- Chapter 17 -

"He's angry." Shyloh's eyes lowered to the bubbles that floated before her in the tub. Like she was a child again, she used her pointer finger to pop the bubbles one by one.

"No," Élane said softly. "I do not think so."

Shyloh pinched her eyes closed and sighed again. "Yes he is. I could see it in his eyes."

"Well if he is angry, it is not with you." Élane slowly lathered the Princess' dirtied white hair with sweet smelling soaps, gently removing the crusted blood out of it Shyloh didn't even known was there. Heck, she didn't even know if it was hers or not.

"I should have just come straight back home."

Élane pressed her lips together. "I think you did the right thing."

Shyloh's eyes snapped open. "Seriously?"

"Lord Elrond would not have wanted you to travel back to Imladris on your own. Perhaps it was safer to travel with the dwarves and Mithrandir."

Shyloh shook her head. "I don't think we would have come back to Imladris if we hadn't been ambushed by orcs. Thorin was pretty against the idea right from the start."

Élane hummed softly. "Interesting how things work out isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You say the dwarves need Lord Elrond's help, then perhaps they were meant to come here after all."

"They didn't seem overly friendly when they found out I was his niece."

"Neither elves nor dwarves have much to do with each other these days. Dwarves are not fond of secrets either, unless they are their own. They know you are the niece of Lord Elrond, but do they know the rest of your story?"

Shyloh shook her head. "Nope. Gandalf didn't want me telling them."

"Perhaps he thought if Thorin and his company knew you were associated with Imladris, you would attempt to lure them here under false pretenses, and cause a rift in their plans."

Shyloh's shoulders sank. "I never thought of it that way. Boy, Gandalf sure does have some tricks up his sleeves."

Élane smiled. "Oh the stories Lord Elrond could tell you."

Shyloh was quiet for a bit as Élane washed out her hair.

"It is good to have you home," she said, giving Shyloh a smile. "Even if it is only for a little bit."

"A little bit?" Shyloh twisted around, slightly confused.

"You will be following the dwarves will you not? You said they were heading east."

Straightening out, Shyloh blinked. "Yes, they're going east."

The first thing Shyloh did after hurrying to her room, was drop her weapons in a heap. Only seconds later, Élane knocked on her door and without waiting for a response, hurried into the room and gave Shyloh a big hug. The second thing Shyloh did, was recount her entire trip to her best friend. Élane listened intently, clinging to her every word. Shyloh had no idea if she was supposed to tell anyone what the dwarves true purpose was, so she left out the part about the intentions of reclaiming Erebor. She only said she was added to the company as a guard, not divulging anything about dragons or sicknesses either.

"So will you stay with them and journey east?"

Shyloh bit her lip. "I think I have to."

Élane tilted her head curiously. "No one has to do anything. We all have choices. Now, I think you are as squeaky clean as we are going to get you. Time to show those dwarves the other side of you."

Élane dressed her in a lacy white gown. The frilly bell sleeves and skirt cascaded down in the usual ripples of fabric. Her hair curled wildly so she pinned it back away from her face. With the silvery white circlet centered on her forehead, Shyloh stepped out from her room into the cool open hallway. Fall was definitely on the way and Shyloh was honestly looking forward to the cooler weather. Winter, however, was never something she looked forward to.

She walked slowly towards the dining area, and even from here she could hear the soft music playing. She was probably late, but she had a hard time pulling herself away from her friend. Élane however, had other tasks to do and gave Shyloh a sympathetic smile before leaving the Princess to her own thoughts.

She stepped over the cool stone, enjoying the small freedom of going barefoot. After wearing boots for days on end, she was going to enjoy her freedom while she could. Stopping in the hall, she twisted her fingers together until they hurt. She didn't really want to face the dwarves, but she really didn't want to face her uncle. She'd never seen Elrond look so upset before, but whether Élane was right or not about who he was truly upset with she could not tell. She was sure, by the look on her uncles face, that Gandalf did not disclose the true reasoning behind her coming with to the Shire when he came to collect her for their little trip.

Sure, part of her was still upset about the fact Gandalf tricked her, but they made it back to Rivendell safe and sound right? No harm done?

Pressing her lips together, she stood rooted to the spot for a while in the quiet hall. She wished her cousins were here, but Élane told her they were on border patrol. Perhaps they would make light of the situation, but then again as she thought about it, maybe they wouldn't and they would act more like Lord Elrond: disappointed.

