AN: I own nothing from The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings.

This chapter might be a bit boring, since it's mostly about the trip to Erebor.

I didn't want to bore everyone with a step-by-step description of the trip, so that part takes up a rather short section at the end of this chapter. The next one, they'll arrive at Dale and the Lonely Mountain.

Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 10: Preparations & Journeys:

Following my chat with Lord Elrond and Gandalf, my feelings towards the journey to Erebor dramatically changed.

Where I had once been accepting of my trip, I now believed it would be a bad idea.

'After all, if a couple of my hair ribbons could change someone's fate, what would an in-person visit from me do?' I wondered.

But when I voiced my concerns to Lord Elrond, he firmly told me that it was too late to change things now. Everything had been set, and messenger ravens (not including my new 'friend,' Nightwing) had been constantly going from Erebor to Rivendell, and back. To change my mind now would be considered extremely discourteous towards the Dwarves.

Gandalf, who had decided to be part of my escort to Erebor, agreed with my guardian. "You cannot go back on your word, my dear. Besides, many are expecting you. Even Bilbo agreed to stay with the Dwarves a while longer, just to see you. He said he would wait until I returned there, so that I could escort him back to the Shire."

And so things went forward, all in a whirlwind of tasks that needed to be done.

I lost count of how many fittings for shoes, gowns, saddles (of all things!), and riding gear I had. All of Rivendell was determined to send me to Erebor as finely clothed as any Elf Princess, right down to the best bits and bridle for my horse.

The one thing I was reluctant to accept, however, was jewelry. Lord Elrond had already been so good to me; I didn't feel right about receiving a princess's worth in jewels.

But there was nothing I could do to stop him. He commanded that the best jewelers in the valley come to see him, and that they bring the finest of everything they had. There, I was to select anything I wanted.

Now, most girls would be beyond excited and delighted to be in my shoes. I've often stood beside my mother for hours in department stores, watching her try on watches, bracelets, rings, and necklaces that she wanted to buy, but couldn't afford.

I, however, was not the type to dive into a jewelry buying spree. Having pretty things was nice, but my only interest was sterling silver, in any design that was subtle and elegant. Glittering gems, diamonds and gold weren't really my 'thing.'

But now I had to choose at least a few things, or else Gilraen would do the choosing for me. "And you can be sure I would pick things you would hate wearing," she half-teased, half-threatened.

Knowing that she really would do it, I gave in and went to Lord Elrond's study, where a dazzling display awaited me.

When he found out what I was going to do, Gandalf mentioned to me that Elven jewelry is considered some of the finest, most sought-after in Middle Earth. Only those crafted by Dwarves were considered more valuable –and even then, it was usually because it was made from more valuable materials, like mithril.

As I entered the study, Lord Elrond at my side, I thought, for a brief moment, that I had stepped into the glittering heavens. Sparkling jewels of every color shone like stars in the dimmed light of the room. Yellow, rose, white, and yellow gold shone from beds of velvet, and silver gleamed from where it sat on silk cushions.

"Oh, my," I breathed, staring at the seeming endless field of tables and their precious burdens. "My lord, how can I possibly choose from any of this?"

He gently patted my shoulder. "I know you will choose well, dear one. Be sure to take at least three or four each, of bracelets, rings, and necklaces. On the far side of the room are ornaments for your hair; be sure to choose two or three, in different metals. I have also asked Ethelwen to assist you."

And so, for the next several hours, I found myself faced with the challenge of pretending I was worth any of the glittering finery before me.

With Ethelwen's help, I tried on many different pieces, feeling more and more uncomfortable with each passing moment. Ethelwen must have seen this, for she immediately pulled me aside and sat me down at a far window.

"I know this must be overwhelming for you," she softly said, trying to comfort me. "In the time you have been here, I have noticed that everything you wear is subtle, comfortable, and sensible; you wear nothing fine or elegant unless it is to dine with Lord Elrond, or to dinner in the Great Hall."

She fetched a cup of water, and sat beside me on the window seat. "You are humble and of good sense; that is not a bad thing. But for this, you must put that aside and let yourself be treated like the important woman you are."

