A.N. Aaaaaaand we've finally made it to the quest! Unfortunately this means that chapters may be updated a little less frequently. One; NaNoWriMo has started, and two; I haven't had a chance to really go over these chapters and hash them out the way I did the others. So if it takes a little while, please have patience with me. I will still try to update on a regular basis.
Kelly: Thank you!
LoverxofxNight: There will definitely be more to come about how Danica's presence got out. Thanks for the feedback. I was pretty nervous about the last chapter.
Angie: I was hoping the dream would work out, and we shall see. There are some things Fetir could do, but it will depend on how this story goes. ;) Thanks for your steady reviews!
TikiKiki: I want to see the end of the story too. Lol. It has taken me in directions I didn't think I would go. Thank you for your review, fav and follow!
Omega-Maharan: Thank you for the review! I hope the message answered your question. ^_^
This chapter may start slowly as it is going to cover some of what Danica has been doing in Rivendell for the past few months. It should pick up mid-way through. As usual, please enjoy and review! Thank you!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Danica and any other original characters that may show up.
Late spring left Rivendell pleasantly warm, but not stifling. Still, the days were becoming more and more lazy, both in and out of the halls. The only one who still kept busy was Danica. The elves had been more than kind, helping her create a nice pattern for her days. They taught her the history of the world, some of the different languages and cultures, as well as their various forms of music. When she had asked if someone could teach her to fight, most had denied her, seeing no need for Elrond's ward to learn battle techniques. Only Elrond's twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir were willing to take on the task.
Thanks to Elrond's miraculous healing abilities, her body was stronger and more resilient than she could ever remember it being. Though this helped with endurance, it did nothing to protect her from bruises and sore muscles. She hadn't exercised this much in…well, at all. The more she trained, the more her body changed in ways she had never seen. Her sickness and then trauma after losing her husband had made her skinny, but now she was strong and healthy. Unfortunately, no amount of elven healing could help her hand-to-hand combat.
"You are doubting your own instincts," Elrohir would say every time they trained.
"That will get you killed," Elladan chimed in. "You have to trust your gut with every moment. If you cannot trust your instincts, what can you trust?"
Danica would either grind her teeth or give in and sigh. Listening to her heart had always been one of her top priorities, and trusting her gut on people and major life decisions was a must for her. Split-second decisions were something else entirely. She became so concerned with making the right choice and not looking like a fool that she ended up succeeding in neither. The end result was her being fairly useless in a fight. However, once they realized it was fairly futile to train her with swords, they brought her a spear. Not a spear like the ones she'd seen in Native American movies and gladiator fights. This one had a recurved blade nearly two feet long.
"These weapons have rarely been used since the Second Age," Elladan explained, smiling at Danica's awe when he presented the weapon to her. After a couple of experimental twirls, she knew this was her weapon. Since then, they'd been able to make enough progress so the twins were confident she would be able to survive at least one battle.
One thing that had constantly been on her mind was the lack of strange dreams. She hadn't seen Thorin since she first arrived at Rivendell, and it left her lonely, but on edge for when the next dream might appear. There was still no clue as to what the dreams meant, but she and Elrond would spend afternoons considering it, and she knew he had been seeking counsel, especially from Galadriel. In a moment of weakness, she began writing a letter to Thorin, then scratched it out…multiple times. Finally, with some help, she drew schematics for a piano, and sent it with a short message. That had satisfied her enough to rest her mind. For a while anyway.
After that, a group of vagabonds had traveled through for trade. She made the mistake of singing for them, and now any traders or travelers that came through asked for her. So much for her staying under the radar. Finally fed up with the judgmental looks from some of the elves, and her own nerves, she had found a place to hide any time there was company in Rivendell. Most recently, it had also been the place she liked to spend her free time. When the days were warm and sunny, she would lay under the willow tree that had become her sanctuary, listening to the babble of the creek that ran next to it. Sometimes, a couple of the local cats would come to keep her company. Other times they would be scared away by her new falcon.
As an early birthday gift, and knowing how much she'd been struggling, Elrond had taken Danica to the aviary where the hunting falcons and message birds were kept. There were a few young birds who had just finished their training, but hadn't been paired with anyone. One, a handsome peregrine falcon with golden-brown feathers caught her eye. Whereas the others were either preening or restlessly ruffling their feathers, this one was confident in his own space, and intimidated by no one.
"Well aren't you a confident one?" she murmured, moving closer to his enclosure. He turned an eye on her, watching her carefully. She remained still, letting him consider her. His gaze was deep and thoughtful; judging what he could and could not see.
When he twitched his head to the side, she reached forward, opened the cage and offered her hand. After a couple of experimental nibbles, which stung slightly, he lowered his head for her to stroke.
"It appears you have made a friend," Elrond said warmly. "He is yours if you want him,"
"I am just as much his as he is mine," heart swelling, Danica beamed at her foster father. "Thank you,"
Gilean, a rather stern elf with dark eyes and hair was in charge of falconry, and had made sure to train Danica on how to handle such a powerful animal. He was pleased with her natural affinity with animals, and so was even harder on her to be perfect. Despite his constant griping, she was grateful to learn how best to live and work with her falcon, whom she named Kaine. His two favorite things were to go out with her on walks so he could hunt, and sleep in the willow tree while she sang or napped. She loved his calm temperament and near constant presence.
