Negotiations and agreements
"Cocky little jerk. Just because he was born into such a noble position doesn't mean he is. I'll show him. He doesn't know me or anything about me. I will convince King Thranduil to send troops and I'll look him straight in the eye and say 'I told you so'" Rin thought aloud.
The night passed quickly and soon she was preparing to go before Thranduil once again. She hadn't slept all night so that she could think of proper arguments on what to say. Plus she had a few tricks up her sleeve.
"Milady, his lordship will see you now" an Elf said appearing in the doorway.
"I will be there shortly"
He nodded and left and shortly after Rin headed downstairs and entered the hall which she probably shouldn't have done. Legolas and Thranduil were arguing but stopped when she came in. She wanted to know what they were talking about but Rin had no doubts she was a big portion.
"Lady Rinuwe, please join us" Thranduil said
"My lord, might I ask that we use more common terms. All this nobility gets to me after awhile."
Thranduil gave a small chuckle. "Certainly."
Legolas was confused by what she could possibly have meant until she started pulling out the Elvish headpiece beautifully put in her hair. She looked quite foolish but once she was done, and didn't care how her appearance now looked, Legolas was shocked to see his father remove his crown. He seemed to be quite taken with Rin's personality.
"Legolas" his father said. Legolas looked at him in confusion until Thranduil raised an eyebrow and the he set to removing his own crown.
"Yesterday was much too formal for my taste. Lady Rinuwe sounds so bleh so if you don't mind, I'd prefer if you're going to address me to just call me Rin."
Thranduil nodded. "You know, for a daughter of Tindomiel, you're not at all what I would expect. After all she was the daughter of the King of Númenor. When I received word from your uncle that his niece would be coming in Arwen's stead, I was expecting more elegance"
Of course during all this Rin was searching around for a place to sit down.
"Oh, yes, elegance isn't my thing. I prefer comfort. You know for a hall of a king you have very few chairs"
"Father, must we accommodate such rash requests?" Legolas asked quietly thinking Rin couldn't hear.
"Must I put up with your uncouth attitude?" Rin said
Thranduil just smiled. "Well if we cannot sit, why don't we walk? Come….we will discuss the reasons you're here as we see the wood"
Thranduil stood up and walked out with Rin. Legolas for several minutes refused to follow but eventually he ran and caught up walking a few paces behind.
"Now then, Rin, I know Elrond wishes me to send troops but I don't see why I should"
"I will not pretend that I know everything that's going on. All I know is that there is a threat that must be dealt with and we need all the help we can get. But I will not beg for your assistance. As I said to your son last night, this war will affect everyone and even though your borders may be perfectly well now, such a thing could change in a single night. That much I have seen with my own eyes"
"You put forth good arguments. War will affect us but I will not aid—"
"—please, think about it first. If I go back home and accomplished nothing, Lord Elrond will not be pleased."
"Why is that?"
"No matter, milord. Best not speak of it."
"Alright. Give me three days to go over everything. If you happen to think of anymore reasons, I'd be happy to hear them. Legolas?"
"Yes?"
"Please finish showing our guest around the city. I hope your stay is quite comfortable" Thranduil said before leaving so that Legolas could not argue.
Rin however didn't really care. After the ordeal with Tyrael, she'd learned to look on the brighter side of things. Plus she thought he could come around like Tyrael had.
"You don't have to show me anything. But I do want to know why you don't like me. Not my kin or the reason I've come, why don't you like me?"
He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He tried again but still nothing. Rin smiled and then walked in the other direction.
"Where are you going?"
"Well you don't want to show me around so I'm going to show myself around."
"Who said I didn't want to show you around?"
"Your body language"
"What?"
"Look at yourself. Your forehead is scrunched up and you look mad. You're tense from top to bottom and lips pursed as if I just insulted you and you can't think of a good comeback"
"You'll get lost and end up in the troll infested areas"
"I doubt that. I'm not as stupid as I look. Scratch that. I'm not stupid"
"Could have fooled me"
"Is there a tree up your arse or something that you feel the need to degrade me?"