She was just about to turn around and head back to her room, when movement ahead made her pause. Thorin Oakenshield walked purposely away from where the others were dining, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched. Normally she would have let him blow off steam alone but curiosity got the better of her.

Following slowly and staying out of sight, she descended a small flight of stairs and walked between the stone pillars. He paused at an open balcony. Fists still clenched, he placed them knuckles down on the ledge and leaned heavily on them. Head bowed, he didn't move for a few moments.

"I know you are there," he suddenly said. His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. She looked around but they were completely alone so he must have been talking to her.

Turning his head slowly, he watched her step out from the shadows of the house into the last few rays of daylight. His expression softened at first when he caught sight of her, bathed in white. Compared to her worn travel clothes, even he could not deny she was beautiful. Then his eyes darkened as he remembered who she was. The niece of Lord Elrond, and an elf. He should not feel so welcoming to her as he did.

"Dinner not to your liking?" she asked hesitantly and her footsteps slowed. He noted her bare feet and the quietness of her footsteps. It was both intriguing and unnerving, to think someone could be so quiet. How easy it would be to sneak up on someone.

A muscle twitched in his jaw as he turned back to the view.

She had her answer.

"My uncle is a good person, perhaps you shouldn't judge him so quickly," she said.

Thorin snorted. "I do not see you seeking out his companionship so quickly after being gone so long." He gave her a sideways look and she pressed her lips together.

He caught her and he knew it.

"I think it's complicated," she said.

"I think you're hiding. Otherwise you would be at that dinner."

She shifted and twisted her fingers together again.

"What makes you think I'm hiding?" she asked.

"I saw the look he gave you earlier. He did not look happy. Perhaps you've done something to displease him?"

She was quiet for a minute, then licked her lips. "I think the only thing I've done would be bringing a bunch of dwarves home."

He laughed, barely amused. "You and Gandalf sure have similar antics."

"It was not my idea to get attacked by orcs. I actually didn't know anything about the hidden pass."

He raised his eyebrows and stepped back from the railing, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"You expect me to believe that? This is your home is it not? Do you not know the ways to get in?"

"You criticize me, yet you can't even read the map your own people made about hidden doors and keys?"

Alarm flooded his eyes and he hissed, "Say that any louder, Lady, and you might as well tell everyone about it."

"I doubt they would have an interest in any of it," she snapped.

"You seem so sure of yourself."

"Aren't you the one who said the elves would try to stop you? That we wouldn't give you our blessing?" She knew she had him stuck there and she smiled smugly. "So, if we had an interest in it, wouldn't we give you more support?"

His eyes narrowed a little more until they were tiny slits. "You speak a lot for someone who knows very little of what's at stake," he growled.

"You know, your mood swings are starting to give me a headache. One minute you speak like someone sensible, the next your angry and challenging." She turned on her heel to leave but he wasn't done.

"You gave us your word. When we get our answers, we will be leaving," he said firmly.

She stopped in her tracks and twisted around to look at him.

"You still want me to come?" she asked, both surprised and confused.

"You signed the contract did you not?"'

"Yes, I did," she said slowly.

"Unless I dismiss you, you are part of the company. No matter who you are, Princess."

Lord Elrond leaned back in his chair, surveying the scene before him. He picked up his glass of wine and looked over the company. "Thirteen dwarves, and a halfling," he said, raising his eyebrows. "Strange traveling companions, Gandalf."

"You are forgetting one," the wizard said casually between bites.

"I will get to that later when we can speak in private," Elrond said sternly, and he eyed Shyloh's empty chair with a frown.

It matched the empty chair to his left, which had only a moment ago been occupied by none other than Thorin himself. Clearly displeased with the topic of their trip, and the conversation he'd had prior to supper with Gandalf, Thorin left the table shortly after being served. Elrond wasn't worried though; dwarves were quick to temper. He'd known enough dwarves during his long life to know it was best to leave them be until they settled themselves down.

"She is already tied to the company."

Elronds eyes flicked towards the wizard, his frown deepening. "We will discuss the matter later."

"I told him," Gandalf said slowly, his eyes pointedly looking at Thorin's empty chair, ignoring Elrond's promise of a talk later on. "About her."

Elrond raised his eyebrows. "And?"

"He is not overly happy about finding out this way."

"Imagine that," Elrond said. "How much does he know?"

"All of it. Well, aside from her other worldly life."

