"My name is Rhavaniel Mordemirdanian." she smiled and bowed her head to Óin. "You may call me Rhavi. Thank you for your help."
Bilbo was the first to respond to a proper introduction, "Bilbo Baggins..."
"...of the Shire," she finished his sentence, excitedly, "I have heard so much about you."
Kili had told her about everyone in the Company, including Hobbits.
"And it is good to finally meet you." Bilbo smiled. It was pleasant to speak to someone he could only watch all those weeks at Mirkwood.
"Are you hungry?" Bilbo asked.
"Starving, actually." Rhavaniel admitted, "But do you have enough supplies for yourselves?"
Bilbo handed her cram prepared with dried berries, "We have some. This is not as good as lembas bread, I'm afraid."
Rhavaniel bit in and chewed, "This is wonderful."
The remaining Dwarves approached with a mix of trepidation and curiosity, except for Dwalin. Rhavaniel politely introduced herself to all.
Thorin paced, observing Óin as he finished patching up Rhavaniel. "Óin, you have others to tend to, yes?"
Óin nodded, and turned his attention to Ori's nasty head bump.
Thorin approached and sat on a stone bench to better look Rhavaniel in the eyes.
"What do you know of these Elf Guards who pursue us?"
"Nothing, Sir." Rhavaniel recognized that she was in the presence someone who commanded respect. "I know King Thranduil sent many troops in pursuit of you, but I thought they would not pursue you at all beyond the border of Mirkwood. That is what I overheard from my elders, at least."
Thorin continued, "And you thought there was no danger, alone in the woods, knowing thirteen Dwarves escaped from Thranduil's Keep?"
"I was exploring the Woods near Lake-Town, as I often do. It is beautiful there, and safer than Mirkwood, or so I believed. I was not afraid of anything until I saw an Orc for the first time."
"Who are your people?" Thorin asked, "Do you have kin in the Guard?"
"I am Avarin by birth, but I was given to live with a family of Silvan blacksmiths as a baby. " she explained. "I know most of the Guards from my apprenticeship at the forge - I make arrows for them. But they are not kin, Sir, and they were not sent to look for me. My people would not know I am gone."
"You have Guard items." Thorin pointing to the contents of the packs she and Kili carried, now spread out around her.
Rhavaniel kept to Óin's advice, "The rain cloak was old and about to be discarded. A Guard gave it to me instead, and I gave it to Kili. I took the medicinal kit and many other supplies without permission from an Elf Guard Watchtower. My sword..." Thorin used this opportunity to take it from her, "is from a fallen Guard named Glennodad. He was taken by Orcs. They turned him into one of theirs, and I killed him with his own sword five days later."
Rhavaniel's eyes welled with tears at the memory, but she refused to cry.
Thorin could tell that she was not lying.
Thorin was nearly finished, "My nephew carries his own bow, that he made for himself. It was last seen locked up in an Elf dungeon. How do you explain that?"
Rhavaniel swallowed hard, "I took it from the Keep, without permission, to study it. I would have returned it, but when I saw Kili in the woods, it was clear that Ilúvatar wanted it to go back to its rightful owner. Do you not take that as a sign, Sir, that we found each other?"
"I am a strong believer in signs. I am much older than you, and have seen many. I am quite good at discerning encouragements from warnings. " Thorin stood up.
Fili came running back to them. He turned to Rhavaniel, out of breath, "White, yellow, and dark blue all strung together. What does that mean?"
Rhavaniel explained, "They will talk, with peace-tied weapons, but they ask that you wait for nightfall." She reached into her quiver. "Use the blue if your Uncle agrees, otherwise send another white ribbon. Since you reached out first, they must abide by your chosen time."
Thorin fumed, "They are stalling us until the rest of their troops arrive! Fili, send a blue ribbon. At least we know how much time we have to rest before we must leave."