Here you go again with another chapter!

This might take a turn you don't expect, but I hope you'll like it anyway! Enojoy reading!

Chapter 9

I yawned and blinked at the sun falling in through the window. Outside I heard birds singing, clear elven voices laughing, and somewhere just down the corridor I heard the dwarves talk and laugh.

Slowly I sat up. It was then I became aware of the empty space beside me, thought it was still warm. I blinked a few times, only looking around the room. Then I got out of the bed, and glanced around to find the dress I had wore the previous day. I didn't find it, but instead I found a light blue dress. The fabric was thin and flowing, and I got the feeling of being naked, since I nearly didn't feel the fabric of it lightness.

I exited the door and closed it behind myself. Then I wandered down the corridor to find the dwarves. Most of them were sitting in the hall, laughing, playing on their instruments, teasing each others and joking.

I stopped and glanced at them, not entirely sure what to do. They seemed so happy being there, and yet they couldn't stay. They were on a quest to reclaim their kingdom, and take it from the dragon. Smaug. All the tales I had heard about him, appeared in the back of my mind, but I pushed them away and forbid myself from thinking that thought that the dragon could be their end. Our end.

A deep sigh made its way up through my chest, and I let it out. Then I smiled and entered the hall. Both Fili and Kili glanced up when they spotted me, and Kili grinned widely, shifting so I got space to sit between them. I answered with a smile, and thanked Bofur when a plate filled with food was placed in my lap.

"Did you sleep well?" Fili asked. Then he leant over to me and whispered: "Kili didn't bother you?" I froze, and then began to laugh.

"To answer your first question: Yes," I said when I stopped laughing. "And no, he didn't. Actually we had a quite pleasant talk."

"You're not talking of me, are you?" Kili asked. I smiled.

"Not at all," I replied, something which made him huff.

"I know you were," he muttered. I laughed quietly, before continuing with the meal. The other dwarves hadn't listened much to our conversation, only continued with their talk. As I glanced around at them, I realized Bilbo and Gandalf were missing. Thorin was sitting a bit away from the others, talking quietly with Dwalin, stealing a hard look at me and Kili from time to time. None of us noticed the high elf standing behind us before she spoke.

"Lady Rosie," she said. I turned and glanced up at her. She was the one who had lead me to the bathroom the day before, and the one talking with me.

"Liana!" I replied, positively surprised by her presence. She smiled, and when Fili and Kili turned to her, she blushed. "I never expected to see you here!

"Lord Elrond asked me to show you the way."

"The way where?" I questioned confused.

"He wants to talk to you," she replied, and sounded as if it was the best which could ever happen to me. I rose, still confused, and went toward Liana when someone grabbed my wrist. I turned my head to look back at Kili. His eyes were on my face, and he had rose too.

"Don't go," he said, and I heard Fili agree with him. I felt torn between Liana and Kili. Kili was a dwarf, and had through Thorin got reasons why not trust an elf. Liana didn't understand the dwarves disbelief, and besides the elves hadn't hurt me. I already considered them as friends.

I turned my head back to Liana. Slowly Kili let go of me, until my hand only rested in his. He knew he had lost, and that I would go to meet Lord Elrond. He knew I was a friend of the elves. I glanced back at him. His eyes were dark brown and sad, and he reminded me of a puppy begging me to stay. "I'll return to diner," I whispered. How would I know that I wouldn't meet him – nor any of the other dwarves – before sunset? Then I let go of him and went over to Liana. I could feel Kili's eyes on my back, but didn't turn, 'cause I knew I wouldn't be able to leave him if I did.

I followed Liana. Down corridors, through halls, and always there were windows on my left side. We didn't talk, only went on. I could still see Kili's eyes. Dark brown, nearly like dark, melted chocolate. It really torn my heart in pieces to see that look in his eyes, and to have to leave him with that look. And yet... Talking to Lord Elrond somehow seemed even more important than Kili. It confused me. Why was suddenly everything so confusing?

