A/N: SOOO I DIDN'T TAKE A MONTH THIS TIME! YAY! Haha. Hope you enjoy.

Thoughts and songs...

Lindir led me through familiar hallways. Finally he stopped in front of a door. "What you need should already be in the room. If there is anything else that you require, though, please inform us."

"I'll be sure to. Thank you very much."

The elf bowed his head before leaving. I quietly went inside the room, immediately filling up the basin with water. For now, I just needed to wash my hands and face. I could bathe thoroughly later. I splashed the cool water on my face, feeling slightly more awake than I did before. As I patted my face dry, I was brought back to when I was last here. Arwen. I wonder if she's here. I hope she is…

I quickly tied up my hair before leaving the room. Absent mindedly I strolled through the Elven structure. It seemed brighter here this time. More open and full of nature.I breathed in deeply the warm, sweet air of the valley. I closed my eyes feeling… everything. Feeling serene, feeling warmth, feeling like I was floating on air… Why does Rivendell feel so different this time around?

"Excuse me."

I jumped into the air, quickly turning to face the person who called me. It was a man. No seriously, not an elf, a man. My confusion grew. There weren't supposed to be any of the Race of Men here.

"I'm sorry for frightening you, but I was wondering if you were lost…?"

I blinked a couple of times before recovering, "Y-Yes! I came here with Gandalf. I was wondering if you could lead me to where he is now?"

The man nodded and turned around, "Follow me and I shall show you where they are."

I jogged to walk side by side with the man. As we walked, I took the time to study him. He had dark wavy hair that shined in the sun and reached his shoulders. Tall with a lean build. His eyes though. They were a shocking blue-grey. They were familiar though….

"Just up ahead are your companions."

My eyes went ahead to where a balcony was. Tables were situated around the area and the dwarves were seated around them. I first caught sight of Ori, who was picking at his food with distaste, and Dori. I smiled at the scene, laughing a bit at a memory it brought back of Gimli.

"Ah. I see you have met my adoptive son, Estel."

I looked to Elrond and he smiled. Estel from beside me nodded his head to his father. "I was only helping her find her way. Very reluctantly though. She seemed quite content roaming the halls. It was very amusing to watch."

My eyes stayed on the young man. Why did he look so familiar? What was it? I searched his face for any clue.

"Is there something on my face, my lady?"

I blinked, looking up at Estel. He had a smirk on his face, eyebrows raised slightly. It looked so familiar! Why couldn't I figure out where I've seen-

"Wynter, my dear," Bilbo voice sounded from behind me, My head whipped around and I saw most that were around were looking in my direction. I felt heat rise to my face as I realized why. I gaped like a fish out of water, "N-No it isn't- I mean that- Well you see-"

Finally I gave up and hurried to the empty seat beside Gandalf. No. It wasn't because he was handsome or anything. Not that he isn't! But he's just… MY GODS WHY CAN'T I FIGURE OUT WHY HE LOOKS SO FAMILIAR? I pulled my chair in at the table, looking down. I was regretting putting my hair up.

"No need to be embarrassed, my child. Many find young Estel to be very handsome."

"N-No! I-I mean he's handsome but he just… he looks familiar."

The wizard raised his eyebrows, taking a sip from his goblet. "Is that so? Then perhaps he reminds you of your love."

Involuntarily, I smiled widely at the thought of Legolas, "No. He looks far different from him."

"Back to our previous conversation, my friend," Elrond said, "What were you doing on the Great East Road? Thirteen dwarves, a daughter of Man, and a Halfling; strange travelling companions, Gandalf."

I took a drink from the goblet in front of me. This was slightly awkward.

"Wynter here was not originally to be one of my companions. I found her in a river as I was on my way to the Shire."

"And what were you doing in a river?"

"Well,,," I looked at Gandalf, hoping for some advice on what to do next.

"Wynter has told me the story of how she came to end up there," Gandalf quickly came in, "It is one I believe would best be discussed in private… "

The elf lord nodded before Gandalf continued, "The dwarves, on the other hand, are the descendants of the House of Durin! They're noble, decent folk. And they're surprisingly cultured. They've got a deep love of the arts."

I heard Nori from one of the tables, "Change the tune, why don't you? I feel like I'm at a funeral."

My eyes brows shot up and it took all my willpower not to laugh. Gandalf was trying to defend them, and here they are. Disproving everything.

