Thank you very much to Kukabura for the chapter title!

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"Do you think friendship between the Noldor and Sindar is possible?" The question surprised me.

"What makes you ask?" Legolas asked Strider. The Elf had been unusually quiet today. I would have wondered why, but I was too busy being grateful. Why the Elf felt that I needed to be constantly hearing about the birds/flowers/trees/small animals was beyond me.

Strider was obviously also surprised at Legolas' civility. "Because of you two. Elves and dwarves don't like each other. I thought that that was always the case, but here you two are. Friends."

"What has that to do with the Noldor and Sindar?" Legolas asked, sounding slightly more suspicious.

"Well, if you two can be friends, why can't they?"

I felt I had to interrupt. "Excuse me, Strider, but Legolas is hardly a typical Elf. He is very dwarvish in nature." Strider cringed as Legolas whirled on me.

"Dwarvish?! I am not dwarvish. If anyone is different, it is you! I was about to say that you were quite Elvish, but if you think things like that."

"Quite Elvish?! I have never felt so insulted in my life! Look, Elf, you are."

"Hey, hey!" Strider interrupted, ignoring our glares. "Gimli is a proper dwarf, and Legolas is a proper Elf. You don't need to argue. I just thought that we could try to work to get the Elven prisoners and slaves freed. I think that both sides want peace, they just believe that it's not possible."

"Free the prisoners? From Rivendell? Do you think we could?" Understandably, Legolas sounded quite excited by this prospect.

"Look, I don't mean to be depressing, but it'll never work. I don't even see why we're headed in that direction. It's impossible."

"So is friendship between an Elf and a dwarf, but that's happened."

Legolas tossed his head, swinging long hair off his shoulders. "But if your courage isn't up to it, I do understand, Master dwarf." Amazing how he could sound so kind while being so insulting.

"Look, Elf, my courage is stronger than yours could ever be."

"Oh, of course. Then why are you afraid to come to Rivendell with us?"

"Afraid?! You are going to regret that, Elf. Anywhere you dare to go, I will have no problem going."

"Good!" Again, Strider interrupted. "Then, if we're all agreed, let's go. Gandalf will help us when we arrive in Bree, but we still have many miles to travel." He walked ahead, shoving a spluttering Legolas in front of him. "Come on, you two."

I smirked at the Elf in front. I could really get to like this man.

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Campfire that night, we again discussed our plans for the future. And again. And again, and again, and again. When I finally fell asleep, Strider and Legolas were still discussing it. Personally, I thought it was pointless: we had all agreed, why did we have to keep talking about it?

The next morning, washing in a nearby pond, I had an unpleasant surprise.

"Aaaaaarrrghhhhh!" My beard! My wonderful beard! They had.cut it! "STRIDER! LEGOLAS! Just you two wait!"

Alright, so maybe it was only about an inch or two, but still! A dwarf's beard was a sign of his status, his importance. The longer the beard, the better you were thought of. And now they had cut it?!

Dashing back to the campsite as fast as I could manage, I burst through the trees into our small clearing. Strider looked calm as always, but Legolas, that damned Elf, could barely restrain his giggles.

"Legolas!" I advanced on him. "You, Elf, are."

"It wasn't all me! He helped!" With a helpful point a Strider.

"Hey!" Strider wasn't all that happy about Legolas' putting the blame on him.

"I'm holding you both responsible! Why, in Aule's name, did you cut my beard?"

"We wanted to see if you'd notice." Something in Legolas' tone suggested that I was the one being slow.

"Elf, you are the idiotic one here. That is just a fact. Now," I turned to Strider, ignoring Legolas' excellent impression of a fish, "Why don't you tell me."

"I apologise most humbly, Master Dwarf," he said, rising to give me a bow. Huh. Thought he could charm his way out of it, did he? "I pointed out to Legolas that his hair was somewhat impractical. He got a tad irritable, saying that your beard was just as impractical. I pointed out that a dwarf's beard was very important to him, to which Legolas commented that he didn't think you'd notice if we cut a bit off."

"Then you cut it!"

I ignored this less than helpful interjection from Legolas, sensing a good time for Elf-torment. "Yes, Legolas' hair is very impractical, isn't it?"

"What?!"

Strider nodded. "I agree. I don't know how he manages to keep it so straight."

He had a good point. "Elf-magic, most like." Strider nodded again, then started to get his things ready.

"I do not use Elf-magic! And can I point out that it is your beard that's impractical?"

My mind reeled, searching for the perfect comeback. Surprisingly quickly, I found it. "But now, thanks to Strider, it isn't. He should probably cut your hair too." I turned to Strider. "Have I told you how grateful I am?"

Behind me, the Elf made a strange whistling noise, before storming off, yelling over his shoulder at us in angry Elvish.

Strider looked at me with a frown.

"That wasn't nice of you. He'll never sleep now, terrified of us coming and cutting his hair off."

Brilliant. I hadn't thought of that.

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Responses to reviews.

Can I say (again) how grateful I am to you all for reviewing? They make me so happy! Sorry the responses are a bit short - it's a time thing.

kate - lol! Hopefully Gimli can sleep now!

Equinox - I'm not sure if you'd call it soon, but I've updated!

Arifel - Thank you! I'm v. glad you love my fic.

brazos - hopefully it will.

zomaar iemand - Ooh, lots of questions. Um, Gimli calling Aragorn Strider was a mistake. Me and my beta reader both think of him as Aragorn, and therefore didn't notice. I did try to write the 'Legolas trying to kill Aragorn' bit, but I just couldn't do it justice! And again, the last conversation would have been longer, but Aliir (beta) pointed out that they were manly men (or whatever) and probably weren't into the touchy-feely stuff. As for Dilse and Nice Elf? Well, sadly, they have played their parts. However, I might do a Jane Austen style ending, in which they will be mentioned.

Acadian Angel - Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying.

WeasleyTwinsLover1112 - What happens? You'll have to wait and see!

findabhair - oh, ok! Makes more sense now!

Lady V - I'm afraid friendship was just unavoidable. You're a very determined person, aren't you? ( Thanks for reviewing!

tenshiamanda - Don't feel too sorry for Aragorn! And I'm glad you liked.

Dis - Thanks! It's always nice to know that someone thinks my fic is well- written.

Dragon-of-the-North - Eeep! Long review! No, just joking, I love long reviews. I'm glad you thought it was funny - I'm always a bit worried everyone will be bored rigid by my attempts at humour. Um, no. Gloin and Gandalf have never met in this AU. I actually reseached this (!). In the Unfinished Tales, Gandalf says one of the main reasons he helped the dwarves was to get rid of the dragon, which would've supported Sauron, and in this AU, Sauron was killed when Morgoth was. I think that was the end of the First Age. And no, Elrond is definitely not a bad guy, as you will all find out later. And Legolas is going to tell Gimli about the box at the very end, in the epilogue! I'm going to be evil, and make you all wait.

Ele - Nice boarding school! Maybe. Elrond probably set a lot of homework, don't you think?

Whitecoyote - Thank you! And yes, keeping going.

Nina - well said. Hopefully, though, peace will come.

SperryDee - Is Aragorn still on love with Arwen? I never thought of that! Well, say they haven't met yet, but that they will in the future, and end up happily married etc.

Lady Thwen - I know, I did think of that. However, decided that since I'd already changed so much, I'd change this too. Arathorn was busy being kingly when he was supposed to be being shot by an orc.

Kit Cloudkicker - Gimli definitely snores! You only need to look at him to see that, lol. And yes, progress has been made.

MoroTheWolfGod - Will Elrond be kind to Legolas? Ooh, I don't know. He won't be evil, but he might not be nice either!