Back in the comfort of the Shire, it seemed as though Bilbo Baggins was fast becoming something of the local legend because of his part in the downfall of Smaug, and word soon got to the smallish town that King Thorin's sights were set on a young Rivendell elf and that he had also been readily given Lord Elrond's support, so the only question that remained now was just how long would it take for King Thorin to fully gain this young elf, whose name to the Shire was not known, or at least for the present moment it was unknown.
"Thorin falling for an Elf; who would have believed it" Bilbo commented to Gandalf the Grey on one of his return visits to the Hobbit who, unlike the rest of his people didn't seem to age all that much since appropriating the Ring of Power from Gollum in one of the early stages of their quest to return Erebor to its right owners and dwellers. "Indeed" Gandalf replied, "And it seems that the pairing not only has the full blessing of Lord Elrond but also that of Arwen too as it is she who this young Elf has been working for".
Gandalf's last comment caused Bilbo to nearly choke on what he was drinking, "Oh this just gets better and better. Not only has the newly returned King Under the Mountain had his heart stolen by an elf but it turns out that his pursuit of this lady not only has the support of Elrond but his daughter Arwen as well" Bilbo said with a slight laugh, thinking about how the people who'd returned to Erebor would take to their Queen being of the elf persuasion rather than one of their own, especially when/if the time came for heirs to come along.
Little did the wizard or even his hobbit friend know that at that very moment, Briella, with a retinue of elf companions, was in fact on her way to Erebor, dressed snugly enough to keep the howling winds from her face and hair, knowing that Thorin as much as Elrond would want her to make it to her destination in one piece, strategically trained marksmen always on the lookout for trouble, including a recent resurgence in large spiders and Orcs, the latter of who still unrelentingly hunted Thorin even after he had been officially made King Under the Mountain once more.
"Lady Briella welcome to Erebor" Gloin, the red-headed/bearded dwarf from the quest to get the homeland back boomed in his loud voice and yet the horses didn't make any tries at reacting. Gloin held the reins steady as Kili helped Briella down from the saddle and quietly escorted her up to the Palace where Thorin was waiting in what would be referred to as the conservatory in the human world, sitting as patiently as he could before three knocks were heard on the wooden door to signify that she had arrived and was prepared as much as possible to meet him.
"Lady Briella welcome to my home" Thorin said after Dwalin and Kili left the room, which left the nervous young elf in the dwarf King's presence. She simply smiled at him as he led her towards two chairs that were situated facing each other. "I know why you were as unsure of yourself as you were the last time our paths crossed" he continued as she looked at him in amazement, "Tauriel has told me what went on in Mirkwood and I can assure you that no such event will happen here or there will be very severe consequences for it".
Upon hearing that, she seemed to relax, adding that had it not been for Tauriel and her very fast intervention as Captain of the Guard, the outcome could have actually been quite different, so much so that Thorin seemed to completely understand when she said that she no longer wished to speak about it, that it was in her past and she still had her future ahead of her, however long that may prove to be, which was difficult to predict when it came to the elves as they tended to have lifespans that were longer than any other creature around.
During her time in Erebor, the more Briella got to know Thorin and he got to know her just as well, the more it seemed as though the wall she had built up around herself was coming down, very slowly, and that was something Thorin accepted; that only time would be able to tell if she would ever be able to fully open herself up to him in all ways, but what meant the most was that she had promised to stay longer the next time she visited, and until then they would keep in contact as best they were able.
On the path leading to her return to Rivendell, the group was set upon by Orcs, all of whom were slain by the elves arrows and axes, Briella remaining unharmed but a little shaken by it all as the gates of Rivendell opened for them, closing firmly shut behind them. Walking up to Arwen's chambers, the expression of fear on Briella's face did not go unnoticed by the elf Princess, who immediately dismissed all others attending to her, except Briella, horrified by what she had heard, she immediately requested that she and Briella be given a chance to speak to Elrond.
Thorin too heard the news of what had gone on but if the truth be told then it would be more accurate to say that he was more angered than shocked to hear that the same creatures who had taken the lives of his father and grandfather and who tried to stop him from making it back to his homeland would've made any kind of attempt on his potential mate, but was no doubt relieved to hear that she had made it through unscathed and was now back in Arwen's wing of the Rivendell castle, where she felt she was safest.
