Chapter 6

Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Tiryn for her review, they are always well received. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favourited this story.

Note: To Korora who pointed out the few mistakes in my story, I would like to remind you that those mistakes are the produce of my own creation. So, yes, Thorin had no daughter and Yes, Aragorn loves Arwen deeply and yes there were nine and not ten in the fellowship. So in case you forgot, in the word fanfiction; there's fan and fiction. Which means that a person who likes a book, a movie or TV Show decides to write something on their favorite book or movie in that case and decides to add a few elements to fit what they want. Or they got inspired and decided to put their own twist to it, and see what it could be like. So if you don't like the story, you just don't read it. Or you pay more attention to the summary that actually tells you briefly what you might find in the story. And even if you don't call it a flame, I took it as a flame. And just so we're clear, this is a flame.

New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.

"Lana! What happened to you?" Melda asked her daughter seeing her bloodied face.

"I am fine, mother." A ten year old Delaina answered. Her mother was already tending to her. Melda wiped the blood off her face and gasped upon seeing the gash on her forehead.

"Who did this to you?" Lana remained silent. "Lana, answer me."

"I didn't see them." The little girl answered fixing her feet. Soon after there were knocks on the door.

"Melda, open the door!" The chief of the village asked. "We have to talk." Melda opened the door and let the chief entered her small house. His eyes laid upon Delaina with a sneer. The girl didn't mind, she was used to the way people looked at her and talked to her. All of this because she was a child of two people. For the people around her, except for her mother, she was an anomaly. She shouldn't exist.

"About what?" Melda asked angrily. "About how the children injured my daughter?"

"For good reasons." He answered. "Your daughter hit one of them, for no reasons. She's the only one to blame for her injuries." Melda clenched her fists.

"And you are to blame for your ignorance and your cruelty. My daughter won't do anything for no reasons. I taught her better. Since we arrived here, you despised her because she was different. But she is my daughter and I will not allow you to hurt her." Melda threatened him and towering over him.

"Meldadiriel, we respect you. You are a child of this village but your daughter…" Melda stared at him with disbelief clear on her face.

"My daughter is my family and all that I have left. If she can't stay then I won't stay." She said almost in a whisper. "Now get out! Out!" She said pushing the chief out of her house. Her eyes landed on her daughter who was watching her with wide eyes. Melda softened and walked to her daughter and crouched in front of her daughter. "Let's fix this."

"Mother, why do they hate me so much?" Delaina asked her mother while the latter was tending to her wound. Melda sighed and placed her finger under her daughter's chin.

"Because they are idiots. They hate and judge before trying to know someone." Melda explained softly. "But never think for one moment that you are at fault. You have done nothing wrong." Delaina nodded unconvinced. Melda smiled. "You have nothing to fear, Delaina. Not all the people of this world are this way. One day you will find true and loyal friends who will remained by your side, no matter what comes in your way." Her mother reassured her. "This will leave a scar but don't worry. It will be so small that no one will notice it."

Melda was humming a song softly while combing her daughter's hair. "Mother, why don't we go to Erebor?" Melda's movements froze. It's not the first time that Delaina has asked this question. She has asked this question everytime she has been hurt by the people's words or actions towards her person, just because of her difference.

"I've already told you, we can't." Melda exhaled.

"Why?" Delaina questioned playing with the hem of her dress.

Melda turned her daughter around to face her. "The lands has grown dangerous. And you are too young to face the danger of this world and to walk those lands for days." She kissed Delaina's forehead softly. "I promised one day, I'll take you there." Delaina smiled beaming.

"Will you?"

"I will. Now sit still."

The truth was that Melda upon seeing the men's reaction to her daughter's origins feared that the dwarves will despised her daughter as much as the men do. Maybe she has been wrong in thinking so. After all she has travelled with dwarves who proved to be tolerant. Dwarves who have proved to her to put their brothers' lives before their gold. Dwarves who have proved to be more determined than men in some situations. But when it comes to her daughter, Melda's heart was blind to this. When it comes to her daughter, Melda could only see the pain the little girl has been in because of her origins. And she won't let dwarves and men alike to hurt her daughter. And it's because of this fear of seeing her daughter suffer that she has delayed for so long her journey to Eerebor until the day she died. A fear that she would unknowingly give to her daughter.

Melda sighed and combed Delaina's hair as the little girl sang.

'Far over the Misty Mountains cold,

To dungeons deep and caverns old.

We must away ere break of day…'

"Delaina, promise you will never be ashamed of being half-human and half-dwarf." Melda interrupted her daughter. "It is not a shame to be the child of two people. It is a pride. And you should always be proud of your heritage."

They walked through the woods of Lothlorien, following Haldir and his men. They walked till morning. "Caras Galadhon, the Heart of Elvendom on Earth." Haldir said while they were all standing on the hills looking at the Elves Kingdom. "Realm of Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Rivendell was a beautiful kingdom and dear Delaina who has never stepped in elven-kingdom before was amazed. But now that she was walking through Caras Galadhon she was even more surprised. Stunned by the silver glow running around every tree, the bright lamps that looked like stars. The structure of it all has been carved into perfection.

They have been led up a stairwell until they reached the archway of Lord and Lady. They both arrived side by side, shining like beacons. The light dimmed down and before them stood the most beautiful woman and the most handsome man.

"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone." Celeborn told them. "Nine there are here, yet ten there were set out from Rivendell." Delaina felt sadness at the reminder that Gandalf has fallen. She casted her eyes on the ground. "Tell me, where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from here."