"But I'm not important!" I cried, near tears. "Really, I'm not!"

Intense green eyes focused intensely on me. "Your modesty does you credit, but in this, you are extremely important. You are Lord Elrond's ward and foster daughter; you have received an official invitation to the greatest Dwarf kingdom in Middle Earth; and you count among your friends a wizard who has great affection for you. None of that is to be taken lightly."

With delicate fingers, Ethelwen removed the cup from my hands before taking them in her own. "Perhaps you need to be presented with this in a different manner."

She went quiet for a moment. "Meluir, would you do anything to keep from shaming Lord Elrond in the eyes of the world?"

I immediately sat up straight. "Yes, of course I would!"

"Good," Ethelwen said, smiling. "Each piece of jewelry you choose will show the Dwarves of Erebor, and the Men of Laketown, how deeply Lord Elrond cares for and trusts you. That he would garb and bejewel you as he would one of his own children will imply to them that if anything were to happen to you, or if one of them were to insult you and your honor, the full might of Rivendell would be brought to rectify that matter."

Her long, elegant fingers squeezed my smaller ones. "In this particular situation, it is the greatest show of love and honor that any of us can display, especially to those who know nothing about us."

I could see her point. If I went in fine gowns, but no jewelry, it would look as though Lord Elrond was being 'miserly,' sending me finely dressed but lacking ornamentation.

I imagined it would be like a king or queen sending their only daughter to a ball without a tiara, necklace and bracelets. She would look lovely, but there would clearly be something missing. Then people would notice and start whispering, and that would only embarrass the monarchs, who people would say were false in their affection for their child.

Sighing, I nodded my acquiescence. "Very well; let us see what we can find here."

The jewels I had chosen were soon safely tucked away in a lockbox, for which there were only two keys: one for me, and one for Ethelwen, who would have them in her charge.

The treasures locked within were lovely, and I had done my best to choose those I thought would go best with my gowns. Lord Elrond himself had looked over my choices, and approved of them.

However, he had one more surprise up his sleeve –almost literally.

One night, during a small dinner that included myself, Gilraen, and Lord Glorfindel, Lord Elrond produced a thin, flat box. There was a slight excited gleam in his grey eyes as he bid me open it, and when I did, I could see why.

Settled on blue silk was a delicate headpiece. The front half was of silver and gold wire, carefully interwoven before forming a heart that would sit at the center of my brow. Within the heart, more delicate silver and gold wire entwined around a glowing white gemstone set in the center. The rest was crafted in alternating silver and gold links, ending in a clasp that could be adjusted to fit my head perfectly.

"Oh!" I gasped, carefully lifting it out of the box. "My lord, it's beautiful!"

"Try it on," Gilraen urged excitedly.

With her help, I did so, marveling at how light the piece was. I felt the cool metal warm as it pressed gently against my skin, and when it did, I barely noticed I was wearing anything at all atop my head.

Lord Elrond eyed me closely, then nodded, smiling when he saw the result. "It suits you perfectly, Meluir. I ask that you wear this gift when you first meet the Dwarves and the Men of Laketown, so that they know how important you are to me."

I could not hold back tears as I bowed my head to him. "I promise to do so, Sire."

After all he had done for me, it was the least I could do.

Once preparations had settled down, Glorfindel remembered my weapon's training had been halted when he'd left to take Estel on his latest round of Ranger lessons.

"I had meant to find a substitute teacher, but was unable to do so before I left," he apologized, before ordering me to the practice yard the next day.

When we met in the practice yards in mid-December, I was extremely unhappy to see a mound of camping gear next to my grinning teacher. It wasn't until I saw him purposely glance at the tent poles that I realized what he was implying.

"Camping lessons, too?" I squeaked.

In the rush to prepare for my travels, I had completely forgotten about the actual traveling part. Obviously, the only way to get to Erebor was by horseback, and as we would likely be weeks on the road, that meant camping…lots and lots of camping.

'And if there's one thing I really hate, it's camping.'

Although I appreciated nature and all its glory, I really did not like being out in the wilderness. I did not like having to dig a hole to use as a toilet, or sleep on the hard ground, with rocks poking in my back. I hoped we would have tents, but couldn't say for sure.