"So long as you let him hunt and respect his independent nature, he will remain your friend for the remainder of his life," Gilean had said. "He is not a pet. He is your partner,"
"None of my animals have ever just been pets," she had responded, stroking Kaine's smooth chest. "They are my family," Gilean smiled, but she had been too busy leaning in as Kaine nuzzled her cheek.
She watched him circle overhead on a late afternoon in June as she lay on the grass next to her willow tree. Training that day had left her sore and drained, but pleased. After so many months, she had finally been able to hold her own against the twins. Well, against one of them. When they both attacked her, she only lasted a couple of minutes before ending up on the ground, having a blade pressed against her, or both. Still, the only show of failure she sported today was a nasty bruise forming on her shoulder from the flat of Elladan's blade. With some salve, it would be gone in a couple of days.
Her peace was interrupted at the sound of a horn and a chorus of hoof beats. Standing, she looked over to the bridge to see Elrond leading a group of hunters back into Rivendell. How had she missed their departure? Curiosity turned to panic when they began to circle.
"Crap," sliding her falconry glove onto her hand, she whistled for Kaine and began the walk back to the aviary. He landed lightly on her wrist, feathers slightly puffed the way they were when he was indignant. "I'm sorry for the short trip," she said, but was too distracted to really comfort him.
Once again, she had gotten too caught up in the everyday details and had missed the big picture. June; when the company of Thorin Oakenshield took refuge in Rivendell. She desperately wanted to see Thorin, and meet the company, but she worried. Then again, it's not like she could avoid them for two weeks. Maybe she could ask one of the twins if they wanted to take a trip with her. Perhaps take her to Lothlorien.
"My lady!" the elf maid had to call a couple of times, so intent was Danica on her thoughts. "Lord Elrond sent me to find you. We have guests and he would like you to join them for dinner,"
"Uh…was it the kind of request I could refuse?" she wasn't sure she was ready to face this. Time had flown by without her paying attention, and she felt unprepared.
The elf maid paused, brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you not feeling well?"
"No, actually," which was true. Her stomach was unsteady and her hands were beginning to shake. "But that's alright. I'll be there in a few minutes,"
"He said they were all going to clean up, so you have plenty of time. Would you like me to send Laneia to assist you?"
Laneia was the she-elf Elrond had assigned to help Danica with every day elven culture and traditions. During the first few days, she had been extremely helpful while Danica was figuring out the clothing and bathing practices.
"I suppose I could use her help," Danica said, thinking about how difficult it would be to fix her hair with quaking hands. The elf maid curtseyed and turned back around.
Trying to take deep breaths, she took Kaine back, then sped to her room. Laneia was already there, setting out a dress on the bed. Her greeting smile eased Danica's nerves until she saw which dress was being laid out.
"Isn't that a bit much for a dinner? Even one for guests?" she asked, eyeing the shimmery white fabric.
"Lord Elrond suggested that tonight would be the perfect time to wear it. You have not worn it once since Lady Galadriel sent it,"
Because it was rather extravagant in Danica's opinion. "There just hasn't seemed to be an appropriate time to wear it,"
"Perhaps that is why Lord Elrond thought tonight would suit well," Laneia's smile changed slightly. She always looked forward to dressing Danica up like a doll.
"Well, I have already bathed, so the rest shouldn't take too long," she shook her damp hair out from its' braid and mentally prepared herself.
"You should try to enjoy this," Laneia said, waiting until Danica sat before deftly piling her hair on top of her head. "You have not been around any visitors in some time,"
"Normally I would be looking forward to it, but these visitors are different," not much was said after that as Danica's nerves closed her throat.
The dress was gorgeous. A material much like organza made up the strapless under dress while a smooth satin over dress with a delicate, gold-stitched pattern wrapped over it. The back of the outer layer rose up high enough to cover her scars, but draped around the front to expose her décolletage and much of her shoulders. She had already been given the perfect gold and white choker to match that would hide the scars on her neck. It had been a birthday gift from Arwen. All in all, though she felt beautiful, she also felt out of place.
Once she was ready, the long walk to the dining terrace left her quivering. She could hear music, and the cheerful echo of the dwarves' voices. Before the terrace came into sight, she paused, taking a few more futile breaths before walking forward.
This was not how Thorin had planned for things to go. The moment Gandalf had suggested going to Rivendell, he had remembered his personal promise to stay away from the place and done everything he could to keep that promise. And yet, here they were. As Danica had suggested, Lord Elrond was far more respectful than Thranduil and his kin ever were. Still, being here left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he hoped to leave as soon as possible. The company needed to rest and restore their stock, but as soon as that was accomplished, they would leave. His thoughts were halted as the stuck-up greeting elf leaned down to whisper something in Elrond's ear. Whatever it was, it had the elf lord smiling.
