Man's body, the skeleton showing through an outline of flesh. The hand that rendered it is neither that of a skilled anatomist or pen-and-ink artist; it does, however, function as a reasonably clear schematic. The most attention and detail has been given to the long bones, which each have a measurement listed next to them.

Entry the second.

Before aught else I must apologize for my shameful display. I did not expect my emotions to get so far out of hand, and I am vastly embarrassed. It must have been a mortification for you to watch as well, and I am very sorry. I felt your patience and compassion and am truly appreciative. May you not have to offer them again!

[A filigree is drawn as a divider.]

[The letters on this, the first page of a brand-new log, are written in a fine hand trained for elegance, uprightness, and symmetry.]

Here begin the observations of Bíld of Erebor, studying under the supervision of Elias Dimheim, apothecary of Gondor.