'Now I have to remember to ask for insect repellant and pack an extra pillow, to sleep on. And possibly a really thin scarf, to wear over my face as I sleep.' The last thing I needed was to swallow a bug or something during the night!

Did I mention how much I hated camping?

For the rest of the winter, I spent half of my day with Glorfindel in camping and weapon lessons. The other half was spent with Lindir, Gilraen, and Ethelwen, learning how to keep myself comfortable (and sane) during the journey.

"We will have pack horses, of course, but also a few wagons," Lindir explained to me. "These will carry items too heavy for the horses. On your personal mount, you will have two saddlebags that you may fill with whatever you wish. I highly suggest taking a few books with you, to read while you ride. Glorfindel can lead your horse, and reading will occupy your mind for a while."

Meanwhile, my two closest female friends intended to do everything possible to make sure I had a decent first journey outside the valley.

Gilraen seemed to automatically know what I required, such as healing lotion for the long rides, and insect repellant. She also requested a good amount of bar soap, and a tiny bottle of 'scent,' the Middle Earth versions of perfume, for me to wear when I was in Erebor.

Ethelwen also did her best to ensure that I had a few extra comforts, such as medicines she thought I would need. Elves may not have to worry about illnesses and headaches, but I certainly did. So far, I'd been lucky, and not had even one head-cold, but outside the valley, who knew what could happen?

And lucky me: the other half of my day was spent learning survival skills with a certain blonde Elf Lord.

Glorfindel took care to include all of the hard stuff he thought I should know.

"There will be others whose task it is to put up tents, or prepare the camp, but you should know what to do, if you intend to assist them," he said. "I do not think you will enjoy hunting for meat, but mushrooms and other plants would help supplement the meals we will take."

Not wanting to be a burden on everyone, I agreed to let Glorfindel teach me herbs for cooking and medicines.

Each morning, after breakfast, I learned what greens went well with stews versus roasted meats, and what mushrooms were easy to harvest, clean and cook. The season would be wrong for harvesting nuts or other things, but anything we found would be of use.

He also taught me how to light a fire, and cook my findings on it. I wasn't very good at the cooking, but I did my best not to burn everything.

Once he felt comfortable about my foraging knowledge, Glorfindel began teaching me to set up tents, and how to help lay out the bedding inside. He also asked the blacksmiths to create several small, finely sharpened knives with wooden handles for me, to keep on my person.

"They are not only tools for helping with camp, but for defense," he said, when presenting them to me. "Keep one in your boot, one up your sleeve, and another at your hip, for easy access. Do not worry about losing them in a fight; I can replace them, but I cannot replace you."

My only response to that was a hug around his waist, which he happily returned.

Finally, it was mid-March, and time for me to begin my journey.

I woke feeling nervous and terrified about what was ahead of us, but Lord Elrond had nearly twenty guards assigned to keep me safe, each fully armored and armed. He also reminded me that Lord Glorfindel and Gandalf would be there, too, so I would be well protected.

Still, I barely managed to choke down some toast and porridge. When Ethelwen saw this, she made sure to pack some extra food in a basket, for our travels. "I will not have you grow ill because you will not eat," she chided me.

My riding outfits were chosen for comfort, and for camouflage. Today's choice was all green, which shifted to brown a little in the light of the day. My cloak was dyed the same way.

The final addition to my wardrobe was a small sword and a fair-sized knife. Everyone hoped I wouldn't have to use them, but better safe than sorry.

Finally, it was time to depart.

In the courtyard stood the two wagons that would be accompanying me, my guards, Ethelwen, Gandalf, and Glorfindel.

And all around the courtyard stood every Elf in Rivendell.

If Estel hadn't come running to latch onto me, I'd probably have fled the area in terror.

"Allie!" the boy crowed, "We're all here to see you off!"

For all that he sounded excited about the event, I could see tears in my foster brother's eyes. He was going to miss me a whole lot.

Wrapping my arms around him, I pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Ah, my sweet boy," I whispered. "Be good for your mother, and do everything Elladan and Elrohir say when you're out in the wilderness. I don't want to come back and find you've tamed a bear, or some other wild animal as a pet!"

