Chapter One
The Shire
Bag End
Early evening..
Neniel arrived in the Shire by early evening, and it was just getting dark. Neniel had a feeling that once she meets these dwarves, they will not allow her to go with them. Neniel dismissed the thought as she drew near the hobbit hole that Gandalf had told about. There's the mark he has told me about, this must be the place! Neniel thought as she knocked on the door. She could hear a voice mumbling behind the door. "It better not be any more dwarves!" grumbled the voice as they door opened.
Neniel could see standing in front of her, Mister Baggins, the hobbit whom Gandalf told her about. She had never met a hobbit before in her life. She didn't understand why a wizard would want to bring along a kind and gentle hobbit on a dangerous quest. "Neniel, at your service!" said Neniel as she bowed. "Are you a friend of Gandalf's?" asked Bilbo. "Yes I am. He has sent me here." said Neniel, as she removed her cloak. The hobbit looked at the she elf in amazement. Her light brown skin, and white hair caught her attention.
But he also took notice of her pointed ears. "You're an elf aren't you?" asked Bilbo, with a smile. "Yes. I'm a dark elf." Neniel replied. "Dark elf? I never heard of a dark elf before. Aside to that, come! I have food if you're hungry!" said Bilbo, as he led her to the dining room. As they entered, Neniel could see already two dwarves sitting at the table talking quietly to each other. One dwarf had a white beard, dressed in a red jacket, and another dwarf, with a bald head and tattoos. Neniel felt quite impressed with the dwarf's tattoos, because she had tattoos herself on her right shoulder.
The dwarves turn their attention to her. "And whom might you be?" asked the bald dwarf. "My name is Neniel, and I'm a friend of Gandalf's. He has sent me here to meet with him." said Neniel. The Bald Dwarf scowled. "He's not going to have you join us, is he? And why would he invite a tree shagging elf?!" growled the dwarf. "Excuse me?!" snapped Neniel, sharply. "Don't mind my brother, lassie. And for the lack of introductions.." said Balin, glaring at his brother.
"Balin, at your service, and this is my brother Dwalin." said the older dwarf. Neniel nodded. "Its nice meeting the two of you!" said Neniel, casually as she begin to eat. Neniel thought the older dwarf was nice, but she could see the bald dwarf didn't like her already.
Five minutes later, two young dwarves entered the dining room. One had blonde and the other had black. The second young dwarf, had very little beard, and they greeted Balin and Dwalin warmly. Suddenly, the young dwarves finally noticed Neniel. "Well, Gandalf failed to mention he was going to bring a lady along! And an elf at that!" beamed the blonde dwarf.
"Fili!" began the blonde dwarf.
"Kili!" chimed in the dark haired dwarf.
"At your service!" both dwarves said together, as they bowed. "Neniel, at yours." Neniel replied, and she bowed as well. "Don't take this the wrong way, Miss Neniel, but if our Uncle sees you here, he won't like it at all. Its just the we dwarves don't like elves." explained Kili. "And why don't you like elves?" asked Neniel. "Its really a long story, and its best for our friend Mister Balin to tell you that." said Kili. "I'm surprised your wizard friend didn't tell you." spoke up Dwalin.
"No, he didn't tell me." said Neniel, now feeling frustrated. As long as she knew Gandalf, she didn't understand why Gandalf told her little of the history of Middle Earth and the races, and he could have given her a slight warning about the distrust between the elves and dwarves.
"So. Where are you from, Neniel?" asked Fili, changing the subject. "I'm from Nosdorin, its outside from Middle Earth, quite far exactly. But my kingdom was destroyed by orcs, killing everyone, including my King and my parents. I live underground. I'm a Dark Elf." said Neniel. "A Dark Elf? The legends are true! We hear of dark elves in tales, but I never thought they would exist!" exclaimed Dwalin. "And no, not elves are bad as you think they are. And I'm not one of them 'bad' elves." said Neniel.
Balin smiled. "I just pray we'll convince that to our leader." said the old dwarf with a shrug. Suddenly, the door bell rang again, as the hobbit frantically went to answer it, as more dwarves appeared at the door. Neniel felt sorry for the hobbit. And not only the dwarves were at the door, Gandalf finally arrived as well. Gandalf introduces the rest of the dwarves to both Bilbo and Neniel. "Gandalf, a word!" spoke up the red haired dwarf, Gloin. "Yes, Master Gloin?" said Gandalf.
"You failed to tell us that this woman is an ELF! Thorin will not like this one bit!" snarled Gloin. "Well, he's got to learn to accept it." said Gandalf. "It doesn't matter, Gandalf. It appears I won't be going anyway, if that's how everyone is going to feel." spoke up Neniel, as she was about to turn and walk out of Bilbo's home.
But Gandalf placed his hand on Neniel's shoulder. "You're not going anywhere. Give it time, they will warm up to you." said Gandalf, quietly and firmly. "Fine. Have it your way then." said Neniel, as she took her place back at the table. "You're very beautiful, Neniel? What does Neniel mean?" asked Kili. "Among my people, it means 'strong warrior'." Neniel replied. "Interesting-what weapons do you use to fight?" Fili asked. "Sword, daggers and a bow." said Neniel. Kili grinned. "Maybe we should train together sometime." said Kili, suddenly Fili kicked his brother in the ankle. "OW! What was that for?" exclaimed the dwarf prince.
