Author's Note: I promised Kili, but as I was writing this chapter, it grew longer and longer and I had to cut it somewhere. So I am nearly completed with the second half of this, which means there will be a lot more Kili. I promise promise promise. Also, I would have translated spoken words to Sindarin if 1) there wasn't so much of it and 2) I had the time at work to look it up. So sorry to those who prefer actual Sindarin.


The Elves and a Dinner Party: Part I

In which we see dwarves refusing to eat lettuce and a king set in his place


Rivendell had always been a place of contrasts to her. A thing of beauty, it stood as testament to the marvels of the Elves; a thing of stagnation, it rose as a beacon to the forever unchanging nature of its inhabitants. It wasn't that she disliked the Elves; on the contrary, she was rather fond of them, regardless of their occasional elitist natures and entitled mindsets.

The excursion hadn't been a long one, nor a particularly taxing one, but somehow she felt tired, old. She'd never thought her real age would matter much in the scheme of things, and for once, she'd been right. It wasn't how old you are; it was how old you feel. And for the moment, she felt the weight of a hundred years resting on her shoulders. It wasn't as though she actively searched out highwaymen, orcs, goblins, wargs, the occasional small child – those were especially dangerous – but more the fact that they always seemed to find her. Granted, the life she led put her into situations that she might fall upon those foul creatures – children included – more often than not, but she always assumed it was just part and parcel of the job.

She thought now that it was just her.

All three of her men had gone quiet once they reached the pathway that would lead them into a part of the city more accommodating to weary travelers on horseback; she had no intention of crossing that narrow stone bridge ever again. Once had been enough.

Tye especially had been silent for some time as they traversed the woods, his mind tumbling over the fact that he would be going to Rivendell, a place he'd only heard about, and never dreamed he'd ever set foot in. It seemed to him Rhegda was even more of a mystery, as he felt there were so many more secrets that no one would never know the truth of. Syloris had continued with his tales after the first widely-accepted-as-mostly-fictitious legend had gone over so well, and each story left him wondering if she was part of them. There were tales of great deeds done by men, heroic stories that left Tye wishing for much more than just a small role amongst those who were so accomplished.

Well, maybe not Carden.

The group had journeyed on for miles until an opening in the wood appeared, the marker to their destination. Without hesitation, she'd ridden past the single, carved stone pillar set at the final edge of the wood. Opening up before them had been a wondrous sight, a sight that though she may think common now, would never cease to lighten her troubles, if only for a moment.

Great swaths of green and gold unfolded beneath a sky hung with the pastel glow of a setting sun. Everything was awash with the peaceful light, warmth enfolding them and melting any chill that may have lingered, and banishing temporarily whatever burdens they had been carrying.

Smooth stone and wood surrounded them, structures built with such precision that one would be hard pressed to find even a minuscule seam between joined materials. The city flowed out from the circular platform they stood on, following the natural curves and edges of the valley. Beautiful had always seemed so…plain a word to describe such a sight, but it was all she could ever find to fit the scene.

Over it all, however, was the slight moisture in the air, and the pounding of innumerable waterfalls as they tumbled over the ridge to the valleys below, and if nothing else, that feeling of standing over so much tremendous power gave her a chill that had nothing to do with the cold.

Already there were two elves, dark haired, dignified and smooth, waiting to take their horses; it would not surprise her in the least to find out that they had been standing there before the group ever entered the hills above Imladris. Very little occurred in that realm without a particular someone knowing, and she had the distinct feeling she was going to hear exactly what he knew in very little time.

Rhegda dismounted with stiffness in her back, holding back a grimace as her feet hit the ground; she had always preferred walking to riding, as horses gave her a kink in her back and sore knees, but it had been the quickest way to reach – most – of their destinations. Syloris and Carden followed suit, swinging off their mounts and pulling down essentials off their packs. Tye, however, was still staring at both the scenery and the two tall, elegant individuals in front of him.

As she untied one of her bags from the saddle, the woman sighed and snapped the boy back to the current time.

"Tye! Get off your horse and get what you need."

