"Where in the world..." Sitting up on my elbows in bed, I spied Bilbo sitting in a comfortable looking chair beside me.

"Well for a minute or two we were wondering whether you were ever going to wake up." A light, lilting voice appeared in the doorway. Whoever, or whatever, it was, they were tall. Like, giant type tall with long flowing hair and curved, pointed ears. They were beautiful.

Okay so they probably weren't that tall, I was probably just super short but you get the picture.

"Um," The room I was in was light and airy with the distant sound of a running waterfall, "Not to sound rude but, where am I?" And where are my friends?

The man smiled to himself and walked with the grace of a ballerina over to the bed, grace I would have killed for. "You were unconscious when you arrived, the bald dwarf-" Dwalin "carried you in seeming rather stressed."

I shifted myself in the bed so I was propped up by the pillows and wiggled my leg, just to make sure it was still there. "So I'm healed? Or healing anyway? I-Oh! I completely forgot, how rude of me!"

I held out my hand for him to shake and grinned, "My name is Aurora West Jones, but I much prefer Rory." Taking my hand to shake he nodded and sat down in a vacant chair.

"Aurora West Jones, Rory, I am Elessar Calafalas." Sitting forward I watched as he began to examine my leg, "But I much prefer just Eless." He teased, repeating what I had said with a mischievous twinkle and a wink.

Ellessar was not what I had though an Elf would look like, in a way he was sort of cute; he was completely different to the company of dwarves. More elegant and refined.

"Your leg is healing nicely!" He cried joyously, which in all honesty kind of shocked me, mainly because I was staring at his lovely skin but also because the last time I had looked at it, it was spurting blood everywhere and looked like a right mess.

A strangled cry escaped as I twisted my leg to get a better look, I couldn't help but laugh at how normal it looked. It honestly was healed, grabbing it, I pulled it up and traced the faint pink scar that was left. "How-how did you-"

"We are Elves Miss Rory," He cut me off, "we can heal even the most dire of maladies and injuries." My mouth formed the shape of an 'o' as I let my leg slide back down the bed.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and cast a glance backwards at Bilbo, "It's just Rory, no 'Miss' involved." Eless grabbed my hand and helped me to stand, I was wobbly, but hey I could at least stand.

I snapped my eyes between the sleeping Hobbit and the Elf, "Do you think I could go and see my friends?" I asked, just as my stomach grumbled rather loudly, "And possibly eat? I'm starving."

He grinned back and nodded, "Of course," He pointed to a door at the side of the room and placed a bundle of fabrics in my arms. "There is a wash room through there, you may bathe and wash." He pointed down to the bundle of fabrics, "These are some fresh clothes. They've been adjusted to your size so they will easily fit your lovely, slim frame." I blushed at his words and quickly hobbled off to the washroom. Look at me, acting like a little school girl.

When I emerged Bilbo had left his chair and the bed had been freshly made, there was no sign of Eless either. Oh great, how the hell am I meant to find my way around now?

"Feeling refreshed?"

"Jesus!" I jumped into the door frame, "Do you elves not make any sound?!"Chatizing him lightly I walked over to stand in front of him and twirled. "Well? Do I look alright?"

The dress I had been given was simply beautiful, it was floor length and a deep blue colour with gold accents at the waist and neckline. The material was almost like silk, but much heavier and thicker; I braided my hair in a simple side fishtail braid to keep the still damp hair out of the way.

Eless smiled and held his arm out with a smirk, "Beautiful. Shall I escort the Lady to her companions?"

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't do anything other than giggle, blush like crazy and grab the poor Elfs arm a little bit too eagerly.

Walking down to where the dwarves were was an experience; Eless pointed out various statues and water features that had special meaning to the Elves. Some were centuries old, and some had been there before Rivendell had even been built which only made us wonder who could have put it there? My bet was on the aliens.

You could hear the dwarves from about 5 hallways away.

'Oh there's an inn, there's an inn

there's a merry old in

beneath an old grey hill;

and there they brewed a beer so brown

That the Man in the Moon himself came down

One night to drink his fill."

"Is that Bofur...?" I wondered as we rounded the corner into a courtyard which held the company, and low and behold there was Bofur, singing and dancing on a table with his lovely smile and silly hat in all it's glory.

"The ostler has a tipsy cat

that plays a five-stringed fiddle;

And up and down he runs how bow

Now squeaking high, now purring low

Now sawing in the middle.

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

a jig that would wake the dead;

He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tine,

While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:

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

Eless clapped beside me while I wolf whistled and clapped along as the dwarves threw food at each other in excitement.

"Hey don't throw it all I haven't eaten yet!" I whined as I rushed forward and plonked down in a seat beside Balin. The food was rather unappetising. It was all green; lettuce leaves, onions, carrots, parsnips, cabbage...Nothing that looked like it would fill you up and make you feel like you could go for a really good nap afterwards.

"You feeling better lass?" My head snapped up to meet the worried gaze of Balin, it was weird to think that I was sat next to my paternal uncle and I'd hardly spoken two words to him; I frowned as a wave of guilt washed over me.

"Yes thank you Balin, Eless healed my leg amazingly well; it's just a scar now." Spinning on my chair I smiled and waved at the Elf who had taken a seat at the table at the far end of the room.

Balin eyed me carefully, "Aye, and a good job too. We were all fearing the worst when you collapsed on poor Fili." Shoving the food around my plate I grabbed a drink, "We all thought..."