"Ah, here she is," he said, rising and turning toward the steps. Thorin turned as well, and nearly dropped his glass.
The woman greeting Elrond looked like Danica, yet didn't. Unlike the last time he had seen her, she was strong, healthy and glowing. Her curves seemed to have filled out so she was slender, but no longer wraith-thin. The gown she wore was of a design he had never seen before, and hung on her in such a way he was almost uncomfortable looking at her yet couldn't look away. Judging from the silence coming from the other table, the others had seen her too.
"May I introduce Danica MacKay? She is currently residing here as my ward," Elrond said, leading her up the stairs.
Almost as one, the dwarves stood with varying, "At your service," and "Pleasure to meet you." She smiled at each dwarf, and hobbit, in turn before her eyes turned to his.
"Hello," she said. Durin, even her voice was different; smoother somehow.
"Miss MacKay," he responded, bowing his head to her. How was it, that after everything they had been through, they could be so tense and formal with each other?
"How do you know each other?" Fili asked as Danica took a seat at the other end of the table from Elrond.
"Apparently this is the woman yer uncle helped on his way from Dunalnd," there was a certain note of suspicion in Dwalin's voice. Thorin had left out the fact that Danica was a young, fairly attractive woman, and now Dwalin was wondering why.
"Her?" Kili asked once everyone else had sat. "I think you left some details out of your story Uncle,"
There was a very strong urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, but he resisted. He had also left out the kiss and everything else after they had arrived in Bree. The twitch of Danica's lips was not helping the building ache behind his eyes.
"Are you the one they're calling the Rivendell Nightingale?"
Fili's words had Danica paling slightly, her eyes shifting over to Elrond. Thorin followed her gaze and was surprised to see the elven lord's face harden as he clenched his jaw. It wasn't anger though, it was more of an exasperation.
"I thought you were supposed to be staying relatively unknown," Thorin said, wondering if this was how Fetir had found out about her. It still didn't explain how he knew of their acquaintance.
"Yeah, about that," Danica sighed, fidgeting nervously in her seat. "I may have spent a little too much time with some traders that came through and sang them some songs…from where I come from," though no one else would realize the seriousness of that, Thorin understood. Quite the misstep from someone so careful.
"That's not all," Elrond joined in, leaning an elbow on the table. "There were other times we would have visitors, and some would hear her singing. The fact that they could not see her only made her that much more intriguing,"
Even Danica seemed surprised by that. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have made sure to stay quiet when other people were here,"
Elrond's eyes softened at this. "It is no crime for you to sing. To silence a beautiful song is a crime,"
Thorin rather agreed, but would rather bite his tongue off than admit it. "Where did you hear of her?" he directed to Fili.
"From some men on our way to Bilbo's. They had conducted trade here not long before and were spreading the tale like a ghost story,"
Danica groaned softly and looked very much like she'd rather cease to exist than continue this conversation. Gandalf eyed her for a moment, then finally took pity.
"We found some rare treasures on our way here," he said, turning attention away from the previous conversation. After that, they spent some time discussing the blades they had found in the trolls' hoard. It went pleasantly enough, even surprisingly so as Elrond handed Orcrist back to Thorin with good wishes. Then, of course, the elf got nosy and began asking questions. When Gandalf responded with a complete lack of tact, thus spiking Elrond's suspicion, Thorin had enough.
"Excuse me," he said with a small, courteous bow. His eyes caught Danica's for a moment before he walked over to stand beside the company. Her gaze was unreadable, but left him feeling uncomfortable. There was something wrong.
His eyes continued to follow her when Bofur began singing. The mirth was on her face, but seemed to go no deeper. Every now and then, her gaze would meet his, then quickly shift away. Once the company began a food fight, she excused herself and dodged her way off the terrace. Balin also watched her leave, then left the table to stand beside Thorin.
"Your nephew was right," he said, voice low. "You left some details out of your story,"
A lie was on Thorin's lips, ready to be spoken, but died on an exhale. "I am afraid it's a bit complicated,"
"I can see that," the tone in Balin's voice had Thorin raising a brow. "It seems to me you left out parts of the tale not to hide from the others, but to hide from yourself. You care for her lad,"
There was still enough raucous laughter and talking for Thorin to feel comfortable answering. "Of course I do. I cannot explain everything, but we have been through more than just a short trip to Bree. She became family,"
"Family that you will not share with your kin?"
These questions were pulling apart all of the answers and excuses Thorin had given himself, and he didn't like it. Balin sensed his discomfort, and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry Lad. All of this will blow over once everyone can get to know her," the words were meant as a comfort, but did very little in their mission. "If you leave now, I doubt any of the lads will notice. The lass seemed a bit put out,"
Knowing he was right, Thorin nodded and handed his flask over, (taken out with the knowledge of weak elven wine) and walked in the direction Danica had left. This was not going to be an easy conversation.
P.S. Wow. For some reason this chapter took a while. I struggled a bit to get this out, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Reviews please! Until next time my lovelies!