At her raised voice, the archer jumped in the saddle, startled from his reverie and embarrassment written across his face. Scrambling down, he immediately goes to search through his packs, suddenly lost as to what was "essential". His fingers were fumbling, and he couldn't remember being this nervous in all his life, though his head was telling him to relax, and something else was lapping against his heart like a gentle wave; it told him he was safe. Tye's eyes darted to the elves for a moment, drinking in how…serene they appeared in tunics that seemed to glow in the light, and feeling a bit better for it. His fingers finally found what was needed, and he stepped away from his horse in time for one of the elves to take the reins without a word, already holding those to Syloris' mount. Not questioning the act, he handed them over, watching in slight confusion as the two elves and four horses seemed to disappear back down the way they'd come.

It was then that a lilting voice, speaking the most lovely language he'd ever heard, interrupted his musings.

"Welcome, Rhedga, friend."

Tye turns to see another dark haired elf making his way softly down a near flight of stairs, but instead of perfectly tailored tunic and breeches, he was dressed in richly coloured robes that flowed around him with every move, fascinating the bowman immediately. The sight didn't appear to phase their leader, however. She gave a small bow, which Carden and Syloris repeated; the boy seemed oblivious as to what he should be doing. Ignoring for the moment her youngest partner, Rhegda gave a tired, yet genuine smile.

"Well met, Lindir. I apologize for our unannounced arrival."

Surprisingly, the same flowing words slip from her lips, refined and softly enunciated. The language coming from his leader shocked Tye; he'd never known she could speak it, let alone so fluidly. Syloris and Carden, on the other hand, appeared nonplussed by the events unfolding, both staying silent; Syloris was interested in the conversation, and Carden stood as bored as usual.

The auburn elf gave a small, gentle smile at her words.

"Mithrandir has told us of your coming, and we have been expecting you. All of you."

With a huff, Rhedga slung her pack over her shoulder, muttering a "of course he did" under her breath in Westron, before glancing back to her men. They were all ready to eat, to rest, and she didn't blame them; the trip hadn't been a taxing one, but it had been long, and she was fairly certain they had been hunted at one point. Setting her attention back to their greeter, she was about to speak when he gently interjected in the common tongue.

"If you would, follow me. We have rooms ready for you, and a meal is already underway, which your presence has been requested for."

He motioned out with his arm, encouraging them to follow, and started back up the stairs in the sort of unassuming grace inherent in his race. Shifting the weight of her load, Rhegda trekked up behind him, motioning for her men to follow along.

No one spoke as they wound through perfectly groomed gardens and architecture that mirrored the exemplar nature of the land surrounding them, all preferring to keep their mouths closed and their eyes as open as possible. Even Carden had taken to looking about, drinking in a sight he had never – and would most likely never again – seen, his attention drown more to the scenery than any elf they passed.

Syloris, however, was drinking in those they met.

All marvelous, elegant, and fair, the inhabitants greeted them with half nods or a subtle smile, regardless of the fact that the lot of them were dirty, ragged, and most certainly smelled. That fact didn't stop her swordsman from flashing a broad, devilish grin at any female they encountered, and though she knew it wasn't a bother to them, she wished he could keep his charms to himself for once.

Lindir escorted them to a series of rooms, all furnished with downy beds and wash basins, with a large, centralized bath that steamed invitingly. Immediately, Carden and Syloris picked a room and tossed their things to their new beds, and both began to strip free of the grim-covered leathers and fabrics they wore. Food was on their minds, but a bath...that was a rare thing indeed. Tye, however, had remained by her side, unmoving as he stared around him. She casts a look to him, encouraging him to choose a room as she settled her own bags in the nearest available. Her sword was unfastened from her hip, and her knives were unsheathed, everything ending up on the bed in neat order.

By the time she was finished, both her swordsman and Carden were in the bath, while Tye was waiting with Lindir. The boy looked slightly lost and certainly out of his depth, but she couldn't blame him; Rivendell was a lot to take in, particularly for someone who still had wonderlust for life. She had no doubt her other men would be fed, probably just after they exited the bath, but she needed to speak to a certain wizard, so bathing for her could wait. Rhegda had the feeling, though, that Tye would be attached to her hip unless she could think of a way to shoo him off without overloading him with elves.

