Even with the fire and hammering, Sonya did hear the man's steps as he came inside, but she hardly stopped from her work until he addressed her.
"I was bored." She answered, figuring that would be an answer enough. "I work with weapons all the time back home, why not learn how to make them."
She returned the smile with one of her own. That he was a dwarf hardly registered with her: her own boss was a dwarf after all-though one a bit taller. "I'm glad I have your permission to continue."
There may've been some deadpan snarking there, but what the hell, she was returning what he spoke to her with.