"Was there a point to keeping it secret?"

"He questioned her right from the start. Knew she wasn't like other elves he'd met. Demanded to know who she was. I told him he would know when the time was right."

"You wanted to draw them here," stated Elrond, and Gandalf gave him a pointed look.

"We needed your help. If he had known who she was, we would have never left the Shire. He is not fond of elves. I did not want him thinking I was trying to draw him here on purpose. The fact that we are here is merely coincidental. Thorin had a mind to pass right by the Valley."

"And you felt the time was right today to tell him?"

Gandalf gave a small laugh. "We're in her home lands. I hardly felt like it could be kept quiet any longer."

"I will admit, you know how to spin things your way," Elrond said, sipping his wine. Then he nodded his head towards the table full of dwarves. "They are an odd bunch either way, Gandalf."

"They are from the line of Durin," Gandalf said, his head tilting towards the company of dwarves. "They..." But he was cut short when he caught sight of a figure walking towards them.

Always Gandalf marveled at how the niece of Lord Elrond, the daughter of Kings, could make such an entrance without even trying. She looked lost in her own thoughts, a frown upon her forehead, as she stepped up the short flight of steps to the balcony where they were seated. In exchange for her travel worn clothes he'd come to know her in over the last few weeks, she stunned the dwarves into silence as she walked past them in her white gown, giving them a tight lipped smile as she went. She didn't walk as gracefully as she might have if she'd grown up in this world, and she was quite a bit shorter than the elves that were serving and playing music that she passed, but it suited her.

Her white curly hair bounced as she walked pointedly towards her waiting chair. The dwarves watched her, unknown to the little elf, and only when she took her seat did she finally look up at her uncle and the wizard.

"Sorry I'm late," she said.

Elrond nodded and Gandalf gave her a bemused look. She thanked the server for the wine that he poured her and sipped it slowly.

"Your uncle was just telling us about the swords we saved from the troll hoard," Gandalf said between bites and she glanced at the sword by the wizards side and then to the empty chair.

She tilted her head towards Thorin's seat and raised her eyebrows. "Is that why he ran off?"

Elrond gave an amused chuckle before sipping his wine but before Gandalf could answer, the dwarves behind them gave a loud cheer and she gave Gandalf a horrified look. She knew what that sound meant.

Bofur stood on top of the dwarves table and began chanting the verses to another ridiculous song.

"Oh no!" she moaned. "Not again!"

Sinking deeper into her chair to hide herself, she missed Elrond shoot her a questioning frown but his eyes then widened as a dinner roll shot between himself and Gandalf, landing somewhere on the other side of the balcony. She didn't dare poke her head around to watch the singing because she knew that a dwarvish food fight had broken out...again.

"Why do they always have to throw food?" she groaned, shielding herself behind her chair.

Something that distinctly looked like potatoes shot past Lindir, striking the statue next to him with a plop. The elf gave the splattered statue a clearly displeased look. It would have probably been funny, if you were a dwarf, but the flute and harp players only watched the dwarves in stunned silence, scampering out of the way of the flying food when they had to.

Gandalf didn't seem to mind at all though, and he kept munching away on his dinner until the song was over and they threw the rest of their food up in the air in a final hurrah. Suddenly, Shyloh didn't feel very hungry anymore.

"Did you see Thorin on your way over?" Gandalf asked curiously but Elrond shot him a stony glare. The wizard pretended to ignore him, and acted as if his question was harmless.

Shyloh didn't notice the exchange of looks though, because she was busy dusting bits of stray dinner rolls off her plate with annoyance.

"Yeah I saw him," she said with a final flick of her hand.

"And how did he seem?" asked the wizard.

Shyloh rolled her eyes. "As peachy as he ever is."

Gandalf mused to himself before Shyloh tossed her napkin on top of her still empty plate.

"Excuse me," she said rising. "I'm not very hungry."

Before anyone could say anything, she swept from the balcony, her shoulders taught and lips pressed into a thin line. Elrond watched her go, her white gown flitting behind in her wake and he tapped his index finger against the side of his glass.

"It is rare to see my niece in such a foul mood," Elrond said, a frown upon his face once again. "I wonder why that is?"

Gandalf leaned back in his seat, his fingers interlocking across his middle. He watched the dwarves as they settled down for a few minutes, then he turned to the Lord on his left.

"Perhaps that is a conversation for later as well."

