"How do you do, Master Dwarf?"

The dwarf with slightly graying hair and beard turned, his hand still clutching a rare clump of mythril. But as his deep brown eyes settled on the two forms behind him, he let out a loud yell of mirth and dropped the metal, sending a flurry of other dwarves to catch it.

Gimli Son of Gloin, Lord of the Glittering Caves of Erebor, made his way through the frantic dwarves and gave the lady in front of him a great hug. "Lady Meiou! Such wonderful sight to see you!"

Meiou laughed as she hugged the dwarf and kissed his receding forehead, which made the dwarf blush scarlet. She moved a little to show him Ranthoron, who was looking around, amazed at the wonderful cave that shone like diamonds. She smiled as she indicated him to Gimli, "You remember my son, Ranthoron?"

Gimli let out another yell of happiness, as his thick arms found their way around Ranthoron's waist. "The last time I saw you, you were a wee lad!" he said, still embracing the boy, who looked at bit uncomfortable being hugged by a dwarf, but soon became amused and hugged the dwarf in return. "Bless you, laddie!" Gimli exclaimed, and as he drew away, he wiped tears from his eyes.

Ranthoron saw the tears and whispered to his mother, "Mother, what's wrong with him?"

Meiou smiled at him, "Nothing. He is just a great big softie, though he looks tough. Very emotional…" She winked at him, and he grinned.

"Well, it's not everyday that friends come here to Erebor!" Gimli said, clapping his hands as he led them to one of his dwarven halls, "Would you like a drink, Lady?"

She shook her head, "No thank you…"

Ranthoron perked up and said, "I'd like one!"

"Ranthoron!" Meiou said, smacking her son at his chest.

Gimli laughed as he mentioned to one of his elven kin, who took out two tankards of ale and a goblet of elverquist, "Your son has his father's knack for drinking, I see…"

"For elverquist, yes… but I do not know if he could handle ale though…" Meiou said.

"Of course, I could, Mother! I always drank ale with my friends in Osgiliath!" Ranthoron said as he took the ale offered to him and rose it to Gimli, "Cheers, Master Gimli!"

The dwarf laughed as he raised his ale and drank a bit. After a few gulps, he lowered the tankard and looked at Meiou, "Well, what can I help you with, Lady Meiou?"

She took the parchment from her belongings and gave it to Gimli, "I thought that you may help us with this."

Gimli took the parchment, and squinting, read the words. Ranthoron continued to drink his ale as he watched him, while Meiou merely looked at him, sipping her elverquist.

After a while, Gimli lowered the parchment, "Well, you came to the right place. The Glittering Caves are indeed known as Aglarond by the elven people. You know your history well, Meiou." He took a pipe from a nearby table and lit himself a smoke. "' Jewels of magic bound'…? I think I know which one you need but..." He took a deep drag of his pipe, exhaling the smoke before leaning towards Meiou. "Are you certain this is not a…"

"Hoax?" Meiou supplied as she shook her head, "I do not know either. Ranthoron said the same thing, but I'm willing to try anything to change myself…"

"But Legolas loved you as you are, Meiou." Gimli said fervently, "Do not forget that I attended your wedding."

"I have not forgotten." She said, smiling at him, "But I still would like to change my appearance. I fear that, as the ages passed, the beauty he had seen from me before had faded…"

Ranthoron perked up as he looked at her, "But… Father always said that he loved you because of your heart…"

"That was ages ago, Ranthoron, when your father didn't stare off into space and ignore me as he does now…" Meiou said miserably, "I have not heard him say that since Edhelwen was born."

"He hadn't?" Gimli asked in surprise, and a moment later his face hardened in anger, "Then when that pointy-eared prince comes to his realm to find you, I'll give him a telling he would never forget… I'm short, yes, but my ax can still pack a mean one if it needs to…"

"Find me?" Meiou asked as she turned to Gimli, "What do you mean, find me?"

The dwarf looked at her in surprise, "Well, I'm pretty sure he'd chase after you, as he had done when you ran off to your mother's side." Meiou looked a doubtingly at Gimli, but he merely waved a hand and said, "But if he doesn't chase you, then I guess it would be alright, since he'd probably start chasing you again if this spell works."

Meiou smiled, but doubt was still evident in her eyes, as Gimli rummaged around his pockets. Ranthoron watched as he raised a blue, glimmering gem the size of his fist to his eyes, turning it around, before laying it on Meiou's outstretched hand, "What is it?"

Gimli indicated the gem, "That, my boy, is called an Aquamarine. A very rare gem it is, and this is the largest we have seen so far." He took another drag of his pipe as he continued, "Recently, my kin has been telling me that these stones actually turn into tiny granules of diamonds when brought to the surface, and when dropped into water, it dissolves and makes it glow. Very strange really, though very annoying. I would've wanted to give one of those to Aragorn…"

Meiou looked at the stone, "It's very beautiful…"

"Mother…" Ranthoron whispered, his green eyes sparkling in excitement, "Mother, that's the jewel! 'In Aglarond are jewels of magic found, show them to Anor and their magic shall be unbound!' When we bring it to the surface, to the sun's light, it turns into small diamonds! That's the magic of it!"

Her eyes widened in understanding, "Of course… of course! That means the spell is true!"

Gimli laughed as hope sprang to the eyes of mother and son, "Then you should start travelling! It's a long walk to the Shire…"

"Yes… we need a Periannath's tear… I am pretty sure Merry, Sam and Pippin would be more than happy to help." Meiou said as she started rummaging around her things for a pouch to carry the aquamarine in.

"A Periannath?" Ranthoron asked as he looked at his mother, "What is a Periannath, Mother?"

"Periannaths are what we call Hobbits in the elven tongue, my dear." Meiou answered distractedly.

Her son's eyes widened as the thought registered, "Hobbits? Are you saying that we're going to see the Ringbearer Samwise Gamgee?"

"Of course, Ranthoron." Meiou said, wrapping the jewel on a leather pouch.

"Ai! That would be so exciting!" He said, and Meiou could not help but grin. "We're going to see the person who saved the world from the wrath of Sauron the Deceiver!"

During Ranthoron's and Edhelwen's childhood, she had told them stories about Frodo and the other hobbits. His favorite tale had been Sam's, which to him, had been the hardest journey and adventure he had ever imagined, while Edhelwen loved that of Pippin, for she loved his daring, and his ingenuity at the face of danger.

Even Gimli liked Ranthoron's excitement, for he stood up suddenly and started leading the way back to the hall's entrance, "Then you should make haste, Lady Meiou and Young Ranthoron. The Shire awaits!"

Meiou bent down and kissed Gimli on his forehead again, in which he promptly blushed. "Visit us sometime in Osgiliath, will you, Sir Gimli?"

"You can be assured of that, my lady." And he let out a loud huff of breath as Ranthoron bent down to him and gave him a hug. Gimli patted the young elf's back as he fervently whispered, "Thank you for all your help, Master Gimli."

He kept the boy's head down as he grinned at him, "Now, be wary, Young Master Elf, for the world is full of treacherous creatures. Protect your mother with your life. And remember to sing the praises of those who helped you in this adventure."

Ranthoron smiled, "Then I shall make sure to sing your praises then, Master Dwarf."

He and Meiou bowed in thanks to Gimli, and he watched them both walk away into the light of the outside world, great tears leaking out of his eyes into the graying tangle that was his beard.