"Balin," He grabbed my hand, "I don't think I'd go down that easy. Not with the parents I have anyway!" A hand fell on my shoulder and we both turned to see Dwalin standing behind us with a small smile on his face.

"Aye, especially if you take after your mother. You're looking better." He spoke stiffly, "How is your leg?"

"Better." Letting go of Balins hand I stood up and grinned at my father, "Sorry if I scared you."

Dwalin pulled me in for one of the more violent hugs I'd experienced, it was tight and to be perfectly honest I don't think I could breath for a minute or two when his beefy arms wrapped around my torso.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." He whispered in my ear. Releasing me, I nodded quickly as I spotted two rather anxious looking brothers behind him.

"Uh..." He followed my finger to the two princes who looked like they were bouncing with excitement, not unlike 5 year olds who have just been told they get to go to Disney land.

He hung his head and stepped sideways as the two rushed forward and pulled me into a shared hug.

"You little scoundrel!" Kili shouted down my ear, "I thought you were going to leave me with this boring sod!"

"Who are you calling boring?" Fili protested from next to us, "I think Rory prefers me over you!"

Kili passed me over to Fili who was much more careful than his younger brother. He wasn't like Kili at all; they complimented each other in the fact that Kili was more like a tornado while Fili was the calm that comes afterwards; maybe that's why they worked so well.

"You collapsed on me." Fili spoke quietly, holding me at arms lengths.

My shoulders shook with a light laugh, "I'm sorry about that, I promise I won't next time."

"You best not!" And before I could suck in a breath I was surrounded by everything that was Fili. It was different to his brother in the fact that he gave me goosebumps and smelt like home mixed with spices and leather; I can still smell him now.

"And I don't expect there to be a next time!" Fili twitched his nose, causing his moustache to dance in the loveliest way possible before he announced that he had to go and talk to his uncle.

"Well, I guess that leaves me with your boring old arse." I huffed before taking Kili's arm and dragging him off on an adventure.

"Don't lie Rory," He began as we wandered around the halls, "you love my arse."

I snorted out a laugh as we turned a corner, "Yeah you're right, little bit on the fat side but..."

Kili pulled a face and grabbed my arm, "It's a glorious sight my Lady." He said with all the seriousness he could muster.

Shaking his arm off I carried on walking. "I'm sure."

We continued walking a little while in silence until we sat down outside in the courtyard. Although my leg was healed and looked fine, the honest truth was that it still ached a little bit.

"So have they decided how long we're going to be staying here yet?" Swinging my legs underneath me Kili just huffed out a sigh.

"That's what they're doing now. Fee's gone to speak to Uncle along with the rest of the council to see if we could stay here a little longer to rest ourselves, but knowing Uncle he'll want to be on his way as soon as possible."

He shifted from the stone bench next to me to sit crossed legged on the grass. "I think Dwalin and Balin are on the council too, so hopefully they'll help sway his mind a little." He must have caught my questioning look as he elaborated. "What with them being your only kin here, Dwalin wants to make sure you get the rest you need before we set off again."

Tucking my hair behind my ear I pursed my lips a moment, "Why aren't you there?" Kili lifted his head, "With the council I mean. You're a prince just as much as Fee is, why aren't you-"

He shook his head with a laugh, "Because Fee is next in line to the throne. Plus he's older than me so uncle thinks that he's more ah, mature, than I am..."

Kili didn't exactly look old. In fact, I'd have said that there was barely two years between the two. "Fili can't be that much older." I thought, picturing the blonde dwarf in my head. "I mean maybe a couple of years but-"

"Fili is 82, while I am only 77." Kili spoke quietly.

If I had a drink, I could guarantee you that I would have spat it out in shock.

"What?!" Scrunching my face up in confusion he looked over, "Nah, you've got that wrong. You guys can't be-"

Kili smiled gently, "Rory, we're dwarves." Right, as if that explained everything. "We live a lot longer than the race of Men, although no where near as long as Elves."

Shuffling my feet at the ground I thought of the age difference between the three of us while Kili looked at me with squinted eye.

"How's your leg?" He asked politely, drawing a pictured in the mud with one of his chubby fingers.

Sighing I jumped up and held my hand out for him, "It's tired of people asking that, is how it is."

In reality, it was aching. Badly. And although I never stated so, Kili seemed to be able to tell. The gardens of Rivendell were beautiful, no not beautiful, that word doesn't quite capture how simply magical the place was. I wondered why Thorin hated them, the Elves. All they had done since we'd arrived was been kind and giving, maybe they had better style than dwarves. Their gardens are probably nicer; I can't see Dwalin pottering about with a little apron and spade.

Kili walked ahead a little way, while I stopped for a moment to look back out at the gardens of Rivendell. It was hard to believe that my mum had lived in this world for so long and not mentioned it, strange to think that I'd lived anywhere else other than with the dwarves I was with. But I had. And I wished that more than anything I could have my mum there with me, even just for a day.

"You coming Rory? Bofur's found some sausages!" Casting one last look out at the garden I turned on my heel and ran to catch up with the dwarf.

"I call dibs!"

Ok so I really didn't like this chapter so forgive me; I know it's not the best. But I'm so out of swing with writing that I need to get back into the feel of Rory and figure her out all over again so give me time, and once again this story will be awesome.

As always, please leave criticism and thoughts in reviews. They make my day :)