Nodding to Lindir, she followed the elf further into the city, and it wasn't long before her ears pricked at the sound of loud voices and grumbling that was definitely not elvish in nature. The three of them rounded a corner and were greeted with the sight of a dozen dwarves all sitting round a table and looking more out of place than a babe in tavern.

Dwarves.

Dwarves.

Twelve of them, no less. And they all appeared to be travelers, rough as they were, though she could pick out a fighter or two in the mix. It made no sense to her as to why there should be so many partaking in supper with the lordly elves of Imladris, but she had a small notion that it had something to do with that damned wizard's note.

They passed up the table, garnering no small amount of looks from those complaining about the food, and she caught a snippet or two of insults sniped their way; she had a fairly decent guess as to why. Their attentions were far from unsettling, and it wouldn't surprise her to know one or more of them had felt slighted by Men in the past, and held it against any man they came in sight of, particularly one of her type. They were all incredibly different, a mixture of martial men and merchants, their beards as remarkable as their sour faces.

As she came to the end of the table, however, her eye was caught by a dwarf with no beard, his face young and the look in his eye reminding her greatly of Tye; the same wonder was there, and it was a surprising thing to see in a dwarf. But she made no more note of it as they approached the head table, her lips pressed to a thin line as she saw the wizard, Lord Elrond, and another dwarf, all three settled into what looked like some sort of council. The grey-bearded troublemaker stood as he saw the three come near, prompting the elder elf to stand as well; the dwarf, however, remained firmly seated, his eyes cold and hard and utterly judgmental.

"Ah, Rhegda. I am glad to see you received my letter, and arrived all in one piece."

Gandalf spoke with the same sincerity that he used with all, the same sincerity that had prodded her to do many a thing before, and she was certain was going to prod her to do so much more. She nodded to Lindir again, and he excused himself after a look to his Lord.

"Yes, Mithrandir, I received your letter, as you assumed I would."

There was a hardness to her voice that was not missed by those present, though that stoney tone softened as she turned to the elf.

"My Lord, thank you for your hospitality. My men sorely needed it."

He gave her a gentle smile and gestured for her to take a seat.

"It is freely given to a friend."

She settled into a chair between both the wizard and the elf Lord, leaving her face to face with the rather angry looking dwarf across from her. His eyes were as hard as the diamonds they once mined, and his face showed so much wear and deep disgust that she was certain he would have left then and there had it not been for the others at the table. But his bearing...it was different than the present company of dwarves. Of any other, really, that she'd ever met. He stared at her as though she was nothing, as though she were lower than he could ever imagine a creature being; she was curious to know how he was dealing so well with the elves.

Tye was so lost in all of this that he simply took up residence behind his leader, eyes trying not to linger on any of the men in front of him, their presence and air being so drastically different than any he'd ever known. They all exuded power in their own rights, and for some reason, his leader didn't seem out of place in the least at their table.

Suddenly, he realized he was being spoken to.

"Tye, why don't you introduce yourself to Lord Elrond's other guests."

There was a smile on his leader's lips that he couldn't see, one directed mostly at the dwarf staring her down. The young archer stuttered for a second before bowing awkwardly to those present and shuffling his way to the other table. Watching him go, Rhegda opened her mouth to speak again when she was interrupted by the glaring dwarf.

"And who is this woman to be here, Gandalf?"

The words were meant to come out harsh, but she could only look at him with something akin to curiosity. The wizard took a moment to smile and chuff before answering.

"Oh, yes, yes. This is Rhegda, an old friend, and one I thought you should meet."

Obviously, this did not sit well with the dwarf, though it was his turn to be interrupted as Gandalf resumed his attention on Rhegda.

"This, my dear, is Thorin Oakenshield. He and his companions are-"

"That's none of my business, Gandalf. What the King Under the Mountain does on his own time is no concern of mine."

