A/N: It's been a while my lovely readers, and it was filled with finals, coffee and text books. It was a crrrazzy week and now I'm waiting for my grades. This chapter is another slow one, before all hell breaks loose again! You'd remember my intention to take my time writing Rivendell, so I did. Also, I'm a weary warrior and I needed to rest after all the exams. Hope you enjoy! I'd like to know your opinions, reviews are always welcome!

Miriel Tolkien & the Oz Meister and Jen Baas; thank you for your looovely comments! :3

Here, have fun!


The room was wrapped up in complete silence, apart from the splashing cascades outside. Everything was dyed in various tones of blue as the moonlight reflect on them. Every once in a while a woodnote or an Elven song reached in to her ears very hoarsely. Their songs were different from any songs Fai has ever heard before, and despite their beauty she suddenly felt blue out of nowhere. It was the first time she missed something about Earth. Back there she were basically attached to her headphones, and there wasn't a time where she didn't sing along.

At some point, being constantly on the run had taken away all her frustration, and there was literally no time to stop and think about all those things have happened to her. Now that all came to a temporary stop, she felt more defenseless and lost than ever. Although she missed her songs back on Earth, there wasn't a single soul that misses her back. Couple of so-called-friends from college might've noticed her absence but she didn't think that it would alarm anyone, for she was very fond of her solitude and liked to disappear without a notice every now and then.

As concerns the family, well, too bad that she didn't have one.

Fai never knew her mother and his father-

That was a long story, but thinking about him made her sigh in the dark.

She decided to focus on the present, as thinking about Earth was making everything seem unreal. As if she wasn't even sitting in a room in Rivendell. Thinking about it was distracting her, and she needed to concentrate on the journey with all she's got, for there wouldn't be a next time with a creature where she gets away that easy.

Fai really needed some training, and had her own reasons to not just go and ask Kili for it. Kili. It hadn't been even an hour since she freaked out on him and locked herself in her room instantly. Snapping at him wasn't the deal exactly, it was the way she did it. Looking into his eyes, with a curve on her lips that could easily be taken as a smile. It was a fragile moment and she smashed it with a baseball bat, without a warning.

"We are useless." she groused and tumbled onto her bed.


"What in Durin's name is wrong with her?!" squealed Kili, accompanied by a huge amount of frustration. He was the only one left sitting by the dinner table, or he thought he was, until hearing a voice answering him.

"Excuse me, sorry, but she is kind of right, you know."

Kili startled at the sudden voice and turned to its owner. It was Ori, sitting crosswise him. He was leaned on his journal, seemingly drawing or writing something. From the moment they came to Rivendell, he'd been always busy with his journal. Who could blame him though, in Elvenland everything was worth to document. He wasn't even looking at Kili while talking. The brown headed dwarf fretted, spreading his arms like he wanted to defend himself.

"Ah come on Ori! I was being friendly, I even offered her some of that Elf drink you know!"

"Yes, but didn't she try to save you?" said Ori in response. His voice was so calm as if he was talking about something ordinary. "Twice, actually? None of us heard you thanking."

Kili felt his anger blossoming inside. "She was just being mental! I can't thank her for trying to kill herself. Bloody ashes, Ori, I won't encourage her! She jumped on a damn Warg."

"Still.." Ori murmured harmlessly, loosing rest of the words in his mouth, for he was drawing a very important detail of some sketch.

Kili shook his head in disbelieve. As if you all swore an oath on driving me nuts. He sat there quietly, detached from everything and everyone. It was until he heard someone mentioning her name. He caught her name only and couldn't hear the specifics for rest of the words were in another language. When he turned his head in their direction, he saw Gandalf and Elrond exchanging glances. And not so long after that, Elrond nodded and they both stood up, looking as tall as two cypress trees.

Kili tried not to pay attention to their up-to-something attitude, until that certain name came up again.

"That's it." he gave up, impatiently slapping his knees. It wasn't even a second yet, but when Kili turned around to check on them once more, they were long gone.


When she heard the knocks, Fai knew it wasn't good. She decided pretending to sleep was the best idea ever, so she tried to got under the covers ever so quietly. Three more knocks later, she heard the Wizard's mocking voice.

"Dear lady of mine, we are aware that you are not sleeping. At least give us that much credit."

A light chuckle she suspected of belonging to Elrond kept his words company.

So now there is two of you, terrific.

