CHAPTER SEVEN
RIVENDELL
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Kili and I silently walked along side each other. It's now no longer awkward, however comfortable. Our shoulder and arms from time to time brushed against eachother. He seemed happy just to be with me and walking beside me, "You're a good shot."
I shrugged as our arms brushed again, "You're better, though"
Kili grinned. "I've had a lot of practice before"
We talked quietly till the path opened to a wonderful sight. My breath stuck in my throat, my feet refusing to move from which they had been planted moments before.
"The Valley of Imladris", Gandalf said, "In the common tongue, it is known by another name."
"Rivendell", I whispered sighing in happiness that I was at birthplace, finally.
Gandalf smiled serenely, "Here lies the last homely east of the sea"
Gandalf sounded annoyed, "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield"
Thorin lowered his voice considerably, "You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try and stop us from going."
"Of course they will", said gandalf, "But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, thus will need to be handled with tact. And respect. And no small degree of charm."
"Which basically means, Bofur keep your mouth shut", I called jokingly.
Thus raised a laugh, and a small chuckle form Gandalf. "Which is why you will leave the talking to Allísa and me."
"Why Allísa, I'm pretty too", Fili asked.
"Yes, but Allísa can talk elvish and has grace in what she does", Gandalf argued back.
We all stated to walk, "Close you mouth dear" Balin said, "You'll catch flies"
Bilbo had stopped in his tracks. My uncle Bilbo was looking around in complete awe. I came to a halt next to Kili and said, "I've always wanted to come here", he smiled at me, "When I was younger, I would always run off in search of Elves in the woods near the boarders of the shire. Now, here we are."
We all gathered in front of the steps, from which a dark haired elf was depending from, "Mithrandir"
"Ah", said the wizard, "Lindir"
"Stay sharp", I heard Thorin whisper to Dwalin.
Lindir wonder why we had been here, as he spoke in elvish which none of the opposite understood other than me and Gandalf.
"I must speak with Lord Elrond", Gandalf said back.
"My Lord Elrond is not here", Lindir told us in English.
"Not here?", asked Gandalf, "Where is he?"
The identical horns that had been heard earlier sounded behind us in the back of us. We became to peer a collection Elves on horses using closer to us. Thorin yelled in Dwarvish, and they pulled out their weapons, "Close ranks", he said
They shaped a circle, shoving Bilbo inner because the lives galloped up, using around us. I couldn't assist however respect there gracefully forms.
"Gandalf", says an elf, sitting on top of his high horse much larger than the dwarves.
"Lord Elrond", gandalf said in a fond voice.
Gandalf said something in elvish, bowing respectively.
Lord Elrond answered to him with is side the equal language tongue the alternative elf turned into speaking. I could speak many languages, and one of the many was elvish.
The elven Lord climbed down from his horse and embraced out wizard, then said in English, "Strange of orcs to come so close to our boarders. Something or someone has drawn them near."
"That may have been us", Gandalf replied.
Thorin stepped forward, his expression was completely unreadable.
Lord Elrond greeted him. "Welcome, Thorin, Son of Thrain"
"I do not believe we have met" Thorin said.
"You have your grandfathers bearing"
"I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain.", elrond told him
"Indeed? He made no mention of you", Thorin said, his voice colder than a winters night
Lord Elrond stated some thing in elvish, to which all of the dwarves brandished his weapons and growled. "What is he saying? Does he offer us insults"
"No, idiots he's offering us food." I said as they all huddled to a circle to discuss I glanced over to the others as Oin said, "I could eat"
"Well", Gloin said, turning back to the left Lord, "In that case. Lead on"
"Try it", they were urging ori. "Just a mouthful"
Ori shook his head sadly, "I don't like green food."
"Where's the meat?", Dwalin demanded, digging through a bowl of Spinach. I became barely ashamed to mention that I became playing a pleasing salad, incomes unusual appears from all of us around me. "It's good", I shrugged, speaking with a mouthful lettuce.
"Have they got any chips?", requested Ori hopefully, peering down the duration of the desk.
Gandalf, Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo had all long gone off to a separate desk with Lord Elrond and I became very curious to what the other have been talking anger and what has been happening.
"How can you eat that?", Kili asked me his face disgusted all scrunched up.
"I like green stuff", I said, "meanwhile you'll soon be reduced to eating the linens."
"Better than beans", he smirked at me.
When it got late at night I got escorted to my room which I was gifted for the visit. I entered the room of which I'd be staying in, a few new clothes had been laid out on the bend and the bath was drawn for me to take. I was careful taking off my clothes trying not to harm my open wounds and more than they already were.
The bathtub was warm and smelt like lavender as I immersed each limb into the water, almost suffocating my arms and legs within he liquid. It was finally a very high quality bathe, other than the usual quick wash in the face using river water or lake water. The blood, sweat and dirt had been wiped clean off earlier then I exited the bathroom.
Changing into my new dress, which was nice for a change since I'd been stuck in the same clothes for the past couple of weeks. While the she-elves arrived they braided my hair in an elvish fashion to preserve it out of my face and stitched up wounds, cleansing them first.
One they left it started to get dark, I walked into the direction of the balcony to look at the others who went out right into a small open area beneath me, that appeared to be a very good area to cook vegetables in hopes that the men would change their taste buds. Judging by their faces after trying the new creations, they have yet to succeed.