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow." Galadriel answered for the fellowship.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame." Legolas informed them. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deed of Gandalf in life." Galadriel stated. "We do not yet know his full purpose." Delaina exhaled a shaky breath. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-Dhum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin. For the world has grown full of peril and in all lands love is now mingled with grief." Galadriel casted her eyes upon Delaina who was still fixing her feet. "Hold your head high, Delaina, daughter of the daring one." Delaina raised her head and found the soft smile on Galadriel's face. "Loneliness is no longer your burden. For you have found loyal companions. Do not fear their judgment. For there is nothing to fear." Those words has been whispered gently in her mind. Words full of hope and reassurance. "…Yet hope remains while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil."

Delaina brushed her hair cross-legged on her small cot listening to the elves singing. "A lament for Gandalf." Legolas said to his companions.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked.

"I have not the heart to tell you." Legolas answered sadly. "For me the grief is still too near."

"I bet they don't mention his fireworks." Sam said. "There should be averse about them." He stood up.

The finest rockets ever seen.

They burst in stars of blue and green.

Or after thunder, silver showers.

Came falling like a rain of flowers.

"Oh, that doesn't do them justice by a long road." Sam grumbled flopping down. Delaina smiled softly at the hobbit's words.

"It was pretty, Sam." Delaina told him putting her brush away. "Gandalf would have appreciate it."

"Thank you, Miss Delaina."

"You're welcome, Sam. Now get some rest."

Two days they have been here. Delaina came to realize within those two days that what she thought to be a secret wasn't so much of a secret anymore. Gimli has shared the information with their companions proudly. They were for the most of them surprised but there was an elf who didn't seem surprise at all. Legolas had met Thorin and his company and has recognized the ring that Delaina wore around her neck. Delaina has feared their reactions but realized that she was wrong to fear anything at all. Because her new friends were asking her all sort of questions about her past. She only shared the good moments with them. The hobbits were curious creature and they enjoyed hearing stories of her childhood.

Delaina walked among the trees at her leisure. Admiring them and brushing her hands against the tree trunk as she walked past them. She stopped by the river, she sat down and decided to listen to the sounds of the stream. It was a relaxing sound for Delaina. A sound that allowed her to think of how much her life has changed since she set off from Rivendell. As you may already know, dear reader, her life has changed since that night in the Prancing Pony. Anyway, her life has changed nonetheless and even Delaina has changed on so many levels. For once, she wasn't travelling on her own, she has companions by her side. People that cares about and that she cares about. She found family thanks to Gimli and she knew that she would be welcomed in Erebor, now. Delaina even found herself seeking their company on more than one occasion. However, today, Delaina was seeking the company of the trees and the river. It's in her nature to isolate herself for a moment, but this time it wasn't by necessity or by fear of the others that she was doing it. No, today, she did it because she needed to enjoy as much as she could of the time she has left in Lothlorien. The fellowship will leave the safety of this realm. Their quest has yet to be achieved. She took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Is she the one who gave you that necklace?" Delaina asked Aragorn.

"Yes. A token of her love." Aragorn brought his fingers to the pendant. "She gave it to me as we parted ways."

"It's a beautiful gift." Delaina told him. "Are you sure there's no hope that she has stayed in Middle Earth?"

"There's none. I asked her to leave so she would be with her kin." Aragorn answered. Delaina stopped walking.

"You must be heart broken." Delaina stated.

"And yet I don't regret my choice. She will be safer out of Sauron's reach." Aragorn continued.

"You might find comfort knowing you have made the best choice for her. But that doesn't make you suffer any less." Delaina said softly. "I hope you will find happiness again one day." She smiled fondly to him.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people." Celeborn said as the elves were fastening grey cloaks around their shoulders. In addition to the cloaks they were offered a green leaf of Lorien. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes." His eyes traveled on the fellowship. Galadriel then walked to the fellowship and offered to every one of them a gift.

"My gift for you, Legolas, is a bow of the Galadhrim. Worthy of the skill of our woodland kin." Legolas' bow was beautifully carved and the elf was examining his new bow with amazement. "These are the daggers of the Noldorin. They have already seen service in war." Two small daggers were given to Merry and Pippin. "Do not fear, young Peregrin Took. You will find your courage. And for you, Samwise Gamgee, elven rope made of hitlain."

"Thank you, my lady." Sam said taking the rope. "Have you run out of those nice, shiny daggers?" He asked sheepishly.

"And what gift would a dwarf ask of the elves?" Galadriel asked Gimli.

"Nothing." Gimli answered quickly. "Except to look upon the lady of Galadhrim one last time for she is more fair than all the jewels beneath the earth." Galadriel chuckled lightly and looked upon the dwarf fondly. She waited patiently. "Actually, there was one thing. No, no, I couldn't. It's quite impossible. Stupid to ask…" Galadriel stepped in front of Delaina.

"I know you do not desire for anything, Delaina but I hope this may bring you comfort during your journey." Galadriel gave to Delaina a beautiful silver comb carved as Legolas' bow. Delaina took the comb in awe and smiled as the comb in itself brought suddenly fond memories to her mind.

"Thank you, my Lady." Delaina said sincerely.

Delaina helped Legolas charged the boat with their provisions. She was to share one boat with Legolas and Gimli. After a full month, the fellowship left the safety of the Lothlorien. Their path was leading to darkest places and they will face more dangerous foes. Their time in the elven realm was merely an ephemeral moment of peace.

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting having looked my last upon that which is fairest." Gimli sighed. "Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me."

"What was her gift?" Legolas asked him.

"I asked her for one hair from her golden head." Gimli answered. "She gave me three." Delaina smiled at this revelation.

Dear reader, let none say that dwarves are grasping and ungracious. Gimli has proven to you that they can be sensible to the beauty of this world. And so their first day on the Anduin River shall began.