A soft smile played on my lips while I lightly ran my fingers through my pony's mane.

"Kallan, we are all packed up to head back home."

A pair of blue eyes met green across the pony, "Ah ,Gavil. Thank ye. I am sure we cannot leave till the King and..."

Gavil noticed the change in the young woman. I continued my trailed off sentence, "Till they're ready. We are tryin' to keep good ties with Mirkwood. I don't think it'd be in the kindness in our hearts to leave them."

The gruff voiced dwarf snorted. His thick thumbs were hooked around his belt. For a young dwarf, he acts like he is my father's age. It might be due to the long training sessions he asked for with my father. Gavil mumbled while he handed my pony an apple, "I rather leave them or at least the prince. He's been a prick in the side since we arrived."

I quickly hushed Gavil with a giggle, "Oh shush ye old bat. Ye know we can't."

Leaning against the stable door was a prince with crossed arms. He was about to get his horse but he stopped when he saw the pain in his side with her pony.

"Till they're ready. We are tryin' to keep good ties with Mirkwood. I don't think it'd be in the kindness in our hearts to leave them."

He could hear the sarcasm towards the end. Legolas glared at nothing in particular. It was only he heard a melodic giggle his glare became non-existent and he felt a leap inside. His lips turned into a frown.

It seemed to be a day for crossed arms. Not far from the stables were the dwarven party. One in particular with crossed arms seen the whole thing from start to finish. When his sister and Gavil exit with her pony to the prince putting up a front to sneer at his sister when she saw his presence at the stable doors. He saw the change of emotions run through the prince.

"If you keep up that stance, young lord you might be stuck that way. Might have to tie you to the back of the horse."

Daemon tore his attention away from the stables. He looked up to the female captain of the Elven guard. He relaxed his stance to a clasped hands behind his back. Meldiriel tried to hold back a light laugh, "I can only take a guess. You're protective over your sister."

Daemon saw his sister hop onto her pony out of the corner of his eye. Daemon cleared his throat, "She's the soon-to-be head of me family."

The brunette dwarf climbed onto his pony. It helped his height disadvantage between himself and the elven maiden. The captain of the guard smiled leading her horse next to his, "I find it admirable. Family being there for each other. However, I don't think you have to worry about the prince. He's too much of a wanderer this half century. I couldn't say about your fellow dwarf as I do not know him."

Daemon saw the prince coming out of the stable with his horse but this time with the King behind him. When did the King arrive? Daemon's lips went into a firm line. Daemon lightly shook his head, "Gavil has a wife at home. 'M not worried about 'im."

Meldiriel gave a light shrug of her shoulders before hopping over her horse. The King made his presence known, "Shall we head out? I'm sure your mother would like to have you back within your kingdom walls."

A trot of hooves sounded. The King and those around saw a smirk off of my lips, "If any danger comes through, just stab it."

Daemon rolled his eyes at his sister's vulgarity. He made his pony catch up to his sister's. Daemon shook his head, "Ye have a way of words, my dear sister."

I winked patting my bicep closest to him, "Don't worry I'll protect you."

Daemon reached out with his leg to nudge his sister in the thigh but I maneuvered my pony away. I stuck out my tongue. Daemon let out a long sigh, "Yer're in a good mood."

A smile graced my lips, "Of course. I had some lovely one and one time with Aramdir."

A neigh sounded in response to his name. I leaned down and ran my fingers gently through his mane. The elves of the party kept quiet but listened to the conversations of the dwarves. Two particular are listening in on the hybrids.

I stretched trying to loosen a few tight muscles, "Ya think Halvor survived being by himself with emel and adar?"

Daemon had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. They both knew their brother would be fine. Their father would of sent Halvor off on patrol or have the King assign him protective duty to the future King. Their father is not ready to give the reigns to Halvor. It took a couple years, which is understandable, for their mother to give Daemon ties for Erebor. As their oldest sibling, it would've made sense for me to already be chief of guard or a sole diplomat for Erebor and Lothlorien. However, my brothers knew what they wanted and found interest in their respective line of work. It makes sense with their age they wouldn't fully gain full responsibility for their roles.