Bofur looked at something that appeared to look like a cucumber. He checked out him in thought and then Bombur who was seating on a creaking bench. He glanced in the meals earlier then throwing the cucumber at him and shouting, "bombur". The bench creaked badly. Without a second of alarm, he fell the table crumbling beneath his weight, throwing him to the stone floor with a thud.
Everyone burst into laughter. But Kili's laugh was the only one that lit up the entire world. It seemed like a fiddle hitting all the best notes.
Whilst I was watching them laugh and chat a knock came from the door behind me, "come in", I stated not bothering to see who it was. As the footsteps drew near they said, "Sorry to disturb you, however I cannot help but get the feeling in which you need something from me" Lord Elrond stated. I turned to face him leaving towards the balcony railing.
"Yes Lord Elrond, I want answers, if I must ask what happened to my parents?", I asked. He walked in the direction of the chairs in my room ushering me to the only one beside him, he sighed gently than said, "Are you sure you would want to know what happened?", he asked.
I nodded in agreement before he continues with what he was saying, "your mother and father were good allies of mine before I could even remember. When you were just younger than a year of age, the battle commenced in mirkwood among the lives and orcs. As your mother and father had been like siblings to the mirkwood King and queen, they helped, however they joined the conflict a touch later.
Earlier your mother and father arrived with their elf army and the orcs had been winning. Many lives were lost that day and one of which was your mother. When the war came to an end Azog.... beheaded your mother in a conflict towards her....", I attempted to ponder what was happening as he continued with his story I listened more to the detail.
"She only has a small weapon whilst he was fully armed. Once he beheaded her, he retreated back and the war was finally over. With your father in grief he wrote you the note and went to find a responsible person to be your new family which I suspect was Master Baggins. While he left you with Mr Baggins your farther ventured off and turned into dwelling in a village when he was killed by Azogs orcs by a sword through the chest"
He killed each of my parents. My mother was beheaded. And my dad was stabbed in the chest. He killed the only thing I had, he left me when I was a baby.
"Why didn't you take me in?", I asked, tears now forming in my eyes seeking to fall from to empty, emotionless face. "Your fathers request was that Master Baggins would take you in, as his niece.", he spoke. Yep, here come the tears, I thought. "I'm sorry my dear, I shall get going now", as he commenced to walk away, he stopped, "You're welcome any time, come and go any time you need. Rivendell will always welcome you."
He left with out any other word. I went right as well, all the way down to the others.
I already knew I wasn't a hobbit or a Baggins but hearing someone else say it was just heartbreaking, I couldn't imagine my life without Bilbo.
Thorin hurriedly appears on the scene with an urgent expression, "Pack up", he said. "We're leaving"
"Leaving?", I asked, scrambling to my feet, "What do you mean, leaving?"
"I said we are leaving, Allísa. Get your things together", Thorin left the room with no more argument.
I sighed walking up the steps and shoving my gear into my pack, putting a new dress on and another in my bag, along with some other things the she-elves gifted me. Strapping on my weapons and placing one in my shoe.
We ran from the beautiful, elven city quickly, trying not to get caught by them. As the light crept over the horizon, slowly showing us the light, we were far from the elven city and high up on a mountain pass by now.
"Be on guard", Thorin said, "We're about to step over the edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on."
I stopped, looking back at the scenery we had left. My whole life, I have wanted nothing more but to see all there is too see about the elves. Know all there is to know. I just hoped to see the elves for a little whole longer, "Baggins", Thorin called. My uncle seemed to have fallen behind, "I suggest you keep up"
We walked for many days among lovely scenery. Past mountains and waterfalls and breath-taking views. We trekked on. All of middle earth was beautiful. Even mordor was said to have been beautiful, in a cruel and terrible way.
All seemed well, till one night, an uneasy darkness fell. It had started to rain in advance with in side the day. However now turned into storming ferociously. I was walking between Bilbo and Kili. We walked along a treacherous mountain path, made slippery and even more dangerous by the rain.
"Hey", Thorin cried over the rain, "Hold on"
I walked with my hood up, setting my feet cautiously in the front of me. Nothing appeared to have long gone wrong. Till the floor fell beneath me and bilbo, making us lose our balance. I looked to see Kili still holding onto my arm. When I stabled myself, I kept hold of him keeping myself from falling to the pits of hell.
"We must find some kind of shelter", screamed Thorin above the wind.
"LOOK OUT!", yelled Dwalin.
I want sure what I was supposed to be looking out for, till I looked up and saw a boulder hurtling towards us. It smashed above our heads, sending smaller chuck of itself raining down on us.
Someone pulled me tight to the ledge, arms covering my body, shielding me from the stone. I wasn't sure who till Kili's voice yelled, "Hold on"
"This is no thunderstorm", Balin gasped in realisation, "It's a thunder-battle"
A large figure began to rise in the distance. It took me a second to process that the thing that was made of rocks was the thing we had been looking at only a couple minutes ago.
"Look", Balin pointed, the thing rising higher and higher.
It was huge! Taller than a mountain! It tore a huge chunk of rock heap next to it, housing it into the air.
"Well, bless me.", Bofur said in disbelief, "The legends are true. Giants! Stone-giants."