The little scamp actually got a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "What about a pet wolf? It would be like a dog, but much fiercer, and it could help guard the valley!"

I knew better than to take the bait. "Let me go talk to your mother about that idea…"

Estel tightened his hold on my waist. "No, no; that's alright," he hastily said. "I'll be good. I promise!"

"I'll hold you to that promise," I said, ruffling his hair. "Now, let me say farewell to the others, hmm?"

It took some time, since Gilraen actually broke into tears several times. Erestor and Lindir were much better, though they looked somewhat worried about my leaving the safety of the valley.

The others who had come were those to whom I was acquainted, but not as firm friends with as I was with Gilraen, Ethelwen, or even Lindir and Erestor. But they had been kind to me, and wished me no ill will. In fact, they had come to present me with small gifts, things they hoped would make my journey easier.

By the time Lord Elrond stepped forward to make a farewell speech, I had a small saddle pack filled with travel food, gloves for riding (though I already had several pairs), ribbons for my hair, scarves for the weather, and even a small jar filled with a cream to prevent sunburn. Auron had even come from the stables, bearing a spare bridle for me, in case the others broke or were damaged.

Finally, Lord Elrond signaled it was time for us to depart. "Today, my ward and foster daughter rides forth to the Dwarf realm of Erebor. She takes with her all of our hopes for a safe and untroubled journey."

I heard a soft, almost musical murmur, as though everyone was offering up a prayer for me.

"Meluir," he said, gently placing his hands on my shoulders, "I bestow upon you my trust in your ability to be a gracious guest to your host. You have conducted yourself admirably in Rivendell, and won the hearts of everyone here. I know you will do the same in the land of the Dwarves."

He smiled a little. "I also give you my love, and my blessing. Know that part of my heart goes with you, dear one."

By now, I was more than a little teary, and if I started crying now, I wouldn't be able to stop. It took everything I had to bow my head and mutter my thanks without turning into a river.

Before I could raise my head, I felt something slip over it. The sensation of cool metal settling along my neck startled me into looking up at Lord Elrond's gentle gaze.

"This is my gift to you, Meluir. Wear it proudly and wear it well."

Looking down, I saw a pendant dangling. On a stem of silver sat a blooming flower, with two other entwining stems leading up to two flower buds formed by small seed pearls. It was beautiful.

"Thank you, Sire," I whispered. "I will do everything possible to return safely to you, and those we both love."

Then he hugged me, and I really felt the tears swell up. Luckily, before that happened, he let me go, and commanded Lord Glorfindel to see me home before the end of autumn. I truly didn't see myself staying that long in Erebor, but then, the invitation hadn't mentioned the duration of my visit.

With a last wave, I mounted Shan and followed Glorfindel onto the path leading out of the valley.

The days of my journey were mostly uneventful.

The first day of our journey, Glorfindel showed me a small map he had. On the map, the road from Rivendell to the Lonely Mountain were as follows: go straight through the mountains, follow the main road through Mirkwood, and go left, straight up to Erebor.

That was pretty much how the trip went, right from when we set out from Rivendell.

Travel through the mountains wasn't very fun, considering we had to go through some raised areas the path cut through. The change in altitude gave me headaches at first, but Lord Elrond had provided medicines for it. After the first couple days, I was doing alright, though my backside ached every night for a week from so much horseback riding.

Only the weather tended to be an annoyance. It was early spring, but in the mountains, the occasional snow flurry tended to pop up. Lucky for us, there was no heavy snow, but it was still freezing. Again and again, the sight of the Elves not feeling cold frustrated me, since most of the clothing I had wasn't really winterized. Ethelwen did her best to ensure I stayed warm, with extra layers and warmed stones wrapped in cloth and tucked in my boots or cloak, but I was still chilly most of the time. At least we had tents to sleep in, so we didn't wake up covered in snow.

After the mountains, our journey was somewhat eventful, if only because we had adjusted to one another's company, and created a routine when it came to setting up camp.