"You're back!" Estel's wide smile greeted her as she stepped into the hall the next morning. He stood outside her door patiently waiting for her to come out after knocking to make sure she was in fact, back.

"Good morning to you too!" she said and she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave him a tight squeeze. "Wait a second, something's wrong." Then suddenly, she placed her hands on top of his shoulders and held him at arms length.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"I distinctly remember you were like, five inches shorter the last time I saw you," she said as serious as possible.

He snorted. "I did not grow that much."

"Seriously, kid, knock it off. You're going to be taller than me soon."

"Everyone is taller than you," he joked and she gave him a soft shove.

"Ha ha."

"Well, almost everyone is taller than you," his smile faded a little and his eyes darted back down the hall. She followed his gaze but saw nothing.

"You mean the dwarves?" she asked, and he gave her an awkward look.

"They're...interesting," he said and it made her laugh.

"That's an understatement," she said with a smirk.

They turned to walk down the hall, Shyloh's bare feet hardly making a sound compared to Estel's boots. He must have had an early lesson, because he usually wandered around barefooted like many others.

"Are you going to tell me about your trip?" he asked suddenly in Sindar, and she could easily hear the curiosity in his voice. The switch from Westron told her he didn't want others, meaning the dwarves, to overhear their conversation.

"Well..."

"Glorfindel said I should wait to ask you. He said there were complications and that you might not want to talk about it right away. But, your not hurt, which is a good thing, and the dwarves and hobbit fellow do not seem injured at all."

"No," she said slowly. "No one's been injured thankfully, we've just, had some tricky situations to wiggle our way out of, that's all. How's your mother? I haven't seen her yet."

"She has been busy with the seamstresses," he said. "They asked for her help to finish with the winter cloaks."

"Ah," she said, feeling a little disappointed. "Well, hopefully I'll see her later on."

"Are you not staying?" he asked suddenly, the frown returning to his face.

She hesitated and he took that for an answer.

"You're leaving again." He stated quietly and she felt her shoulders slump.

"Do you not have enough to keep you busy without me here? Because I could talk to Glorfindel, I'm sure we can come up with something more for you to do," she joked and he gave her a long sideways look.

"I have enough to keep me busy," he said, kicking a stone with the toe of his boot.

"You missed me that much?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"You are like my aunt," he said quietly and she blinked in surprise.

"Well, I would have to say out of all my nieces and nephews, you are definitely my favorite."

He looked up at her and grinned. "How many do you have? Nieces and nephews that is."

"Just you."

If Shyloh had the option, she would have avoided the dwarves at all cost, no matter how fond of them she was. They seemed to wreak havoc where ever they went and the expression on Lindir's face told her they were up to no good again. The elf was usually a quiet, sensible person but he looked more than bewildered at the small fire in the middle of the courtyard that the dwarves were sitting around. Some of them held spits lined with small sausages over the flickering flames, and bedrolls were sprawled every which way. It looked like they just plopped down in one spot and decided to call it home.

"Well, at least it's only a small fire," she said, raising her eyebrows. Lindir gave her a long sideways look before turning on his heel and disappearing down the hall. "You know, there are fireplaces for a reason," she said to the dwarves.

Bofur looked up at her innocently. "Is that what those things are for?" he joked and some of the others chuckled.

"This isn't the Wild you know," she reminded them, placing her hands on her hips.

"With all the frilly green stuff, you'd think it was!" Gloin argued, his beady little eyes scanning the bushes and trees outside.

She sighed. There was no use arguing with them. They were in one of their smarty moods and she knew she'd get no where with them, so she tried to change the subject.

"Aren't we missing two of you?" she asked, looking around and counting heads.

"Three," Dori corrected. "Bilbo is out wandering again."

Nodding, she scrunched her mouth up. "Where are Balin and Thorin?"

"Meeting with Gandalf," Dwalin said. "They had some things to discuss about the map with the elf."

"Oh," was all she said, figuring 'the elf' was more than likely Elrond. Deciding to leave them to their sausages, and figuring she wouldn't be missed, she turned and left. No one really noticed though, because Bombur suddenly slipped and landed on his broad backside, causing the dwarves to roar with laughter. She could hear their ruckus all the way down the hallway.

She hurried back to her room. Tonight they would be leaving, and she'd only just found out an hour ago. She still had time to pack up her belongings, so as she detoured to the kitchens to sneak some apples and lembas bread, she wrapped them in a cloth and hurried out before getting caught. Her orders were simple: don't tell anyone.

