With the Company)
"I must speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf said.
"My Lord Elrond is not here," LIndir replied.
Gandalf frowned, "not here? Where is he?"
Suddenly, a horn blew and the dwarves all turned to see elves riding towards them. The dwarves all crowded together, drawing their weapons as the elves rode around them.
"Gandalf!" the lead elf greeted.
"Lord Elrond!" Gandalf greeted. "My friend. Where have you been?"
"We were chasing an orc pack by the pass." Elrond replied, dismounting. "Strange for orcs to come so close to our borders. Something or someone has drawn them near.
"Ah that may have been us," Gandalf admitted.
Elrond was about to turn and greet them when Valarin rode over to him quickly, "My lord. Lady Persephone has passed out."
At once, all the dwarves looked up in shock as the elf dismounted, lifting a limp body from the back of the horse. The elf gently held the unconscious girl in his arms as her head lulled back.
"Sepha!" FIli and Kili shouted in unison.
Dwalin, who stood near Thorin, could do nothing to contain his concern except grip his axe tighter.
"Sepha...." Gandalf whispered, "What happened?"
"Arrow to the shoulder," Elrond replied as Valarin brought the girl toward him. "She's healing but suffering from the pain. We'll have her healed in no time."
With that, Valarin walked passed the dwarves, carrying the girl. Fili and Kili managed to push forward and grip the girl's unconscious hand as she passed.
Thorin stared as the tall elf carried away the girl. He felt a deep fear clutch his chest, knowing that he had been the cause of her injury.
LATER
When Persephone opened her eyes, she realized that she was in a healing room in Rivendell.
Arwen was bending over her, smiling sweetly, "Ah you're awake!"
Persephone sat up and realized that the pain in her shoulder was gone. "How long have I been out?"
"Only for about an hour," Arwen replied. "Your friends and Gandalf are eating with my father."
Persephone nodded and rose to her feet, "I'm rather starved myself. I think I'll join them."
Arwen smiled and held out a dress to the girl, "Get dressed then. They're on the terrace."
Persephone quickly did her hair in an elvish style and changed into a deep emerald dress.
When she finished, she exited the room and soon found Valarin and Arwen waiting for her. When she had stayed in Rivendell, the two had become like siblings to her and she absolutely adored them. Valarin at one point had asked Persephone to court him but she had declined, knowing that he wasn't her One.
The two led her to the terrace but left her there, having other places they needed to be. Sepha stepped onto the terrace and was about to approach Lord Elrond when everyone noticed her presence by Kili's voice.
"Sepha!"
The young dwarf surged from his table and drew the woman in for a hug. Sepha smiled at his enthusiastic attitude and hugged him back. When the dwarf released her, his eyes widened and he blushed bright red.
"You look really nice!"
"Why thank you!" she said, smiling slightly up at the dwarf.
Fili was by them in an instant and after giving her a hug and commenting on her outfit, he grinned, "I hope you're feeling better! You gave us a fright! Thorin was the only one who saw what happened to you but he didn't want to talk about it."
Sepha nodded, "I'm sorry I scared you."
Just then, Lord Elrond approached and the two dwarves returned to the table. Lord Elrond bowed to the girl and held out his hand. Sepha took it and smiled brightly at the elf Lord.
"I am relieved to see you fully healed my dear. I am glad you were able to join us!"
The girl's face lit up with a smile as Elrond led her to the table and gave her a chair across the table from Thorin, between Elrond and Gandalf.
Thorin had risen to his feet when she approached, as had Gandalf out of politeness but THorin was the last to sit down. He was looking the girl up and down, drinking in every curve and hue of color on her. The emerald green gown really brought out the green of her eyes and made her hair look copper colored. Her hair was done up in an elven hairdo but her pointy ears (Which only she and FIli knew about) were hidden by her hair.
She looked absolutely radiant and soon Thorin was staring, unable to tear his eyes from her. Her face was clean and washed but her cheeks pink with color. Her eyes were bright and flashing and THorin found himself gripping he edge of his seat with his hand whenever her long lashes fluttered to look at Gandalf or Elrond.
"This is Glamdring," Elrond said, looking at Gandalf's sword. He had already inspected Orcrist before Sepha arrived. "The foe hammer, sword of the king of gondolin."
Sepha took a bite of her salad and considered the sword a moment before Elrond spoke up, "Thorin, would you mind if Persephone took a look at your sword?"
Thorin snapped out of his daze, realizing that he had been staring at Sepha the whole time. Reaching down, he picked up his sword and held it out to the girl. Sepha hadn't been looking at him bu the moment her head lifted and her eyes fell on the blade, she froze.
She was transported back almost sixty years... to the fields outside of Moria... orcs surrounding them... and all Sepha knew was that Prometa had his back against hers... holding Orcrist.
"We'll get out of this alive Seph," Prometa replied. "If dad doesn't kill us when we get home."
Sepha smiled. She and her brother had been instructed to stay at home while their father was fighting against the orcs of Moria. Their mother had died three years before and their father had refused to let them fight in any fight before.
"SEPHA! PROMETA!" a voice cut in.
The two turned to see that their father was about fifty meters away, staring at them.
For a second they thought he would yell... but instead his eyes got wide, "WATCH OUT!"
the two spun around, only to see that a huge pale orc was staring down at them. AZOG!
Prometa pushed Sepha behind him and raised Orcrist. Just when the pale orc was about to take a blow at Prometa, their father surged forward and placed himself in the way of his son and the weapon, allowing the huge mace to crash into his body.
"FATHER!" Sepha cried.
She rushed to her father's side.... he wasn't moving... and blood was dripping from his mouth and nose. He was gone.
"SEPHA!" a scream split the air.
The girl spun around just in time to see her brother looking at her, fear in his eyes as the huge mace was brought down on his head.
"PRO!" Persephone screamed as she watched her brother crumble to the ground... dead.
"My dear?" Gandalf's voice cut in.
Persephone shook her head, realizing that tears were streaming down her cheeks and her hands were shaking. She turned her eyes from the sword and rose to her feet.
"Please excuse me."
With that, she got up and ignoring the questions from the dwarves, she left. Thorin made to get up and follow but Elrond stopped him.
"Let her go. The sword brought back memories."
THorin furrowed his brow, "How so?"
Elrond smiled, "That is for her to tell you in her own time."