Fili suspected that he should be somewhat concerned when Bella didn't voice much protest when she discovered the two of them would be riding together. He decided to push his concern aside until they were in safety, figuring it was just all the events of the past twenty-four hours.
But he couldn't ignore the warning look Bilbo had leveled on him as they rode out once again. A threat that if anything happened to Bella, Fili would have more than one reason to regret that mistake.
Their race of earlier resumed. Galloping across the plains, all the while making sure of where the wargs and their riders were. It was about mid-afternoon when things took a sharp turn downhill. A second orc got smart and found them in a small valley between a couple rolling hills.
"Flee, you fools!" Gandalf shouted.
Bella seemed to snap out of her shock as their danger once again gained a clear source. She turned about, whether to find her pony or her brother, Fili didn't know.
He wrapped an arm around her, forcing her to be still. "I can't let you fall off," he said.
"But–"
"Kili will make sure Bilbo is alright," he said. "Gandalf wants you to stay with me for his peace of mind."
"Fine," she said, huffing lightly. "I'll humor him this once. Considering I didn't react well earlier."
Fili immediately noticed a change now that her focus was outward. She was no longer along for the ride, just hanging on and being a passenger. She anticipated their next moves, shifting and leaning with the pony as they swerved and raced over the plains. She kept low, making herself less of a target.
They raced onward for another hour, narrowly avoiding various arrows and other weapons. Then as they mounted a hill, Fili was dismayed to find that they were being surrounded.
"We have to get out of here," Bella said.
"I know," Fili said, barely resisting the urge to hug her close to him again.
A distant horn blew, a sound unlike anything Fili had ever heard, rolling across the plains. It took a moment before he realized that it was distracting their pursuers.
"Quickly," Gandalf said, galloping through and around the wargs.
Fili followed close behind with everyone else.
Bella twisted to look behind them. "Elves," she breathed. "They're taking the monsters down." She laughed with relief. "We're actually going to make it."
Fili smiled. "Did you really doubt it?"
"Not really, just a little hard to imagine an escape a few times," she said.
It was only a half-hour now before they cantered single-file through a pass. When they reached the end, Fili noticed how they had all stopped in a small cluster. He smiled a little as he nudged their pony around the edge of the Company so that Bella could have the clearest view possible of the city she'd wished to visit.
"Oh!" she gasped.
Fili had to admit his own breath was stolen away. The entire city appeared to have been carved from the cliff face as waterfalls cascaded from beneath various houses.
Bella lightly bounced in front of him. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"
"You honestly expect a dwarf to answer that?" Fili returned with a smile.
She tossed her head. "Dwarves and their pride," she scoffed lightly.
"The Valley of Imraldis," Gandalf proclaimed. "In the common tongue, it has another name."
"Rivendell," Bilbo said, his quiet voice carrying over the company.
"Here lies the Last Homely House east of the sea," Gandalf said.
"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing?" Thorin softly yet fiercely, scoffed. "They'll try to stop us."
"Of course they will," Gandalf said easily. "But we have questions that need answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you'll leave all the talking to me."
Fili just barely glimpsed his uncle giving the wizard a wary nod before the wizard led them onward. As they drew closer to the city, he had to hold in his laughter as Bella gazed, sometimes open-mouthed at everything around them. "Yet another good reason you're riding with me," he whispered in amusement. "You may have accidently ridden your pony over the side of a walkway."
She shook her head. "Just you wait until we reach Erebor. You'll start gawking then, I'm sure."
He chuckled at that. "Fair enough, amralime."
Finally, they rode between two tall statues of elven warriors onto a courtyard plateau. "I never dreamed it would be this wonderful," Bella said.
Fili smiled down at her head of messy, windblown hair. Of course. Just as he and Kili grew up with tales of Erebor and its grandeur, Bella and her brother must have grown up with stories of Rivendell, its beauty, and heroes. He dismounted, gently lifting her off and down. He took delight as she bounced on her toes when she spied an elf coming down the entrance stairs toward them.
"Mithrandir," the elf greeted.
"Ah, Lindr," Gandalf greeted in return.
The elf, Lindr, switched to Sindarin. Fili smirked as he managed to catch the gist of his words. Their entrance had not gone unnoticed.
"I must speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf said.
Fili fought to hide his mirth as Bella nearly danced in place.
"My lord Elrond is not here," Lindr answered.
Bella wilted for a moment. Then shook herself as she returned her focus to the city itself.
"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asked.
Before Lindr could answer, a familiar horn sounded behind them. Fili turned to see a line of armed elves coming swiftly on horseback.
"Ifridi bekar! Hold ranks!" Thorin ordered.
On instinct Fili pushed Bella behind him as he drew one of his swords. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bilbo and Ori also being put in the center of the huddle as the horses started circling round them. The ponies broke free of their riders in the momentary mayhem, joining their larger cousins in the dance. Finally they all stilled.
"Gandalf," an elf astride a black horse greeted.
"Lord Elrond," the wizard returned.
Fili marked this elf. He wasn't entirely sure how elvish nobility worked, but he knew enough about dwarvish nobility that if someone wished to meet them, they had to take their first possible opportunity or not at all. Before they left this courtyard, he would make sure Bella and Bilbo met their elvish hero. It was the least he could do for them after the day they had.
Bella stilled as she caught her first glimpse of Elrond Half-Elven. She had been frightened that she would be a giddy mess, but now she felt as though she was rooted to the floor. She had never seen a being so beautiful yet stern.