The not so simple part, was that she wanted to tell someone. Sneaking around wasn't exactly something she did very often and it felt wrong to do so right under her uncles nose. Would he forgive her for disappearing? Would he understand why she decided to go with? She'd heard of elves getting banished for various reasons; would that be her fate? He was the only family she had here in Middle Earth, if she got banished, where would she go?

The hundreds of questions filled her head as she made her way back to her room quietly, and she locked the door behind her. Leaning against the door frame, she lifted the small parcel she carried and eyed it with a frown. Perhaps she was doing the wrong thing for all of the right reasons.

Regardless of how she felt about it, she signed her name, as Thorin was so quick to remind her of. They hadn't spoken since their encounter yesterday morning and she still felt prickly about it. He didn't exactly seek her out either but that was fine with her.

Tossing the parcel on the desk, she reached for her pack and checked it all over. Her quiver was full of arrows, and that gave her some peace of mind. Tucking the apples and lembas into the pack, she went against her better judgment and rolled an extra tunic and pair of leggings into her bedroll. It would be that much more to carry, but she figured she couldn't go without the extras. Deciding that was enough, she gave a reluctant sigh before turning back to her wardrobe.

Changing into her dark brown leggings and a dark blue tunic, she briefly admired the white stitching that went up the sleeves. The white tree, which is what she finally realized it was, stuck out against the dark color of the fabric. Cooler days were upon them, and the fabric itself was a little heavier. She would appreciate the added warmth when they crossed through the mountains.

Pulling her hair around her shoulders, she braided it into a long plait and tied it off with a leather string. Her trusty hairband had run its course and sadly she'd been forced to dispose of it. One more thing from home she was now without. Her eyes flicked down to the bottom corner of her wardrobe. The wrapped bundle hadn't moved from that spot in four and a half years. She neither pulled it out nor acted like it was there at all. Her boots from home and her original clothes had been tucked away for safe keeping, and she'd been adamant about leaving it exactly where she left it. No one touched it, nor spoke of it. It was like they never existed.

Wrapping her cloak around her shoulders, she then shouldered her weapons and pack. Giving her room one last look, she sighed again and disappeared out into the night.

"You seem upset," Gandalf said as he walked alongside Elrond back towards the house. Dotting the blue-black canvas above them, the stars were bright and alight.

"Why does that surprise you?" Elrond asked, his tone not overly friendly. "You have been anything but honest with me about Shyloh's involvement in all this. Entering the mountain is unwise, as I have said. A sickness lies upon that mountain and anyone who enters it. Thorin will suffer just as his grandfather did, and it will be his undoing."

"That is why Shyloh is coming along."

"You will have to explain Gandalf, because I am afraid for once I do not follow."

"Her job, while aiding in the protection of the dwarves and Bilbo, is to keep their minds fixed on home, not treasure. She will be the light they need in the darkness."

"That is absolutely ridiculous," Elrond said, stepping up the wide stairs. "Dragon sickness has no cure. It is an evil illness and once it consumes you it is neigh impossible to break."

"Either way, with or without our help these dwarves will march on the mountain. They're determined to reclaim their homeland. Shyloh has signed the contract binding her to the company. Only Thorin Oakenshield is able to release her from her duties now. Besides, I do not think Thorin feels he is answerable to anyone. Nor am I for that matter."

"It is not me you must answer to," Elrond said as they came to the landing of a wide, rounded balcony. Standing in the glow of the moonlight, radiant in all her glory, was none other than the Lady of Lorien herself.

"Lady Galadriel," Gandalf said, his face softening.

Slowly and with the grace of someone wiser and more poised beyond her years, Lady Galadriel turned and smiled down at them from her step at the edge of the balcony.

"Mithrandir, it has been a long time," she said.

Gandalf bowed then, and gave a humble smile. "Age may have changed me, but not so the Lady of Lorien. I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you."

"He didn't," came a voice from behind them. "I did."

Giving Elrond a small look, Gandalf reluctantly turned to greet Saruman.

Kind of a lot happening at the same time in this chapter, and it was a little difficult to get it all to flow together. In the books, they stay in Rivendell for many days, but in the movie it's obviously cut back. I did sort of the 'movie' version here.

Thanks for the reviews and welcome to the new followers! Hope you're all enjoying Shyloh's adventure.