Chapter 10
Walking with Linwin proved to be a much more enjoyable experience than with Lindir earlier in the day. Amli appreciated the light-hearted small talk the two shared despite both being uncomfortable.
Thorin would have had an absolute stroke if he saw her conversing so idly with an elf. Yet, Amli could give a rat's ass what the great King under the Mountain thought or deserved at this very moment.
"This is Lord Elrond's study." Linwin murmured knocking upon the door before opening it.
"Thank you. I would have been quite lost without your guidance." Amli offered sending her new friend a grin as Linwin gained Elrond's attention.
Amli could not help but glance around at the incredible collection of books at his disposal. It had been quite sometime since she had the opportunity to just crack open a book and read. This looked liked the perfect place to do just that.
"Impressive isn't it?" Elrond questioned appearing at her side eyeing the crossbreed curiously. It was not often that an elf encountered any being so courteous that had dwarvish blood coursing through its veins.
"You must have every book imaginable." She murmured in awe as eyeing the numerous rows of books.
"Come, let us talk."
A flustered look came over Amli's face as she took in the look of amusement upon the elf's face. He guided her to a seat before taking one across from her.
"Now, Mithrandir told me you acquired a trinket that has been giving you difficulty recently." Elrond continued watching as the crossbreed nodded. She pulled the trinket from her tunic unwrapping it delicately from its binding.
The moment he saw the brilliant topaz jewel, Elrond knew exactly what diadem this unfortunate girl had stumbled across. He could even as to where the crossbreed stumbled across it.
Wordlessly, he stood and went to the bookcase in search of the exact book that would offer the information necessary.
Amli grew annoyed by the elf's silence and all about disappearance behind stacks of books. He seemed talkative before and now she could barely get a word out of the "wise" elf.
Much to her relief, he did not leave her in suspense for very long.
"The trinket you possess is called the Sunstone Pendant." Elrond began placing an open book before her. Sure enough, there in its tattered pages was a sketch of the exact trinket.
"It is a diadem that has truly no past for it has never had a bearer for that long. You see the two create a bond for what appears to be eternity."
"You mean to tell me that this trinket and I are linked?" Amli questioned incredulously.
She did not think twice when she picked up that bloody trinket when passing though Mirkwood on the way to the Shire. Hell it was the reason that they, being the Mirkwood elves, left such horrendous marks upon her skin.
Amli could still feel Thranduil's tight grip upon her neck as he had questioned her about how the jewel.
Flashback
"I have had enough of your games dwarf!" Thranduil practically all but spat the last word as he sashayed towards the prisoner. Amli could not help her smirk as the king pulled her to her shoulders roughly.
After his guards beat the crap out of her, it should not be difficult for "his majesty" to take advantage of the situation. A strangled gasp escaped her lips as Thranduil shoved her against a stone wall; hand tightly wrapped around throat.
"I will ask you again, where did you come across that trinket?" He growled squeezing her neck gruffly, delighting in the wiggling the half-blood was doing.
Though it was difficult, Amli spat at the elf king who promptly dropped her to her feet. "You want the damn thing?" She growled slipping the pendant from its chain hoping this hair brain idea would actually work.
"That is all I wanted." Thranduil said watching as the crossbreed got to her feet. He had to give her credit. She was a resilient one. The guards had been trying to pry information out of her for about two nights or so and she had yet to break.
"Go fetch!" Amli cried chucking the chain behind the king's throne running in the direction of the dungeons to retrieve her swords. Much to her luck, the journey to retrieve them was simple.
The elvish guards were soon on her tail as she ran through the halls. When they flanked her from both sides, Amli had no choice but to knock down a door which was luckily a bedroom with a banister.
Rushing through Amli could not help but grin victoriously at the sight of a running river bellow. "Do give Thranduil a kiss goodbye for me." Amli said throwing the guard's wink over her shoulder before jumping off.
End of Flashback
"Amli," Elrond's calm voice called stirring her from her thoughts.
"I apologize, please do continue." Amli murmured lips upturned in a rueful grin.
"Very well, it feeds upon your energy and you upon it. At times for example, you may feel strength when you should be exhausted and vice a versa."