"Alright lads, there's only one thing for it!" Bofur called out. He stood and promptly hopped on the platform in between the two tables.

"There is an inn, a merry old inn

beneath an old grey hill,"

The rest of the dwarves were beginning to sing along with Bofur.

"And there they brew a beer so brown

That the Man in the Moon himself came down

one night to drink his fill."

Kili threw a roll through the air that flew between Gandalf and Elrond. Gandalf, like a puppy caught doing something bad, sunk into his chair. I laughed as the singing continued and mayhem grew.

O! The ostler has a tipsy cat

that plays a five-stringed fiddle;

And up and down he saws his bow

Now squeaking high, now purring low,

now sawing in the middle.

So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,

a jig that would wake the dead:

He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,

While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:

'It's after three!' he said."

Yelling and cheering sounded once Bofur finished his song. Food was thrown everywhere. One boiled egg in particular almost hit poor Lindir in the face. The shocked, almost insulted and terrified expression on his face made me feel less bad for him though. It made me laugh far too much. Lord Elrond sighed heavily, placing his forehead in his hand. I covered my mouth as everyone was excused.

"Wynter," Lord Elrond said as he stood, "I would like to have you follow me and Gandalf to my study. We may talk in private and freely there."

I nodded my head, standing. Before we left the balcony, Elrond stopped Lindir and whispered something to him. He nodded his head and left. Lord Elrond then turned back to me and Gandalf. "Come now."

We traveled leisurely through the halls until we reached a slightly secluded door. Elrond opened it and we entered, the sound of it closing behind us.

"Now my dear, tell me how you happened upon Mithrandir."

I shifted slightly where I stood, unsure what to say, "Well… I am originally from somewhere else. Somewhere quite different from here. But this isn't my first time here either. I was here two years ago, for me."

"What do you mean by, 'for me'?" the elf lord questioned. Gandalf looked at me and nodded, encouraging me to continue.

"Well, what was two years in the past for me is actually sixty years in the future… for you..." I trailed off unsure of how that was going to be taken. The dark haired elf looked at me. And he looked at me. Finally he hmm-ed.

"And how did you happen to get here?"

"Well, both times I was outside. The first time I accidentally got sent here because of a screwed up wish by this woman goddess, but this time around… I don't know. I was taking a walk and sort of ended up back here, sixty years earlier. I even ended up in the same river, and funny enough, traveled to Rivendell shortly there after."

"A woman goddess?"

I nodded. "Haha, yeah I guess that was an odd way to phrase it. She said that she messed up when she sent me here the first time, but when she sent my brother and our friend, who's really like another brother, she said that there were lessons that I still needed to learn. But I don't quite understand why I'm back here."

Elrond nodded once again as a knock on the door sounded. "Come in."

Lindir opened the door, entering it, "I prepared what you asked me to sire."

"Thank you Lindir. Wynter my dear," I looked towards Elrond, "I have something I still need to discuss with Gandalf. I saw that you did not have the chance to eat during dinner. Lindir will lead you to the dining hall so you can eat."

I bowed my head to the Elf-lord before following Lindir. "Thank you."

Elrond smiled as the door was shut between us. As I was lead down the hallway, I figured now was as good a time as ever to find out more about the elf who appeared to be Elrond's right hand man.

~GANDALF POV~

"She appears to be a very interesting girl."

I nodded at my old friend, taking a seat across from him, "Indeed she is. Very peculiar at that. I do not believe her to be lying though."

"She appears to be telling the truth. What worries me though is the presence she carries with her," Elrond said, taking a goblet and filling it with wine.

My eyes closed and I nodded my head, "Ah. So you felt it too."

"Although it is not quite obvious, it can still be felt."

"I'm afraid that I, myself, do not understand why it is with her."

Elrond sat in front of me, taking a sip from his goblet. "As they say, the Valar work in mysterious ways."

~WYNTER POV~

After a conversation of the elf's interests, which led to his love of books, I was quickly reminded of something. A certain book that helped me get my voice back. "Well, I mean, it wouldn't really change anything if I find it now and point out that it would be useful later on..."

With that thought, I asked Lindir to bring me to the Library after I ate. He happily said that I could bring the food with me to look around. I gripped my plate tighter as Lindir led me to the book sanctuary. "Is it really okay that I do this? I don't want to damage anything."