"We're here." Liana's voice awoke me from my thoughts. She was holding up a door, waiting for me to enter. I glanced quickly up at her, and she gave me a reassuring smile. I returned the smile, just not as reassuring as hers. Then I entered. The door closed soundlessly behind me, and I was left to the room and it's habitant.

Of course I had seen Lord Elrond before, but that had only been on distance, and he had never actually talked to me. At least not as I could remember. He was high, dressed in long, elven clothes, and a silvery crown was placed upon his black, long hair. He smiled at me, and his grey eyes shone with warmth and fatherly love. "My dear," he said. "I've been waiting so long for you to return."

"Lord Elrond," I replied and felt the confusion grow inside me, as I curtsied. "Have we... met before?" I glanced up at his face. There were written many years of pain, but just as many years of love and happiness. He continued smiled as he laid a hand on my back and led me out on the balcony where we could see all of Rivendell. There was a small table standing there, together with two chairs. Since they were higher than I was used to, I had to climb up. I could see a glint of joy in the Lord's eyes as he watched me, and I felt embarrassed. Therefore, so I wouldn't need to look at him, I turned my eyes toward the valley below us. "It's beautiful," I whispered.

"It used to more beautiful, once not very long ago," he said. I quickly glanced over at him, not understanding what he meant, since I could hear in his voice that there was more behind his words than he would like to say.

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

"How old are you?" he replied. I frowned, but answered in a polite tone that I had turned 32 not long before we left Bag End. He nodded, as if that was just what he'd thought. "22 years ago," he began, "there used to be a young girl running between the houses, laughing as the elves tried to catch her. She was small, even if she was a child. Often she was here to visit us. She brought joy to us, just as her mother did." For some while he became silent, lost in thoughts, and then he turned to me, since he had been staring down at the valley, as if he still could see the young girl running down there, laughing, making the other elves laugh with her. "Then, something happened. She stopped coming, just as her parents. Everybody thought of her as dead, together with her parents, but it seems as if she didn't leave us! She returned, even if it took 22 years for her, and now she's changed."

I stared at him. Couldn't believe what I heard. He glanced at me, as if I was the child he was talking about. That they had taken me for dead. That all the time I was in Bag End, I had had a home there, between the elves. I swallowed. Couldn't make myself believe in what I heard. "Who was she?" I asked silently.

"You know her very well," the elf replied with a smile. "We used to call her Meren Idhor, but also Galu and Tinu."

"The cheerful and thoughtful?" I asked, and then frowned. Where did that come from? Had I actually understood what he said? No. I hadn't. It was only something which had been there, well hidden in my mind, and then it appeared when Elrond said those words.

"Meren Idhor," Elrond said again. "That was her elven name, and you're right. In the common language it would be the Cheerful and Thoughtful." I didn't know what to say. It seemed so right, and yet it wasn't, for how could I be the girl he spoke of? Suddenly something flashed through my mind. Something painful which made me gasp for air.

I stood behind a tall man. In his arms he was holding a small woman. She was wounded. "Run, Meren! Run and hide!" the man shouted. I glanced up at him and felt the fear grow inside me. I didn't understand why I had to run, and yet I did so. I ran. As fast as my short feet would carry me. It quickly became painful to breath, and yet I ran. I continued until I knew I was out of danger. My instincts told me that I should stay where I was, and that was exactly what I did.

The cool, once peaceful morning was splintered by the sound of raised voices followed by wild men, yelling, waving weapons, attacking everything around them, leaving nothing else behind than ruin and dust.

I made myself as small as possible in the small hole I had found. He had told me to hide, and he had always been right in everything, hadn't he? He had been the one helping me, being there for me. Being my father. Soft sobs shook my small body, and yet I didn't climb out of the hole, returning to my home where mum and dad were waiting. They had to be really worried for me, wondering why I had been away for so long.

Finally I peered up and glanced around to be sure there was no one. Then I climbed out and walked back. It took time, but I would reach it. I knew I would. I had always did it before.