"My friend," Gandalf greeted in Sindarin. "Where have you been?"
"We've been hunting a pack of orcs that came up from the South," Lord Elrond answered as he dismounted. "We slew a number near the hidden pass." He warmly embraced Gandalf before adding in Westron, "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near."
"Ah," Gandalf said, somewhat chagrined. "That may have been us."
Bella barely noticed how the dwarves shifted, causing Lord Elrond to turn to them.
"Welcome, Thorin Son of Thrain," Lord Elrond greeted.
"I do not believe we have met," Thorin rumbled.
"You have your grandfather's bearing," Lord Elrond explained. "I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."
"Indeed," Thorin said, almost insulting, "he never made mention of you."
Bella shifted, a little uncomfortably. She was somewhat comforted by the fact that the elves were guiding not only their horses but the Company's ponies to the stables. She watched Elrond for his reaction.
His expression didn't change, his gaze locked on Thorin. "Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests."
"Did he honestly have to invite us to dinner in elvish?" Fili whispered in Bella's ear.
She almost laughed, even as the other dwarves started rumbling.
"Does he offer us insult?" Gloin challenged.
"No, Master Gloin," Gandalf said, looking as though he was reaching his limit of dwarf interactions once again. "He's offering you food."
The dwarves conferred amongst themselves before Gloin finally acquiesced, "Very well then. Lead on." With that, the dwarves started moving forward.
Bella jumped as Fili grabbed her hand. "Fili?" she asked as he pulled her forward.
Bilbo gave a soft cry when the blond dwarf grabbed him as well.
"What are you doing?" Bella asked. She expected to be rushed inside with all the rest of the Company.
Instead Fili wove them through the dwarves, managing to both stay back and move forward at the same time. It wasn't until Fili nodded at his brother to go on that Bella realized that the three of them and Gandalf were the only members of the Company still in the courtyard.
Fili's hands shifted from hers and Bilbo's hands to their shoulders. He then guided them to a bemused Lord Elrond. Fili gave a shallow bow. "Mae govannen, Elrond Half-Elven, Lord of Rivendell," he greeted respectfully. "I wish to introduce you to the Company's hobbits, both of whom have long wished to meet you."
"Mae govannen, Fili Son of Dis, Daughter of Thrain," Lord Elrond replied, bowing his head. "Please, introduce these unique hobbits."
Fili clapped Bilbo's shoulder. "Bilbo Baggins of Bag End on Bagshot Row of Hobbiton in the Shire, our burglar."
Lord Elrond bowed. "An honor, Master Baggins."
"E-equal honor, Lord of Rivendell," Bilbo said with his own bow.
Bella's heart was in her throat when Fili nudged her forward. "Bellarosa Baggins, also of Bag End with her brother. Advocate of the elves, hobbit ranger, and also our burglar."
"At your service, Mistress Baggins," Lord Elrond said, bowing.
"And I at yours, your Lordship," Bella answered with a curtsey. She spoke to him. She just spoke to the legendary Elrond Half-Elven, Lord of Rivendell!
"It would seem," Lord Elrond said, "you have made a difference in at least this one dwarf, Mistress Baggins." He turned to Fili. "Your actions, Master Dwarf, will surely influence your One's final choice." A small smile crossed his face as he nodded. "May Eru bless you."
"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Fili said with a nod.
"Feel free to enjoy all the hospitalities we may bestow," Lord Elrond said, gesturing to the entrance.
"We thank you, Lord Elrond," Bilbo said.
A final exchange of bows and the three of them ascended the flight of stairs, entering the Last Homely House. In the entryway Bella froze. "Bilbo."
"Yes?" Bilbo asked.
"We met Lord Elrond," she said quietly.
"We met the Lord of Rivendell," Bilbo said, excitement lacing his words.
"We're actually in Rivendell," she said, bouncing.
"We spoke to Lord Elrond," Bilbo said.
Bella looked over and met Bilbo's eyes. "We made it," she whispered.
"The end of our first adventure," Bilbo murmured.
Bella squealed, leaping into his arms. "We did it!"
They danced in pure joy, Fili's delighted laughter their music. But it just wasn't enough. Bella reached out and grabbed Fili's hand, drawing him into their dance circle. It mattered not who saw them. They had finally reached the end of their first adventure, the adventure they had been planning for all those years ago. They deserved to celebrate, and Bella wasn't going to let any stuffy dwarves ruin her experience.
Author's Note: And we have safely made it to Rivendell! And I got the happy experience of receiving at least nine reviews within the last week. The majority was just last night, so simply because I'm so happy for the reviews, I'll do my best to upload an extra chapter this coming Wednesday. :-) No big promises, since I may or may not be seeing a friend that day. Thank you for the reviews and other support you offer.
Anyway. Ifridi bekar is Khuzdul for "Ready weapons." Mae govannen is Sindarin for "Well met" or "Welcome."
Well, Bilbo and Bella have fulfilled their dreams of not only adventuring to Rivendell but also meeting Lord Elrond. And Fili was the one to ensure it actually happened. Of course, elves and dwarves both are stubborn in their own ways with their own tricks for sniping at each other. We'll be seeing how things go at dinner in the next chapter. Any theories as to how that dinner will go?
Anything about this chapter that stood out to you? Something you loved? Something you hated? Anything that made you smile like crazy? I'd love to hear about it. The Company will be in Rivendell for a few chapters. Any guesses as to what they'll see or who they'll meet here? Hoping to hear from you soon. :-)