"As long as you keep your plate on one of the tables," the elf smiled, "you can freely look around. Was there any book in particular you were looking for?"

"Um… I don't know if it has a title or not, but it should be a slightly worn, grey hardback."

"We have a few books that look like that in the library."

"It should have spells in it."

The elf looked back at me, "I believe I might know which one you are looking for. My only question for you though," he said as he opened the doors to the library, "why are you looking for a book of spells."

"It's not for me," I said, hurrying to place the plate on a table, "It's for Gandalf."

The elf nodded as he climbed upstairs to look for the book. He suddenly stopped in his tracks as he looked between two of the book cases. "What are you doing here?"

I heard a voice stammer something out before a voice sounded from behind me. "Fear not Lindir. The scholar was only looking to learn here. Not damage anything."

Estel was leaning against the door smiling up at Lindir. Lindir nodded his head and continued his search through the books. His eyes caught sight of me as he bowed his head, "It is a pleasure to see you again my lady."

I was about to tell him to call me Wynter when I saw Ori's head poke out from the top of the stairs. "Little Bird!"

I waved at the dwarf, not surprised that it was him in here. Ori always talked about all the travels he wanted to go on after the mountain was reclaimed. Set off to see the world. Learn what he can from the different races.

"So you are called Little Bird. Very fitting. Little Bird."

"That's not my name," I said quickly.

"Then what is your name?"

Something stopped me from saying my actual name. I don't know what it was, but I felt like if I said it, something bad would happen. Something would change. "You can call me Rose. It's my last name," I said, opting not to lie, but not feeling right about sharing my first name.

"Rose. Not quite as fitting as Little Bird, I must admit."

I smiled, "Such a shame."

He laughed. From behind him appeared two identical elves. "Estel, come quickly. The dwarves are causing chaos in the pavillion outside their rooms."

The stunning eyed beauty turned to them, "And do you plan to try and stop them, Elrohir, Elladan?

"I was hoping to cause some chaos myself admittedly," one of them said with a mischievous grin.

"I was going to try to make sure it does not go too much out of control," said the other.

Estel laughed, "Certainly, this should be entertaining to watch." He turned towards me once again, bowing his head, "I shall see you again, Little Bird."

With that, the twins behind him bowed and hurried along, Estel walking close behind them. I stared as they walked off. He still looked insanely familiar…

I heard Ori laugh as he hurried down stairs.

"What's so funny?"

"You flirting with Lord Elrond's adoptive son. Oh, you should have seen how Fili-"

"Wynter," Lindir sounded from above, gracefully coming down the stairs, "I found the book."

I smiled brightly, hurrying to meet the elf halfway. "Thank you so much Lindir."

"You are welcome. I must take my leave now, but if you require anymore assistance, please inform me."

"Will do," I smiled and hurried to flip through the book to see if I could find the right spell. I sat against the wall as I looked through it. Ori sat beside me to look at the pages.

"What is this for?"

"It's hard to explain what this is for. It's for something a long ways off in the future."

"If it is a long ways off in the future," Ori said, "then why are you looking for it now?"

"Because if I can find it, it may help Gandalf and some of his companions later on."

"Like Boromir and Merry and Pippin to understand me sooner and Aragor-"

Aragorn's face flashed before my eyes. His bright eyes. A memory followed soon after. I vaguely recalled him saying something about being adopted...

"Oh my gods...I just flirted with my ideal older siser's future husband!"

"Estel is Aragorn…!"

A/N: So, first things first. Yes Aragorn/Estel is different in this. But this is also before he meets Arwen and falls madly in love with her and must go out into the world to become the King he was born to be to be with her. He also didn't know of his lineage at the time and I would assume would be much more carefree and happy, that's why I wrote him like that. And I'm sure some of you (if not all) are confused about Elrond and Gandalf's talk. Well, all I can say is that it will be explain eventually. Finally, I needed to get this chapter out before Monday because that is when I'm going to get my heart broken and tore to pieces, aka the day I'm going to watch a Triple Bill of the Hobbit and see BOTFA. I'm honestly not sure how that movie will impact me (I already accidentally read a quote that was somewhat of a spoiler that torn me to shreds) so I wanted to get this chapter out just in case I have no motivation at all to work on it after the movie. I hope you enjoyed this update and review!