"Would you be so kind to come outside, child?"

Almost 20 years old, being characterized as a child felt kind of weird. But considering Gandalf was Arda years old it was only natural. Fai huffed and got away from the bed. After draping the cloak over her shoulders, she opened the door for them. Elrond gestured towards outside, without a word. She was in no place to protest, so they began walking down the corridors illuminated with moonlight.

They brought her to the stone porch with the holey dome on it. It was the place where Galadriel and Saruman interrogated Gandalf in the movie. Could it really be?

To her surprise, there was no one else beside them. Fai hesitantly took her place by the table, trying not to think in a hundred miles per second.

"My curiosity is branching out on you more and more every minute, arimelda*." Elrond was eyeing her with statuesque. And Fai couldn't decide how to explain. He didn't see her falling from trees and Fai haven't spent hours running with him, so they were quite formal yet. He had an air of kindness though, and it helped a lot.

"I thought Gandalf would've given you the specifics by now.." she gave him a half-smile. "The thing is.. I'm from another land. I wasn't born in Arda. And I have my reasons to think that I am also not from Eä."

Elrond arched his eyebrows. He didn't look terrified or surprised, only confused. "And from where you are happened to be?"

"From Earth. I know you sometimes call here Earth, but mine is different.. It wasn't created with a song really, even though that would be pretty cool.. It came into existence with an explosion, for I believe. There aren't any Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits or -thankfully- Orcs there. Only us."

Elrond was all ears, he didn't move except shooting glances in Gandalf's direction every once in a while, and he definitely remain silent.

"There lived a man, or rather, a writer, named Tolkien. He wrote about you, for his entire life.. And this is where it gets interesting. He wrote it all from the Ainulindalë till the very Fourth Age, for I know. His books were pretty popular back there, I grew up reading your stories."

Elrond's eyes changed their color, but she was happy he didn't share the same interest with Gandalf; getting ridiculously tall on unexpected times. He didn't have a single wrinkle, which was making him look like a statue under the moonlight. It was the first time Fai sensed a bit of emotion in his voice other than kindness.

"How did you get here?"

Fai saw Gandalf kindle his pipe with his fingertip, and he was looking troubled, like he mostly did since her arrival. She remained quiet for a while, looking just as troubled as the wizard. She was familiar to how ridiculous her story must be sounding. How could you explain such thing? All the words felt wrong and Fai wished for another way to explain herself successfully. She looked Elrond in the eye with utter desperation.

"I don't know, okay? All I know is that I woke up one night on the cold wet dirt and seconds later, Gandalf was to run me over with Shadowfax. Then I woke up again, only to came upon thirteen dwarves and a hobbit I've been reading about my entire life. I'm not an Elf, and definitely not a Wizard as well so you should be the ones to do the explaining here, alright?"

Fai blurted out the words ceaselessly and by the end of it, she heard her voice trilling out of despair and a bit of anger. Blinked once or twice to get rid of the tears that was blurring her vision, and fired them glares both.

"Arwen en amin**, calm yourself," bespoke Elrond, in a really soothing tone. Fai didn't know what the first three words meant but felt a tad better. "I just wanted to be sure of what I've foreseen."

"So, you know what all these mean?" Fai asked in great confusion.

"No I don't, actually.. I just had a vision, some time ago from your arrival. I saw a girl with Mithrandir, talking about the things you just told me. I did not know what to make of it, and I hadn't seen your face. I just knew you'd come, before you actually did."

So popped her small bubble of hope and her eyes went back to their vacant, desperate state. She knew there was no use in telling him, for there is no possible explanation to why and how she came. After sitting quietly for a while, Fai finally gathered all the courage and turned her head in Gandalf's direction.

"If we cut to the chase.. What would become of me?"

That was when the wizard sighed in distress. Fai saw his eyes getting darker as he tried to bring himself to say those words out loud.

"Even though I enjoy your company and you've been the biggest riddle for me since the moment we met, I think, child, you are posing a danger for Middle-Earth. Your actions change things, and you know too much for your own good... You should not be wandering in the wild."

Why thank you, thought Fai, her inner voice was coated with sass that night. Even though she knew the wizard was right, it didn't make her feel any better. For she didn't choose any of it and everything was happening out of her control.

"Mithrandir."

Elrond's voice was kind as always, but Fai sensed something different. Something that disagrees.