The King decided to interject into the conversation, "Kallan, my dear. What may your plans be for the future?"

I glanced back at the platinum blond King. I haven't come to a decision other than being the head of house. I answered, "It's still undecided."

The dwarves in the party seemed uncomfortable from the question the elven king asked. To me, it seemed harmless. The King, himself, seemed harmless from what I grew to know of him. Thranduil took a glance at the beads braided into my brunette silvery locks. The conversation grew cold and stayed that way for a couple hours.

Gavil stopped his pony, "We should set up camp for the night."

The two hybrids looked around to take in their surroundings. The elven captain looked as well but turned her head towards any sounds around the traveling group. Gavin called out towards me," Kallan scout around to ensure the safety of this area."

I hopped off of my pony, "Aye, aye will do."

A voice piped up," If you don't mind I'd like to join as well."

I turned towards the voice to the tall female captain. I raised an eyebrow before giving a half shrug, "If you like."

Meldiriel gave a small smile grabbing the standard Mirkwood weapon, the bow from her saddle. I already had my sword attached to my hip and felt no need for anything else. Meldiriel and I headed out to scan the perimeter. Once we were far enough from elven ears, she spoke, "Your brother told me you were to be the head of the family."

I glanced her way before turning my attention back to the trees, "I'm the oldest so it's natural for me to take that role."

It seemed Meldiriel was thinking of what else to say. I decided to break the silence, "In dwarven custom, women are sacred as there are not many dwarven women around. It's acceptable to become the head of house if the woman was born first or she the last of her family, well now it is."

Meldiriel asked, "Among the dwarven women are there are any warriors?"

I ducked underneath a branch hanging low, "Very very rare. I could say I would be an exception as I'm only half dwarf. I can go out into battle if needed. I don't think anyone other than my adar would stop me. No male dwarf wants to dirty their blood line with mine."

The elven captain raised a brow, "What happens if he was your One?"

I sighed, "It wouldn't be a happy time if he plans on living. As my parents said before, both have to accept their bond and if not then its true suffering before you're wasted away. I hope to not go through that but I cannot change a way of thinking that has been pounded into their heads."

The two of us didn't say much as we got back to the camp. Daemon was already on his third lembas bread, "Did you go to Hobbiton and back?"

I rolled my eyes dropping my sword off with my pack, "Oh you wish. You wish I would bring back Bilbo's seed cakes."

Thranduil perked up at the sound of the hobbit's name. The king asked the two hybrids, "You've seen the halfling?"

Daemon swallowed his last piece of lembas bread before speaking, "For his birthday. Don't know where he went though. He disappeared."

I sat beside my brother and another dwarven guard. I pulled out the long pipe I grabbed before heading to my seat. Shoving some pipeweed into the bowl, I didn't take in any looks from the elvish party. Daemon sniffed the air smelling the pipeweed, "I'm surprised you still have some left over."

After lighting the pipeweed, I huffed on it before blowing a smoke ring, "I was busy."

Legolas scrunched up his nose, "Must you do that?"

My eyes flicked over to the prince. I licked my lips before huffing once more. I stood up, "If it bothers you so much, I'll just leave."

I held onto my pipe maneuvering away from the camp but not far enough to cause trouble if trouble arises. Thranduil had half the mind to scold his son. Over the years, he worked on respecting other species' cultures. He didn't expect the dwarven woman to be smoking a pipe as to count who her mother is. However to take into consideration of who her father is and where she was born and raised, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Daemon glanced back where his sister headed to. He could see the smoke rings floating into the air. This is going to be a long trip with the two. Despite his sister acting 'civil', he could feel the tension in the air. At least between the elven prince and his sister, that is.

A/N: I am strrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruggling with this fic. I want to write more. I have plans for this but from then to now it's a complete blank on what should happen.

I threw in there a name that's new. Aramdir. It's Kallan's horse's name. It means Royal Hope.