While six guards kept watch, and the others saw to our mounts, Glorfindel graciously helped me and Ethelwen with setting up our tent; in return, we females offered to help gather herbs and greens for the evening meals. Ethelwen was a fairly good cook, even in the wilderness; with me to help mind the pot or rotate the spit (depending on what the hunters brought in), we tended to eat rather well.

Being the pampered person I was, they only allowed me to help Ethelwen with the cooking, and if I was wearing gloves, to gather firewood. Sometimes, though, after we had settled in for the night, Gandalf would ask me to read aloud from one of the books I'd brought. When it got too dark to read, Gandalf would tell us all a story or two about his travels through Middle Earth.

Breakfast and lunch tended to be eaten in the saddle, taken from the carts we had with us. The carts were the smaller, two-wheeled variety, and the only things they carried were food, spare weapons (arrows, spears, and knives), and luggage containing changes of clothing. Since Elvish clothing was rather light and easily packed up, it took up surprisingly little space.

The actual riding part was probably the dullest. Though they were friendly enough when we settled down for the night, during the day the guards were stoic and hardly spoke to me, because they were so focused on looking out for danger. Glorfindel, Gandalf, and Ethelwen were rather good conversationalists, but kept their talk on the quiet side, in case dangerous beasts or Orcs were about.

After the mountains came grasslands, where we found good hunting. This was followed by a river crossing before we reached the borders of the legendary Elf Realm of Mirkwood.

There, things became a little more interesting…

"Oh, my," I whispered, looking at the tall, dark, twisted, and very intimidating trees. "Gandalf, are you sure it's safe? I thought there were huge, man-eating spiders in there."

The wizard eyed me closely, as though wondering where I'd heard about the spiders. "There are, but King Thranduil's warriors are quite skilled at clearing them from the forest. And since I'm positive Lord Elrond wrote to the King, asking for safe passage for you, we should be met at the edge of the woods shortly."

There was, indeed, a 'welcoming committee,' but it wasn't the one we expected. Instead, the second we approached the woods, a squad of archers appeared, bows and arrows drawn.

I may have yelped or cried out in fright, but that was covered up by the shouts coming from my guards.

If they had been human guards, the long, uneventful journey would have made them complacent and lazy. But since they were experienced Elven warriors, they acted swiftly, surrounding me in a protective ring of shields and swords the moment they saw danger.

"Did they not know we were coming?" I whispered to Glorfindel, who looked rather annoyed. As I spoke, I kept a firm grip on my reins, since Shan, who had been a very good sport thus far during the journey, looked ready to bite or kick anyone who tried to get near me.

"They should," Glorfindel grumbled. "Lord Elrond sent word months ago. I know; I was there when he sent it. A messenger bird also came with the King's agreement to let us through."

At this point, Gandalf was looking extremely put out. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded in Elvish, rather than Common. "You dare to treat members of Lord Elrond's house in this manner?"

One of the archers stepped forward, a glacial expression on his face as he slowly lowered his bow. The others, however, kept theirs ready. "Mithrandir," their leader said with a slight nod. "We do not know your companions, or your reason for visiting our Wood."

For a second, I thought Gandalf might just start throwing fireballs or lightning at the arrogant Elf archer. Fortunately, Lord Glorfindel decided to intervene.

"Enough!" the tall Elf Lord yelled. "This is the foster daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Your King agreed to allow us passage through your forest, so that we may arrive in good time at the kingdom of Erebor."

He pulled out a folded envelope from his cloak. "This is your King's response. It bears his seal and signature."

Two of my guards nudged their horses aside, to let the Mirkwood Elf through to retrieve the note. "And who might you be?" he asked, eying my guardian closely.

Glorfindel seemed to grow taller in his saddle. "I am Lord Glorfindel of the House of the Golden Flower," he stated. "I am close friend and advisor to Lord Elrond, and protector of his foster daughter, the Lady Meluir."

At this, the Elf seemed to grow pale as the other archers muttered something that sounded like 'Balrog Slayer.' I guess Glorfindel's reputation preceded him everywhere in the Elf Realms; it certainly got everyone's attention, if not their fear and respect.

