CHAPTER TEN.
Night faded with the golden rays of sun peeking over the eastern edge of Middle Earth as fast as I'd let myself fall asleep the previous night. Birds came alive with the promise of daybreak, and in the distance, fawns could be spotted here and there around the water sources not far off in the Valley of Imladris. It proved itself a picturesque sight- The Last Homely House West of the Mountains as Gandalf called it- time and time again. I wondered why there weren't places so beautiful on Earth, wherever that existed now.
This was the second time I'd woken up with my head leaned gently against Kili's chest as he breathed slowly and steadily, still in the world of his own dreams. It felt less awkward than the first when he'd sent me tumbling to the ground, and I quickly checked to make sure none of the dwarves were awake. Kili's face, as innocent as it might have looked when he was a little boy, remained peaceful and a hint of a small smile tugged at his lips.
I could have watched that face for hours. God, I was starting to get creepy.
Sure, the first time I laid my eyes upon him- and every time after that, mind you- I thought he was probably one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen. He towered just a few inches taller than me with dark features and barely a hint of scruff across his face. And oh, that face of his. His jawline was clearly defined, his cheekbones were beautifully structured, and those eyebrows lay perfectly arched above his molten brown eyes. But, it began to strike me that I had more than just an appreciation for this man's prettiness. It was, well- I wasn't sure yet, and the prospect perplexed me.
"Miss Elizabeth?"
The elf that had spoke to me at the table the previous night now loomed over us. Her blue eyes focused curiously on me, perhaps because she thought the fact I was leaning on the dwarf prince queer. That, or because I looked horrible that morning. My hair probably was undoubtedly tangled from sleeping, and I hadn't had a bath since we'd started our journey. I glanced down at my fingernails, caked with dirt.
"Shall I escort you to the high chamber now?" I nodded at the tall, blonde woman. I had forgotten that I was supposed to speak to Elrond, and I suddenly wondered why he would want to talk to me. Nothing particular stuck out about a small girl traveling with a pack of dwarves, except the fact that I was a female. I possessed no great knowledge and wisdom like Gandalf, and heck, I barely knew much about our quest.
She held out a hand and helped me up from my spot where Kili still slept in the morning light. The sudden loss of something beside him caused his features to turn into a frown, and he crossed his arms as his eyebrows knitted. I mentally slapped myself for thinking it was cute.
We walked down hallways lined with ornate paintings and carvings that were part of the architecture of Rivendell, past plenty of open spaces that looked out onto the landscape, and by candles mounted in sconces that seemed to have dripped for thousands of years. It became clear that the elves were much more into delicacy and refined art than the dwarven company I traveled with, whose art seemed to be weaponry and storytelling. Strangely enough, I liked the roughness and ruggedness of them much better than the elves. There was something about them that made me feel like I was at home.
Finally, we reached darkly stained wooden doors that stood tall enough that I had to crane my neck to find the top of them. They opened into something that looked like some sort of meeting room (outdoors mostly, of course) with a large round table in the center and flowers spread throughout the room. There were various swords as well as bows and arrows hanging from the walls. I didn't hesitate to recognize the likeness of an elf carved into a stone statue I felt like I'd seen before.
The girl elf left my side at this point, leaving me by myself to the mercy of my surroundings. It was strange, standing there, being in a land that felt so much like a fairytale I could only dream of. I realized I had nothing in this world, and I felt small and insignificant in that moment.
"Eruest, daughter of the tavar." Elrond emerged from somewhere past a scatter of plants, which led to a balcony that overlooked out over the valley. "You have come in such an untimely manner with such an interesting company of companions."
"I don't understand- "I hesitated for a moment and looked at him completely perplexed. Why the elf king kept insisting on referring to me in some language I couldn't understand, I didn't know. On top of that, it was if he already knew me like I'd been around in Middle Earth before. It was already bad enough that I'd found myself waking up to something that wasn't the old life that I was used to, even if the memories were dull in my mind. I was just little, nobody Elizabeth Woolridge from Brighton.
His eyes, holding a peculiar look, pierced mine and then he extended his hand in front of my own as if the gesture gathered information from me words could not explain. In fact, I wasn't sure how I would even go about explaining that I didn't even know myself how or why I was there.
"The Valar saw it fit to erase your thoughts." He sighed and turned out to look over the scenery. "Once you were a brave daughter of your kind. The first to be born of earth and of man."
I forced my eyebrows together. Born of earth and man? I didn't know what he meant, but my thoughts shot to the stories Bofur had been telling me in our spare time. Did he perhaps mean something bred from people along the lines of Théodor and Florin?
"One of them- the storyteller and toymaker- has been telling you about your history. Perhaps you should request he continue since the Valar have chosen to reveal it to you in this way. I will not stray from their wishes. However I do not understand how it is wished that you have come upon such a strange gathering. Perhaps they take the same path you were meant to take. The workings of the Valar are all very unclear."
No kidding, this whole thing was unclear. Now he was telling me that I was a descendent of those in some great story passed down through the people of Middle Earth. My mind spun and it was hard to take in what he was saying. Why had a dream turned into something so very real? Something that I apparently had lived before and could not remember if my life depended on it. I felt ridiculously faint... and lost.
"My daughter of the tavar, you are going to have to regain the courage you once knew if you are to remain with this company. You will have to watch the tongues of those you speak to- even the animals of Middle Earth are not all on our side."
Regain courage? What courage? I barely had any courage. I was afraid of heights, of trolls, and I didn't know how to fight at all. Our encounter with Bert, William, and Tom certainly proved that I couldn't fight my way out of anything. I gaped at Elrond with wide eyes. This must have been some sort of mistake.
