"Hello, Torwen," Halien said and walked over to the mare. She put her forehead against the mare's and sighed. "We made it, girl, safe and sound. Now the real journey will begin. Though, this may be difficult with Thorin."

The mare whinnied and Halien rubbed the mare's neck. She glanced up to look at the moon, feeling the peaceful nature of the Shire, breathing in the sweet air. Through the window, Thorin caught a glimpse of her and watched as she checked the ponies, a warm smile upon her lips as the bright moonlight shined down on her from the cloudless sky. She had not yet brought her shawl back up over her hair, so it glistened in the moonlight, truly shining like mithril.

She was a beautiful elf, tall and slender, with fair skin and emerald green eyes. Her hair was unique to only her- she had pure white hair that darkened to black at the tips- reminding him of mithril and obsidian. She wore her hair in a braid that draped down the length of her back and a silver headdress, simple but elegant, upon her brow. Her eyes glowed like emeralds, the reflection of the moon dancing in her eyes. She wore a short-sleeved tunic, loose-fitting, and dyed a forest green that was made of light leather with a long-sleeved and skin-tight shirt underneath, and leggings of the same material, a dark brown and slightly lose fitting for comfort and easy movement. She wore a long, fur-lined cloak, closed together with an elven brooch- the one her mother gave her- and her shawl was a soft sage green that blended well with her cloak.

When she noticed that Thorin was watching her from the window, she bowed to him and returned to the horses. Thorin knew her name, her unique hair, and remembered the time he had spent with her. She was the elf princess he had known in Erebor for a short time, sixty years ago, and he had seen her once more in the Blue Mountains forty years after Erebor fell. He could never forget her elvish appearance, so unique and unusual. She was the daughter of the Elven King, Thranduil, and he thought her to be just like her father, but her respect for him- the same respect that she had shown him when they knew each other in Erebor when they met again in the Blue Mountains, and even now- was strangely comforting, even with her being an elf and the daughter of the king who had betrayed them. He felt a familiar, warm sensation in his stomach, one that he had not felt in some time. He was not sure what it was, as it had quickly been replaced by an immense amount of guilt over the things he had said to her last they spoke, so Thorin returned to the conversation at hand.

They finished making their plans, and then Balin handed the contract to Bilbo. Halien came inside just as Bilbo read through the contract, then fainted when he read the part about "incineration".

"Bilbo!" Halien said as she rushed to his side, sliding onto her knees. "Bofur, what did you say?" she asked him.

"Why do you assume it was me?" he asked in defense.

"Bofur, you tend to exaggerate things. You have to be careful what you say around people, especially those who are like Bilbo. He's too good-natured and sheltered to be able to handle it without fainting like this."

The dwarves, in amazement and silence, watched as she placed her finger on his forehead. It began to glow as she spoke an elvish incantation and when the glow faded from her fingertips, Bilbo sat up abruptly. He looked around and sighed. Halien stood and helped him up, leading him to a chair.

She sat Bilbo down and summoned a ball of light in her hand and checked his eyes, making certain that he was fine. "I want you to follow the light in my hand. Good. You'll be fine, but you need to sit for a bit, Bilbo. Dori, could you make some tea for him? Chamomile with lemon and honey should suffice if Mr. Baggins has it. It will help to soothe his nerves and help him think clearly."

Dori nodded and headed to the kitchen. Halien stood, extinguishing the ball of light in her hand.

"Will he be alright?" Ori asked.

"Yes, but he will need to sit and relax. He reacted rather... oddly, to reading the contract." Halien explained. "I expect anyone who has not faced anything more than this wonderful peace here in the Shire would pass out at the mere thought of a giant fire drake turning them into a pile of ash." Leaving things at that, Halien took the cup of tea that Dori brought up to them and thanked him as she handed it to Bilbo. "Here, Bilbo. Drink this. It will soothe your nerves and help you think clearly. We will need you to give us an answer tonight before we leave. Drink the tea and take your time, alright?"

Bilbo nodded and took the cup of tea. Halien smiled and put a comforting hand on his shoulder before she went back to her pack. Thorin had stood next to it and noticed the drawing she had done earlier and had picked up her book to look at it.

"Sire?" Halien said, uneasy being near him. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"This drawing is very well done. You captured my kin very accurately." Thorin said and handed the book to her. "They appear very happy in this drawing."

Halien stood there and sighed, holding her book close to her. As he walked away, Halien was surprised to receive such praise and put the book into her pack and gathered her things. She took Gandalf aside and told him that she was going to scout on ahead and make sure the road is safe to travel in the morning. Gandalf nodded as she left, but Bofur stopped her for a moment.

"Be careful, lass. Promise?" he asked.

Bofur and Halien had grown very close from the time that she had spent in his village. She had stayed in the Blue Mountains for nearly six years, teaching the healers new things about healing and working as a trainer for the children, teaching them how to use a wide variety of weapons. Halien hugged the dwarf and nodded, promising to be careful. Halien left the hobbit hole and searched the surrounding area of the Shire, leaving the dwarves to conclude their business with Bilbo.