Amli nodded sighing as she gazed upon the tanzanite pendant resting in the valley of her bosom. So much trouble for such a necklace; oh how she wished she hadn't found the jewel.
"What of the emotions that seem to intensify when I wear it?" She questioned still trying to make sense of it all.
"From what my people can gather, they are side effects of sorts. The sunstone pendant is in need for one to properly care for it. Most bearers are drawn to its beauty then are driven to madness." Elrond replied as Amli's head ended up in her hands.
"I do need to make it clear that the moment that the bearer removes it or is parted from it; the individual perishes so the trinket may find another barer."
Amli's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she gazed up at the elf shocked. Running a hand tiredly through her hair, Amli sat with that news.
This truly was the last thing she needed at the moment. At present, there was a wounded wolf, a company of thirteen dwarves and a hobbit, and a handsome dwarf in particular which required that she had all her wits about her. Now she had to deal with a temperamental necklace? Just bloody fucking magical!
"Is there anyway to destroy it?" Amli questioned desperately trying to find a quick solution to her newest problem.
A sympathetic look painted the elf's face practically answering the crossbreed's question with no words.
"As I mentioned, there is not enough information on the pendant due to its lack of bearers. So I find my resourcefulness running dry…" Elrond began getting to his feet to stand before the rather charming crossbreed.
"The only thing that I can offer you is a stay here in Rivendell. You seem to be the strongest bearer thus far and may offer a great insight into it."
"I appreciate the offer Lord Elrond; you are by far one of the most respectable elves I have met thus far on my travels." Amli began sending the elf a grin as she got to her feet.
"I must decline your kindness. You see as a cross breed I have no real home for not many people accept a dwarf/human as a companion."
Amli did not miss the surprise upon Elrond's face at the tone of bitterness in her voice.
"All that I can ask is that you offer my wolf the same courtesy you have to me. He is truly the only family I have left in this world."
"Of course, he has been very docile. We shall tend to him and set him free" Elrond said guiding the crossbreed to the door.
"Thank you my lord." Amli replied as the two exchanged good byes.
Linwin led her back to dwarvish quarters with pleasant small talk. Though in all honesty, Amli did not engage in it that much for her thoughts were focused upon the new information.
Granted it had been nice to gain insight on its origin, yet there was a sense of foreboding in her mind.
"Lady Amli." Linwin's delicate voice called gaining her attention as the elf nodded in the direction of rambunctious laughter. Thanking the elf, Amli went to rejoin her companions who fell silent at her reappearance.
The silence, rather unnerving, forced Amli to bravely glance back at them all as she neared her bedroll. If they were going to watch her like a warg hunting prey, she was going to do the same.
"You were gone for sometime. The elf and you discussing something in great detail I assume." Thorin's voice cut through the silence as Amli could not help but glare at their leader across the makeshift fire that the dwarves had created from furniture.
"Last time I checked it was not a crime to have a conversation with someone." Amli scoffed watching the king's shoulders tense instantly. "Not to worry, I did not divulge any of your precious secrets. I only thanked him for his courtesy."
"What of your own secrets?" Thorin posed as Amli's eyes flashed dangerously at the dwarf. She was in no mood for this but was fully prepared if this prick wanted to go at it.
"What of my secrets?! I have been upfront with most of my knowledge; at least what is pertinent to you."
"Most, I don't quite recall being told about your association with elves. Not to mention your ability to speak their native tongue." Thorin questioned glaring at the crossbreed who maintained her stance.
"Last I checked it is hardly a secret to be courteous; some may actually call it diplomatic. Perhaps you should practice that skill; it might have been useful before the dragon came to Erebor." Amli snapped voice faltering towards the end as Thorin pressed her against the wall roughly.
The company was struck silent at the scene playing out before them. Fili and Kili rose to their feet instantly, intent on separating the two for both of their sakes.
"Do not speak of things you nothing about! You know nothing." Thorin growled pressing his forearm against her chest roughly holding her in place. "You are nothing but a lowly half-blood. A little girl too weak to survive on her own; who must rely upon a wolf to thrive."