As the lead archer read the message, he seemed to get a bit of his coloring back. "This seems to be in order," he said, handing the message back. "I thank you for your patience, Lord Glorfindel. I'm afraid we have received no orders from our King in regards to this. It is possible he did not know when you would be arriving, and so no commands have been given to allow you through our forest."

"But you will let us through?" I asked, catching his attention. "Please; we mean no harm."

The Mirkwood Elf actually smiled a little at me. "I can see that, my lady. Normally, we would challenge any type of armed force seeking to travel through the woods, but as you clearly have the King's permission, you are free to do so. Simply follow the road; it will take you to the other side in a few days."

His eyes, which were a deep blue that went with bronze-colored hair, turned grave. "Do not stop except for brief rests. Danger still lurks in the shadows, though we fight them where we can."

I blinked three times, and he, along with the rest of the Mirkwood Elves, were gone. "Wow," I breathed. "I don't think I could get used to Elves appearing and disappearing like that."

Gandalf actually smiled a little and lowered his staff. "Well, now that we've permission to enter, I suggest we do so. The journey will not be that long, but it should be done as swiftly as possible. Come, let us go."

Back home, I'd always hated horror films; I just didn't understand the appeal of being scared out of your wits on purpose, or for 'fun'. Needless to say, Halloween was my least favorite holiday, if only because people got a kick out of scaring others.

Mirkwood would have scared any horror movie fan witless.

Maybe during happier times, the forest would have been beautiful; green, healthy, and full of sunlight shining through the leaves. I could imagine beautiful birds and animals living here, like a scene out of a Disney movie.

Now, however, the trees were twisted, dark, and seemed to reach out, as though they wanted to pull you off your horse, straight towards a horrible, painful death.

Did I mention that I also grew up afraid of the dark?

Even the presence of my guards didn't help. Every time I heard a twig snap or leaves rustle, I thought for sure that giant spiders were going to attack us. Gandalf tried to put me at ease, but he really couldn't stop my imagination from going wild.

At the end of our first day in the forest, I quietly asked Gandalf if we would be stopping to rest for the night, but he said no. He didn't want to risk my safety, and stepping off the path would not be wise.

"I know you need to rest, my dear," he said, smiling at me with understanding in his eyes. "Elves do not need as much sleep as Men do, so they will be fine with the long journey. I'm accustomed to long rides, and can even fall asleep in my saddle, if someone's able to lead my horse. You, however, should lay down in one of the carts and sleep. We will let nothing harm you."

Easy for him to say.

During a brief pause in our ride, Ethelwen spent some time rearranging items in the cart holding the tents and bedding, so I had someplace soft to sleep. But when I put my head down, the only thing filling my head were horrifying images of spiders and Orcs coming to eat me.

Finally, Gandalf must have sensed my distress, because after hours of tossing and turning, I felt his hand on the back of my head. "Sleep, child," he whispered. "Things will look much better when you wake."

Then I was out.

When I woke, it was to bright sunlight shining all around me.

I blinked heavily, and thought, for a moment, that I was dreaming. But there were no trees around me to block the sunlight, and it was warm and blinding enough to wake me fully.

"Oh, good; you're awake!" Ethelwen exclaimed, coming to help me sit up. "Mithrandir put a sleep spell on you, so that you would not have nightmares or be afraid during the journey. I have soup and roasted venison ready, if you are hungry?"

She was kind enough to bring me a bowl first, filled with rich broth and root vegetables from our stores. I devoured that quick enough, as well as the venison she had cut up for me. Water was brought, and once my belly was full, my brain was finally functioning at a decent speed.

"Where are we?" I asked, glancing around. "Have we left the forest entirely?"

Gandalf, who sat nearby smoking his pipe while the guards saddled their mounts, nodded. "We left the forest late last evening, and stopped here for the night. I suggested we wait until you were awake before progressing further. It's nine o'clock in the morning, if you want to know. We should reach Laketown within the next two days."

Thank goodness! I was looking forward to finding a place to bathe, rather than take a private sponge bath in my tent, or a quick scrub in a freezing-cold spring.

"Let us go, then," I said, reaching for Shan's bridle. 'I think I've had enough excitement for one journey!'

-AN: Review?