"You do not know that. What if she is a part of all these? What if those changes, as you call them, are not changes but the continuum itself? For whatever reason, she is here now, and I don't think interfering would be wise. Let her make her own choices."

Suddenly Fai felt extremely guilty and incredibly ashamed for doubting Elrond. In the end, he sounded more reasonable than Gandalf did.

"All I can say to you child, is that you are very welcomed here if you will. This would indeed be the safest place for you, their journey don't have to be yours. You are not bound to loss and silence, for you are not bound to the circles of this world.***"

Gandalf seemed very fond of Elrond's idea of her staying in Imladris. "You can choose to stay. You can live here, accompanied by lovely Elves, good music and delicious food. You really would be safer, my lady."

At that moment, five feet away and hidden behind a tree, a dwarf held back a really strong gasp.


It was the dead of night, yet Fai was wide awake. After dreaming of the fluffy bed all day, being wide awake as an owl was driving her insane. How could she sleep though, with such crucial decision to make. The wine she asked for was keeping her company and she was sitting on the window ledge. It was comfortably wide, and granted a really nice view. Her arms were wrapped around her bent knees, and her head was resting on them.

Leaving or staying, Fai would laugh until she died if this question was asked while she was still on Earth. When she was going nuts about fan fictions. When she couldn't even recognize how dangerous Middle-Earth really is. Reading about it was one thing, while facing it every second was completely another. Exhausted with worry, Fai took a sip from her wine and thought about all the other dangers to encounter. Since she was causing changes unwittingly, there also could be new events to face she didn't know about.

While in deepest of her thoughts, a whisper heard from the other side of her door. Far from where she sat, still, pretty audible.

"Are you in there?"

It was hard to distinguish it from the voices she knew, since it was only a whisper. But she had a pretty strong idea that made her tremble in panic. Who else would creep up on her door on such late hour? She decided to remain silent but this damn trick wasn't working on anyone today.

"Come on, Fai, I need to talk to you."

Fuck.

Fai stood up and abandoned her wine glass unwillingly. The mysterious whisperer got quiet, as he heard noises coming from the other side of the door. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath before reaching out the doorknob and face the not-at-all-stranger-

Kili.

"What are you doing here?" she asked timidly, far from her scolding tone early in the afternoon. The dramatic exit she made was still haunting her thoughts very intensely. Facing him was the last thing she wanted, she'd even stay locked in her room forever, if it would save her from one more weird encounter between them.

"Can I?" Kili whispered, looking just as nervous. Then Fai let him in, mostly to avoid being seen by someone. She also tried to avoid her hands slightly shaking when closing the door behind them.

"Alright, please don't snap at me okay? And I promise to keep a lid on my temper as well. I really need to talk to you." begged Kili. Fai was really nervous for the thousandth time that day, and wasn't really delighted by her popularity. She led him by the window but they didn't sit on the ledge like she did before. They were standing in front of it and facing each other from an acceptable distance.

"I heard you, Elrond and Gandalf talking abo-"

"You what?!"

"Fai, I said no snapping.."

The way he uttered her name made something tingle on her neck.

"In fact.. You are not allowed to speak till I'm finished. I really need to get this out of my system and I can't do it if you keep interrupting me. Okay?"

She nodded, shying away from his gaze. Since when it was hard to be around him again, she couldn't recall. And it was different this time, for they've never been alone alone before. They were the only ones awake twice, but even then they were surrounded with sleeping dwarves.

"After you freaked- No never mind- forget I said that. I was sitting by the table and heard Gandalf and Elrond talking about you. There was something in the way they looked at each other. I got curious but when I turned to look again they were long gone. I've searched for them for a while, and when I found where they are.. You were with them as well. I couldn't hear much, since I was too late and you were about to finish but I heard the most important part- Hey- are you alright?"

Fai went white as the moon itself as he talked about how he spied on them. She didn't even want to imagine how much he heard, and what he would think about her. What would Thorin say when he finds out, and how could she explain herself. She felt Kili getting closer to her with worry, as he tried to figure out what was happening with her. He reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, not knowing what else to do.

"Keep going.." Fai mumbled. In for an inch, in for a mile.

"What I heard was Elrond offering you his hospitality, for good... And I know you are yet to decide."

Was that all he heard, Fai couldn't dare to believe. Feeling her blood rushing on a normal speed again, she tried to free herself from Kili's grip. But she couldn't for he was still holding him and had no thought of quieting down as well.

