A/N: Yes, I know I'm several days late with this update. And honestly, I don't even have an excuse for it. At least not an excuse that actually would excuse this being late. But look on the bright side: this way the next update is coming faster - assuming I manage to get myself into updating on time, of course :D
Also, after a long "dry period", I've got a song for this chapter, too, that being Start of Something Good by Daughtry
Sara's POV
"Alright Sara, time to wake up!"
I buried my head deeper into my pillow, trying to get back to the already fading dream.
"Sara!"
"Yes, yes, I'm awake." I mumbled. Most of the dream was already forgotten, but it had left a warm feeling inside me.
"Good, I've tried to get you up for ages now. It's time to prepare for dinner." Arwen said.
I was just about to ask what dinner when I remembered, finally waking up.
"Let's not waste time then."
Arwen had brought my dress with her. It had been pressed properly and someone had even added something on it that made it smell like flowers. I put it on.
"Spin around." Arwen told eagerly.
I smiled and span around so Arwen could see me from every direction.
"That dress is wonderful. It really suits you."
"It's my favourite dress. That's why I took it with me."
Arwen nodded and looked at me, tilting her head slightly.
"Do you have a necklace?"
"Actually I do." I said and dug it out of my bag. "It's gift from my parents, also something that I just could not leave behind." I explained as I put it on.
Arwen nodded. "That's better. Now, can I braid your hair?"
"Sure."
Arwen took my hairbrush and began brushing my hair. When she was finished with that she laid brush down and started braiding my hair.
"You have very magnificent hair." She said.
"Thank you."
Arwen worked with my hair in silence.
"I have never actually braided my hair." I confessed finally
"Never? How do you usually keep your hair then?"
"Usually I just let it be. When I don't tie it up out of the way, that is."
"Let it be? And you have hair like this? Do you realise that most of women would kill to have hair like yours?"
"I've never been so interested about hairstyles. And it's been so easy to just brush my hair in the morning and then it's already looking nice."
"Well, I think you should start braiding your hair more often." She said assessing her work. "Have a look."
I turned to look at the mirror and was truly amazed by what I saw.
Arwen had braided braids going around on top of my head. One of braids ended so that the strand of my hair hang loose just next to my eye, and the part of my hair that wasn't braided hang in loose waves over my left shoulder. It looked… cute.
"What do you think?" She asked.
"I can barely recognize myself…" I whispered.
"No wonder if you have never tried to braid you hair. Do you like it?"
I nodded.
"It's wonderful."
"Good, let's go then. We're not late yet but we will be when we reach the dining hall."
I smiled.
"If that's the case, we'd better get moving, then."
The closer we got to the dining hall, the more nervous I became. When Arwen stopped and said that we're there I shuddered.
"Nervous?" She asked smiling.
"Yes, but I can't understand why. It's not like I haven't attended dinner with important people before. And I already know most of that lot inside."
Arwen smiled.
"It'll get easier. Let's go in now."
Then she opened the door.
Thorin's POV
If I had had a choice, it would've been very unlikely for me to accept an invite for dinner from an elf.
But I was the leader of this company, and also King of Durin's Folk. So, in other words, I didn't have a choice at all. I have never had, and would never have.
Elrond turned to look at the door. Apparently someone had come in, maybe one of servants.
"Ah, Arwen", Elrond said. "You decided finally to bring our female guest here, too."
I turned to look at door, too, but all I could see was tall dark-haired elf-lady standing at door.
"Yes, Ada, I did. But I'd say it was worth being little late. Isn't she beautiful?" Then she stepped aside to reveal a shorter, red-headed woman standing behind her.
Sara was barely recognizable when wearing a dress, but still there was something familiar about that look. Her hair wasn't tied off with leather strip, as usually, but braided over her head instead. All in all, the outcome was that she looked stunningly beautiful.
She gave us a shy smile before going to take a free seat next to Kíli at one of two tables set for the company members.
"You look stunning, Sara." I heard Fíli saying.
"Absolutely gorgeous", Kíli added.
"Is that the same dress you were wearing in Bag End?" That one was Bofur's voice.
"Well thank you. And yes, it is the same dress, Bofur."
So that's why it looked slightly familiar.
Gandalf talked with Elrond about our encounter with trolls and asked if he could look at our swords. I handed my sword to the elf who took it and examined it delicately.
"This is Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver. A famous blade forged by the High-Elves of the West, my kin." Elrond said. "May it serve you well." He added handing the sword back to me. I nodded, trying to be polite. I definitely didn't need another scolding-off from Sara in front of that elf. One time was more than enough.
Elrond proceeded to talk about Gandalf's sword, but I hardly listened to him. My gaze had already drifted to another table. When I realised who I looked at I quickly turned my gaze away, only to find myself looking back soon.
Then one time our eyes met. I quickly turned my attention back to the Wizard and the elf, hoping she hadn't noticed.
Sara's POV
I hardly paid attention to conversation going on around me. My gaze drifted all the time to the table where Thorin had a conversation with Gandalf and Elrond. The Dwarf King seemed to try and act politely towards the elf; so he really did listen to the voice of reason sometimes.
I found myself wondering about what I had realised before I had fallen asleep. There was of course the chance that I had misheard him earlier today, since I had been literally dead on my feet back then. I somehow doubted that, though. I was quite sure I had heard him right.
And you aren't too heavy anyway.
How he could say that if he hadn't already carried me somewhere? And where could've that happened?
I thought that hard. I had been out cold twice on our way from Shire: when I fell from Moonshadow and after facing trolls. First time I had been unconscious only for a few seconds and second time I woke up in the same place I had fallen unconscious in. The probability that it had happened then was very small. I found only one rational option but it, too, sounded too strange to believe in.
Had it really been Thorin who had carried me into the bedroom when I fell asleep in the living room of Bag End? He had clearly nothing but despised me back then.
…but his behaviour had changed a lot after that.
I glanced again at Thorin – only to find him looking back. I quickly turned away, feeling my cheeks burning.
Why am I acting this way? What happened to that notorious "Aes Sedai calmness"?
Fíli's POV
I had noticed that Uncle kept glancing at the direction Kíli and I were seated in and thought immediately what had we done this time. I ransacked my brain in hope to come up with explanation but it was all in vain. For once we had really behaved ourselves; there was nothing Uncle could complain about.
After a while I noticed Uncle didn't look straight at us but a bit off of our direction. Following his gaze I found myself looking at Sara on the other side of Kíli.
Of course, I should've guessed.
I didn't know why it had taken so long for me to realise it, even after having witnessed part of their conversation earlier today. Now that I had seen it I realised it had been there from the very beginning; from the moment Uncle had taken sleeping Sara into bedroom Bilbo had shown him. The look in his eyes when Kíli revealed her real age… his reaction when Sara fell from her pony… it all made sense now.
I kicked Kíli's leg under the table. Once I had his attention I nodded first into Uncle's direction and then towards Sara. Kíli looked a bit confused but I just winked at him.
The mentioned couple kept still glancing at each other. Then their eyes met and both of them quickly turned to look away. Sara even blushed.
I turned to look back at Kíli who now had a smirk identical to mine on his face. I knew we were thinking about same thing.
This could be the start of something good.
Speaking of which, I got an idea.
