Chapter XIV: When My Heart Finds Yule...

A/N: Apologies for the lack of updates, this is my first chance to get on a computer. This is posted from Arizona! This is a chapter that I have been waiting a long time to get to. Bold is either Sindarin or Quenya. Hope you enjoy the story. SSD

It was the day before the Yuletide celebrations. Elladan however felt little joy with the season. It had been enjoyable watching the dwarves getting everything together. The people of Dale would also be joining in on the festivities.

He was not planning on joining in the celebration, instead opting to stay with his daughter. Ashara was still showing no signs of waking up in the short term future.

"Ashara please wake up. I- everyone needs you. And you have plenty of unfinished business from that stunt you pulled!"

Elladan began to fall into the open eyed sleep, before truly drifting off he heard a hoarse whisper, "Atar, na i alyë?"

Rising to his feet like a shot, he saw his daughter's gleaming gold eyes.

With shining eyes, Elladan whispered, "melda anelya" as he hugged his daughter.

Soren walked around Erebor with a bounce in his step. There was good reason to do so.

His best and (usually) most clever friend was awake. For the moment, the group that was in the know about Ashara were not going to be interrogating her just yet, as they were too happy.

Sooner or later, Elrond would be the one to do the interrogating. And Soren knew that Ashara would be ducking the questions as much as she could, giving non answers to the ones she could not avoid.

It had also been decided that Ashara's return to the world of the living would be kept quiet for the moment. The idea had been Elrond's. Soren suspected that he wanted to see the reaction of a certain dwarf.

Slipping into her room, he saw Ashara propped up on pillows. Erudan was updating her about what was going on in Dale.

"The survivors from Dale will also be at the festivities," the silver haired elf explained.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the looks on everyone's faces when the see me," Ashara replied with a smile.

"Anyone in particular," Soren could not help but ask with a crooked grin on his face.

"No. I know where you are going, and don't even think about it," she replied with narrowing eyes.

"What are you two talking about," Erudan was confused.

Before Soren could say a word Ashara growled, "Soren, if you continue this line of conversation, as soon as I am able, I will make you regret it in the sparring ring. I have learned some new dirty tricks from the Company that I am sure you'll not like!"

He winced. Even when she was in a good mood, Ashara was dangerous with a blade. When she was in a foul mood, there would be broken bones. And that was if you were lucky.

"I'll tell you later Erudan. After all it's in a brother's job description to annoy his sister!"

Even Ashara managed a chuckle at that. When Elladan walked in they were still chuckling. He had with him a pair of leather braces for his daughter's legs.

"If you still want to go to the Yule festivities tonight, now would be the time you start to get ready," he said.

The festivities were well underway. With everyone working hard, everything was running smoothly.

Thorin eyed the elves from Rivendell, who were sitting with the people of Dale.

Two of the group were not there. One was the Ranger who seemed to know Ashara all too well. The other was Ashara herself. He had not been able to visit much, mostly due to his own duties and the fact that her brother had made it abundantly clear he did not want the dwarves around.

He planned to visit her later.

His musings were interrupted by someone shouting, "Can someone open the door for me? I'm carrying a heavy load!" It was that Ranger.

"I'M NOT THAT HEAVY SOREN!"

Thorin felt more alive than he'd been feeling since he woke up.

Ashara was back in the world of the living.

Fili and Kili darted toward the door. Sure enough Soren entered carrying Ashara in his arms.

She looked pale, but her eyes were bright and dancing with mirth. The only other sign that she'd been wounded were the leather braces on her legs.

"So... Where do you want to go first?" Soren asked as he edged around people.

Ashara replied, "I'd like to sit with the dwarves and Bilbo."

"Sui iestdhir" Soren replied as he noticed the perfect seat. Ashara caught his gaze. Before she could say anything, he carefully set her down next to Thorin with a wink. Ashara sent him an acidic glare. She was not ready to discuss the events on Ravenhill. Thorin likely wasn't either.

Food was a good way to keep from talking. Both of them made use of it.

Bilbo felt ecstatic that Ashara was finally awake. Which should prove interesting given what he'd overheard her father and grandfather discussing. They didn't know that Ashara had taught him some Sindarin over the course of the Quest when she had the time. She'd been talking with Dwalin and Nori as well.

His favorite elf had eaten some soup with bread, and was moving to drink some ale when he asked, "So what did you say to Thorin when you threw that dagger at him?"

Ashara nearly choked on her drink, Bilbo also heard a cackle from Soren who was nearby.

"You want to know what I said now?" she squeaked.

"Yes... Just what *did* you say," Bilbo recognized Elladan's voice. If what he suspected was right she would not tell him what she said with her father around.

Ashara rolled her eye, but her ears were carmine.

"Bilbo come here I'm not going to repeat this again."

Elladan watched as his daughter whispered in the hobbit's ear, whose face first went pale then the color of the setting sun. He'd only caught a few of the words himself, none of them were suitable for polite conversation.

The hobbit spluttered, "That's not physically possible!"

"Oh but it is! Especially when you have the right person with ya!" Soren called out with a wink.

"What do you need the right person for," Thorin asked.

Ashara stammered before Bilbo saved her bacon by saying "Ashara was just translating something for me that she said a while back."

His daughter nodded and he noticed that the pink had traveled from her ears but to her face and neck as well. Oakenshield looked like he didn't quite believe Bilbo, and gave Ashara an unreadable look.

There was something there, and judging by the pair's behavior, neither was ready to discuss the matter.

Before he could say anything, his daughter asked, "Can I sit with you, Erudan, and haru? It's been too long since I've spent time with you all."

With the dwarves moving around a bit, Soren was able to pick up Ashara again and began carrying her to where her family was sitting.

Once they were all settled again, Ashara turned towards her brother with narrowed eyes "So... what did you do to make my friends answer my questions concerning you without looking me in the eye?"

Thorin watched Ashara listen to her brother try to explain his behavior over the last month. For a moment she seemed sympathetic, before her expression changed to anger. She promptly started to ream her brother out in one of the elven tongues.

"I imagine you've been on the wrong end of Ashara's wrath before haven't you?" It was Aedric.

"That I have. Over the course of the Quest and a big altercation in Mirkwood.

"What happened in Mirkwood?"

"Thranduil sent her to the dungeons to discuss the conditions of our release. Ashara hadn't shared that Elrond was her grandfather. Thranduil had mentioned it to me earlier, but I thought he was just playing a trick on me. I... reacted badly. Don't know what she said, but judging by the reaction of the guard with her had, it was colorful."

"Ashara despite her supposed helegrían exterior has quite the vivid vocabulary," Aedric stated.

"Vivid is an understatement," Thorin replied when Ashara finished up with her brother. She was talking with her grandfather now, who had gotten her some more food. No ale though, despite the brief argument.

Once Elrond was occupied elsewhere with the people of Dale, Soren slipped her a mug of ale, at which she smiled her thanks.

What was the bond between those two?

Elrond watched Thorin give Soren the evil eye. The ranger seemed unaware of the fact at present, as he'd just told a joke that had made Ashara, Erudan, and Aedric laugh so hard they were clutching their sides.

"I hope you know what you're doing this time, Gandalf. What you have in mind has the potential to blow up in your face," he said to the Istar.

"It will work. Trust me."

"I hope you do. And pray to Illuvatar that it works!" Elrond replied before returning to where his family was seated.

A/N 2: So... What did you all think? I had a lot of fun with this chapter. SSD

Translations:

Atar, na i alyë?- Father is that you?

melda anelya- my sweet daughter

Sui iestdhir- As you wish

helegrían- ice queen