Rewriting a fic is harder than writing a new one, that's what I've discovered.

To Celtic Fairy: Thank you!

To Stacey: I think that's what all of us want to know!

To Shorty51: Here's more!

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Chapter 7 : The Hobbits

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Elanor stared wide-eyed at all she saw around her. Her father had told her of the grandeur and wonder of Minas Tirith, but even so, she had never dreamt of such a great city. She, with her parents, were standing in the King's hall, waiting to be greeted by King Elessar and Queen Arwen. They had arrived a day early.

A door opened and the king and queen entered. A smile bloomed on the Arwen's face when she saw the hobbits. She had been awaiting their arrival with great anticipation. "How wonderful it is to see all of you again! Your hospitality to us when we were in the Shire was remarkable; now this is out chance to return the favour," she said.

"It was a pleasure to have you in the Shire," Sam said, blushing like he always did whenever someone paid him or the Shire a compliment.

Aragorn smiled. "Now the pleasure is ours."

"And there is someone else who would no doubt be delighted to meet you as well," Arwen added. "She has heard of your adventures during the War of the Ring, Sam, and I believe she would be eager to hear more from you."

"Who is it?" Elanor blurted out before she could catch herself. She winced. Try as she might to restrain herself, she was too prone to such outbursts.

Arwen laughed. "You have a curious daughter, Sam. Well, perhaps that would prove to be to her advantage in due time." She then turned to address Elanor. "You will get to meet her soon enough. Someone has gone to find her, to inform her of your arrival. Her name is Háthien."

"A close friend of Legolas's, although he kept her a secret for quite a while," Aragorn said with a smile.

A friend of Legolas? Then she must be an Elf! Elanor smiled. She had only seen one Elf in her life, and that was the Queen. However, her father had told her of the members of the Fellowship, and so she felt as if she already knew Legolas. And now she would meet another Elf! It was all very exciting for a young hobbitlass.

The doors to the hall opened, and in came a young serving girl, followed by a tall lady that Elanor supposed to be Háthien. She studied the lady closely. She wasn't of an uncommon beauty like the Queen, but there was something from inside her that set her aside from everyone else. There seemed to be an energy bubbling inside her, threatening to burst out at any moment. She wore a bright smile that lit up her whole face.

"Ah, here she is," Arwen said, taking the lady's hand as she came to stand before the hobbits. "Sam, Rosie, Elanor, this is Háthien. Háthien, this is Sam, his wife Rosie and their eldest child, Elanor."

"It is lovely to meet all of you at last! I have heard such wonderful things of you and the Shire from Arwen," Háthien said.

Elanor took a liking to her immediately. Her voice was strong compared to the soft, delicate tones of the Queen, which further convinced Elanor that there was someone exciting and interesting in that body of lady, just waiting for the right occasion to be let out. It seemed as if she was the type of person who would understand Elanor's outbursts, or maybe have outbursts herself.

"It is very lovely to meet you too," Sam was saying, "Any friend of Legolas's will be a friend of mine."

"I'm glad to hear it," Háthien said with a smile. "And I'm sure Legolas would be most honoured that you have such high regard in his choosing of friends."

"I'm sure that you and Elanor would get along very well," Arwen said to Háthien.

"Come, let's not just stand about here! You must be tired from your travels. You'll be shown to your rooms, where you can wash and rest before dinner." Aragorn gestured to the serving girl who came forward, all ready to show the guests their rooms.

"Háthien seems very nice," Elanor whispered to her mother as they walked along the hallway.

"Yes she does," Rosie replied with a smile. Once she set eyes on Háthien, she had agreed with Arwen. Elanor and Háthien would probably get along very well. There was a fire in both of them that could be seen clear as day. Yes, they would be great friends.

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Elanor hurried along the streets of Minas Tirith as quickly as her hobbit feet could carry her. Her parents had allowed her to explore the city as long as she came back for dinner, but now she was terribly late. I don't suppose there is any time to change into something nice now, she thought disappointedly to herself as she rushed past people without even giving them a second glance, nor noticing the awed looks from some of the children who had never seen a Hobbit in their lives. And I had planned to look pretty for dinner.

By the time she reached the hall, she was panting so hard that the guards had to help her open the door (not that she would have been able to open it herself anyway; the door was huge). She stumbled in to see her parents and the King and Queen staring at her, and felt her cheeks burning. "I'm sorry, I was… I was just looking around and… and… Minas Tirith is so lovely… nice people… so big… lost track of time… late," she gasped incoherently.

She was just about to hurry to take her place when she was almost bowled over by someone from behind. If that someone hadn't grabbed her arm, she would have found herself sprawled on the floor.

"Oh… oh dear I'm so sorry… are you all right? I'm sorry I'm late, I was just in the library reading and I didn't notice how late it was…"

Elanor glanced up to see Háthien looking as flushed and embarrassed as she was. All in all, not a very Elf-like scenario to witness.

Rosie gave her husband a look that plainly said, "See what I mean?" and Arwen was observed to do something of the same with Aragorn.

Aragorn laughed. "It's all right, we hadn't been waiting long. Come, take your places, and let's eat!"

Mumbling apologies again, Háthien and Elanor took their seats, Elanor next to her mother, and Háthien next to Arwen.

"Oh wouldn't Legolas find this all very funny," Háthien muttered to herself.

Aragorn overheard and laughed. "Yes, no doubt he would," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "He did say that you were prone to such things from time to time."

"He did? But I rarely do such things!" Háthien insisted indignantly.

"I'm sure Legolas was just teasing," Sam said gallantly. "A lady like you… I can't believe that you would get into many embarrassing situations!"

Háthien beamed. "Why, thank you, Master Samwise!" Legolas was right… these hobbits are really such lovely people!