Disclaimer I don't own the Hobbit or P.J's movies in any way.
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The company marched across the small stone bridge that led across the river below. On the other side they found themselves in a beautiful stone court yard surrounded by ornate stone pillars. Most of the company was looking around in wonder except for Thorin and Dwalin who stood shoulder to shoulder looking around with contempt and suspicion.
"Ah Mithrandir"
The company turned around to see a tall brown haired elf walking toward them.
Gandalf smiled at the elf. "Ah Lindir" he said approaching him
Thorin began to feel uneasy at the elf's presence.
"Stay sharp" he whispered to Dwalin not taking his eyes off the elf before him.
The elf addressed Gandalf in elvish leaving the rest of the company in the dark- Everyone that was, except for Elira whose head suddenly snapped up upon hearing familiar words.
Rowan too heard the language, though it sounded familiar she didn't understand it.
"Do you know what they are saying?" she whispered
"A bit, I caught valley and you crossed"
The conversation switched back to the common tongue at that point
"I must speak with lord Elrond" Gandalf said urgently
The elf frowned "my lord Elrond is not here"
"Not here? where is he?"
Before the elf could answer the sound of a horn echoed through the valley. The company turned towards the bridge in confusion trying to locate the source of the sound.
Suddenly a large caravan of elves on horseback came cantering up the bridge.
"ike bakar! Close ranks!" Thorin shouted to the company, jolting them into action they pulled out their weapons readying to fight then formed a circle, pulling Bilbo Elira Ori and Rowan into the center of it.
Elira was confused by their actions. From what Gandalf had told her elves were peaceful people. But from the way the company was reacting to the new arrivals it would seem as though they posed a threat.
The horses began to circle the company squeezing them closer together riling the dwarfs up even more.
When the horses finally stopped moving another elf rode forward.
"Gandalf" he said smiling
"Lord Elrond" Gandalf greeted striding forward a bit and bowing.
The two conversed in the same language as the elf dismounted his horse taking a crude looking sword from one of his men.
"Strange for orcs to come so close to our boarders. Something or someone must have drawn tem near"
Gandalf looked sheepishly at the elf lord "ah well that may have been us"
Elrond looked out at the company watching as Thorin strode forward to the head of the group
"Welcome Thorin son of thrain"
"I do not believe we have met" Thorin said politely, though there was a hint of derision in his voice.
"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew thror when he ruled under the mountain" said Elrond
"Indeed? He made no mention of you" this time there was no mistaking the contempt in his voice.
The elf lord looked as though he was studying the dwarf before him before he spoke again in elvish.
"What does he saying? Does he offer us insult?!" Gloin yelled causing the other dwarfs to begin to rile up once more.
Gandalf sighed "no master dwarf he is offering you food"
The company began to mutter to one and other.
"If you would like I can show you to where you can get washed up for dinner. And any wounds you may have can be seen by our healers" Elrond continued looking at the fresh scratch on Ori's cheek.
The company begrudgingly agreed and followed Lindir out of the court yard.
As they were leaving two of the company caught Elrond's eye. He studied the two women and a flash of gold around the blonde's neck made his breath catch.
"Gandalf" he said to the wizard next to him "it would seem we have much to discuss.
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Rowan and Elira walked with the company as they followed Lindir down a series of path ways finally stopping at one large hall way.
"Here we" he said motioning to the door behind him
The company started to follow through but rowan and Elira lagged behind. They looked at each other unsure of what to do.
"My ladies" Lindir called to them drawing their attention back "this is Serin and Thera they will show you to your rooms." He said pointing to two beautiful elvish women behind him. Both were tall with pale skin one with jet black hair and the other with warm blond hair. The two smiled at the two travel worn women in front of them.
Rowan and Elira nodded and smiled back following the woman as they led them down a different passage. They stopped first at a large elegant wooden door. The Black haired elf- Serin turned to Elira if you will follow me miss.
Elira cast one final glance at rowan and waved goodbye following the woman through the door. Once inside she marveled at the room se now stood in. it was all cool white stone with a large window-door cut into the opposite wall that led to a terrace. A comfortable looking bed lay by one corner with a dresser and night stand near it. Elira followed the woman into an equally lavish bathroom with a large tub set into the floor.