"I understand that staying would be the safest, and no one could blame you if you chose to. Just- I just.. Don't want to be the reason why you decided to stay."

Well that was unexpected. There was something in his voice that scratched her heart. He sounded desperate. As if he tried to do the things he did entirely different, and now didn't know how to make them right again. He was trying though, she really could tell that.

"What do you mean by that?" Fai asked, sounding more quaky than she could bear.

"I've been so furious with you and I acted like an idiot. You know it wasn't that undeserved though.. You jumped right in the middle of danger every freakin' time."

Fai opened her mouth right away to object in pretty severe ways, however quickly prevented by Kili who has tightened his grip on her shoulders.

"Shh! Just listen. Before you decide, I wanted to.. You know. Make sure you know that I don't hate you. I acted like that because I've grown quite protective of you. All of us do actually, I just don't seem to handle it pretty well.."

And she couldn't hide her smile. It was the nearest thing to an apology and undoubtedly a pretty cute one. Kili on the other hand didn't think he was going well until seeing the smile. He didn't remember the last time he felt this anxious. Now there was a smile, it left him with one last thing to do. He became even more nervous as he scolded himself in his head. Fili did that, didn't he? So you can as well.

Fai felt his hands on her shoulder pulling her closer inch by inch, and freaked out instantly. Is he going to-

Seconds later they were pulled into a hug. His hands were settled in between her shoulder blades clumsily, and her face was rested on his shoulder. She felt the fabric of his blue hood feeling up her chin, and his hair was tingling her ear. It was the weirdest interaction of them ever, for both of them didn't know what to do and couldn't dare to move even an inch. When he talked again, she felt his voice vibrating her body for they were too close.

"I have a whole army of dwarves pressuring me to thank you, you know."

His words made her chuckle, and they shared a little, yet genuine laugh together. Fai started to feel his body heat warming her up as well. It was nice, because she was always cold on Earth, and unfortunately it applied on the Middle-Earth as well.

"I'm with them on this one though." she said, Kili couldn't see her but her voice was giving her smile away. One of them giggled at the awkwardness, and the other followed. They were laughing quietly in each other's arms, and it suddenly wasn't that weird anymore. They slightly shifted to a more comfortable hug, and Kili tightened his grip on her just a little bit more. Fai wished the layers of clothes between them would hide her suddenly thumping heartbeats.

After a moment of silence, two words left his lips huskily, and echoed in Fai's head.

"Thank you."


After a good night's sleep, the company were in a lightsome mood at breakfast. Bofur was darting food in Bombur's mouth from across the table, and he was catching it every time like a happy glutton seal. Bilbo was buried deeply into a tale of Elrond's, while Ori sketched the food. Nori sang a song, making Oin place his hearing trumpet in his ear with joy, while Dori tried to make Ori eat instead of drawing. Even Thorin could be considered chuffed, for he took a liking to his new sword whose name was disclosed by Elrond. Orcrist, the Lord had said. The Goblin Cleaver. Also known as the Biter by the ever ugly Goblins.

He ran his eyes over on each of them, one by one. The honorable men who responded his call at once. His kin, the people he can place his trust in. They all looked happy on that day washed with the young lights of the sun. Dragging them along was making him feel restless every once in a while. Balin was old now, he should be resting and enjoying his second spring. Dwalin, Thorin's confidant, his closest friend was always around Balin, trying to protect his elder brother even though the old lad was quite skillful with his sword. Then there was Bofur and Bombur. who didn't hesitate a second before they joined the company, even though it has been explicitly explained to Bombur that there'd be lack of food. Thorin turned his gaze on Bifur, when the sunshine reflecting from the axe in his head blinded him. They weren't even related, so Durin knows what brought this insane, yet surprisingly gentle hearted dwarf along. Everybody knew his anger towards the Orcs, which was quite acceptable considering the axe they buried in his head. Bifur always seemed to seek revenge, and every headbutt he gave to an Orc was soothing the pain. The pain of having loved ones killed by those filthy creatures. Thinking about how alive Bifur looked while fighting, and how good he was at it, Thorin felt lucky to have him in this journey.

The dining company was short on its three young members. First escapee was Fai, she hadn't showed up for breakfast and Elrond reassured Bofur and Oin that she could be served later. They nodded in relief and gave up on filling their pockets with food for her. The other lost ones were the brothers, who ate their fill quickly and excused themselves for some training in the woods.

