Chapter 2- Meeting old friends

Authors note- Thankyou to the loads of people who have read my fic already! Keep up the good work! I will be away for a week, so will be unable to update, Check again in a week for new posts and chapters. :)

Silently, I crossed the bridge into the last homely house, more commonly known as Rivendell. It didn't matter that the guards hadn't seen me come in, It wouldn't have mattered. It had been many a long year since I had last been here, so it was nice to be back. The graceful swirling pillars, the beautifully mosaicked floors, brilliantly carved statues at every corner- it was an amazing place that I had actually missed seeing. That's a hard thing for me to do- miss something that is. And that coming from somebody who has seen more of middle earth than probably anyone else. Right into the deepest darkest and most fiery depths of Mordor.

I ran up the steps, taking them 2 at a time. I was about 6 hours early, and the stars were just beginning to fade from the sky, while brilliant orange and gold streaks started peeking out from under the blanket of horizon. It had been 14 years since I had last heard from Gandalf, and almost 70 years from when I had last talked to my extremely old friend, Lord Elrond. I wanted to talk to them, get a better idea of what they had been doing all these years, before the meeting.

I sprinted around the place, my boots not making the quietest scuff on the marble floor, when I abruptly stopped and did a face-palm. I had seen people in the pavilion when I had walked into Rivendell, and that's where we always talked. I quickly doubled back on myself and made my way to the pavilion.

Slowly I crept up the stairs. I peeked round a corner and saw Elrond sitting at a table, with Gandalf pacing around it. "When do you believe she'll be here?" asked Elrond, in his calm, cool and collected voice.

"She'll come when she decides to come, my friend though I wouldn't be surprised if she's eavesdropping on us. You know how she is." Gandalf rumbled.

"You're right, as always mellon."(friend) I said in my deep voice. My voice is strange to say the least. It has always been that way, even before Morgoth happened. It is low with a mild Scottish accent, which came from my Grandfather. He came from lands down south east of Middle earth, but that was many millennia ago now.

Gandalf turned around, and Elrond got up from his chair. "It's been a very long time" he said with a smile.

"It has" I stated. "But it feels even longer without my friends," I said my lopsided smirk turning to a smile. "You know you can take off your hood in our company." "You already know what I look like though" I said. :So there's no point. Anyway I haven't taken it off in centuries, and I'm set in my ways as you know." I continued. And we all burst out laughing until we were in stiches. "It's good to see you again" Gandalf chortled. "I enveloped them both in a short hug, then went through the process of detangling my quiver from Gandalf's staff. Typical.

That's me right there for you. 6.5feet tall, hooded and cloaked, leather gloves, knee high boots, a long sleeved shirt, a tunic and long pants. Of course it's all black. As for weapons I carry a quiver full of ½ meter long darts on my back (for throwing), a sling and shots, a long 1 edged sword on my hip, and a knives up my sleeves, in my tunic, down my boots and even one in my collar. I've learnt from experience that there is no such thing as not carrying enough weapons.

We talked for hours. Elrond told us all about how things were going in Rivendell(which I frankly found quite boring), Gandalf all about his latest travels and what he had found out about the darkness creeping upon us, and I told them all about how painful it was keeping Sauron's orcs and random trolls from destroying villages, while trying not to be seen. Eventually Gandalf went to get some tea, Elrond went to speak to someone and I was left to wander the last homely house, trying as always not to be seen.

I saw a few people who weren't usually here, namely 2 dwarves, and a group of 4 hobbits. They must be here for the meeting, I thought to myself. I had been told that the meeting was centred around an object that one of the hobbits carried, and I knew what as well. To tell the truth, I had been keeping an eye on them and had been watching their journeys progress. That's my job though. To know what happens.