It was everyone's turn at the table to look surprised, suspicious, and displeased, in rotating order. Very few would cut into anything the wizard said, let alone dismiss it so handily, though he didn't appear at all miffed at the moment. She had no need to know what the thirteen dwarves were doing in Rivendell, nor did she have the slightest feeling of interest in their plans for the future. That being said, she couldn't shake the feeling that their little journey would be one she might be tagging along with.

By the Valar above, she hoped not.

Lord Elrond had the good taste to not look surprised when she pointedly mentioned Thorin's title, and Gandalf simply closed his mouth slightly and gave her a look she'd seen one too many times. The dwarf king, however, seemed less than pleased, and his cool stare turned from her to the wizard.

"The woman is right, Gandalf. It isn't her business. Nor is it that of the elves."

The two sat with silence between them for a heartbeat only before the greying wizard responded.

"One day you will be glad to have the aid of others, Thorin son of Thrain. Regardless if they be dwarf or not."

That seemed to settle the situation for the moment, as neither appeared willing to continue that particular conversation at the table. Or at least, not in front of that certain set of individuals. Rhegda, in the interim, had filled her plate and placed her napkin in her lap. A fork full of leafy greens was most of the way to her mouth when Gandalf swung his attention back to her.

"You brought the rest of your company along as well? I assume it wasn't only the youth."

Fork paused in midair, the woman cocked an eyebrow though answered with her tone flat.

"Yes, all three are here. Just as you expected. And don't you dare say you had no idea they would follow along."

Stuffing the greens into her mouth, she switched her gaze to the plate, pondering on whether it would be better to follow next with fruit or vegetable as Gandalf carried on.

"I simply speculated on the chance of their continued presence on your travels, that's all. You rarely travel alone these days."

She swallowed and shuffled more leafy food on her plate, reaching out to snare a small sliced fruit from the center tray. Her attention seemed focused on eating, rather than discussion, but she nodded slightly in response to his ending statement.

"Much to my eternal despair."

The dwarf took the opportunity to slip in a comment as he watched the woman eat in front of them all; Elrond had taken to sipping wine and watching the scene unfold with a passive gaze.

"You are a woman, yet you would travel without company?"

Rhegda was once again caught with food partially to her mouth as he spoke, stopping herself from taking a bite so that she could respond.

"Yes, Master Dwarf, I am a woman and I prefer to walk the roads alone. One does not preclude the other."

Popping the fruit into her mouth, she brought up her napkin to wipe a bit of juice from her lower lip. The King Under the Mountain seemed rather put out by this statement, looking at first to Gandalf – who busied himself with his own plate – and then to her, his eyes narrowed.

"You must be a Ranger then. Odd. I've never heard of a woman...nor one of your kin in their ranks."

Rhegda dropped her napkin back to her lap and began searching the table for something a little more substantial; his tone had not been lost on her, nor anyone else at the table. Her next words were careful and clear, and she chose for the moment to ignore the comment of her lineage.

"I am no Ranger. I provide security and guidance to those who travel in unknown lands, nothing more."

She plucked up another fruit, slightly larger than the first, and went about freeing it from its peel.

"And I would suggest you come out from your forges more often, Master Dwarf, for I have seen women Rangers, and I dare say they are a sight more dangerous than men."

Before anyone else could weigh in on the subject, a loud chorus of laughter came billowing from the other table, dwarf and man alike smiling and shouting at something one of them had said. Well, to be fair, most of the dwarves were enjoying the mood; there were a substantial amount, however, that appeared less than pleased at the presence of a man at their table. Regardless, it seemed her bowman had made quick work of garnering at least some trust from the rugged travelers, particularly the dark haired young one, and a blond with a rather fantastic mustache.

All four at their table – woman, elf, dwarf and wizard – stopped to listen a bit at what had caused such an uproar. Evidently, the boy had been telling stories, no doubt ones Syloris had been filling his ears with; she silently hoped none of them were the fantastical retellings of her past exploits. With a huff, Rhegda turned back to her meal, relishing in the silence now prevalent at their table. Perhaps later she would wring out what the wizard wanted, but for now, she was content to just eat.

And perhaps much later, she would find out what exactly Tye had been sharing.