Hey, everyone. Sorry that it took so long to update. Please read, enjoy, and review! Thanks!
The dinner started off very quietly, and an awkward tension hung in the air. Musicians played quietly, as was usual for this time of day, and some of the elves at the long table engaged in quiet conversation. Any conversation that occurred, however, was in elvish. The dwarves grew frustrated at this, because it took away any idea of what was going on around them. Lilly sat quietly and picked at her food with a fork, never actually eating any of it. Kili sat next to her, and Fili next to him. Fili sat grumbling to himself about elves. Kili just sat silent and unmoving. He gazed down at the edge of the table and said nothing for the longest time. Lilly started to speak at one point, but decided that it was a lost cause.
"Not hungry?" Kili asked quietly, breaking the silence.
"Not particularly, no," Lilly sighed, as she picked up a piece of bread and just looked at it.
"You have to eat something," Kili said in a concerned way.
Lilly took a small bite of the bread and then looked at Kili.
"Not what I meant," Kili said, smiling softly.
"Then why aren't you eating?" Lilly said, changing the subject.
Kili looked at the elvish banquet ahead of them.
"Do elves ever eat meat?" he asked staring sadly at lack of good food.
"In my home they do…sometimes," Lilly said.
"I'll make a deal with you," Kili grinned, "If you eat something, then I'll try this…'food'. Fair enough?"
"Okay," Lilly smiled.
She ate more of the bread in her hands, until she had finished it. Kili, meanwhile, ate whatever food that he remotely recognized as such.
"Not too bad," he lied, to make Lilly happy.
A snicker could be heard from Fili, but they stopped paying heed to his commentary since he told Kili how awful he looked in the elf make clothing.
"You don't seem terribly happy," Kili remarked, "I thought you wanted to be here. A few days ago you would have given anything to be at a banquet here."
"I know," Lilly sighed, "But…being here just means that it won't be long until time to leave. Having to leave is all I can think about. It worries me."
"Lilly, look at me," Kili chuckled, "Everything is going to be just fine. Trust me."
Kili knew that he was lying to her about this. He truly had no idea what was going to happen, and at the moment, he didn't care. All he wanted was for Lilly to be happy for a while longer.
"Do you really mean that?" Lilly asked.
"Yeah."
Lilly placed her hand in his, as if nervously looking for reassurance. Kili just smiled and encouraged her to eat more. He said that if they were to leave soon, she would need the strength for traveling.
Dinner lasted for far too long. The elves continued to converse in their own language while their guests sat quietly at the other end of the table. Lilly would point out a few words of their conversation to assure Fili that they weren't saying anything rude or insulting to the dwarves. She had been trying to teach Kili and Fili a few words of the language, so they could see for themselves that the elves meant no harm, but Fili showed no interest in learning anything about the elves. Kili took some interest, but forgot the majority of what she taught him.
A figure appeared behind them and gracefully took a seat next to Lilly. The dwarves looked at the stranger suspiciously, but Lilly knew exactly who it was.
"Glorfindel!" Lilly said happily, upon seeing him.
"Mae Govannen, little one," he said gently, smiling slightly.
Lilly gave a happy smile to her friend. Glorfindel was an elf-lord that was an old friend of Lillaith's sisters. He spent so much time with her family that she just though of him as another brother that she didn't see quite as often. She hugged him they had a conversation in some form of elvish. Kili and Fili sat there, irritated at the "Manners" of the elves. Kili loudly cleared his throat to gain Lilly's attention.
"Oh, sorry," Lilly giggle, "Fili, Kili, this is Glorfindel. He is a good friend of my family! Glorfindel, this is Fili and Kili. They helped me get here!"
Glorfindel nodded politely, while Kili and Fili just glanced at him uneasily. He had a very powerful and regal feel to him, as an elf. Fili and Kili stayed silent as if not to create an issue with him…or anyone else at present.
"Lillaith, your family has been terrified for you! They thought you had been lost!" Glorfindel explained with relief lacing his voice, "Your father will be overjoyed to know that you are safe!"
"Is my sister still in Rivendell?" Lilly asked casually.
"Yes. Though…she would not come to dinner. She has been to worried to have much of an appetite. I did tell her that she should come, because here you are."
"Oh, I would love to see her!" Lilly said, excitedly.
"For now, I'll leave you to inform her that you are safe. I shall bring her to you later."
"Alright!" Lilly agreed.
Just as silently and suddenly as he had appeared, the elf left the table.
"I bet she'll love you meet you two!" Lilly said, turning toward Kili and Fili.
They laughed nervously.
"Yeah…I really don't think so," Fili noted.
"Why not? You're my friends! I love you both, so why shouldn't she?"
Fili cast a knowing glance at Kili.
"It's just…so far, you're the only elf that does like us," Kili admitted.
"And the other way around!" Fili added bitterly.
"Oh…why is that?" Lilly asked.
"Wow….you really don't get out much, do you?" Fili asked.
In response to this, he received Kili's elbow to his ribs.
"It's really nothing!" he lied, as Fili cringed, "I'd love to meet your sister!"
"It's official," Fili sighed, "You're either insane…or you have a death wish!"
"Wonderful!" Lilly smiled, "She'd probably love to know about our adventure too!"
"That trip doesn't quite qualify as an adventure. It wasn't all that exciting or dangerous," Fili said, sounding like he had hoped it would have been more dangerous.
"Oh…it was exciting to me…" Lilly said shyly.
"Me too!" Kili said, just to make her feel better, "And it's really going to be an adventure meeting some of your family! Nothing says fun like elvish royalty."
Fili snickered and shook his head, Neither of them were looking forward to meeting any more elves! It was clear that Fili just wanted to leave Rivendell as quickly as possible. Kili was willing to deal with Rivendell, as long as Lilly was happy, but even he didn't want to be there for this long. The two had a feeling that this long dinner would turn into a very long night.
