«Hello Andrea», Bilbo greeted her. "It is so nice to see you."
"Bilbo Baggins, can it be?" Gandalf also came over and stared at the little Hobbit, stunned.
"Lady Fayeth, Mithrandir. Please, return to your seats. We have more orgent matters to discuss." Andy gave him an angry look.
"Listen here, Pixie,-" Elrond gave her an outranged look. "- this is my cousin. And I want to know, how he got here. And since I anyway don't give a crap about quite alot of things, I don't realy feel like talking about urgent matters to eigther of you. Now if you excuse me, I have urgent matter do discuss. With my cousin." Staring into each other's eyes, Elrond gave in. He knew when it was best not to anger a angry Hobbit. He turned his head over to Bilbo.
"Mister Baggins, we would feel honoured, if you would keep us company for a while at our table." Surprised Bilbo got up and walked around the table to stand next to his cousin. Andy gave him a big hug, her arms tight around his neck. Chuckling Bilbo hugged her back. "Come on Andy. Let's go and sit down. "
A servant brought over a new set of dished and a chair, placing him next to her. Together they sat down and ate in peace for a while. The dwarves were talking under each other again, Gandalf and Elrond making conversation again, and Andrea and Bilbo had their heads stuck together.
Thorin sat there, feeling rather awkward and alone. Glancing over to the Hobbits, he tried to find any resemblance in them. However, he could not really find any. Bilbo Baggins was a little smaller than his cousin was. He hat blond curls and was chubby. As they walked back, he saw, that he had big hairy feet. Andrea's were much smaller. Thinking about it, she was wearing shoes, today. That was rather odd. According to the knowledge Thorin collected about Hobbits, their feet were too big to walk comfortable in shoes. Yet, Andrea was wearing some. Bilbo was dressed neatness and correct, looking as always. Andrea on the other hand, walked around as she pleased. When the dwarves first met her, she was wearing a nightgown, for their journey, she was wearing a skirt with trousers on underneath, a shirt with a vest over it and a coat for when it was cold. She looked a lot like her cousin back then. However, it did not take long until her clothes started to bother her. She ripped the bottom of her skirt of, shortening it to short above her knees. She tied a belt around her waist, so she was able to carry one of her daggers around visible. – Where she hid the rest he did not no- She took a spare shirt she had and cut the sleeves of, then she shortened it in length – it now just covered her abdomen- . As of then, that was her favourite ware. And now she was wearing an evish dress. But with the taste of Andrea Baggins. He did not know that she had a corset with her. It toned her curves and was a good addition to the dress. She looked beautiful in it. Realising what he was thinking, he quickly looked away from the Hobbits, before anybody noticed him staring. He could feel his ears turn slightly red, as he tried to ignore his thoughts. Where did that come from?
"Tell me, Bilbo, how did you end up here?" Andy asked her cousin and bit into an apple.
"I was wandering through the Sire, on the road to Brie and I crossed my path with a few Green-Elves. I travelled with them to the border of the Shire, and wanted to bare my farewell. They offered me, to escort me to Rivendell, noticing that I am fascinated by elves. And I just could not resist. "
Andy had to smile. His Took side seemed to have taken over for a while. That was good. A little adventure was always good.
"How long have you been here, then?"
"About three weeks, now", Bilbo answered, shoving some salad into his mouth.
"Ah, nice. That was... about then when I had to save Fili out if the flooded river." Bilbo chocked on his salad.
"You did what?" he asked with piqued voice. Andy let out a heartfelt laugh at the same time the table full of dwarves burst out in laugher. Looking over, she saw a terribly blushing Kili. Seeing him like that, made Andy laugh even more, so she fell out of her chair. With a squeak, she landed on the floor, earning laughs from her cousin, the dwarves and even a chuckle from Lord Elrond himself! Suddenly, Bifur stood up. He had enough of the elven music.
There's an Inn
There's an Inn
There's a merry old Inn
Beneath an old grey hill
He started singing. All dwarves started clapping and stomping, creating the music background. Roaring they joined the song, enjoying themselves. Getting back up, Andy grabbed Bilbo's hand.
"Come on!" she said, excitement sparkling in her eyes. Stumbling after her, they made their way back over to the dwarves. Enjoying the entertainment Andy clapped along, and tried to memorise the lyrics.
Suddenly, a loaf of bread went flying, hitting Bilbo next to her. Surprise was written all over his face. It looked so ridicules that Kili and Andy had to snicker. A peace of Broccoli hit Andy's head, making her jolt up. She picked up a carrot and threw it back, hitting Nori. Laughing and singing a food fight broke out, making a mess.
Thorin, who was looking over to them, had one of his beautiful smiles on his face as Andy crossed eyes with him, and she first was surprised. For the first time she did not see anything but joy in his eyes. She gave him a wide smile before turning to Bombur, throwing a piece of cheese over.
For a second, Thorin just stared at her, not expecting her to give him a smile. Of course, he did get to see her smiles before. However, these were always sassy and arrogant. Or sneaky and set up. But this smile was the brightest, most honest smile he had ever seen on her face. And it stuck to his mind and did not let him go. Seeing that Bombur had caught apeace of cheese with his mouth, the dwarves roared up, making Thorin chuckle amused.
