Ch 14 Ones all around!

Silence was hanging in the air and Râlia was tired of holding her plate full of food. Though she was intrigued at the blush creeping up Mirari's neck to cover her face, never seeing such an emotion in her niece when she was a child. Or any strong outward emotions. She was starting to think the Valar enjoyed screwing with her family. Looking back to the Elrohir and Elladan, the feeling was re-enforced. It wasn't just one twin but both who were staring avidly at Mirari, completely ignoring Râlia as though she wasn't there. A rustle of footsteps caught her attention and Râlia saw Arwen appear behind Mirari.

"Brothers, when did you arrive?"

Neither answered her and Râlia heaved a sigh. Seriously, somehow this was going to end up her fault with Kili. "You may as well physically move her to come in, they haven't moved or spoken in a few minutes."

Arwen smiled at the news and gently pushed her friend to let herself into the dining hall and assess the situation. "Father will be upset he missed the moment, he has been waiting to see if it would come about soon."

"Hold on," Râlia looked up at the She-Elf. "He knew this was going to happen?"

"Not specifically." Arwen folded her hands in front of her and regarded the other three in the room. "There was a possibility in the visions he saw, but nothing can ever be for certain."

Râlia groaned. Cradling the plate to her stomach, she lifted a peach up to nibble on the fruit thoughtfully. Her actions didn't last as she barely had time to blink when the twins looked at each other, ran to Mirari, Elrohir scooping her up, and running out the door. All her food was dropped as she ran out after them. "Oh shit." They had rounded a corner and Râlia knew there was no way she could keep up with them being half their height and a visitor. "Where are they going?" She all but yelled.

Arwen stepped out calmly behind her and placed a hand on the dwarf Queen's shoulder. "They will remain within Rivendell, don't worry, but I can't be sure as to where they went exactly. My brothers have a few spots they like to hide out, but they will bring her back safe; I promise. Come and eat, there is no sense in going hungry while you wait for her return."

"I'm not the one they will have to worry about, there is a group of dwarves in your halls somewhere and she is still a Princess of Erebor. It is your brother's safety I would worry about more." Even as she said this, Râlia knew her guards would have little chance to get their hands on the two male elves; but it wouldn't go without the lack of trying.

Mirari hid her face in the chest of the Elf who had grabbed her and was holding her bridal style, running through the grounds of Rivendell. Her long hair was whipping around them, one of the reasons she had turned her face away from seeing where they were bringing her, and she could hear the fast heart beat that was matching her own. What she did know was they were no longer under the covered halls but outside somewhere since she felt snow landing on her skin and could hear boots running over rocks. Suddenly they were stopped and Mirari pushed her flyaway hair from her face, looking up from the chest she was hiding against.

The face looking back down at her made her heart stop as her breath was stolen away once again. The intensity of his gaze had the blush returning to her face, an act very unfamiliar to her. Without breaking eye contact, she was set to her feet and a second identical face joined the first. Arwen's brothers were the only Elf twins she knew about living in Rivendell and she had been told they were away hunting Orcs. Unable to take the heat of their eyes on her, Mirari looked away and around the room they were in now. It looked like a cave like apartment, comparable to the ones in Erebor. She was standing in a living area complete with furniture and a fireplace with two doors off to either side with one between them. Trying to ignore the twins still staring at her, she took a step to the left to look around them and gasped. The viewpoint from the doorway showed almost all of Rivendell below them.

"You are in our personal hideaway."

Mirari bit her lip at the voice and turned back to them. Both were facing her now and she could see the resemblance between them and Arwen now that the initial shock of meeting them had worn off. To her, they were so incredibly handsome and she supposed that could be attributed to the fact they were her other halves. Both of them. An emotion stirred in her belly at the attention they were giving her. Most of her life had been lived as a half empty shell, the death of her brother before they was born left a black hole in her soul. She had never been a particularly emotion being, rarely crying or becoming upset, something that perhaps had bothered others who were close to her. But as soon as her eyes had fell upon the sons of Lord Elrond, it was like someone had opened a flood gate.

"What is your name?"

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed them moving to stand before her. Tilting her head to look up at them, she answered. "Princess Mirari, daughter of Prince Kili and Princess Tauriel of Erebor." Both her hands were picked up and brought to the lips of either Elf.

"Elrohir…"

"And Elladan…"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Elhrohir started with her hand still hovering near his face.

"Very pleased, mín tinu." Elladan added.

The name was very similar to what her Aunt called her, but the way he said it in elvish and the tone of his voice combine with the look in his eyes had a shiver running down her spine.

Luckily, none of the dwarves has seen the great escape the twins had made with their Princess and Râlia couldn't have been happier. She did pull Dwalin aside and spoke to him about what had transpired. A flow of curse words in Khuzdul had followed her quiet announcement and when he was done, Dwalin said the same as she had before about Kili.

It was now the day they were leaving and Râlia hadn't seen her niece in the days previously since her fated meeting. It was a little worrisome, but she did have that little bit of faith left in Elrond that he would tell her if something had transpired. She walked down the steps to the platform they had arrived on and approached Tamesis. Her horse seemed to have stopped aging as Daemyn had done, determined to live as long as she did. An act she contributed to the Valar. With a sigh, she hopped about her mare and gave one more longing look to the top of the stairs where Arwen and Lord Elrond were standing. She would have liked to say goodbye to Mirari but no one had found the trio, or wanted to give away their location. Dwalin gave the signal and the first guard reined his pony to the narrow walkway exit.