Uncomfortable tension hung in the air as those sentences lingered and Amli had practically recoiled as they were said.
"Uncle…" Fili began rather aghast at his outburst especially after what had happened to Trouble that eve.
"Don't waste your breath Fili." Amli began sending the handsome dwarf a glance before shoving Thorin off of her.
"I do not understand your problem and it is your own. Time and time again, I've been there for this company. Yet all you seem to judge me on is what I am rather than who I am. You can't put me in a box and that drives you mad." She subtly wiped a few tears from her eyes shoving past Thorin and a few other dwarves.
"You do not know me. Do tell me Thorin, son of Thrain who are you? What has your prejudice and distrust gotten you?" Amli questioned glancing back at her company before disappearing down one of the many halls of Rivendell.
A loud growl escaped Amli's lips at the tears trickling down her cheeks and the feel of the fiery Sunstone dangling between the valley of her breasts. It alternated between heat and darkness draining her energy rather quickly.
Once far enough away from the dwarves, Amli sighed and lay across a near by bench. She knew that these tears were a product of both the fight and the pendant. On her own, that would not have been so painful. Or would it?
Glancing up at the night sky, Amli felt so utterly exhausted. Lord Elrond was not kidding when he said that it had the ability to zap her energy. The sound of footsteps stirred her from any sleep as Fili then appeared above her.
"You don't have to say it, I know." Amli murmured dejectedly sitting up as Fili sat took the spot beside her.
"Well I'm glad you know." Fili replied with a feigned of formality before gazing over at her. "Cause I have no clue what I was supposed to say."
Hearing her watery giggle, a grin bloomed to epic proportions on his face. That laugh could brighten the dreariest of days. All that joy dissipated from the air no more than a minute later as a sigh escaped her lips.
"I'm sorry; I know that I'm always disrespecting Thorin. It's just that comment was so underhanded and the manhandling." Amli said with a sigh of defeat as tears pooled in her face. "I guess I will never belong anywhere."
"Hey, hey none of that now..." Fili murmured sliding his arm around the girl pulling her into his arms again. It felt so natural to have the rather dainty brunette so close. He could not help but feel guilty for not butting in.
"You've got nothing to be sorry about. Thorin went overboard; he should not have laid a hand on you." Amli's beautiful green eyes gazing up at him caused his start to skip a few beats for a reason other than frustration.
They were a brilliant shade of jade sparkled with notes of hazel. He could not help but let his gaze flicker to her pouty lips then back to her eyes
Just as he was going to capture her delicious lips in a kiss again, a delicate finger pressed against his lips.
"Fili what is this?" Amli questioned glancing between the two.
"Amli I've got to be honest, I've developed feelings for you. Not just those of friendship; I see you and every day I want to get to know more about you. The more I know, the more I like." Fili whispered gazing intently at his feet, afraid to see what those beautiful green eyes of hers would say.
Delicate fingers cupped his chin forcing him to gaze into those priceless emeralds. No words were exchanged as her lips captured his in a kiss. It was one like Fili had never really experienced despite having kissed those sweet lips a short time ago.
Pulling apart, Amli could not help but smile warmly at the breathless look upon Fili's face. Reaching her hand out, she gently caressed his bearded cheek loving the feel of soft yet scratchy scruff underneath her palm.
"I couldn't have said it any better myself." She murmured tracing a finger over his swollen lips.
"I feel like I am dreaming. Are we really here?" Fili whispered in awe pulling the brunette onto his lap reveling in her giggle and overall joy.
Resting her forehead against his, Amli beamed grateful for this moment. . Her eyes flicked up to take a peek at Fili whose beautiful blues were smiling themselves.
Amli breath hitched in her throat as she remembered the one little thing threatening to wake them from their dream. Glancing at Fili, it appeared that it dawned upon him too for those beautiful blue eyes were cloudy.
"What are we going to do about Thorin?"
"I don't know but he will never lay a hand on you again that's for sure." Fili murmured gently running his thumb along her soft cheeks gazing thoughtfully at her. "All I do know is that I am not prepared to give you up."
"Neither am I."