Master Oakenshield, Gandalf, Bilbo, Adar, Balin and I all gather on the balcony as the sun finally sets, watching as Elrond begins to read the map.
Yes, I've reverted back to calling Thorin that- though he doesn't know that yet. I haven't spoken to him once since the Edea incident, and I can tell it's starting to bother him by the fleeting looks he sends me.
I quietly sit on the cold railing of the large hallway-like balcony, watching the others silently.
"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight," Adar says as the moon runes on the map appear. They glow brightly, but off in the corner, appears another set of moon runes.
These runes appear in red, glowing dangerously in warning. They catch my eye as Adar reads them silently before looking over to me with a slightly worried look, the others all following his gaze. "Ambrosia, come here," He requests with a quiet voice, barely above a whisper. Pushing off of the railing, I slowly walk beside him, Gandalf following.
Looking down at the map, I slowly read the red runes, my eyes widening in slight worry.
'The monster in which haunts all dreams will awaken not long after the beast of Erebor, and all hell will break lose. But this time, the monster will become unstoppable. The leash that once was drawn tightly around her neck, will grow tighter and become a part of her. There will be no more freedom for her.'
Looking over at Adar and Gandalf, I can see they mirror my expression. Horror, worry, and slight fear.
Turning back to the balcony, I straighten my stance and make my expression plain again, saying, "Continue reading the other runes."
But before Elrond can continue, Thorin interrupts. "What did it say?" He demands, seemingly not liking the idea of not knowing what is happening.
Looking over my shoulder, towards him, I reply in a cold, and deadly serious voice, "That is none of your concern, Master Oakenshield."
He seems furious for a moment before he realizes what I've just called him. His eyes show a flash of hurt and regret- catching me by surprise. How could a Dwarf like him ever be pained by what I had said? It's not likely that our truce still stands, so why would it matter?
But, I decide to ignore it, instead placing on my hood again and turning towards the balcony. My eyes meet with that of Gandalf, Balin, and Bilbo's as I turn, and I can see they all have clear disappointment on their faces. Balin shakes his head at me and Thorin's behavior. None of them like what has become of Thorin and I's 2 day agreement, but it can't be helped.
I had known that perhaps it only meant we would be less hostile towards each other, but I had hoped it had also meant more trust between each other. I suppose I was wrong.
"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight," Adar re states.
"Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole," He translates, causing me to notice that the runes I had read with him had been in English, not in a long forgotten language.
Judging by the clouds though, it won't be long before the runes are gone.
My mind quickly shies away from the current conversation as I begin to worry about the runes I read.
I can hear the others continuing to discuss the moon runes, but all I can think about is my uncertain fate.
Though I am certain the others will make it through this journey quite alright, I have no idea how I will fair. But, judging by those runes, I will not be leaving this journey in my right mind.
Seating myself on the stone railing once again, I swing my legs over the edge, facing the outside world. I look upwards, towards the glowing, silver moon, praying silently to whomever is watching over us, that the fate of the company is in good hands.
Looking down bellow me, I finally tune back into the conversation- just in time to hear Balin say, "We still have time."
"Time? For What?" Bilbo inquires, causing me to quickly turn around, pretending to have wide eyes and a worried expression as Balin answers, "To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."
Thorin's eyes widen, slightly mirroring my expression as he watches Balin worriedly.
"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain," Adar confirms, acting worried and concerned, though it is clear to me and Gandalf that he is acting.
Thorin, Bilbo, and Balin appear to be a bit panicked about this.
"What of it?" Thorin asks defensively, glaring at Adar. As if he's daring him to try and stop him from entering the mountain. At this moment, it looks as if not even an army of the world's finest warriors could stop him from getting there.
"There are some who would not deem it wise," Adar observes, a slightly threatening tone in his voice. This time, however, I cannot tell if he is acting. It seems more genuine. As if he is trying to scare him away from the quest.
Thorin gruffly stomps forwards, snatching the map away from Adar and putting it away. Balin leaves silently. Bilbo just sort of slips away after that, and I begin to make my way to the hallway.
Just before I enter the hallway, however, my eyes flicker over to Thorin's. His blue eyes meet my violet ones for a moment, before I quickly look away.
"Goodnight, Master Oakenshield," I quietly say to him, keeping my eyes towards the hall as I exit the balcony.