"Your vulgarity is all your own. I can't help how you are"
"And your pompous behavior is all your own too. Good day"
Rin stormed off muttering to herself how insufferable he was being, and he in turn went the opposite direction saying something along the same lines. Rin found a courtyard to herself but back in the main city she heard shouts weapons and ran back.
Apparently Dwarves had ventured in and angered Thranduil somehow.
"I wouldn't go over there right now"
Rin had been about to go see what was going on but it had been Legolas who called her back.
"What happened?" she asked
"I'm not exactly sure, but my father isn't pleased. I fear there will be a fight between Elves and Dwarves in the near future"
"But it's the Orcs we need to worry about" Rin whispered so low he couldn't hear. "Is that a hobbit?"
"Yes, Bilbo Baggins."
"What will happen to all of them?"
"They will be imprisoned until my father feels he's been compensated."
That night all the Dwarves and the hobbit were locked up. However Rin got an idea. She knew the Orc armies would be there very soon so if the Dwarves got free and assembled their armies to fight against the Elves, and now the Lake-Men since Thranduil had allied them, then there might be a chance they would team up once the Orcs arrived.
Then again, there was also the chance everything could backfire and she would be the cause of the greatest massacre in all Middle-Earth history.
"Psst" Rin said trying to get the hobbit's attention. "Psst!"
"Whuh?"
"Hi" Rin said
"Uh, hello?"
"Your name is Bilbo, correct?"
"Aye"
"I need your help"
Rin explained her plan.
"I can get you all out. Have Thorin call his cousin Dáin and send his armies. I will take care of Thranduil"
"Are you sure this will work?"
"Not in the least but it's the best idea I've got"
Rin accomplished a very good diversion. Many windows were broken but no one would ever know it was her, and since she picked the perfect bow to use to make sure no blame would befall her, all the Dwarves were able to escape. Thranduil was furious but it could not compare to how Legolas was because he seemed to be the only one who knew the little accident was her, but what surprised Rin was that he didn't tell on her.
Thranduil took her aside one day and said his decision was made and he would fight the Dwarves and that was the end of it. And as she predicted, the Dwarves had a huge army ready to fight to Elves, but now it was Rin's time to show her skill. She went to see Thranduil the morning they were to leave.
"Rinuwe, please. I have had enough of this. The Dwarves have this coming"
"Milord, hear me out. You're about to send you army against the Dwarves when a larger threat is just over the horizon. I received word that an Orc army has come and if your two races cannot negotiate this out civilly, you won't stand a chance. Now I will beg because I wish you would speak with Thorin and Dáin."
He knew she was right and after several minutes of silence, he agreed.
"Send someone out to call them"
"I will personally"
"No, your uncle would not approve"
"My uncle isn't here. It'll be my own fault if I get killed so you can't be held responsible" Rin said brightly.
Thranduil didn't have a chance to argue before Rin was riding a horse off into the distance. Within two hours she came to the middle of a clearing with the Dwarf lords and then Legolas and Thranduil met them there. She switched over to her Elven kin and then let the lords speak. Bilbo was there and she winked at him.
After much talk, they put their differences aside to oppose the common foe. Elrond arrived that night since he had sent his troops to help.
"If what Thranduil tells me is true, it is because of you that the Elf and Dwarf war did not take place" he said as they walked around the city
"If they want to give me the credit, I won't deny it"
"Well I think your work is done. Your cousin has gone to stay with her grandmother again. Would you like to join them?"
"I will. I have seen enough bloodshed and wish no more so I would like to leave before it starts"
"Leave tonight."
Rin nodded and went to go get her things. These had surely been an eventful few weeks but she'd enjoyed them. She'd helped make history but no one would ever know it was all her idea.
"Rinuwe?"
"Yes?"
"I am proud of you."
Those simple five words filled Rin with the happiest feeling she'd felt for many years. She'd longed for such words.
"Thank you"
