"Gandalf." Lord Elrond smiles as he looks down from his horse at his old friend as Gandalf smiles and bows respectfully towards Elrond.
"Lord Elrond. Mellonnen! Mo evínedh? (My friend! Where have you been?)" He asked up towards him.
"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad. Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui. (We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South. We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.)" Lord Elrond explained as he dismounted his horse as Gandalf and Lord Elrond share a welcoming hug from not seeing each other in a while.
"Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near." He raised an eyebrow towards Gandalf as he held up an Orc sword and shows it to everyone, then hands it to Lindir, thankful to get rid of holding the disgusting blade. Lord Elrond stiffened as he scented the dragon, but didn't say anything, hoping that he was wrong on sensing a Rider.
"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf apologised as Thorin steps forward, and Elrond looks upon him with recognition. The dwarves had stood in front of Dwalin, trying to hide Artemis especially after her pleading words of not letting them take her.
"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." Lord Elrond welcomed as Thorin narrowed his eyes up at the Elf rather annoyed he didn't even know this foul being and yet it knew him.
"I do not believe we have met." He spoke sternly the hate in the edge of his words as Gandalf glared towards the dwarf though Lord Elrond took no notice.
"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain." Lord Elrond spoke simply as Thorin raised an eyebrow up at the 'Elf' who have know his grandfather.
"Indeed; he made no mention of you." Thorin insulted as Lord Elrond once again ignored the insult and turns to the Gandalf sharing a look before turning back to the dwarves peaking in Elvish as they had no idea what he was saying.
"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin. (Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests.)" He spoke to his fellow Elves as they all nodded however the dwarves all grumbled and growled holding their weapons ready to attack at the 'insult'.
"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" Gloin snapped as Gandalf chuckled and speaks exasperatedly.
"No, master Gloin, he's offering you food."
The dwarves quickly discuss this amongst themselves. Before they turned back to the Elf.
"Ah well, in that case, lead on." They agreed before the moved slightly and Lord Elrond got a glance at Artemis as he stiffened. he was staring hard at the dying girl as the dwarves noticed the change and realised they had seen her.
"She can not stay!" Elrond snapped as he turned to start walking up when Gandalf grabbed hold of his arm.
"Please she needs help." Gandalf begged as Elrond glanced back at her.
"I will not have her staying in Rivendell after dark!" He growled as Elrond and Gandalf shared a few words in Elvish. It was evident to Elrond that Gandalf had no idea who Artemis was truly. He hesitated, before Lord Elrond walked over towards Artemis, the dwarves split a path for him as he shakingly unwrapped the bandage on her leg looking at her wound. He straightened muttering under his breath.
"This wound is way beyond me Gandalf. I can only do so far, the rest is on her" He told them as they whispered amongst themselves. Lord Elrond had his arms out waiting for Dwalin to hand her over but he only growled remembering her plea.
"I'll carry her" He spoke through his gritted teeth as Lord Elrond nodded and made his hurry on after him, leading them both to a chamber as Dwalin placed her on a bed, before two Elves dragged him out of the room locking the door behind them as he pounded on the door angrily. Inside the Elves on Elrond's command, bound her wrists and ankles to the bed with Elvish rope. Elrond didn't want to take any chances, before he started to look at her wounded leg.
"Why would she allow herself to get so sick?" He kept mumbling under his breath. Riders and Dragons, have the most amazing healing powers that amazed the Elves. Small scratches their body immediately healed itself. If you were able to pour dragons blood over a wound, the blood was magical and could heal your wounds leaving no marks. But what was even rarer was a dragon's tear. They were said to be the most powerful thing in the world. Not only could it heal any wounds, but it had the power to bring back life to those who had died. Riders knew of the consequences and the power of the tears they cried.
I guess that is why they were born unable to love and care for others. A heart of stone, unable to feel for others. Except with some Riders they could love. Only a rare case were they able to cherish someone. Most Riders could hide their emotions, and some were able to never shed a tear in their lifetime. Lord Elrond worked hard, sweating trying to help heal her wound. In the corner of his eye he saw her red blade.
"Bring me the blade" He commanded as one of the Elves carefully lifted the blade towards him afraid he would be burned to death by it's touch. Lord Elrond unsheathed the sword, as he groaned under the weight of the blade wondering how she could ever managed to use such a weapon. It grew heavier in his hands, as the sword knew it wasn't it's owner and that it was being wielded against her.
One of the Elves had a cup ready, as she pulled back her sleeve to her shirt. Carefully and difficulty Lord Elrond made a small cut down her arm, as blood gently dripped into the cup. It didn't last long as they watched her cut slowly mend itself, to a fine scratch then to nothing. Elrond placed the blade on the floor, struggling to hold it, as he was handed the cup.
