Hey everyone! Thanks for being patient with me! My posting schedule is VERY irregular so far, but I'm trying to get back. I need to figure out the best time to update for my other fics and there are only a few days of the week that work for updating this one. Sorry!

In this chapter we get to see a little more about Rin's home life, and the dwarves are starting to come up. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Two

Rîn woke up to smell breakfast cooking. Relieved that she didn't have to do anything, she snuggled under the blankets until she remembered that she wanted to finish stitching up one of her younger sister's tunics today. She knew it was better to do it early in the mornings so that she could have a free afternoon, but her bed was so soft...

Any thoughts of sleeping were shattered by her younger sister, Lelya. She jumped on Rîn and shook her violently. "Get up, Rîn! Mom and Dad are being boring and talking..." she hesitated for a second. "Poloics, I think you called them," she finished.

"Politics," Rîn murmured. It took a moment for her mind, layered in fog from being so rudely jolted out of her rest, to process the word. When it did, she leapt up and Lelya stepped back, delighted.

"Are you going to play with me now?"

Rîn didn't bother to answer, ducking into the hallway that led to the kitchen and listening.

Her mother was speaking. "We need to do something," she said.

"What is there to do?" her father asked.

"You're the king's advisor; you tell me! Rîn thinks you act, too. I can see it in her eyes, but she's her father's child. She would never say anything against the king."

"Don't drag her into this."

"We can't just sit around and let all this happen, Rhiadroth!"

"We just have to wait." Rîn could hear her father stand up and cross the room, and she gagged as she heard her parents kiss.

"What are you doing?" Lelya asked loudly, coming up behind her. Rîn whirled angrily on her sister, glaring at her.

"Be quiet, Lelya!" she whisper-shouted.

"Come on out, Rîn, Lelya," her father said. "I can hear you."

Rîn stepped sheepishly into the kitchen, and her mother ducked her head to hide her smile. "Your breakfast is ready," she said. Rîn took the plate and thanked her mother, sitting down, and Lelya followed her.

"Will you play with me after breakfast, Rîn?" she asked.

"I'm busy, Lelya."

Lelya sighed. "Busy with what?"

"Just stuff!"

"You're always busy with 'stuff'. Can't you take a break for once?"

"Stop it, Lelya," Rîn said, quickly finishing her bite and slipping the plate onto the counter, even though she wasn't finished. "I'm not hungry," she told her mother.

"Rîn, play with your sister," her father said. "She's right; you have been too busy lately."

"I'll play with her later," Rîn said, slipping away.

Rîn stopped when she heard two guards talking amongst themselves. The expressions on their faces were grim, and it freaked Rîn out just a little bit.

Not that she'd ever been scared in her life, of course.

"I've heard that the elves of Rivendell got a visit from a company of dwarves," one of them said.

"And Gandalf the Gray is the head of them. Yes, I've heard that, too. They're supposed to be headed to reclaim Erebor," the second one answered.

"What do you think our ill-tempered king will do when he hears the news?"

They both quickly fell silent before the second elf had a chance to answer, both of their eyes fixed on Prince Legolas. He didn't seem to notice them as he left, and they changed the subject of their discussion.

Rîn slipped away silently, hoping they hadn't noticed her. She puzzled over their words. Dwarves in Rivendell? Gandalf the Gray? She didn't know if King Thranduil was on friendly terms with Lord Elrond, but she was sure he would hear the news sooner or later.

"Rîn!"

She turned to see Tauriel behind her. What do you want? "Yes?"

"Have you heard the rumors?"

"Yes. Has Prince Legolas?"

Tauriel gave her a questioning look. "Why would I know?"

Rîn almost wanted to attack her. 'Why would I know?' As if.

"What do you think King Thranduil is going to do?" Tauriel asked, when Rîn didn't answer.

"I don't know."

Tauriel looked a bit confused as to why Rîn was acting strange, but she nodded and left.

Rîn turned away and tried not to focus on her negative thoughts, but it was hard. She shook her head and refocused on the dwarves.

"Rîn."

She turned around (again) to see Prince Legolas standing there. Her heart skipped a beat until he spoke again.

"Have you seen Tauriel?" he asked.

"Yes," Rîn said dryly.

After a moment of expectant silence, he asked, "Where?"

"She went that way." Rîn pointed, and Legolas thanked her. "Wait," she said. He turned back to her expectantly. "Have you heard the rumors?" she asked. She knew that it was a touchy subject with him, but she also knew that he needed to know.

"No."

"Supposedly there were dwarves seen in Rivendell."

He looked at her as if waiting for more, so she continued. "I think they might be passing through here. They're supposedly on their way to Erebor."

He nodded. "Thank you," he said simply, leaving to find Tauriel.

Rîn sighed. There was nothing else she could do. Legolas was going to go find Tauriel no matter what.

And who wouldn't? She was pretty, considerate, and an excellent fighter. Exactly Legolas's type, apparently.

"Rîn! Play with me!"

Rîn saw Lelya running up to her. She grabbed the hem of her older sister's shirt and pulled on it. "You promised Daddy you would."

"Did you come all this way to tell me that?" she asked. Lelya nodded.

Rîn rolled her eyes. "Fine."