Chapter XV: Getting to Work

A/N: This has been entirely too long a wait. Lost the notebook that had the chapter. Will just get to it. SSD

This had been Ashara's favorite Yuletide in all of her 587 years. Dwarves certainly knew how to throw a party.

With the festivities ending a few days ago, she found herself to be on edge. Her grandfather would not delay his interrogation of her much longer over the Coi Nire ritual Ashara had performed on Ravenhill when he was leaving in the next couple of days. Still, she was doing her best to avoid being alone with him.

In the week since she had come back to the world of the living, her legs were healing faster than when she was unconscious. When she hadn't been sitting for Nori's drawing, Ashara was hobbling around on crutches. Which was exhausting and the reason why she was heading back to her rooms to rest.

Ashara mentally cursed when she saw her grandfather waiting in a chair by the fire. Her luck had run out.

"Havo dad. Maurelme nyarana." There would be no arguing with him.

Elrond waited while his granddaughter hopped into the chair opposite him. There was already an evasive look in her eyes.

Once she was comfortable, she asked, "So what do you want to talk about haru?"

"Ashara, playing the fool was never your strong suit, there is no reason to start trying now. Why did you perform a ritual that just as easily could have killed you both. And where did you even read about it?"

"In Lothlorien. It was suggested to me that I might find it useful," she replied.

Galadriel, you and I will be having a *long* conversation about this! he thought before asking, "And how much did you read of the book? I doubt you read much beyond the history."

His granddaughter, narrowed her eyes at his statement, saying, "Why would you say that?"

"Because there are some very specific requirements for the Coi Nire to be successful. Is there perhaps a more… personal reason you chose to use it?"

Ashara stared into the flames before saying, "He is a friend. Nothing more."

Elrond knew that would be all he would get out of her. She was likely not ready to speak more on the matter.

1 month later…

Soren was heading off to visit Ashara. She was getting cauma hwiniol from being cooped up in Erebor by her father, brother, and Thorin. They were running out of excuses to keep her indoors, though now she was fully healed.

Not bothering to knock, he walked in to see Ashara putting on her armor.

"Going somewhere?" Soren drawled.

"I am heading off to Dale. It's way past due that I upheld my promise to Bard to help him train some guards," she replied. They were now heading to the stables.

"Giving all of the worried males the slip?"

"Yes. Their excuses are getting weaker and weaker. I need to feel the wind on my face," Ashara replied as she was leading a horse out of the stables, having already placed the tack on. As she climbed onto the horse, she asked, "You coming with me?"

"Of course I am!" Soren replied before retrieving his own horse, quickly getting the tack on, and rode out after his friend.

Now that it was past Yule, it was time to get back to work. In the month since the holiday, those that had been wounded were back on their feet and working hard.

Balin had a feeling that Ashara was going to be heading outside, attempts to keep her inside by her kin and Thorin notwithstanding. What little he knew about elves, they liked being outdoors, and Ashara had not been outside for nearly two months.

Thorin and Bard were working on mending the rift with the dwarves lending both stonemasons and material in the rebuilding of Dale.

The rangers, elves, and some of the dwarves were also working on training guards for Dale, and which would hopefully in the future be the beginnings of an army. The Dalish were not picky with who trained them. The red haired she elf was doing most of the training for archery. Erudan and Aedric were doing the swordplay. Dwalin was training some of the more husky men with axes. Soren would train in stealth, even the elves had a hard time hearing his steps.

Out of the corner of his eye, Balin noticed Soren and a very familiar looking elf ride up.

There are sure to be fireworks once certain individuals notice this! He thought before saying, "It's good to see you again lass. What do you have planned?"

"I was considering starting to help with the training of the people from Lake Town. I did promise Bard I would do that. Given that I am fully healed now, I felt that I should get started," the she elf replied as she made her way over to the stables.

"This is a show that cannot be missed," Balin murmured. The ranger asked, "Is Oakenshield occupied?"

"He is talking with Bard at the moment, over restoration plans," he replied before continuing, "He should be busy for several hours yet to come."

"Ashara is not looking for an argument. She just wants to spend some peaceful time outside."

"Let us both hope she gets that laddie," Balin replied. Mahal had been showing a puckish sense of humor in regards to Ashara and Thorin. So he was not counting on Ashara getting a peaceful day today.

Saruman could not believe it. Three swords from legend had been found and none of them were in his possession. Worse still Orcrist and Lightbringer were in the hands of an elf and a dwarf!

The other members of the Council were fully aware of the nature of those particular swords and what they meant, none of them, especially Elrond himself were worried about it! His granddaughter carried Lightbringer!

If no one else was going to do anything about this situation he would. He could not act directly, as he knew that Gandalf would get suspicious rather quickly.

There would be a group of dwarves that would be more than willing to interfere on his behalf. They might even be planning to interfere on their own, given their views on intermarriage between the peoples of Middle Earth. Especially between dwarves and anyone not a dwarf.

The Brotherhood of Mahal would probably thank him for warning them, and would likely remember him favorably in the future.

A/N 2: The Brotherhood of Mahal is used with full permission from Blondiezhere. As I read about them making difficulties for a dwarf/human match, I began to imagine just what they'd do with a dwarf/elf match!

New Translations

Havo dad. Maurelme nyarana- Sit down. We need to talk.

cauma hwiniol- literal translation is "shelter mad" but I took it to be cabin fever.