"But I came from Brighton in England, and I wasn't born with any sort of bravery-" I began, but was silenced by one of his all-knowing glances I supposed he'd used several times before. Elves must have been the type that knew everything. Even though what he knew didn't seem like it held much truth.
"I would like for you to take this as a blessing." He deftly reached for one of the swords, which was a rapier of fine elvish make. The blade appeared to be extremely sharp and looked as if it would slice anything it touched, but it was also light as a feather. No gems encrusted the hilt, but instead there were beautiful etchings. "Her name is Almir, forged from some of the finest steel and said to have been blessed many long years ago by a royal woman of the wood similar to yourself."
"T-Thank you." I stammered as he transferred the blade into my open hands. A shock like lightning went down my arms when I gripped the sword, and something in my mind sparked like it had been waiting on me my entire life. I was sure there wasn't a sword in Middle Earth that could have satisfied my liking after touching Almir. We briefly exchanged expressive glances once it had been solely in my hands.
"I must now go and leave you with your friends. I will send Ruuya back down to help you with your dress and to get you cleaned properly later." He bowed his head low, and exited the room via the double doors I had entered in.
When I had returned to the group it had not been long since they had woken up and were all in a chatter over the breakfast foods the elves had brought them. This time, they had taken care to find their guests some meat, and they were all very pleased. A vast array of breads, fruits, and the same elvish wines were spread out before them. However, their curiosity became evident when they realized I had returned and even Gloin stopped chewing on his meal for a minute to ask where I'd been. They were afraid the elves had taken me off and weren't planning on returning me.
"I was speaking to Elrond and he wanted to gift to me this sword." I answered all of their questioning glances, and they sat gaping as I pulled Almir out from under my cloak. You would have thought they'd never seen an elvish blade in their entire life.
"That, Lizzie, is a very dangerous gift." Thorin frowned, before he plucked it from my fingers to study it. "...seeing as you hardly know how to use a knife."
"Aye lass, I'm afraid ye' might hurt yourself with that." Bofur's eyes were fixed on the sword.
I frowned and crossed my arms, sending a glare in both of their directions. It wasn't as if I were completely incompetent. Last time I checked I didn't plan on going about using it on myself. "Fili and Kili did say they were going to teach me how to fight."
"That we did." Fili agreed, nodding his head. His brother only shot me an inquisitive glance.
"Well then you've got a mighty fine task ahead of you!" Gloin guffawed, and the rest of the company joined in.
I rolled my eyes and found my way away from the table of laughing dwarves, blushing furiously. I couldn't help that I was a small girl that had never even been put in the situation where I'd have to fight something. Instead of dwelling on the conversation, I found my way over to where the dwarves had neatly stacked my things in a pile beside where I slept the previous night and plopped myself on the ground. At least I still had that box I'd found to preoccupy my thoughts.
"At least your sword is considered one, they think this one here is the equivalent a letter opener." Bilbo stood above me, his curly hair falling just right above his brow as he looked down at me. "They think I'm completely useless, Lizzie... perhaps I am."
I had to agree with the other dwarves that he'd not done much besides complain he wasn't back in the Shire sleeping in his own comfortable bed, but there was something about the Hobbit that was inexplicably likeable. Maybe it was his smallness and innocence. But he did seem to make the journey more bearable in his own way. Gandalf was probably right in thinking that there was more to Bilbo than we thought.
"No..." I paused, peering up at him. "You just haven't had your moment to prove yourself yet."
He shrugged and directed his attention to the small, dirt-covered wooden box in my hands. "What's that?"
"Oh, I found this in the troll hoard when I bumped into you. I've been meaning to open it ever since but I've been so distracted."
Bilbo's eyes fluttered to mine curiously. "Well... open it."
I did as Bilbo pleased, and worked the rusted lock on the front to where it clicked open. It wasn't hard to do considering it was so old and any amount of protection from the outside world it had was rotted away. The top creaked back, and inside beneath a thin layer of dust were a few old pieces of jewelry. How insignificant. The snake in the cave had led me to believe that this box meant something. But hidden beneath the jewelry, a delicate ring of rubies and diamonds had settled itself for more than a few years.
By this time, Gandalf had come to join the group, and he peered over my shoulder with both hands on his staff. "My dear, that ring. Where did you find that?"
Bilbo answered for me before I had time to speak. "In the troll hoard while we were all searching around."
The old wizard took the box from my hands and carefully picked the ring from its place. He studied it for a minute and then looked at me attentively. "It is so strange that such a thing would be in a place like that. How in Middle Earth it got there I would not know... but this ring is very special, Elizabeth. It was your mother's."
My mother's? And once again, my brain was muddled. Gandalf pressed the ring into my hand and closed my fingers over it before he joined the others. The weight of it within my palm was light and delicate, but the touch was cool and oddly familiar. I slipped it onto my pointer finger to keep from losing it, and it glistened brightly in the morning light after who knows how long of being locked up in that case.
I was determined, now, to find out what Elrond and Gandalf seemingly knew about me that I didn't.
A/N: Over 10,000 views? Wow. Seriously, thank you guys. Sorry it took a while to get this chapter out, but I've had a nasty infection this week and was hardly able to keep myself up to the task of doing my homework. And this was kinda (in a way) a big-ish reveal about our character and I honestly was so intimidated with even starting this haha.
I know she keeps finding jewelry too (remember the brooch?), but gems are very important symbols for her people, which of course she doesn't understand yet.
Also, Eruest is elvish for Elizabeth, and tavar is elvish for wood.
Hope you liked :)