A yell grabbed the attention of everyone and Dwalin called a halt as they all turned back to the stairs. There was Mirari quickly descending the staircase and running to Râlia who caught the half-elf in her embrace. In all the years Mirari had lived at Erebor, never had someone received a hug as the one she was bestowing upon the Queen. Even her own parents. When she stepped away, Mirari whispered something to her Aunt which made Râlia look back up and saw the twins standing with their sister and father.

With Mirari in her hands, it was exceptionally easy to read how the girl felt and how genuine the connection was between her and the twins. And from the distance where she sat, Râlia could sense how Elrohir and Elladan felt and their soul bond with Mirari. Nothing had happened in the few days they had disappeared, thank Mahal. But a warning wouldn't be remise for these two.

"I leave Mirari here in the care of your father, Lord Elrond, until she is of age to bond with you two completely. Something that may take many years since she is just turning 40 this winter and is only considered a teen in dwarf years." She watched as their eyes darted to each other and saw they didn't know her age. "I will return in a couple months on my way home," Râlia said mostly to her niece, "We will speak more on the subject then." She kissed Mirari on the forehead and returned her hands to the reins. Behind her, she could hear the discontent of the dwarf guards at her announcement. "Be careful, ibrizinlêkh. Don't give into your new feelings."

"I won't, Imad."

With a final smile, Râlia turned Tamesis back around and Dwalin shouted out the order again to leave. She and him were at the back of the line and the battle dwarf looked between her, Mirari, and the twins before bringing his attention back to her. "Are ya sure about this?"

"Lord Elrond won't let them do anything that could result in their death, that I'm sure of; but not of what her parents will do when they are told."

"Good luck with that lass."

One long and cold month later, the troupe arrived at the Shire; only an hour away from Bag End. The only signs of hobbits in the valley was spots of candle light through the windows and smoke from the chimneys. Râlia and Dwalin were now at the head of their eight person group since they knew where to go and there was no danger lurking in the Shire. A short time later, they approached the freshly shoveled pathway up to the front door to Bag End. What surprised them more was the rest of the road in front of them was also cleared and led down to the square where they could make out a barn in the snow. There wasn't much thought given to the act since the large green door was suddenly opened and Maliah stood with candle light glowing around her figure.

"Amad!"

Râlia jumped from Tamesis and met her youngest daughter halfway up the path, picking her up and holding her close. Months had gone by since she had last seen here, discounting the times Daemyn saw her. Frodo appeared at the door a moment later bundled up and carrying a coat for Maliah. Dwalin watched the hobbit and saw little resemblance between him and Bilbo, although he did notice the nervous air about him. He waited as the hobbit draped the coat around Maliah's shoulders before approaching him and his men.

"Good afternoon." Dwalin nodded in response. "There is a barn down the cleared path which you all can store your ponies in for the time you are all here. I don't have many beds, but you are all welcome to stay here unless you wish to sleep in the barn."

"We look at the barn first lad, don't wanna crowd your home."

Râlia laughed and partially let go of Maliah. "There were more of you on the quest when you crashed Bilbo home."

Dwalin gave her a look, "We will be back soon Your Majesty. Go inside."

The Queen of Erebor rose an eyebrow at him and in return he stared her down blandly. "Fine, come Maliah, show me Bag End. I didn't see much of it when I was here the first time."

It was decided only two guards would spend the night in Bag End at a time, Dwalin all the time, leaving the other six to rotate for as long as they stayed. Him and Kadin, a Lieutenant he had promoted ten years ago, trudged their way back to the home as the sun set and stamped the snow from their boots once inside the warmth of Bag End. They found Râlia, Maliah, and Frodo seated around the dinner table ladened with food. With a happy exclamation at Frodo's invitation to join them, the two dwarves plopped down in the empty seats and pulled whatever food was closest to them on their plates.

At the end of the night, Frodo showed Dwalin and Kadin to the two guest rooms and Maliah led her mother to her room, previously Frodo's. The young hobbit had taken over Bilbo's old room, at his uncle's insistence through a personal letter left with the will. Nothing important was spoken about that night, only a mother and daughter catching up on the time they had spent apart. But tomorrow, now that would be a different story. She had many things to talk to her daughter and future son-in-law about and neither would escape the discussion. Râlia knew separating them wasn't a choice and she already had an outburst upon discovering Bilbo living at Rivendell, leaving Maliah and Frodo alone. After she had calmed down and Bilbo told her everything, from his reasons for leaving to not changing his plans when Maliah had shown up at his door. After a while, she accepted his reasoning although she couldn't get it out of her head that her underage daughter was living alone with her One. She had to keep telling herself that Maliah and Frodo were not her and Fili, that her daughter wouldn't act like her parents.

Being the middle of winter, Râlia was unsure of how long they would stay. She was sure the snow would soon surround and bury them. Hopefully Frodo had stocked his pantry for a long winter with a group of dwarves.

meanings:

our star

aunt

mother