"I can take your cloths to be mended when you're changed" Serin told her as she motioned to a privacy screen
Elira stripped out of her old worn clothes tossing them over the screen. Once she heard the door click she slipped into the warm soapy water every muscle in her body relaxing. She looked around the rim of the tub at the small glass vials Serin had left for her to use along with a bar of soap. One for the bath water and one for her hair the other was perfume for after she dried off. Taking the stopper out of the second vial she poured some into her hands then scrubbed it into her hair. She relished in the clean lovely scent it left. Perhaps Rivendell wouldn't be so bad.
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Just few yards away in a room not too far from Eliras, rowan followed Thera into an equally lavish room.
When she got into the bathroom she stripped and slipped into the tub after setting out her old cloths for Thera. She scrubbed her body and hair till there wasn't a speck of dust on her. The warm water felt good on her aching body.
After a bit a knock came at the door it was Thera
"Lady Rowan when you are ready I have fresh cloths for you"
Slipping out of the tub Rowan grabbed a towel off the nearby table and dried herself off before wrapping it around herself and opening the door.
Thera was standing near the bed neatly arranging articles of clothing on the bed.
"Ah lady Rowen I have brought you a dress for dinner. And Lindir has brought something's from the healer for your arm" she said motioning to the fabric draped over the bed
Rowan looked at the multiple layers of unfamiliar clothing on the bed before her. She eyed the various laces and buttons with apprehension.
Thera must have sensed her apprehension for not a moment later she added "if you would like I can assist you in getting ready"
Rowan grinned sheepishly "If it's no trouble. And you can just call me Rowan."
The elf smiled back at her and handed her the undergarments and dressing gown from off the bed directing her to another changing screen.
After she was finished dressing Thera then motioned for her to sit on the bed while she put slave and wound a bandage around the scratch. After she then set to the task of helping rowan dawn the elegant dress. It was a pale shade of turquoise made from light airy fabric that shaped her body then fanned out a bit at her hips, the sleeves fit her arms perfectly then at the elbow billowed out downwards for a few inches. The top of the dress had a heart neckline with elegant trim that matched the trim at her elbows. At her hips Thera secured an delicate silver belt then looked at her handy work
"There we are! Now let's do something with your hair!" she said steering the half dwarf to a chair pulled next to the vanity.
It was the first time in a while Rowan had seen her reflection clearly and she nearly had a heart attack at what she saw. The sides of her cheeks near her jawline were dusted with peach fuzz.
"Are you alright?" Thera asked seeing her shocked expression and the way Rowan kept rubbing her hand against her cheek
"I have facial hair" Rowan said dumbfounded. She had had one or two stray hairs along her jawline back home but never anything like this!
It was Thera's turn to look confused "I thought all dwarf women had facial hair?"
The light bulb in Rowans head clicked
"Oh…..yes.. yes it's… uh just grown since I last looked that's all" rowan said covering
Thera nodded and began to run her hand through Rowans hair
"I'm thinking an updo" she said smiling
Thera weaved Rowans hair this way and that way and in the end managed to pull all of her hair into a bun of loose curls all pinned together with a braid running along each side of her head that disappeared into the bun.
"There we are all finished!" she said with one final touch pinning a white flower into the side of the curls.
Rowan couldn't help but smile at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a princess.
Thera then ushered her out the door and led her back through the halls and into a different building, telling Rowan what was in the different areas they passed.
As they turned into a open air building the two ran into Elira and Serin.
Elira had gotten the elvish makeover too Rowan noted. The blonde's hair was down with two intricate braids running along either side of her head connecting into one braid in the back showing her slightly pointed ears. She wore an emerald green dress with fine gold embroidery that shimmered in the sunlight. The dress had trumpet sleeves that stopped mid forearm and she had a gold sash tied around her waist.
"Well don't you look positively regal" rowan said followed by a wolf whistle.
"Your one to talk I mistook you for another elf when I saw you" Elira said
"If you would follow us we can show you to dinner" said Serin
Elira extended her arm "well can I escort you to dinner my lady"
"My lady you may make me swoon" Rowan said with a laugh looping her arm around Eliras. Still laughing they turned and followed Serin and Thera down the hall.
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A/N; hey guys so sorry this is kind of a filler chapter. But next chapter we'll be getting to the good stuff- finally going to find out about Eliras past and maybe even Rowans!