The sight which met me was terrible. Worse than anything I had ever expected. Our house was nothing but a ruin, and mum and dad... where were they? Slowly I approached the ruins, searching all around for the familiar silhouette of my parents. The hight one of dad, towering above both me and mum, and the small one of mum, reaching out for me.

"Mummy?" The thin, scared voice which left my mouth didn't sound as my at all, but on the other hand it was me. I was the one standing there, lost and all on my own, not knowing what to do, not knowing where my parents were. "Daddy?" No answer this time either. Again I called for them, and still there was no answer. Tear prickled in my eyes, and then ran down my cheeks. Where were they? Why weren't they there when I called for them? "Mummy! Daddy!" My voice was so thin in the silent day where not even a bird could be heard.

It was then I heard it. A small groan from the ruin. "Daddy?" I asked and felt the hope rise inside me again. Maybe I wasn't alone, after all? I hurried over to where the groan came from, and tried to remove some of the stones. My think arms weren't made for that. They weren't made for lifting heavy stones. And yet, after something which could've been one minute, and one year, I managed to push away the stone.

"Meren..." It was a soft whisper when I knelt in the ruin, beside his face.

"Daddy," I replied. His face was pale, and his eyes were half closed. "Where's mummy? Can we go home?" He choked.

"Meren," he whispered again. "You must go. Daddy and mummy must stay here. Go to Imladris and Elrond. Tell what happened, and stay there. Never return here."

"What about you?" I asked, not understanding why he couldn't come with.

"I'll stay here," he replied. "I'll watch over mummy until everything is gone. Go now. Just follow the road." Tears appeared in my eyes again, as I realized they wouldn't come with. I would have to go alone. I would have to leave them, and I had never travelled alone before! "Be a big girl," he whispered. "Make daddy and mummy proud." I swallowed as tears ran down my cheeks.

"I will," I finally managed to reply. "Stay here! I will get help!" Then I rose, spun around and ran, not hearing his soft whisper as used a spell on me. A spell to forget everything of both him and mum, and of the world.

I was breathing heavily, staring at my hands which were trembling. "I'm Meren," I whispered and glanced up at Elrond who nodded, and smiled sadly. "Who were they?" I asked. "Who were my parents?" Elrond sighed and leant back in his chair, again watching the valley under us.

"You mother was a hobbit. I don't know very much of her, only that her family didn't want to have more contact with her after they got to know she had married your father."

"And who was he?" I inquired.

"An elf," was Elrond's reply. "An elf from Mirkwood. His name was Idhor, and he served as a solider for Thranduil."

"Did he hate dwarves?" I questioned silently. "Dad?" Elrond turned toward me.

"What would you do if I said yes?" he replied. I only shook my head, having no idea. "Would you tell your friends?" He nodded toward the road under us, and when I glanced down, I could see both Fili and Kili. They were talking, making jokes and teasing each other in their own language. Even if their language sounded harsh and rough, it sound different with their voices.

My eyes rested on Kili. His dark brown hair flowing down over his shoulders. The silvery clip twinkling in the sunlight, and his strong figure. Would he hate me if I told him I was half elf? Would he still want to kiss me, to love me? Would he still be able to?

"So," Elrond said beside me. "What would you do?"

"I don't know," I answered, sinking back at my chair and putting my head in my hands. "Maybe he would accept me, but the others... they would never do it, and at least not Thorin. He is already looking far a way to get me out of the company, even if I don't know why." Elrond sighed as he gently lifted my head so I gazed into his grey eyes.

"You do love the young dwarf, don't you?" he asked, gazing deep into my eyes. Slowly I nodded, nod looking away from his eyes. "And you would do everything to get to be with him?" I was silent for a few seconds, then I nodded again. The silence settled upon us, and none of us said anything for a long while, only gazing into each other's eyes.

He pulled back, and his face was sad. I wasn't sure if he meant to say what he said. Maybe it only slipped off his tongue, but I got to know. And what I got to know. It was something I would rather be without. As my thoughts tried to wrap themselves around what I just had heard, the day went by. And still I tried to understand it. How could it be? How could it be that someone like him... No. I couldn't finish that sentence. I just couldn't!