Bilbo next to Andy tried to avoid any food flying across the table, but still a little smile on his lips, seeing Andy so happy and having fun. It has been a while since she was like that. Thinking about it, he had never seen her like this.
As a loaf of bread sailed past Kili next to her, Andy's Hand snapped over, catching it mid-air. The dwarves paused in their actions, looking at her amazed. The bread would have went flying right over to the table of Elrond. She quickly glanced back, seeing an unamused Lord. With a scolding look on her face, she turned back to the dwarves.
"Guys, this is fun and all, but we are not alone. Lord Elrond was so nice to have a feast for us. We do not throw food on elves. And afterwards, we collect it together again."
"Alright, we will clean up. But you have to sing a song", Fili demanded. Andy's face fell.
"No. I'm not singing", she said, shaking her head almost violently.
"Why?" Kili asked. "You could sing when you were battling the Wags".
"That's something different!"
"Come on Andy. It's just a song", Bilbo interfered. "And you have such a lovely voice."
"Bilbo, not you to", Andy whined. With a sigh, she let her head drop. "Damn you, fine!" The dwarves cheered. Thorin had excused himself from Lord Elrond and Gandalf and joined his company, sitting next to Balin.
"What should I sing?", Andy asked Bilbo. There was no point in asking the dwarves, they did not know her songs anyway. For a second Bilbo thought of it. He leaned over whispering into her ear. Agreeing, Andy nodded.
"Eh-Eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-Eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-Eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-Eh-oh, eh-oh"
At first, the dwarves listened to the new melody. Then they started chanting along, eager to see what comes next.
"I was left to my own devices
Many days fell away with nothing to show
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above"
Somewhere along the song, Andy got up and started dancing along on the table, stomping and clapping, bringing her emotions to live.
"But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
We were caught up and lost in all of our vices
In your pose as the dust settled around us
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above"
Bofur, with his love to music started to sing a harmonizing melody, bringing Andy's voice out even clearer. A few further dwarves followed his lead, bringing even more expression to the song.
"But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
Eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Eh-eh-oh, eh-oh
Oh, where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
Oh, oh, where do we begin?
The rubble or our sins?
And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above
But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
If you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?"
After Andy finished the song, it was quiet for a few moments. Then the dwarves broke out in applause and whistling. Feeling overjoyed and bubbly Andy jumped of the table with a backwards flip, landing perfect on her feet.
"Thank you, thank you", she smile cocky and bowed three times. "I'll be here all week. "
"And with us for another few months", Fili called out. Playfully Andy let her face mirror pure horror.
"Dear Valar's. And I thought I would finally be rid of the lot of you", she joked, a grin spreading on her face.
The rest of the evening, they spent in a cheerful atmosphere, Andy behaving as dwarfish as the company, but still keeping them in check, not to anger the elves.
After ending the feast, Lord Elrond led her to her chamber. At first, Andy was surprised. He could have ordered a guard to lead her. She shrugged it off and followed him through the corridors of Rivendell.
"Thank you for your help, handling the dwarves", Elrond spoke as they arrived at the door. Andy waved it off.
"It wasn't such a big deal. Thank you for not having their heads." Elrond chuckled and shortly bowed.
"Good night, Lady Fayeth."
"Good night, Frownyface", Andy replied, not noticing that she addressed him with the nickname she gave him. Lord Elrond only lifted an eyebrow in amusement. Waving goodbye Andy closed the door. Rubbing over her eyes, she taped over to the bed. Without getting changed or taking her boots off, she dropped herself onto the bed, falling asleep immediately.
Back in their room, the dwarves lied down to sleep.
"Fili?" Kili asked, staring up to the sealing. "Are you awake?"
"Well, I was about to fall asleep, but I can scratch that thanks to you", his brother muttered, rubbing his eyes. "What's up?"
"How old do you think Andy is?"
"What's that for a stupid question? She said she's twenty-five", Fili answered.
"I know! But think of it: She knows how to fight with a sword, an axe, and daggers and can throw knives. She knows many different races. She even knew some things about Gandalf. She knew a king, who died. She broke his son's heart. And her cousin... I don't know. He seems a little old. "
Fili turned onto his tummy looking at Kili. "That is kind of weird. "
"That's it", suddenly Ori to their left said, sitting up. "Nori, I know what wasn't right with that picture back in Bag-End. " Nori, gotten woken out of his sleep, looked at his cousin still sleep drunk. "What?"
"Bilbo Baggins. In the picture, he was about the same age as Andy. However, that would be at least fifteen years younger, than he looks like now."
Kili now also sat up, resting on his elbows. "So I'm right. She is older than twenty-five!"
"There are dwarves here, trying to sleep!", Dwalin called over.
"Sorry Master Dwalin", the four of them apologised and laid back down.
The dwarves closed their eyes, finding comfort in the silence. That was, until there was a fart to be heard.
"Oh, come on!"