"I would be careful with her, Kee! She could kill you in your sleep!" Fili whispered to his brother. "How would you know that? She just said earlier.." protested Kili. "It doesn't matter-she is still not to be trusted." said Fili. Neniel sat and observed the merry gathering of dwarves as they ate, drank and laughed. Neniel decided to help out Bilbo, since she could see the poor hobbit feeling overwhelmed and flustered. "Thank you for helping, Miss Neniel. The dwarves are driving me batty." said Bilbo, grumpily. "You're not the only one!" sighed Neniel.
"They don't like you, do they?" asked Bilbo, as walked to the pantry. "No, they don't. I just don't understand why they wouldn't." said Neniel. "I think its time I should explain to you why they don't, Neniel." spoke up a voice behind them. Neniel turned, and she could see Gandalf standing behind them. "Yes, Gandalf. I think its time you fill me in on something I have no idea about!" said, Neniel, sharply. Gandalf began telling her of Smaug's first attack on Erebor, and how the Wood Elves, led by Thranduil had turned away from the dwarves, with thousands of men, women and children dead after the attacks.
"That's horrible!" exclaimed Neniel, her eyes widened. She understood it all now, why the dwarves are like that. "But there is more, however, but I will tell you when we have the time." said Gandalf. "Okay." said Neniel, as she sat back down at the table. The dwarves had finished their meal, as they begin tossing plates and silverware across the table. "No, not my mother's dish ware!" cried out Bilbo, trying to stop the dwarves from throwing the plates. Neniel didn't feel too impressed at all with this behavior, as she kept watching.
"No, not the knives! You'll blunt them!" Bilbo cried out again. "Did you hear that lads? He say we'll blunt the knives!" joked Bofur.
Suddenly, Kili began to sing, shortly joined in by the other dwarves:
Kili:
Blunt the knives, bend the folks!
Fili:
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
ALL:
That's What Bilbo Baggins hates!
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowel;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you're finished, they are whole
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
The song abruptly ended, when there was a loud knock on the door. "He's here." said Gandalf. "Who's here?" asked Neniel. "Our Uncle, Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror King Under the Mountain!" Fili replied. Neniel's eyes widened. "Which that makes you two princes then!" Neniel exclaimed softly. "Yep!" said Kili, proudly. Neniel hadn't realized she was in presence of royalty until Fili had spoken up. And she knew right then and there, but she would definitely be ousted once she meets Thorin.
And it was that dark haired dwarf that she looked upon in Bree that Gandalf had spoken to. Gandalf, if this is going to fail, I blame you for this! Neniel thought, as she followed the dwarves into Bilbo's foyer. When Bilbo opened the door, there stood the dark haired dwarf leader, his piercing blue eyes looking at Gandalf. "Gandalf!" spoke up Thorin, as he entered Bilbo's home. "I thought you said this place was easy to find? I lost my way-twice!" Thorin continued.
What an idiot! How can he get lost here? Gandalf placed a mark on the door, how could he miss it? Neniel thought. "Didn't you see the mark on the door?" asked Gandalf. "Of course there isn't a mark! The door was painted weeks ago!" snapped Bilbo. Gandalf quickly changed the subject.
"Bilbo, meet the leader of the company, Thorin Oakenshield!" said Gandalf. "So, this is a hobbit! Well! Do you have any skills in fighting? Weapon of choice, axe or sword?" asked Thorin, as he circled around the hobbit. "I have skills in conkers, but I'm afraid that's irrelevant." said Bilbo. "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer, than a burglar!" said Thorin, and the dwarves chuckled in the background. That rude, arrogant selfish twit! How dare he say that about our host, who worked his butt off feeding us? Neniel thought, when suddenly, the attention turned to her.
"Thorin, this is my friend Neniel. She too, will be joining us on the quest." said Gandalf. Neniel could see Thorin wasn't too happy about this at all, in fact, he was livid. "Gandalf of all the things you have done, besides pawning a hobbit off on us! Now you're invited a traitorous ELF! NO! She won't be coming with us!" bellowed Thorin, angrily. "Thorin, she has no home, what will become of her?" said Gandalf. "I don't care what happens to her! She's not coming, end of story!" fumed Thorin, as he went into the dining room.
Neniel finally couldn't take it anymore. It was time to put the dwarf in his place. The harsh words stung her. He has no idea the grief I went through of losing my family, he doesn't understand it, at all!
Neniel thought as she marched angrily into the dining room. Future King or no, she is bound to tell him off. As she entered the dining room, she slammed her dagger on the table in front of Thorin. "Listen you son of a troll! How dare you judge me, when you barely even know me! For one, I am not a Wood Elf! You don't know what its like for your family getting killed right before your eyes by orcs, and until this day I seek revenge on those bastards who destroyed my family!" screamed Neniel, as she bolted out of the dining room. "NENIEL!" called out Gandalf, but it was too late, Neniel already stepped out of Bilbo's home.
The Elf took a seat on the front porch of the hobbit home, as she looked up at the stars, tears streaming down her face. "I hope you're happy, Thorin, son of Thrain. You have insulted her, and the cuts run deep in her veins." growled Gandalf. "Uncle, she's a dark elf. She lives underground. She's quite different than other elves-I don't see why we can take her along." said Kili. "She looks quite trustworthy. Come on laddie-lets give her a chance." said Balin.
Thorin realized his own company wanted the she elf to come with them. Since he felt outnumbered, it left him no other choice but to allow Neniel to join with them. "Now lets begin our meeting, shall we?" said Gandalf.