The sun began to settle. I had cried. Silently, not wanting anyone to hear it. Thorin had been right in trying to make me stay in Bag End so long ago. He had only tried to protect me, or had he? I didn't know. Everything was so confusing, and there was only one thing I knew for sure. I wasn't sure when I had decided so, it had only happened as I sat on the balcony.

Slowly I rose. "Thank you," I told Elrond, before leaving him, going looking for the dwarves. It was already long since I promised to be back. They could be really concerned about me. And what about Bilbo? What would he say? I sighed as I wandered down the long corridors, trying to find back to the hall where I knew the dwarves were – at least I thought so.

Finally I turned the last corner. I was prepared to smile an excusing smile, and say that I and Elrond had talked so much that we forgot about time. However, there was no need for anything of this. The hall was empty. Not even ashes from their small fire was left. They were gone.

I ran. How many times had I said, thought or done something which had something to do with "run"? I had no idea. Anyway. I ran. Down corridors, up and down stairs, always searching for the known sight of Kili's face turning toward me with a mischievous smile, and beside him Fili's golden hair, and his calm, smiling face which made him look like a lion.

I stopped to try and catch my breath. "Rosie!" I turned at the voice. Bilbo was coming toward me with hurried steps. "Where have you been?"

"In a meeting with Elrond," I replied, still trying to catch my breath. Bilbo slowly nodded. "Where are the others?"

"Waiting for you by the bridge," he answered. "Go and prepare yourself. We'll be waiting for you." Then he quickly disappeared. I thought back on what Elrond said, and then at the situation I was in. I needed time to talk to both Fili and Kili. Needed time to tell them everything – except from what I still didn't even dare to think.

Then I followed Bilbo. It didn't surprise me that he knew the way. He had, after all, been around in the town, talking with elves all the day. When I reached the bridge, I stopped behind a statue and watched them. They were talking in hushed voices, and it surprised me that they hadn't taken with their ponies. Maybe they wanted to leave as unnoticed as possible, 'cause not even Gandalf was with them.

"Did you find her?" Kili asked, turned to Bilbo.

"She's coming," he replied with a small nod. I bit my lower lip. What would they say when they heard what I had decided to tell them? I took a deep breath, and then slowly approached.

"Rosie!" Kili greeted me with a smile, but then it disappeared and he frowned. "Where are your things?"

I found myself standing there, not sure what to say or do. I already regretted showing myself. Slowly I lifted my head and took another deep breath, hoping they would understand. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I-I'm not coming with." Totally silence laid upon the company for a few seconds, then they began complaining, and giving me all reasons to come with. The only who weren't complaining, were Thorin and – of course – Bilbo. Finally I covered my pointy ears with my hands. "Stop!" I shouted. Totally silence. I let my hands fall and glanced at the company.

"Why won't you come with us further?" Kili whispered. The others flinched and expected me to shout something. Probably I would've done it too, but I couldn't. Not at him. Therefore I only glanced at him, and felt really sorry for him. But I had made my decision.

"Uncle Bilbo and Thorin were right," I replied silently. "I shouldn't have come with. This journey is nothing for someone like me. It's too dangerous for me."

"But we can protect you!" Fili argued.

"And what if you're not around when I need you? What if you're not prepared for an attack?" I shook my head. "No. Just look at what happened last. I know nothing of the world, or at least not enough to go with you. If I was more used to the wild, I would've taken with something to defend myself with when the wolves attacked us. I will only be a burden to you." I managed to make a small, trembling smile and swallowed. "I wish you all good luck in taking back Erebor."

It seemed as if the dwarves finally accepted that I would stay in Rivnedell. They gave me their good byes, and some of them even gave me some small things. Those were Fili who gave me a small knife, Bofur who gave me a small wooden dragon, and to my surprise Ori gave me a small portrait he had made of me. I thanked them, and said I would make sure always to have them close.

