Okay! So I'm very sick and very tired and this is what happens when I can't sleep. I'm sorry if it's rough!

The dwarves sat gathered in the lounging room, half circled near the fire. They were inside Bilbo's house, the food finished, and the singing had ended. All they could do was wait for sleep to come so they could depart in the morning.

A small knock came from the door. Everyone looked at Thorin, who merely gazed in the direction of the door. Gandalf and Biblo emerged from the other room.

"Is anyone else expected to come?" Gandalf asked, looking at Thorin. Thorin quickly glanced at Gandalf, a worried expression across his features.

"No," he said making his way towards the door, "I have all the men I need."

Thorin stopped suddenly as Bilbo came rushing past him towards the door, clearly nervous.

"This better not be another dwarf. I hope your guest isn't hungry," Biblo said nervously, "Because I think you lot may have eaten everything in the entire house!" He reached the handle and swung open the door.

The room tensed up. At the door, was a figure masked slightly in shadow. The figure was about the size of a dwarf, not having to duck as they entered the house. They were dressed in dark green and black, wearing dark tinted armor. They wore a heavy green hood, covering the top of their features.

"Reveal your face," Thorin announced, placing his hand on his sword, "And state your purpose."

The other dwarves had gathered slowly into the room, feeling Thorin's alterness, they had their hands on their weapons.

"I believe she's here to help," Gandalf said after a split second. He chuckled as he walked towards the figure, quick to drop his head to avoid the light, and grasped the hand of the stranger.

"Nice to see you Gandalf," a female voice drifted out of the hood. A fingerless gloved hand reached up and pulled the hood back, revealing a fair skinned woman. Her eyes were light brown and her fair hair had been concealed under the hood. Her smile widened as she looked towards Thorin, who merely stepped forward and embraced her.

The others in the room were silent, watching their fearless, strong leader show a weakness to a strange young woman.

Kili, being the closest to Thorin distance wise, saw the woman's hair slip some to reveal her ears. She was not a dwarf. She had pointed ears. An elf?

He watched as the woman's arm came up and patted his back. A part of her sleeve drifted down and Kili could see blue tattoos tracing some design on her skin.

Thorin stepped back and pulled her forward.

"Men, this is Evla," he said, pushing her forward some, "Some of you may have known her father, Orlan Condrak, he was a very loyal man to my father." He beamed at her again, "I was not expecting you to come, I thought it too dangerous for you."

She smiled and looked at him, "I would never miss the chance to help out an old family friend. I think my father would be rolling in his grave if he thought I would pass up a chance to win back what is rightfully ours."

Bilbo, who had been standing beside the door, finally regained his composure at the surprise at another guest, and shut the door. He had been watching the woman. He looked at her feet, normal size, her height, too tall for a dwarf and too short for a elf, but then he saw her ears.

"What is she?" Oin's voice came out suddenly, noticing her ears. Some of the other nodded, murmuring.

Gandalf chuckled quietly.

"She is a dwarf, my dear Oin." He replied.

"But what about her ears?" Kili spoke up, looking curiously at Evla.

"Her Grandmother was an elf," Thorin said, looking hard at his group of men, "The powers of elf magic skipped her father and were given to her when she was born. Now behave like warriors, and greet a fellow warrior properly."

The dwarves and Bilbo were dumbfounded. Gandalf went around and introduced each and every one of them. Evla made a point to approach each one and grasp their hand, smiling. The charm seemed to work on them all, they quickly began laughing and exchanging stories, however when she came to Kili and extended her hand, he merely stared at it.

"Nice to meet you, Kili." She said, her eyes twinkling.

He hesitantly reached his hand out and grasped hers. She shook it once and he retreated back, watching her with curiosity.

"Do you have a question?" she asked quietly, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Where was it you grew up?" Kili asked, "I've never heard that your father had a daughter, or any children at all."

Her smile faltered for a split second.

"I was raised in Riverfall. The elves helped me to manage my abilities."

"Thorin does't hate you and you came from Riverfall?" Fili popped in.

Thorin came up behind the three.

"Although I do not trust the elves, I have known Elva her entire life. When she was born, her mother died in childbirth. Against my better judgment her father went to the elves in search of help. There they kept her for months. Her father and I would visit, yet I refused to enter that retched city. He would bring her to the field, and there we would set up camp, hunt,"

"You tried to hunt," she corrected.

Thorin nodded.

Kili looked from Thorin to Evla.

"What do you mean try?" he asked, a small laugh coming out, "Did she cry when you tried to kill a beast?" He looked back at her and caught her shoot a look his direction.

"I think you'll find out what I can do once we set out on the journey," she said walking past him, "Now, is there any food left in this hobbit hole?"

Please review! Let me know if there's anything I can improve on or if you like it!

-TK