3rd Person POV
Thorin watches Ambrosia as she disappears into the maze of hallways, a feeling of regret flowing through him. He regrets having followed her against her wishes, and breaking her trust. But, he does not regret stopping her from killing the Elf from the hall.
"Goodnight," He whispers, though Ambrosia is long gone.
Gandalf watches the encounter from behind Thorin, feeling quite saddened himself at their situation- yet also a bit giddy. He approaches Thorin quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder as he advises, "You should apologize to her."
Thorin quickly turns around, having forgotten the wizard was ever there in the first place. His expression softens a little though, as he looks longingly into the hallway.
"Will I ever regain her trust?" He asks.
Gandalf simply sighs, responding, "She has never let anyone in as much as you in such a short amount of time. Not even Lord Elrond."
At this, Thorin looks over at Gandalf in interest, asking, "How long?"
Gandalf looks down at the Dwarven King, saying, "I'm sure you already know that Ambrosia is not Elrond's biological daughter-"
Thorin nods.
"Well, Ambrosia was seven, when she and her mother took shelter here," Gandalf starts, moving over to the railing with Thorin.
"Shelter? From what?" Thorin asks, curiosity getting the better of him as he listens intently.
"Now, that, she would not wish for me to share. She didn't even tell Lord Elrond or I what she was taking shelter from. We had learned what it was when her mother had finally regained consciousness three weeks after their arrival-"
"Three weeks?"
Gandalf nods, looking out into the distant land of Rivendell.
"Indeed. Ambrosia had dragged her dying mother here at the age of seven, through the harsh forests of her homeland to here. The three weeks before her mother awoke, she never left her side. Not for a single moment. She was afraid we might poison her."
Thorin's eyes widen at this, as he continues to listen closely.
"She hardly spoke a word to anyone. The only words she ever spoke were when she arrived. And, for a seven year old, we were surprised she could speak in such a formal way. The day she had arrived, the only words she spoke were: 'My mother requires medical attention.'"
Thorin's ears perk up at this. Even when he was that age, he didn't speak that way. Why was it that Ambrosia was so different?
Meanwhile, Gandalf looks off wistfully into the night sky, as if reminiscing.
"It took four and a half years for Ambrosia to trust Lord Elrond, Radagast, and me," Gandalf informs Thorin, turning and looking to him. Thorin stands in thought for a moment, before asking, "Where is her mother?"
Gandalf motions towards the world bellow them, pointing at a patch of glowing, silver flowers. Thorin looks down at the patch of flowers, instantly spotting an elegant silver and blue headstone, and a figure kneeling beside it.
Ambrosia.
Though, she's not alone, from the looks of it. Beside her, is Balin.
Thorin becomes confused at this, and instantly feels the urge to go down there and find out what's going on, but Gandalf's voice stops him.
"Ambrosia had been cursed with amnesia two months before her mother's death," He starts, instantly catching Thorin's attention, once again.
Thorin's eyes watch Ambrosia's kneeling form as he listens, admiring her every detail.
"She couldn't remember a single thing about her life. It drove her mother mad, and she went missing nearly a month after Ambrosia lost her memories."
Thorin's heart fills with sadness, and a bit of pity at this, but he pushes the pity away. He knows that pity is not what anyone wants when their parents are gone. He experienced it himself, from the other dwarves when his father went missing.
"One day, Ambrosia received box, wrapped in bright red paper. Lord Elrond, Radagast, and I all believed it was a present from her mother. We could not have been more wrong. When Ambrosia opened the box, she had screamed and flung it away from her before falling to her knees, clutching her head. When we all looked inside the box to see what had scared her, we were horrified at what we found."
Thorin's gaze turns to Gandalf in wonder.
"Inside the box, was her mother's severed head."
Thorin's heart stops, and his eyes widen. He looks down, slowly to Ambrosia's still kneeling figure as she places a single, white rose on her mother's grave.
"At the sight of her mother's head, Ambrosia's memories had returned. She had- and still does feel as though she could've prevented her mother's death, had she not had amnesia," Gandalf continues in a saddened voice.
"It didn't take long for us to realize what had happened. Her mother had been murdered by the very creature she had dragged her mother here to get away from."
"What creature?"
"All in due time, Thorin Oakenshield. All in due time."