Then, finally I could turn to the only who hadn't told me good bye yet. "You can't leave us," Kili whispered, and to my surprise, his eyes were filled with tears. He came toward me, and gathered me in his arms. "You can't leave me!" It was only a whisper, meant for no other ears than mine. I put my arms around him and let him hold me.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, and didn't notice my own tears running down my cheeks. "But it is for the best of all of us." For a long while we only stood there, weeping in each others arms, then we let go of each other. I dried my tears and tried to smile.

"I have something for you," he said, as if he suddenly remembered it. Out of a pocket he found a silvery necklace, decorated with a heart made of white silver and a small diamond. Carefully he put it around my neck, and then let his hands rest on my shoulders. "It will easy every pain, as long as you're wearing it." He rested his forehead against mine. "Even if I hope it won't be necessary."

"Thank you," I whispered. "I have something for you too, but it's for no other eyes than ours." He pulled away from me, and glanced curiously at me. "Come." I took his hand and lead him away from the others, toward the statue I had hid behind earlier.

"Will you show me?" he asked when we were out of sight of the others. I thought about it in some seconds, then I slowly shook my head.

"No, I won't." He frowned.

"But, you said-"

"Close your eyes," I interrupted. He tilted his head, still with a small frown, but then he did as I had said. "Don't open them." I put my hands on each side of his face, lowered his head and pressed my lips against his. I closed my eyes and let my arms slid around his neck, as he put his arms around me to keep me in place.

Finally we pulled away from each other. I couldn't help but smile, as did he. "You have no idea of how long I've been waiting to do that," I whispered.

"I think we both have been waiting to do that for quite a long while," he replied, before giving me another kiss. This time it was deeper, and more passionate than last time, because we both knew it could be the last time we saw each other, alive.

When we returned to the rest of the company, most of them looked as if they had partly figured out what had happened. Thorin's eyes seemed to be on fire, and Bilbo had a small, unhappy frown on his face. I tried not to bother myself with those things.

"Send a message when you have taken back Erebor, will you?" I asked, looking at the brothers.

"Of course we will!" they both exclaimed. I smiled. They were brothers, no matter what, and I knew they would stand up for each other too. There was no need to worry about them, 'cause there were always more than one possibility for the future, wasn't it?

I hugged both of them one last time. "I'll miss you," I muttered.

"We will miss you too," Kili replied, before they let go of me. Kili gave me a small, sad smile, before taking his things.

"Let's get moving!" Thorin said with a last, hard look at me. Then he turned and was the first to cross the bridge. The others quickly followed. Kili and Fili waved their hands at me, both with sad expressions, and I tried to smile back, even if it didn't work very well.

Bilbo was the last to cross, but before he did so, he took me into a warm embrace. "Take care of yourself," he told me. "I'll return as soon as we have retaken that mountain, and then we can return to Hobbiton and continue our lives as if nothing happened." I tried to answer, but a lump had appeared in my throat. Therefore I only managed a small nod. He let go of me and hurried after the rest of the company.

I stood there, watching them as their backs disappeared. Once I thought I spotted Kili's face turned back to me, but then it was gone, and I was left alone in a elven town I only vaguely remembered from a time long ago.

As I slowly wandered back to my room, the last sun disappeared, and the darkness laid as a carpet over the valley. I opened the door, entered the room and closed the door behind me. The room seemed empty, just as I felt. Then I rushed over to the bed, threw myself down at it, buried my face in one of the pillows and cried. My body shook with sobs. Why hadn't I went with them? If it hurt me that much, why had I decided to stay? After a while, my sobs turned to sniffing, and I turned over on my side. Outside the window, small, twinkling stars had appeared, together with a bright moon.

"I said I will miss you," I whispered to the empty room, "and I already do."

I hope you like this chapter. And before you think you want to stop reading, Rosie and Kili will meet again before they enter Mirkwood.

So, some fun/interessting knowlege? I did a lot of research for Rosie's elven name(s), so what I found is: Meren = the happy idhor = thoughtful, caring galu = luck, good fortune tinu = glitter, small star

Please, review, 'cause I would very much like to hear what you think of this! ;)