The few drops were poured onto her leg as her face cringed, as she wrestled against the ropes that were burning her skin. The drops of her blood sizzled, before they saw the leg slowly mending. Lord Elrond was in awe of the power of her blood. It healed until it was nothing more than a three clawed mark cut.
Lord Elrond knew, she wounded fully heal until she was awake and as a dragon. His face hardened as he left the room. He didn't want her in his Kingdom, he knew of her curse and he knew what she was. He had foreseen many things and he knew he didn't like many of them that concerned her.
Meanwhile, the dwarves were all sitting around tables in the Elven court eating. More of picking with their food than eating as they weren't very appreciative of the Elve's vegetables. Dwalin felt slightly guilty that he had left her in a room of Elves and he couldn't do anything about it even after her plea for them not to allow them to take her.
"Try it. Just a mouthful." Dori told Ori in a low whisper as Ori was examining a cabbage leaf with pure disgust.
"I don't like green food." He complained before throwing it back down onto his plate hungry, but not hungry enough to force feed himself to eat green food. Dwalin was looking through a bowl of greens in front of him, as he grabbed a handful of the food looking in the plate, before dropping everything back in the bowl.
"Where's the meat?" He gruffed looking around the table for any meat of any kind. Oin holds up a vegetable with his knife and looks at in disgust.
"Have they got any chips?" Ori asked as an Elf maiden plays a harp in the background. Elrond and Gandalf walk through the halls of Rivendell. Gandalf kept inquiring after Artemis, and all Elrond would reply was that she was resting. He didn't give Gandalf anything else, as it made Gandalf suspicious on why Elrond was hiding something from him.
"Kind of you to invite us. I'm not really dressed for dinner." Gandalf spoke as Lord Elrond chuckled.
"Well, you never are." They both laugh, and they arrive at the courtyard where the dwarves are eating. An elf maiden plays a flute; Oin, not liking the sound, stuffs a napkin in his hearing trumpet, and looks happy that he can no longer hear the music. Elrond begins to examines the swords Gandalf and Thorin found in the trolls' hoard. He looks at Orcrist first.
"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well." Lord Elrond spoke as he hands Orcrist back to Thorin, who accepts it with a nod. Elrond then examines Glamdring.
"And this is Glamdring, the Foe-hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the First Age..." Lord Elrond began to explain to Gandalf as Bilbo pulled out his own sword and looked at it.
"I wouldn't bother, laddie. Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war." Balin whispered to Bilbo as he looked at him slightly confused and yet slightly offended.
"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" He asked him unsure of what Balin was trying to say to him.
"I'm not actually sure it is a sword; more of a letter opener, really." Balin stated bluntly, as Bilbo felt rather disappointed and sheathed his sword away, embarrassed to ask Lord Elrond.
"How did you come by these?" Lord Elrond asked Gandalf amazed.
"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs." Gandalf explained as Elrond raised an eyebrow up towards Gandalf.
"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" He questioned as no one answered him. All the dwarves glanced a look at Thorin who was looking perturbed.
"My Lord" An Elf came in bowing as everyone went quiet and turned to him. "She is awake" He spat with venom. Everyone could hear it in his voice, however Lord Elrond ignored it. Rising from his seat, so did Gandalf and Thorin but Lord Elrond put up his hand to stop them as he shook his head. Thorin was slightly furious as Lord Elrond left the room, he was about to storm after him when Gandalf held him back. He looked slightly pained.
"No Thorin, Lord Elrond would have a good reason not to let us see her right now. We have to trust him" He told him. His choice of words weren't the best, as Thorin snarled at him. Trust an Elf? Thorin would never do that!
Artemis was struggling against the Elvish ropes, angry of being tied down. She glanced at her sword on the ground and the red blood stain and she knew what they had done. Her leg had fully healed once she awoke, but she wanted nothing more than to escape from this place. He growled when Lord Elrond came in and she stopped squirming.
"Let me go!" She snapped. His face was grim and serious.
"Let her go!" He snapped to the Elves as everyone was in a slight shock.
"But my Lord---"
"I said let her go! I won't let you hurt my people! I want you out of Rivendell before nightfall!" He snapped at her, as they cut the ropes binding her, the first thing she did was grab her cloak and lifting the hood. She strapped her sword of her hip, before looking up at the Elf. She gasped.
"WHY AM I SMALL!" She shrieked, as Lord Elrond raised an eyebrow amused. Gandalf! she thought, she knew it had to have been him. Who else would do it for her benefit? She had her hand resting on the handle of her sword as she walked past and out the door. She kept walking down the corridor, and down sets of stairs, before she came to the final staircase overlooking the bridge they had first come across on. She sighed enjoying the beauty, of Rivendell before she started her way down the stairs.
"Where do you think you're going?"