There were few people that Thorin Oakenshield trusted. He trusted his kin, but that was it. After losing the Lonely Mountain, the dwarves of Erebor were looked down upon by many races of Middle Earth and elves had a special place of distrust in Thor...
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Vedis gasped awake. A light sweat covered her skin despite the cool air blowing through her window. She took several deep breaths. She was still slightly shaken, despite the fact that the dream was now slowly fading from her mind.
She pushed the covers off and went to the small wash basin. She poured some water into the bowl and splashed it on her face. Her face still dripping, she leaned against the small table. She glanced up, looking at the cloth that covered the mirror.
Slowly, she grabbed the towel and pulled it away to dry her face. She looked into the mirror as she lowered the cloth. Her eyes ran over the scars and markings.
"They tell stories of your bravery and kindness that others will never understand because they are too foolish," Oreliell had said the day before.
Vedis stood up straight and went to get changed. She slipped into a pair of trousers, a loose shirt, and a burnt orange vest that made her hair glow. She grabbed the clean bandages that were laying by her bed. She tucked one end into her palm and began to wrap the bandage around her hand. Unfortunately, the burns were still fresh enough to be tender to the touch and required bandaging, which covered her hand, wrist, and most of her forearm. Once it was tied off, she pulled her sleeve down over it, picked up her sword, and left the room.
The sun had not yet risen, light just starting to peek through the trees. But Vedis was accustomed to rising early. Most of the elves of Rivendell were still asleep, which relieved her. Sure, she was thankful for Oreliell's words of encouragement from the night before, but her confidence wasn't going to come back overnight.
She made her way down a flight of stairs, stepping onto a landing with a bench and small pond. No one was there, and Vedis knew the Rivendell elves well enough to know that they would not be there. She sat down on the stone bench and laid her sword in her lap. The blood from the previous day had been cleared away already, but it needed to be sharpened. Vedis liked to make sure her weapons were in pristine condition.
Her swords were a beautiful thing. They were matching blades, a simple yet lethal shape. They were smooth but had a small jutted point that could cause decent amounts of damage if she wished. The handles were wrapped in comfortable black leather that allowed for good grip, and quick and flexible movement. The base of the blade had small vine-like designs molded into the metal that seemed to blend into the leather grip. They had been a gift many years ago, and it was something she always treasured.
"{Good morning.}" Vedis smiled when she saw Oreliell walking toward her. "{I figured I would find you here.}"
"{You figured correctly, then.}"
"{How did you sleep?}"
Vedis looked down at her sword, running a whetstone along the blade.
"{Not the best.}"
Oreliell nodded, a small frown on her face.
"{Do you want to talk about it?}"
"{Not right now. I do not remember most of it now, anyways.}"
The two sat in silence for several minutes. Oreliell pulled out her own swords and began to polish and sharpen them. It was a routine they had, typically the morning after a fight. They would rise early, like always, and sharpen their weapons together before even having breakfast.
Vedis glanced at her sister.
"{What is it?}" she asked. Oreliell hummed, a sign to elaborate. "{Something is on your mind.}"
Oreliell's hands came to a stop.
"Thorin and his company are journeying to Erebor. They aim to reclaim the mountain." Vedis's eyes widened slightly. "Lord Elrond does not believe it to be wise."
"When do they leave?"
"As soon as their things are gathered, which I wager is rather soon. There's a secret door that can only be opened with the last light of Durin's Day."
"Which is approaching."
"Far quicker than the dwarves would like."
Oreliell set her sword aside and ran a hand through her hair. She had braided most of it out of her face, but there were still loose strands that fell.
"You are worried," Vedis said.
Her sister nodded.
"Of course I'm worried, Vedis. We both know how stubborn he is. He won't stop until he either reaches the mountain or is killed trying."
Vedis glanced up. The sun was finally shining through the trees, the sky starting to turn beautiful shades of orange, pink, and purple. She rose to her feet, pocketing her whetstone and giving her sword a small twirl. She tapped Oreliell's leg with one end, causing her sister to look at her.