"Out with it already! There's something up with you today." said Fili, holding his sword vertically to block Kili's thrust. The sound of clashing swords filled the air.

"Are you trying to distract me brother? I thought you were better than that!" Kili grinned and darted forward to parry his brother's counter attack.

"Oh drop the act smarty pants, I heard you sneaking out yesterda- got cha!" Fili said, immediately taking advantage of his brother's sudden stagger. A sharp swoosh teared the air and Kili found his sword slipping through his fingers. He swore intensely and caught it on the half-way, returning the favor more eagerly this time. Fili set couple of steps back as his brother came upon him with consecutive strikes.

"I couldn't sleep alright? If it weren't for your ear-splitting snoring, I wouldn't go anywhere." he outcried, short on his breath for his excessive snarling.

Fili warned him in a serious tone, losing the annoying attitude for couple of seconds. "Regulate your breath, or it'll slow down and get you beaten by your opponent."

Kili nodded and adjusted his breathing to his movements, while Fili turned back into his annoying self. "And now you're lying like a Goblin! I wasn't even sleeping, how could I, with you constantly toss and turn?"

His words kicked in right away and had Kili infuriated again. The blond prince turned his torso sideways in order to evade his attack and then repaid his thrust just as powerfully. "Show me what that wrist can do." He was attacking him in every direction, without pausing for an instant.

Kili twisted and turned his sword around like a gyroscope, and dodged all of his brothers moves skillfully. It had become so intense that he thought it wasn't worth to find a witty comeback anymore. And since they always shared everything, Kili couldn't not tell him. He gasped and finally gave up, plunging his sword into the ground.

"Alright," he shrugged, exhausted. "I went to see Fai."

After following suit and laying down his weapon, Fili raised an eyebrow and asked sarcastically. "I thought you two couldn't communicate without hitting a certain decibel limit, how come no one hears you?"

Kili for once ignored his comment, thinking he wasn't that wrong this time. "Last night I overheard Elrond, telling her she could stay here if she wants."

His words made Fili raise his other brow as well. "It could be better for her, you know." said the elder brother with a mindful expression on his face. "She got lucky two times, but who could guarantee that her luck's gonna last?"

"I know," sighed Kili, looking as pensive as his brother. "And I told her as well. I went to see her, because I didn't want to affect her decision. I figured she might be thinking that I hate her or something. I don't want her to stay because of it."

"Wow, isn't it a bit of high-flown brother, even for you.. Why do you think that you have direct influence on her decision?"

"Look, I don't okay?" His voice was a mixture of despair and as always, anger. "I just wanted to say it."

Fili's eyes softened at his brother's sight, he never had the heart to went hard on him long enough. Without the slightest hint of sarcasm in his voice, he put his hand on Kil's shoulder and asked. "So, what else did you talk? Is she staying or?"

Kili shrugged and shook his head. "It was less than half an hour. I told what's on my mind and came back right away. She hadn't made a decision while I was there. And for the rest, I know as much as you do, since she didn't show up for breakfast." He tried to pretend as he didn't leave out the hugging part intentionally.

There wasn't anything else to talk about, so they sat under a tree and whetted their swords. Fili was humming, while Kili remain silent. It was so peaceful that for a moment reality faded away. As if there was no journey or a quest, and the dangers of the Arda were far, far away. There they sat for hours, till the sun settled right on top of them, turning the morning into midday. None of them said a word, till the very moment they heard some foot steps cracking the twigs on the ground.

Two heads turned in anticipation, only to find a girl standing in front of them. A very pale face and bloodshot eyes made clear that not a single second had been spent sleeping the other night. She looked like a ghost of herself. Both standing up, Fili saw a quiver and a bow hanging down on her arm.

"Fai.." mumbled Fili with worry, he'd never seen her like that, not even on the night she came.

"Hey." She smiled nervously, and turned her gaze from the blond one to the other. To a really anxious Kili. "I was wondering.. If you could teach me how to use this bow.. Figured when we hit the road, you might need me to save your life again."


Ending Notes:

* arimelda: dearest
** Arwen en amin: My lady (non familiar)
*** That is actually a song for Aragorn and it's called "Breath of Life". I lifted it from the movies, thinking it would suit Fai's situation perfectly.

Love y'all people, may you conquer you own finals week!